All The Hard Work

Writers: AL, Suzee
Date Posted: 24th September 2011

Characters: Zathris, Benani
Description: Benani brings Zathris his dinner and the two chat.
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 4, day 1 of Turn 6

Zathris

Benani

Her knuckles rapped on his door before she opened it. When she saw the
time slipping away with the sunlight and he still hadn't come home to
their rooms she knew he was working late again.

"Zathris?" she said softly as she edged in with the tray she was
carrying. "Honey I brought you some dinner."

"Dinner?" Zathris looked up from the work on his table as his wife
entered. He smiled, glad to see her lovely face, "I didn't realise it
was dinner time."

"Yes," she smiled. "The sun has already gone down and here you are
still working." She brought the tray over to his desk to set it down
in front of him. "If you still need to work, at least eat something."

"Ah, Benani, what would I do without you? Between you and Zelanka,
I'll be sure never to starve." Zathris chuckled and carefully placed
the stacks of parchment to the side so there was room for the tray
without worrying about messing up his work. "Besides bringing me
dinner, what have you been up to?"

She smiled and sat in the chair nearby. Her hands smoothed her dress
over her rounded belly unconsciously. "I've been laying more and more
of my duties off on Yanley. She's being so helpful and she knows just
what to do." She shook her head slightly, "I don't think I could have
given them up to anyone else."

"You would have. I would have insisted." Zathris chuckled and patted
her knee before digging into his food. "But I have to admit, I am glad
it's her. She's got the experience needed."

"I know," she smiled. "But it would have been much harder not to worry
about it. That's all." She watched him attack the food and smiled
softly. "Sometimes you work too hard too you know."

"Look who's talking." Zathris wagged a poultry leg at her then took a
bite. "The only reason you're taking it easy now is because of my
selfish demands."

She smiled with good humor. Benani might fight hard for what she
wanted but once it was over she never carried a grudge. "Absolutely
darling. It was your good judgement that saved me." Her eyes winkled
at him.

"Zathris always knows best." He winked at his wife, then leaned over
as he lifted her hand to place a kiss on the back of it. "You should
probably go rest. I'll send this with a drudge and be along soon."

She nodded and smiled. "Alright," she said. "But please don't work too
late." She pushed herself up out of the chair. She really did get
tired early these days. "I'd like to still be awake when you come to
bed." Her hand went to his head to stoke his hair.

"I'll do my best to finish up quickly." He always preferred to have
her awake when he came to bed. Zathris liked to snuggle with her - and
of course, do other things, but he also wanted to make sure she got
enough rest.

"OOH," she exclaimed and grabbed his hand. "Feel that..." she put his
hand on the side of her belly where one of the babies seemed to be
turning or rolling.

Zathris froze when Benani grabbed his hand, and then he felt something,
like a ridge rising and moving across his hand, beneath her skin.
"Wow."

She smiled down at him. "They just started doing that the other day."

"I find this amazing. Simply amazing." Zathris didn't want to remove
his hand, he wanted to catch the next movement. "Women are amazing.
_You_ are amazing, you know that?"

No wonder she loved the man so fiercely. She squeezed his hand. He
never once belittled her in any way just because she was a woman. Not
only that but he extended the exact same courtesy to any woman he met.
"Thank you, but I couldn't have done this without you." Her eyes
twinkled at him.

"Perhaps, but you do all the hard work." Zathris chuckled. "I can't
complain. I'd be a miserable mother."

"But you will be an excellent father." She'd seen him with Ailnim and
knew he had the proper instincts to bond with his children. "That
won't be an easy job. Now finish your work and come to bed."

"I will as quickly as possible. I shouldn't be too much longer."
Zathris would take care of the things that needed the most urgent
attention, then join his wife. "You go get some rest."

"Alright," she said. Then she crossed to the door and looked back at
him once with a smile before returning to her bedroom and sleep.

Last updated on the October 7th 2011

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All The Hard Work