"That's disgusting! I'm gonna be seeing that forever now! Oh man, now I feel so sorry for my mom." Delas cringed.
Astien took the book from Cormac and inspected it. "I'll have you know, this is a dirt edition. Looks okay, no obvious damage. You got lucky, Delas. There would have been punishment if you'd damaged it."
"I just saw something I'll never be able to unsee, I think that's punishment enough!"
(Oh man those dirt additions. Better watch out for worms. XD)
Marius chuckled and started looking through the books. "You have a little bit of everything here don't you?"
Astien nodded. "You never know what you'll need to know. Besides, I'm a scholar. Hunger for knowledge comes with the territory."
Marius took some books down about forging weapons and put them on the table. "Here Cormac, you could start by reading these."
Delas tugged on astien's sleeve. "I'm gonna start cleaning the baby's room. Where do you want the stuff to go?"
"Books and scrolls come in my study, here. Statues and statuettes, carvings and whatnot, those go in the basement. The door to the basement is in the sitting room, next to the music room. Silks, paintings, tapestries, artworks in general go in the attic." Astien yawned. "I'm going to take a nap. I should really be helping you, but I'm so sleepy…"
Marius kissed Astien's cheek. "Go rest, we'll be here if you need us."
Astien smiled and walked off to his bedroom, and Delas ran into what was to be the nursery. He began lifting up a bunch of books to start with.
Marius spent teh evening teaching Cormac about the science behind forging a blade.
Delas finished cleaning the room of everything he could carry. He would have to ask Marius for help later. Astien emerged from his room, and went downstairs into his living room, where he found Delas going through the baby items. "Oh, hey Astien."
Astien plopped himself in an armchair. "Oomph. I swear, sometimes I'm certain I'm carrying around a toddler." He rubbed his belly as Aiden tumbled about. Delas came forward on his knees, curiously.
"Hey, can I listen?" Delas asked tentatively. Astien nodded and lifted his shirt above his belly, and Delas put his ear to it. Astien giggled. "Th-the hair on your ear tickles!"
Marius came out of the study. "Delas, do you want some tea?" He smiled as he saw Astien and Delas. "How was your nap, Astien?"
"Sshh!" Delas hissed. "You, stop talking! And you, stop giggling! I'm trying to listen."
"Um, you do know you aren't going to hear anything, right?" Astien asked.
"You don't know that!"
Marius chuckled and went to the kitchen to brew some tea.
Delas leaned back as Aiden kicked his head. "Woah!" He placed his hands on Astien's belly, moving them all over the fleshy dome before Astien guided his hands to another spot.
"I think you'll be able to best feel it here." Astien said with a chuckle. Delas' eyes went wide at the sensation.
Marius chuckled as he came into the room. "Aiden's pretty strong, isn't he?"
"Yeah! He'd gonna be some kind of really great strong warrior, maybe."
"He could be anything he wants," Marius chuckled. "Of course he has to be born first."
"I bet he's gonna be a little cutie patoot." Delas said. He turned his attention way from Astien and focused his eyes on marius' belt. "Hey Marius, what's in that little pouch thing?"
"It's nothing," Marius said simply.
Delas grinned. "What is it? Come one, tell me!" He begged.
"You did say you wanted to show me something." Astien pointed out.
Marius sighed. "Very well." He opened the pouch and pulled out a piece of wood that was crafted into the shape of a bat with floral designs carved into it. Among the floral patterns was a particular insignia. The wooden bat was nearly the size of Marius' palm.