A/N: Action coming soon...
AER: Thanks!
TheRanger'sDaughter: Haha...Gabe is a fun older cousin :) You'll have to wait a little longer for Kaito.
Disclaimer: I'm not John Flanagan.
Robin couldn't help grinning as she sipped coffee with her mother, aunt, and Caitlyn. They gathered in the corner of the inn Aunt Lucy kept a couple of rooms at year around for those within the company to use as needed. Robin's parents and Anne were being housed in the castle as guests of Lord Sean and Lady Kineta, but Robin had opted to stay with her aunt in the inn. She'd spent last night with her family though, as the main source of supervision for the little girls' sleepover. All the girls had fun and left for their own breakfast bright and giggly, but the night before her father had decided to take them to fly a kite outside. He became a bit too enthusiastic in getting it off the ground and would spend the next day or two in bed as punishment.
"So, Gabby will take over Caitlyn's responsibilities with the aid of Robin, and Caitlyn will go to set up the new manufacturing center," Lucy said matter-of-factly as they worked out the details of the new plan.
"You don't mind being away from Tucker and Carter so long?" Gabby asked. She stared blankly ahead though Caitlyn was no her side, as usual.
"It's just a few months," Caitlyn shrugged. "Besides, I agree I should be the one to set the center up. I can ensure they have a good system to follow our research rather than just winging it as the last one did."
For just a moment, the tension thickened between them. Last time Lucy wanted to set up a new center it failed miserably because she forgot to appoint someone trained to follow procedures those under Caitlyn (and a few under Gabby) turned over. It was a costly mistake that forced Lucy to fork over almost four months of her share of the profits to remedy. It was a mistake Robin learned from so she herself would not repeat it in the future when she climbed up the ladder. Caitlyn hadn't meant to take the strike at Aunt Lucy. At least, not in a malicious sense.
Caitlyn would travel to set up the new manufacturing center with Lina and one of her apprentices who enjoyed babysitting in addition to her other duties in tow. Robin would stay in Hibernia to act as her mother's guide until Caitlyn returned, and then Robin would begin her tour of Aunt Lucy's commerce sites. Aunt Lucy instructed her to send the report via company courier and then outlined her next assignment checking in with the manufacturing center Caitlyn set up, taking that report to Caitlyn personally, and then wait in Hibernia at the Academy until Aunt Lucy returned. Almost the next two years of Robin's life was planned out.
"I should get back to Tucker and Lina," Caitlyn said, excusing herself. "There's no telling how that breakfast is going."
They all chuckled. Caitlyn nodded to Robin and Lucy, gave Gabby's shoulder a pat, and headed off after leaving a piece of silver on the table. Robin sensed her mother and aunt wanted some sister bonding time, so she excused herself as well. She purchased a warm cinnamon bun and carried it back into the castle up to where her family was staying. They'd been allotted a guest room in the wing Lord Sean and Lady Kineta took residence in after stepping down for Mason and Scout to ascend. The remnants of seven young girls having a sleepover were still scattered around the vast space, though clearly a maid had come while she and her mother had breakfast. The multitude of extra blankets and pillows were stacked neatly on the window seat that had been serving as Anne's bed and the platters of midnight snacks were gone.
Then there was her father, once again disobeying Gabby's command to stay in bed. He stood behind a comfortable armchair gripping its back for support.
"Mum said you could get worse if you don't start following her instructions to the letter," Robin reminded him as she came to his side. He quickly, painfully put his arm over her shoulders. Robin helped him shuffle around to the front of the chair and eased him into it. She wordlessly handed him the bun, which he gratefully accepted.
"Don't get old, Robin," Kane sighed as he took a bite. "It's not as great as they say."
Robin pulled a chair closer so she could sit facing him. "Mum agreed to step in for Caitlyn here while Caitlyn goes to work on a new manufacturing center."
"Oh? I guess we'll be here a little while longer then."
"Aunt Lucy wants me to stay behind to guide Mum and learn about running manufacturing centers. At first she wanted me to go with Caitlyn, but Caitlyn had an apprentice she wanted to take instead. Mum wanted a guide, so…"
"I'm glad we'll have you a little while longer. I worry when you travel alone," Kane cut her off.
"A lot of women in the family travel alone," Robin pointed out.
"Yes, but you're my little girl."
Robin smiled slightly. She did miss her family when she traveled, especially her father. He'd been hard on her brothers and while he taught her to be tough, he was mostly gentle.
"You still have that dagger I gave you?" Kane asked after several moments of silence. Robin nodded. As though to prove it, she reached to the side of her skirt through a slit specially designed to conceal the hilt of her saxe knife. It had belonged to Daideo, a grandfather she'd never met. Her father taught both Russ and Holt how to wield it as boys. Russ, as a Ranger, carried his own now and Holt had his own array of weapons as a horseman in the Cavalry. Kane passed the knife down to Robin before her first trip abroad with Aunt Lucy.
"I've never had to use it," Robin whispered as she pushed the blade back into its sheath.
"You might one day and that's why I gave it to you."
Robin nodded. The door to her parents' room opened once more. Aunt Lucy and Gabby joined them. Aunt Lucy brought up a chair next to Robin while Gabby found Kane and slowly sat in his lap. Robin smiled at her parents, taking note at how her father guided her mother to lean against his torso comfortably though her weight no doubt pained him…and then how her mother wrapped an arm around him with her closed fist gently kneading near the sore spot of his back. Robin knew there were several who looked to her and her brothers to marry, but their parents had set their expectations so high none of them would consider settling for less than what Kane and Gabby shared…whatever that 'what' was.
"When I return to Araluen I plan to hire on Roman to act as Caitlyn's escort," Aunt Lucy told them.
"Before long he'll give up the Royal Scouts altogether to work for you," Kane chuckled softly.
"Well, Clara's grown and on her own now. It makes sense he do something for himself now," Aunt Lucy shrugged. Clara took a textile apprenticeship with a weaver when she came of age and now worked at a mill just outside Castle Araluen. She led a fairly simply life at the mill, but often took jobs with the family business on the side. Roman no longer required the stability of working for the crown to support her. It was time he took a risk for his own future, even if that risk was within the company his sisters created.
"Well, one more wedding to go," Aunt Lucy chimed.
"Yes, one more," Gabby echoed.