Inflexible Morality

Writers: Miriah, Suzee
Date Posted: 6th September 2019

Characters: Bryvin, Riadem
Description: Riadem's questions are answered, not not to his satisfaction
Location: Sunstone Seahold
Date: month 10, day 19 of Turn 9
Notes: Occurs after "The Headwoman returns"

Bryvin

He stood in the doorway, hands clasped behind his back as he
addressed the Lord Holder. "You asked to see me, my Lord?" He studied
the man's face carefully now, seeing similarities, the color of his
eyes, the hair, the line of his jaw. He should have noticed it
before. He'd examined the child himself multiple times and had never
connected was he now suspected as truth. Nor that he thought of it,
he could think of no cousins he'd ever been told of that his mother
was close to. And her leaving and coming back with a child, a
newborn. They're were so many things he'd ignored or made excuses for.

"How is your mother," Bryvin asked mildly as he pointed at the chair
across from him. The assistant who'd announced the healer took his
queue from the Lord Holder's look and closed the door behind him.

Riadem sat slowly, his eyes never leaving the Lord Holder. "
Dehydrated and sunburned, but nothing serious. She's always been
strong, so I'm not surprised that she's in good shape after what she
experienced." He quickly added in what he'd heard. "And she grieves,
of course."

"Of course," Bryvin agreed with a small nod. "Stenlis was her first
love. We are all grieved on her behalf but happy in her safe return to
Sunstone. Our banners fly at half mast for the next two sevendays."

He looked at the younger man and figured he knew what he wanted to
say, so he gave him a momentary break. "Riadem," he said. "You have
some questions and right now I respect you as her son. You may have
this time to ask whatever you'd like and I'll answer you honestly.
Then we'll go back to the official story and never speak of it again.
Right now, right here, we are two men having a conversation. Is there
something you'd like to say?"

Riadem's jaw visibly clenched and loosened repeatedly as he thought
about how to choose his words. With a twitch of his eye, he began. "He
looks like you. More than he looks like my mother." The words were
curt. "He'll grow to look more like you as he grows up, I'm sure.
What then for my mother? For my family? My mother is a strong woman,
but her position and security is everything to her. You weren't here
when my father passed, my Lord. She suffered to care for us and it
made her a hard woman. I know that better than most excepting my
sisters. We're not close, but she's still my mother." His eyes
narrowed. "Why did you get her with child and put her at risk for
losing every bit of respect that she's worked for?"

Bryvin's eyes glittered but he held his temper. He'd made the decision
to allow this. "Her position as Headwoman is secure here Riadem.
Should she wish to leave, she is free to do so. I am not keeping her
against her will. Also, while it is possible someone will make the
connection between Yavin and myself. Who here do you think would
really speak out against her? As far as why she got pregnant I believe
she thought she was past child bearing age and wasn't on her teas."

"You could. Easily." Riadem bit the inside of his cheek hard. "What
is your relationship with her?" He swallowed hard, meeting Bryvin's
eyes. "Is my mother your mistress?"

"Yes," he said evenly.

His hands went to his eyes, rubbing them s he tried to wrap his mind
around his mother, who had always been so firm about respectability
and propriety, being the _Lord Holder's_ mistress. His mother, now a
widow twice...he couldn't fathom it. "And my...brother? What of him?
What if there's another?"

"Your brother will be fostered in another hold at the appropriate
time, or sent to a crafthall should he choose that path as you did.
Your mother is on the teas now. You should know this as her healer.
But should that problem arise then she and I will decide the
appropriate course of action. I may even acknowledge Yavin at some
point like Lord Corowal has done." He spread his hands, "I really
don't have a plethora of offspring running around."

"Teas aren't infallible, my Lord and the women in my family are
fertile." He sighed, rubbing his eyes even more before finally looking
at Bryvin once again. He studied the man. His mother was her own woman
and he could not make decisions for her, despite being the oldest man
in their now small family. "Do you respect her?"

"I do," he nodded. "She is an incredible woman."

Riadem ran a hand over his face. "Excuse me, but this is very
difficult for me to even think about. She's my responsibility, even
if she's my mother. But don't tell her I said that. Faranth, she'd
rip me to pieces for suggesting it."

Bryvin chuckled at that. "She can be very determined," he nodded.

"Yes." Riadem replied. "But I don't approve of this, not that it
matters. You're far different in station and in a position of power
over her. I don't understand it and I don't like it. I don't
understand her sudden marriage either. I'd never heard of the man. But
I'd rather her be wed than be someone's mistress."

"Noted," Bryvin said. "And with that your dispensation is at an end.
I'd suggest you keep your thoughts to yourself. For should you be the
one to expose your mother, you will have me to deal with. Are we
clear?"

"Very. But I would never expose her. She's my mother and for all of
our differences, I love her. May I be excused Lord Bryvin?"

Bryvin inclined his head and waved in the direction of the door.

Riadem rose and walked to the door, then paused. "One more question,
if I may, Lord Bryvin." He knew it might not be answered, but asked
anyway. "Should my mother ever marry again, will the relationship with
you continue?"

"None of our relationship is against her will," he said. "I'm not
quite sure why you're asking that question given the fact that I just
provided a celebration of her marriage to Stenlis. Unfortunately,
their ship was lost in a storm and her husband with it. If I did it
once, why would I not do it again? Should she truly desire to leave
Sunstone or remarry, that is wholly within her prerogative. I do not
force women no matter what some people might say."

He didn't look at Bryvin. "I'm not stupid, my Lord. She is not
grieving, which says a great deal. And I do not doubt that she is
willing; it is difficult to force my mother into doing anything
against her will, even I'm sure, by you. My question was if she were
married and remained here, would there still be a physical
relationship with you or would it cease?"

"Again, our relationship is not against her will. It's her decision."
Obviously the young man hadn't been paying attention to the women of
the hold who constantly threw them selves at the single Lord Holder
hoping to become the next Lady. "It's not as if I don't have other
options."

The answer was respectful, but had a bit of a bite. "I'm very aware of
your options, my Lord." His mother didn't have to be one of them.
"Thank you for answering my question. If you'll excuse me."

He watched the young man leave and then pulled a piece of hide toward
him. Inflexible morality was a dangerous viewpoint and could lead him
to do something or say something he might regret. Bryvin made a note
to have the healer watched. It wouldn't do to have him talk about
things with someone who was looking for a handle on Bryvin for any
reason. He, of course, knew his own weak spot and was not about to
let it be exposed by a youth with an inflated sense or propriety.

Last updated on the September 9th 2019

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Inflexible Morality