Lady Snowpearl is Waiting

"Which room?" Gunnar asked, as he and Sera returned to the hallway between the two bedrooms. Sera gave him a narrow-eyed, suspicious glance, receiving an amused little half-smile in reply.

"Three's room will do just fine," came the sharp reply, from the other side of Three's open door. Sera peered around Gunnar and saw that Lady Snowpearl was still seated on the foot of the bed. Sera sighed.

"One moment, Lady Snowpearl," she said, and turned into Six's room. Gunnar gave an irritated little growl, and followed, striding into the room to peer carefully into the shadows. Sera left him to his survey and made her way to the wardrobe. While Gunnar picked up pillows and blankets and tossed them back onto the bed, Sera fished out a robe and pulled it on.

Or rather, tried to to pull it on. Six had done the actual dressing and undressing thus far, easily maneuvering around the wings despite the awkward bandaging. But Sera kept getting the robe caught on one wing or the other until Gunnar joined her and helped to pull the robe into place. He fussed with the front of the robe unnecessarily for a moment, until Sera swatted at his hands.

He stopped fussing with the robe, but instead tilted Sera's face up to meet his gaze. Her eyebrows rose as she noted how grim he looked. "What?"

"I'm going to have to let Three loose," he said.

"And?" Sera prompted.

"And he's going to try and push me out of his body," said Gunnar. "If he succeeds, it may take me some time to get back. If you leave, it will be a violation of your oath."

"If Lady Snowpearl throws us out--" Sera began.

Gunnar interrupted with an impatient sound, "You know that's not what I meant. Stay. In. Six."

"I'm not planning to go anywhere," Sera said, rolling her eyes. She tried to step past him, but Gunnar shifted to block her passage. Sera stared him down, reminding him flatly, "Lady Snowpearl is waiting."

After a long minute, Gunnar let his hand fall and stepped aside. Trying not to notice how . . . bereft . . . that small separation left her feeling, Sera squared her borrowed shoulders and marched towards the door. She was deeply aware of Gunnar just a pace behind, as she crossed the hall. He pulled Three's door shut and then moved into the room and around it, checking the doors and shadows and balcony before taking up a place on the exercise mat.

"If you are satisfied there are no threats, may we discuss this like adults now?" Lady Snowpearl asked tartly, glancing between Sera and Gunnar.

No, it wasn't Gunnar now, Sera saw. Three's expression was alive with fury.

"There's nothing to discuss," he snapped, stalking forward. "Either you throw us out, or you give us shelter. But it is 'us', mother. I won't abandon Six to Father Superior Starwind. Or anyone else who comes after her."

Lady Snowpearl's eyebrows rose, but she said nothing, choosing to turn to Sera. "And you, Six? What do you have say?"

"Six is asleep," Sera replied. Three's eyes narrowed suspiciously. Aware that Gunnar had said he was 'letting Three out', and thus had probably managed to mentally trap the man some how she said firmly, "She is asleep, Brother Forty-Three. I'm sure she'll be very happy to hear you refuse to turn your back on her when she wakes up."

"I want to talk to her. Now," Three answered. "I want to know you don't have her trapped in her head like--" He broke off for just a moment, features contorting in irritation, and then he said, "Like some misbehaving pet."

"Six has had a very difficult day, Brother Forty-Three," Sera replied evenly. "First my arrival, then her wing was broken, she was almost assassinated, your mother tried to shove you into her arms, then she was assaulted by thugs, told by her prospective mother-in-law that she's not good enough, and was assaulted by the thugs again. She. Is. Asleep. I will not wake her up just to make you feel better."

Three out a frustrated shout and whirled away, throwing punches at an invisible enemy. Sera watched him for a moment, decided that he would continue to direct his tantrum at the imaginary victim, and turned to Lady Snowpearl.

"I am also very tired, Lady Snowpearl, and would appreciate it if we could skip the verbal sparring and get straight to the point. Are you going to insist that we leave? And if you are, will it be now, or in the morning?"

"You cannot be persuaded to leave Six for a more . . ." Lady Snowpearl hesitated for a moment, carefully choosing her next words, "For a host more to the liking of the Temples?"

"No, I cannot," Sera confirmed. She smiled faintly and asked, "How many sons do you have, Lady Snowpearl?"

The noblewoman's lips thinned, but she answered tersely, "Nine."

"I have none," Sera said, and the woman's mouth thinned even farther. Clearly, Sera had offended the woman. How, Sera didn't know, and for a heartbeat she hesitated. But she had a point to make, and that was more important than soothing the other woman's ruffled dignity. So she continued, "No sons, and no daughters either. But I'm old enough that, had I been born here, I could have been Six's mother, and right now she very much needs someone to mother her. I won't abandon her simply because it would be more convenient for you."

Lady Snowpearl frowned slightly and said, "I would be delighted to mother Six."

It was on the tip of Sera's tongue to retort sarcastically, 'Are you sure she's to your liking?'

But she swallowed those words and said more tactfully, "Six deserves to have someone unconditionally in her corner. You cannot offer that, as you have an obligation to protect your house first."

"If she marries Three, she will BE part of my house," Lady Snowpearl answered.

Sera's eyes narrowed and she replied coldly, "No one with Six's best interests at heart would suggest that she is in the mental state right now to be making that kind of a commitment."

Lady Snowpearl's mouth thinned again, but she didn't offer a counter argument.

"So what will it be, Mother?" Three asked expressionlessly. "Do we leave now? Or will you at least give us shelter until morning?"

Lady Snowpearl turned to eye her son thoughtfully. After a few moments she asked, "Answer me this, Oakbranch. Is Sister Forty-Six your mate?"

There was a weight to the question that Sera didn't understand, and Three flinched. His gaze darted to Three, then away and back again several times more. Lady Snowpearl waited patiently. Finally Three closed his eyes and said reluctantly, "Yes."

Surprise flashed across Lady Snowpearl's features, quickly followed by thoughtfulness. She turned to eye Sera--no Six, Sera was irrelevant here--speculatively. Something had changed, and not understanding what made Sera nervous. She fought the urge to take a step back towards the door.

"Well, Mother?" Three prompted wearily, his shoulders slumped.

Lady Snowpearl ignored him, instead addressing Sera with, "It seems fate has decided the matter. I will make it known that Six is now a member of the House, with all the associated rights and duties, in the morning. And for tonight I will have Captain Nightfire assign a detachment to watch over you."

Somehow they'd gone from about to be thrown out to being put under guard. Sera did not feel reassured, but Three let out a sigh of relief, and said, "Thank you, Mother."

Lady Snowpearl smiled wryly, "As . . . err . . . the Honored Traveler has pointed out, I have a duty to protect the House of Llinn." She got to her feet and glided across the room to the door, saying, "I trust you can keep your mate safe until the guards get here."

"Yes, Mother," answered, in the universal tone of put-upon sons. Sera rolled her eyes, and found herself sharing an amused smile with Lady Snowpearl as the older woman smirked.

"Get some sleep," Lady Snowpearl said. "Tomorrow will be a whole new set of challenges for you both."

A heartbeat later, she was through the door. As it closed, Sera turned back to Three and found him eyeing her with a mix of emotions, of which suspicion was the most identifiable. When several minutes passed without the young man speaking, Sera asked, "Why did telling your mother that you love Six make her choose to protect her?"

"I don't love Six," Three snapped. "She's my mate."

Sera rolled her eyes. "Fine, you don't love . . . " She paused and frowned warily, "Did you lie to your mother to get her protection?"

"NO!" Three exclaimed, clearly outraged. "How stupid do you think I am?!"

Sera bit back a sarcastic reply and instead went to sit down on the foot of the bed. She took a deep breath and said carefully, "I am clearly missing something here, Brother Forty-Three. You claim you don't love Six, but she's your mate. Please explain to me how that works."

"She's my mate," Three said again, emphasizing the last word. Clearly that was supposed to be sufficient to make all things clear. He let out a frustrated sound as Sera continued to wait for explanation. "My genetic match. The woman I can have children with. Love has nothing to do with this."

"Oh," Sera said, finally understanding. Love really didn't have anything to do with this. Sadly she lowered her head, "Oh, poor Six. You deserve so much better."