Winterfair

[veryvorkosigan]

Vorkosigan House is astir this evening: the children are getting their own carefully supervised Winterfair party in the nursery wing, and the adults making ready to head to the Imperial Residence for the Emperor's party.

In the Dowager Countess's suite, there's one extra guest making ready.

Comments

[veryvorkosigan]

"I wasn't the only one," she says equably, "but Gregor internalized a lot of the best from both me and Aral. In terms of the expectations and pressures of his job, that was all Aral."

[maxwellsdemon02]

"Yeah?" Duo glances up at her. "I mean, I know you were Count and Countess, but heck if I know what that means at home, much less here."

[veryvorkosigan]

"In this case, it's more significant that Aral was the Imperial Regent until Gregor came of age. And Aral ... was raised with the duties and responsibilities of the Vor as a big part of his training."

[maxwellsdemon02]

"Ohhh, so he was like, substitute Emperor for a while, okay. This must have been after you married him. Was that a head trip, or were you inured to the whole Vor society thing by then?"

[veryvorkosigan]

She chuckles, a touch ruefully. "It was only a few months after I married him, and it was a definite shock. I was under the impression I was marrying a retired Admiral who was through with everything -- the military, politics, all of it. Marrying the Imperial Regent was not what I signed on for."

[maxwellsdemon02]

"Geez, no, I can imagine it wouldn't be."

He glances around the crowded ballroom, the myriad guests, and the royal couple still making their greetings.

"You seem to have done okay for yourself, though."

[veryvorkosigan]

"Oh, we did all right."

She's smiling; she's looking across the room at one particular small but energetic figure, and the taller quieter one by his side.

"Someday I'll tell you the whole story."