Novella stood in the entryway of one of the larger homes a few miles from her father. They'd been to a handful already, and the poor realtor was getting frustrated with them. Though he hid his displeasure quite well, likely he wanted to get commission from any sales he made to the eccentric couple in front of him.
Ella had dressed in a suit, her hair pulled back. She'd worn her work-boots, and looked more like a soldier than a wife. Annie was hanging off of Kaczor, and Ella let her gaze linger fondly on the loud little girl, for just a moment.
She was listening to the man, as he described the room they were in. He talked about the last owners; they'd been quite eccentric and he thought this one would be a fit, for sure. As he led them out to a large, central garden that the house was built around, Novella spoke up, How many rooms total?
"Twenty-nine, overall. That's dining, washroom, kitchen, a pantry, tea room, mud room, downstairs bathroom, and a library on the first floor. Upstairs there's two bathrooms, a large master, and six other bedrooms. The third floor has an assortment of rooms and one bathroom. Plenty of room for the occasional house-guest."
She hummed, hands behind her back, as the realtor led them into the gardens. Annie, of course, was quick to run around the outside area. The realtor watched the child, closely, and Novella sidled up next to her wife. It's definitely larger than the townhome.
Kaczor had dressed well for the day, rhe carriage rides between properties and making sure Annie was adequately entertained had kept her from paying too much attention to the fact that she wasn't in a solid color pantsuit today, but rather a warm pair of pants and a large sweater coat as they moved into the colder months of the year, mingling with the rain, Kaczor longed for spring to be there already. She could tell the extended day was wearing Annie's already short patience to an extreme, adding to Kaczor's impatience as well. But, a new house was required for this new stage. This house would be where she would wait for Ella to come home, and wonder if the other woman was taking lovers.
The laundry list of rooms was rattled off but Kaczor was already bouncing the baby in her arms as she swept out into the central garden off the entry way, looking upwards at the total of floors. The place would be a nightmare to ward, but, once warded it would be nearly impenetrable from the outside. You'd have to know the way through, and that made Kaczor pleased. No more midnight visits from her brother in law without at least a few seconds warning instead of waking to find him standing at the foot of the bed with those predator eyes of his. And it was close enough to Ella's father that she was sure her wife would be happy.
Kaczor was tired though, and still irritated by the "options" left open in their new pre-nup contract. She should be happy that they were making a new start of things and that she would be in the dark about any extra curricular activities Ella got up to, but...
I can't wait to see you cry for hours the first time you catch her, should have just let me keep the reins.
Orion couldn't help but remind her every four or five minutes, along with feeding her increasingly pornographic imagery. Kaczor rolled her eyes as she looked at the tree, a shiver running through her, before she assured herself it was too small to hold a body's weight.
Those balcony railings could though.
She turned towards what looked like, Did the previous tenants have children? A tree house, on stilts of course, but there it was in the middle of the house, a garden area that was large enough to grow all their vegetables, an area to sit around a fire, and a tree house. Much larger, I'm not sure we'd find use for all the space.
Novella hummed, I'm sure we'd find use for every room, no? A studio here, an office there, you could finally have an entire room dedicated to your clothes. She chuckled, quietly. She has a lot of clothes. She elaborated, just a bit, as if that helped the way the realtor was staring at them.
Besides, we could use a few more servants, no? Ours are aged, but very good at their jobs. I think, with a home this large, we'd need to bring a younger maid in to housekeep. No need to bother Sari with that kind of upkeep.
The realtor shrugged, and started showing off the rest of the home, leading them upstairs. Ella leaned over the balcony, in one of the bedrooms. Oh, this view.
The realtor was leading them to another room, discussing the benefits of the sun, how much natural light they'd have, etc. But Ella stayed where she was, for a moment longer, before she followed.
Coming up next to her spouse again, she slipped a hand into one of hers. I like it. There's enough rooms, we'll each have space of our own. She gestured from the master bedroom to the two smaller rooms that branched off of it. Though, we'll have to lock and ward the balconies. I don't want Annie getting out there on her own.
She let her gaze slip to the girl as she spoke about her. Mister... ah, I didn't catch his name. Realtor! She called, the man had wandered ahead of them, into another room.
Kaczor scooped Annie back up in her arms as they moved up a floor, her eyes looking everything over with a critical eye -- everything was so.. drab. It would need a lot of color, and an entirely new set of furniture, but Ella did make a point that she could have a place for a dressing room, and they did have a lot of clothes between them. She instantly frowned at the idea of a younger maid in the house. We can bring in Benson's wife from the main house, let Sari go back to mainly cooking and helping with Annie. And that way they weren't hiring in someone outside of the family's slaves for the past few centuries. There was no reason to bring in "fresh" blood, or someone they had no idea about.
An office, and there could be an art studio for you, and entire library downstairs too, no need to smush all them together into the same room. She hummed a little at the comment about the balconies. I can ward them appropriately, it would take a little while, but I think I could come up with an enchantment that anything that fell off a balcony would drift to the ground in the garden below at the same rate as a feather. Take a little while to craft of course, but I'm certain I could do something like that. Her fingers slotted with Ella's for the few moments they were together, before she was off to grab the realtor.
Afraid she'll get the length of the rope right this time?
I'll send for Jensen to examine the contract, and Benson to bring our seals then, yes? Then we can send Benson down to the central bank to submit through the funds then. Kaczor supposed they could make do with a house like this. Annie would have a ton of space to play, and grow, and she could.. She could find a hobby, something to keep herself occupied to where Orion couldn't taunt her.
Ella listened to her wife, Mmm. It'll be nice for Benson, to have his wife here? She raised her eyebrows. She'd never considered the trek Benson or his wife must have made to sleep together each night; if they chose to do so it must have been extremely limited and infrequent to escape notice.
That's a good idea. She hummed, agreeing with the idea of a ward that would lower anything that fell from the balconies gently. We can just do a quick ward on the doors, for now, lock all but one door to the balcony? She hummed, considering the little girl that was eager to be let down.
I don't think the realtor heard me, she sighed, and slipped away from her wife and child. Disappearing onto a balcony that was set up like a patio, she and the realtor could be heard conversing.
"Ah... only the Lord Tilani can settle such a purchase, ma'am, can you... which one of you is...?" He was met with a blank stare, before Ella promptly slipped out of the room.
He only wants to talk to the Lord of the house. C'mere, Sarianne, she held her arms out for the baby. We'll go pick your bedroom out, while Mapa handles this... man. Call me when he'll talk to me. She leaned onto her toes, to kiss the other woman's cheek, before she and the baby were off.
I'm not sure, he's never really questioned having her brought over from the main house, then again, he .. he's not really ever been allowed permission to ask. We'll make it happen though. She nodded gently as she trekked along behind her wife, catching the tail end of the conversation, and blinking as she leaned down to accept the kiss, her lip curling a little. Oh, really now?
Kaczor waited until Ella was down the hallway some before she laid into the realtor, the venom in her words spurred on by the last few days, so much so that by the time Kaczor went to find her girls, she was feeling so much more lighter than she had been all week. Sometimes all it took was being able to verbally eviscerate an effete rotund hack who had spent his whole life thinking he was in charge of some tiny little domain to make a woman feel better.
When she found them, Darling, we'll never have that problem again, no one else in Minrathous will ever question you like that again when it comes to a purchase like this. I'm very certain I just won that pissing contest. She let out a happy sigh as she ran her hand over a polished railing, liking the warmth of the wood under her fingers -- it was hand crafted, she could tell. I sent for our seals, and you'll need to sign the cheque release to hand over the funds. We won't be paying the realtors fee either, as his apology for questioning your authority in this household.
Ella had sat Annie down in one of the bedrooms, on the other side of the bathroom, with a door through the bathroom to it. I was thinking this room, for Annie? And your personal room...? She suggested, pointing back through the bathroom.
The other side of the house is set up similarly, but I think I'd like to be able to see who's around the front of the house, at any given time. She didn't even register that her wife was speaking to her, for a moment.
Mmm. I like when you ruin a man's day. She grinned, reaching up to wipe her thumb across her wife's lower lip. Oh! There's this lovely room, on the other side of the house? It's going to be perfect as a dressing room. Annie was stamping little feet in front of her mother, arms held above her head, and Ella knelt to scoop the girl back up.
There's also a room, next to this room, that would make a lovely play room for Miss Annie. Ella had already planned it out; figured out what room would be what, and where. I think there's even space for a studio, too.
Of course, if she gave her wife another child, they'd have to shuffle the studio to the third floor so that the second child's room could be on this floor. But with twenty-nine rooms to go through, she doubted that would be an issue. It's really nice. A bit... drab, and there's no back door, not that she minded that bit, and she bumped shoulders with Kaczor as she said it. No unwanted visitors. I was also thinking, about the townhouse...
She bounced Annie idly, leading her wife through the rest of the floor. We should maintain it, like it's our main residence. Friends, at least. I'd rather this home... be just family. She could appreciate the fact her wife would keep her work separate that way, and that they'd keep wandering eyes far away from her line of work.
I like when I ruin a man's day, it always makes mine much more enjoyable. And you're right, no unwanted visitors, family only, and it's close to the palace on any given day, as long as Arvina doesn't decide to go hover over another part of Minrathous that is. I assume your father won't try and break wards on the roof for midnight visits if I place them, hmm? Or should I leave one balcony unwarded except for a very loud squawk in our bedrooms and Benson's room. He's former military, so in a fight I like having a warrior watch my back. She rambled a little as she followed her girls around the walk.
The townhouse is where most my clients come to meet too, so it'll be good to keep them separate. But you're saying let everyone believe we still live there full time, aren't you? She raised a brow as she considered it. Kaczor wasn't a woman who knew a lot of privacy in her life, between her mother's place as Magister, and her Aunt, well her Aunt, ... having a bit of privacy would be a good thing. I quite like that, if I'm being frank.
Kaczor paused at a window, Would you set up to continue drawing? I could commission a nice chest to store your works in, maybe another nice chest to store your tools in as well. Hand carved so it's smooth and warm to the touch.
Novella hummed, quietly. Leave the balcony in the master room open? She suggested, thoughtfully thinking about the room. He wife was rambling, and things felt normal. A strange thing to feel, lately.
Mmm. I'd prefer no-one know where we live. Perhaps we employ some servants for the townhome, to watch after it, make it appear lived in. She suggested, easily. They'll be good to have around for your clients, too. Can't have the house getting dusty.
She paused, as her wife asked if she'd keep drawing. I'd like that, a lot. She murmured, tugging a bit of Annie's hair as the child burbled and looked around, excited by new surroundings. Would you?
Kaczor sighed a little, That's a terrifying thought, waking in the middle of the night to your father standing over me with that stare of his, or worse, your brother. As much as she joked about it though, the thought was actually enough to worry her. She didn't want to think about waking up having to fight either of them off in the middle of the night should either decide she was no longer good enough for their little "family".
I think that's smart, with my work switching from illicit to more with the law, it might make you and Annie a target, and I don't relish the idea of putting the two of you in danger any longer. Even if I know you can protect yourself, Annie has to be my guiding star on what is an acceptable risk for us anymore. Annie would see her choices and conviction through, over anything else. At least Arvina is ... pleasant to work with. If a bit eccentric.
Her eyes followed Ella as she moved around the room, picking up the way she interacted with their child, her mannerisms in that moment -- it was her wife, in that moment, not the soldier, or what ever the hell else Kaczor had come to know in her. We know my solution to things is to throw money at it as fast as I can, but I'd like to take my time on finding them for you, if you'd like that, a wedding gift, since I wasn't able to give you anything but your tiara and collar necklace. You should have had more.
Novella tilted her head, slightly, as she listened to her spouse. Mmm, Father isn't that bad. Neither is Malik. Though Kaczor would never know how close she was with her adopted brother if she had anything to say or do about it. She didn't want her wife knowing more than she needed about their work.
It was bad enough she knew they were Eyes.
Mmm. Annie's not quite old enough to learn defensive techniques. She hummed down at the child, I know some good nannies, though, who once worked for the Eyes, though. She suggested, airily, as if it was totally normal to suggest an assassin-nanny for her child's safety.
She laughed, as her wife dressed herself down with her words. Please, take your time. It'll mean more. At least Kaczor was honest, and of the same opinion as Ella, that she threw money at her issues as fast as she was able. It made things mean less, seem less.
Vrai has spoiled us on child chare here lately, after all. I saw him in the palace when I was talking with Arvina, Kaczor knew her brother-in-laws proclivities for feline shape, and had made an educated guess that this was the form he took as bodyguard to the Archon, curious though, that he played at domesticity in their normal lives. While she may not have known the true extent of their work, or their roles, Kaczor was not blind as to not see they were tied inexplicitly close to the Archon. It made her nervous for her own future, even if she was sure that her brother-in-law would give her a mercifully clean death if it ever came down to it.
I will. Mind you, it's not as fun as the queening chair I purchased for you, but we've have no use of that for the past year now. There was no spite or malice in her words, only a statement of fact as she drew nearer, standing behind her wife and child and pulling them close to her, her chin resting on Ella's head as she hugged them both close. Do you.. do you trust them though?
She didn't like the idea of former Eyes watching her child -- she had not seen the two Eyes that had been there for the hanging ever again, so she was fairly certain the two were dead at this point, tossed in a ditch somewhere. It was like being married into a crime family in a way, Kaczor realized, sighing gently as she tilted her head over to press a kiss to the top of Ella's head. Would you feel more comfortable with a Former Eye, or should we look maybe closer to home, have Benson finally bring his son over from my parent's house too, he just finished his military duty and is primed for combat against mages. And truth be told, Kaczor felt better with her family's slaves being the ones protecting Annie and Ella. It felt.. safer. But, she knew right now was a time for compromise to keep her marriage and her life together.
Ella rolled her eyes, He certainly loves her. We should still use him as daycare, sometimes. She chuckled at the thought. Her brother's adoration for her daughter didn't go unnoticed, even if Ella wasn't always the warmest mother to the tyke.
Kaczor had come to stand closer, slipping an arm around the two of them, and Ella leaned back with a sigh. Mmm, I do trust them. There's a young woman who quit the Eyes, but serves as an informant in... certain circles, instead. The woman hadn't really quit; but it was easier and more feasible to believe she'd flipped sides if she was 'fired'. Ella had had the joy of firing the girl. And also training her.
Why not have them both? They can change out days. She compromised, easily, as if it was as easy as breathing in and out.
Kaczor thought on it a few moments and then pressed another kiss to the top of Ella's head, before straightening back up to her full height, relishing the delicious feeling of being able to just.. hold the both of them a moment longer. She finally nodded, It makes sense, he can be the muscle and if all else fails, she be the one who stands between death and our child. I hate asking that of anyone, but, well, here we are.
There they were, talking about it as if it were normal. But it was rapidly becoming their new normal with the barrier down. This is our lives now. Euphemisms, please tell me she's not one running in any of the circles I'll still be frequenting. It'll be hard to ignore that she's a nanny in my house if I have to eventually defend her in front of a Magister for any reason. Take one pro-bono case and it falls into ruin.. The ruin had been her own after all.
Now, when are we going to invite your friend the letter writer to dinner? Bring Malik's little dancing partner too, at the town house of course, not here. But I do like meeting the people in our lives, so that I can send them pointed gifts when they annoy me. Gossip too much at a dinner, here, here's a subscription and daily delivery of every gossip rag in Minrathous to your house. Which reminds me, I need to send a scratching post to your brother. She chuckled lowly, I wish the view out this window was more than just the house over and a bit of yard, you and Annie should have a view of the sea.
Novella hummed, She has immunity, no defenses needed. She infiltrated the Eastern group, but has relocated to our lovely city since the Eastern Resistance was brought to heel. A bit too frank.
She snorted, If we invite the letter-writer, we invite my father. It'd be best to take you to her, and introduce you there. Her father had no reason to bar Kaczor's entry to his manor, anymore. She's sweet. Mothered me a bit too much for my tastes, but, I've never really had a mother. She mused, chuckling softly at the idea that her wife enjoyed tormenting the people in their lives in little ways.
She choked on air, when Kaczor declared she was sending Malik a scratching post. You're not supposed to know about that, I don't think, she wheezed, laughing as she leaned back into the woman.
