Niabheara was quiet, looking grave, a touch disappointed, but resigned. "I suppose no one e'er really pleases their parents."

"I don't think that's true," Marcello replied. "I think it's mostly that most parents don't learn that they oughtn't be setting expectations. I mean, apart from the obvious ones...don't pick fights or spit or whatnot."

Niabheara smiled at that. "There really isn't a lot to expect from our children. Honestly, there's nothing else to offer them except Cnoch-na-Niall, unless they want to run off and be baird. And one does not really 'run off' to be a baird; it's one of those things that every family rather hopes will happen. That they'll have at least one bard."

Marcello laughed. "With our luck, our children will idolize Judith and want to run off to sea."

"We've already had one of those," she said. "That needn't be so bad. This one at least comes back regularly and doesn't seem to be taking after her in any other way, but for the hair."

"Yes, but he's your brother and not your child. They could idollize Neely," he added, with a wicked glint in his eyes.

She pressed her lips tight. "I would warn you against summoning bad luck, but you're the one that's going to be living with the consequences of it." She shrugged. "Anyway, there's precious little chance of it. Father hates children. He won't go near them."

Marcello chuckled. "I'm only teasing," he replied. "We are going to have the best-behaved, brightest, most talented children you will ever meet. They will adore us and look up to us and they will all be perfectly gifted at whatever they choose to do."

"You don't have to reassure me," she said, wrinkling her nose at him. "They'll be just fine if we keep them away from my parents. Your parents will probably just fuss over them and their fuzzy little ear-tips."

Marcello chuckled. "I'm excited for the ear-tips, too," he said. "And I'm not trying to reassure you. I'm just exerting the force of my will on our future offspring."