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A dissatisfied snort, and the lanky scribe dropped the matter. It wasn't worth working to offend his guest. But rich kid or no, he wasn't about to neglect his duties as a host. "That said, it doesn't have to be fancy food, Tiam. Y'went out of your way to do us a favor, so you're a guest. Hospitality's serious business for us."

A bright, proud tint touched the returning grin. "Yup, on both counts. Like I said, I've gotta look out for a lotta my cute lil' siblings." That most of them weren't small children anymore was immaterial. They were Viltre's adorable brothers and sisters, younger, most of them. "An' yeah. There was my mom, there's mother, an' there's Aelyn's ma. Da's heart goes where it will, let's say. He's honest about it, at least."

"Mostly younger. I've watched most of 'em grow up, so it's easy for me. My brother's older, buuuuut I like to keep an eye on him anyway. He's way too nice, and it worries me." Not technically a lie, in any sense. He'd grown up watching them, studying their habits and behaviors. If you wanted to protect someone, it helped to know them as well as you could manage.

"Nah. They're all pretty distinct to me. An' I can't keep an eye on 'em all the time: haven't got enough eyes." Or magic, come to that. "But it helps to know there's friendly people around when I can't!" Maybe I'm laying it on too thick. Reel it back in, make sure to get a way to keep in contact. This ones honest, might be useful down the line.

"She does and is. She an' her twin brother do what they can, when they can. Mostly it works out-" The heel of his own hand thumped his forehead. Talking more about it had spoiled his count, though correctly now. "Gah! I was thinking of my younger siblings when I said eight. Counting Acyn, who's older than me, it's nine. Like I said, there's a lot of us to feed here." When the young man said his Da insisted vigorously, he meant it. Having bourne six of them, it was a miracle Merle could walk as well as she did.

"No no, you didn't do anything wrong. Y'don't just dump the injured gal on the first person to walk by; that was good on ya." A sip of his water, glancing down at the other lad's cup, and he continued. "She's the outgoing sort, when she can manage, likes getting out of the house."

"Lucky for everybody, they're fond of each other. Noamh likes makin' music sometimes, Niiemh took to dancin'." Best not to get into the tedium of the drama between legitimate and il- children. It was a case-by-case basis, and quickly grew complicated. "Noamh's a bit more the homebody, though, tries not to make a fuss. We're tryin' to get him a little more worldly, but we'll see."

The sly youngster considered this, and the bruises that sometimes appeared on her. Under 'mysterious' circumstances. Had he noticed those? Perceptive and intelligent did not necessarily go hand in hand. "Not usually. ...But y'don't gotta be clumsy to trip on some stones in a field. Especially if she was trying something complicated in the open, as opposed to a clear dancing floor. Just gotta be unlucky."

Ah. Little cues, but they added up. A slight furrow in the brow, tightening eyes, a little firmer grip on the cup. A sharp nod from the taller of the two, and he'd hold the healer's gaze if he looked back. Faking sincerity wasn't complicated, but he didn't need to here. "Will do. I'll handle that personally, Tiam." And make sure that the doctor leaves explicit instructions for her to avoid strenuous activity for the next few weeks, if possible.

In a rather lower voice, Viltre continued, leaning in a little and noting where the current staff were positioned. "Something the matter, guy? ...Or do you just feel the need for a walk all of a sudden?" Green eyes flicked to the back door once or twice, coordinating with the tilt of his head to subtly suggest it.

The smile quirked at one edge, nodding out towards the edges of bustle. "We can at least rinse 'em out. Over here." Things were kept orderly in the kitchens. Dirty, clean, and a few stages between laid out clearly across one counter, a wide basin at one end for the dirtied dishes. Someone was busy at work scrubbing with soap and sand, keeping the stoneware moving. Viltre took a spot to the man's elbow and snagged a washcloth, dipping the mug in the water and firmly scrubbing what little there was to scrub.

"Thank ya Jeth." That done, he set the mug in the basin and backed away, to await Tiam once he'd done likewise. It wouldn't take long by any measure, so the second-eldest Kavensei leaned against the back doorjamb, thumbs tucked into his red sash. Once he was rejoined, only then did he turn to the courtyard...

Crossing the open space took no time at all, not with Viltre's long stride. A sturdy door to the east came unlocked with his key, opening to a door filled with stacks on stacks of paper and creaking shelves of books. "Not the folk that live here. But we do have one around Papa's office. New-hired folks tend to be escorted in anyway.

So!" Once Tiam was inside, the taller boy shut the door, checking the seams and high-set windows. "You had somethin' to say outside common hearing. It ain't much, but this is about as private as I can do. Lay it on me, neighbor, what's wrong?"

That. Thaaat... That hadn't been something the scribe accounted for. He hadn't realized that his own upbringing could leave a blindspot to such things. This just pushed my timetable up several weeks. On the outside, a few quick blinks, and a more serious posture set into his body. Not quite a secondary mask, just a relaxation of certain exaggerated qualities. "Oh. Oh I see... I thought Mama was working her pretty hard lately, but Niiemh kept brushing it off when I asked.

If it's this important, Tiam, don't worry about offending people. I didn't know it was getting this bad. Bark and bone, I know most everything about our business and this slipped me!" A slender arm waved out at the reams of packed paper, each slip full of neatly-clustered notation. An openly appraising look now, under a sober eyed Viltre, interrupted whatever internal flagelation was going on.