Blood Ties That Bind

Writers: Aaron, Suzee
Date Posted: 2nd January 2022

Characters: Bryvin, Wirnan
Description: A reaffirmation of unconditional support under the shadow of the uncertainty of Asaile's labor complications.
Location: Sunstone Seahold
Date: month 12, day 22 of Turn 10
Notes: Mentioned: Yriadha; Asaile; Suynie; Xeladrie

Bryvin

Wirnan

Wirnan waited until he was sure that Bryvin was alone and unoccupied
enough to be interrupted. Wirnan hated to interrupt now that he
finally had a moment to himself. Bryvin must have had so much on his
mind, so many worries. And in the end, there was not much Wirnan could
do. But he had to do something to show his dear cousin that he would
do whatever he needed. Wirnan owed everything he had, the very fact
that he had a life to live now, to Bryvin, and he would never hesitate
to do anything his cousin needed. Anything at all, no questions asked.

Skies, Wirnan could not help but feel a terrible heaviness in his
chest. He could only imagine â€" what would he do, how would he cope if
he and Suynie were married, and she bore his child, and that burden
put her in danger of death? He knew Bryvin would be there for him
then.

"My Lord?" Wirnan knocked at the door. "It's Wirnan." Bryvin would
know him by his voice, or course, but it would not do to be impolite
or inconsiderate. "May I come in?"

Bryvin laid down the jeweled letter opener he'd been toying with and
passed a hand over his eyes. "Come in Wirnan," he called a moment
later and watched as the door opened. "You know you can call me Bryvin
when we're just family," he half smiled with sad eyes.

"I thought maybe someone might be in with you," said Wirnan as he
closed the door behind him. He offered his cousin a sympathetic smile
of his own. "I wanted to find out whether there's anything I can do.
At the very least, I didn't want you to have to be alone right now."

He would have brought something to drink, but he knew it was best for
them both to have their wits about them for the time being. There
would be time for drink later. One way or the other.

"Yriadha was here until about a candlemark ago. I'd planned on going
to sleep but can't motivate myself to get out of this chair." He shook
his head. "I was never this way with Xeladrie's deliveries."

"I did my best not to overlap. I didn't want to intrude," said Wirnan.
"But... Well, you and yours are as good as all the family I have left,
aren't you. So I wanted to be here for you, even if I had to wait. I
hope it didn't... I hope I haven't been too distant. Once... Well, if
we have a better idea of what tomorrow will bring, I can get you a cup
of something that will make sleeping easier. But until then, I'll stay
up with you. Uh, if you don't mind."

"You aren't intruding Wirnan," Bryvin shook his head. "You're family
and one of the few people I can truly trust. I hope you know that."

"Oh," Wirnan chuckled. "I didn't... I didn't mean to say that you'd
think I was intruding _now_." He was not sure just how much Bryvin
would appreciate a nervous chuckle just now.

"I just meant I wanted to give you and Yriadha your space. If you
wanted me hearing that, you'd have invited me. But. I do know," said
Wirnan. "And I would never betray your trust. Never you." Wirnan had
waded through his fair share of dark underbellies on his way to
surviving the aftermath of the plot that saw him in his sham marriage,
and whatever Bryvin could muster, he knew it would never hold a candle
to what he had already had to do. And even if it did. Leading a hold
required a certain degree of willingness to bear things an ordinary
man ought not have to bear.

And Wirnan knew that even if Bryvin had to bear such things, he was a
_good_ man. He would bear them as best as any man could, and Wirnan
would move mountains to help him.

"I'm glad you understand," Bryvin smiled. "She's a fine woman who
understands and that is a rare thing," he said. "I want you to do
something for me Wirnan. If something happens to me, make sure my
children are protected... and that includes Yavin." He'd not told his
cousin that the boy was his son.

Wirnan's eyes did widen briefly for a moment. He had never
considered... but now, having been told, he felt the fool for not
having already guessed it. And he felt especially foolish for ever
thinking he might court Yriadha. With as close as she was to Yavin as
his guardian, Wirnan doubted Bryvin would want anyone else chasing
after her. He hoped she had never mentioned that particular
embarrassment to Bryvin.

"Bryvin, if... If there's ever a time when something might happen to
you, I want you to know, I'll do whatever it takes to make sure
nothing _does_ happen," said Wirnan. "Anything in my power, anything I
have. All you have to do is say the word. And all I would ask of you
is something you're already doing â€" take care of Suynie and Lucyien.
Please."

"Agreed," Bryvin nodded.

"Thank you." Wirnan smiled and nodded with relief. "For your trust,
for everything. Have you... Does the baby have a name?"

"Not yet. I wanted Asaille to see her before we talk about it. She
only ever talked about boy names. She was so certain she was giving
Brylex a brother." He locked eyes with Wirnan. "She does know Yavin is
mine through an indiscretion with Yriadha's cousin. He looks
altogether too much like me." The words expressed concern but there
was also a fair amount of pride. "I would like you to train him as a
Steward when the time comes. At some point I intend to acknowledge him
but Brylex is my heir."

Wirnan's eyes widened and misted a bit for a moment and he smiled
warmly and nodded, quite touched.

"Oh, that would be my honor, Bryvin," he said. He had it nowhere in
him to judge. Such indiscretions happened all the time in the Holds,
and most of them were never acknowledged, let alone trained as
stewards.

"I... Well, I'm certain it hasn't escaped your notice," said Wirnan.
It had escaped his own notice, but not Yriadha's. So Bryvin had surely
seen. "I'd like to ask Suynie to marry me. Perhaps I might train
Lucyien as Yavin's assistant?" he asked. "Even if Suynie won't have
me, I would still like to take care of her and her son..."

Bryvin's eyes dropped back to the jeweled dagger atop his desk.
"Wirnan, I know Amethyst Cliff no longer exists," he started. "But
I've still felt a duty to our bloodline to reestablish it." He waved a
hand between the two of them. "We are almost the last of our Blood.
The Earthquake and the Plague devastated our house. Would you consider
marriage to a woman of the blood?"

Wirnan was stunned enough that his breath caught for a moment. While
it had been in the context of protecting Bryvin's life, Wirnan had
just promised him anything and everything he could give.

He just did not expect that this would be something Bryvin would need
from him. It had been a long time since Wirnan had thought anything
about his blood or continuing its line. He only wished he had not
begun to court Suynie before Bryvin asked him for this, because now he
was going to have to hurt her. She deserved so much better.

"If that's what you need from me," he managed to say. Anything Wirnan
had, he only had it because of Bryvin.

Bryvin saw Wirnan's reaction and realized his cousin was already
emotionally involved with the children's nurse. She was pretty and
a gentle and good woman like Wirnan was a good man. So, he could
understand how it could have happened. It just wasn't the best match
for a man of the blood. Frankly, Yriadha would have been better with
her lands and ties to Garnet Valley Blood but she was his and he wasn't
about to give her up, not even to Wirnan.

"Look," he said as he leaned his forearms on his desk. "I am not
making this a command, Wirnan. I am actually giving you a choice. One
I have not had. My marriage to Xeladrie was a disaster but Asaille is
lovely and gentle. I would never wish another bad match on you like
Kaya. I just want you to think about it before you make an offer to
anyone's father."

"Of course," said Wirnan. He nodded and focused on collecting himself.
With anyone else, he would have kept his emotions and expressions in
check, but he had already opened himself up with Bryvin.

This was clearly important to him, and Wirnan may as well have been
the only person in the world who could give it to him. Perhaps he was.
The idea of an arranged marriage certainly called back a host of
unpleasant memories, but this sort of arrangement was entirely
different from his first marriage. That was no arranged marriage â€" it
was extortion.

"I-is there someone you had in mind?" he wondered. Having asked, a
certain young woman came to mind. One of the girls who had come to the
Hold when Bryvin was searching for his Lady. She had brought him tea
and cakes.

And only just then did it occur to Wirnan what she had been after.
Oslia would have known Wirnan shared Bryvin's blood, as much as Wirnan
had cast it out of his own awareness. She was likely only so sweet
with him because she hoped he would Notice Her. But she had been
sweet. She surely would have played the loving and dutiful wife very
well. She was so young.

As was Asaile, really. But that was the way of things with Lords and
their cousins, Wirnan supposed. Especially when they had disastrous
first marriages.

"No one in particular," he shook his head. "I will leave the choice up
to you, of course. I would just like you to set your sights a little
higher. Even wealth would be acceptable in lieu of blood. I might
suggest talking to Yriadha. She had close dealings with all the young
ladies who visited to try and catch me," he grinned "I felt like the
prize bull at a gather." He only wanted Wirnan to think and take his
time with his choice.

"Not a bad way to feel, I daresay," Wirnan grinned. Yriadha would
likely be busy until everyone knew what would happen with Asaile, but
when the time came, he would talk to her. He would have to be quick to
assure her that Bryvin had not suggested he court _her_. Wirnan was
not sure he could withstand that kind of embarrassment again.

Last updated on the February 10th 2022

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Blood Ties That Bind