Page 2 of Quest of Fools

"I did win, and I did it all for you, my loves."Warf kissed his daughters on their cheeks.Rosi, the youngest, giggled and gave him a wet kiss back.Kalla, the eldest at five, predictably wrinkled her nose."Can we have food now?"

Marian laughed, drawing their attention.At their silent bidding, Warf set them all on their feet, swinging Pika down last."Children, this is the man I'm going to marry."

"Because you won him in the tournament?"

Marian snorted another laugh and crouched down so he was at eye level."Something like that.My name is Marian, and you are free to call me that.It's an honor to make your acquaintance."

The children stared at him shyly, then at the ground, until Warf nudged them and said, "Mind your manners and say hello."They dutifully repeated the polite phrases he'd tirelessly trained into them, and then Kalla said, "You smell like flowers."

"My perfume.If you want, I'll buy you a bottle of your very own, and you can smell like flowers too.Would you like that?"

"Can I have pretty clothes too?"Kalla asked, bold but mostly wistful.

"Of course.I'm going to be your stepfather.I'll give you clothes, books, toys, and more!"

That was all the children needed to hear, save Rosi, who just went along with her siblings.

Warf swung Pika back onto his shoulders, took Kalla's hand, and before he could grab up Rosi, Marian lifted her up into his arms.Her face scrunched in that way that said she couldn't decide if she wanted to laugh or cry, but then Marian booped her nose and she burst into giggles.

If only adults were as easy to please as children.

Together, a tenuous new family, they headed back to the tournament grounds and the chaos of the banquet that was yet to officially begin, but had definitely started unofficially.The place was packed with what must be the entire city and a few villages, and many of them were already well into their cups.

Warf scooped up Kalla, ignoring her protests that she could walk by herself, and forged a path.There were many times in his life when he got tired of being the biggest person in the room, of everyone seeing him as a threat because of his size, but sometimes it was damned useful that people were always more than happy to get out of his way.

"There," Marian said as they reached the tables that had been set out on a raised platform, a special area reserved for all the victors, their new betrotheds, and immediate family.As they reached a table where only two people sat, the couple rose, and it was so very easy to see Marian in them.He had his mother's beauty, but some of his father's coloring, and did not look anywhere near as stern as these two."Master Warf," the woman said."It's an honor to be part of the Tournament of Charlet.Welcome to the family."

The words were polite, and polite only, but Warf nodded and smiled and returned them, and pretended not to notice the quelling look Marian shot his parents when he thought Warf was no longer looking.

Once the children were settled, at least as settled as children ever got, Warf was more than happy to enjoy the large mug of beer someone set in front of him.Being served by someone in royal livery wasn't much different than a barmaid bringing him a beer, and yet it was completely different too.

"Do you live in a castle?"Kalla asked as she finished an enormous bite of roasted pork.Next to her, Rosi was cheerfully smashing her food over whatever surface she could reach and getting maybe a fifth of it into her mouth.

Marian smiled, while his parents laughed in a faintly condescending way.

"No, sweetheart, they live in a house, though it's a very big house."Warf looked at Marian."Your home is on Crescent, I think?"

"That's the family manor, yes," Marian said."However, I bought my own home a couple of years ago, anticipating this very day."It's on Brighton Circle, right across from the park.I thought children would like that."

"Did you expect to marry someone who already had children?"

Marian laughed, waved the hand holding his cup of wine."Not at all, but I hoped I'd at least marry someone amenable to children and we'd go from there."He beamed and took a sip of wine."I really did come out quite well as a tourney prize."

His mother scoffed quietly, and Marian shot her a look full of venom."Be civilized or leave."

Warf had the sinking feeling that the real reason for the new house was to avoid the parents, possibly the rest of the family.Well, he may as well wade directly into the fray.He'd never been good at ignoring problems."Beggin' your pardon, but you don't seem much pleased by the turn of events.Not in support of the Tournament of Losers?"

They at least had the grace to flinch at the name nobles had once given the Tournament, and the poor they'd been mocking had cheerfully claimed, stymying the intended insult.

"It's an old, outdated tradition," Marian's father finally said."There are better ways to solve the problems the tournament claims to."

Ways that involved keeping the riffraff in Low City where it belonged."I see."

"Ignore them," Marian said."They're wrong."He finished his wine, then set the cup down with a note of finality."I shared the attitude, once, when I was quite young.Fourteen or so.I was set straight by Prince Isambard, who has always been passionate and vocal about the importance of the Tournament of Charlet.I stand with him, and I fully aim to stand withyouat the end of the three months trial period and get married.If my parents cannot be pleasant on this day I have been waiting for all my life, they can leave.Better yet, since it looks like the children are falling asleep,wewill leave."

"Of course," Warf said, though he was disappointed to leave the banquet before the sweets were served.Fancy sweets were not something found often in Low City, where things like sugar were too expensive.The sweetest things he tended to eat were plums and apples when the temples handed them out for free on certain holidays.Once, and only once, when a crate had been ruined by gross incompetence at a warehouse, the owner had let the workers eat the ruined remains of some sugared breads stuffed with all manner of sweet pastes.Warf had eaten three of them, and taken more home for Karla and their only child at the time.

Well, it wasn't like he wouldn't have more chances now.He still couldn't quite comprehend all of this was true, though the cool reception from Marian's parents were certainly the reality he'd expected.It took some maneuvering, and many promises they could have more of the wonderful food later, but they got the children gathered up, two falling almost immediately asleep in Warf's arms and little Rosi passing right out in Marian's."You charmed her quickly."

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