Marita turns to Mace and tries to sound matter-of-fact, but fails miserably as she starts giggling,
"Ah, but it takes a special man to have only one lover, have her be the right one and still have her complicate his life beyond all measure."
She listens to Ka'ohu explain the basis of the competition for their father's approval, and she shakes her head in return,
"I'm still staying out of it and it still seems like a silly thing for sisters to fight over, but then again, are family fights ever over anything sensible?," she replies casually.
Marita considers her newfound sister for a moment, then tells her,
"Look at you Ka'ohu, you are a doctor, brilliant, gorgeous and well respected by everyone around here. You are obviously quite powerful or you wouldn't have been able to put Lumi down like you did. What more do you need to gain anyone's approval? More importantly, why would such a powerful woman like yourself need someone's approval and pride so badly, even your father's?"
"I shapeshift because that is what I do, I traversed the Logrus because that seemed right for me, if that makes me the blacksheep of the family for more reasons than just my skin color, then so be it."
She starts eating the fairly balanced meal, only two desserts to go with all of the healthy foods she selected under Mace's watchful eye, and continues,
"I understand wanting parental approval, but I had it easy. I am an only child and my mother and I click on many levels so it was never an issue. Oh, and before we go too much farther, I know you started to say something unkind about my mother last night. Don't ever do that or it will get ugly between us very fast, OK, and I will keep my opinions about our father to myself in return."
She thinks about what Ka'ohu said earlier and realizes that she, and possibly Lumi, actually consider Marita to be a rival for their father's approval, she would laugh if it wasn't so scarily absurd,
"You know, if you really want to make sure I finish last in this competition of yours, just make sure to tell our father that other than my mother, the person whose approval I seek more than anyone's in the universe is Uncle Gerard's. Tell him that and I can happily take my place as the permanent family disappointment, freeing me up to spend my time trying to simply keep you and Lumi from killing each other."
"So, who is the oldest, who is the youngest and please tell me there aren't too many more of us running around out there?" she asks as she starts eating a huge cheese danish.