Arranging a Marriage

Writers: AL, Vix
Date Posted: 13th April 2008

Characters: Tanas, Marida
Description: Marida and Tanas meet for the first time as their parents plan their marriage.
Location: Garnet Valley Hold
Date: month 9, day 5 of Turn 4

"Stop fiddling so, dear." Ridartia placed one hand over Marida's, forcing them to be still. "He's not a feline, he's not going to attack you."

Marida glanced up at her mother, then stared back at her hands. Ridartia removed hers and the younger woman forced her hands to be still instead of playing at one another. She was nervous. They were to meet her husband and she was bombarded by her thoughts. Was he nice? Would he take to her? Could she be a good wife to him? What was it like being a wife? What expectations did he have of her?

She was not beautiful, she knew that. Her hair was a dull brown colour, her eyes a muddled grey. Her nose was a little too large, her mouth a little too small and her eyebrows too thick. The nicest thing one could say about her was that she had nice thick eyelashes. Hardly a compliment. Would he be disappointed in her? He would probably expect a great beauty.

"You're fiddling again." Ridartia sighed heavily. Her mother was beautiful. Her hair was brown, but it shown with golden-red highlights. Her eyes were a beautiful, deep sky-blue, her cheeks and lips constantly rosey. Marida couldn't help but feeling that her mother was always disappointed that she never had a prettier daughter. She was her only daughter, the youngest of five.

Marida forced her hands to stop and continued to stare down at them. Her father, Marren, sat silent and thoughtful by her side, saying nothing. Evidently he didn't seem to care about her fiddling. Either that, or he just let his wife take care of it.

~*~

"Let me straighten this," Anasia's fingers tugged at her son's collar, pulling the stiff fabric so that it lay more closely to his neck.

"Mother." Tanas gave her a warning look. "One, I am an adult now. Two, I made this jacket and I think I can arrange it on my body by myself." "Now, now," Meriton muttered the words, forcing a jovial attitude. "We're all nervous, but. . ." He stopped as his wife turned and glared at his. Ever since his son's return to the Hold, only a sevenday earlier, he had done his best to smooth over the arguments, to keep his youngest son and his wife from picking on each other. Now here they were, at the door of Tanas' prospective wife's parents, and Meriton foresaw nothing but disaster.

With a last defiant look at his mother, Tanas raised his hand and knocked on the door.

"Come in." Marren's booming voice caused Marida to wince. He was so used to ordering others about that he often had to think twice before he actually entered into a conversation with someone.

"Hmmph," Anasia murmured. "They aren't even going to open the door and show us in properly?" "Oh for love of Faranth. . ." Meriton reached past her and turned the knob, shoving the door open and pressing a hand against her back to urge her forward.

Nervousness hit Marida with renewed vigor and she couldn't help but sneak a peek up when her husband to be and his family entered. Well, he wasn't particularly handsome, but he didn't disgust her either. She studied him as well she could without looking like she was staring. If his hair were cut straighter, it would probably help.

**Not much to look at,** Tanas thought to himself as he glanced at the young woman. **But I hadn't expected much either.**

Anasia looked from one occupant of the room to another and finally extended one of her hands. "I am Anasia, wife to Meriton and mother of Tanas." Ridartia stood up and moved forward, evidently the spokesperson for her family, at least in this regard. "Well met Anasia!" Her smile fairly beamed as she settled it upon Tanas and his parents. "I'm Ridartia, wife to Marren," She waved her hand towards her husband, then to her daughter, "And this is my daughter, Marida." She turned expectantly toward her progeny. "Well, Marida, aren't you going to say hello?"

After a moment's hesitation, Marida stood and did a half curtsey, though her hands stayed firmly clasped in front of her. "Hello." It was mumbled and just audible to the ear.

Marida's mother managed to choke back a sigh of annoyance and turned to Anasia. "She's just a little shy when meeting people for the first time."

Anasia forced a smile. "I see." Her eyes swept up and down the younger woman, evaluating, before she elbowed her son.

Forced to action, Tanas made an awkward bow, aimed generally in Marida's direction. "Well met." "Well, now, shall we sit down?" Ridartia motion to the empty chairs that flanked the table where she and her family had been sitting moments before. "We can discuss matters."

Tanas started in that direction, but his mother grabbed his arm and stopped him. "Not you," she told him.

Meriton followed her, mumbling to his son, "It's the parents' job to make the arrangements." The young weaver stood helplessly, wondering what he was expected to do as they planned out his life.

Ridartia gently, but firmly, took her daughter's elbow and got her to move closer to Tanas. "Marida, dear, why don't you and Tanas go for a walk while we talk, hm?"

A walk? By themselves? Just the two of them? Marida wasn't so sure she liked that idea. She opened her mouth to protest, but the sharp look that her mother gave her cut her off. So, instead, she nodded and moved past her, past Tanas and to the door, almost as if she were eager to get away from all of them. Ridartia gave Tanas a pointed look, then turned back to her husband and his parents.

The journeyman blinked in surprise, but followed after his bride-to-be.

"Now." Ridartia took her seat once again, then motioned to the pitcher of juice and four cups that surrounded it. "Would you care for something to drink before we begin to talk over details?"

"Yes. . . please!" Meriton replied quickly, ignoring the glare from his wife. He had been through enough negotiations for the marriages of his daughters, and this session promised to be a long one, if the predatory look on Anasia's face was any indication.

Last updated on the April 17th 2008

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Arranging a Marriage