The stairs creaked as Klin made his way down. Soft candle light illuminated the room. Kae stood at the table cleaning up. Klin turned to the kitchen where Emera was cleaning the dishes.
"Emera." He whispered. He slowly placed his hands on her hips moving around her waist. She stopped and paced her hands on the edge of the sink. He leaned his head down to her neck and kissed her. The ruff scratch of his beard sent shivers down her spine. "I don't want to go to bed with something between us."
"Then I believe there is something you need to say first." She replied, her tone firm. She stared at the wall ahead.
"Can I please say it to your face?"
She sighed and lowered her head. His hands slid to her hips. She allowed him to turn her body to face him. He waited as her eyes slowly drifted upwards. She folded her arms across her chest.
"I'm sorry, for being fast to anger…" His eyes drifted down before he looked up again. Displeasure was written across her face. "… And for not trusting in your judgement." Her face softened.
"I hope you take those words to heart."
"Only fools apologise twice. Although I have been foolish in my youth, I have no intention of hurting you again." Decades of memories were shared between a single look.
He took half a step back and let the smile fall from his face. "Could you explain exactly what happened? And why did you think it safe to shelter a noble in our house?" She leaned back against the basin. "Are you trying to replace her?" His final question was barely a whisper.
Her eyes snap to him. She opened her mouth to speak but the words got stuck.
"No… nothing will replace my… our baby girl." She whispered. She took a deep breath to steady her voice and closed her eyes as she pushed back the tears, refusing to let them fall. "I won't pretend that my thoughts haven't been filled with her in the last few days. Had she… they would have been about the same age." Another breath, this time her eyes sharpened. "But Lisana was not the reason I took her in." Emera shook her head remembering that night. "She was terrified and exhausted. Tiione had left the workshop door open after curfew. He came back with her in tow. She was covered in mud and grass, her dress ripped and in tatters. She was covered in cuts and bruises. I held her as she wept in my arms and I was reminded how scared and terrified I was when I first entered this city.
Unlike her I had my father who took care of me. And I could speak enough Ealrian to make simple conversations." Her eyes roamed his face. She forged on. "It was the kindness of the people that saved a widower and his young daughter from starving on the streets. I wanted to help her the same way."
She smiled at a thought. "And I'll remind you that it was that very kindness that helped me get a stable job at the wash house. Which allowed me to buy that red dress to wear to the spring Ehenar festival, where a handsome luthier asked me to dance."
His smile reached his eyes, matching hers. "You always look good in red."
The smile fell as he continued on. "I understand that you want to help her but how do you know she isn't a runaway? For all we know she could be a slave with a hefty price on the heads of anyone who helps her. This isn't the same as when you and your father came to Athon looking for a better life."
All traces of the earlier smile were gone from her face. "I know it's different. But I was careful. On her first night here I gave her a bath and checked her entire body. She's not a slave that much I know for sure. But I won't deny that she grew up as a noble. Or at the very least her family was wealthy."
Kae, who had been quietly shuffling his books and papers around to eavesdrop, decided that was the perfect moment to chime in. "She was definitely educated, that's for sure." He walked over to the kitchen. "I know you both saw the way she was writing on the slate. I remember the first time I was given a slate and chalk, I had no idea what to do with it. But she picked up the chalk, unprompted and wrote down the letters. If that's not enough to convince you then the fact that she knew to start in the left corner, with perfectly sized and spaced letters, should."
"Which means she was educated and very well could be a runaway noble." Klin countered. "Ibaris forbid, she be a disgruntled nobleman's wife. It's not uncommon for foreign nobles to marry off their daughters to Ealrian's for entry and trading rights."
"But she doesn't have any marks on her hands." Emera responded, twisting the metal ring on her finger, contemplating the scar beneath. She remembered the pain of the priest's knife cutting into her flesh only moments after she had said her vows. "If the queen herself has the brand of marriage cut into her finger, then every Ealrian noble's wife does. If she is indeed married, it's not to an Ealrian. In that case he is going to struggle to even get into the city. Let alone find her."
The weight of the statement hung between them.
"Alright, she can stay." Klin said. "Speaking of different marriage rights it would seem Kae needs educating in that area." A mischievous smile touching the edges of his eyes, as he looks over at his son. Emera looked over at Kae, her forehead furrowed in suspicion. Kae took half a step backwards towards the stairs. All the colour drained from his face. His eyes darted between his parents. "Should I tell the story then?" Klin's smug smile refused to budge.
Kae shook his head. "In my defence I was unaware that married women from Siahon wore three hooped earrings as a sign of marriage," Emera's mouth opened wide, "Before you chastise me, I only talked and danced with her, nothing more."
"Blessed fathers before and after. Your grandmother would be sick knowing you knew so little of your own blood. I thought I raised you better than that." Emera replied, her cheeks flushed red with the thought. Klin hid his smile behind his hand, failing to keep his laughter at bay.
"Everything was smoothed over. With a bottle of wine.."
"Expensive bottle of wine." Klin interrupted.
"…and I will never make that mistake again." Kae finished.
Emera stared him down, determining if he meant his words. She slowly nodded her head. Kae turned to leave.
"Oh Kae, before you go up, I need you to give Tiione one of your old shirts. He's made another hole in his good one. Make sure he keeps that one as his church best. He's not to wear it in the workshop. I'm almost finished sewing you a new one. And I'm afraid Anelle is using your room. I have set up a bed in the attic above the workshop." Emera said.
Kae sighed. "Yes, mother." He mumbled before making his way up the stairs to bed.