[Days slipped by into weeks. There was no shortage of things that needed to be done. Most especially - the District needed to be run while Aral was healing. Cordelia could have done it, and done it well, but with her knowing smile, said that she had enough to watch over. Why doesn't her prodigal boychick step up and see how the chair fits. Mark, of course, had gone pale and sprung a sweat on his brow at even the very thought of taking that position back up. Apparently, while Miles had been gone, no small amount of strange things had happened.
But there was much to do, besides the small dramas of listening to the District grievances, petitions, requests, arguments as merchants, minor nobles and hillfolk alike filled in and out of the Hassadar administrative building, sat on the polished wood seats next to each other and talked about the cold weather before seeing the Little Lord. There was the odd and new relationship between Mark, the Count and the Countess, there was the old and ... estranged yet not between Miles and the same.
As the days filed on, Bel sent word via tightbeam to the Ariel to cast off, break orbit and pursue an escort mission with a Komarran trade fleet to keep the income up while they were downside.
Finally, it was Winterfair. The House was in an enormous bustle, getting ready for the travel in to the Vorbarra district for the revelry. The Count was on his feet (for short, closely observed periods.) The Countess was directing the small fleet of servants and hired help like the small, well trained army they were. Mark was nervously trying on a new fitted outfit.
And Bel was draped over a settee, not having actually changed out of their civvies, expecting to greet the family as they came back.]
Some people would have shame by now. But not us
But there was much to do, besides the small dramas of listening to the District grievances, petitions, requests, arguments as merchants, minor nobles and hillfolk alike filled in and out of the Hassadar administrative building, sat on the polished wood seats next to each other and talked about the cold weather before seeing the Little Lord. There was the odd and new relationship between Mark, the Count and the Countess, there was the old and ... estranged yet not between Miles and the same.
As the days filed on, Bel sent word via tightbeam to the Ariel to cast off, break orbit and pursue an escort mission with a Komarran trade fleet to keep the income up while they were downside.
Finally, it was Winterfair. The House was in an enormous bustle, getting ready for the travel in to the Vorbarra district for the revelry. The Count was on his feet (for short, closely observed periods.) The Countess was directing the small fleet of servants and hired help like the small, well trained army they were. Mark was nervously trying on a new fitted outfit.
And Bel was draped over a settee, not having actually changed out of their civvies, expecting to greet the family as they came back.]