A Much-Needed Reminder

Writers: Avery, Yvonne
Date Posted: 23rd April 2007

Characters: Thalia, Ishek
Description: Thalia rescues Ishek from his office and helps remind him that there's more to life than work.
Location: Garnet Valley Hold
Date: month 2, day 26 of Turn 4

"Well? What do you think?" Thalia asked. She'd found Ishek between his office and his personal apartments, and on a whim had dragged him outside to see her garden. The poor man looked as if he needed a little sunshine, and what better place to find it than in amongst the yellow and gold flowers?

Ishek looked around and took a deep breath, breathing in the air and finding some comfort in the flowers. This was much better than being inside, working. "I like it." he said, looking at Thalia with a warm smile. "It brings light to the Hold."

"Oh, pish!" Thalia dismissed his claim even as it made her smile.
"The Hold was managing well enough on its own without my little plot of earth. But... I do think that it's a nice addition. Sometimes everything is so _utilitarian_."

Ishek nodded. "That's exactly why we need your garden. To bring this kind of change." Gardening- he'd never tried it. He wondered if it was like farming. He enjoyed that kind of work with his hands and his body. It could be hard, but it was respectable, and honest, and enjoyable. And entirely unlike being a Lord Holder.

"I also wanted to bring you here to thank you for allowing me this space to begin with. I know it was an odd request, but..." Thalia sighed. "I do so miss the gardens we had at Eastern Point Hold."

"It was nothing, if it made you happier." and Ishek really meant that. "You haven't gone home since your son was born, have you?" he asked.

"No." She watched a yellow poppy bob its head in the breeze. "But then, I didn't really expect to go home again after I married. It's harder to leave when you've got responsibilities."

"Well, yes. But don't you want to see your family, introduce them to your son? You have enough status here to call the Weyr for a dragonrider, or request transport in some other manner if you wanted." he said. It wasn't that he wanted her to leave, but he certainly didn't want her to feel like she could never visit! "I'm lucky to have Miralani here, and even when she marries Daynar, she'll be nearby. Time with your family is very important."

She smiled. "But you've never left either."

"Mira is here." he reminded her. "And all but our brother are dead.
Kavalek clearly can't come here because he has his own Hold. It would make it difficult to find time to coordinate a visit." He sighed. It didn't make it any easier to be apart from his family, though.
"Sometimes I wonder if he envies me. I was to be a Steward at most-
here I am, with a larger Hold, and I'm the younger."

"Will he be here for the wedding?" Thalia asked.

"I hope so." Ishek said. "If need be I'll borrow a dragonrider to go fetch him myself." he joked. "He was at both of our first weddings, though, so I think he'll come. Did your family attend yours?"

"Yes. Well, my immediate family came, but only one of my aunts and none of my cousins. It was a large affair." Larger than Miralani's would be, although thinking of her deceased husband and the golden mark stuffed into the bottom of her jewelry box made her a little sad. "We were married by the Harper Hallmaster, and dragonriders brought fresh flowers for my hair."

Ishek could picture Thalia with fresh flowers in her hair. She would look beautiful that way. She did look lovely, even now, in the garden.
"It sounds like it was a wonderful ceremony." he said honestly.
"Especially the Harper Hallmaster performing it. That must have been nice."

She nodded. The wedding was a haze of nerves and dread. And excitement. She had been married off to a Lord Holder, and that was no small coup. But she'd also been married off to a complete stranger twice her age. It was a wonder she could remember anything at all.
"It was, only it rained that day."

"The rain wasn't a pleasant addition, then?" He sighed, remembering his own. "It rained lightly after I was wed. Shama and I slipped away from the reception to walk in it- it didn't matter that her gown was wet. It was just...nice." He couldn't help but smile a soft sad smile, thinking about it. "Ours wasn't large either. I guess the next time, it will have to be large."

"Aswic didn't want a big wedding either, but the Holders all want to see their Lord getting married. He was never one for ceremony - much like you, in that way."

"I hope that made it easier for everyone to adjust to me." Ishek said, trying to make light of it. "I wonder if anyone truly enjoys all the ceremony?"

"I do! I didn't much then, but my wedding was- difficult. And your sister certainly does," Thalia added, perhaps a little slyly.

Ishek laughed. "She does far more than I do. Hopefully, when I get married, she won't go overboard on the ceremony. You know she'll insist on being involved." He rolled his eyes, knowing Miralani would insist.

"Well, just remember that you _can_ say 'no' to her. She is only your sister, after all, and it is better to make your wife happy than your sister. Besides, she'll be living at the Smith Hall anyway."

"This is true. On the other hand, I know I'll have to have some ceremonies now, and she can at least pick out the right ones for that. Hopefully my wife will prefer less ceremony to more." he muttered. At least Thalia understood these problems, with marriage and expectations- most people didn't.

"Can I pick something out for you?"

Ishek thought about it for barely a moment. "Yes." he told her.

She smiled, picked a daisy, and carefully slid it behind his ear.
"There! Now you can face the rest of the day with a little reminder that there's a world outside the Hold."

He smiled at her, reaching up to lightly touch his ear. "Thank you for much needed reminder." he said.

"Unless you'll stay for a candlemark or two out here with me?" Thalia asked hopefully.

"I'd love to, but hidework calls." Ishek said regretfully. Staying with Thalia would be a far more pleasant option. "But I will visit you again soon." he promised.

Last updated on the April 26th 2007

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A Much-Needed Reminder