Sunday August 28, the Year 724 After the Founding

Mario slept until almost noon the next day, rising only to be assisted to the toilet and then drink another large mug of sweetened tea. When he did awaken, it was because of his nose. Without opening his eyes he said, "I remember that scent. The first time I smelled it was the day I met you. I'll treasure that moment for the rest of my life."

He turned his head to see her with her elbows on the edge of the bed. She was holding his hand to her cheek with both of her hands.

"Welcome home beloved. You shouldn't make a girl wait so long you know. Somebody might get the idea that you didn't want to marry me and that you were running away."

There were tears in her eyes, which made her even more beautiful.

"Not to worry. You caught me fair and square, so I won't try to get away. That would be cheating." He rolled up on his left side, surprised at how weak he felt. Even so he was still able to lay his right palm on Genie's cheek, "I'm home."

Suddenly he sat bolt upright. "Oh my God! I didn't check the shipment before I came up the hill. What if...."

He was silenced by Genie's finger across his lips. "Darn it. Nobody was willing to take my bet, probably because everyone knew I was right when I said that was the first thing you'd worry about. And you don't need to. Worry that is. Alicia sent word that she and Aldus made sure that the inventory matched your mainfest. Everything's been properly stored in the warded bins too."

Mario leaned back onto his elbows. "Thank God. There'd be hell to pay if anything was missing from this shipment. Everything was for the Duchess and the Guard."

Genie pulled back the covers then helped him sit up on the side of the bed. "Any dizziness love?"

Seeing Mario shake his head, she moved around to his right side. "Let's see how much weight you can put on your leg. We might as well find out now."

First the left leg down, then they stood up. Gradually he put more and more weight on the right until the twinges became actual pain. It was better than he'd feared. Much better seeing as he'd expected to be dead by now. He was able to put about 3/4 of his usual weight on the foot.

"Well, it could be worse. Will you give me a hand Genie? I need to at least thank your parents for letting me use the room."

Genie snorted. "As if that's a problem. In case you forgot, in six days this will be your home too."

"It will? Mario looked bewildered. "What in the world are you talking about?"

A concerned look passed across Genie's face, and she laid the back of her hand on his forehead. "You don't seem to have a fever. I don't know anything else that would make you forget something so important. Come on, let's hurry. We can send someone to ask Kaho what it might be."

As she tugged on his sleeve, he leaned back to keep his balance and also to stay in one place. "There's nothing at all wrong with my memory, so tell me. What happens in six days?"

Looking at him in exasperation, Genie snarled, "Our wedding you idiot! You know, the one scheduled for this coming Saturday."

Mario swayed and might have fallen had Genie not caught him. She was terrified that he might be having some sort of seizure. Her trepidation increased when he began to mutter incoherently.

Torn between staying with him to make sure that he didn't hurt himself, and running for help, she began to recognize a particular cadence to the sounds he was making. Relief shot through her. He wasn't having a seizure, he was cursing. As she listened further, it appeared to be in several languages.

Her first reaction after her relief was of envy. He obviously knew some languages that she didn't. She determined that as soon as he was through with his therapy, he was going to teach them to her. It would give them something to do to pass the time on the road.

On the road? Where did that come from? As she chewed on the idea, she realized that that was exactly what she wanted to do. Once they were married, they could travel together. Maybe not in style, but together to wherever the winds of trade took them.

She wondered how her parents would take it. She realized at once that her mother would consider it a great way to get two operatives in the field for the price of one. Her father might be a bit difficult, but there would probably be some way for Mario to become a roving representative for the bank, which would also be an excellent cover story. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that it was several seconds before she noticed that Mario was shaking her.

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"Oh, hello. I guess I was daydreaming for a second there."

"Second my foot! I was trying to get your attention for half a minute. What is the world is wrong with you?"

Smiling tenderly Genie patted Mario's cheek. "Nothing that being with you for the rest of my life won't cure."

Whammo! Situation defused. Mario looked totally confused and hopelessly smitten. Genie filed that away in the "techniques to use when your spouse is irritated" folder.

"Based on your, shall we say, 'colorful' reaction, my guess is that Mother blindsided you too."

"Too. You didn't know either?"

"Nope. She just told me last week about you proposing to my parents in your letters."

Genie looked at him anxiously. "You did, didn't you? Propose I mean."

Mario sighed. "Well, at least she got that part right."

He continued, muttering, "I at least wanted to ask you myself."

Genie smiled at him. "Ask me what."

"Why to... Oh." Mario caught on much more slowly than usual. His excuse to himself was that he'd been very, very sick lately. He didn't want to consider that Genie just might be a bit quicker on the uptake than he was.

He started to bend his knee, but it immediately advised him of dire consequences should he do so. Oh well, he'd improvise. That's what merchants do when things don't go exactly right. "Eugenia Caterina Donetti. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

She feigned surprise and a touch of doubt, "I don't know. This is all so sudden."

Then she leapt upon him, knocking him backwards on the bed and covered his face with kisses. Naturally, just as every cliche in the world would have it, Mimi appeared in the doorway.

"I'm sorry to interrupt you, but you did leave the door open, and his breakfast won't stay hot forever. Would you consider continuing your activities later, preferably after he's eaten something?"

Genie sprang to her feet and frantically tried to straighten her dress. How in the world had the straps come down off her shoulders? "Yes of course Mimi. We'll be right there."

Mimi nodded then vanished down the hallway.

After his breakfast, Mario almost fell asleep at the table. Genie helped him back to his room. He was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

Genie tiptoed out of the room and carefully closed the door. Moments later the front door opened. Yoko, Hibiki, and Ailin entered. Ailin headed to the kitchen. The twins each took one of Genie's hands guided her up to her room, then firmly closed the door.

Before Genie could ask, Hibiki began speaking, "We have discussed the situation with our mother and have agreed that you will respond better to us than to her."

Confused again, Genie looked at Yoko, who nodded agreement with...whatever it was.

"All girls are aware that there are certain things a young woman should know before she gets married. Mother, Yoko and I are equally certain that your mother has an extremely twisted sense of humor and is likely to fill you with an incredible amount of misinformation, just so she can imagine you squirming when you find out that it was wrong."

Comprehension lit Genie's face. That's exactly what she'd do.

After taking a deep breath Hibiki continued with a sly grin, "I may have a sense of humor almost as twisted as hers, but what we intend to tell you will be the truth. In addition to that, since we have been married longer than any of your other friends, we have the most experience with such things."

At that point Yoko covered her mouth with her hands and began laughing. A very unladylike snort escaped now and then, but she did manage to cover most of it.

Genie drawled, "Yeah...right. You've been married, what, a whole two and a half months?"

Hibiki nodded. "That is correct. Do you have any other friends who have been married longer than we have?"

"Uh. Actually. No."

"Well there you are, so we might as well get started. And put that excellent memory of yours in high gear. Some of what we are going to tell you will probably have you blushing all the way to your toes. You are not likely to want us to tell you twice."

An exaggerated leer occupied Hibiki's face, and she started purring loudly enough that the entire room seemed to be vibrating along with her. "Though I shall be happy to tell you as many times as it takes. I would enjoy watching your reactions all over again."

Genie turned to Yoko for support but discovered that, this time, she had nearly the same predatory expression as Hibiki. Oh boy....

Well it wasn't like she had anything else to do. And she did need to know. Her education in that department was sadly lacking, probably also as a result of her mother's conniving. She grabbed a pillow off her bed and, briefly, considered smacking Biki with it. Instead she clutched it to her chest, gritted her teeth, looked Hibiki directly in the eyes, and nodded.

To her great relief, it seemed that Yoko and Hibiki had finished teasing her. The actual discussion was completely serious, absolutely frank, at times extremely embarrassing, but incredibly helpful.

Hibiki had been right. Genie never wanted to talk about some of these things ever again, at least not until she needed to do the same with her own daughters, should she be blessed with them. Fortunately she really did have an excellent memory. There was no chance she'd forget anything that they'd discussed.

Yoko reached out and patted her on the head. "Really, it's OK Genie. Ya can start breathing again."

Genie realized that she'd been holding the pillow so tightly against her chest that it was interfering somewhat with her breathing. No wonder she'd felt faint at the end. She'd thought it was entirely due to how flustered she was. She dropped the pillow and took a deep breath. That was much better!

The twins stood and made ready to leave. Yoko had a few parting words, "If ya find that we've missed something, and ya need someone ta talk to, just let us know on the private channel. I 'spect that ya'd probably not want Jason listening in."

Heaven forbid! Genie nodded vigorously.

The twins waved and headed back home. Jason should be about finished with their father in the dojo. Hiroshi hadn't been joking. He'd been working Jason very hard to get his technique "up to standard."