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"Lord Uncle," corrected A as she appeared from behind her husband She held a bundled infant over her swelling belly "You both look wonderful," she said to Tavi and Kitai "Congratulations"

"Hah," Kitai said, staring at A as a house How did you hide behind hihed, clearly both embarrassed and pleased "Endless practice"

"When are you due?" Kitai asked

"Another three lanced over her shoulder, evidently an instinctive movelanced over to a nearby fountain, where a young girl was apparently leading two even younger boys on an expedition walking around its narrow ri toward theet your brothers to fall in"

"Brothers?" Kitai asked

"Adopted," Aain, her expression both pleased and demure "There were so many children in need of a hoof Night that repaired the da "It was used for that a uardian and nearly destroyed the world"

"Will you never let that rest?" Tavi asked, grinning

"One day When you are old and toothless I proo on in," Isana said "Tavi, do you want someone to hold him?"

"No, thank you, Mother," Tavi replied "We decided that he's co with us"

Kitai nodded firainst her, fussed with his blankets, and told the child, "It is foolish, but we must endure this Aleran nonsense It will make your father happy"

"It's a necessary for to the other four as they went on into the anored hi to the baby "Like many Alerans, he places undue value upon acts performed in front of witnesses in which all s are done that would be much more simply done at a desk or table than here But we love his"

"You love him, do you?" Tavi asked

Kitai smiled up at him, then stood on tiptoe to kiss him "Very much"

Tavi put his hand on the warm head of the little person who had entered the world scarcely a week before His other arm slid around Kitai's shoulders They stood like that for adown at the sleepy face of Gaius Desiderius Tavarus, their son