Chapter 18: Kitumaini

When the dinner was eaten, and the little family on their way home, Lucian and Selene went up to their bedroom. As usually, they did as they always did. Lucian went behind his screen, where he changed into his nightwear, and Selene went behind her screen where she changed to her nightwear. And usually, Lucian was done before her, but tonight she was first. Selene looked around in the, rather huge, bedroom. As most Eastern Snowplainian bedroom, there was a lot of mirrors and paintings- most depicting relatives- on the walls, and the mahogany floor was clothed in a comfortable, velvet-carpet. The giant, fourposter-bed was uprised on a platform in the middle of the room. Selene settled down at the bed, stretched out over the soft pillows. But she jumped up when Lucian came out from behind his screen. Selene went under her covers, quickly. They were soft and nice against her skin. Lucian had always been breathing very lodly, especially at night, but now, it bothered Selene especially. She did not know why. For about five minutes they laid there, just trying to sleep, but suddenly, Lucian said;
"Colum's a pretty nice boy, isn't he?"

"Yes." Selene replied, trying to sound awake. She merely succed. She was very tired.

"Makes me wonder..." Lucian murmured.

"Makes you wonder what?" Selene asked, trying not to yawn.

"Nothing." Lucian answered, sharply. "Nevermind."

"If you say so." Selene said. This time she sighed. "Me myself has always wanted children."

"Really?"

"Ever since I was a little girl." Selene replied his question, honestly. "But, as you said before, nevermind."

"Maybe..." Lucian muttered wondering, "It's not such a bad idea."

"What?"

"Children."

"Huh?"

Lucian sighed. "You and I- especially I- are getting old, aren't we?" he said, and Selene almost blushed. She wasn't that old! "And, you know, we need... and heir. Or heiress."

"Do you say that we should..?" Selene felt odd.

"Have children, yes." Lucian said, with a tune as though they were talking about getting a new horse or something. Not a child. And the thought that Lucian even suggested having a child was just plain weird. Selene couldn't see him as a father, being wih his children. But, maybe, there was a nice side of him somewhere. Somewhere deep down there there maybe were...a lost kind soul. Heavens, she sounded like a heroine from one of these books that younger women liked to read. Selene licked her lips.
"Let's think about it." she replied, and yawned. "Goodnight."

Cashmére was anxious. Right now, she was going to talk to the Wise Seven- or the Wise Five, since one was missing and Lucian had went away- about Joseph. If Joseph would have permition to stay, or not. This could get tricky. After some embarrasment, Marcia and Joseph's father had got kicked out from the Seven. His family had basically been banned from the Snow Plains. But, if Cashmére really would try and convince the Seven, maybe they would let him- and maybe even Marcia, if she wanted to- come back. Maybe she even could make Joseph one of the Seven. That would be good. Really good. There was, after all, a place left. A place that no one had taken. No one. Not yet. Cashmére knew that Lucian tried to convince the Seven to let that man Gwayne in. That would not be good. She had heard about him. He killed Kitumaini's sisters, Euphrosyne and Furaha. Kitumaini was one of Cashmére's very few friends. She was really nice and sweet, and she was beauftiful. She came from one of the Southern Islands that the Eastern Snowplains still controlled. Or, well, the Eastern Snowplains controlled very much. But, however, Kitumaini came from the Southern Islands. Cashmére didn't remember from where exactley. She never did. She wasn't good at geography. Kitumaini was married to a man from the same city as her, he was named Embu. Together, they had a daughter, Guillaume, and they were expecting a new child. A boy this time, Cashmére had heard. Cashmére rested her head at Joseph's shoulder. He was surprisingly comforting. She wished that her father could hurry up talking to the Seven, and let them in so that they could sa why on earth Joseph would be permitted to stay. At last, her father opend the door.

The meeting went well. Joseph was permitted to stay. For the moment. They would 'take it up later' which didn't sound good in Cashmére's ears. Not at all. She just wished that they would permit him to stay. So that she didn't have to worry about him. Was this love? Was this how it felt? She knew that she had a crush on him- Joseph, then- but did she infact love him? Love? Like her mother had loved her father, and like her father still loved her mother? Was it? Cashmére did not know. But she knew that she had to do this.

After almost a week, they reached the harbour close to Capriolium. Capriolium was the capitol of the Eastern Snowplains. Cashmére, the Wise Seven and her father lived in a palace not far away from the city. The palace was called Ambrosia, after the first emperor, who had been called Ambrosius. How anyone could know what the first emperor was called, Cashmére did not know. It was almost nine thousand years ago. That anyone would... even care was a shocking thought to Cashmére. When it was Cashmére's and Joseph's turn to get of the boat, somebody came rushing against them. Or, not rushing, more... something else that Cashmére did not know what to call. It was Kitumaini. At first, Cashére didn't recongize her. She had changed so much. She was, well to be honest, huge. But, on the other hand, she was pregnant. Could the... size change so much? Last time Cashmére had seen Kitumaini had been three moths ago, and then Kitumaini had been four months pregnant. Not big at all. A little, maybe, but could it really change that much? Otherwise, however, Kitumaini looked as usually. Her thick, lovely, black hair was braided into a thosand of tiny little braid, each with a coloured pearl- either pink, white, red or golden- at the end, and her darke eyes were glimmering with life.
"Eho, Cashmére!" she said, in latin of course, and started talking very fast about everyone and everything. Even Cashmére had trouble understanding what she said.

"Kitu," she replied, also in latin, "Slow down. Please."

"Oh," Kitumaini blushed, "I didn't think so far. And who's-"

Cashmére put an arm around Joseph's shoulder- she had to stand at her toes, but however- and smiled. "This is Joseph." she said, "He's my... you know."

"Fiancée?" Kitumaini asked, almost hopefully. Cashmére giggled.

"Yes, something like that." she answered, and Kitumaini almost squealed. She was always like that. Cashmére suddenly noticed that Joseph looked at her, as though he was wondering what she said. Or, of course he wondered. He could barely speak latin, she assumed.

"Kitu," she whispered, "Joseph- his name is Joseph, by the way- can't talk latin. Could you..?"

"Ah!" Kitumaini laughed, "He's from the Castle, right? That's where you've been."
Kitumaini cleared her throat. "Can you understand me?" she wondered, in Joseph's language, "Eh?"

Joseph nodded. "Yes, very well." he said, and smiled. Kitumaini almost squealed, again. She took Cashmére's hand.

"You have to meet Embu, again!" she said, "And Guillaume! She has grown a lot since you last saw her."

"We could come over to you," Cashmére replied, but before Kitumaini squealed again, she added; "But maybe not. We have... things to do."

"Of course." Kitumaini winked, "I understand."

Cashmére roled her eyes at Kitumaini, took Joseph's hand and made her way towards her father.
"Dad..." she said, then she noticed that it sounded childish, "Father, Joseph and I are going home with Kitumaini. We'll see you tomorrow."

"Huh? Which Kitumaini?"

"Adrìca." Cashmére said, impatiently. "Kitumaini Adrìca. She's married to Embu Adrìca. You know; the salesman. From the Southern Islands. The very known salesman."
After spending a while in the Castle, Cashmére couldn't believe that she was twenty-one and still had to ask her father if it was alright she spended some time of. Without him. Alone.
"Oh. Alright, yet-"

"What?"

"Nothing, amica." Tantibus sighed. "Off you go. Have fun."