A Little Something

Writers: Avery, Yvonne
Date Posted: 29th March 2006

Characters: Ishek, Thalia
Description: Ishek asks Thalia to plan a dinner for the River Bluff Weyrleaders, and gives her a little something else, too
Location: Garnet Valley Hold
Date: month 10, day 6 of Turn 3
Notes: Before 'Getting to Know You', among other posts

Thalia picked at the remains of her supper half-heartedly, more out
of politeness than anything. She felt fat - the weight she'd gained
during her pregnancy still clung to her hips, her belly, and to her
thighs. She glanced up at Ishek through her eyelashes and caught him
looking at her, and smiled. "Thank you again for inviting me. I'm
sure that the kitchens prepare better meals for you than they do for
me."

"It's no problem at all." he said generously. "I enjoy your company.
It's nice to relax in the quiet over a meal after a busy day, isn't
it? As for my meals being better, perhaps they are- but if that's the
case, you could go complain to them and mention that a Lady of your
Blood and your former position deserves meals as fine as mine. After
all, you have your young son. How is Aslian, by the way?"

"Well. Very well." Even though Ishek hadn't ever hinted that he'd
prefer the title 'Lord Holder' to 'Lord Warder', Thalia felt a little
defensive when he talked about her son. "He's growing so quickly, too
- I hardly know what to do with him!"

"That's good." Ishek remarked. "And you, you aren't wanting for
anything, are you? Everything's going well?"

"Not a thing." Thalia sipped her wine again. Maybe he knew...? **No.
Penryn wouldn't have told him. Although he was acting so _strangely_
last time we met...** "Although I'd love a little time to go riding.
I haven't been able to get out much now that Aslian is around... or
when I was pregnant, either."

"You enjoy riding?" Ishek asked with casualness, trying to fight down
a sudden surge of worry about her. "It's a nice pastime. Likely you
could go sometime soon- plenty of people would be willing to go with
you, I'm sure."

The Lady shrugged. "Sometimes. I hate to be a bother, though, so
usually I go by myself. There are several nice trails around the Hold
and up into the mountains. Do you ride?"

Ishek's eyes widened. "Lady," he said quietly, but with steel in his
tone, "I implore you not to go alone." His voice was tight and he
tried to keep it from cracking. "The fugitives have not been found,
and if there were any other bandits about... I fear for your safety,
Lady." he said sincerely. "As for riding, yes, I do. I used to almost
every restday in the past."

Thalia refrained from giving him the dirty look he deserved. Verora
and Meijah obviously had the sense to leave Garnet Valley territory -
and it wasn't as if she went _that_ far from the Hold! "Well then,
we'll have to go riding some time. Nipper doesn't get out as often as
she'd like."

"I would enjoy that." Ishek said, finding with a bit of surprise that
he actually would. He hadn't been riding, except for business
reasons, since Shama died. **To pleasanter things.** he thought
quickly.

"Would you mind if I brought up work at this dining?" he said softly.
"Or is that a discussion best saved for the day?"

What was it with men and work at this Hold! Thalia toyed with her
wineglass as she shook her head. "As long as it's not _too_ serious,"
she teased.

"Actually I think it's something you might quite enjoy. Did you enjoy
planning the dinner for the welcoming? You certainly did a wonderful
job of it." he said warmly.

"Thank you!" Thalia smiled - he'd noticed! **And he remembered...**
"It was a challenge, but I'm glad that it went off so well."

"Well, you did an amazing job. And I was thinking..." He hesitated,
uncertain. "The River Bluff Weyrleaders didn't attend. Maybe we could
hold some sort of event to meet them? Do you have any ideas for
that?"

"The Weyrleaders? I honestly hadn't thought of it... I mean, it was a
shame that they couldn't attend your original banquet..." She
trailed off, remembering the reason for their absence.

"Yes." Ishek said. "And I feel that I need to meet with them, if I'm
going to be tithing to them and protected by them."

"Of course. Another banquet... will be costly." Thalia bit her lip
and stared at the candle flame between them as she thought. "Even if
it is smaller. And especially during the winter. We used up many of
the more... exotic preserves on your banquet. And then there is the
question of timing... no doubt you will receive an invitation to the
Hatching that's coming up, so you'd have to decide whether to invite
them over before or afterwards."

"Before, as I'd prefer to get to know them before that. But if it's
going to be inconvenient..." He tried to think about her concerns.
"What if it wasn't a banquet, merely a semi-formal dinner? Wouldn't
that use less of the exotic stores?"

"It's not that they need to be hoarded, Ishek, it's that we don't
have any." Thalia sighed. "But I suppose we can make do - and it's
not as if we could order more, since the only way to get things like
fresh apples or cinnamon right now is dragonback, and that would
rather ruin the surprise, wouldn't it? I'll think of something."
Although it _felt_ more impressive to serve fresh fruit and spiced
cakes, it would be just as impressive if the cooks could whip up
marzipan imitations of the same thing... she hoped. "Do you want a
banquet, or a smaller dinner?"

"I think a smaller dinner would be fine- there's no need for a whole
Hold affair, is there? I just want to get to know them outside of an
office."

"That's... fair enough. And can be arranged. But... what about your
'personal assistant'? What does he think of this?"

"No, I've said nothing. Penryn helped me with the idea at the feast-
at least, the seed of it, and I've been thinking about it ever since.

You are," he admitted honestly, "perhaps more familiar with this then
I, so I approached you first." He paused. "Ah, have you met Kiomo,
then?"

"Briefly, in the courtyard." She picked up her knife and began to
twirl it between her fingers before she remembered it was rude, and
set it back down again. "Did you honestly not know him at _all_
before he arrived here?"

"No, I didn't. It was surprising to have him arrive here, but he
seems a competent young man, and new Holders are always good." Ishek
said. "I knew nothing about him beforehand."

"And... you trust him?" Thalia abruptly looked down at the
tablecloth. "Forgive me - I don't mean to question your judgment...
but after what happened to my husband... when Verora- I just want to
know why you trust him so completely. He's a stranger to the Hold,
and an ambitious one."

"His breeding seems good- having resorted to the Records and asking
around, I hear nothing but good of his father. I hope he's the same
way." Ishek responded. "I'm willing to allow him responsibility, for
now- he does know things that even I don't. If he makes a threatening
move, though..." Ishek shook his head. "I don't want to be blind and
let in a venomous tunnelsnake, but I don't want to chase off a
skilled helper out of fear."

**A threatening move may be too late,** she thought, but bit her
tongue before she said it. "Caution and fear aren't the same thing."

Ishek nodded. "You are very wise, Lady Thalia." he said softly,
admiring that trait in her. "And I appreciate your reminding me of
this fact." Realizing things had turned serious, he reached into his
pocket. "If I may change the subject," he began, "I have something
for you."

Thalia blinked, taken aback by the sudden change in topic. "For me?
Thank you kindly, but you really shouldn't have." It was the polite
thing to say, but she loved gifts. What woman didn't?

"I have to confess that I was remiss in not giving it to you before.
I'd picked it up, well, it was supposed to be for the feast but..."
He was flustered- the last time he'd given a woman jewelry was his
sister, and before that it was his former wife, so he was out of
practice and very nervous.

"I thought after everything..." He paused; maybe that wasn't the best
angle. "I just thought that you deserved something pretty." he
admitted. "And I wanted to make you feel better after the things that
have gone on." He pulled it out of his pocket and opened the case.
There was a necklace inside, the one he'd picked up from the Smith
Hall. He pushed it across the table, wondering how she'd react to it.

Thalia picked up the case curiously and peeked inside. And gasped as
the candlelight picked out the fire buried within the garnets and
made the gold shine. She looked up at Ishek with wide eyes and
swallowed the sudden lump in her throat. "Oh Ishek- thank you! It's
lovely. I-I can't... I don't know what to say!"

Ishek smiled, very pleased with her reaction. He'd _hoped_ she would
like it very much- not because he'd spent many marks, but because he
genuinely liked Lady Thalia. "You don't have to say anything." he
said. "I just... I should be apologizing for not giving it to you at
the feast like I wanted to. I can be scatterbrained." **And
nervous.** he thought.

"There's no need to apologize. I'm the one who needs to be thanking
you." Thalia picked up the necklace and draped it across her neck to
admire it. "It's beautiful, and uncalled for, and I'll be honored to
wear it to the Weyrleader's banquet."

Ishek smiled. "I am glad you appreciate it, Lady Thalia." he said
quietly. "And I must say that I enjoy these dinners very much.
Whether we're discussing work or not... it's a pleasure to be able to
leave behind work and simply get to know the people around you."

"I agree." She regretfully set aside the necklace, feeling slightly
guilty about the assumptions she'd made about Ishek when he'd first
arrived. But then it just went to show - sometimes people changed.

Last updated on the April 30th 2006

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A Little Something