A/N: When I was writing this chapter I thought I was going to be able to fit it all into one go, but apparently not. Oh, well–that just means more fic later!

Rough ages are as follows: Johan at 72, Olly's uncle(!) at 55, Clara at 53, Olly's mom(!) at 52, Olly at 28, Lena at 22, Astra and Tara are nearly 20, Sterling at 16, Oriana at 14, Maglina at 13 (nearly 14), and Seren is 8.

Chapter Thirty-Six: The Rhyllish Visitors (I)

"Mail for you, milady."

Astra turned in her seat and watched as a letter carrier dropped a small stack of envelopes in the box on the edge of her desk. She laughed quietly at the sight, for she knew most, if not all, would not be of the fun sort.

"Thank you; never seems to end, does it?" she mused.

"At least for me it's the good sort of never-ending," the letter carrier joked before popping back into the corridor. Astra began to sort through her mail—many had to do with various audits that were being conducted throughout the march—until she saw familiar handwriting that made her drop everything else and open it then and there.

"Dear Astra," she read, "Mum, Uncle Antoine, and I are about a day away from Karra Pass at the southern Braxosi border. My guess is that we're about ten days out from Gallifrey herself. I already know I'm going to have to apologize in advance for my uncle's behavior—he's agreed not to pass judgement until he's met you, but he still doesn't seem to be very enthusiastic. Mum is curious, for lack of a better word…"

Glancing up at the calendar above her desk, Astra counted off the days from when the letter was dated. Olivier and his family would be arriving in four days—that was plenty of time to prepare and work her father into the idea of having visitors over. Her stomach roiled at the idea that so many people were going to be in shock in such a short time from then; it was almost too much to bear. There weren't many who knew the whole truth of the matter and that thought was nearly as worrisome.

A knock at her door took her attention away from the letter to see that it was Tara, dressed in her military uniform. With her bobbed hair and extra muscle, it was much easier to see which twin was which from a distance, especially for their father.

"Hey, thought I might have lunch with you before I head out this afternoon," she said. "Are you free?"

"Yes, of course," Astra smiled. "I have to talk to you about something anyhow."

Tara stepped fully into the room and closed the door behind her. "Talk now—I'd rather not be overheard on accident and there's only so long we can keep up a conversation in our heads."

"Olly's coming in four days with his mum and uncle," Astra said, pointing at the date on the calendar. "I had been hoping you'd get to meet them then, but," she gestured at her twin's outfit, "I guess not."

"I'll meet them eventually," Tara shrugged. "I mean, who knows about them right now… just Lena and me, right?"

"Correct…"

"…so as long as at least one other person knows in time for the big reveal, you should be fine. It's not like Papa is going to kick you out of the castle, let alone turn them away, because Lena will stick up for you and Mama wouldn't stand for him being so obnoxious."

"It's still worrisome—you know how things are."

"…and if I'm standing here, Academy-trained and ready to go knock some Daleks around, then you can bag yourself some serdarling to suck the face off of on a daily basis. You are ready for that sort of commitment, aren't you?"

"Yeah…"

"Then it shouldn't be a problem." Tara knelt down in front of her twin's chair and held her by the shoulders. "We sisters have standards; I don't let just anyone into my tent, and I'm the loose one. You? There is not a doubt in my mind you're only looking for the best. Stars, whatever sad sacks catch Lena and Maggie's eyes are going to have to be bleeding perfect at this rate…"

They both laughed at that; with one sister being impossible to please and the other not even at presentation age yet, making note of such a thing was near nonsense at this point. Standing up, the sisters hugged one another, neither wanting to let go.

'I miss you already,' Astra projected into Tara's mind.

'And I miss you.'

"Come on," Tara said aloud, a grin upon her face. "Let's go get some lunch. I'm not going to eat castle-quality food again for two months and I'm going to make the best of it."

"Remember to describe military meals next time Seren gets picky about his food in your presence," Astra requested. "He'd die within a week out on the front, but from starvation and not an enemy soldier."

"Noted," Tara laughed.

Once Astra cleared up her desk, the two sisters went off to get in a private meal together—when each send-off had the possibility to be the last, it was a tradition they had quickly developed in order to be at-peace with the vastly different paths their lives were taking. They visited and talked until it was time for Tara to leave, the twins getting in one last hug before they parted yet again.

At least Astra knew that Tara was behind her on this, whether she was in the castle or on the battlefield, and that made her feel a thousand times better. It meant that their parents would turn around eventually, for if she had two sisters on her side, then the rest of her siblings were sure to follow, and then their parents couldn't refuse… she hoped.

The four days passed slowly, almost cruelly, for Astra as she awaited her fiancée's arrival. On the day Olivier was scheduled to reach Gallifrey, she told her parents that she was having guests for dinner from her time auditing during breakfast and then spent the remainder of the day fretting and bracing herself for the imminent chaos that would ensue. By the time she took her tea with Lena, it was driving both sisters mad.

"You are going to break your hands wringing them like that," Lena frowned, "that is, if you haven't already given yourself an upset stomach from nerves." They were both on the settee in her sitting area, wanting to have tea away from the rest of the family on such a nerve-testing day.

"I can't help it," Astra whimpered. "I mean, I got the note confirming that Olly was here earlier while I was in my office and now I can't really think about anything else but Papa's face doing that thing where it looks like he's about to murder someone where they stand and Mama's eyes just inflating like they tend to do and oh stars Olly is going to take one look at all of us and back out saying I'm not worth it and…"

"Hey, hey, hey; stop that this instant," Lena scolded gently. "You are worth it. Not just anyone can say that they've done as much as you have before their twentieth birthday, nor say they were as level-headed as you are. Nineteen and twenty-year-olds are fairly stupid as a whole, but you're definitely an exception, and that's not even the best of your qualities."

"That doesn't stop me from being scared."

"You know, Sir Daniel told me once that it was better to be scared, because that means you know what's at stake and will think about your actions clearer. I'd be worried if you weren't scared."

"…but he was talking about Sontarians."

"Doesn't matter—I hope that you will never have to see a Sontarian in person as long as you live, therefore, this is your battlefield and you have the ability to conquer whatever you face on it."

"What if Olly gets angry when I tell him about using my telepathic abilities on him during the snowstorm?" Astra posed. "Maybe he'll be upset because I didn't tell him the whole truth about our family and then feel he cannot trust me…"

"If he has a problem with you not having told the entire truth about our family, then he's got a lecture coming about what came out of his end," Lena reminded her. She took a sip of her tea and sighed heavily. "Whatever happens, know I have your back."

"Thanks," Astra said quietly. "It's going it be difficult if Olly and I don't work out."

"It will, but you have plenty more options than I do, and there's not a doubt in my mind you'd recover." Lena put an arm around her sister in a comforting hug. "You'll get through this—I know you will."

The only thing Astra hoped was that she was right.

That evening, Astra sat on a bench near the entrance of the castle waiting for her guests to arrive. People walked in and out of the building, deigning to not talk to the young lady once they saw how engrossed she was in watching out for someone. It took a while for her to find them, but as soon as she saw Olivier, she jumped from her seat and waved at him.

"Ah! Olly! There you are!" she gasped. She tried to restrain herself as she nearly ran up to him, clinging to him in a tight hug. Taking a deep breath, the smell of him flooded her senses, mentally sending her back to the merchant's guild and private memories. "It's so good to see you again."

"It's good to see you too," he replied, kissing the top of her head. He then held her by the waist, presenting her to his mother and uncle. One glance at them and the young woman could tell they were siblings, yet the only clue that they were related to Olivier was the fact they shared coloring. "Astra, this is my mum, Alida Lakertya, and my uncle, Antoine Peladon, and… um… this is Astra Smith."

"Seems you have a pretty face to go with your pretty name," Alida smiled. She opened her arms wide and gave Astra a hug. "I'm glad to finally meet the famous Astra; there hasn't been a girl that caught my son's eye like you have since he was a little boy."

"Why thank you," Astra giggled. She then turned towards Antoine, looking at him hopefully as she shook his hand. "Congratulations are in order for your appointment, I believe."

"Thank you," he said with a nod. "It is an honor that His Majesty has finally recognized our family's hard work and dedication to our trade, and I hope that remains instilled in my nephew's line for many generations to come."

"You will not find any resistance from me, Serdar Peladon," Astra replied. "Now, let's all go up to dinner—my family's waiting. Everyone is here except my twin sister Tara, since she had an assignment back at the Daleki front that was unavoidable. She tried to stay long enough for our little sister's birthday next week, but you know how things go. I'm sure those of us who are here though will all get on splendidly."

"So, what is it exactly that your parents do for the Marquis again?" Antoine asked as they went through the castle. "Olly has been rather vague about it—he said they were servants, but also clerks…?"

"They have clerical duties, that's true, but they've been serving the marquisate for decades… almost… gosh… eighty years between the two of them."

"I didn't realize your parents were that old…" Alida marveled.

"Oh, my father has Ancient Gallifreyan blood in him—the old tribes that used to live in and around Kasterborous before the pre-kingdom alliances were known to live twice as long as regular people," Astra explained nervously. "He may be in his early seventies, but he looks more mid-fifties. We of Ancient Gallifrey are known for long lives dedicated to our work."

"Is that common up here?" Antoine wondered.

"In some communities," she replied. "The Earldom and City of Gallifrey is a pretty good mix of people, meaning it's more uncommon than rare here. There are villages in the march that are almost completely comprised of such people, so it all depends on where you are." They then stopped in front of the lounge, where the doors were thankfully closed, which gave Astra the opportunity to give Olivier a quick look-over and she began to fuss over his clothes. "Alright, this is it."

"Ugh, not you too," he frowned. "Mum already checked me before we left the pub."

"Get used to it, sweetie," Alida chuckled. "She just wants you to look your best—the Marquis was kind enough to loan us a room to meet her family in, so who knows?"

"Well, this is my best coat," he defended. "Come on, it's not like this is going to be earth-shattering; you said you told your elder sister already, right?"

"Her and Tara, but just them," Astra admitted. After finally finding the jacket to her liking—the hair was just going to have to do—she held his hand again and smiled up at him. "Alright; let's go in."

As Astra was opening the door, Olivier imagined that the scene he and his family were about to walk in on would be fairly ordinary. There would be a man, white-haired and feeble, with a back bent from clerical work and a wife half his age on his arm. His two sons and other two daughters would be there, possibly still in whatever uniform they wore for work or school, and after some talking all of them would head down to the servants' hall and eat. He would pull the old man aside after dinner and ask for permission to turn his daughter into a future sedaressa, ensuring she needn't rely on the marquisate's need for numbers unless she wanted to.

Instead, what Olivier, his mother, and uncle found made a heavy weight sink in the former's chest. The room was not a spare on-loan by grant of the marquis, but was occupied by the Marquis himself. His eyes went wide as he froze up and began to quickly scan the room; yes, this was definitely a room currently occupied by the hereditary rulers of the March of Kasterborous… the hereditary rulers and three strangers from Rhylls.

"Everyone, I'd like you all to meet Olivier Lakertya, his mother Alida, and his uncle, Serdar Antoine Peladon of Peladon Shipping and Freight in Rhylls," Astra announced sweetly. "Olly, this is my family: Mama and Papa, Lena, Maggie, Sterling, and Seren." She pointed everyone out and looked up at her fiancée. "So…?"

"Um, Astra…" Olivier leaned down and whispered in her ear, trying to ignore the fact that her sisters were giggling and her father was glaring. "I thought you said your parents were servants…"

"We are servants of the state, so you can be assured you weren't wholly lied to," the Marquis glowered. He stepped forward and held out his hand. Olivier shook it, despite the fact he did not seem friendly in the slightest. "So you met my daughter while she was auditing one of the guilds, am I correct?"

"Y-Yes sir," he stammered. "We became good friends while staying in the merchants' guild and kept corresponding after going our separate ways. You have a very charming daughter, milord."

"Johan and Clara, please," the Marchioness insisted as she approached the conversation in full diffusing mode. "It is a pleasure to meet you all—there are no formalities here between friends, so none of this milord and milady business." Recognizing the situation for what it was, she grabbed hold of Olivier and Alida's arms, dragging them away towards safety. "Come; you must tell me all about yourselves. What do you trade in, if your family business is mercantile in nature?"

"Dry goods, mostly," Alida replied, her voice light as though in shock. As she and Olivier began to explain the family's company with Antoine following close behind, another conversation was beginning to intensify.

"What in the name of the march has come over you, child?!" the Marquis hissed lowly. "You said you invited some friends and instead you drag in this ragamuffin who seems genuinely shocked that we are who we are despite how he was holding your hand, not to mention pulling his family into this. Explain yourself."

"Olly and I are good friends, and all I did was use the story that Tara did when she attended the Academy," Astra snapped. "We kept one another company while we were snowed in and further letters proved to the both of us that it wasn't snow-fever claiming two more hearts."

"Company… you know how that sounds."

"I know very well how that sounds, Papa, and we didn't dare be any more intimate than you and Mama while in court." She put her hands on her hips and imitated his scowl. "I think I love him."

"You think, that is all. We will talk about this later."

"Papa, we will talk about this now," Astra demanded. "Olivier and I fell in love without knowledge of who one another truly was; you can't get much better than that."

"May I interrupt?" Lena asked, sliding into the conversation. "I have to say, Astra, the one you picked isn't hard on the eyes."

"Lady Lena Anthea, Earlessa of Gallifrey and the Northern Lands, don't you dare try to get your sister out of this," the Marquis scowled.

"I'm not trying to get her out of anything," Lena replied. "Olivier is a good match made away from the carnival show that is the Season; we should all be very proud." She then hooked her arm with her sister's and began to lead her away. "Mama has suggested that we all go through to dinner; we don't want to keep the cook waiting, now do we?"

Fuming, the Marquis watched as everyone else went into the dining room. He knew it had been a terrible idea to let Astra go out into the city unguarded for such a long period of time; it was not even her birthday and she was dragging in a suitor, saying that she was in love. A chill went up his spine as he began to follow the others—if the boy brought his mother and uncle with him all the way from Rhylls, then it was more serious than mere courting. He went into the dining room and sat down, taking his customary seat, although instead of his wife sitting next to him as on most nights, it was the woman Alida.

"I'm sorry—they told me to sit here," she said when she saw his face. The Marquis noted how terrified she looked and attempted to rein himself in.

"Whomever it was made you sit in the proper place," he replied. Thankfully, Seren was sitting on the other side of her and gently tugged on her sleeve to get her attention.

"I'm confused—are you Ms. Lakertya or are you Lady Lakertya?" the boy wondered.

"Oh, I'm not a Lady of anything," she replied. "I can be Ms. Lakertya or Ms. Alida if you wish."

"Is it okay, Papa?"

"Yes, if that is what she wishes," he assured. He had to remind himself that it was not their fault, or else the dinner ahead was going to be a very long and awkward one.