The meeting with Ellie and the surviving Burgraves on the balcony was interesting if you follow the definition of interesting, being the Chinese curse of "May you live in interesting times." We were definitely doing that, and the results were not the best.

Ellie had appointed Lord Emil as interim Regent, and at least that part was good. He took the position reluctantly and would hold it, though he preferred to be back at Bacea to handle the attacks and other issues more quickly.

Lord Tiber seemed helpful, though more confused about the situation than Emil, but swore to stay here as long as he was needed. He would send his Primor back to rule Moise in his stead. He seemed the most likely to take over as Regent, though I hesitated to place him there.

Lord Calin was continuing to act a bit crazed, enough that both Emil and Tiber gave me concerned looks on occasion. Calin was responsible for the Regent's security and the Realm's persons, and he'd failed there. The three attackers had killed the guards outside the front doors of the Great Hall, delaying the hue and cry until they'd begun their attacks inside. Everything was beefed up now to overkill, but the damage was done.

The Regent and his wife were dead, as were Lords Bogdan and Marian. Even worse for Calin, his wife was slowly dying in the infirmary. His son had led his contingency north a few days back to fight for the first time, so he was alone. He didn't seem enough in control of himself to continue as Burgrave, but I didn't have other options. He definitely wouldn't be Regent.

I needed a new Regent, and I needed two new Burgraves. The others agreed but seemed more concerned with getting Ellie and me back up to our full strength of ducklings. I needed a squire and a cavalier. At least I had pages and Calin.

Ellie had Maids Mara, Sorina, and Doina, though Calin had to be reassured that Mara was still suitable as a lady-in-waiting, which got a curious look from Ellie. I hadn't said anything about this morning to her, and while I knew she noticed, she hadn't asked anything about the addition to my vest.

In any case, Zoe was too injured to be counted on right now, as was Lady Lavinia, so they needed to be replaced, at least temporarily, though it seemed to be more for decorum and status than anything real.

"Both should be adult women this time," Lord Calin said.

"We'll see," Ellie responded. "I will be the one choosing them. When Zoe and Lady Lavinia are healed, they'll attend me."

"Lord Tiber," I said, hoping to quash any further discussion on that end, especially since the second part of that probably would not happen. "Did you happen to bring anyone in your entourage who might be suitable for either squire or cavalier?"

Almost everyone in our retinues was from Emil's, so adding people from other Burgraviates would be a good idea.

Tiber smiled sheepishly. "I do possibly have someone, Milord. He is the proper age to start as a squire, though he doesn't look it yet. He's late to bloom. He has done his time as page adequately, though not to great accolades. Then there's the other matter. He's my son Gabriel, and you already have my youngest, Radu, as a page."

I wasn't going to do a long search for ducklings right now. I didn't have it in me. Maybe this Gabriel wasn't suitable for the long term, but he'd work so that I could get everyone focused on more critical problems.

"I understand your concerns. Bring Master Gabriel by midafternoon. I'll talk with him. As to a cavalier, I assume that those from the northern Burgaviate are busy, but what about to the west? Are there any from there, or potential squires, for that matter?"

Calin spoke up. "I believe there are some candidates from Panait, Lord Kevin, though I'll have to check to determine which ones are here at this point."

"Please do, Lord Calin. Find me a suitable candidate, and I'll visit with him after supper." I looked around to the Burgraves, then continued. "I need the three of you to come up with candidates to fill the Burgrave positions for Panait and Crisan. We can have final discussions on this during supper."

The three all nodded and moved as if to leave.

"Before you leave," Ellie said, "I need temporary replacements for Maid Zoe and Lady Lavinia until they can recover from their wounds. I want to visit with the potential maid when Kevin interviews Master Gabriel and the Lady after supper. You may go, but when it's time for lunch, please have someone bring it up as well."

The three looked at me, and I nodded.

We watched as they left, and Ellie held her hand up as Stefan and Mara started to come in. "I need a private word with Lord Kevin. It should only take a few minutes."

They nodded and closed the doors behind them, and Ellie turned to look at me, concern coloring her face in a way that I knew could quickly switch to anger.

"Doina and I had a fascinating conversation after breakfast, just before our esteemed Burgraves came in. Rumor has it that you've been a busy boy this morning."

"Such as?" I knew what the most likely rumor Calin might've been spreading would be.

"Zoe," she stated. "You've been a bit too familiar with her, or so Doina heard."

"By the standards here, I was, though hear me out," I replied, raising my hand. "They'd released her from the woman's infirmary. She was only wearing her torn chemise to get back here. Sorina got delayed in escorting her, and she collapsed on the Realm stairway, so I carried her up. Sorina caught up about the time I got to the second floor. I sent her ahead to prepare Zoe's bed, but Calin found me before I could get her to your chambers."

She nodded, showing some relief. "I can see how that would get twisted around here. Now, what about Mara? Rumor says you raped her as a punishment, but she says you only held her for a while and didn't hurt her at all."

"Assumptions by Calin because I said I handled it," and told her what had happened to her.

Her eyes drifted to my vest as I finished. "What is this?" She fingered the ribbon sewn there.

"Sorina's favor," I answered.

"You got her to give you this so she'd get into bed with you?"

"You got it backward," I said. "She asked if I would wear it after we had sex. She sewed it on before we left Lauretti. Handy with a needle and thread, she is," I quipped.

"And you used protection?"

I shook my head. "It was kind of impromptu. We were both healed and feeling quite good."

"And now you've probably knocked her up." Ellie looked near tears now.

"Percentage is low, but you know that, so why are you so certain?"

She shook her head. "I'm having cramps and about to have my period, or lunar cycle as they call it here. No pill, so they're worse, and I've been sitting here trying not to react while the chauvinistic pigs were in the room. They look at you to okay anything I say, so I didn't want to give them any more ammunition against me."

I sighed, and she continued.

"Doina showed me what I'd be wearing for the next week, and it's some cross between a loin cloth and a diaper, and not the better parts of either."

"Did Doina model this for you?"

She stared at me a moment before answering. "Not exactly. She tied it on me. Why?"

"It's more than a rumor that you were using Doina as a body pillow this morning, and you didn't even have sheets covering you."

"You...you didn't—"

"No, but Sorina went in to wake you. I'm not sure she understood it completely, but I did."

"So now what?"

"Discretion, little sister. Something you've never been very good at. No hand-holding. No sneaking kisses. No standing close to her. In fact, it'd be best if you never get within five feet of each other outside your room and latch your door when you're feeling frisky."

"You're not telling me not to?"

"I'm not that stupid, but in public, she is your servant, or we'll have to send her home. Neither of us wants that. For me, she's too good a healer to send away, especially since I'm sure you started it."

She paled, then nodded and whispered, "I can try."

"Do more than try, but I'm sure Doina will help you with that. I'll be talking to her about this in a few minutes."

"I'll go bring her in."

I shook my head. "Get her, but I want to talk to her alone. Might as well get rumors going about me and all of your maids. It might even deflect any suspicion of you two."

"I hate this stupid place. She's the best part of it right now."

I pulled Ellie to me as she broke down in tears.