A lakeside chat

Victoria sat with her feet in the water, ignoring the guards who stood a short distance away. After studying for her exam, she'd decided to pay a visit to her niece and nephews and discovered they were in dire need of an outing. 

Finn and Roland forbade the children from leaving the city unaccompanied, and so Victoria had enlisted Gabriel's aid. Surely, his study of the anatomy of a goat could wait long enough to give his sister's children a needed day out? 

He had agreed, and the happy little group now sat on the shore of the lake beside the city.

Victoria was on a rock beside Lily, whose mood improved immensely as soon as their feet were submerged in the chilly water. 

"It's a shame it's still far too cold to swim," Victoria offered. 

"It wouldn't bother me," Lily shrugged. 

"Perhaps not," The older girl agreed. She didn't know the extent of her niece's relationship with water, but over the years she had gleaned enough to be let in on the secret. "Tell me about what's going on, if you wish. You seemed a little out of sorts at home." 

The pressures and expectations of being the king's child must be far greater than being his adoptive sister. Victoria was able to keep out of the realm of public attention for the most part, since she was much younger and lived apart from Roland, but the children did not enjoy such anonymity. 

"Mama and Papa are going to announce… everything. Tomorrow, at the Council Meeting. We're going to attend." Lily said, swirling one of her feet. The water gurgled and danced in response, looking almost alive. 

"How do you feel about that?" Victoria leaned forward, looking at her reflection in the water. 

"Nervous. Excited. Mama says she doesn't know how people will react. They may be afraid." The girl took a short breath and spewed it out. 

"Are you afraid?" The woman tilted her head. 

"A little." Lily's nose scrunched up as she admitted it. 

Victoria scooted closer and put her arm around the girl. "That is natural, I think. Your life may change, and that can be scary." 

"I'm not scared of change," Lily protested, "I'm scared of how stubborn people can be. If they don't like me, I'm not sure they'll ever change their minds." 

"Well, I love you. Your parents love you. Your brothers love you. A whole lot of people love you very, very much. If a few silly people don't, we can all deal with that together." Victoria assured her. 

"All right," The girl kicked her foot, sending a light splash into the air. It formed ever so briefly into the shape of a little flower before descending again into the lake. 

"That was beautiful," Victoria commented, "And soon, you won't have to hide that beautiful part of yourself anymore." 

Lily smiled at that, and leaned forward to touch one finger to the lake's surface. When she retracted it, a single drop lay perfectly upon it. 

As Victoria watched, the girl concentrated, and then delicately flicked her finger, sending the water flying through the air to hit Victoria on the cheek. 

"Why you silly–" She reached her own hand down to scoop a handful of water to splash the girl, who laughed in delight. 

"I wouldn't do that, Auntie Vicky," Ivan called from where he was tossing a ball with Gabriel and Roen. "She always wins." 

"Not if she has to fight all of us!" Victoria declared with a wide smile, splashing Lily again. 

The boys laughed and spread out, dashing to the lake's edge and scooping handfuls of water to splash at their sister. Gabriel sighed, but seeing the good it was doing the children to play a little, joined in. 

The guards backed away further, looking around to make sure no one was observing the king's children behave like… children. 

Thankfully no one else was out today, as the morning had started off so cloudy and gloomy. Now, however, the sun had burned through the clouds and made it a cheerful excursion. 

Victoria yielded the foremost attack position to Roen, who with one hand shoved the large rock she'd been sitting on earlier into the water, causing a massive splash that engulfed the group. 

Giggles and laughter erupted as the water settled to reveal that Lily had been untouched by the wave, diverting the water onto the males instead. 

"That's cheating!" Roen cried. 

"You cheated first!" Lily chortled, and took off running along the waterline while her brothers chased after her. 

Gabriel shook his wet head, shaking droplets in all directions. Victoria squealed as some of the chilly water hit her. 

"Sorry," He grinned unrepentantly, "the kids are a terrible influence." 

"We're supposed to be the good influences on them, remember?" She chided. "A good aunt and uncle." 

"Of course, my mistake." He bowed his head. "Although weren't you the one that started the entire water fight, Miss Good Influence?" 

"I was cheering up my niece," She tilted her chin upward. "And I've done a marvelous job at it, I must say." 

"Marvelous indeed. They need to be carefree for a little while. I don't know what tomorrow will bring for them." 

Apparently the boys had also been confiding in their uncle. No doubt everyone who already knew would be receiving letters and instructions by the end of the day informing them how to respond to questions and comments once the news was officially announced. 

"Their lives were never going to be simple." Victoria smiled a little sadly. "With who their parents are. This just complicates it more. I'm glad we can let them have a few moments with the guards at a non-invasive distance." She glanced over her shoulder, and one who had been looking at them averted his gaze. 

Victoria assessed the situation from an outsider's eyes. She and Gabriel, talking and smiling as three children played around them. It was a lovely scene. Wholesome. It reminded her of when they were younger and she made Gabriel play "house" with her and the babies. 

He was always assigned to be the father, and she the mother… her face burned at the memory. Of course, there was nothing in it, because they were also children at the time. She doubted the triplets even remembered the game. 

Gabriel had tolerated it and played along, but she could always tell he yearned for bigger things, more adult things. He'd had trouble being a kid most of the time. In response, over the years she'd become playful enough for the both of them. 

It was nice to see him laugh and splash with the children. He needed more of that in his life, as did they. 

"I hardly notice them," Gabriel said of the guards, "Do they bother you?" 

"Not really, but they would if they were always around," Victoria admitted. "Wouldn't it disconcerting at all being watched all the time?" 

Gabriel studied her for a moment until she began to chafe under the scrutiny. "Are you trying to give me an example of what it's like being watched? The guards were already doing so." 

His eyes flashed over to the guards, who averted their gazes once more. 

"I believe they were," He said cryptically. "How are your studies? Almost complete?" 

She sighed. "I just want it to be over, but I know Father's pressure would increase on me to find my way in life. What to do, who to be." 

"Any progress on figuring that out?" He asked idly as he watched the triplets begin to shake out the water and dirt they'd accumulated during their play. 

Victoria bit back the first several remarks that came to mind. Her less than subtle hint about wanting to be his nurse had been summarily rebuffed. She didn't think his real reason had to do with propriety at all; he probably didn't think he would be able to tolerate that much of her presence.

They already lived in the same house as he apprenticed her father. To work together as well might make him think twice about wanting her around. 

"Not a bit," She said at last. "If you have any ideas, I'd love to hear them." 

"You really would be decent at nursing after being raised around it," He said. "Maybe I'll leave and make room for you to take over some of the work with Dr. Sherman." 

"I don't want to kick you out of the house." She frowned. 

"It was your house first," He reminded her. "I should be the one to strike out. I mentioned the idea to Finn in passing and she said she and Roland could lend me the money to get a small stable to start with, and a little house beside it. I've saved enough money from my work so far that it won't be a huge loan." 

Victoria's heart sank. Her closest friend would be moving out, leaving her behind for a new life on his own. She put all the enthusiasm she could muster into her next words. 

"If that's what you really want, I hope it works out."