He was growing like a week. Already a head and a half taller than when he'd first arrived. He brightened when he saw Eirian.
The way his whole face lit up made something in her chest twinge with something that was almost fondness. Almost maternal, but not quite. He was her younger brother. Her baby brother, who was still a literal baby, and at this point, everything she worked for in this life was going to be his one day.
"He's not a baby." Marian sounded amused, and Eirian scowled at her.
"He's tiny."
An elegant eyebrow arched, and Eirian knew what she was going to say and cut her off before she could. "Don't you dare."
Despite her age, Marian managed to look as innocent as a newborn babe.
Brendan abandoned his book and reached for Eirian. "Atie!"
Eirian blinked. "Atie?"
"Auntie." Marian translated. "He's still having trouble with his n's."
"Oh." Had he already learned to call her Auntie? He'd only just started talking, and she was one of the first things he wanted to say.
That was sweet, she realised. Touching in a soft way, and it made her smile.
"Antie!" Brendan was starting to lose his baby fat, even his arms were thinner and longer than when she'd left, but he still had chubby baby fingers that were strangely cute.
He still had the fat, rosy cheeks, too, Eirian thought as she reached out and picked him up. She winced when the effort pulled at her still-healing skin. She was surprised at how weak she still felt, for how small he was, Brendan felt like he weighed the same as a suit of armour, and she was worried for a second that she would drop him. She brought him close, letting him wrap his arms around her neck and taking some of the strain.
Immediately, he clung to her like a limpet, babbling in her ear. She only understood half the words, but he seemed happy enough to be so loud her ears started to hurt.
He let out a sudden peel of laughter so loud she jerked her head away on instinct, and when she looked over her shoulder, she found Finn's face puffed up like a fish.
He blushed when he realised she was looking at him, immediately snapping to attention.
"Look," she said dryly. "You're friends already."
***
Marian left the three of them playing and went to see to dinner, but the cook had it well in hand, so she wandered out to the garden for a few minutes to herself. The garden was greener now than it had been for the entirety of her life in the Camelia, and there were even a few flower buds. They wouldn't bloom before the winter chill took them, but it boded well for the next spring. It would be the first time most of the Camelia's residents ever saw flowers bloom inside the wall of the estate.
The thought was heartening and sad at the same time.
So much had changed in such a short time that sometimes Marian had a hard time keeping up with it all. She was starting to feel her age, she thought ruefully, thinking back to the days of her youth when she was newly married and every day seemed like an adventure.
It had been a long time before her life had settled into anything like a routine, not until her husband had stepped down as regent and they'd both let go of enough responsibilities to have time to enjoy the quiet.
He'd died only a few years later, and the pain from his loss still felt as terrible now as it had then. Despite being married for nearly forty years, there'd still been so much they'd wanted to do together, but his sudden death in his sleep had ended all of that far too early, and she was still angry about it.
And she had no intention of letting go of that anger. She still wore black nearly a decade later to remind herself to stay angry.
"Good evening."
Li's voice made her jump, so lost in her thoughts she hadn't heard him approach. The old guard was still light on his feet despite the white in his hair and the wrinkles starting to become prominent on his face.
Marian smiled when he came to stand beside her. "Good evening."
"Things are growing again," Li observed, normally far too busy to stop by the gardens.
Marian nodded, pleased. "Yes. A good sign."
Li sighed. "We could use one." He was one of her oldest friends, having been new to the estate's guard when she'd arrived as a newlywed. He'd earned her and her husband's trust through hard work and a steadiness that was desperately needed in the years after the previous Lord Ye's death. He should have retired years ago, but Marian didn't think he would ever give up the sword.
Especially not after losing his own spouse. Like Marian, they'd never had children, and Li looked at Chenzhou, Yuze, and the others as the closest he would ever come.
"How was court today?" Marian asked. She hadn't questioned Eirian, noticing the tightness in Lady Ye's shoulders when she'd arrived at Brendan's quarters.
Li gave her a look of such exasperation that she giggled, something quite unbecoming of a woman of her age and status.
"Oh my."
"There will be an investigation."
Marian sighed. "Of course." That would bring trouble. They always did.
"The Ambassador will be conducting it."
Marian blinked, not sure she understood. "The Ambassador? The Bandri Ambassador?" When he nodded, she fell silent. She'd lived at the Camelia long enough to have picked up some knowledge of strategy and tactics, and she could see the immediate value, but that would not have gone over well. The investigation would suffer from the refusal of many to work with a tribesman in any position of authority.
"The world is interesting these days," Li remarked, a sad thoughtfulness coming over him. He'd always been thoughtful, surprisingly gentle-natured for someone who carried a sword as their life's work.
"Well, it sounds like it's about to get even more interesting." She remarked and stepped a bit closer to steal a bit of warmth as the evening chill started to settle in. "Have you eaten yet?"
Li shook his head. "I just handed off the watch. Would you like to dine with me tonight?"
Marian smiled. It had been a long time since they'd been able to enjoy a quiet moment together. "I'd love to."
~ tbc