Chapter 404: Expectations
Liam discovered within the first half hour that neither of his siblings had inherited his preferred approach to social gatherings.
Ayla had vanished into the crowd almost immediately.
Not literally. Liam could still see her from where he stood near one of the tall windows overlooking the illuminated gardens, but she had somehow accumulated four people around her within ten minutes and now appeared to be discussing foreign universities with a young noblewoman from one of Nuria’s western houses as though they had known each other for years.
Samuel was worse.
He had begun the evening beside Liam.
Then someone mentioned the reconstruction of Deira’s old transit network.
Samuel disappeared.
Liam found him twenty minutes later talking animatedly with two provincial representatives, one engineer, and a parliamentary secretary old enough to be his grandfather about whether modern ether transport had become too dependent on centralized networks.
Arik had watched the entire process with increasing amusement.
"They are not like you."
Liam looked at him.
"That sounded like criticism."
"It was admiration."
"Of them?"
"Of you. I only need to manage one introvert."
Liam elbowed him lightly.
The reception occupied one of the palace’s western salons, its doors opened onto a covered terrace despite the cold autumn evening. Ether-heated braziers kept the outside comfortable, their golden light mixing with hundreds of small lamps woven through the climbing vines along the stone arches. Inside, music remained low enough for conversation, servants moved easily between guests with drinks and small plates, and the atmosphere had become sufficiently informal that several nobles had stopped looking as though every sentence required parliamentary approval.
Liam’s historical clothing had attracted considerably more attention than he anticipated.
Not openly. Nurian nobles were apparently too well trained to stare at the Empress Consort.
They merely looked at him, looked away, then looked again several minutes later.
Arik had noticed every instance.
He was enjoying that too.
Liam adjusted one sheer black cuff where the gold embroidery caught against his wrist.
"You are being smug."
"I have done nothing."
"You keep looking at people after they look at me."
Arik took a drink from his glass.
"I am allowed to look."
"Not like you are assessing whether they should retain their eyes."
"That is an exaggeration."
"Barely."
A voice called Arik from several meters away.
Samuel stood beside an older nobleman Liam vaguely remembered as belonging to one of the houses involved in restoring the northern irrigation network.
"Arik, come here. He says the original reservoir design was intentional."
The nobleman looked immediately alarmed by Samuel summoning the emperor like an older cousin.
Arik looked at Liam.
Liam smiled.
"You encouraged them."
"I did."
"Go deal with the consequences."
Arik sighed and moved toward Samuel.
The nobleman bowed quickly when he approached, but Samuel simply shifted aside to make room for him and immediately resumed whatever argument had brought them there.
Liam watched for a moment.
Arik was good with his siblings. That pleased him more than he had expected.
"Your Majesty?"
Liam turned.
The woman approaching him was familiar from previous receptions, though they had never spoken for longer than a few minutes.
Lady Sophia Renier.
She was somewhere in her early fifties, perhaps slightly older, with silver beginning naturally through dark blond hair arranged elegantly at the back of her head. The Core had extended life expectancy for much of Nuria’s population, particularly those living within its strongest influence, but for most people the difference was relatively modest—another decade or so rather than the extraordinary preservation seen in people such as Cassian, Severin, or Kamal.
Sophia wore a deep blue gown beneath a fitted black overcoat embroidered subtly at the shoulders.
"Lady Renier."
"I hope I am not interrupting."
"No. Arik has been stolen by my brother."
Sophia glanced toward them.
Samuel was gesturing with both hands while Arik listened with surprising patience.
"He appears to be adapting."
"My siblings discovered within a day that being afraid of him requires effort they do not possess."
Sophia laughed.
"They seem comfortable here."
"Too comfortable, possibly."
"That is usually better than the alternative."
Liam agreed.
Sophia remained beside him, and for several minutes the conversation stayed easy. She asked about Ayla’s studies, Samuel’s interests, and whether Liam had found Nurian autumn colder than Wrohan’s.
Then her expression became slightly more careful.
Liam recognized the transition immediately.
There was going to be a question.
"May I ask something somewhat personal?"
"That depends entirely on how personal."
Sophia smiled.
"Fair."
She hesitated only briefly.
"Several of the older houses have begun wondering when the imperial family might expect an heir."
Liam stared at her.
Sophia had apparently decided that was not direct enough.
"When should we expect a child from you and His Majesty?"
Liam took a slow drink. He had known the question would come eventually.
He was married to an emperor. Nuria had spent decades without a sovereign, had only recently recovered its imperial family, and succession had political significance whether Liam liked it or not.
That did not make his reproductive plans communal property.
"Not soon."
Sophia blinked, perhaps surprised by the simplicity.
Liam lowered his glass.
"We want children eventually."
That much he did not mind saying.
"But eventually is not now."
Sophia nodded.
"Of course."
"I stopped suppressing my heats because I wanted a normal cycle again, not because we are trying to conceive."
Her expression shifted with understanding.
Liam continued before rumors could turn that statement into something more complicated later.
"I am on contraception. Arik is aware. We agreed."
Sophia’s eyebrows lifted very slightly.
Liam smiled.
"You asked."
"I did."
"And I prefer that answer to half the court deciding my clothing means I am secretly preparing a nursery."
Sophia laughed, somewhat embarrassed.
"That may already be impossible to prevent."
"Then they can be disappointed."
Her amusement softened.
"You do realize people are asking because the return of the imperial line means a great deal to them."
"I know."
Liam glanced toward Arik.
His husband had one hand in his trouser pocket while Samuel continued explaining something to him. The pale suit made him stand out among the darker formal clothing around him, black hair swept away from his face, his attention divided between Samuel and whatever argument the older noble was making.
Liam’s expression softened.
"I understand why they care."
Then he looked back at Sophia.
"But any child we have is going to be our child before being Nuria’s heir."
Sophia studied him.
"That sounds like His Majesty."
"No. Arik would probably say it with more threats."
She laughed.
"I believe you."
Liam smiled.
"Besides, we have time."
He had a husband he trusted, work he wanted to do, a country still rebuilding itself, and siblings currently turning an imperial reception into something dangerously close to an ordinary party.
A child could come later.
When the idea brought anticipation rather than obligation.
Sophia nodded.
"I appreciate the answer."
"You may regret asking it when everyone sends you to collect more information."
"I will deny everything."
"Good strategy."
"Should I tell them only that there are no immediate plans?"
"That would be ideal."
A shadow fell across Liam’s shoulder.
Smoky caramel reached him a moment before Arik’s hand settled at his waist.
Liam glanced up.
"Finished arguing about reservoirs?"
"Samuel won."
From across the room, the nobleman called, "That is not what happened."
Samuel looked delighted.
Arik ignored him and glanced between Liam and Sophia.
"What did I miss?"
Sophia’s expression became suspiciously innocent.
"Nothing important, Your Majesty."
Arik narrowed his eyes.
Liam touched his chest.
"She asked when Nuria should expect a child."