Chapter 4

"We ought to be heading downstairs soon, don't you think?" Cobweb asked gently. He and Lisia had been out of the bath a full hour and these were the first words either of them had spoken aloud.

"Go downstairs? I hadn't actually thought of that." Lisa propped himself up on one elbow and gazed down at Cobweb with a smile that hadn't faded since the moment of conception. "I was thinking I'd just have something brought up."

"We do have a guest, Lis," Cobweb pointed out. "Surely we should join everyone else for dinner or at least make an appearance. And what about the harlings?"

"The harlings?" Lisia laughed. "Right now, as far as I'm concerned, there's only one harling we really need to focus on and it's this very new one right here." Lisia ran his finger across Cobweb's mid-section. "And as for Cal... well, he'll understand."

"Will he? What explanation do we make for our absence, Lis?" Now it was Cobweb's turn to slide onto his side and look his mate in the eye. "Or do we not have to offer an explanation... since Cal knows perfectly well what we've been up to?"

Lisia's shoulders snapped back in surprise. "What are you talking about?"

"Lis, now you know what I mean," Cobweb pressed, "no matter how you try to cover it with your bad acting." He waited for further reaction but when there was none, he continued. "You go off with Cal to discuss something -- Seel, Swift and I safely assumed it had something to do with pearlbearing, specifically Cal's. Lying here thinking it over... it's occurred to me there was probably another agenda."

"Like what?" Lisia asked, reflecting an innocence Cobweb knew was only for show.

"Like... like Cal warming you up for -- what just happened."

"Cobweb!" Lisia hissed accusingly.

Cobweb had to laugh. "Oh, Lis, I don't mind. In fact I think it's funny. I do wonder though... What did he do specifically to put you up to your lovely assault in the bathtub. Not that I mind -- in fact, I'll treasure it until--"

"We just talked!" Lisia blurted.

"Ah, and talking with Cal involved only words?"

"Yes!" Lisia insisted.

Cobweb reached out and took Lisia in his arms. "It's all right, Lis. I'm glad." He kissed Lisia on the top of his head and stroked the long hair that ran down his back. After a few moments, Cobweb couldn't help adding, "But he did make you all tingly, didn't he?"

Lisia stiffened, then giggled. "OK... yes, I admit, he made me all tingly. But that's all!"

"All? But that's a wonderful 'all.'" Cobweb slid up so his feet dangled from the bed. "Anyway, in that case we ought to go down -- and thank him!"

Seel and Swift were in the office on Parasiel business when Cobweb and Lisia arrived downstairs. They didn't have to ask where Cal was, as his presence shone like a star.

"Sage is with him," Lisia remarked. "Opal too, I think."

With a slight show of stealth, Cobweb approached the doors to the lounge, the same room where Sage's pearl had been born. "Oh, goodness," he whispered, "I can't wait to see this!"

Lisia stepped forward and opened the doors on the room. Cal was lying stretched out on the couch, Sage nestled like a kitten in his lap, Opal caught standing on a chair, apparently reaching for a book on a high shelf.

"Ah, the lovers have returned, I see," Cal observed. "Happier than before?"

Before either of them could reply, Sage was running over to Lisia for a hug while Opal stood frozen, waiting to be yelled at.

"Uncle Cal's been telling us all about Immanion!" Sage chattered excitedly. "Telling us about how sometimes hara aren't what they look like or how they do things that are different that what they say. That was confusing, but he told us nice things, too, like the wonderful concerts from the beautiful hara from Ferike!"

"Yes, thank you," Cobweb managed to reply, sidling up to the couch. "Your 'plan,' assuming you had one, was successful."

"I was just going to show him a picture from this book," Opal said to Lisia, pulling out a volume and stepping down from the chair rather guiltily. Lisia took the book and pretended to look interested while listening in on Cal and Cobweb.

"Oh? Well, congratulations," Cal replied. "So can we hope for another mysterious dark beauty to grace this house?"

"Perhaps. One never knows."

"Well, little Sage certainly has a lot of Lisia, don't you think?"

"Oh, yes, of course." Cobweb watched Lisia sit down in the chair, both harlings catching him up on the fun they'd had with Uncle Cal. Even though Cal had never been much for harlings, these two appeared fascinated with him. "I can't believe Lisia is a father! I was disbelieving of myself but--"

"You know, maybe I should call a tabloid or something," Cal interrupted. "I mean, much as I frequently loathe the twaddle they toss up about Phaonica, could be a nice juicy story."

"What!" Cobweb gasped. "You can't be serious. About Lisia?"

"Uh huh. You know he's a name now..." Cal continued. "I can just see it, headline in the lifestyle section: '26 Times A Parent: Famous Hostling Lisia Finally a Father.'"

Cobweb was glad Lisia was by too busy with the harlings to be listening in. "Cal, dear, just remember, they could well be writing a headline about you: 'Tigron Calanthe To Sire 2, Host 2.' How would you feel about that?"

"OK, OK, forget I said it. I apologize. Getting silly -- you know harlings half the time put me on edge." He looked over to Lisia and Sage, catching his eye, ran over.

"Uncle Cal, are you staying for dinner?" he asked excitedly.

Cal nodded. "Sure thing, just don't eat me up, OK?"

"Cal, dear, stop tempting us," Cobweb teased, and with that, it was over to the kitchen to see about dinner.