Good Intentions

Writers: AL, Yvonne
Date Posted: 5th December 2008

Characters: Briata, Thalia
Description: Briata introduces herself to Thalia
Location: Garnet Valley Hold
Date: month 13, day 20 of Turn 4
Notes: Takes place in the afternoon, after lunch, after "Time Together"

Briata

Briata was looking forward to a good candlemark or so just to be able to work on her embroidery. To be honest, she was at a bit of a loss finding things to keep herself occupied. She was in a strange state, not quite in a position to do anything useful, not quite a full resident of the Hold. The children were off at classes, Morina and her eldest set to their tasks. Briata had offered to help in various ways, but it seemed as if people were loathe to put her to work. So, she decided she would simply work on the shirt she was making for Ishek. She had started it just after his proposal and it was to be his wedding gift from her.

The girl made her way into the women's solar and sighed happily. Light, airy, perfect for getting work done. She started toward a chair near a woman and paused. They had never met, but Briata had seen her enough times to know who she was. "Why, hello my Lady!"

Thalia glanced up from her gitar to find that it was the fosterling, the one Ishek was marrying, who had spoken. The girl was was tall, with dark hair elegantly swept back from a sweet face, and her eyes were a startling green. The former Lady Holder felt immediately dumpy and plain by comparison, and her smile in return was tight. "Hello, Briata."

"Mind if I join you?" Briata asked cheerfully, indicating the chair next to the Lady. "I do enjoy company while I work."

"You may." There was no real gracious way to refuse, and Thalia found herself curious about Ishek's bride despite herself. Was she smart? Was she ambitious? What did she see in Ishek, and most importantly, would she be a threat to her son's security - and her own? It was obvious what Ishek saw in her, after all - the girl was beautiful.

"Oh thank you." Briata's tone remained cheerful as she lowered herself into a seat beside Thalia and took up the tunic and took the needle from where she had secured it. "I hope the day finds you well." She stated by way of hopefully entering polite conversation.

Thalia turned back to her gitar. "Quite. I've had a very pleasant morning, thank you. And you?"

"Oh, just lovely." Briata eyed the gitar. She had never learned to play. Harpers had come and gone from the hold and after her mother's death, she had been so preoccupied with hold matters that she had only time for one activity beyond that and she had chosen to concentrate on her embroidery. "I'm afraid I've no talent for music - at least, not for instruments. How long have you played?"

"Oh, since I was a child. My mother made sure that all of her children learned." A good choice, too - music could be practiced and refined into something acceptable, while other womanly arts, such as sketching, were much harder to force. "It's a shame that you don't play. Music can be such a comfort in difficult times, or when the Hold is snowed in during the winter."

"Well, I sing a little, mainly lullabies to children, though." Briata chuckled softly. "They don't seem to mind if my voice isn't exactly harper quality. I'd love to hear you play if you are willing to humour me."

"I don't have any of my sheet music with me," Thalia murmured demurely. "I'm afraid I'd only disappoint."

"I'd love to hear you play some time later then, if that's all right." Hopefully they would become friends. It would be nice to already have more friends at the hold. "How is your son? I've never met him. I bet he's absolutely adorable!"

Thalia stiffened slightly at the mention of her son, and her fingers went stiff against her gitar. She forced herself to relax and began strumming softly, fingering out a familiar shepherding song that was often heard in the nearby hills. It was a harmless question... wasn't it? "He is well. Happy and _healthy_. Do you intend to have children?"

"Oh I hope so!" Briata either didn't notice Thalia's reaction to her question or chose to politely overlook it. "I adore children. I want a dozen at least." The girl looked over the stitches she had taken, pulled a couple of them out and then redid them. "Though I have a feeling Ishek might disagree with me on the number."

Thalia glanced up. "A _dozen_?! That's... quite a lot. Although birthing a child yourself might change your mind."

"This is very true." Briata nodded and sighed. "I hope not. I know it's painful but...well, I am open minded enough to realise that once I have children of my own I may change my mind." Briata was about to ask how many children Thalia wanted, but then decided not to. It was probably not a subject that should be broached, especially to a widow with a young child. After all, she had lost her husband and she hadn't remarried. Would she ever? Definitely another question not to ask. "What other talents do you have besides playing gitar?"

The Lady laughed in spite of herself. "While I am flattered, I really don't play gitar well enough to call it a 'talent' - simply a pleasant amusement! And that is good enough for me. You, on the other hand, seem to enjoy embroidery much more than I do. Is that for a relative?"

"It's for Ishek." Briata laid out the tunic she was working on and ran her hand over it. The tunic was soft and smooth to the touch, the embroidery adding a nice texture here and there. "It's my wedding gift to him. Do you think he'll like it?"

"The stitching is very fine, and I like your choice of colours." Thalia looked back down at her fingers. Ishek probably _would_ like it.

"Thank you." Briata ran her fingers over the stitching once more. "To be honest, I'm often unsure about my colour choices. It's nice to have confirmation." The girl paused for a moment, then tilted her head to the side as she regarded the lady. "I say, do you ride at all?"

"I do. Not as often as my runner would like, but... I do." The threat of felines and the risk that Aswic's murderer still lurked in the hills had made her a little more fearful than she used to be.

"I enjoy it as well." Briata's smile widened. "Perhaps we can go riding together sometime." Sometimes it was nice to ride alone, a good way to contemplate things. Yet, Briata also enjoyed company on a ride.

Thalia smiled down at her gitar. "That would be nice. There are a variety of trails around the Hold that can be quite scenic."

"Would you be willing to give me a tour?" Briata asked tentatively. "It would nice to have someone to explore with." And Ishek wasn't going to always be available.

"I can show you what I know, but I'm hardly an expert on the area." The Lady shrugged. "I have only been here two turns. But Nipper would be delighted if I have an excuse to take her out more often." Perhaps, too, it would be wise to win the new Lady of the Hold's favour - she was dependant upon her charity, after all. It would also be a good way to keep tabs on what Briata's intentions were toward the Hold - and her son.

Last updated on the December 13th 2008

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