Old Friends at Lunch

[Anacrasia Shahrizai]

I had received Soleil's missive, and our correspondences were back and forth for a day before a date was decided upon. And so it was that I found myself ringing her bell, wondering what all could have possibly happened in the last few weeks.

I was dressed well, though nothing too fancy, and I had set aside the entire afternoon for her. We really hadn't spoken enough since the winter, and I truly wanted to catch up with her.

[Soleil Belfours]

I was in my sitting room with a glass of sparkling water when the bell rang. Now that I was pregnant, I needed to avoid alcoholic beverages. I had specifically instructed my staff to let me answer the door, so I set the glass down and went to open it.

There was my beautiful near-cousin, and I stepped aside to let her in before opening my arms to embrace and kiss her in greeting. "Anacrasia," I said, "how are you?"

[Anacrasia Shahrizai]

I embraced her as well after I entered her home. “Oh, I’m quite well.” I replied. A servant appeared to take my short jacket. “Though it feels like its been ages since we’ve spoken last.”

[Soleil Belfours]

"It certainly does," I said, leading her into the dining room. It was set for two, with my seat at the head of the table and hers to the right of me. "And so much has happened in such a short time."

[Anacrasia Shahrizai]

I sat as indicated. "And what all has happened?" I asked, watching her intently. There was something... different about her. Something I couldn't put my finger on. "You have me quite curious."

[Soleil Belfours]

"Anacrasia," I said, smiling widely and taking her hand, "I'm going to be a mother."

[Anacrasia Shahrizai]

My smile turned as wide as hers, and I squeezed her hand. "Oh Soleil, that's wonderful!" I exclaimed. "I'm so happy for you. When are you due?"

[Soleil Belfours]

"In the winter," I said. "It's too soon to show, of course, but I feel different."

[Anacrasia Shahrizai]

"That's excellent news." I told her, still smiling. Though there was a niggling voice in my mind telling me that this couldn't possibly be all the news. Not from the way she had phrased things.

"And you were worried." I teased. "Will you stay in the City, or go home? Or have you really thought about it yet? I'll be with you, if you'd like, whatever you decide."

[Soleil Belfours]

"I shall stay," I said. "All the best doctors are in the city, and I want to make sure I am as healthy as possible, for the child's sake. I would like you with me, Anacrasia."

I signaled my maid to start bringing out the food, which she did: A whole grilled salmon on a platter, string beans cooked with rosemary and olive oil, and spiced rice pilaf.

[Anacrasia Shahrizai]

I studied her as the food was brought out. "What else is there Soleil?" I asked, ignoring the food for the moment. She was too subdued for my liking.

[Soleil Belfours]

Picking up a large spoon, I served us both fragrant chunks of fish. Setting it down, I studied her a moment. "Did you know that Malabelle is engaged?" I asked her after a pause.

[Anacrasia Shahrizai]

I blinked. "No I didn't." Suddenly I remebered Soleil's comment at the coronation banquet. Suspicions began creeping into my mind. If they were correct, this was so not going to go well. "You don't mean to tell me..."

[Soleil Belfours]

"Oh, but I do," I said, and a bit of my old coldness crept into my voice. "My child's father is Malabelle's fiance." Steadily, I scooped up some string beans and served Anacrasia, then myself. The steady motions helped calm me, and prevent me from becoming unnecessarily angry again.

[Anacrasia Shahrizai]

I wanted to laugh at all the ironic pitfalls the gods throw in our path. But I didn't. Because I was cursing at the same time. Why in all the heavens did my family make my life so difficult?

"I see." I replied. It was more of a prompt for her. I wasn't sure what to tell her until I knew more about the whole situation. "This has a large possibilty of becoming very awkward." I stated.

[Soleil Belfours]

"I know," I said. "I wanted to speak to you about it; you are the matriarch after all." I served the rice after a moment and picked up my fork. Despite the seriousness of the situation, I was still hungry. But I was eating for two now.

"I find myself having...more affections than I usually do for a man for Christophe; that's the father," I clarified. "When I told him I was pregnant, he told me he was engaged. There is no love lost between me and Malabelle, and I expressed concern that my child would find less than adequate care and affection in their home." I met her eyes. "Do you think I have reason to fear that Malabelle will harm my child?"

[Anacrasia Shahrizai]

I knew Soleil. We had grown up together after all. I knew that she hadn't been nearly this calm when it all had happened. I took a bite as she spoke, weighing the various factors in my head as I chewed. For Malabelle to et engaged... Now that was something. I replied after swallowing. "No, I don't think you need to be concerned. Would you like me to speak with her?"

[Soleil Belfours]

"I know not what there is to say on my behalf," I said. "Perhaps you should speak to her nonetheless on your family matters, but I have nothing to say to her, save for that I won't take Christophe from her. I cannot make her love my child, but I am sure that for Christophe's sake, she may find affection."

[Anacrasia Shahrizai]

"You have affections for him, and you aren't pursuing him?" I asked, needing to clarify something.

[Soleil Belfours]

"No, I am not," I said. "He is engaged. I won't do anything to make him violate the sacred contract that now exists between him and Malabelle, much as it dismays me."

[Anacrasia Shahrizai]

I nodded. She had accepted it, and was calm now. Good. It meant that though she claimed affection for this adept, she wasn’t submerged completely. It might yet work.

“Makes me wonder who this Christophe is.” I commented almost idly. It was another prompt, but one she could ignore if she chose.

[Soleil Belfours]

I grinned ruefully. "I am sure I mentioned him," I said. "Perhaps I did not. He's a Valerian adept."

[Anacrasia Shahrizai]

I chuckled. "Yes yes, I remember that. It was more a question of his personality. I haven't had two men fight over me in a while, I was wondering what I had lost." I winked at her with a grin.

[Soleil Belfours]

"A fine man," I said, taking another bite of my fish. "Strong, but submissive. Kind. Serious. A family man, which is unfortunate, as Malabelle wants no children of her own, apparently."

[Anacrasia Shahrizai]

So much for my attempt at humour.

The tinge of weddings was wafting through the spring air. I needed to go have a chat with Malabelle. They were obviously working things through like adults, but I hated being the second to know when it came to family matters. Independent women were fine – I was one – but they tended to be incredibly stubborn in maintaining said independence.

“Then your child will receive his full attention.” I replied logically. “Assuming of course, that he sticks around. I wouldn’t imagine this problem would exist if he wasn’t.”

[Soleil Belfours]

I nodded, putting a forkful of rice into my mouth. I chewed thoughtfully. "It just seems a shame for a man who wants children as much as he to spend his life with a woman who wants none, no offense to your cousin." I spoke these last words with dryness, there was nothing I wanted more than to insult her cousin. "But I have no doubt of his love for my baby."

Anacrasia's face was pinched, like she bore a burden that she was too proud not to carry alone. "There's something more," I prompted her. "This news is not the only thing that weighs on you."

[Anacrasia Shahrizai]

I laughed self-mockingly. “It sure isn’t time that’s aging me right now. I’m trying to look out for people who won’t talk to me, and I’m starting to feel stretched thin. I’m worrying more about heirs for their estates than I am of my own.” I sighed.

[Soleil Belfours]

I clucked my tongue sympathetically. "Your own heir is the least pressing issue; there are ways to get one of those." I gestured to my own belly. "Who isn't speaking to you? What's going on?"

[Anacrasia Shahrizai]

I smiled grimly. "You really want to hear the litany? Alright."

I took a deep breath. "Mala, who I had thought would never marry, was engaged and I found out from you. I tried to get Dominic married off, but that fell apart and I still haven't been told why. In fact I can barely keep up with his antics to apologize to the right people, so he doesn't stain the entire family's reputation. Rena and Tal fought, and I won't know when he's going to come back from Kusheth. Until he does, I'm afraid Rena's going to loose it. And you know what? I'm even more afraid of when he gets back, and finds out she got engaged while he was gone. Of course, I won't find out that he's back until it's much too late to actually help anyone." I paused. "Oh yes, and Rena's fiance was seen exchanging angry words with Aramis in one of the pubs in the Doorstep. Which I also found out through a secondary source."

[Soleil Belfours]

I listened intently as Ana told her story. None of it much surprised me until the last thing. "Sirena is engaged? To whom? Elua, who would be mad enough..." I stopped that sentence; Sirena's instability was a sensitive subject. An idea was forming of how to help Ana, but I would not voice it until I knew everything.