Page 11 of Quest of Fools

That got him a better smile."All right, have it your way, my dear.Do you have a favorite color?"

Warf shrugged one enormous shoulder."Not really.Always like the ocean best in summer, though, when the water has all these blue and green tones, signaling it's warm enough to swim in.I was looking forward to taking the children out to the beach one day if I could spare the time.Guess we have that in spades now."

Marian's good mood seemed to return in force at that comment."Yes!That would be marvelous.We can pack a picnic lunch, perhaps take a boat out, collect seashells…"

"All right, but don't tell them until the day before because otherwise it shall be relentless harassment for months.I'd like to get through winter before they get started on daydreaming about the beach."

Marian laughed."As you wish.Shall we finish our poor breakfast and then perhaps go around to some shops?We can take the children and stop by the sweet and toy shops, maybe let them pick out fabrics for some of their new clothes."

"You're going to turn them into spoiled brats," Warf said with a smile, setting to work on his breakfast, not remotely caring that it had long grown cold.

Making a Home

They started with the toy shop, where the kids were allowed to pick out two toys each, despite Warf's attempts to limit them to one."They already have an entire store at home."

"Oh, let them have fun," Marian said.

Warf sighed, but it wasn't as though he would actually put his foot down.Not today, not anytime soon, not yet.He'd never seen them so happy, even little Rosi, just a little more than a year old, not even two months old when her mother had died.

Their next stop was a fabric shop, where Warf stared at more fabrics, colors, and patterns than he'd ever seen in his life.Cloth was one of the few things that didn't come in on the ships, except for silk and cotton, and he'd never really worked those ships.Everything else came in from the villages and towns and went straight on to the spinners, weavers, and dyers.

A tall, handsome woman came bustling up to them, smoothing down the lines of her gray apron."Good morning, my lords.How can I be of service?"

"Good morning, Mistress," Marion replied."My fiancé needs to have an entire wardrobe made, so we'll need a whole range of suitable linens and wools.The children will need additional clothes as well.We'll also need suitable winter wear, maybe rabbit fur for the children, some lambskin and ermine options for my fiancé."

The woman smiled and bowed her head slightly."Of course, my lords.Right this way, and we'll select bolts for your perusal."She turned away and showed them across the enormous room, snapping her fingers and calling out, until two people appeared, and set them immediately to running and fetching.

An hour later, they had suitable fabrics for the girls.Kalla could barely be pried away from the pink fabric she'd picked out for a new dress, or the soft, dark gold furs that would trim a new cape, hat, and stole.Pika was equally enamored of the vibrant green and dark brown she'd picked out, but was more amenable to letting them be taken away again.

Then it was Warf's turn.He'd thought he'd be picking out two or three fabrics, including the fur, but by the time Marian was satisfied, he'd selected a combination of ten wools and linens, and three different furs, two of lambskin and one of ermine, all three dyed in various shades of gray, from delicately pale to dark stone.

"Thank you, Mistress," Marian replied as they finished."You'll send it on to Tarrow's?"

"Yes, my lord, will be there by end of day."

"Splendid."He handed over several coins, a boggling amount that he treated like nothing, and then they were back outside."What next?Hats?Shoes?The tailor?Jewelry?"

"Why in the world would I need jewelry?I already have my rings."

Marian scoffed."You'll need a wallet, a purse, broaches and cloak pins, fine jewelry for important occasions, jewelry for casual wear… We need to select the various buttons and clasps for your new clothes… You'll need a watch, a pill case..."

Warf shook his head as Marian kept listing things."Sounds like you would know best where to go next.The order hardly matters to me.I will warn you now, the children will start to get fussy in another hour or two."

Zoen laughed as she fussed with an already sleepy Rosi."I can certainly take them home once they do, lay them down for their afternoon naps."

"Very well, then," Marian said with a smile."Let's attend shoes, then the sweet shop, and then once the children have gone home, we'll do the rest."

Warf bowed slightly, mouth quirked."As my lord wishes."

"You shush!"Marian took his arm and led them onward down the street.

Nearly two hours later, the children were on their way, bundled into the carriage Marian had sent for and taken home.

Warf was used to trusting others with his children, because he could not watch them and work at the same time, but it was still strange to see them constantly handed off to nannies and coachmen and whoever else.

As ever, though, they seemed happy, and that was all that really mattered.

"What next?"Warf asked.

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