Castle Shyr

YAY!

More Pirates! I\'m upset I missed out on National Talk Like A Pirate Day... I won\'t miss it next year though... AAR!

Be prepared for random smut fics involving Lan... he\'s a whore. In a completely good way, of course.


-Lantipher The Pirate-

“Dad,” Austly said, his voice set in a strange tone as he helped haul in the fishing nets. Raban looked over his shoulder for a moment, curiosity on his face, Austly had been uncharacteristically inquisitive lately, it almost frightened Raban.

“Uh, yes?” He said after a moment, tangling a finger into the net accidentally.

“Say there’s somethin’ you an’ your friends do, and you don’t think it’s dangerous ‘cause you do it a lot and nobody ever gets hurt. But then someone else comes by and does it - and they get upset, ‘cause they think it’s dangerous, even though nobody got hurt that time either. Do you think that thing could really be dangerous, even though nobody ever got hurt doin’ it?” Austly took his eyes away from his gaping father to pick up a fish, giggling as it writhed in his hands, it’s scales both smooth and rough.

“This doesn’t have anything to do with you bein’ housed, does it Austly?” Raban said with a pointed look to his youngest son.

“No! Mom didn’t tell you, did she?!”

“No -she didn’t. I -” Raban ran a hand through his hair, having just untangled it from the net, and pondered his son’s question for a moment. “Well,” He said with a sigh, feeling a slight knot forming in his stomach, “it really depends on a whole bunch of things, son. It might be that it’s not dangerous to you and your friends because you -”

“Not me and my friends dad, I’m jus’ askin’..” Austly interjected quickly, meeting his father’s eyes for as long as he could before letting the fish slip through his fingers ‘by accident’ so he’d have to catch it and look away.

“Well, then, it could be that it’s not dangerous to that person and their friends because they’ve done it lots before, but it could be dangerous to the new person because they have never done it. Or it could be that y- that person and their friends were just lucky to never have gotten hurt, and it took this new person to make them see that. Or it could be that this new person just thinks it’s dangerous because this new person has never seen it before, but that person and their friends have, and so for them it doesn’t seem dangerous.” He stopped and nodded, almost to himself, and looked back at Austly. His son was holding a rather large, oval shaped fish against his chest, and had his head cocked to one side curiously, eyebrows knitted together. “That help any?”

“Uh, not really, but.. Um.. Thanks.” Austly said, tossing the fish into a basket with the others.

Mirta reached down and picked up another shell, turning it over in his hands for a moment before tossing it back out into the ocean. He sat a little ways away from the nightly fish-pull party, seeing as how he really had no obligation to help them: None of his family was in the fishing business. He turned his eyes back over the Nanion along the shore, spotting each of the boys in turn, almost smirking to himself as he spied Fetwhe and Yuhin. Neither of Yuhin’s parents were involved in fishing either, but the tall boy was always dragged into helping Fetwhe and his family. It was strange but as often as the two of them fought Mirta knew they were closer to each other than they were to the group of boys. Of course, it didn’t matter to Mirta one way or the other - he didn’t really blend in with the rest of them anyway. He knew they let him join not only because he’d passed the tests, but because he scared them - after all it was pretty common knowledge that his father was a reformed Tev-lover, seeking refuge from those he’d wronged.

“Mirta?” Mirta started a bit and turned his head towards the combined voices of Til and Taywah, who had managed to sneak up behind the gloomy Nanion boy during his thoughts.

“What?” He barked, his voice not cold but quick. He didn’t like talking, and something told him that with the two of them he’d have to do a lot of explaining - maybe he should just tell them to go away?

“We wanted to ask a question when we were down a’ the rift,” Til began, looking suddenly very shy, “but we forgot. So, since you ain’t helpin’ bring in th’ fish we figured we could ask you.” Til looked unsurely at Taywah when they received no answer, and was shrugged at, then nodded to. “Well,” he continued, wringing his hands together as his voice cracked, “we wanted to know why Rhin and Kyin got wraps on their heads?”

“That’s all?” Mirta asked, a bit surprised. He’d figured he was in for some long and drawn out explaination about why the fishing nets were so important, or some other stupid question little kids ask. He let out a bit of a sigh and looked along the shore until he found Kyin and Rhin, helping Bitti secure fish baskets a little further up on the shore - head wraps still tightly bound around their heads.

“It’s ‘cause their hair’s white now.” Mirta started, not surprised when he was immediately interrupted.

“Why’s their hair white? Wasn’t white when we found ‘em, was it? I don’t ‘member it bein’ white.”

“No, shush it. It wasn’t white when we found ‘em, that’s why they’re wearing wraps now.” Mirta said, trying not to sound too incredibly condescending, after all these two boys were much younger than he was, he had to at least have a little patience with them. “Their hair’s white now ‘cause they had friends an’ family die. When a Nanion looses someone they love, their hair turns white for a while - an’ when they’re done grievin’ or whatever, their hair turns back to it’s normal color and th’ wraps come off.” Mirta said, looking over his shoulder at the boys. It was really common knowledge, the whole ordeal, but Taywah and Til were the youngest in the village and hadn’t dealt with loss before - so why would they know?

“Why do they gotta wrap their hair?” Til said as he sat down next to Mirta, wiggling his toes into the sand. “’s not like they’re tryin’ to hide it - ‘cause if you only wear head wraps like that when you loose people, everyone’s gonna know whatchure hidin’ under them.”

“Well - um - it’s kind of an old tradition I s’pose. I’s been happenin’ for years, head wrappin’ and such, but I dunno why really. Alls I know is that your hair goes white and your s’pose to wrap it.” He shrugged and picked up another shell, looking it over for a while before tossing it into the water.

“Why’d you do that?” Til asked, watching Mirta curiously as he picked up a shell himself and looked at it.

“’cause there was a hole it in.” Mirta said with a roll of his eyes. “I’m ‘lectin’ shells for my mom and she don’t want any wit’ holes in ‘em.” He picked up another and looked at Til for a moment. The boy was looking at his shell curiously, it seemed whole to Mirta - but Til began poking at it. “Watch-it Til, lotsa the whole ones have-”

“Ow!” Til shouted, standing and jumping up and down for a few moments, shaking his hand wildly into the air. The crab who had been disturbed had scuttled out of his shell just enough so that he had room to pinch and hold on.

“Whatcha doin’ Til!?” Taywah barked, moving to stand on one side of the boy. “Whatcha let the crab pincha for?”

“I didn’t let him pinch me! He did it on his own! Get ‘em off!” Til shouted, turning to Mirta with tears streaming down his face.

“Ok, ok, jus’ hold still.” Mirta reached out and took Til’s hand with his right hand and the shell with his left. He bent down and gave a little tug to the shell, earning him a shout from Til. “Sorry - jus’ checkin’.” He muttered, and then reached out to grab the crab’s claw. Til winced for a moment as the crab squeezed a bit harder, but Mirta had apparently found a spot on the creature’s arm which made it release, and after a moment of really hard pinching, the crab let go and plopped to the ground. Mirta nodded, bent down all the way, picked up the shell and chucked it as far out as he could.

“Thanks..” Sniffled Til, holding up his hand to look at it. It wasn’t bleeding, which was good, but there was a big red mark around where the pinchers had closed. “Stupid crab.” Til looked up as his shoulder was tapped, and Taywah cocked his head to one side looking at Mirta -who was still staring out at the sea.

“Mirta, whatchu lookin’ at?” Taywah ventured as he and Til moved to stand on either side of the older boy.

“A ship.” He replied in a strangely awestruck voice. The two younger boys snapped to attention and scanned the waters as well. “Right there,” Mirta pointed and a small triangle of a ship came into focus, “it’s got a light blue sail.”

“Lan!” Taywah said excitedly.

“Let’s go tell Austly!” Til cried, starting down the shore. Both boys were soon stopped by a hand on their collars. They turned to look at Mirta over their shoulders quizzically.

“Now, le’s not get too ‘sited. Le’s jus’ walk down an-”

“AUSTLY! Lan’s here!” Shouted Taywah, who had somehow managed to wiggle free of Mirta’s hand. He took off down the shore, Til and Mirta in tow. He giggled and began to weave his way in and out of the fishing nets, fish buckets, and the Nanion along the waters. Til and Mirta were shouting behind him, Mirta was saying mean things like he was apt to say, and Til was laughing while saying he was sorry to all those he pushed past. Taywah howled with laughter and suddenly flung himself to the wet and sandy bank at Austly’s feet.

“Whatcha want you trouble-maker?” Austly chuckled, clicking his tongue as he looked down at Taywah, setting another fish into the nearly full bucket.

“Mirta and Til and I spotted Lan!” Taywah spat out, dodging a playful blow from Mirta.

“I told ya to go slow! You practically knocked over Yuhin!”

“It was funny,” Til mumbled, but looked up at Austly and smiled wider. The red headed boy’s eyes had grown wide and he stepped into the water, scanning the horizon for the familiar ship.

“Lan,” He said softly, stepping a bit further into the water.

“Austly? What’re you doin’?” Raban said from under the net he’d somehow managed to wrap over himself.

“Lan.” Austly said, a bit louder as his eyes locked onto the blue sails. “Lan!” He shouted at last, running into the water until it reached his waist. “Lan!”

“Woo!” Taywah shouted, following with the other two into the water. Austly led the boys along the shore, yelling and whooping, splashing themselves and everyone around as they went. They stopped once they were in front of the ship, though they knew Lan wouldn’t be able to make them out just yet. Austly began to jump up and down and wave, shouting and whistling.


Rhinwyn wiped his hands on his shirt and looked up as the boys ran past, smiling a little as he watched them. It appeared they were calling to a ship in the distance, he couldn’t really make out what they were yelling.

“Well, I’ll be..” Bitti muttered from behind him. He turned to look at her and cocked his head to one side at her expression. “It’s Lantipher - finally back from the North.” She said, as if it were common knowledge that that’s where he had been. She smiled and wiped her own hands off on her wet apron.

“I didn’t think he was supposed to be home for a while,” Kyin said as she stepped up and joined the conversation, setting a loose piece of white hair behind her ear. “At least, that’s what Raban told Austly a few nights ago.”

“Well, we weren’t expecting him to be back for a while.” Bitti explained, her voice picking up speed and pitch, she was clearly just as excited as the shouting boys. Rhin and Kyin exchanged small smiles. “His visits had been getting longer and longer apart lately - I was sure it’d be another year before we saw him!”

“Lan’s always been full of surprises, Bitti,” Raban said as he walked over, wrapping an arm over Bitti’s waist. “Hopefully he’ll be in one piece this time.” Raban made a small noise as Bitti smacked his arm, a bit too rough to be completely playful.

Kyin sighed and leaned up against Rhin as they, along with most of the Nanion on the shore, turned to watch the ship draw slowly closer. The sun was finally starting to set, meaning they were done bringing in the fishing nets for the night - there were already people packing up and heading home.

Rhinwyn reached up and fingered the cracked tooth dangling from his neck - the tooth of the Ju’agul which had bitten him a month ago. Kyin had taken it from Gehlman and had strung it onto a necklace for Rhin. He had been utterly depressed by just the sight of it for a long while, but he’d grown accustomed to it’s weight, and it was now slightly comforting - plus it matched the scar on his shoulder.

He shifted his weight a bit and heard Kyin utter a small hiss of pain. He tilted his head down to look at her and saw that she was rubbing the skin over her shoulders which had recently begun to peel.

“Bitti said to leave it alone, Kyin.” He warned, his voice soft.

“I know - but it itches.” She whined, looking up at him with sad eyes. He chuckled and reached over to gently poke her nose, where skin had also begun to peel. Bitti had warned them during their first night about hot skin; she said it was really common in kids and new visitors to the shore. She said that it was pretty much just your skin drying up in the sun, and if you weren’t used to it your skin would turn red and hot. It would hurt for a few days, then it would peel off and you’d be good as new, if not a bit darker.

“Come on, let’s head back. You can get a cold bath, since that seems to help.”


The welcoming party for Lan’s ship went on for a short while after the beach cleared of the fishermen. The boys continued to hoot and holler, jumping up and down in the waves and trying to dunk each other for a little over an hour before they began to tire. They then took turns wading into the oncoming tide to help guide in Lan’s ship while the seven others sat on the shore to rest. It wasn’t until well into the night that their parents came to get them, assuring them that the moment Lan arrived in the morning, he’d come see them.

Lan was a testy subject in Fordwych. It was no secret that he was, indeed, a pirate. He did pirate-like things. It was only the young boys who fantasized about heroic deeds and brave adventures, the rest of the village knew better. They knew the truth behind his hordes of treasure, his courageous wounds, his knowledge of people from lands far and wide. Of course no-one spoke this truth to the children. Despite their disapproval of Lan and his tall tales, none was willing to destroy the blind faith and innocence Lan brought out in the young boys. It didn’t help either that Lan had once been an actor - his whole crew had. They had been kids much like Austly and his group who had grown up together in Fordwych, banded during their mid-teens and formed and acting troupe. Most of their silly little plays were about pirates; the heroic battles they fought, the treasures they found and the adventures they went on. Apparently what had happened was the troupe had gotten very drunk one night and succumbed to Lan’s suggestion that they stop pretending to be pirates and really become them. They’d sought out an old pirate captain staying at one of the inns, convinced him to wash and dry his flag and pick up the old sword. Within a month they were gone, leading the life they’d played out for years. Thanks to this stage experience, Lan could be very charismatic and commanding when he wanted to be, the kind of speaker who gathered all the attention, no matter what grudges were held against him.

Lan didn’t really enjoy conflict, but he hated calm waters. So none of the crew was surprised by the smirk that slinked across his face as they anchored the ship and lowered the lifeboats.

“Home sweet home.” He muttered into the foggy, pre-sunrise air.

He should have been asleep hours ago; Even though his parents knew he was excited and was probably going to be up a while, he still should have been asleep already. He just couldn’t help it! He’d lay down for a few minutes but his mind would keep going. He’d start thinking about things he wasn’t sure he really understood, and then he’d confuse himself until he was awake again. It wasn’t too big a deal though, he supposed. He’d gone a one or two nights without sleep before and as long as he was quiet and didn’t wake his parents up, they didn’t have to know.

Austly turned to look into his room over his shoulder, as he sat now on a small stool by his open window, and smiled a little. Til and Soboe had convinced their parents to let them sleep at Austly’s house - because they both really wanted to see Lan - the wimps had fallen asleep a long time ago.

Austly couldn’t help but chuckle as he watched the two of them, sprawled all over each other, snoring and stuff - they’d have to toughen up if they wanted to become pirates.

He reached up and began twirling strands of already curly red hair, pulling it between his fingertips before letting it spring back into place. Lan’s ship looked like it hadn’t moved in ages, and even though Austly knew it was just hard to see it moving from his window, he got worried. Worried about what he wasn’t sure, but just thinking about the ship standing there, not moving, put knots in his stomach and made his hands all clammy.

His parents had fought for a little while when they got home. He hadn’t really been paying attention, since he tended to tune out all their fighting, but he knew he was mentioned, Lan was mentioned, and there was something about ‘high tension’ and ‘the whole prophecy thing.’ Austly really didn’t understand it, but he wanted to know how he’d been dragged into the argument. He hoped his mom hadn’t tattled on him, she did tend to do that. At least his dad kept secrets.

“Mm, ‘stly?” Til muttered, sitting up and rubbing at his eyes. “’chu doin’?”

“Lookin’ out the window. Watchin’ Lan’s ship come in.” Austly answered simply, sliding off the stool to plop on the floor next to the young boy, disturbing Soboe in the process. Luckily it just earned them a grunt as he pulled the covers over his head and rolled over.

“Is’t any closer?”

“Nope.” Austly started, then paused and shook his head, looking over at the window again. “I mean - yeah, it is, it just don’t seem like it is.”

“’s jus’ ‘cause your ‘sited, right?” Til said in a soft, unsure way. He hoped it had gotten closer, if they got all excited only to have Lan’s ship stop and turn around well, he’d be really mad the next time he saw Lan. He’d yell at him and everything!

“Yeah. ‘s just ‘cause I’m ‘sited. Don’t worry. Lan’ll be here in the mornin’ an’ we’ll have all day to ask him stuff!” Austly snapped his fingers and paused, looking towards his door for a moment before leaning in close to Til and lowering his voice a bit. “We can’t forget to ask him ‘bout our bandanas. You gotta help me ‘member, kay?”

“Yeah - ok.” Til answered, reaching up to rub his eyes again with a yawn. “Won’t be hard to ‘member, mines keeps slippin’ down and I can’t see.”

“Mine too.” Austly said with a forlorn glance at his bandana, discarded on the side table by his unused bed. “Hey, why don’t you an’ Soboe get up on m’bed? I ain’t gonna use it.”

“’chu mean you ain’t gonna use it?” Soboe yawned from under the blankets, apparently unable to sleep with his two companions talking so close. “You need sleep too, Austly.”

“I slept ‘ready.” Austly answered quickly, shrugging his shoulders a bit and starting back towards his stool at the window. “’Sides, I ain’t tired no more. Now get up there an’ sleep up so you ain’t too tired to go hikin’ in the mornin’ wit’ Lan and his crew.”

There was a laugh, and a hand slapped onto Lan’s shoulder, making him stop and cock his head to one side.

“Wait a minute - you mean you’re taking the front door? You’re not going to go swinging in through the window, or come crashing down from the roof?”

“Circo - it’s my own flippin’ house. Maybe if it were your house I’d cause some damage, but my mum’d kill me if I came in through the window.”

“Suit yourself. You know Austly’d enjoy it.” Lan snickered and shook his head, smacking Circo’s hand from his shoulder.

“You better straighten up - or I’m gonna regret lettin’ you come with me.” Circo laughed and spun, throwing his hands out to keep his balance. After the crew had anchored and rowed ashore, Lan and Circo headed off for the depths of town - Circo more because he just wanted to pester Lan than anything.

Lan looked a remarkable amount like Austly and his mother, he had the same curly hair, though his was a sunnier shade of blonde, and carried a few of his father’s fine strands through it. It came down just a little past his shoulder blades and was pulled into a pony tail at the nape of his neck, leaving stray and unruly bits in his face. His eyes were a light, stormy blue, always half-lidded and mischievous, aided of course by his continuous smirk and deceiving dimples.

Circo was quite his contrast. Of all the members of the crew Circo was the only one not native to Fordwych - he wasn’t even native to Nanio. No one was quite sure where he was really from, but Lan had rescued him during a raid a few years back, saved Circo’s life in fact. He was now a bit of a relentless tag-along, not that Lan minded, he was good company. The foreign man’s ears were dramatically horizontal, giving him the appearance of a scolded dog, and he couldn’t move them in the least. His hair was a strange metallic black in color, and was rather hard to the touch. In style it was divided into thousands of twists, pulled tight so that they began growing in twisted, and hung to his hips. His hair hung free, though miraculously clear of his face - which in itself sported hair, the same strange texture and color, in a thin strip on his chin and just barely under his nose and over the top of his mouth. His eyes were by far the strangest part of him, at least that’s what Lan thought, his eyes were white washed - they had no pupil, no iris - they were completely and totally blank.

“So, how many of the kids d’ya think Austly managed to smuggle into your house?”

“Mm, three.” Lan said, pausing before leaping onto the railing with his companion, wavering for only a second before catching his balance and turning to walk backwards.

“They don’t know why you’re back so soon, do they?” Circo said, his voice suddenly serious and monotone.

Lan paused and tilted his head a little, as if looking at something on the ground. He finally shook his head and kept walking.

“No - I doubt they’ve got the slightest clue. The only reason we know is ‘cause we happened to run into that royal barge, ‘member? I betcha word hasn’t even traveled to the Shryiol yet.” Circo started to answer, something about message hawks, but Lan leapt to the ground, sufficiently cutting his friend off. He landed in a crouch and stood up slowly, looking over his shoulder at Circo. He didn’t really want to talk about it, any of it, before he had to. He wanted at least one carefree day with his brother, with his brother’s strange cohorts.

He reached up to wrestle his hair into a bun at the base of his neck as he started off again, listening as Circo thump-landed behind him, and picked up an even pace.

Circo, despite knowing he’d crossed a line with Lan, couldn’t help but smile as he looked around Fordwych. He’d been here before, numerous times, but each time he came he was filled with a different sort of longing. This was Lantipher’s home. This is where he grew up; where he could sit and remember days long since past - where he could meet people he used to know, and catch up with them. The whole crew had that luxury. For Circo, it was as if his life started the day Lantipher rescued him. He couldn’t recall a childhood; he couldn’t even recall names or faces of people he might know. He felt a twinge in his stomach and drew his gaze to the back of Lan’s long-sleeved vest. He wanted this - but the time had passed for him to have it. He had to make the best of what time he had left.

“Wow, that’s a surprise.” Lan muttered from up ahead, startling Circo out of his thoughts to run to Lan’s side. The red-head pointed to a large house looming in front of them. “Mum’s convinced Austly to blow out th’ candles.” There was a pause, during which time Circo caught a slight gleam in Lan’s eye, and then the pirate had taken off, leaving Circo to cross his arms over his chest in solitude.

Lan tore up the stairs of the platform, skidded as he rounded a corner, bumping his elbow against the railing, slipped and fell to his rump just outside the front door.

“You never learn, do you?”

“How was I s’possed to know it was wet?” He whined, looking up and squinting at the figure in the doorway. He grinned and moved to stand. He didn’t get far, however, before his mother leapt onto him, quite literally. He chuckled and wrapped his arms over her back, squeezing.

“’s good to see you too!” He said, leaning back on his elbows as Bitti sat up quickly, mussing with her hair in an attempt to regain her composure. Circo raised a cautious eyebrow as he stepped up onto the platform and leaned onto the railing.

“Mornin’, Mum.” Circo called lightly, wiggling the fingers of his right hand in a greeting. “Whatchu doin’ up so early?” He chuckled, making a face. Bitti turned on him, hands on her hips and clucked her tongue against the roof of her mouth.

“That’s a rude greetin’ to give someone you haven’t seen in months.” She declared, tapping her foot on the wood of the platform before pointing in front of her. “Now, come give me a proper hug and I’ll tell you all about why I’m still up.”

Lan snickered and climbed to his feet as Circo obeyed, head down, and wrapped Bitti in a tight hug, even lifting her off the ground a little, which produced a light squeal and a smack.

“You’ll not treat me like one of your shore-whores, thanks.” Bitti smirked, though her voice was entirely joking. She turned to look her eldest son over for another moment and shook her head. “I swear you get taller and taller, Lantipher. You must have gotten it from your father, ‘cause it most certainly didn’t come from my side of the family.”

“Aw, but you’re tall in spirit, mother, and that counts, right?” Lan’s voice was dripping with praise, and Circo snickered at him, smacking him on the back of the head.

“You shush-it, Lan, and come in - it’s getting cold.”

Bitti turned and quietly opened the door, stepping in and then aside so the two men could enter. Suhayl, Raban and Gehlmen had all stopped their discussion the moment they realized Lan had arrived, and were all giving Bitti rather harsh looks.

Raban stood, wiping his card-dirtied hands on his pants and made his way to his wife, throwing an arm around her waist as he nodded to Lan and Circo.

“Bitti, don’t you think it’s a bit early? Can’t you send them back to the shore, or to an inn until later on?” He paused and tilted his head away from the Nanion woman as she slowly turned her gaze on him, narrowing her eyes in an uncharacteristically malicious way.

“I don’t want to hear hawk-shit like that from you again, Raban.” She said wringing his arm off of her side. “He is my son and you’re going to suck it up and deal with it. Or you’ll be sleeping outside.”

“Mornin’, gentlemen.” Lan said, smiling devilishly at Gehlman and Suhayl as he flopped onto a couch, Circo taking up residence on the armrest beside him. “How goes the map-making?”

“Uh.” Suhayl grunted, sneering at Lan as he started to clean up the cards scattered all over the table.

“Wonderful!” Lantipher beamed, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. “And with you, Gehlman? Cure any harrowing plagues lately?”

“Humph.”

“Well, Circo,” Lan said, leaning back and throwing his arms over the back of the couch. “It’s good to see everything on the home front is looking good.” Circo offered only a nod, giving the older Nanion a skeptical look as he leaned back onto the couch, Lan’s arm coming to rest around his waist.

“You boys thirsty?” Bitti called as she walked over, ignoring completely Suhayl and Gehlman as they looked up and tried to catch her eye.

“Oh, I’m fine, mum.” Lan said, looking up at Circo, who shook his head.

“Yeah - we threw a big bash earlier tonight, before we anchored in - so I’m stuffed.” Lan and Circo tried desperately to hold back fits of laughter as both Suhayl and Gehlman uttered and groaned their disapproval. Bitti gave Lan a bit of a warning glance, but sat down next to him anyway.

“Austly managed to get Til and Soboe for tonight, but the other boys were all promised that you’d visit them when you arrived.”

“Mmm. Looks like I’m going to have to learn how to be in numerous places at once afterall.. I was hoping I could slip by with a double or somethin’.” Lan paused and began rubbing the cloth of Circo’s shirt between his fingers. “How is the little fry anyway?” Bitti sighed and shook her head.

“He’s growin’ up, that’s the best way I can describe it.” She moved as if to continue, but a grunt from the door rudely caught her attention. She and the boys turned to look at the three Nanion men gathering their coats.

“I’m goin’ down to Gehlman’s office, Bit. Suhayl had a few more things he wanted to discuss with us.” Raban’s voice was short, as was his gaze. He quickly looked away and stomped out the door, slamming it behind him.

“I swear - that man throws worse fits than your brother!” Bitti shouted, not thinking of the other sleepers in the house, and covered her mouth momentarily afterwards. She eventually lowered her hands and looked back up at Lan, surprising him with a small bit of hopelessness in her gaze.

“He’s really changed. It’s only been a few months since your last visit, but with all the recent Tev marches, and the rumours and Ju’agul sightings - he’s really, really changed.” She began to wring her hands around the apron at her hips, making strange faces as she did. “There are times when - I remember why I came with him, but then, Lan, there are these other times when I realize he’s - he’s just not the man I married, you know?”

Lan frowned and leaned forward to plant a kiss on her forehead, pulling her in for another hug as he did so.

“I dunno what to say, mum. You know how I feel about him.”

“I know, and I do think about your opinion.. I really do.” Lan nodded and for a moment a sort of unsettling silence fell over them, leaving Circo time to rememorize the cozy house, while Lan tried not to think on Raban.

“Oh! Bitti! You said you’d tell us what you’re doing up so late, er, early.” Circo interjected, noticing Lan’s fidgeting. Bitti clucked and nodded, standing up and smiling.

“That I did - but, I’m afraid I can’t do that until you do one more thing for me.”

“Oh?” Lan said worriedly, looking her up and down for a minute with a raised eyebrow. “An’ what’s that?”

“You’ve got a little brother and some cohorts to greet, don’t you?”