Iago decided it would be best to discuss the idea of boarding school with Genie. He discussed with Ester about military school, where she had sent Josema.
"You see, Genie, and as Ester told me, they learn a lot of discipline, and other skills useful for life, see?"
Genie rocked Saba in his arms.
"Hmmm. Well, little feathered friend, I think you'd have to discuss it with their parents. I just don't think sending these little angels to boarding school is the best. The Palace would seem so empty without them."
"Well, we'll just have to get some more people, you know. To make up for the empty space."
"Hmmm. Whatever Al says."
"Al isn't convinced, but Al isn't thinking of the children. He's thinking of himself. We've got to think about them. Not ourselves."
"I think you've got a point there. But I don't know. I'd certainly miss them. NO!"he suddenly yelled out as a painting was about to fall to the floor.
Genie caught it in his mouth, so Saba wouldn't be disturbed in his arms. Ali and Sabdullah had been throwing cushions and toys around the room, and one had hit the painting.
"Well, I'll be off. I don't want to become a new toy."said Iago. "I'll leave the issue in your hands, Genie."
Genie was twisting himself to hold Saba properly in his arms and stop anything from breaking. Finally, he decided to take the cushions and toys.
"Genie!"
"No more throwing anything."
"I want to go outside."
"I want to build a sand castle!"
"I want to build a pyramid of toys!"
"There, there now, children! There, there. We have more than enough time for everything. One thing at a time. There's only one of me, after all."
"I'm hungry."
"Hungry! You just had a snack!"Genie cried in disbelief.
"Nana always lets me eat whatever I like."said Sabdullah, leaving the room.
"Well, maybe it's not such a bad idea. Snacks for everybody."
"YAY!"
"Quiet, now, quiet. You don't want to wake Saba. With the effort it took her to go to sleep!"
"She sleeps through most of life."
"Well, she'll stop when she grows a little older."said Genie, placing her in her crib.
"I'll go tell Nana."said Sabdullah running to find Clara to bring the cookies and chocolate.
Genie rolled his eyes.
"Oh, boy. These kids have more energy than…"he muttered to himself.
"Oh, well, how are things here, Genie?"asked Aida's father.
"Just fine. Just fine. Just about to have more snacks."
"Oh, how wonderful. They are growing children, of course."
"But I want to go outside!"
"Oh, there, there, my dear. Maybe a little later. It's a little hot outside for you right now."
"Mother always goes outside."
"Well, Mother is a grown up. When you're a grown up, too, then you can go with Mother."said Genie.
"Yes, Genie's right, Dearest."
"But why? It's not fair!"
"Oh, we'll do something more fun than going outside."
"We'll hold a tea party!"
"I want to ride my pony."
"Not now, my dear. The tea party sounds like a wonderful idea I think."
"Tea party it is!"exclaimed Genie, and ran to get the tea sets out.
Iago found a section of the house which was quieter.
"Whew!"
He looked up at the walls. As in the rest of the house, the walls here were lined with portraits. Portraits of people, mostly, and paintings of landscapes, and other things.
"Hmm. Now, these people appreciate art."he said, looking at the painting of a man in a military uniform. "That's just it. A military man. If only!"
"Armando Medina."he heard Francisco's voice call out.
"What?"
"El Colonel Armando Medina Gonzaga."he said. "One of my father's cousins."
"Oh. The one your parents want Josema to be like?"
"Yeah. He was always so…stiff. So orderly. Set a great store by order, good manners, you get the idea. He died some time ago. He died of a…well, coraje. He would always be angry, and, well, one day, the anger was too much, and he suffered a stroke, or something. He was very violent sometimes."
"Oh. I guess he would have to be. Being in the army, and all that."
"I guess so."
Iago looked at the painting.
"Well, wouldn't you have expected him to die in battle, though?"
"Nah. He didn't. He was great in battle, though. If he hadn't have died the way he did, he would probably have been honored. His son, though always gave him countless headaches."
"I can sympathize. Or rather I guess you and Al could. Those kids are good for headaches. All you gotta do is find the remedy."
"Oh, Iago. You're also a good headache cause."
"Me? No, not me. I don't go around screaming all the time. And definitely not in people's ears. Or go pulling their feathers out."
"Iago, Iago, Iago."
"Well, at least the portraits don't give headaches."
"This one will."
He led Iago to the painting of a woman. The woman was painted against a background of green, and was dressed in a green gown, that was only a shade lighter than the background.
"Stare at it long enough, and you'll think your vision'll get blurred."
"My."
Iago did stare at it.
"It's better than listening to the brats screaming."
"Right now they are building pyramids with the small animals. I'm always afraid they'll end up choking on them, or something. But, well, I don't think Genie allows them to put anything in their mouths."
"It would be a pity if he did."
"Yes, because he'd be fired."
"I don't' think he could live with that."
Francisco left Iago looking at the painting. The woman's face had an unusual expression. She wasn't smiling, but almost as if the picture took life of its own, he sometimes thought he could see a hint of a smile on her face.
"Very…exotically done."he muttered.