It's All in the Details

Writers: Miriah, Yvonne
Date Posted: 29th June 2014

Characters: Humari, Taril, Yriadha
Description: Yriadha has a difference of opinion when it comes to wedding planning
Location: Sunstone Seahold
Date: month 7, day 15 of Turn 7

Humari

Yriadha

Humari looked at the piles of hides in front of her with a weary look on her face. Flowers, food, so many guests. What was wrong with something quiet and simple? Her mother had insisted on large and boisterous and she was supposed to be the happy bride. Even now Yriadha was speaking to the drudges about what their duties would be and the seating arrangements. It was almost, she thought bitterly, as if her mother was the one getting married and not herself.

**If she's so thrilled about this, why not marry him herself?** Humari looked at the hides again. She knew the real reason. She turned away from the hides. Vreena. There was still hurt at thinking of the other girl and her own foolishness for loving her. Last she had heard, Vreena had been sent to Emerald Falls and was already wed to a guard there. The bitter part of her hoped that she was miserable, but the gentle part of her hoped that she was happy. It was a jumble of mixed emotions.

She jumped at Yriadha's voice, directed at her. "Humari, you have too look through those designs, or I will chose the dress. Taril will be here soon." Humari sighed and looked down at the hides again. The dresses pictured were all..fluffy and overdone. She flicked through the hides slowly, displeased with the ostentatious designs that her mother had presented her with.

The door swung open and Taril limped in, deep in conversation with Jakin. The Harper nodded at what Taril said, then bowed to Yriadha and hurried out of the room, leaving Taril as the sole man in a room full of women. "Hello Yriadha, Humari. It looks busy in here."

Humari went still as the door opened, but at the sight of Taril, immediately rose to offer him a curtsy. "Sir." She didn't meet his gaze, but sat back down and stared at the hides in front of her. "Ah, Taril. I was hoping you'd arrive soon." Yriadha went to him immediately and offered him a seat next to her desk, sending the drudge off with a flick of her hand. " I have several things for you to look at. Hopefully they'll meet your approval. Here is the food that's been decided and this, of course is the guest list so far." She handed him the hides.

Taril flipped through the hides with his thumb, his eyebrows going up. "Exactly how many are on the guest list?"

"My family and your family of course, Bryvin, several important cotholders and crafters." Yriadha smiled thinly. "It's appropriate and the Hold needs a celebration right now."

Humari couldn't have hidden her grimace of distaste, though she made the attempt. She flicked through the hides again and then paused at the drawing of a simple gown. It wasn't ornate, no ruffles, just classic lines with a modest high neck and draping sleeves. There was only a bit of embroidery around the neck and the waist. It was simple and more along her tastes. If she was going to have to marry him, shouldn't she have a gown that she liked? She put the other hides away and satisfied, kept that one drawing as her choice.

Taril shook his head. "It's too many, and I don't like Carral or Teston. Take them and their families off the list." He flipped through again, a bit slower this time. "And take off Verin, Martyl, Warryl, Oulish and their families. And the Captain of the Guard doesn't need to attend, either."

"Too many?" Yriadha immediately frowned. "I can understand if you don't like Carral and Teston, but the others are important crafters and will be offended if they aren't invited. The Guard Captain is a personal friend of mine."

Humari stayed silent, biting her tongue. She didn't like the Captain, personally. He always looked at her like she was a meal. She finally hazarded a look at Taril, then her mother, noting the pinched look around her mother's mouth. She didn't like being told no, wealthy man or not. Usually the only one she tolerated it from was the Lord Holder, and now he was gone.

"They might be crafters, but they're not important." Taril's eyes were still on the hides as he read through names. "We'll just say that this is a smaller, family affair, and if that is offensive to them, then they are obviously shallow folk who have no sympathy for a cripple who can't dance."

"But my daughter can." Yriadha pointed out. "Would you deny her the opportunity?"

Humari's eyes widened. She could and often enjoyed dancing, but she didn't want to be a part of this argument. "It's alright, mother. I don't mind." Her voice was soft.

"But I do. Its still my place to see to your needs until your vows are spoken." Yriadha finally reached across the desk and plucked Humari's chosen design from her fingers. "Let me see your choice." She looked down at the simple design and immediately frowned. "This is something a serving maid would choose for her gown, not someone of your upbringing." She picked up the other hides, intent on choosing the pattern herself.

Humari flushed in embarrassment and looked down. Her mother was going to end up choosing something that was going to make her look like a frilled nightmare.

There was a rustle as Taril set down his own hides and picked up the one that Yriadha had discarded - Humari's choice. He studied it silently, then held it out to Humari. "I think it would look good on you. If this is what you wish, perhaps I could offer it as a wedding present."

Eyes immediately shot to his and Humari stared at him for a moment. He did? "I do like that dress."

Yriadha's lips thinned even further. "If you want your bride looking like a drudge, then she may have it."

"_My_ bride will never look like a drudge, so please don't worry yourself on that account," Taril shot back. Yriadha was fierce woman, but that was an unnecessarily cruel thing to say in front of her daughter. He made a mental note to see if he could arrange a trip to the Weaver's Hall, and whether or not he could get a crafter to sew a dress that would make the Headwoman look tacky by comparison. "Send me your measurements, Humari, and what colour you'd like it in, and I'll see that it's made." He tucked the hide with the drawing of the dress into his own pile of hides, then turned back to Yriadha. "As for the dinner- it looks fine, and I'm sure that my guests will be pleased by it."

"I already have them prepared. " She picked up another hide and laid it in front of him; she was nothing if not efficient. "Her favorite color is pink." With displeasure, Yriadha nodded, moving away to speak softly to one of her assistants.

Humari stared at Taril after his response, her mouth slightly parted in surprise. He had defended her. Even her own brothers would not speak against their mother. She flicked a quick glance in Yriadha's direction before speaking softly. "My favorite color is dark green, sir." She finally lifted her eyes to meet his. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Taril paused. "I trust your judgement." In the matter of dresses, at the very least. Even he could see that pink would make Humari look ridiculous.

At that, surprise flittered across her expression and she blushed, looking down. He didn't even know her... not really. They'd only met a bare handful of times. She briefly wondered if her mother was making sure they didn't converse in to great a depth before they were wed. Taking the opportunity, she spoke quickly. "Mother disagrees, but I would prefer a small ceremony, sir." She glanced over at her mother whose attention was still pulled away before flicking her gaze to his face quickly. "The guests are more for her than I."

He'd guessed as much, but he smiled briefly in acknowledgement anyway. In their desire to avoid attention, at least, they might be allies. "If we're to be wed, I'd prefer you call me 'Taril," he told her. "

"Alright." She nodded, but it was hesitant. It would have been easier to fight this match if he hadn't been so polite and kind to her. The bracelet and now the dress; she didn't quite know what to make of the man. But of course, it could all change once they said their vows.

She studied him for a moment. She would have to...do things with him...things she'd never wanted to do with a man. Maybe...maybe if he was nice, she'd learn to tolerate it. She'd liked how Vreena had touched her. Maybe it wouldn't be so different? As though realizing where her thoughts had gone, she flushed and looked away.

She cleared her throat and swallowed. "Can I ask you what your expectations of me will be?"

Taril's smile twisted a bit and he looked down at the hides in his hand. He could guess the direction of her thoughts - of course she would want to know what a cripple expected. "I expect a wife who is a partner," he said after a moment. "I hope that we can come to some sort of arrangement in that regard."

There was a confused frown on her face as she looked back up. She had expected something about keeping the home in good order, cleaning, and of course children, but he had said nothing of the sort. She would be his wife; he would be able to tell her to do whatever he wished. "I don't understand."

Of course she didn't. What he wanted was impossible, which was why he was marrying a young woman he'd never really spoken to in the first place. "We can discuss that later, when there are fewer ears about. In the mean time..." he sighed. "I'd better go fight with your mother over the wedding list. Excuse me." He nodded his head in an approximation of a bow, then, with the hides under one arm and his crutch under the other, went to confront Yriadha.

Humari's eyes followed him, brow knit. She didn't understand him at all, but secretly hoped that he could handle her mother and not make this wedding a complete horror to go through.

Last updated on the July 1st 2014

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It's All in the Details