6. One Big Happy Violet-Loving Family

The Fisalis couple’s long-awaited baby was a girl. It didn’t take long for the little one—dubbed “Violet” at Mr. Fisalis’s suggestion—to bring everyone in the manor under her spell.

“...and that about covers the story of how you were born.”

“Ohhh...”

Violet had politely listened to the whole story from her daddy’s lap, but I had my doubts about how much she’d understood.

“All you need to know is that your mommy worked very hard to bring you into the world.”

“Huh. Okay.”

“She’s too young to get it, Cercis.”

“I disagree. Now’s the time to teach her that she was important enough to be worth all that suffering.”

“Oh, that’s an interesting way to think of it!”

“Huh?” dropped from Violet’s mouth.

This was one of Mr. Fisalis special lessons in love for our gifted little girl.

As he explained his reasoning, he brushed back her hair with a gentle, heart-melting smile. Aww. I have a feeling your love already comes through loud and clear, dear!

“Were Mommy and Daddy the only ones happy I was bown?”

Here comes her next well-meaning question!

The answer, of course, was a resounding no. Why, you could argue that the rest of the manor was even more thrilled than we were!

“Not at all,” Mr. Fisalis replied. “Everyone you know—and even some you don’t—was simply delighted. There was no shortage of fanfare.”

“Huh?”

“Was that too difficult? In that case, why don’t I go ahead and tell you the next part of the story?”

“Okay!”

Violet adjusted herself in her father’s lap, eager to listen to the rest of his tale.

* * *

It was the same evening Violet was born. My parents; my young brother, Thistle; and my younger sister, Freesia, had all come to visit.

“Your staff did take care to send us the play-by-play, for the record.”

“But we didn’t want to barge in on you when you were struggling through labor, so we decided to wait until we got news that the child had been born.”

“I came this close to getting left behind,” complained Thistle, casting my parents a meaningful glance. He had to have been at school for most of this, after all. I was glad they’d managed to come as a family unit.

“So, tell us about the baby!”

“She’s a healthy little girl.”

I pointed to the crib next to my bed, where Violet lay fast asleep.

Freesia rushed right over. “She’s soooo cute!”

This was her first time seeing a child younger than she was, and she looked down at Violet with stars in her eyes. The way she was leaning over the edge of the crib was no less cute than the baby she was peering down at, as was her obliviousness to the warm feelings she inspired in everyone watching her.

“You’re a big sister now, Freesia. You can go ahead and call her ‘Lettie.’”

“I’m her big sis?”

“That’s right.”

Technically she’s Violet’s aunt, but Freesia’s way too young for that title!

Freesia, who was at the age where nothing seemed cooler than a big sister, seemed delighted by the news that she had become one herself. Her eyes were sparkling.

Unable to contain her joy, she called out to the still-sleeping baby. “Lettie! Hey, Lettie, I’m your big sis, Freesia!”

Thistle watched Freesia with a smile. For him, Violet’s birth was like gaining a second little sister.

“I hope you’ll think of her as a sister too, Thistle.”

“I do! I’m looking forward to playing with her lots.”

“We’d love that. You can feel free to come over anytime you like. Right, Cercis?” I asked, flicking my gaze to where my husband stood beside the bed.

“...Sure.”

What was that pause for?

We’d also sent word to my in-laws as soon as Violet was born, but they lived half a day’s journey from Rohze. It wasn’t until nighttime that they got the message, and at that point it was too late for them to depart safely; we received a reply that they would leave early the next morning.

And so it was that Mother and Father Fisalis came by the following afternoon.

“Oh, Vi, I’m so proud of you! You did a great job!”

“It must have been rough on you, no?” said Father Fisalis. Then, just as I was about to get to my feet, he insisted, “No, no, stay where you are.”

I hadn’t left bed since Doctor Granny told me to get some rest and concern myself with nothing but the baby for a bit. Even when it was time to eat, the maids would carry the meals to my room. “Take care to eat plenty of good food, Madame! Motherhood is a test of endurance!” Cartham had said as he whipped me up even tastier meals than his usual fare.

I’d assumed it would be rude to stay in bed now that my in-laws were here, but if dad was offering me an out, I was happy to take him up on that.

“She’s adorable! Her hair looks just like Cercis’s. What about her eyes?” Mother Fisalis asked as she peered at the sleeping Violet through the bars of her crib. I could tell she was itching to pick the baby up and get right to cuddling.

“Her eyes are the same beautiful brown as his.”

She’d opened her eyes a few times by now, and we’d discovered they were the same dark-brown hue as my husband’s.

“I see! Goodness, I can’t wait to see for myself.”

“That makes them the same color as mine too,” Father Fisalis said, excitedly pointing to his own eyes. He seemed happy to have found something in common with his granddaughter.

“Gosh, you’re right! Aren’t you glad she takes after you, Grandpa?”

“Very much so.”

Mother and Father Fisalis squealed with delight. They’d already become the picture of two doting grandparents.

“How long will it take her to say ‘Granny,’ do you think?”

“Oh, she could ask her ‘Grandpa’ for anything and I’d give it to her in a heartbeat!”

“I totally get that! I’m feeling the same way!”

“I hope she starts talking soon!” their voices rang out in unison.

They were going so crazy with excitement that I was having a hard time keeping up.

Uh, considering she was literally born yesterday, it’s going to be a while before she’s saying anyone’s names... But man, it seems like a crime to have a “Granny” this young and beautiful.

“The color of her features might be the same as mine, but their shape is closer to yours. I can’t wait to see how she turns out,” had been Mr. Fisalis’s say on the matter, but I was confident she’d be prettier if she ended up taking after her father. Sorry for the bad genes, Violet!

* * *

It was too soon after the birth to allow visits from anyone other than family, but to make up for it, we were bombarded with congratulatory gifts from everybody under the sun. Leave it to the most distinguished noble family in the Flür Kingdom to end up sitting on a mountain of presents. From the looks of things, they were pouring in from the royal palace, the rest of the noble houses, and every other corner of the nation.

“We’ve just received a gift from the Argenteia family, Madam.”

“Thanks for letting me know.”

“In addition, we have one from Verbena of the Argenteia family.”

“What? A separate one?!”

“There’s one from Celosia—”

“I’ve heard enough about the Argenteias, thank you.”

It sounded like Verbena and Celosia had sent us presents independent of their father, the duke of Argenteia. So had Miss Iris and the rest of the quartet, of course. I was pretty sure this was even more gifts than we’d gotten for our wedding.

The pile of boxes in the corner of the room was growing bigger and bigger.

“Now this is a strangely familiar sight,” I muttered aloud.

“As I recall, you received a comparable amount of wedding gifts, Madam,” Mimosa replied, gazing up at the present pile.

Yeah, that’s what it reminded me of. But at least no one sent us a salmon-eating bear figurine this time, right?

“There’s no wood carving, no, but there is a teddy bear,” said Rohtas, as though he’d read my mind.

“We’ve transitioned to stuffed animals now?!”

I didn’t see that one coming! It would seem Lord Salmon-Eating Bears has broadened his horizons. Hmm... This would make for a way more comfortable boundary line! It’s a lot more practical than the wood carving ver—wait, something tells me that’s not what it’s supposed to be used for.

“The way you’re grinning at the plush is starting to concern me, Madam.”

“Oopsie! My mind was wandering to all the different ways I could use this little guy. Old habits die hard and all that. Ha ha!”

“I had a feeling!”

Mimosa looked between me and the teddy bear and giggled. She’d read me like a book.

“Once I have a moment to spare, I’ll have to get to writing thank-you letters.”

“No need to rush this time! You’re supposed to take it easy during the postnatal period.”

“I know, I know!”

I’d gotten to work on the last batch of thank-you notes so quickly because I’d had no shortage of time on my hands when I first got married. (In fact, I’d been thrilled to have something to do.) Now, by contrast, I had my hands full taking care of Violet.

I had to breastfeed her every few hours, change her dirty diapers, and cradle her and lull her to sleep when she was getting cranky. I’d assumed that caring for Thistle and Freesia would have prepared me for this, but babysitting a sibling couldn’t compare to raising your own child.

Being a new mother really was a full-time job.

Mimosa and Dahlia were perfectly willing to help me out, of course, but I wanted to be the one responsible for her. I was even doing my best to wake up in the middle of the night!

* * *

Seven days had passed since Violet was born. I was starting to spend more and more time out of bed. If nothing else, I was at least back to taking my meals in the dining room.

My parents-in-law were still staying in the cottage, making the most of their life in the capital. The last time they’d visited, they’d been forced to cancel all their fun plans when they rushed home to their territory on urgent business. Once they’d returned, they’d been flooded with more than enough invitations to make up for lost time; they didn’t have a spare moment to complain about being bored.

“I’d rather stay home with Lettie than go anywhere,” they’d always say but ultimately hit the road so as not to waste the opportunity. As soon as they made it back to the mansion, however, they’d head straight to wherever Violet was and shower her in attention.

“Look, Lettie! Look!” Father Fisalis cooed, shaking a rattle in his hand.

Violet groaned, her face turning red. The moment Mother Fisalis noticed that, she said, “Oh dear, did you get your diaper all dirty? Here, let Nana change those for you. Dahlia, could you bring me a fresh diaper?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I can take care of it, Mother!” I protested.

“Oh, don’t you worry your pretty little head over it! It’s only while I’m here. Once I head home, I won’t be seeing this little one for a while. Isn’t that right, Lettie?”

I rushed to step in before Mother Fisalis was stuck on diaper duty, but she only laughed and brushed me off. She took care of the task swiftly and skillfully. Her diaper-changing technique had been a touch awkward at first, but she’d learned the ropes in no time. I could tell she’d never done this sort of thing for Mr. Fisalis...but that was a thought for another time.

Is it my daughterly duty here to shut my mouth and let them do their thing?

Mother Fisalis went back to cradling Violet in her arms, the baby’s diapers changed and her mood salvaged. While I was watching this, Dahlia whispered to me, “I think I know why she’s so eager—she rarely had the chance to care for Master Fisalis herself.”

“Huh? Really?”

“Yes, ma’am. She and Lord Fisalis were always so busy.”

I nodded. “Oh, now I see...”

Now that she mentioned it, I recalled hearing that Mr. Fisalis hadn’t been spoiled much as a child. It was hard to imagine, seeing what his parents were like now—but I was sure it was something that weighed on their conscience to this day.

Then by all means, make up for lost time with Violet. With an exception for breastfeeding, of course, I don’t mind sitting on my hands for a bit.

* * *

We had dinner as a family when Mr. Fisalis got home from work, then went to relax in the parlor. While we sipped our tea, Violet entertained herself in the extra crib set up beside us. Though in this instance, “entertaining herself” meant nothing more than sucking on her fingers.

“By the way, Father, I’ve been wondering... How are the ruby mines doing? Based on the reports, I’ve gotten the impression that gems have been in short supply lately. If that’s true, we ought to make up the difference with our sapphires and—”

Mr. Fisalis was in the midst of discussing our territory’s mines with his father. I recalled him debating the matter with Rohtas when they’d looked over the materials a little while back.

“Perhaps it would be faster to ask my father in person.”

“Will you pay him a visit in Le Pied, then?”

“No—I can’t afford to leave Rohze at the moment. There’s no telling when Viola might give birth.”

It had gone something like that, anyway.

Now that his father had conveniently come to him, he’d taken advantage of the opportunity to pull out the documents.

“No need to worry about that. We’re working to develop a new ruby mine, and there’s been a temporary drop in production while we refocus our efforts—that’s all. Besides, the sapphires are as bountiful as ever.”

“Oh, so that’s the issue. Next time you do something like that, be sure to inform me!”

“O-Of course, son. Sorry about that.”

It was so rare to see his son voice a strong opinion that Father Fisalis shrunk back. The sight of it had Mother Fisalis’s shoulders shaking with mirth. Come on, your son is trying to take his job seriously! You shouldn’t laugh!

The father and son put their heads together, and the mother looked on. They were the picture of a happy family.

Just as this feel-good scene was getting me feeling warm and fuzzy, Mr. Fisalis looked over at me. “Hey, Vi. Once we’re done with this conversation, shall I put Lettie to bed?”

It was almost Violet’s bedtime.

“I’ll take care of it! You should focus on getting your work done.”

I appreciate the sentiment, but shouldn’t your job take precedence right now? Father Fisalis won’t stay in Rohze forever.

“Don’t be silly—I can’t saddle you with all the parenting! Besides, I want my chance to spend some one-on-one time with Lettie.”

So he insisted, but he already took care of Violet—namely by tucking her into bed—whenever he had a moment to spare.

“Would you mind handling it, then?”

“Not at all. Here, let me wrap up this discussion and—”

Just as Mr. Fisalis went to resume the talk with his father, there came a whimper that turned into a wail.

Violet had kept quiet thus far, but now her mood was taking a turn for the worse. Uh oh, is she that sleepy?

She wasn’t going to hold out long enough for Mr. Fisalis to finish up his work. I was better off taking her up to her room myself.

But the moment I got up from the sofa to gather her in my arms, I heard Rohtas call out to Violet from beside her, picking up the rattle next to her crib and giving it a few shakes. “Feeling a widdle grumpy, Miss Lettie? Are your diapers all icky? Or is it time to go beddy-bye?”

Rohtas?! Did I just hear you say “widdle”?!

I could feel the whole room’s eyes on him. Everyone else was probably thinking the same thing I was.

We were all staring at Rohtas, our jaws on the floor—and that went for Mr. Fisalis, his father, his mother, the servants...and me too, of course. Yet the butler in question was oblivious as he continued to smile and fuss over Violet.

Help! This is too funny!

When he finally noticed that everyone had stopped talking, he lifted his head and instantly deduced the reason for the silence.

Don’t think we didn’t see that look of “oh crap” that passed over your face!

But Rohtas was ever the professional. He didn’t take long to settle back into his trademark poker face and clear his throat. “Shall I take Miss Lettie to her room?” he asked me, still frozen in place on my way off the sofa.

Oh no. I’m so close to cracking up. But if I do laugh at him, something tells me there’ll be hell to pay during my next training session. Hold it together, Viola!

“Ahem... Uh, Cercis can handle it, so...pfft...”

Nope, can’t do it. It’s so obvious I’m trying to hold it in. My eyes are watering!

“I’m done here, so I can take her,” said Mr. Fisalis, an unabashed grin spreading over his face. Welp. That’s an extra workload for him.

“Gosh, Rohtas! You’re as big a sucker for Lettie as the rest of us!”

“I get it, Rohtas—I really do! I have to keep a handle on myself or I might crack and coo, “Pop-Pop wuvs you!’”

No comment from the butler.

“Don’t sweat it. Lettie’s just that adorable.”

“Don’t be shy, my good man! Humor the little girl as much as you like.”

And again, no comment.

Mother and Father Fisalis certainly are a force to be reckoned with. Cercis and I would never dream of messing with Rohtas, and here they are laughing their butts off at him!

My in-laws’ teasing had the rest of the servants shaking with silent laughter. And to think they’d been trying so hard to pretend nothing happened only moments ago.

I had to hand it to Rohtas for sitting through their ridicule with a totally straight face. Why, he was already back in the usual swing of things...or maybe not quite. I could see a vein popping out on his forehead.

That’s enough, guys! I don’t want to know what’s going to happen if this keeps up!

Mr. Fisalis and I watched the three of them, restraining ourselves from laughing at all costs.

That was the one and only day we got to see this rare side of Rohtas. Never again would we spot a crack in his composure!