Yours Faithfully

Writers: Eimi
Date Posted: 12th November 2009

Characters: Merlish, Mytan
Description: Mytan reads a letter from his uncle and must make a hard decision.
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 5, day 15 of Turn 5

Mytan felt the sound of broken pottery go right through his head. It might as well have been his own frazzled nerves to make the sound rather than the flower pot left in the window. "Please, wife, just ten minutes of peace, I beg you!"

"All right, boys, your father needs quiet and you all have chores to do. Everyone out," his wife commanded in a strong voice. She shoed them out the door with a flap of her apron and then followed them out to make sure they did them.

"Shall I stay and clean up the pot, father?" Merlish asked, already reaching for the broom.

"No, dear heart," he said with a soft, though troubled smile. "I need you to go as well."

"It's not terribly serious, is it?" she asked, her expression turning worried. "Whatever is on your mind, I mean."

"It is," he nodded, but not wanting to worry her her added, "but it's nothing you need to worry about. I promise you that."

She walked over and planted a gentle kiss on his forehead before turning to follow her mother out the door. As she closed the door behind her, a heavy sigh escaped his lips. He picked up the letter from his uncle to re-read it once more.

~ ~ ~

"I have to say, nephew, that I find it rather ridiculous for you to ask to borrow money from me when you have a daughter at home who is well of marriageable age, if not nearly past. I understand your hardships, truthfully, and I do sympathize and want to help you. But increasing your debt at this point only seems to hinder you rather than free you from your financial burdens. I would ask you to take my advice as one older than yourself, and find your daughter, Merlish, a husband. Not only would it free you from having to pay her room and board, but you may even find one who would be willing to pay a bride price for her as well.

"With that in mind, I have a suggestion. There is a Master with whom I am well acquainted who is well connected as he seems trusted by the Hallmaster and has a great deal of influence in the Hall. Though he has accepted the female crafters, as we all must do, I believe he still holds true to the traditional values that I am sure you have instilled in your daughter. He has not fallen to the loose morales that some others in the Hall have done since moving to this place. Though some would say he is a strict disciplinarian, I say he is only maintaining some order in a place where so many have grown far too lax.

"I must confess to you now, nephew, that he has been married before. His former wife was one of those who had fallen to the temptations of the Weyr in the most shocking of ways. In fact, the poor Master nearly died of shock when he discovered her infidelity and impropriety, but like a true and just man, he divorced her immediately and has not associated with her since, and has weathered the scandal with grace and dignity. I cannot say with certainty that he is currently looking for a new wife, but I think he would be a fine catch for any woman, being a man of high education and high status within the Hall. I dare say, if he had any ambitions to the post, he may well become a Hallmaster in his own right one day. And your daughter, as I remember, was pleasing enough to the eye, and certainly had the most thoughtful temperament, which could only ease his loneliness. I am sure she would make him a good wife.

"If you were agreed, I would approach the Master myself and petition him on your behalf. Now I can understand, Mytan, that you are attached to the girl and very protective of her. But I think it is just that over-protectiveness that has kept her at home and unwed for so long. You cannot tether her to the nest forever, and I'm sure my brother, if he were alive, would agree with me. Trust me now, as you would have trusted your own dear late father, for I would not fail you or my gentle grand-niece in this regard. I await your answer.

Yours faithfully,

Uncle Tantral"

~ ~ ~

Mytan's eyes scanned one particular sentence again, reading it aloud to himself in a whisper, "'It is just that over-protectiveness that has kept her at home and unwed for so long...'"

Was his uncle right? Mytan tried to judge his daughter critically, but found he could not. In his eyes she had no flaws, save one - she had not found a husband, and it worried him. At twenty-one turns she had seen most of her friends wed with families of their own. He could not see why she was not among them. She was no great beauty but nor was she ugly. She was sweet, she was thoughtful, and she had certainly prepared herself for a husband, having learned to cook and sew as she should, and she was wonderful with her much younger brothers. Why could she not have found a man of her own escaped his understanding.

Had _he_ been holding his daughter back? She had seemed to have very little interest in the boys around her, having found fault with each one that had called with any intentions towards her. But he always had the feeling that it had been the thought of leaving her family that had prompted her to keep the young men at bay. Though it had worried him, selfishly, it had pleased him as well. He loved his daughter. She could light up a room with her smile. She could brighten his day with a thoughtful word. But didn't that mean his uncle was right? Had he not silently encouraged her to remain at home, always to be _his_ little girl? Could he truly hope for such a lonely future for her merely for his own comfort?

He rested his forehead in his hand once more as he pulled out a fresh sheet and picked up his pen. "I only want what's best for you, Merlish," he said softly as with a heavy heart, he touched his pen to parchment.

Last updated on the November 16th 2009

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Yours Faithfully