March 29th of The Year 720 After the Founding

Blair tugged on the corner of the bedspread, smoothing out the final wrinkle. "Well kids, that just about does it."

She surveyed the room and nodded her head. Yes, everything neat and properly placed for when Murasaki put in her next appearance.

Hibiki and Yoko turned to each other and had a hurried conversation in "twin," after which Biki asked, "Um, Mother, it is not that we mind doing the work, it does not take long after all, but why are we doing this rather than one of the maids? You have them clean and straighten up when we have guests in any other room. So why us for this one?"

Blair finished stowing her cleaning supplies in the bucket she'd brought with them then turned and handed it to Ailin, who had suddenly appeared at the door. Ailin bowed and, as was her wont, disappeared down the stairs without saying a word.

Blair turned back to the twins and smiled at them. "Perhaps you should think of it this way. Your grandmother won't be back till this fall, right? Then she'll be spending the winter with us, like always. Think about that for a moment, then I want you to think about this question. Would you, coming back to your room at an inn, knowing that a maid had cleaned up after you'd left, feel anything in particular? It's rather impersonal, isn't it?

"But, if you knew that your family had personally put in the effort to make sure that your room was just right, wouldn't that make you feel welcome when you returned, especially after a long absence? I admit that it's a little thing, but it's little things added up that will let her know that we've missed her, and we're happy to have her return."

The twins nodded then said, "Oh. So if we make sure that her favorite incense is burning on the day she returns, and her favorite robe is in the bathroom, that would help too?"

Blair strode forward and enveloped the girls in a big hug. "Exactly little ones. Good for you. Since you suggested it, I'll let you deal with that when she returns, and I'll be sure to let her know that it was your idea."

The girls grinned up at her then had another rapid conversation. This time it was Yoko who asked, "Ah, say Mom, exactly what does grandma do when she's gone? This past winter is the first time we've thought much about it. She doesn't seem ta want ta tell us what she does, 'cause she makes up the craziest stories when we ask her."

Yoko put up her hands in a "calm down" position, just in case. "It's not that we don't like them. In fact we love them. I guess it's just that we're getting ta be a bit too old for fairy tales, ya know?"

Blair returned Yoko's gaze with a totally neutral expression. "My. I'm impressed. Not even 12 years old yet and you know how to tell what's real and what's a fabrication. Are you perchance offering lessons in how to make such judgements?"

The room was totally silent for almost half a minute as Yoko processed what her mother had said. At that point she fell to her knees and buried her face in her hands. The only signs of her feelings were her suddenly bright red ears.

Hibiki contrived to look innocent. She'd almost agreed with her sister, but Blair had spoken before she could begin. She thought she'd managed to fool their mother, that is until Blair tossed her a slight frown before turning back to Yoko.

"Listen to me girls. This is incredibly important. I want you to engrave it in your minds and never, ever forget it."

Blair took a deep breath then continued, "Just because something doesn't make sense to you doesn't mean that it is wrong or an untruth. If you ever forget that, someone you care for, or you yourselves, may come to great harm, or possibly even die because of it."

She nodded at the girls' horrified expressions. "Yes. I do mean it, and it IS true."

She hugged them briefly. "Now getting back to your grandmother's 'fairy tales'. I haven't heard all of what she told you, so I can't vouch for those. However, the stories I did hear were entirely true. In fact, she was most likely, oh, let's say 'editing' them so as to leave out the more, um... 'exotic' parts before she told them to you.

Holding up a hand to forestall their questions, Blair added, "Frankly, you heard the parts appropriate for children your age. I heard the 'adult' version. What that was, I have no intention of telling you for at least 10 years."

She looked at them dubiously, heroically restraining her impulse to grin impishly at them. "Or perhaps longer given what you just said about her."

The girls had a hurried conversation in "twin" then turned and bowed deeply to their mother. They'd decided that this one was Hibiki's.

"We apologize for our irresponsible speech, and thoughts. While we know that we are not deserving of such leniency, we implore you to relent and provide us with further details about our grandmother (whom we love dearly) and her activities when she is traveling in the world beyond The City."

Yoko contrived to look innocent, at least as much as she ever was able, and nodded several time. "Yeah. Yeah. Please."

This time Blair was unable to hold it in completely and began to chuckle. She was rather proud of herself. What she wanted to do was roll on the floor laughing, but that would be rather childish of her. Also it would remind her of a certain meddling being that she'd rather not think about just then.

"Spoilsport!"

Blair could never tell when that one was listening, and her sudden comment, along with the vision of her glaring at her and sticking out her tongue almost caused her to lose it. How odd. Even after knowing her for so many years she'd never gotten around to asking her what her true name was.

"Really girls. That was a bit, no, a lot too heavy handed. It was so convoluted that I think I almost choked on it. Frankly I'm amazed that you managed to throw something that treacly together so quickly."

Biki grinned back at her. What she'd originally planned to say had been much more florid. For now, she'd be grateful that she'd managed to put their mother in a better mood.

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Yoko's turn now. "Ah. Anyway, do ya think ya could tell us what Grandma really does when she's away? And maybe why she goes in the first place. Ta be honest, we have no idea."

Blair nodded. Perhaps it was time to tell them part of what was going on. Protecting your children was one thing, but wrapping them in a cocoon and leaving them ignorant was near the top of the Bad Ideas list.

She nodded. "Yes. All right. We have some time, so now will do. Sit."

The twins dropped where they were and sat cross-legged, all their attention on their mother.

Blair sat on the edge of the bed and smiled down on them. They had more than a few rough edges yet, but they had years left to polish them.

"So, first of all some review. You know of course that everyone in The City eventually manifests a particular talent or ability, right?"

Seeing nodding, she continued, "It can appear anywhere between six years of age and 17, though there are a very few outliers at either end and it's usually right around puberty. Most of the time it isn't anything particularly useful, such as knowing what the person next to you had for breakfast that day. Sometimes though it can be rather formidable, useful, or both."

Seeing puzzled looks she elaborated, "All right. For instance, if someone can punch a two centimeter hole a foot deep in anything, that's formidable but something like that is only useful occasionally. Someone who can punch a two centimeter hole in anything, and exactly control the depth, that's both formidable and useful.

"Your Grandmother's talent is both. She's a Foreseer."

She frowned slightly at seeing the girls opening their mouths to speak. "One thing you need to work on, if you ever want to be considered as grown-ups is your lack of patience. What you were just about to do proves that you're still children."

Blair hid her inner smile as resentment flashed across the twins' faces, after which they settled down again. Grumpily, but they did settle.

"A Foreseer is someone who can predict what will happen in the future. Again, it could be almost useless. For instance if, say, all they could foresee was what year a particular tree in an orchard would die. Any experienced farmer could give you a reasonably close estimate.

"However, a Foreseer who could tell you whether or not a ship leaving on a particular date would safely reach port, or what cargo would bring the best price at the ship's destination, would be extraordinarily useful.

"And that my dears is what your grandmother does. She travels from port to port helping ship captains plan their voyages."

Blair looked at the ceiling with unfocused eyes. "They pay her quite well for her services."

She looked at the twins with a conspiratorial expression. "Don't tell anyone, but she also frequents certain dockside taverns and pretends to be a fortune teller. She's very popular, as she can always tell a sailor which ship is the best one for them to ship out on.

"What makes her even more popular is that she can, occasionally, tell a sailor when and where he'll meet the one who will fall in love with him. She can't tell them if it will work out in the long run, but you wouldn't expect that. What makes a relationship successful is hard work. Prophecy has no place in that."

Her look turned serious. "Now little ones, I'm going to tell you an important secret."

The twins leaned forward in anticipation. Their mother had never done something like this before, and they relished the thought of being thought old enough, even if it was just a single secret.

"Your grandmother is a full partner in your father's bank. In fact, she was one of the primary investors when it was founded. Without her, it might not have been successful.

"Now, a question. Can you tell me why I told you about this?"

She grinned at them. "Feel free to speak to each other in 'twin' while you work out an answer. We're not in public and you're not being rude if I give you permission."

As they huddled together she wondered if they'd caught the fact that she'd said "an answer" and not "the answer." There were several that would be appropriate.

Somewhat surprisingly, it was Yoko who finally answered her. "Ya know. At school, when people are arguing about something, most of the boys tell the girls something like, 'You're just girls, how could you know anything about it?' There are a bunch of men like that too. So we think...."

She glanced at Biki who nodded, then Yoko finished, "So we think that ya told us so we'd know that women can do things just as well, and that are just as important, as things men do. Well some things we guess. I mean, I can't see a woman being a blacksmith. She wouldn't be strong enough."

Blair knelt and hugged the twins. "That's a fair start darlings. Though I can't give you full points. No don't pout at me. You simply don't have enough experience for a full answer yet. Let me give you an example.

"The smith here in The City who makes the absolute best swords and knives is Jacqueline Ophelia Francesca Segreti. That's quite a mouthful so the sign on her shop just says 'Jackie's Place'. And before you ask, yes, she's a noblewoman. I'm told that ever since she was a girl she's been interested in smithing and that her parents eventually gave up and let her do what she wanted.

"I'm also told that at first they almost disowned her. However, since she's now famous for her blades in France and Spain as well as Italy, they've changed their minds. Nowadays they brag about her every chance they get."

She pulled back a bit and looked at the girls intently. "Which means what?"

Hibiki's face lit up almost immediately. "OH! Well I think so. Argh, that makes no sense. What I mean Mother is that it may mean that a woman has to be even better than a man at what she does if men are to think that she's any good. She also needs a 'thick skin' when she's becoming proficient at whatever it is she decides to do. Is that right, maybe?"

She looked up a Blair hopefully.

"Indeed you are my dear. Unfortunately that is true far too often...though things are getting better, especially here. That's probably because, what with so many traders in The City from all over the world, if you don't properly assess the person you're trading with, you'll go broke in a heartbeat.

"Men making that kind of stupid mistake are the reason why Alicia down at the Mule's Tale owns it and doesn't just work there. And, no Yoko, I'm not going to tell you how it happened nor are you to ask. You just stomp or sit on your curiosity for a few years. If I find out that you've asked her, or anyone else, about how it happened, you won't like the consequences. Capice?"

Seeing a reluctant nod, she stood and brushed herself off. "All right now. Off you go. There's still your homework before you get your baths and get ready for bed. Shoo!"

They trotted off, hand in hand. Once outside the door, they stopped and grinned hugely. Blair hadn't forbidden them to talk to each other about Alicia, and they intended to do just that and try to figure out for themselves what might have happened.

Blair turned and smoothed the spot on the comforter where she'd been sitting. All-in-all she was well pleased. She'd planted a seed in the girls' minds about a woman's potential and not being constrained by the opinions of others. She'd also diverted them from thinking about what else their grandmother did besides her Foreseer work. They were much too young to learn that, as Murasaki travelled from port to port, she received intelligence reports from all across the Mediterranean.

Anything truly urgent that Mirasaki discovered was routed back to The City by stragetically placed twin pairs. What she brought back herself kept Blair and Hiroshi busy for much of the winter each year as they sorted it out and made plans for their agents' missions the next spring.

It was an interesting relationship. When she chose, Murasaki was nothing if not intimidating, but she could also be warm and loving and a joy to be with.

As she followed the girls out of the room and closed the door, she wondered, not for the first time, if part of the reason that Murasaki travelled so much was that she'd go stir crazy if she stayed anywhere more than a few months at a time. Perhaps Blair would be able to ask her this year when she returned for the winter.

Hah! If she had any courage she'd have asked before Murasaki left. Well, no matter. Murasaki's state of mind was a question that she would be unable to examine for seven or eight months no matter how much she might want to know. For now there were many other things that demanded her attention, and she'd best get back to work.