I Have a Feeling...

Writers: Aaron, Estelle
Date Posted: 23rd November 2020

Characters: Brina, Wirnan
Description: Wirnan recounts the tale of a recent encounter...
Location: Sunstone Seahold
Date: month 2, day 12 of Turn 10
Notes: Mentioned: Bryvin, Yriadha
This follows "Wirnan and the Young Lady"

Brina

Wirnan

Wirnan did not rush to tattle on the girl. But he was never going to
stop being wary of women looking to woo him, much as he might want to.
So when next Wirnan happened to talk to Brina, of course, he was going
to bring it up. Especially if he was not entirely successful in his
deflection.

"Good morning, Lady Brina," Wirnan greeted her cheerfully. "Are you
busy, or would you care for breakfast? I brought confections..." He held
up the remainder of the sweet cakes the girl had brought him.

She looked up, surprised. "Oh, good morning, Wirnan. I'm not busy, but
perhaps it's a little early for sweets. They do look good, though." Her
eyes glinted with amusement. "Have you been baking?"

"Oh, not me. That's not one of my many talents." Wirnan grinned and set
the cakes down. "Can I make you some tea, then?" he offered instead.

"That would be lovely." She put aside the records she'd been working on,
making a list of supplies to order from the next trading ship to visit
the hold, and examined the cakes. "Have you made friends with one of the
cooks, then? Someone's taken a lot of care with these."

"Aye, someone has, at that," said Wirnan. "It seems I've caught the eye
of one of the fosterling lasses," he explained. "Maybe she thinks she's
got more of a chance wooing me than Bryvin. She thought I looked like I
needed cakes."

He put a kettle on to boil.

"Ah. Well, I suppose it was to be expected, sooner or later. After all,
there's only one of Bryvin. And you are rather a catch for a young lady,
Steward," she teased.

"Oh, is that so?" Wirnan chuckled. "I did my best to prod her toward
thinking of me more like an older brother. She seems a nice lass, and I
haven't the stomach to be cruel."

Even with his history with women insinuating themselves into his
romantic life.

"I'm glad of that." Brina sat down in one of the more comfortable
chairs, near the open window where they could catch the sea breeze. "It
isn't easy for them. There's a lot of pressure... But if it bothers you,
I could have a quiet word with the girl."

"Well, I hardly want to hurt the poor girl's feelings, do I? But neither
do I want to lead her on, you understand – nor take advantage of her,"
said Wirnan. "I have no intention of marrying, perhaps ever again. I
won't say she bothers me; that would be unkind and untrue. And I did
enjoy her baking." He sighed.

"I'm too soft for my own good."

"You've got a kind heart. That's something to be proud of." Brina
wondered, once again, what had happened in the time they'd been apart to
put him off marriage altogether, but she said nothing. If he wanted to
tell her, he would, in his own time. "I'll mention to the girls that you
and your staff have work to do, and they should only visit when they're
asked - and with a proper chaperone! That way, there's no need even to
mention a name." She glanced at him, a note of humor in her voice. "It
might cut off the cake supply, I'm afraid, but perhaps we can arrange an
alternative."

"Well, that's probably for the best when it comes to fitting into my
pants, anyway," Wirnan chuckled. "I hate for her to feel like she's done
something wrong. Or that I tattled on her." His smile faded a bit..

"Or that I thought she wasn't good enough or some rubbish like that. But
there's no easy way to say, 'sorry, sweetheart – there's nothing wrong
with you, but I'm not going to marry you.' Is there?"

"If there is, I never learned it," Brina said, sympathy in her voice.
"I'm sure she'll get over any heartache in time. That's the nature of
being young." Not that she'd ever experienced romantic trials herself as
a girl, having been promised in marriage almost before she began to
think of such things. "I do think it's kinder to be honest, really."

"It is the best policy, as they say," Wirnan agreed. He could simply let
Brina take care of telling them, just the way she said. It would keep
him ever having to see any hurt on the girl's face. She could not
possibly have any real feelings for him yet, but she would have his
rejection and surely would not be able to avoid considering the
possibility that he had found her lacking.

"They do say that, and they're often right." She smiled. "Don't worry,
Steward. I'll take care of it. Perhaps I can introduce her to someone
more suitable. Though I'm afraid as long as you aren't married, she may
not be the last to try to win your heart."

"As long as I'm not married?" Wirnan smiled at Brina, perhaps
considering the idea for the first time. "What if I were courting
someone?" he asked. He and Brina might not have seen each other in ages
before they both came to live with Bryvin, but she likely knew him
better than just about anyone else at that point.

"I don't suppose you know anyone, do you?" he asked. "Someone who... I
don't know. Someone like us. Someone who already had a crack at
marriage. Who maybe just wants some stability and isn't looking for love
or... Or the prestige of my proximity to Lord Bryvin."

"Are you asking me to play matchmaker, cousin?" Brina teased. She
thought for a moment. "You know, I think you have just described the
Headwoman. She's a widow, and she already has Lord Bryvin's respect.
Perhaps it's not too soon..." The husband had been lost not long before
her arrival at the Hold, a little more than six months before. "But
she's not a woman to show emotion, so it's hard to tell."

"Well, I'm not not asking you," Wirnan chuckled. If he could go on just
being single, it would be best – but if his apparently availability
continued to present itself as a problem, well. Then a marriage of
convenience to someone else who found marriage to be convenient could be
a solution. Ideally for both of them.

"I couldn't say what Yriadha thinks of me," he said. "Or even whether
she thinks of me at all. But if she might be willing to take a crack at
it..."

Wirnan sighed. "Am I out of my mind, Brina?" he asked.

"You're one of the sanest people I know. Though given that I spend so
much time with the young ladies, that's not saying so very much." Her
smile turned a little sad. "I think you've had a hard time, cousin. I
won't ask you to relive it, but I hope you know you can find peace here.
Even if you have to bar your office door against unexpected visitors."

Wirnan chuckled and shook his head. Sane compared to a flock of young
women hoping for a chance to be Lady Holder, well. He had received worse
compliments.

Though he could not think of any off the top of his head.

"Aye, peace. I suppose that's why I came, isn't it? Well. I'll leave the
difficult parts in your capable hands, then, shall I?" He smiled and
took the kettle off as it began to whistle and then poured a cup for
each of them.

"What's been on your mind? Anything I can help you with?"

She accepted the tea gratefully and shook her head. "Mostly keeping
fights from breaking out over my brother's affections. Though when he
does make a choice, we'll both be suddenly very busy indeed. I've been
starting to think about it. Decorations, menus, invitations,
arrangements for the guests." She smiled suddenly. "You may meet someone
more suited to you at the wedding. It does happen."

"I've been doing my best to plan ahead for it," said Wirnan. "The
wedding, not the... meeting someone." He sighed. He did not particularly
want to meet anyone – and that was part of the problem. He just wanted a
roadblock to someone else wanting to meet him.

"Then let's stick with discussing hold matters, and not mention weddings
at all for the rest of the day." Brina sipped her tea. "You can tell me
all about the latest cargoes that have come into port, or how your new
assistants are shaping up, and it'll make a pleasant change for both of
us." She put her head on one side, considering. "And perhaps I will have
a cake, after all..."

"Of course." Wirnan was not at all sure whether he was relieved for the
change of subject or not. It all felt rather unresolved. And he was
surprised at how much he wished it were resolved.

He held out the tray of cakes to Brina.

Last updated on the November 23rd 2020

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

I Have a Feeling...