DAY 3
Morning

She rolled over and regretted it instantly.  Not only was her head wishing
she hadn't moved, but when she encountered something -- or should she say
someone -- beside her, she knew that she had not had a very good night.

Analise cracked open one encrusted eye and gasped.  "Terau!"  No, it
couldn't be.

The bard, for his part, stretched expansively and yawned, displaying a
mouthful of even white teeth.  "Yes, m'dear?" he asked, sticking his toes
out from under the blanket and wiggling them.

"What... what are you doing here?"  Analise struggled to recall her
scattered memories.. a song.. a dance... surely it wasn't Terau that had
brought her home -- was it?

"I was sleeping," he said, as if that should have been obvious.  "Now I'm
waking up, and in a moment I'm going to grope my way to the toilet.  I don't
suppose you have any coffee made?"  Never one to miss an opportunity, Terau
twisted towards her and stretched again, sending his hands towards her.

"Coffee...?" Analise sat up to avoid the reaching arm, and instantly
regretted the movement.  She groaned and cupped her forehead in her hands.
"Oh... what have I done?"

Terau shifted and sat upright, re-adjusting the blanket around his middle.
"There now," he said, patting her shoulder soothingly.  "It's nothing to be
ashamed of, really.  Lots of people do it-- I'm surprised you're not more
familiar with it, honestly."

Analise greeted this comment with another, more prolonged groan.  "Look,
Terau, what...ever... happened last night... it was a mistake, okay?  It
meant ...Nothing... you understand?"  Her eyes searched the blind-bard's
face for whatever emotion hid beneath.

In fact, Terau was heartily amused, but he did have the good sense (and
training) to keep it hidden.  Sliding his arm around her shoulders, he
pulled her close and smiled.  "Of course I do.  No one ever /means/ for such
things to happen-- they just do."

Analise stiffened, and then sighed, resigned to her actions, "No, of course
not... Look, I've got students to teach this morning... umm... breakfast?"

"I thought you'd never ask," Terau beamed.  "Do forgive me for not being a
gentleman and making it for you-- but you know that I'm an absolutely
abysmal cook."

Inspite of herself, Analise smiled, "Yes, I remember."  She slipped out of
the bed, instinctively reaching for a wrap, and then shrugged in amusement
and didn't bother.  "I'll get the coffee started..."

"Marvelous!" Terau cried, clapping his hands together in delight and smiling
his most charming smile.  "Despite all your many, ah . . . quirks, you
really are a decent human being.  By the way . . . "

Analise jumped involuntarily at the sound of the clap, then stopped in
consternation, "Yes? by the way.. what?"

"I don't suppose you could help me find my pants?"

"Umm.. Terau... look, I don't even remember bringing you home last night..
how do you possibly think I could remember where you left your pants?"
Analise admitted, though she searched around the room as she spoke.

Terau shrugged, and slipped smoothly out of the bed to kneel on the floor.
Patting the floor carefully, he replied.  "I didn't ask if you knew where
they were, only that you help me find them.  I'm not in the habit of eating
my breakfast with no pants on."

"Here... they're right here."  Analise tossed them at the kneeling man,
noting how they'd been carefully folded and placed on a chair.  Well, it
certainly didn't appear that he had taken them off in the heat of passion.
If Analise hadn't been in such a fog she might have wondered about that.  As
it was, she was going to be late for her students... and she really needed
some coffee.

Terau started as he felt his pants wrap around his head, and untangled them
with a laughing grin.  "I thank you, and my bare legs thank you," he called
as her footsteps faded away into the rest of the apartment.

Chuckling, Terau found his way to the toilet and then back out to the
kitchen, not without a few mishaps and cheerful curses along the way.  "You
know," he said casually, as he followed the scent of food through the
apartment, "This place is rather . . . chaotic.  It would be much safer to
walk around in if all the furnishings were out of the way, and didn't have
such pointy edges on them."

Analise hrmphed in response to this comment, "I don't recall asking you to
move in here."  She placed the food in front of him, "Bacon at 2 o'clock,
eggs at 6."  Then she sat down and began to drink her coffee.

"That may be so,"  Terau replied, finding his fork and tucking in.  "But I'm
here now . . . and tell me honestly, does my being here bother you that
much?  I know we haven't always liked each other, but you could have thrown
me out first thing this morning . . . or last night."

Analise smiled, "I guess it reminded me of old times.  And to be honest, I
have been rather lonely since Lia moved out to be with that new dragon of
hers.  But I have to admit... I really am amazed that I brought you home..."

"Should I be insulted?" Terau asked archly, fumbling for his coffee cup.
"If any other woman said that to me, I think I would be.  But you . . . .
well."

Analise laughed, "Ah.. no insult to you intended Terau, my dear... but you
know me."

Terau found his cup, leaned back in his chair, lifted it to his lips.  "That
is true.  I do know you, and you know me-- and there's a certain comfort in
old familiarity, isn't there?"

"Yes, familiarity,"  And again Analise wondered just how familiar they'd
been the previous evening -- and just who at the warren had seen!  "Umm...
what did you think of the party last night?"

"As parties go, it was well enough, I suppose," Terau said, a bit
diffidently.  "Much more interesting than the old Baroness' affairs-- you
have no idea how dull the old lady's friends could be-- but on the other
hand, we threw wilder parties when I was a student.  Good old Marcek-- now,
he was one for utter debauchery.  But I doubt you'd remember him."

Analise's face turned scarlet as she did indeed recall old Marcek, but
thankfully, Terau could not see her reaction, "Oh, no... of course...
well... I'm glad that it went well last night, anyway."

"Well, that's just my opinion," Terau replied easily.  "And you know the
types of parties I like.  What did /you/ think of it?"

"Oh, the wedding went very well, don't you think?  And Merissa...  Yes, I
think it was just splendid,"  Analise hedged.  What she did recall was a
young man with a voice like an angel... and his eyes... and that song... but
not much else, and certainly not coming home with Terau!

Wedding?  Terau dimly recalled a wedding, yes . . . "Lovely, just lovely,"
he said.  "Absolutely marvelous."  Laying down his fork and cup, he pushed
his empty plate away and leaned back again, patting his stomach.
"Excellently done, my dear.  I thank you."

"Fine, you're welcome."  Analise tried to compose herself, "Look, I've got
to shower before I go teach..."

"Would you like me to scrub your back?"

Analise stiffened, "No... thanks."

Terau grinned roguishly.  "Suit yourself.  I'll let myself out-- I 
should be able to find the door without /too/ much mishap."

****
[Day 4, afternoon]

	The sound of voices floated through the warm air, young men 
and women singing in chorus.  It was a lovely song, a chorale from 
one of old Velard's heroic operettas, and the voices melded together 
in seemingly effortless beauty.

	Terau knew, however, that it wasn't nearly as easy as it 
seemed-- and he also knew that of the many teachers in the region, 
only Analise was talented and persistent enough to accomplish such a 
feat.

	The bard grinned, and tugged on his son's arm.  "In there, my 
lad," he said, gesturing towards the emergent sounds.  "Let's visit 
for a while, shall we?"

	"But you don't like Analise," Telaran commented, recluctantly 
guiding his father into the music room.  "Why on earth would you want 
to visit her?"

	"Whatever gave you that idea?  I like her just fine.  It's me 
she doesn't like," Terau replied flippantly.  "Besides, we won't stay 
long-- I just want to ask her a simple question.  Is that too much to 
ask?"

	The boy only grumbled, and halted just inside the door to the 
music room.  "We're here.  Ask.  Then can we leave?"

	"When the music stops.  What's got into you, boy?  You've 
been acting rather odd lately," Terau said, giving the stocky lad a 
poke in the arm.  "Not like you at all."

	Telaran snorted, and slapped at his father's hand.  "I could 
say the same thing about--"

	"May I /help/ you with something?" Analise broke in, sounding 
as strident and irritated as ever.  "You're interrupting my class."

	Terau bowed extravagantly.  "A thousand apologies.  I won't 
take up much of your time, for I know how valuable it is.  I have a 
problem, you see, and I was wondering if you might help me solve it . 
. . "

	"Get on with it," Analise growled.

	"It's about my coat, you see," he began, fumbling his way 
across the room and into a chair.

	"Your coat?"

	"Yes, my favorite coat.  Perhaps you'll recall it-- 
silk-lined velvet, with cording along the seams and the most 
interestingly textured brocade along the lapels," he explained, 
describing the placement of the decorations with his hands.  "Lace 
cuffs.  It's a very distinctive coat-- I've been told it makes me 
look rather dashing."  Terau paused for a moment, smoothed the front 
of his shirt and smiled charmingly.  "Although if I do say so myself, 
I can be dashing in just about anything.  Don't you agree?"

	Analise drew in a breath to say something, then thought 
better of it and simply shrugged.  "Of course you do.  Please, 
continue," she directed, sounding less and less enthusiastic about 
the conversation as it went on.

	Terau beamed.  "Have I ever told you that you have excellent 
taste?  But about my coat-- I've lost it."

	"You lost it," Analise repeated flatly.  "I can't believe you 
interrupted my class to tell this.  I suppose you want me to help you 
find it?  Where did you last see-- where did you last have it?"

	"At the party,"  Terau smiled brightly.

	There was no response for several moments.  One of her 
students giggled, and was quickly hushed by another.  "I . . . see," 
she said finally, in the most neutral of tones possible.  "If I 
happen to come across it--" accent on the /if/-- "Then I'll be sure 
to let you know.  Is there anything else you want?"

	"No," Terau said breezily, standing up again and beckoning 
for Telaran.  "That will be all.  Thank you /ever/ so much, Analise. 
Good day!"  Wrapping his hand around his son's arm, Terau let himself 
be led back out into the warm sunshine.

-----
	"Dad," Telaran said, once the singing had started up again 
behind them.  "Please do /not/ explain what just happened.  I thought 
about it, and I just decided that I'd be happy if you kept it to 
yourself."

	"That's good," the tall bard replied affably.  "Because I had 
no intention of telling you."

	"I do not want to know.  I /so/ do not want to know . . . "

*****
Finis.

	This is not my fault.  Arlene helped-- and then she told me 
that it was all my fault.  But it isn't.  She helped.  Honestly. 
Blame her . . . .


--m
Terau, Telaran, and a whole lot of trouble

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