A Woman's Needs

Writers: Chelle, Yvonne
Date Posted: 7th July 2014

Characters: Taril, Parale
Description: Taril asks Parale for advice
Location: Sunstone Seahold
Date: month 7, day 28 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Ioven, Humari

Carrying Parys along in a sling wrapped around her torso so Parale had her hands free, the holder walked towards the laundry to pick up her things which should be dry already. She'd hung them earlier in the day herself, and although there had been a few showers that morning the afternoon had been relatively breezy.

"Parale, isn't it?" Taril pushed himself away from the shade of the Hold's stone wall.

Her eyes turned and identified the man. Being a transplant, Parale still didn't know most of the Hold's people and she didn't mind introducing herself. "I am she." She stood her ground like some hold women would have and her kerchief marked her as proudly married. She didn't dress like a proper crafter's wife, however with her many colors and rings.

Taril smiled, as friendly as he was able. "May I have a moment of your time?" he asked.

"Oh yes sir." She stopped walking, but kept turned slightly away from him so Parys was somewhat shielded-an instinctual movement.

It wasn't lost on him, and he felt a flash of anger at the gesture. But it quickly subsided - as rude as it was, it wasn't an unusual thing for people to do. His face unsettled most people. "My name is Taril. We haven't had the opportunity to be introduced before, but I was given your name..." He trailed off, nodding at the basket in her hand. "May I walk with you?"

She was curious and she found herself nodding. Headed in her original direction of the laundry, Parale wondered what he might be wanting. Was it something to do with her husband? **He'd approach Ioven directly probably.** "Well met Taril. This is Parys." She smiled down at the child who was happily making nonsense noises from time to time.

"She's quite lovely," Taril told her. He adjusted his crutch under his arm, then gestured for Parale to continue on her way. "Your name was passed to me by one of the other women in the Hold. You are recently married to Ioven, correct?"

"Yes. My husband is a journeyman smithcrafter." Ah so it was about her husband. Her eyes focused on him though she also paid attention to where she was walking. "I came here from Garnet Valley," she offered proudly.

"Welcome. I hope you find our as-of-yet humble Hold to your liking." Taril gestured to the half-build Hold with his free hand. "A monument to one man's ambition. Who has unfortunately left us."

"Might have started with one man's ambition but people here want good things for themselves." Indeed, Parale had seen many a man working hard to construct new buildings. Still, it was hard to see Lord Morin rise and fall so fast. And as yet, no one knew what was going to happen. He had no issue, after all. The uncertainty reminded her of her days when she was young. Then with a Lord Warder because of everything happening.

"That's true. We do." Taril was quiet a moment. "I am... getting married soon. Your name came up because you were... recently married." He cleared his throat, wishing that his female relatives weren't quite as different as they were. "I need some advice and was told you were the woman to ask."

A man his turns getting married soon? Well it did happen from time to time especially when a first wife died. Parale wasn't that incredulous. "Oh well..what sort of advice?" She found it different talking to a man like this that wasn't her husband but with his situation she thought Ioven wouldn't mind much.

"I was... wondering if..." How to phrase it. "I was wondering if there was anything I ought to provide, within my home, that would make a woman more comfortable?"

She looked at him askance, wondering just what he meant. "I think it's good for a new wife to have things to occupy her. So if you have a loom, other
tools-that would be good. Some enjoy books, though I never did. Writing tools and hides are good though to record one's thoughts and order them." Without knowing just what type of woman he meant, it was hard to know.

Humari liked fishing, but that wasn't the sort of thing to occupy one's hands at home. Taril had no idea if she spun or wove, or if she liked it. Or even if she liked to read. "What else?"

"How many turns does she have?" Older women liked different things than younger women did. Parale didn't care, one way or another about the turns difference. After all, her own husband was almost a decade older than she was.

"Young." After a moment he sighed. "Sixteen turns."

"Oh that's different then. It'll be her first time away from home and her family. I imagine she'll be afraid and no amount of instruction will prepare her." Especially with such a choice for a spouse. It was clearly an arranged match, which Parale also understood. "Some men would...but some men wouldn't...it could be good for her to have her own space. It could be a sewing room. It could be a reading room. If you can afford it though, she'll need somewhere to go and perhaps visits from her friends."

Cost wasn't a barrier, but space might be. His apartments in the Hold were much larger than most, but he'd filled most of that space. Perhaps the second bedroom could be converted into a sewing room... that might make a good wedding present. "That's fair. I'm sure she'd appreciate her own room."

"Most definitely. Other than that, I can't really think of anything since she will be bringing her things with her. Talk with her quite a bit, though, at first. See how she's reacting, feeling... but don't be pushy. I've seen a lot of marriages turn into a good friendship because they could communicate well to each other." She and Ioven had certainly messed that up at one point.

Also good advice, but something he'd already thought up for himself. Although he couldn't imagine what he and Humari could possibly have to talk about. "I sense the voice of experience," he said instead.

Parale wasn't one to air her personal business to others. What was in her marriage bed was between her and her husband. "Sometimes pride can lead to anger and anger can lead to being lonely. It's better to work together and communicate. Especially if there are ever children."

And who was proud - Parale or Ioven? It would be worth finding out. "Is Parys your only child?" Taril asked.

"Oh no. She's my youngest daughter. We have three. Perhaps the next will be a son." A smile crossed her face then and was proof that children did bring joy. Parale wanted a lot of them, not like her own parents. Back then, there wasn't much food to go around but now those worries were gone.

"Perhaps. The odds seem to be in your favour." Taril came to a stop and nodded at the clothing lines swaying in the breeze. "And since we are here, I shall leave you to your task. Thank you for your time, Parale."

"Good luck, Taril. Remember, marriage is a journey with many twists and turns." That she firmly believed.

Last updated on the July 13th 2014

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A Woman's Needs