feet, and she followed Madame Zel out to the back patio.
Madame Zel was pacing. “I was not expecting this.”
“Neither was I, Madame.” Old habits kicked in.
“It would be incredible to work with the Almosses at long last, but would you be able to serve both families equally?”
“I can try. I would like to try. I care for Xeric very much. I have attached to him.”
Madame Zel looked at her and sighed. “I had so many nice young men lined up for you. Ah well. Xeric Almoss is a divine specimen, and any grandchildren that I get from his line will be impressive. You have my blessing.”
Lilia sighed and slumped her shoulders. “Thank you, Madame Zel.”
Lilia hugged her, and they returned to the meeting room.
Madame Zel sat, and when Lilia was settled, she nodded. “I agree. Lilia agrees, but the union must be formalized before she leaves here again. I need the declaration of fatherhood on the record. No one will accuse Lilia of anything but honourable behaviour.”
Briel got him a blank page and a pen, and in curving script, Xeric declared the date and that he was the father of Lilia Zel’s child.
That was it. The contract signed her over as lawful daughter-in-law, and she was now a member of the Almoss family while being the heir of the Zel family. If this child existed, it would have one helluva pedigree.
Chapter Eight
Two days later, the ceremony of social transfer was simpler than the hunt. An official was called in, the documents were signed to keep Lilia as heir for both families and then there was cake.
In contrast to the hunt, this time, Lilia had her entire wardrobe to take with her. She also got to keep her wrist terminal and that made her feel markedly better.
The Zels gave her a box of formal gowns, and the Almoss family brought in garlands of flowers that were draped around Lilia’s neck and arms, and others were placed on Madame Zel and Briel.
Lilia would attend to the Zel household two days a week, and she would remain with the Almoss family for the rest of it. She had gained a second inheritance and doubled her workload. Lilia was pretty happy with the way things had worked out.
When the gifts were given and Lilia was officially welcomed into the Almoss family, she was finally allowed to touch Xeric.
He extended his hand to her and pulled her in against him, holding her tight and pressing kisses to the crown of her head. When she looked up at him, the kisses were transferred to her lips.
A few minutes of slow kissing later, a nudge at her elbow alerted her to Briel handing her cake.
“Come on, Lilia. Just a little cake and you and Xeric can go off and find privacy.”
Lilia looked at the plate with cake and an eating prong on it. She glanced up at Xeric. “Do they make you eat cake, too?”
He grinned. “I already had some cake while you were speaking with Mother.”
She picked up the prong and stabbed the cake, trying not to gag at the heavy floral taste. “What is in this?”
“It is a hormone trigger that is thought to encourage female children. We used to create something more palatable, but it was discontinued when my grandfather retired.”
She took a deep breath and worked her way through the cake as fast as she could.
A laughing Briel took her plate with a pat on her shoulder. “Well done, Aunty.”
Lilia shuddered and leaned against Xeric again. He chuckled and wrapped his arms around her. “The formalities are over. We can go to the Almoss home if you like.”
She sighed and looked around. “I suppose so.”
He chuckled. “We will be in a regular transport today. I left the riot runner at the house.”
She looked down at the heavily beaded gown she was wearing. “Good call.”
They took their leave of the Zels, and Lilia promised to return in a few days to see the new fabric samples and do costing estimates on the next line of designs.
Madame Zel smiled. “Relax. If you can’t come to us, we will come to you.”
Briel nodded. “We
Madame Zel was pacing. “I was not expecting this.”
“Neither was I, Madame.” Old habits kicked in.
“It would be incredible to work with the Almosses at long last, but would you be able to serve both families equally?”
“I can try. I would like to try. I care for Xeric very much. I have attached to him.”
Madame Zel looked at her and sighed. “I had so many nice young men lined up for you. Ah well. Xeric Almoss is a divine specimen, and any grandchildren that I get from his line will be impressive. You have my blessing.”
Lilia sighed and slumped her shoulders. “Thank you, Madame Zel.”
Lilia hugged her, and they returned to the meeting room.
Madame Zel sat, and when Lilia was settled, she nodded. “I agree. Lilia agrees, but the union must be formalized before she leaves here again. I need the declaration of fatherhood on the record. No one will accuse Lilia of anything but honourable behaviour.”
Briel got him a blank page and a pen, and in curving script, Xeric declared the date and that he was the father of Lilia Zel’s child.
That was it. The contract signed her over as lawful daughter-in-law, and she was now a member of the Almoss family while being the heir of the Zel family. If this child existed, it would have one helluva pedigree.
Chapter Eight
Two days later, the ceremony of social transfer was simpler than the hunt. An official was called in, the documents were signed to keep Lilia as heir for both families and then there was cake.
In contrast to the hunt, this time, Lilia had her entire wardrobe to take with her. She also got to keep her wrist terminal and that made her feel markedly better.
The Zels gave her a box of formal gowns, and the Almoss family brought in garlands of flowers that were draped around Lilia’s neck and arms, and others were placed on Madame Zel and Briel.
Lilia would attend to the Zel household two days a week, and she would remain with the Almoss family for the rest of it. She had gained a second inheritance and doubled her workload. Lilia was pretty happy with the way things had worked out.
When the gifts were given and Lilia was officially welcomed into the Almoss family, she was finally allowed to touch Xeric.
He extended his hand to her and pulled her in against him, holding her tight and pressing kisses to the crown of her head. When she looked up at him, the kisses were transferred to her lips.
A few minutes of slow kissing later, a nudge at her elbow alerted her to Briel handing her cake.
“Come on, Lilia. Just a little cake and you and Xeric can go off and find privacy.”
Lilia looked at the plate with cake and an eating prong on it. She glanced up at Xeric. “Do they make you eat cake, too?”
He grinned. “I already had some cake while you were speaking with Mother.”
She picked up the prong and stabbed the cake, trying not to gag at the heavy floral taste. “What is in this?”
“It is a hormone trigger that is thought to encourage female children. We used to create something more palatable, but it was discontinued when my grandfather retired.”
She took a deep breath and worked her way through the cake as fast as she could.
A laughing Briel took her plate with a pat on her shoulder. “Well done, Aunty.”
Lilia shuddered and leaned against Xeric again. He chuckled and wrapped his arms around her. “The formalities are over. We can go to the Almoss home if you like.”
She sighed and looked around. “I suppose so.”
He chuckled. “We will be in a regular transport today. I left the riot runner at the house.”
She looked down at the heavily beaded gown she was wearing. “Good call.”
They took their leave of the Zels, and Lilia promised to return in a few days to see the new fabric samples and do costing estimates on the next line of designs.
Madame Zel smiled. “Relax. If you can’t come to us, we will come to you.”
Briel nodded. “We
Similar Books
