The House of Bliss: Chapter 2 Numbly, Minalia and Litalia sat together, early the next morning. The time was just before dawn, and the palest, weakest rays of sunlight had yet to brighten the sky. The doctor whom had been Amiliana's teacher was currently tending to her, and Reiliana was putting Alexander back to bed. The blond-haired woman looked down at her bloodstained hands tiredly. She had forgotten now whose blood it was, only knew that she didn't want it touching any other part of her. It had a rusty smell and a bitter, salty taste-or was it the taste of too-fresh sorrow? "Miss Litalia." They both looked up and saw Nestor, accompanied by Zoite. "I...are they...did you...?" "Yes," the blond-haired man replied shortly, "they're going to be tried on Monday. Will you testify?" When they nodded, he made as if to go, then stopped. His voice was brusque as he said, "I'm sorry, Litalia, Minalia. If I was quicker-if I had been on my guard-just know that I'm so very sorry." He loped off into the night after tipping his worn hat shortly, and Nestor attempted to make excuses for his unusually inelegant friend, who was unused to dealing with women and who was already being tortured by guilt. Minalia cut him off in mid-sentence, still managing to give him a semblance of her usual bright smile after that night. "It's all right, Master Siriale. I take it that you're good friends?" When he looked at her in bewilderment, wondering how she could be thinking of such trivial matters when her father had just died, her sister whispered, "The pain's just a bit too...new. It hasn't really sunk in yet, and it's better if we try not to think about it just now. We'd just give ourselves headaches." "Oh. I see now. Yes, we're old friends. I knew him before he moved here and became sheriff, but I haven't actually talked to him for years. He seems unchanged, for the most part. A bit older, wiser, and graver, but still the same old Zoite Skylab I've known almost from the crib." Sensing that he wanted to talk to Litalia alone, Minalia smiled and stood graciously. "I should go in to see Ami now. You two stay here a bit longer and chat. You'll keep Lita company a little longer for me, won't you, Nestor?" Before he could do anything but nod, she whisked out of the room and nearly bumped headlong into the doctor. "Oh, excuse me!" she exclaimed, quick to help steady him. "That's all right, Miss Minalia," the old physician wheezed tiredly. Up close, she could see the heavy bags under his eyes and the pinched expression on his face. Nervously, she babbled, "I was just going in to see-is she awake yet? Is anything wrong?" Ponderously, he made his way to the pantry where Reiliana was waiting as she continued in the same vein. One look from the older woman silenced the younger one, although she was just as anxious, and all three seated themselves around the aged wooden table. Breathily, the man began, "Do either of you know whether the patient-" "The patient? Don't you mean Ami? She's your apprentice, after all. You don't have to speak about her in such formal tones." He glared at her under bushy salt-and-pepper eyebrows that lowered ominously as he ignored her and continued, "Do either of you know if the patient was involved with any men in a sexual nature?" They blinked at each other in surprise, and Reiliana said slowly, "Well, no. I mean, I don't know for sure, but I can't imagine Ami doing anything of the nature without being married, but there was Gregory..." "What do you mean by 'any men'?" the blonde asked suddenly. "You're talking as if she was-as if she was some kind of prostitute. She's not the type of person to do that!" The doctor's expression darkened further. "I meant any men! Gregory was not the only man I ever saw waiting for her when she left my office when her work was finished." "Well, who else was there?" the dark-haired woman inquired diplomatically, with a warning glance at Minalia, who appeared not to notice and continued fuming under her breath. "Some men. Sometimes a few young male friends of the family, several more times young Master Skylab." Startled, Minalia asked, "What, you mean the sheriff? Zoite?" "I _said_ 'young Master Skylab' rather distinctly, if I recall," he responded stuffily. Cutting her younger sister off as she began to take a breath, Reiliana said, "I'm sure what you saw was only of a friendly nature. Sheriff Skylab...er...Zoite, is known to watch out for all the people in our town. He was probably concerned about her safety, as were the friends of the family. Why did you ask...well...what you did?" "Amiliana was pregnant." "What?!" "Wait just a minute...are you sure? And did you say 'was'?" "I said was, and I'm very sure. Unfortunately, it seems that she miscarried from the shock of your father's death. Circumstances in which women undergo extreme shock will do that. But she'll be fine. She's sleeping right now, however, and should not be disturbed. I've administered the proper medicine and made her comfortable, and as long as she rests and recovers, everything will be fine. Except, of course, I can't have her coming back to the office to help me," he added. Minalia blinked at him in bewilderment. "What? Why not? What do you mean?" Thumping his cane on the floor heavily, he trumpeted, "Surely you know how important the image of young ladies is to this town and all over the country, Miss Minalia. I cannot have her continue as my helper after she's ruined her reputation in such a manner." "But no one would know if you didn't say anything-" "But _I_ know, Miss Minalia." "How can you say something like that? After all, you're one of Father's oldest friends!" Reiliana asked, temper flaring as her eyes flashed warningly. "My friendship with your father has nothing to do with this. I should have known better than to take a girl on as an assistant. _That_ was a kindness to your father and one you should be grateful for. No one would argue about my decision if they knew the facts of the matter. It's fortunate that my doctor's scruples keep a patient's condition confidential." "Why, you-" Smoothly, he cut the ebony-haired woman off. "I know your views upon that subject very well, Miss Reiliana. If you'll excuse me now, I should be getting off to my well-deserved rest. My apologies about the state of your deceased father- and you'll let me know when the funeral is, won't you? Good night." With that, he left abruptly, and Minalia muttered in his wake, "Like hell we will." When her sister gave her an admonishing look, she shrugged indifferently. "What are we going to do, Rei?" After a brief consideration and a few minutes spent staring into empty space, she shook herself and replied, "What we Bliss women always do, Mina: survive." ****************************************************************************** Litalia, who had been left behind, looked at him nervously as Nestor took Minalia's vacated chair. Clearing his throat uncomfortably, he asked," Have you-and your sisters-decided what you're going to do? Will you stay here?" "Rei's suggested going West. None of us want to stay here and run the tavern any longer, and now that Papa's gone...well, there isn't anything left here but our friends, and we won't be beholden to them. They'll try to help us, but we have to make a living on our own. Even though we have close to nothing left, we'll always be too proud for our own good." Litalia smiled faintly, recalling Reiliana's tart words. "Land is cheaper there, out west, and the government's just issued the Homestead Act. For just a ten-dollar registration fee, we can get a hundred and sixty acres of public land. If we build a house on it, live on it, and farm that land for five consecutive years, we can claim ownership." Nestor looked distinctly disturbed by the plan she had outlined. "That's a difficult task to accomplish, even for four women such as you. Why, there are claim jumpers, Indians, and all sorts of riffraff out there. It's not fit for women as fine as you and your sisters, Litalia." Her oldest sister's temper was one that warmed slowly, like hot embers given fresh fuel to burn, and once it got started, there was almost no quenching the lively fire that crackled and shot furious sparks. Litalia's temper was more of a flash-fire rage that came and went as quickly as lightning in storms. It was bright, hot, and lashed out like all hells, but when it was all over, she would be extremely apologetic. Reiliana, on the other hand, would stew for weeks, like a sullen, doused stove hissing crossly. It was lucky that Amiliana and Minalia had almost no temper to speak of. However, once the dark-haired girl was riled in the most extreme circumstances, it was almost impossible to get back into her good graces once again. Minalia got angry a bit more often, but she also forgave much more easily with a cheerful smile and a slightly bashful wave of her hand. "I've heard that the Indians didn't attack any settlers out of the blue and that they were provoked first. I understand their sentiments perfectly. And if we're such fine women, Master Siriale, there wouldn't be such gossip about us four girls being nothing better than common trash because we work at this tavern for our livelihood." He was taken aback, and the sight of his mouth open and gaping like a fish's startled her into a chuckle. Navy blue eyes wide, he stared at her in confusion. "You look so surprised; I'm sorry, but I can't help laughing. I apologize for my hasty words and hot temper." "And I, in turn, apologize for my uncouth manner, Miss Litalia." "Apology accepted if you'll drop the 'Miss.'" The brunet man grinned charmingly, making her heart flip flop alarmingly. "I'll gladly oblige if you'd do the same to 'Master.' It makes me feel old. But getting back to our previous subject...do you really mean to go West?" Litalia looked at the weather-beaten ceiling and sighed. "I suppose." "Without any men?" She glanced at him questioningly and replied, "Considering that Rei's husband has been dead for nearly six months now, yes." "I'm sorry to hear it, but that's now what I meant." "Well, what did you mean?" she asked impatiently, fed up with his beating around the bush. As she brushed back some curling tendrils of hair that had escaped from her long ponytail, Nestor caught the glints of auburn that shone brightly, even in the faint lamplight. "None of your sisters-or you-are engaged to any men? Or being courted?" Her lips tightened as she thought of Ami and Gregory; Minalia had told her that he had left town that day. "No," she responded shortly, "none of us are planning to get married anytime soon, and we'll be leaving as soon as we finish testifying." Nestor shifted uneasily, hearing the tenseness in her tone. "You can't travel alone like that. People will talk." "Let them talk. We don't care." Her chin jutted out stubbornly, and he caught the undefeated gleam of her gorgeously green eyes. "You'll need the protection a man can offer. Now, don't start with me, Litalia. I know you four can protect yourself well enough-gods know I've seen what you can do with a good skillet in a tavern brawl and Reiliana with her mere presence-but it won't be enough in certain situations." Grudgingly, she nodded her agreement, seeing his point. "But, like I've told you, that's something not easily remedied. What advice do you have to offer?" "Take a man's name-and that man himself-along with you," he urged. The brunette woman blinked before retorting, "And what man would be willing to do that? Give up his comfortable, secure lifestyle here for one woman? Well, actually, it's four...but..." "I would," Nestor said suddenly. "What?" "I would," he repeated softly. His dark blue eyes shone earnestly as he took possession of her hands-and attention-gently, and she found that no matter how she tried, she couldn't look away from him. She tried to laugh lightly, but her voice shook slightly as she replied, "What are you suggesting, Nestor Siriale? Marriage? Or perhaps the illusion of marriage? And to which one of us beautiful, desirable women would you choose?" He hid the hurt he felt from her mocking words, spoken in frightened desperation. His voice still soft, he answered, "I would like to be properly married, of course, but if that woman should so desire that it not be so, I would gladly follow her wishes." "You've neglected to answer the most important question with all those noble words," Litalia commented, "is it Rei, the seemingly luckless but still vibrantly lovely widow? Or perhaps Ami, who's just recently been jilted by the man who was courting her for months? Maybe you were thinking of Mina. She's a little young for you, you know. People would talk even more about that." "Stop it," he ordered forcefully as his grip on her hands tightened. "You know I would never think about anything like that." When she stared back at him, eyes wide, he sighed deeply and let her go and turned away. When he spoke again, his voice was so soft that she wasn't sure she had heard him correctly-or if he'd spoken at all. "The one woman who I believe could make me happy in my life is you, Litalia Bliss. So it's up to you now: will you send me away when you need me most, or will you accept my help and my name?" She buried her face in the blessed coolness of her hands. Her brain was so tired after not sleeping the entire night and after an emotional overload. She wasn't quite sure how to deal with this new, surprising situation and the perplexed feelings running through her. Her voice was muffled as she asked, "You're still willing to offer that after all the things I've said tonight and the way I've behaved?" Turning back, hope lighting his face once more, Nestor nodded. "Yes. Yes, I do." "And if I need a little time to adjust...or if I decide I don't want to marry you-not that I don't-I mean, it's just, I think we don't know each other well enough yet...would you give me that time?" "Of course. Although," he added impishly, "I'd do everything in my power to convince you that I'm not an ogre along the way." When her laugh rang out in silvery bell tones, he grinned in relief. However, his face turned serious in a few moments. "Are you sure about this? I mean, I am, but in case you aren't-and I could be horrible, for all you know-and I know it's impossibly bad timing, but I would've tried to offer anyway-" Litalia smiled at him, a becoming flush rising in her cheeks. "No, I'm sure. You're so right-about everything-and the town thinks very highly of you. I've heard them talking." He laughed outright at that. "And I suppose you've stored every bit of gossip about me away in that pretty head of yours?" When she blushed and spluttered, pretending to act outraged, he laughed harder, and she had to join in. Meanwhile, outside the room, two pairs of bright eyes peered in inquisitively. Pulling back and placing her hands on her hips meaningfully, Reiliana turned to her youngest sister and announced, "I do believe that Litalia's going to be married in the very near future. What do you have to say about that, sister mine?" Minalia smiled slyly and replied, "I say we leave them alone...and give her grief about it later for not telling us about such a charming beau. Some people have all the luck!" Her black-haired sister's startled laugh sounded joyously in the darkened hallway as they forgot about their troubles for a few precious moments... AN: Yes, the Homestead Act is historically accurate. It was issued in 1862, which I guess is now the year of this story, but I can already tell you that I don't know enough about the time period to be extremely accurate. Thankfully enough, by the next chapter, things will probably become completely fantastical (translation: not historically accurate in the least), and I'm sorry for it. I _could_ have made it that way...but...I'd like to make this story as short and simple as possible. The chapter took forever to get out, yes, and Mako and Neph had an impossibly long conversation...but...what did you think? ^.~ ~Ice P.S. You didn't really think I'd make Ami have a kid, did you?