“Oh, how nice,” spat Zacharie. “You get the city while I get the shitty village that smells like an old fish.”
“Or you could have nothing. How about that?”
“It’s too early to make decisions like that,” said Father. “For now, you could build a nicer home for yourself and Alex. It would be good for you to take some responsibility and separate from Aleric for a while. Narter rarely has issues, so if the people have any minor problems, you could easily deal with them. The nearby hunting is also good.”
“I bet he’s pregnant,” Zacharie said as if Father hadn’t spoken. “He stuck his ass up for Jaime, and now he’s got a bun in his oven. Poor Jaime is stuck here with the whore he fucked.”
Jaime clenched the arms of his chair. “Call him a whore one more time, and you’ll be stuck eating soup for the rest of your life once I punch out your teeth.”
“No one’s fighting in my office or having their teeth busted,” said Lord Monet. “Yes, he is pregnant. Don’t you dare call your brother a whore. He’s carrying your future niece or nephew.”
“If I were an abundant male and a guy I barely knew impregnated me, I bet you’d have choice words for me.” Zacharie rolled his eyes. “But not precious Aleric.”
Father leaned back in his chair and pinched the bridge of his nose. “What is wrong with you? I didn’t raise you to shout like a fishmonger in the Hall and insult your own flesh and blood. Can we forget about before? You have Alex-”
“That your flesh and blood wanted to steal.”
“It’s in the past. It’s over. Has Aleric ever tried to do anything since? Has he gone behind your back and seduced Alex?”
“Alex has morals, so-”
“Has Aleric done anything untoward him in that manner?”
“He acts as though a turd is in the room, and he’s rude to him. That’s how you treat a future brother-in-law?”
“But you can talk to me like crap and pretend I’m sticking around for a whore’s baby?” demanded Jaime. “Do you hear yourself?”
“You and Alex are going to Narter before the wedding,” said Father. “I’m not risking your attitude during Aleric’s marriage. You’d do well to use your time away to learn how to act toward family and not shout ridiculous lies.”
Zacharie stared at him for a long moment before he stood and stalked toward the door. “I hate you both.”
***
Lunch was stiff even though Zacharie stayed at one of the round tables with Gautier as usual. Dinner wasn’t better, and Father looked miserable.
“He didn’t mean it,” Aleric told him yet again. “He’s mad and often doesn’t think before he speaks. He doesn’t hate you.”
“I know,” mumbled Father.
“He’ll look forward to having his own place and feeling like a lord. He probably won’t be able to shut up about it by the time Delphine moves in, and he’ll forget his anger.”
Delphine would be returning in three days with her things to settle in Olivier’s old rooms. Since she’d passed the test with flying colors earlier that afternoon, Father had said she could go to Finkin and become a certified physician. She’d replied that she didn’t need a piece of parchment to tell her she knew how to aid people.
Father set his fork down. “After Delphine left, and you and Jaime went back upstairs, Zacharie came down only to tell me that he’s leaving the morning after tomorrow, and I can sit alone here with my favorite son and his new toy. He wouldn’t say anything else to me.”
“Oh…”
“Honestly, maybe it’s better if he goes earlier instead of moping around for a few days. Once he’s not so mad, he’ll stop looking at me like I’m a terrible Father, and after you get married, we can have a quiet dinner here. I’m sure Alex will talk sense into him, and later, things won’t be like this.”
He’d use the opportunity to turn Zacharie away.“Look at how they treat you.”Or something like that.
“I still feel like a terrible Father,” said Lord Monet. “He’s never been so angry with me. Alex came to talk to me, but it didn’t help, and I’m sure he’s not comfortable since he’s my friend and Zacharie’s future husband. He wants his husband tobe happy and not mediate between our disputes since I’m his friend.”
“You’re not a terrible Father.”
“But what if he stays angry and marries Gautier this summer in secret? I wanted to see both of my sons marry, not just one. Zacharie showed he’s thinking spitefully this morning.”
“Lord Gautier won’t let him do that,” Jaime piped up. “I’m sure Zacharie values the opinion of his future husband, and he’ll talk sense into your son if he suggests they marry in Narter. Lord Gautier surely knows you want to see your youngest marry too.”
