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It was Pia who answered. "Lina will be here mid-week. The rest will come on the day of the Darkest Night."
"And we're going to the temple this year," Maela said.
"Tath intends to celebrate at home," Pia countered.
"That's fine," Maela assured her. "Lord Ranndor can stay home if he wants, but the Primary Patron of Temptation needs to be seen in the temple on our god's holiday. I will be going. Eladehl will serve as my escort if my husband is indisposed. It's our duty as the Baron's family, Pia."
"You can't go with a priest!" Pia hissed.
"Actually," Talin said, "she can. It's quite common to request priests for escorts. Often, a baron will go with a priestess and his wife will go with a priest."
"I would never have allowed your father to do such a thing," Pia said. "And what will Tath think of his wife going to that holiday with another man?"
"Pia," Jelica said, her tone filled with disdain. "You know that Tath has been slacking in his duties. If you want to talk about what Tarben would and wouldn't have allowed, that's a good place to start. Turning a blind eye to your son's failures is doing nothing to help him."
"He won't listen to me!" Pia insisted. "They have one child, and cavorting around with lovers - priests or not - is certainly not going to get me any more grandchildren!"
"You do know why Nari was invited here this year?" Maela asked dryly. "Pia, are you aware that your oldest son demanded that the High Priest give her an exception so she can have sexual sessions with my husband?"
"Maela," I breathed.
She lifted a hand. "No. I know it's not your fault, Nari, and I do not blame you, but Pia needs to hear this. Tath has already sent one mistress to the country to have his child. Where do you think he and Kanten were for the Day of Blessing, hm? Now, he's all but forced Nari to pleasure him - and she's still an initiate. She's been put in a position where she can't decline, and your son did that."
"No," Pia said. "Tath would never - "
"What?" Yamina asked. "Try to force me to marry some man for money? Treat his wife like she's less than him? Beat her while she's holding Haryth? Mother, ignoring it doesn't make it go away."
"And I can't stop him!" Pia insisted.
I leaned over to press my hand over her arm. "It's ok. We can. Pia, there is always a price to pay for giving in to temptation. Tath thinks he's above that. He thinks the wealth of your family makes him immune to the laws that everyone else has to live by. Our gods do not agree. Maela has stepped up as the Primary Patron of Temptation. Her, not your son. She is the Baroness to the priests of my temple. She's also the only reason that Zeal hasn't named another baron for his lands."
Pia just bit her lips together and nodded. "I know. I just don't know how to fix this."
"Stop enabling his tantrums," I suggested. "Go back to the traditions you had when Tarben was still with us. Maela may hold the title of Baroness Ranndor, but every one of you are Lady Ranndor, and that's a title that holds weight. Don't ignore it. Maybe you can't stop Tath, but his failures do not have to be yours."
"And you," Ela said, bouncing Haryth on his lap, "are going to be a good baron, aren't ya?" He tickled the little boy's belly but his tone changed. "Lady Ranndor, I honestly don't care if this is your home. I don't care if you like what we do. I do care about my god, my partner, and the men I see as my family. If Tath tries to hurt any of those..." He looked up at Talin's mother. "I will destroy him. That's what I vowed as a priest."
"Let's hope it never comes to that, Priest Eladehl," Jelica said, "but we understand. We might not like it, but we know our responsibilities too."
