Book 4

Siha: Rise of Rakhana

Part II

"It's late, Sapphire," Casnar checks the time. "May we talk about it tomorrow?"

Sapphire flutters her eyelids and folds her arms in front of her as Rojelios comes over and glares at Casnar through the doorway, "…Am I to conclude that you will come out and explain the truth about what's happening with you all," she glances at the twin on his chest, "…I'm as skeptical as Roj," she looks down at Casnar's dirty feet on her carpeting, and Ylyssus's, "…about the factuality of your statement earlier about being mugged…All five of you—those little ones, your night clothes, no shoes…Slip-ons?"

With a glance to Ylyssus, "…Yes," Casnar sighs, "…we'll tell you."

Sapphire narrows her eyes and sets her hands on her hips. "Come out, Sapph," Roj puts an arm around her waist—somewhat possessively in Casnar's opinion, Ylyssus's too—and pulls her out of the room meant for dining, into the preceding room, "…You four," his expression only relents when he glances at the sleeping infants in their arms, "…can sleep in this room where we sit and entertain guests. I've pulled out the sofa bed and your…wife…is on it. We moved her…I'm not letting you—" he's about to say to Casnar he's not going to let him back into his and his wife's bed, like the last time he caught them together, but Sapphire nudges him with her crests and Rojelios resists the urge to raise the old offense again. "There's room on the pullout for three-and-a-half." They turn and go out the dining room into the sitting area, "…No funny business, Casnar…It's not like it isn't weird enough."

Ylyssus leans confidentially towards Casnar, a hand covering Jenner's teness and most of his head, "…You had an affair with…" He nods his crests towards Sapphire.

"It was a long time ago," Casnar hisses back underbreath, "…Don't give me grief…Braith's only told me you used to be a sex addict on Merce'des," Casnar's violet-blue-silver tebris lifts and darkens.

"None of the women I made love to were married."

"How would you know?" Casnar glares at Ylyssus over his shoulder, carrying Jaspin into the room after them, "…They were convicted violators of some form of offense to be there…You think they were trustworthy?…"

"They were all honest…" Ylyssus protests and considers gently, "…I believed all of them."

"How can someone like you be so gullible…"

"I am not gullible, and because my father was the son of a—" Ylyssus pauses in the doorway, distracted from his line of sentiment by Rojelios—who is observing them and actually chuckling. Casnar stands by the pullout sofa, looking at Braith as she rests under the covers. "You, you find us amusing."

"You bicker like a married couple," Rojelios sneers. "Who's sleeping on top and who's down underneath."

"We're not—" Ylyssus says quickly, seeing Casnar's sudden heated expression directed towards Rojelios, "…We're not lovers."

"Ylyssus," Casnar growls, his emeralds wide.

"I meant," Rojelios grins maliciously, enjoying the embarrassment in Casnar's tone and body language, "…who's sleeping on the pullout with her, and who's going to be under it, on the floor."

Casnar glares at Rojelios, "…I'll be on the floor."

The drell disappears into the next room and returns with extra pillows and blankets, "…For the kid's comfort—Not yours."

"Thanks," Casnar imparts reluctantly.

Braith stirs a little at Ylyssus's weight settling on the pullout mattress covers and moving closer to her, laying Jenner down between them as Casnar lays down with Jaspin. Supporting his head on his hand, elbow indenting the extra pillow, Ylyssus gazes at Braith with the foam support around her neck, her face to the ceiling—in a grimace.

"How are you?"

"Okay," she whispers hoarsely.

Ylyssus kisses her cool brow, "…Jenner's to your right," he takes hold of her hand to squeeze, Casnar peering over at them from the edge of the pullout mattress.

"She said she's okay?"

"Yes," Ylyssus nods.

Laying back down on his back with Jaspin on his chest, Casnar closes his eyes and finally relaxes. He can hear Rojelios and Sapphire shut their door and move about in their bedroom, cleaning up. "Everyone sleep…Kids will be awake soon, and we need the rest so we can be alert in the day…We will need to move..."

"Are we really going to try to enter the Archives," Ylyssus asks, "…We could be apprehended, separated…Unauthorized as may now be the case with our illegal departure…we might also be shot and killed."

"We need to go there, Ylyssus," Casnar replies, "…We can't stay here longer than for the visit by Iulia and Tor."

"Who are they?" Ylyssus asks, curious as he thoughtfully strokes between Braith's forearm and Jenner's little neck interchangeably.

"Iulia is Thane and Roj's sister—Kolyat's aunt…"

"I remember Kolyat…Reule is his grandfather, and father to the three?"

"Mmmhmm."

"And Tor…?"

"Tor is Iuls's husband—he's also an engineer for the hanar…He will be able to get us into the Archives and hopefully we can fit his suits…I sent them a communiqué from Sapphire and Roj's com-sole so that would start to happen. Prepares everyone and all," he mutters, "…They have kids…Tiran and Vykka, the youngest…Iuls will probably have baby clothes that should fit Jenner and Jaspin, too."

"Thank you, Casnar," Ylyssus lays back, hands beneath his crests as he looks at the pale blue ceiling and its recessed lights, "…That is comforting to go to sleep what with knowing…"

"We'll see if it happens, Ylyssus," Casnar lays a protective hand on Jaspin's back—completely covering the child from the shoulders to little hips with the spread of his heel of palm and fingers. "No promises…"