Things Change

Writers: Eimi, Yvonne
Date Posted: 19th May 2007

Characters: Thalia, Penryn
Description: Thalia visits Penryn and his new son
Location: Garnet Valley Hold
Date: month 2, day 20 of Turn 4

Thalia hadn't slept well that night. She still felt light-headed when she knocked on Penryn's door the next morning, light-headed and sure that he'd be able to spot her just-kissed lips and the flush in her cheeks. Her skin felt overly sensitive and she was sure she'd spot Kiomo around every corner, and was somewhat disappointed when she didn't. **Harlot,** she thought as she knocked. **You're too easy with your affections.**

Penryn opened the door, his eyes obviously rimmed with dark circles, but his lips broke into a smile at the sight of his visitor. "Lady Thalia! Please, come in."

He looked exhausted, and Thalia's heart went out to him. "I hope I'm not disturbing you," she said quietly, "but I wanted to see how you and Ryalane are doing. And the baby."

"Please, come in. Come see him," Penryn took a step back and beckoned her in. "Ryalane is sleeping now, but Bryalen is awake."

The Lady grinned and followed Penryn inside. She didn't really want to see Ryalane anyway. The room was dimly lit, but tidy. The mess of childbirth hadn't extended into the main room, and Thalia found herself looking around curiously. Penryn had finally moved into the old Steward's room, but she still found it somewhat lacking in personal touches. Odd - she'd have thought that Ryalane would have made it her own quickly.

"Sit down, please," he nodded towards the sitting area as he hurried over to the bassinet in the corner. The baby gave a brief groan of protest, but quickly settled down as his nice warm spot in the blankets was replaced with a warm body instead. Penryn carefully walked over to sit down beside her. "This is Bryalen."

"Oh, he's so tiny!" Thalia itched to hold him - it wasn't that long ago that Aslian had been that size. But Aslian hadn't been that ugly... Bryalen was red faced and his eyes were squinty. "Look at how perfect his little hands are."

"Aren't they amazing?" Penryn beamed. "Would you like to hold him?"

"May I?" Penryn handed his step-son over and Thalia smiled as the familiar weight of a baby settled into her arms. Aslian was so much bigger now, but Bryalen's weight made her feel a little nostalgic.
"He's so tiny...."

"I know. Every time I hold him I'm half afraid I'm going to break him." He couldn't help but beam down at the little one though. Penryn and his first wife had wanted a baby of their own for so long.
This one might not be his biologically, but he couldn't help but feel a part he had been missing in his life was finally found.

"Just don't drop him on his head and he'll be fine."

"I'll try to keep that in mind," he chuckled. "He's going to grow fast though, won't he. It won't be long before Bryalen and Aslian can be playmates!"

"Oh! What a marvelous idea!" Although it wasn't as if she hadn't thought of it already. "You and Aslian will be the best of friends, won't you? Won't you?" she cooed at Bryalen. The baby looked unamused, his face scrunching up into an undecipherable expression.
"The best of friends. Once he's a little older, too, please let Ryalane know that she's welcome to leave Bryalen with Aslian and his nurse. I'm sure that she'll want some time apart from her child."

"Especially since I'll be working during the day and won't be able to help her. And she's so exhausted." How any woman could take care of a baby after the whole process of giving birth was amazing to him. He would be flat on his back for days!

Thalia nodded. "Just... watch out for her..." she said tentatively.
"It can be- lonely. When you first have a baby." Right after Aslian had been born she'd cried for what seemed like days on end, but other mothers had told her that she'd be all right, and she was... mostly.
"Sometimes everyone is so focused on the baby they forget the mother."

"That's very helpful advice, Lady. Thank you." Penryn wanted to help Ryalane any way he could with the baby, but hearing the perspective of a woman who had a child herself gave him a different take on it all he might not have thought about. Thalia was right, of course. He would probably have focused more on the baby, but the mother needed extra care and attention too. He would certainly take her words to heart. "Do you have any other advice to give a new father and husband?"

She shook her head. "I'm sorry, Penryn. Unfortunately Aswic was not as... Well, he tried." He'd been a somewhat better father than husband, but Thalia's personal experience when it came to fatherhood was somewhat limited. In her own family her father had been there, but distant, and she and her mother had been cared for by an extended group of female relations.

"I'm sorry, Lady Thalia. It must not have been easy to share your husband with an entire Hold." Of course the Lord Holder probably had meant well, but his reposibilities were far greater than even the Stewards. "I'm sure it hasn't been easy raising Lord Aslian on your own."

"Many women do. I'm not that special." Save for the fact that she had a nurse. Thalia felt a little guilty about it, but just couldn't imagine spending _all_day_ doting on her son. What about her garden?
As she looked down at Bryalen, at his soft little head and wrinkly fingers, and wondered just how his mother would feel about him. How Penryn thought of a son who wasn't his own... it made her sad, somehow. "You must be very proud of him," she said quietly.

"I am." He smiled thoughtfully as he reached out a finger for the little hand to grasp onto. "It isn't quite how I had imagined starting a family, but no matter how he came to me, Bryalen is mine now."

"Yes, he is." Looking down at the little babe in her arms, with his tufts of hair and pinched, reddened face, made her think of Aslian.
He was _hers_, no matter what Conclave and Hold thought of it. And through it, Garnet Valley Hold was hers.

It was a chilling thought. Thalia lifted the baby and gave him a gentle kiss on his forehead. Inheritance carried a heavy burden...
but was she strong enough to bear its weight for both herself and Aslian until he was old enough to assume some of it? **I have to be,** she thought, sneaking a look at Penryn. **No matter what the cost.**

After a moment she handed Bryalen back to his adoptive father and stood. "I ought to go. Ryalane needs her rest, and I'm sure that she would... be uncomfortable if I was here."

"Uncomfortable?" What an interesting choice of words...

Thalia smiled. "Perhaps I'll see you tomorrow, Penryn. And I hope that you sleep well."

Penryn knew when not to press. "Thank you, Lady, I shall as much as this little one will let me."

Which wouldn't be much, but Thalia didn't have the heart to tell him that. Instead she smiled and fiddled with her skirts for a moment, wondering if she could possibly change her mind and stay... until she remembered Kiomo, and felt ashamed. "Until then," she said, and fled the room.

Last updated on the May 19th 2007

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Things Change