An Easy Choice to Make

Writers: Avery, Eimi
Date Posted: 31st March 2006

Characters: Ishek, Penryn
Description: Ishek and Penryn discuss whether or not Ishek should remarry for the Hold's advantage.
Location: Garnet Valley Hold
Date: month 10, day 22 of Turn 3

Ishek sighed as he contemplated Yimas, who was lying quietly and
peacefully on the desk, in the light of the window. He was so content
looking, and curled around something- but something that didn't exist
anymore. Ishek's mind immediately filled in Ishama, the golden flit that
had belonged to his wife. Yes, if she was there she'd be tucked into
Yimas' curl...

Tears welled in his eyes and he wiped his hand across them. Ishama was
gone, /betweened/ after Shama died. And Ishek... Ishek was alone. But he
wasn't supposed to be...not now, when he was Lord over Garnet Valley,
even if it was just until Aslian aged. He was supposed to be married, he
needed a wife to be a Lady. Miralani had told him that, so many times...

He grabbed parchment and wrote a quick note to Penryn, saying that he
needed to see him. He reached out and brushed a finger over Yimas. The
brown stirred and chirruped at him. Thoughts of affection in his mind,
Ishek imagined Yimas flicking /between/ to find Penryn as he attached
the note. Yimas chirped and left, and Ishek sat back to wait.

"Sir, you asked me to come?" Penryn asked when he peeked his head in the
Lord Holder's door.

Ishek nodded. He hoped that the fact that he'd begun to cry wasn't too
noticeable on his face. "Yes." he said. "Please, come in." he added.
"I'm afraid there's a matter of...some importance I need to discuss."

"Of course." Penryn slid into the seat across from the Lord Holder. He
noticed the red rim around the man's eyes, but he decided it best to
file that little piece of information away and not mention it.

"I was thinking about something my sister said." he admitted, refraining
from mentioning the sadness that had spawned that reminder. "It led me
to think about the Hold as a whole, and what's best for it." He looked
up at Penryn. "Tell me, who is handling the duties of the Lady Holder
right now?" he asked. "I know Lady Thalia is, but I don't know what else
is being done in the meantime..."

"I believe Lady Thalia and your sister are handling all the Lady
Holder's duties, sir," Penryn answered, though he wasn't quite sure what
the Lord Holder meant by 'in the meantime'...

"People keep telling me I should acquire a Lady Holder as soon as
possible." Ishek looked down at his hands and twisted them nervously. "I
can sort of see why... in the sense that it handles all of the duties
easily, rather then forcing two women to take on duties that are no
longer theirs." He paused and took a breath. "But...part of me resists
the idea. For personal reasons."

Ah. "That's understandable. But sir, you know that Lady Thalia does
not feel _forced_ into those duties. She is only too happy to be of
assistance. It makes her feel useful, I believe."

"That's good." Ishek said. "I by no means wanter her feeling useless,
she deserves better. And truth be told, I don't wish to remarry at all.
And yet I continue to hear the suggestion that perhaps it's time to
consider remarrying after these Turns. If not for myself, then for
appearance's sake, or to make an alliance for the Hold." He sighed. "I
wish it was an easy choice to make."

"How long has it been, sir?" the steward asked gently.

"Six Turns." Ishek said softly. "Six, and I haven't even looked at
another woman like that." The tears threatened to well again, but he
couldn't cry. Not right now- he had to continue discussing this with
Penryn.

"I need to know if you think it's the right thing to do now. Personally,
I wonder if it ever will be. But I know now I need to do what's best for
Garnet Valley, and if that's remarrying, I'll do it."

Shards. Six turns. Was he still going to grieve for Jaika like Ishek
is still grieving for his wife in another three turns? That thought
filled Penryn with a momentary sense of hopelessness, but he shook it
away. "Well, sir, I think you can take a _little_ time still to settle
into the Hold. But yes, it might be best for the Hold if you were to
marry eventually. Lady Thalia will need to remarry in any case, and
probably your sister as well. You will need _someone_ to act as your
Lady Holder."

Ishek nodded. "Actually, I think Miralani's already found herself a
prospect." he remarked. Then he laughed slightly. "Sort of ironic how so
many of us have lost our spouses." His tone indicated he didn't really
find it funny, just notable.

"This does seem to be the place for it," Penryn nodded with an equally
ironic smile. "What are your intentions? What kind of match do you
want to find?"

"I have no idea." Ishek admitted. "I hadn't even started thinking that
way yet. All I've been wrestling with is whether or not to do it. I
wanted to wait for love- I guess I thought I'd be that lucky- but I
doubt that will happen. Last time it was love. This time... I suppose
it's something that will be most advantageous. It feels somewhat like
I'm putting myself on the market to be sold like some caprine, though."

That statement sounded something similar to what Lady Thalia had said to
him one night... "I'm sure that is how the lady will feel too. It
_would_ be good to marry. For the Hold I mean. And who knows, you may
be very lucky. You will have plenty of women to chose from when the
time comes. I'm sure you will be able to find someone compatible."

Ishek nodded. "Things are simpler when you have less rank, I think; you
can look for love, and not worry about expediency." He listened to
Penryn's advice and thought. It sounded good, and reassured him. "I hope
so indeed." he said.

Last updated on the April 30th 2006

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An Easy Choice to Make