Would you...

"Are you worried about that?"

Aleyn opened his mouth to say that he was fine, but hesitated - Kallista had offered to listen to his problems, after all. "Some," he admitted. "We're still figuring things out - I imagine it'll take a while. Vedran's worried about balancing things between me and Ardith, I sort of get the feeling Ardith feels like the odd one out sometimes because Vedran and I have been together longer... and I guess I'm worried about all that too, about how I'll feel when they go off together... and about what my relationship will be with her, too."

Kallista nodded.

"Well... what do you want it to be?"

"If I knew the answer to that it would be easier," Aleyn said with a wry smile. "I know that I like her a lot, and I don't want to hurt her or make her feel left out - even inadvertently. I hope that in time I'll be able to love her. It's the getting there that's the tricky part. I guess I'm afraid I'll let her down... well, her and Vedran both."

"You'll do fine," Kallista said with a friendly nudge, "It's hard with more than two people. I mean, if anyone knows that it's me. Just try to be fair with each other, and listen to each other, and be honest with each other."

She shrugged.

"That's the best that anyone can do."

Aleyn nodded. "I told them I wanted to have something about being honest with each other in the vows... I know that'll be important. I know we'll probably screw stuff up along the way too, as we're figuring out how this all works. I think - I hope, anyway - we can all deal with those situations reasonably, and say we're sorry and try to make things better if someone's feeling upset. I know we all want to make it work, and I guess I just hope that will be enough."

Kallista smiled. She knew that Vedran and Aleyn would try their best. She hoped it would be enough.

"So... is she cute?"

"Uh... Vedran says so?" Aleyn hazarded. "I'm really not the best judge of these things, I don't think. She's kind of tall, a bit taller than me, and grey and light blue, and she has a nice smile."

"I guess I'm not allowed to hit on her, huh?" Kallista teased with a wink, "I guess it might be a little much if I seduced your sister AND your wife."

"Yyyeah, maybe best not," Aleyn said, rolling his eyes and smiling. "Tavya will be at the wedding, though, we told her - I haven't told any of my other siblings yet, just in order to keep things a bit quieter, but we were hoping she might want to come and help out with the kids, so we figured she ought to know what the situation was going to be."

"Good," Kallista said with a whistful look, "I've missed her. And I owe her oysters."

Aleyn shook his head, sighing. "She's missed you too, I'm sure. And that's all I really need to know. Possibly more than."