"You're doing it again," Rafael said one night as they got ready for bed.

Maria turned from where she was opening windows. The nights were getting hotter, such that she really wished Rafael would either be willing to ravish her or at least let her sleep in her preferred sleepwear. She wasn't actually sweating all that hard in the radish Katarina had made for her, but it felt like she should. "Doing what?" she asked.

"Doing too much, not delegating," he said. He sat with his back to the headboard, looking over some papers, occasionally penciling in a note. Normally he wouldn't bring paperwork home but he said he'd wanted to get the evaluations of their new newbies a more leisurely read. They been fitting in well despite initial hesitance, according to him, but he wanted them to be ready when their older coworkers started relaxing a bit more from their 'get new employees' mood. "Between running your ventures, training your squire, socializing, and being a good mother–"

"I'm not their mother," Maria interjected, glaring slightly outside at the rather anemic wind bringing in the night air. All the windows were open, and she'd have opened the door too if she thought it would help. Sometimes she felt the seasons were all off. Why was it summer-hot in the months immediately before and after summer, but not summer itself? "I am merely their protector and legal guardian."

For some reason Rafael rolled his eyes. "Fine, your being a good protector and legal guardian to the children by hugging them, telling them stories, listening to their problems, encouraging them in their schoolwork, baking them treats, making sure they're schooled in a comfortable environment, teaching them all sorts of valuable skills, and being willing to viciously murder any threat to them. Most definitely not mothering at all." Maria didn't understand why the almost sarcastic tone. It was true. Her mothers had never done any of those things for her, after all. Well, okay, the hugging and treats, but only when she'd been very young, and more recently, but that was it! "Between all that, when do you actually have the time to teach people how to use a sword?"

Maria sighed as she gave up on the windows and went back to bed, not yet slipping in under the sheets. That would make it too hot too soon. She nodded gratefully to Sadako, her new practice sword sheathed at her waist, who handed her a small cup with a single cube of ice floating in the water.

"I'm not saying they shouldn't learn," Rafael said, "Only you might not have enough time to devote to it without giving up something else. I mean, you already have Matthew handling Katarina's squireship."

"I am not handing off my Squire!" Maria protested after she finished sipping the water, handing it back to Sadako, who set it aside. "I'm merely asking an expert to teach her a skill they are better suited to convey. Dame Matthew's assistance is limited to teaching Katarina how to parry, and perhaps shieldcraft. She is not taking over my Squire!"

"You realize you just said 'my Squire' in the same tone a certain prince says 'my fiancée' right?" Rafael said.

Maria gave him an aghast look.

"It's cute when you do it," he assured her. "Doesn't have overtones of locking her up in a tower and singing to her hair. And I'm not saying you should hand off your squire. But perhaps it's time to hire more staff to help on this business? Surely you can promote someone in the manufactories to do inspections for you? Not saying you need to stop at all, but a dedicated manager who's always on site isn't a bad idea. Office staff to keep track of the internal paperwork too. This isn't the Ministry, you can actually hire people and they'll actually do the work."

Maria hummed thoughtfully. "I suppose a secretary to at least help me sort through the urgency of matters would not be amiss."

"Honestly, you should have been doing that anyway," Rafael said. "Especially since tax season is about to come up."

"I am allowing payment with grain this year," Maria said. "And ventures have left me sufficiently solvent to pay the necessary taxes in souls."

"Yes, but whoever you have in charge of collecting the taxes will probably still need all the help they can get," Rafael said. "Even if she was leaning into every cruel, evil, and tyrannical cliché, tax season was always a logistical nightmare for that woman, and I doubt it would be any different with you."

There was a sudden, ominous silence. Maria knew it was ominous, because she was making it.

Rafael must have noticed, because he turned and gave her a suspicious look. "Maria… you do have someone to collect your taxes for you, right? You haven't been assuming you'd go and collect it all yourself… right?"

Maria looked down with keen interest at her sleepwear. It really was so intricately woven, despite being so damnably hot in this weather.

"Actually," Rafael said suspiciously, "Since you'll be accepting payment in kind instead of souls… do you even have the facilities to store them?"

Yes, very intricate, very intricate indeed.

Rafael sighed. "I'll have a message sent to Keith, tell him you need a new storage barn."

Sadako twitched slightly at the mention of the word, and Maria absently reached over to squeeze her hand. It was, unfortunately, one of the words she knew quite well, as she and the others like her had often been kept in barns of one sort or another between being sold or used.

She blinked as she felt her free hand being held as well, and she turned to find Rafael smiling at her. "Hey, don't worry," he said. "This is just your first year. It's expected you'd overlook things. It's not like you were raised to take over running an estate, after all."

"Technically, that's exactly what happened," Maria pointed out.

Rafael rolled his eyes. "You know what I mean. We'll help you. I'm sure a lot of young idiots would be more than willing to drop what they're doing and help sort out this problem for the implication it might get them more squire time."

"I'm not using my Squire as a pawn," Maria said sternly.

"I'm pretty sure they'll do it because they're your friends," Rafael said. "The squire time is just a hope and emotional blackmail to direct your gratitude. Don't worry, we'll have time to get ready for the dates you told the mayors you'd be picking up the tax payments."

This was really a very nice, weave, come to think it that. It would probably be much more comfortable in the winter, when it was colder…

She could feel Rafael gazing intently at her face, and though it called blood to rise to her cheeks, she found the sensation wasn't as pleasant as it usually was.

"Yeah… something to remember for tomorrow, when you're looking for more staff to help you with running your lands…" Rafael said flatly.

"Oh, look how late it is," Maria said, quickly slipping under her sheets. "Have to sleep, good night, Rafael. Please turn down the lamp when you're done reading."

She curled up under the thin sheets, already feeling like she was going to sweat out the water she just drank.

"You know, if you want to wear your usual sleepwear, you can," Rafael said, not looking up from his papers. "I mean, I appreciate your consideration, but it's your room. You should wear want you want. "

Slowly, Maria turned around, staring at him. He was gazing at his papers very intently, his sheet over his legs, one knee raised so he could lean back.

"I wouldn't want to make you uncomfortable," Maria said slowly.

"And I don't want you uncomfortable," Rafael said. "Which the heat is clearly making you. Besides, like I said, it's your room."

Yes, that was bloodtinge.

Carefully, so she wouldn't block his view of his no-doubt important papers, Maria wrapped her arms around him and kissed his cheek. Then she slid out of bed and began to quickly– but carefully, since it was a gift, and the children liked it– she unbuttoned the front. She quickly peeled it off her, revealing her skin to the world as she let it drop and stepped out of the garments. Sadako smoothly offered her a wet cloth, which she accepted, and she began wiping it on her body, the water cooling her skin as Sadako bent down to pick up and fold the radish sleepwear. It was probably exaggerated, but she could feel her body cooling already, especially when Sadako offered her a bowl of water and knelt down and started wiping her legs with another cloth. And if she was a tad wet when she slid back between her sheets… well, it was her room and her bed!

Rafael was still seated exactly as he'd been before, eyes so intent they should have seen through the paper into the realms of the silver spirits beyond. His blood tinge had increased though. Maria was very familiar with the range of peripheral vision.

Clad in her new sleepwear, Maria slipped back under the sheets, which now felt wonderfully cool. She lay down, experimentally pulling the sheet up to her neck. Ah, much better. Still under the covers, she leaned against Rafael and she kissed him on the cheek again. "Good night, dear Rafael," she breathed. "Feel free to do anything you wish."

His eyes flickered sideways at her. "You realize your maid is still in the room, right?"

Maria blinked. "Yes?" What was his point? One's maid should always be nearby, in case one needed anything in the middle of the night, like a snack or an infusion of blood or a maid. Not that Maria would do such a thing, of course. Sadako was under her protection, and she would countenance no middle of the night maid snacks her maid didn't specifically seek out herself from her fellows!

"Look, I'm not saying I'm going to, but should your maid really be here when you're asking for… you know?" Rafael said, falling away to muttering at the end. "I mean, do you really want someone… watching?"

Maria didn't understand what his problem was. Of course a maid would always be there, watching in case they wanted anything, like a little cream, or a pot of honey, or some blood or a maid. Not that Maria would, of course, since those things to be for cooking and much too sticky to be eaten by themselves, but perhaps Rafael might.

Ah, perhaps he didn't think Sadako would be sufficiently familiar with his preferences. Maria had to admit, that seemed a valid concern. "Would you rather have Lasciel attend us instead?" she asked.

Rafael stared at her for a long moment. "Not tonight honey, I have a headache," he said eventually.

Maria sighed. Blasted heat. Rafael was clearly dehydrated, if he was suffering from headaches. "Sadako-chan, could you get some chilled juice for us from the kitchen for Rafael's headache, if there's still some left from dinner?" Maria said. Usually chilled juice was made for the children in the morning, and again after they come in from outside chores in the afternoon. "If not, some cold watered sweet wine will do."

Sadako bowed. "Yes, Lady Maria-dono," she said, turning smoothly and moving with a quick step out the doors. It would take her some time to get all the way to the kitchen, and the elevator was too noisy to use at this time of night. A dumbwaiter would probably have done it quickly, but so far Maria couldn't justify the added expense and construction of one. Perhaps they'd just keep some on ice in the bathroom tomorrow, in case this happened again…

As the door closed behind her maid, Maria settled back in her bed, adjusting the sheet as she lay back, and folded her hands on top of her heart as she waited for either the dark frontiers of sleep or Rafael's lusts to take her. She stared up at the ceiling in quiet contemplation of the now-familiar designs on the plaster…

Which was soon obscured by Rafael's face at a 90 degree angle to hers. "Well, as long as we're alone," he said softly, and leaned down.

Maria leaned up…

She wasn't sure how long it was later, but the pleasantness much too soon, Rafael hurriedly drawing back as the door began to open again. A slightly breathless and much enlivened Maria blinked in bemusement at the sudden cessation, looking at her fiancée sideways as Sadako blandly offered him some cold watered wine…

Rafael went back to reading after that, much to Maria's mild frustration. She briefly considered pressing the issue– and Rafael– but no, she'd promised…

Still, she really wished he'd get over being engaged soon so that they could start with the ravishing. It had been months now. Once more, she wondered if this was how the Third Prince felt all the time and once more resolved to be slightly nicer to him. Still not leaving him alone with Katarina though, not if he felt like this. But she'd be nicer.

Maria decided to look on the bright side. Rafael was finally comfortable with her being in her preferred sleepwear. Soon, he would hopefully join her– it was a clearly superior mode of dress when it came to sleep, especially on hot summer nights!– and then…

She could hardly wait.

Humming a song she heard her mother and Miss Shelley humming sometimes, she lay back, closing her eyes. Tomorrow was another day.

Her last sight as she retreated to the dark of her own mind was Rafael's profile in her peripheral view and the familiar background of Sadako looming over her from beside the bed…


A/N: So, my Pat-reon is up now at P.A.T.R.E.O.N.C.O.M -/-SCM2814. If you want to support this fic, that would be great, but no pressure. But if you do, you'll also get advanced access to my new original fiction series about a wizard on the frontier, her dungeon, and the idiots around her...