For a long while, all seven travellers stood in the empty room, in silence. Finally, Vitus whispered something in Aemilia's ear, and Aemilia nodded.
'I have a lot of paperwork to do,” she said, “and Vitus needs to get going home soon. But in a few months, you will all come to our wedding, won't you? Before you leave the capital, stop by the temple and tell me how to get hold of each of you."
“While Aemilia does her paper work, I intend to start our wedding preparations,” Vitus said, his smile broad.
Cinnamon nodded, saying, “I will go and assist you, of course, Master Vitus.”
He stopped for a moment, a thoughtful expression flitting across his face.
“I mean,” Cinnamon corrected himself, grinning, “Just Vitus.”
Vitus rolled his eyes.
Tsuga looked at Aemilia and frowned, "You're leaving?"
"Just to do some paperwork," Salix said defensively, "I'm not going far! Just to the office!"
"Speaking of weddings," Petro smirked, slinging an arm around Tsuga's waist, "Me and Tsuga here have to go find someone to marry us this afternoon, and then we gotta find a nice little inn, start working on those babies Tsuga wants."
"Petro!" Tsuga shrieked, blushing intensely red. She hit him playfully, saying, "We are not getting married today, and I'm not going to any stupid inn with you if we aren't married! I am a Flora, I am not that kind of girl! And for goodness' sake, I need to meet your family. Your sisters and their husbands and children have to come to the wedding, you know!"
Petro sighed, rolling his eyes. "Fine, Tsu."
"And don't call me that! I do have a real name, you know!"
Vitus smiled. He asked Petro, "Wait, you mean you don't even know your own fiancée’s real name?"
"You didn't think It was actually Tsuga, did you?" Aemila laughed.
Petro turned red, and shrugged.
Tsuga leaned in and patted his cheek, "There there, Petro dear."
He looked over at her beseechingly. "Really, Tsuga, what is your name?"
She blushed, and quietly said, "Oh, it's nothing special. Valeria."
Petro's grin broadened. "Valeria? Really? But that's perfect! Hey, did I ever tell you about the time I had a dream and - " He stopped abruptly, noticing that Marcus was sitting on the ground, silently, Mulberry at his side.
"Marcus?" Petro called, carefully.
Marcus looked up, then back down without answering. Mulberry quietly rubbed his back.
"Go do what you need to do, Petro. I'll talk to him," Mulberry said, sighing.
"But, Mulberry, he's - "
"Beside himself? I know. But you guys go figure out about, about your wedding, and having your sister visit, and about Vitus and Sa - that is, Aemila's - wedding. I'll stay with Marcus."
"We can't just go and plan stuff while he's in this condition!"
"Yes you can. I have an idea. We'll all meet for supper just like we planned, okay?"
Petro was about to protest, but Mulberry's expression stopped him. She looked serious and she looked unhappy, and she looked like if he tried to cross her, he'd pay for it. Vitus laughed nervously, then clapped Petro on the back, saying, "Come on then, you've got a wedding to plan, I've got a wedding to plan, I'm sure we're walking in the same direction. Cinnamon, you coming?"
Cinnamon nodded and the five of them, everyone but Marcus and Mulberry, walked to the door. Each one of them looked back at least once, but Mulberry's expression remained firm, and Marcus' forlorn. Petro was the last; Mulberry looked determined, giving Petro strength. He nodded, and Marcus and Mulberry were alone.
YOU ARE READING
The Baby and the Battlefield
FantasyA baby? On a battlefield? Marcus is a clerk in the Imperial army. When he finds an abandoned baby on a battlefield, he has no idea what to do with her. His best friend is no help; he thinks Marcus is a sucker for taking the kid in. The slave who end...
