"Your father is away with business, Crina," Salina replied, placing the strand back in a small pocket at her side.
"For weeks?" Crina asked, "Even when he went to beat up those bad guys, he was gone for less than that. I miss him."
"Be patient, sweetheart," Manon replied, with a sad smile, "We cannot say where he went, for we do not know either."
Whether it was a lie or the truth, nobody could say, not even Crina, who had to accept the answer, as she knew, even as young as she was, that she would not receive a better one, no matter how much she asked for it.
She would have to wait for Lucien to return from where he went, whenever that may be.
After finishing the last bite of his food, Blanc rose to his feet.
"Thank you, and thank the Vita for the meal," Blanc bowed lightly towards their host.
"Thank you for the lesson as well," Lea giggled, "Take food upstairs to Celine and Miyanna and tell them I forgive them for choosing sleep and putting you to lie for them, this time."
"Y-you knew?" Blanc stuttered, going to the side table to grab the plates of food.
"A thief cannot steal from a thief, and neither can a Maroux fool another. Especially a pregnant one, vulnerable to her own emotions," Lea replied, "But do not worry, son of ours, you are not to blame for lying for the two. You are a husband before you are a son."
"In that case," Blanc bowed once more, food in hand, before a guard opened the door, allowing him to leave the Dining hall as soon as possible.
It was foolish to think he could lie to the people who sensed lies, but it was worth trying.
For in his mind, angering his two wives somehow felt more dangerous than attempting to deceive the undeceiveable.
Once back inside their room, Blanc placed the food-filled plates on the table before going towards the two sleeping women. Their breaths were steady, almost silent as he watched.
They looked peaceful, making Blanc realize once more that, at least, he managed to bring them to safety, as he hoped he would. But now, many things had to be done.
A month had passed since their arrival in the Domain of Blood Maroux, and though time felt trivial now that they were safe, time had always been a matter of utmost essence.
The Empire was in chaos, as civil unrest bloomed like rot behind the Iron Line and the involvement of the Ulveth Kingdom in their treachery, spreading chaos, panic, and destruction like fire through dry grass.
His father and older brother were captured by King Yalan, confirmed by Mera and Auren before they left the Plains of Duldera, having to run to safety upon Elion's orders.
His sister, Sera, was currently engaged to yet another enemy. Blood Seraph, who, in their time of need, used their influence to engage Sera to the heir of their house, more as a hostage and a tool against them than anything else.
And that was only scratching the surface of the turmoil looming beyond the horizon that Blanc was too scared to look at, even now, at the edge of witnessing its truth, since nothing would really change while the Sedes Sanguinis was still empty, and the source of morality was dry.
As long as no High Monarch, King, Emperor, Ascended, or God stood upon the throne, chaos would keep on ravaging the land, regardless of whether Blanc would save his family, only to meet yet another powerful enemy that would break them apart once more.
Things had to change, and for that change to slowly happen, Lucien had to be present.
But Lucien was away, with urgent business, as he called it. And it ate at Blanc's patience to know all that and be powerless against it all.
He had no army, no real strength of his own, no influence besides that of Celine and her Blood, no real, powerful allies, and no economic might to be able to affect anything important. For that, he knew he needed his Father-in-Law… Though he wasn't sure what it would cost him.
Blanc looked upon his wives, his eyes quietly fixed on their beautiful faces, before slowly, his sight went downward, towards both their stomachs.
He knew then, as he knew before, that no price was too expensive, as long as it kept them alive and safe. Them, and all those he cared about.
Though in his heart, a whisper became to wonder, if it came down to it, what would he choose between his Blood and his family.
He shook the thought off as if it were an annoying bug and crouched before his wives, slowly waking them up.
"My love," said Celine while they were eating the breakfast Blanc brought them, "You seem lost."
"I feel like I am," he nodded, watching the two eat.
"What's wrong?" Miyanna asked.
"Now that we are here, safe, most of us, at least, I feel *sigh* without purpose, content," Blanc said, his eyes out the window, "Not in the bad sense, per se, but in the sense that now, I feel somewhat stuck in the moment, comfortably frozen in place while waiting for others to move the pieces, praying that by the time it's my move to play, the game hasn't ended... and the board hasn't been flipped."
"Is this about my father?" Celine asked, placing a hand atop his.
"In the past, just before I met you, I slipped away for a few hours. Not out of doubt or hesitation about the marriage, but because I felt useless," Blanc said, holding her gaze. "Everyone around me was moving, preparing for war, welcoming allies, and making plans. And the three of us, Kael, Lune, and I, were just standing there. Two eight-year-olds and I, just standing there, watching it all unfold."
"That day you hunted the lynx?" Celine asked, her eyes soft, her smile warm, as she and Miyanna listened to their husbands' words.
"I ran into the Golden Forest to escape, but it was always in my plan to have something ready for you, have no doubt about that," Blanc chuckled lightly, not wanting to be misunderstood, "But in a way, I feel the same type of chaotic comfort now, that or the illusion of it."
"Hubby, in my eyes, you have done in months more than others did in lifetimes," Miyanna said, "Aren't you too harsh on yourself?"
"He is not," Celine shook her head.
"Celine…" Miyanna muttered, somewhat annoyed.
"It is true, sister," Celine replied, "He is a Noble Blood, and it's in his being the desire to want to do more. And as much as it's his desire, it's also expected of him to do so."
"Why do you feel the need to say it like that?" Miyanna sighed.
Celine shook her head. "Because I love him too, just as much as you do, sister. And no amount of sweet words will change the truth he knows as well. But the difference is that we're here now. We may be pregnant, and yes, we'll likely have to stay behind if something happens, but that doesn't mean we're helpless. There are things we can do now, or even a century from now. While you are here or while you are away. You're not alone, my love. And nothing will ever change that."
"If I have to help Father-in-Law with something, I want to do it now, and be back before you even have the possibility of giving birth," Blanc replied, "I do not want to miss such an event."
"You better keep your word," Miyanna muttered, "Because I will kill you if you are not here."
Blanc smiled before kissing both Celine and Miyanna's hands.
"Thank you," he said to the two, "This cleared my head quite a bit."
"If that is the case, there are things that we still have to discuss," Celine said, smiling, "But that can wait until after we are done with the food."
"Should I bring you something else? Something sweet? A tea?" Blanc wondered, feeling better.
"A tea sounds delightful," Celine nodded, before turning to Miyanna, "You, sister?"
"There is carrot cake," Blanc said before Miyanna could even reply.
"How much carrot cake is too much carrot cake?" Miyanna asked, since as of a few days ago, carrot cake had become her favorite dessert.
"As much as My Lady wishes," Blanc jumped before bowing, "And if the chefs complain, I will beat them until they make more."
"Hmmm…" Miyanna murmured, lost in thought, tempted by eating too much, while embarrassed at the thought of asking for too much.
"Bring as much as you can," Celine said in her stead, saving her the embarrassment, "Now that you mentioned it, I would love some with tea as well."
With a sharp nod from Blanc, he turned on his heel and stepped out the door, off to intimidate the kitchen staff into giving him as much carrot cake as possible, now that his heart felt lighter, soothed by the presence and words of his wives.
Because sometimes, all a person needs is to have someone listen to the same words they told themselves a thousand times.