Lady Mira stayed at their house for much longer than expected. His father did not mind, the Masteritsa paid well, and she somehow managed to get Ada and Felie in some form of order, and that had to be magic. She was so easy to adore, though, she seemed to know just what to say, and what people wanted without asking. Like how she just knew Ada was frustrated that her dress was pinned too tight, and was kicking a fuss because of it. Ordinarily everyone would dismiss it as another childish fit, but the Masteritsa had gotten down to her knees and quickly redid the fastenings.

Jozin was just so… lucky to have her as a mother, thought Nikolas, the Masteritsa always allowed him to accompany her. She didn't force him to either, the Masteritsa could also be found with her men in the morning, though she didn't spar like they did. In fact, no matter how hard he tried, Nikolas could never get up early enough to catch a glimpse of her training, though when he was able to wake up and hurry to the window, he could catch her standing in a half circle with her men, talking and laughing.

There was a friendly camaraderie between the Masteritsa and her men, maybe this was how his mother treated her men when she went on her campaigns. His mother was stern and distant at home, and no one would dare to simply offer her a sip of wine from their wineskin or cup. But Valdi did, and Nikolas observed from his perch on the open corridor window, the old man had held out his to the Masteritsa and she'd taken it, raising an eyebrow when she finished downing its contents.

"Your wine ages wonderfully," the Masteritsa had said in the Skapinian tongue, coughing delicately and covering her mouth with her hand.

"She is lying," Jozin had whispered to Nikolas "Valdi's wine tastes like vinegar, he'd always aged them wrong. You're not supposed to bounce the wine barrels on the road."

"How do you speak Skapinian?" Nikolas had inquired, "It sounds like…" like what dragons would sound, if one were to meet them, was Nikolas's guess.

"Go read about it then," Surio had interrupted, taking Jozin's hand and pulling him away.

Nikolas had scowled as Surio smirked. He had no idea how the boy knew he struggled with words, but seeing as he was a stableboy, and invisible to most people, perhaps he just saw the times Nikolas had labored over a page and drew the conclusions he did. He wouldn't have been the first.

Jozin had given him an apologetic look, "You're not very interested in swords are you, Nikolas? It would be very boring for you." before he was ushered away by what Nikolas could only guess was a jealous Surio.

And Surio was jealous, Nikolas could recognize that look anywhere. It was the same look of irritation Diasa gave when Guigo was playing towers with Nikolas, the same look they all gave to each other when one of them caught their mother's eye. It was usually Felie, she clearly was the favorite, like how Brytha was their father's favorite. At least his siblings were all matched up in one way or the other, while Nikolas was left quietly watching on. But that didn't matter, because he was very good at listening and watching and there were many things you can learn from observing people.

For one, Surio wasn't as good a swordsman as the boy boasted. Surio was like that mongoose creature from the books in his father's study, all wide-eyed and speed. That was how they caught snakes, as the artist had so helpfully illustrated one in the act. He even looked like one, his messy hair puffing up like the mongoose did, and his teeth bared in a snarl. He was only needed to file his teeth into points, Nikolas thought, irritated, and he would very much be mistaken as one. Their only predator were hawks, and even then hawks had trouble with the beasts. Here the artist had drawn the creature baring its sharp fangs at the bird, unafraid.

It was stupid to pick a fight with Surio when he knew he couldn't win, Nikolas knew, even if he did like Jozin's company. He liked the flashes of memory Jozin would share with him, the snowy fields of Skapina, the mountains that were shaped like a dragon's spine, the frozen lake and the sudden burst of green that came during the summer. Jozin never showed him any of the inhabitants there.

"They like their privacy."

They were sitting in Nikolas's bedroom again, and this time Valdi didn't accompany them.

"Do you like your privacy?"

Jozin blinked at him, "Well, I am here with you, aren't I?" There was that half-smile on his face that was very familiar now. "You can come with us, if you want, Nikolas. Surio's just lonely is all, you know he doesn't actually have any siblings at all, he's an orphan from Icfeld and my mother took him to Skapina."

"So he's like your brother?" That would make sense, his brothers could be annoying in their own way.

"No!" Jozin shook his head. "That would be horrible, I would hate sharing a room with Surio!"

"It's not too bad, my brothers are never here."

"But your oldest brother is coming back right?" said Jozin, nodding his head towards Richan's empty bed, "He's going to get married, isn't he?"

"Soon," Nikolas agreed.

Knowing Richan, he would be more than excited to settle down with a family of his own, one that he was free to order around. But also knowing Richan, it would be to Brytha that he would write his letters to for advice when one of his children misbehaved.