He gives her a kiss. "Do you think we should get Verita some kind of pet?"

"I dunno. Maybe. But she seems pretty focused, and I dunno if it's a good idea to give people pets when they haven't asked for them."

He combs his fingers through her hair thoughtfully. "Yeah. But on the other hand, we could get her a pterodactyl. Every kid wants a pterodactyl."

She leans into his hand a little. "Mmm. I suppose that argument has some merit."

"And I kinda don't want her to leave yet, though probably she can't swing it yet anyway."

"Probably not. This place does have, like, guards, right, they should be able to keep in a nine-year-old?"

"Should be able to. I made it out of the palace when I was nine, but not the Dome. Didn't make it out of the Dome until I was sixteen. Though I wasn't a sorcerer."

Nod. "I don't actually know that she's planning to leave any time soon?"

" - huh, maybe. I've been figuring everyone'd leave if they could. Except Fazil."

"She's... nine. And doesn't have any other family outside Cheliax. And isn't done pumping you for books."

"Like I said, I tried when I was nine." Shrug. 

Snuggle. "You're weird."

"Unlike Verita, a very normal kid."

"Point. But I still think the reading makes a difference."

Nod. 

"Want you to come to my meetings today but people'd ask questions. Especially because - I told them you're expecting, right, so even if you generally were up and about they'll think you should be resting..."

"I think some people are still able to do work and stuff when they're pregnant? Especially if it's not physically taxing work? Especially especially if they are married to fifteenth-level clerics who can fix nausea. 

"I admit that I would not have any idea what lies to tell if they asked questions about it that I wasn't expecting."

Shrug. "I dunno, maybe it'd go over fine. I also - don't want it widely known that I care about you more than anything, right, in case that inspires anyone to target you..."

"....it seems like people will probably not by default assume that you are totally neutral on the person you married before you became pharaoh?"

"Yeah. But there's - she's my favorite - and there's - she's the only thing that keeps me going and there's no one else, right?"

"I guess."

Shrug. 

"Well. Have a good day."

" - oh. Yeah. You too," she says, with as much feeling as she can. She thinks it's a respectable if not strictly optimal amount of feeling. 

He leaves.

Huh.

It's weird, being alone in his room and not, like, specifically waiting for him. It's kind of weird to be alone at all.

Probably she should leave? 

She doesn't leave. Mostly she's kind of having trouble summoning the ability to get out of bed. She falls back asleep before she manages to finish summoning it.

If no one interrupts her, she'll wake up some number of hours later, and this time be able to get back to her room.

No one interrupts her. Her room is empty except for Zakiya, who is scrubbing tiles in the bathroom.