Getting Brendan to sleep was a challenge of epic proportions when he realized all three of them were there. No amount of bribing or ordering made any difference in his energy level, too excited to sleep but too tired to keep playing. Thank the rock.
But he refused to let go of any of them, clinging to their robes until Eirian was forced to summon Min, who looked far too amused when she finally arrived.
Brendan demanded stories in exchange for letting go and getting into bed, and while Eirian wasn't willing to give in to the demands of a tyrant, Chenzhou and Mingzhe capitulated easily.
Further proof they both needed her around.
Min bustled around, looking fond and picking up the last of Brendan's toys as Chenzhou told him as many stories as he could remember. Ignoring Eirian and Mingzhe's scoffs whenever they became a bit too fantastical.
It was rather impressive, but Brendan managed to keep his eyes open for another hour before he finally gave in to the siren call of sleep. He passed out between one blink and the next, dead to the world.
"Amazing," Mingzhe muttered. "I haven't fallen asleep that easily in years. Not since I was his age, probably."
"The privilege of children." Min agreed. She spoke more fearlessly, with more familiarity than any of the other staff besides Marian. She and Eirian had agreed during the journey from Aontacht that Min was a working tradeswoman, whose skill in child rearing put her in a different class than the regular maids and staff. She'd negotiated better pay than they had and earned Eirian's respect for her straightforwardness and honesty.
Marian had taken a liking to her as well, and Eirian was hopeful she would stick around until Brendan was an adult. She never seemed bothered by Eirian's lack of parental instinct, only amused at time,s but always willing to explain or answer questions. Her own children were terribly polite whenever Eirian saw them, and they weren't running around like maniacs with Brendan.
"It took him a while to sleep through the night after arriving here." Min continued. "But he's finally started doing so more nights than not. I reckon he'll be out until breakfast at least."
Eirian had coveted her sleep when she was younger, when she wasn't running around, training, dancing, or wandering off with Eric.
Speaking of which, she still needed to figure out if there were any appropriate, fitting young women in the Camelia that would make a good queen. Eric couldn't hold off marrying forever, and she knew Helena was already screening candidates.
"He has late lessons tomorrow, but I'm sure he'd love to eat with you three and have you put him to bed again." Min looked hopeful. "He's always so happy when he gets to see you. Now that you're back…" Min also made no apologies that Brendan was her priority. She wanted what was best for him above all else, including the Camelia.
Despite the fact that all three of them were terribly busy, they all promised to come back the next day. Maybe they could even make it a habit. "He'll calm down," Min explained. "When he gets to see you more often, and it's not such a special treat." She'd said goodnight then, returning to her own family after seeing them off in the hallway.
They didn't go far; it had already become a habit to sleep in Eirian's rooms, which hosted the biggest bed, the biggest tub, and the biggest wine cabinet, and were closest to everywhere the three of them generally needed to be in a day in the main castle.
They'd even somewhat developed a routine for getting ready for bed, although usually at least one of them stumbled in so exhausted that they just immediately face planted on the bed and passed out.
"I hear Min's husband is doing well in the guard," Chenzhou offered. He was usually the first to finish changing, as he cared little for appearances outside of his duties. Both he and Mingzhe expressed nothing but shock and awe at Eirian's beauty routines and how long it took her to complete them.
And how many steps. They couldn't get over how many steps there were and how they had to be in a specific order.
They were talking quietly by the fire by the time she finished.
Cast in firelight, Chenzhou's gentleness and Mingzhe's striking features looked otherworldly. Philip had been handsome, more handsome than either of them by the current beauty standards, but the sight of him had not inspired anything near what these two did, and she'd only known them for a fraction of the time.
Why was it so different this time? Even if she never forgave or forgot the way it started, she wanted to stay with Chenzhou and Mingzhe more than she'd ever wanted to stay with Philip. Saw more of a future when she had the time to actually think about it.
Who would have thought? When she'd made her first journey out here, so angry and ready to burn it all down, and now she'd nearly died protecting it and would again.
How quickly things could change.
They both looked up as she approached, smiling, soft and relaxed from the wine.
"I want this life with you," Eirian told them.
~ tbc