A Brother's Price

don’t make me marry them!”
    “I’m not asking you to. We’re invited to the palace, remember?” Eldest rumpled his hair. “Quite frankly, Jerin, I’d rather marry a pig than Balin Brindle. I don’t understand what Corelle sees in him. He’s a smug, ugly little thing, and his sisters have always made my skin crawl. I’d hate to have a houseful of children that looked like them.”
    Jerin giggled.
    Eldest held up the Queens’ letter. “Will you do this?”
    “It’s not like I don’t want to marry. I just want to be picky!” He winced as he realized he was whining. He tried a more adult tone. “I want a family of clean breeding, one that doesn’t fight, well, at least no more than we do. and—and ten to fifteen wives at the most. None of this thirty wives or more! Mothers above. I’d feel like a whore! I’d have a different woman every night for a month mounting me.”
    She laughed a moment, then gazed sadly at him. “I hadn’t thought of the Brindles in quite that way. I’m glad that we’re able to afford more than one husband. I’d hate it if I had to wait a whole month for one night of pleasure, and only twelve chances a year to catch a baby. Years go quickly when measured in twelve days. I don’t have many years left before my time of change comes.”
    “I didn’t think you’d like having babies.”
    Eldest shrugged. “I’d like to have at least one, to see what it was like. Our mothers seemed so miserable pregnant—puking in the morning, bloated up like something dead left in the sun too long, and waddling around like a force-fed goose.” After the birth of thirty siblings. Eldest could mimic the walk quite well, making Jerin giggle. “I don’t know why anyone would want to live through it. Yet, at times, it seems like that’s when they were the happiest. They’d get that smug, satisfied smile, and practically glow.” She reflected a moment, and then nodded. “I think one baby will be enough to leave me content, more than happy for my sisters to bear the rest.”
    They fell silent.
    Eldest took out the letter and read it silently once more. “It’s a shining coin, tossed up in the air for us, and all we have to do is reach out and catch it.”
    “Let’s catch it, then.”
     
    Surprisingly, Captain Tern came down for dinner in her dress uniform, boots polished to a gleam, her chest covered with medals. Tucked under one arm, she carried a long leather case that the Whistlers had missed in their excitement for the letter.
    She spoke quietly with Eldest, who nodded soberly, then called the family to standing attention.
    “Heria.” Eldest motioned for her to come forward.
    “Me?” Heria startled and. with a worried frown, pushed back her chair to come around the table to where Eldest and Raven stood.
    Captain Tern snapped open the catches of the case, opened the lid. and held it out to Heria. “Their Royal Majesties. Queen Mother Elder and her royal sisters, have charged me this duty. As a duly appointed representative of their royal will, I present this gift to you in thanks for saving Princess Odelia. Please accept this honor for your selfless courage.”
    “Holy Mothers!” Heria’s eyes went round in surprise, and she whispered, “They’re beautiful!”
    She took the case and turned so her family could see. An engraved rifle and matching pistols lay in the case, each in a compartment lined with velvet. There was a moment of stunned silence, and then a roar of approval.
    After several minutes. Eldest called for order, had Heria put up the gun case, and commanded the family to dinner. Everyone sat, but, with the exception of baby Kai and little Liam, ignored the food, gazing expectantly at Eldest and Raven.
    Eldest broached the subject as it became apparent that no one was going to eat until the course of the future was plotted. “I’ve talked to my sisters. We’re going to accept the Queens’ offer. We haven’t decided who will go.”
    This triggered cries of “Take me. take me” from all the youngest. The middle sisters looked silently wistful, except for a sullen Corelle, who was still in extreme disfavor and unlikely to go.
    “We haven’t decided,” Eldest repeated firmly. “We expect our mothers any day. I would feel better if they were here before I left with any of my sisters. I’m leery of leaving the farm shorthanded of adults.”
    Captain Tern nodded. “I have business in Heron Landing. We’re still trying to find the Prophets. I’m