Visitors (Pathfinder 3)

For a moment Umbo thought Leaky had been asking Dariah, and he waited for her to answer.

“Well I don’t know,” said Dariah impatiently.

Umbo thought of how Leaky had named the baby, and how naming happened in the land she came from. “I’ve been calling him Square Meal, since that’s all he seems to need to be happy.”

“I didn’t ask what you’ve been calling him,” said Leaky. “I asked his name.”

“Then his name is Square Meal,” said Umbo. “But you can call him Biscuit.”

“That’s only a snack,” said Leaky.

“He’s only a baby,” said Umbo, meeting her gaze.

“Do you want to nurse him here?” asked Leaky. “Not you, Umbo, I’ve seen you with your shirt off and your teats aren’t good for anything.”

“I’ll give him a quick supper and then take him home.” She looked at Umbo. “Is that all right with His Majesty here?”

Because he thought of her as knowing that he was the Rebel King, Umbo was taken aback. “I’m not a—”

Dariah burst into giggles. “Isn’t he precious? Doesn’t recognize a joke when he hears it.”

“Do I need to go with you?” asked Umbo.

“No, you don’t,” said Leaky. “She needs to go with her brothers, who are waiting downstairs. And you need to come help me in the kitchen garden.”

“It’s full dark,” said Umbo.

“The crop we’re planting thrives best by ringlight,” said Leaky.

When they got downstairs and out the back, Loaf was already waiting for them.

“You have some answering to do,” said Loaf.

“And I’ll give you all those answers,” said Umbo. “I’m eager to do it, when the time is right.”

“And when, in your feeble imagination, do you think the time will be right?” asked Leaky.

“When you answer a couple of my questions,” said Umbo.

“If you think—” began Leaky.

Loaf raised a hand. “Leaky, I know this look on his face, and I know this man. Whatever he’s done, it was for a good purpose, and if he needs us to answer questions, we will if we can.”

“It’s going to sound personal, offensive, and irrelevant,” said Umbo.

“That describes most of your questions,” said Loaf, “leaving out only ‘impertinent’ and ‘incomprehensible.’”

Umbo nodded, acknowledging the remark as having some justification. “I only need to know. Leaky, are you pregnant yet?” The question wasn’t completely out of the blue. Given the age the carpenter had told him for the child named Round, it was highly likely that he had been conceived before they went to Vadeshfold, and was already a couple of months along.

“None of your—” said Leaky.

“Yes,” said Loaf. “She is.”

Umbo nodded. “It’s a boy,” he said. “You’re planning to name him Round. That’s a horrible name, by the way.”

“It’s a fine name,” said Loaf mildly. “Far nobler to be named for a geometrical abstract than for a hunk of bread.”

“I’m sure it is,” said Umbo.