"So I was thinking... The sofa is too short, so you won't fit. It won't be fair to have you sleep on the floor. And forget the bathtub - that's damp." [Katiana]
"All fair points, but there is only one bed, and you are to use that."
Katiana grinned and held out her hand.
"Gimme Bear-Grim for a bit..." [Katiana]
I un-clipped my star-metal sword and handed it to my wife, who easily took it - this time, she did not pretend to have issue with Bear-Grim's substantial weight.
Swinging the sword as if it did not weigh the equivalent of a horse, Katiana strode over to the bed, and pulled back the covers.
"So, I read this in a book on knights, once - as a knight, what do you hold dear the most?" [Katiana]
"Ah, you mean the Knight's Honor?"
"Exactly! So, you can sleep in the bed with me - but Bear-Grim will be placed between us!" [Katiana]
"And that will do what, exactly?"
"In the old book on knight-hood it said a un-wed maiden and a celibate knight can share a bed, if the knight swears to not cross his sword. Which is what we place in the middle of the bed." [Katiana]
"Ah I see - yes swearing on one's sword is an ancient tradition..."
"I'm glad you are ignoring the unwed part. So let's do this." [Katiana]
She dropped Bear-Grim into the middle of the bed - which then sagged alarmingly.
"Should we maybe use a lighter blade? The bed is creaking."
Katiana looked down at the suffering mattress, then plucked Bear-Grim back up.
"Eh, shoot - yeah, they don't make beds very solid, do they... I think I saw a couple of swords in the hall - would that still do?" [Katiana]
"Yes, I can swear on any blade - one moment, I will retrieve one."
I exited the bedroom into the hall - the night was a dark one, as the moon was almost new.
Still, I saw clearly enough - another hereditary trait from the first Duchess - and quickly took down one of the decorative swords Katiana had noticed.
"Here, this should work - now what?"
"I think it goes like this... Um... Do you, Sir Knight, swear on your honor and your blade, to not cross over during the night?" [Katiana]
"I swear on this blade and on my honor - may it pierce me should I cross over it."
Katiana nodded and dropped the much lighter sword in the middle of the bed.
"So one final thing - left or right?" [Katiana]
She pointed to both halves in turn.
"You may choose - I normally just sleep however I end up lying."
"Oh Kay - left side for me then - I like being close to a window." [Katiana]
She hopped over to the opposite bed side, and slid under the covers, her back towards the Bear-Grim stand-in.
"I will join you in a bit."
With that I strode to the bathroom to change.
A while later I re-entered the bedroom, and dimmed the magic lights to a soft night light glow.
"Or do you want them off completely?"
"No that's just how I like it, too... good night." [Katiana]
Carefully I slid into my side of the bed, my back also towards the sword - the bed was wide enough that a third person could have easily joined us, so there was enough space.
"Hey, Nitram - you asleep?" [Katiana]
"It has been less than five minutes since I lay down... I sleep fast, but not that fast."
"I guess... sorry, this is a bit weird - the last time I shared a bed was with my mother... I'm really not used to feeling another person this close." [Katiana]
"If you are too bothered, I can go sleep on the sofa, you know?"
"No no... One day I hope we can do this naturally - you know, if you let me stick around once we figure out what's up with that weird marriage certificate of ours." [Katiana]
"Go to sleep, dear wife - just pretend I'm a large stuffed animal or a pet bear."
"Pfffttt... who would take a bear into bed, even a tame one?" [Katiana]
"My sister does... she is rather fond of her bear."
"Oh... I forgot you also had a younger sister... yawn... she doesn't really appear much in the n.... zzzzz..." [Katiana]
Katiana's breathing became shallower behind me - now she even interrupts herself with sleep.
A faint snoring started to rise and fall - occasionally interrupted with "snorks" and "shnarks".
From a young age I have been used to sleeping in rooms, tents, and even caves full of my noisy comrades, so this was peaceful in comparison.
And so, I too, drifted off to dreamland in a while, Katiana's snoring admittedly lulling me to sleep...
When I awoke the sun was reflecting against the wall that I was facing.
An arm was slung over my shoulder, and a softness caressed my back.
A soft breath tickled the back of my neck.
And there was a warm weight on my leg.
Hm... should I move, or just wait until a certain someone wakes up and notices what they are doing?
Before I could decide, someone was loudly knocking on the bedroom door.
"Breakfast will be ready in half an hour, my Lord and Lady." [Maid]
The presence in the hallway waited a moment for an answer that never came, before moving away.
Apparently the knocking was not enough to wake sleeping beauty behind me.
I carefully wove the fingers of my left hand into Katiana's right that was dangling over my shoulder.
Then I gave her hand a light squeeze.
"Wahhh.... yawn... oh it's morning. EEEP!" [Katiana]
"Good morning. I see I should have made a certain unwed maiden also make an oath over the sword. By the way, what did you do with it?"
"Ah ah ah... I'M SO SORRY!!! I usually sleep hugging a rolled up blanket!" [Katiana]
I did not let her hand go just yet but turned my head a bit to look behind me.
A beet red face with eyes clenched shut met my gaze.
"Are you sure you don't want to get a pet bear?"
"Let... let my hand go, please... my heart can't ta..." [Katiana]
The rest was unintelligible - for some reason I could not grasp at the time, I felt a bit sheepish teasing her like this.
"Fine you can have your hand back. By the way, breakfast is on in half an hour - you can have the bathroom first."
The moment I let go, Katiana rolled out of bed on her side and without looking back, whooshed into the bathroom.
A moment later she whooshed back out, threw open the armoire, and pulled out various items of clothing.
"Forgot my dress..." [Katiana]
And back into the bathroom she whooshed.
While my wife was occupied in the bathroom, I fed her slime, Nozomi, the leftover cookies that Katiana had somehow missed last night.
Nozomi undulated in its "happy dance" while delicately taking the offered goodies with a fine tentacle.
When they brushed over my hand reaching out for the offered treats, I noticed the tentacles were warm - and felt a bit like soft satin.
I was expecting slimes to feel at the very least damp and cool - of course, Nozomi was the only slime I personally had encountered, so maybe there were various types?
Hm, my great-aunt's didn't mention anything about slime texture, if I recalled.
From where I sat on the sofa, I noticed the hilt of the missing ceremonial sword - it had been unceremoniously shoved under the bed.
I retrieved and tossed the sword onto the bed.
After Katiana exited the bathroom and all through breakfast she avoided direct eye contact - the one time our eyes did meet her face went red.
There were a few new faces at breakfast that I did not recognize - the faction members that my mother had mentioned who were to arrive today.
"Let us take our coffee into the office and hear what news the Dowager Duchess has to say." [Marquess of Caraesal]
We all rose and followed the Marquess.
In the hallway my mother caught up with Katiana and whispered to her.
"Did you two have a fight last night?" [Mother Duchess, Wudemia]
My wife shook here head vehemently.
"No no no... I just did something embarrassing, and I'm trying to think how to live it down..." [Katiana]
My mother patted Katiana's arm.
"Hmmm... Nitram does not look concerned, so it can't be something to worry about?" [Mother Duchess, Wudemia]
We arrived at the office with the soundproofing runes, and piled in.
There was not enough sitting arrangements, so I waited until my wife sat, and then stood behind her.
After a bit everyone had arranged themselves - my mother stayed standing near the wall of bookshelves.
"I am glad to see you all healthy - as we are almost all here, I will now divulge some astounding news." [Mother Duchess, Wudemia]
"Oh don't keep us in suspense any longer!" [Earl's eldest Daughter, Hildebrand]
"Hold your pan... horses, dear. So. I think we have a way to replace the current crown prince." [Mother Duchess, Wudemia]
Then a cacophony of voices rang out around the room all at once.
"That would be unbelievable!" [Guest 1]
"How is that possible?" [Guest 2]
"If anyone would hear that - we'd be hunted down!" [Guest 3]
"Gasp!" [Guest 4]
"Now that is unexpected right after breakfast..." [Guest 5]
I stayed silent, and Katiana raised her hand.
As the noise calmed down, my mother noticed Katiana's hand.
"Yes, dear?" [Mother Duchess, Wudemia]
"The first Empress and the first prince have been found alive, correct?" [Katiana]
This time, mouths dropped open all the room, eyes all around were even wider than at my mother's revelation.
The only sound heard was breathing.
My mother grinned broadly.
