Calmer minds

"You have too much power and you are the example to your brothers, you cannot play a game of do as I say not as I do with them or what you are trying to make won't last. How would that be good for Diamond or any other children you might have?"

"It won't happen again, I am sorry."

Isa threw up her hands in exasperation. Turned and walked away from the door over her shoulder she said, "Let him in, Vera. It isn't like we could keep him out if he didn't let us anyway."

Vera smiled at me as she stepped aside. I got a suddenly strong feeling this was a trap, but like any dutiful husband I had no choice but to walk into the lion's den, eventually. The door closing behind me sounded like the click of a cage door to me.

Isa sat down on the couch where Bella already sat holding our little girl. She looked tired but she didn't seem to be having any problems holding Diamond. "If you told me you didn't want me here I would go, but you are right, it would be because I chose to leave not because you could kick me out. Not sure it matters though, the effect is the same."

Isa sat back on the couch, spreading her arms along the back and crossing her legs in front of her. She wasn't mad at me any more, but there was something; my wives were among the smartest people I have ever met, so what was she trying to do? "No, Mir, it is not. What you do doesn't only affect you, and it will set what you expect of your children, Father."

I looked at Isa, when did she become so bold, wasn't she the shier of the two women who had become my wives? "I don't expect any of my girls to end up on the street."

I looked over my shoulder at Vera who had snorted, "You think any woman there expected to be there. There is more fighting outside the arena, sir, than I ever saw in a match."

"An arena match is simple, living is harder. I know the amount of freedom I am seen to let you have will set the tone for the freedoms my daughters have. That my brothers see me not abusing you or wielding the control that I could is more important. Which is why I normally know better then to get into a shouting match in the front hall."

Isa rolled her eyes, "If I thought I stood a chance in a physical altercation with you I would slap you." I raised an eyebrow at her, "You have to be seen to consider what we think and say as well, Mir. If you won't talk to us with your brothers around how will you do that? You are setting Diamond up to be just as separate as men and women have been since the fall."

"And separate can never be equal. Though I don't think it would be good for my brothers to have shouting matches in the hallways either."

"Then you risk setting up any sons you might have for the same problem." Isa tapped the foot that was in the air. "If they won't talk in the hallways, they also don't talk at home. Don't misunderstand, Mir, your sister in-laws love your brothers and they have a much stronger connection than any main house since the civil war, but they still feel like they are kept at arms reach. The slaves don't help that."

I sighed and found a place on the couch across the small coffee table from the women. "No, but it was about the only solution our lord could have chosen."

"I agree, but it does make the job harder. If what we preach is truly what you want anyway. What have you planned for tomorrow anyway?"

"I am not sure it matters, is anyone going to show up?"

Isa tapped her foot again and sighed at me looking up at the ceiling like she was asking for the will to tolerate me. "Of course they will, all your in-laws, at the very least. Our lord is going to let what we believe be spoken of openly, none of the faithful are going to miss the first sermon. I have a feeling your brothers will go where all their wives go. So what are you going to do?"

I shrugged, I had been knocked out for the last three days, but that didn't mean I hadn't thought about it some, "Start at the fall and cover the war. By then my brothers will either be ready to kill me themselves, or they will want time to think about what I said, so probably stop for lunch." Vera moved away from the door to a table that had a pitcher and cups. She served the other women first.

"You should be safe enough with so many women around. After lunch Vera and I are going to start trying to make the deals you asked for, that should make your brothers feel better. Your wives doing what women are supposed to do."

"I would feel better about it if one of the brothers went with you."

"Worried I will get stabbed again so soon." Isa said it like a joke but I saw a bit of red around the edges at the thought of it.

I was sure my voice was level when I spoke in reply but that didn't stop the small spike of fear I felt from Isa. "I would prefer not to take the risk."

Isa tapped her foot again as she overcame her fear and stuck with the course she had picked. "Too bad, husband, none of the women you want me to talk to would come within 100 meters of me if one of your brothers is with me. Vera will have to watch my back, and before you say it, the other wives cannot go with me either, they will be busy working out deals with their families. With the numbers the messenger had we will have to prepay with a lot of credit and there isn't much credit between the farms and the houses."

"It will be even less if my wives start getting themselves killed as well."

Isa raised her eyebrows at me, "That won't affect the credit of the houses and the farms, that will affect the credit the other houses have with Estro." Isa uncrossed her legs and leaned forward putting her elbows on her knees and her chin in her hands, "Our lord only barely restrained you when they killed our unborn child, the other matriarch saw how pissed he was at having to restrain you. If they are foolish enough to try again, our lord won't stop you a second time."