The Nine Oceans

Chapter 3

Tenet Mik

The Samuel house was in the expected state of absolute chaos when James arrived in the yard. The screams and squeals of the raucous cousins and siblings – at last count a total of seven – dominated any other noises heard through the open windows. The stableman taking James's horse chuckled at one of the more creative word combinations either Darlene or Theresa yelled at the collection of children so she could avoid outright swearing at them. The other sister burst out laughing and was immediately included in the scolding. James was still chuckling as he rang the button-bell.

"Mister James is here!"

"That's Lord Mont to you."

"Who's Mister James?"

"Lord Mont."

"I want to go first!"

"Not today."

"Let your father through!"

"Aww, mom!"

The door swung wide and James was immediately absorbed into the light and noise of the busy house. The children old enough to remember him from his visit a few months ago pawed at the bags he passed over their heads to their grandfather, a torrent of questions and guesses about what was inside rising over the greetings he was able to make with their parents. Darlene pointedly looked around behind him as he was taking off his coat.

"What is it?" he asked, glancing over his shoulder, worried he'd split the new jacket already.

"It's only you?" she asked, eyebrows raised.

"Yes," he confirmed. "Justin and Mother are down the coast in Korball. Partly on business, partly to visit with Madam Isabelle," he explained.

"Yes, and half the city is gossiping that your house was restocked as she left so why are you in the city alone?" Theresa mockingly scolded him as she tried to herd the children after their grandfather toward the sitting room where they were meant to wait for dinner.

"Leave off him, Tree." Ralph, her husband, turned a grin on her as he took and hung up James's coat. "The only Tenetian women worth a second look are already married," he added, looking at his wife.

"Vanessa's single," the twin sisters said in unison. James rolled his eyes and laughed, finally getting the hugs from Darlene and Theresa he'd been waiting for as the kids piled out of the main entrance in efforts to stay close to their grandfather and the gifts he was carrying. James followed the parents toward the cacophony coming from the sitting room.

Vincent Samuel tipped his drink in greeting toward James before chuckling at the writhing mass in the center of the room comprised of his grandchildren. Like James, Vincent and his daughters had the typical warm-toned brown skin and dark hair of Tenetians, but their high-boned features were softened by bright smiles and laughing eyes. Both the twins had tended toward their mother's figure and their father's height, a shape which generally left every eye in the room following them out of ether appreciation or jealousy. Vanessa had always been shorter than her siblings, but the last time James had seen her she'd grown into the same curves as her sisters. Theresa's husband, Ralf, was as fair skinned as a native Korballi, tall and almost gangly, all of him seeming like he should be awkward and often surprising strangers with how well spoken and graceful he was. Darlene's husband, Shaun, was dark skinned and blunt-featured due to his Walker heritage, and at first glance rotund; until you realized he was simply a barrel-shaped mass of muscle held together by laughter. The six children wrestling on the floor were variations of all the parents in the room, and the seventh and current youngest, sitting in her father's arms, was a copy of her mother at that age; except for the unruly auburn curls Ralph's mother swore he'd had as a child as well.