Naomi's anxiety

Naomi looked over at her husband as he sighed. She'd been afraid to show that she was hiding what had happened with Quilina. Was he upset with her? Had he noticed? 

He seemed distracted now. 

She squeezed his hand and tilted her head in silent question when he looked at her. 

"It's a very special festival this year," Caspian joined the ongoing conversation. "Ceto is officially signing on to the treaty to become allies with Rhone and Klain." 

"That's fantastic news!" Lysander exclaimed. 

Naomi bit her lip. Caspian didn't seem as excited as she thought he would be. As the rest of the table broke into chatter over the news, she caught his eye. 

"Are you all right?" She whispered.

The corners of his mouth pulled down, and he turned away. She supposed he didn't want to talk about it in front of the others. She would have to remember to ask him about it later… if he wanted to talk at all. 

As his wife, and especially as the woman he loved, was she not entitled to know what was bothering him? She wasn't very sure, now that she had something to keep from him. Though, it wasn't particularly her secret to tell. 

Then again, the secrets of three governments weren't his to tell, and probably with excellent reason. She wondered if Klain's Council members shared things with their wives.

Would King Duncan, if he were married? 

The train of thought drifted, but was suddenly pulled back into the conversation by Finn's question. 

"Do you have something proper to wear?" 

"Proper? I've never been to a Klain festival," Naomi replied. "What is proper?" 

"If the treaty is to be signed, then as the visiting diplomat's wife, you will likely have a place of prominence with him during the ceremony," Finn was saying, glancing at Dierdre for confirmation on the societal expectations. "Do you have an appropriate gown?" 

"I'm… not sure…" Naomi hedged. She had the dresses that Ashley had given her, but most, she had been assured, were practical. At the time, she thought she would have a regular husband and be a normal wife. "As a Cetoan's wife, would I wear a Cetoan dress?" 

"You'd freeze!" Caspian declared. "If you need a new gown, buy one. I know very little of these things." 

"I'll help!" Dierdre declared. "It was one of my favorite things, picking Ashley's clothes with her through the years. She's gone at the moment, and I've missed shopping with her. It would be my delight to take you to my dressmaker and have something fitted for you!" 

"Can it be done so quickly? The festival's in two days," Finn commented. 

"Oh yes, she's very talented, and when I tell her it's for our foreign diplomat's wife and will be seen by the whole city, I'm sure she'll give her best efforts at a wonderful price," Dierdre winked at Naomi. 

"Can we afford it?" Naomi looked at her husband. She had no concept of money, she realized. She and her mother had been poor after her father's death, and had scraped by.

She vaguely understood that the second son of a nation's leader was bound to not be poor, and indeed he had bought her some very nice things….

But how much did dresses cost? How much could she spend? It felt wasteful. 

"I'll not have my wife looking like a pauper at the ceremony. It would reflect badly on Ceto." Caspian waved his fork a little dismissively. "Get whatever is finest." 

Naomi's eyes widened. She wanted to ask if he was sure. He hadn't even asked how much that might cost. Then again, he had explored shops more than she had. Perhaps he had a better idea about such things than she knew. 

"Thank you. You're unspeakably generous to me," She whispered. 

He blinked, as if she were interrupting some distasteful thought he was having, and looked into her eyes. Hers were a little watery with gratitude, and his face softened. 

"You deserve far more than I could ever give you," He whispered back. 

The other adults at the table politely ignored the interchange, telling Quilina and Jacqueline more about what the festival entailed. 

"There is a man who takes corn and heats it until it pops into a fluffy little ball, and takes hot honey and pours it over the treat! That's my favorite." Finn was saying. 

"I love the performers best. They came from all over for the festival last year! A man juggled five swords that had been dipped in pitch and set on fire!" Dierdre exclaimed. 

Quilina clapped in delight, now anxious for the party to begin. "I have to wait two days for it??" 

The adults laughed, and an infant's cry was heard from the next room. 

"If you'll excuse me," Finn nodded her head. "It's been a wonderful evening. I may not be able to rejoin you if the triplets are too fussy. Thank you, Lysander and Dierdre, for coming!" 

"Of course, it's been wonderful. We'll see ourselves out shortly!" Dierdre rose to hug her hostess with a wide smile. "Take good care of those sweet babies." 

"I will," Finn assured her, with a curtsy to Lysander, who stood to give a half-bow in response. 

As their hostess left the room, and Quilina was sent off to prepare for bed, the former provider turned his gaze on the rest of the table. 

"What is she not wanting to tell us?" He asked. 

Naomi felt sick to her stomach. She hated confrontation, deeply. Especially with people she didn't know well. She could feel Caspian's eyes on her, but she withdrew her hand from his and began clearing the table, ignoring the question. 

"I'm not sure what you could mean," Jacqueline sniffed, "but it seems like a terribly rude question. If you want to know something about Finn, you should ask her yourself instead of trying to get gossip from others." 

Naomi almost dropped the dish she had. Jacqueline had accused the man of gossip while sidestepping his very astute question. 

She glanced up to see the man's nostril's flare. 

"If the matter concerns me whatsoever, I believe I have the right to know it. That includes any clues as to how your precious daughter finds herself free of the Void's torture." He said evenly. 

Jacqueline's chin rose. "And if it doesn't?" 

Naomi took an armful of the dishes into the kitchen. Her face would give everything away. Jacqueline wasn't lying, exactly, just asking a misleading question. Naomi was uncomfortable with it anyway. She didn't like this at all. 

Pausing just out of sight, she put the dishes down. The voices from the next room drifted in the open door. 

"If you can assure me, on your honor, that the matter has nothing to do with me, and no bearing on how I can free myself from the same torture your daughter has endured, I will drop the matter and apologize for my rudeness." Lysander's voice had calmed from the initial irritation it held. 

Naomi inhaled sharply. Jacqueline would have to outright lie or betray Finn's confidence. 

"There is nothing I can tell you on that subject." The woman replied after several moments. 

"I see." Lysander's tone was difficult to read. "Thank you for clarifying." 

Naomi blanched. Jacqueline hadn't clarified anything, had she? Did her statement give something away? 

She almost yelped as Caspian silently entered the kitchen, carrying dishes he had cleared away. 

"I thought you could use help." He said, eyeing her seriously. "You seemed like you might not be feeling well." 

"Oh! I'm… fine…" Naomi cringed. She wanted to say she didn't feel well. In fact, her stomach was twisted in knots from the social strain of the other room, but that didn't qualify as illness in her opinion, and she didn't want to lie. 

"Are you sure? You're pale." He ran his eyes up and down as if to check for other symptoms. 

"I'm uncomfortable with tension." She said after a moment, moving the dishes to begin cleaning them. 

"So what is it?" He asked. 

"What is what?" She nearly dropped the plate she held once again.

"What is the reason you are trying to avoid being subject to Lysander's questions?" Caspian turned to fully face her. 

She nearly burst into tears. "Please don't ask me!" 

"Why shouldn't I ask you?" He pressed. "You're my wife, what is there that you cannot tell me?" 

She looked at him miserably. His face was pulled together in concern, and she took a deep breath to remind herself it wasn't anger. 

"I have been asked not to reveal something. It's not my business, and I do not understand it. My explanation, for what it's worth, would be more confusing than enlightening, I'm sure. Nonetheless, please don't ask me any more on this subject." 

He stared at her, his eyes wide and a little hurt. 

"I don't want to keep any secrets from you!" Tears spilled from her eyes, "Only, this secret isn't mine, and I don't have permission to tell you, though I did ask for it. This… is this going to hurt our marriage?"