A Little Cot With a Garden...

Writers: Eimi, Paula
Date Posted: 5th May 2010

Characters: Eilomar, Merlish
Description: Eilomar pays his bride-to-be a visit
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 8, day 21 of Turn 5

As her mother cleared the dishes from the meal, Merlish took the not so
subtle hint when her mother refused her help. "Master Eilomar, would
you like to take an after dinner stroll with me?"

Eilomar suppred a sigh. Did he have to, he would have rather sat and let
the food settle. "All right, but slow one," Eilomar said grudgingly.

"Of course." Merlish could tell that it was not something he was
accustomed to, but in a house full of people, it was the only chance
they would have to be mostly alone and perhaps get to know each other.

As they walked out the door, she reached for his arm, mostly because she
figured that was what a betrothed would do while walking with her
intended. The oldest of her brothers walked a respectable distance
behind, obviously annoyed at having to watch her sister just walk around
with that boring old man.

"Thank you for taking the time to visit us tonight, Master Eilomar. My
mother has been busily preparing your rooms all sevenday," she said by
way of getting the conversation started.

"It's always nice to come here. You're mother's a good cook, you should
compliment her for me," Eilomar replied.

"I will, thank you. And perhaps tomorrow I can cook something for you."
She had been practicing, and there was at least one recipe she felt
confident enough to prepare for the Chorus Master.

"Really? I'm curious to taste it out," Eilomar said.

"I appreciate your interest." She wished she didn't feel so nervous
about the idea. The thought of making her first meal for him was rather
intimidating. "I just hope I can measure up to the standard a Master
should expect."

"I'm sure you do fine," Eilomar said and patted comfortingly her hand.

The chorus master was being extraordinarily kind, Merlish thought. She
tried to always think of the good points about marrying him. If she
were honest with herself, he was not quite the kind of man she had
imagined spending her life with. But he would give her a comfortable
home, and give her family a bit of security. It was more than she had a
right to expect, she was sure, that he was also kind and attentive. She
was determined to make the best of it. He might not be her ideal mate,
but she did not live in an ideal world. "I do so want to make you
happy, Master Eilomar." For if he was unhappy, she was sure her own
contentment would be in jeopardy.

"Well, that won't be difficult for a sweet girl like you," Eilomar said.

She blushed slightly. It was always nice to hear compliments like that.
"I'm far from perfect, I'm afraid."

"So? I am far from perfect too," Eilomar shrugged. Such self-honesty was
rare from him. There was something in Merlish that seemed to draw out
the best of him.

"I suppose we will just have to learn to accept each other, won't we."
After all, that was what a marriage was - two imperfect people learning
to live together. So far, Merlish could not complain. She had seen
nothing in Master Eilomar she could not learn to accept.

"Yes. You're wise for someone so young," She kept surprising him.

"Not really," she said, ducking her head modestly. "Well, I try to be.
I never was one of those silly girls who ran around thinking everything
was easy."

"I like that. You're not spoiled," like his first wife had been.

"My parents had too many kids to single one out." Though she had felt
protected and loved since the day she was born. That feeling of
security was important to her. It was something she was sure marrying a
Master craftsman would afford her.

"My first wife...she was totally different from you," Eilomar said.

"Oh? Is that good or bad?" She had to admit, she was rather curious
about his previous relationship. He had been divorced, she knew. The
reasons were not made clear to her. It made her rather curious about
the circumstances. She couldn't imagine getting a divorce!

"Good, for you. She nagged and complained and eventually cheated on me,"
Eilomar's sigh was deep.

Merlish's eyes grew wide and her jaw dropped. His wife committed
adultery?! She could not even imagine what would lead someone to do
that! "But why would she do that?" She realized the words had escaped
her lips and she felt instantly contrite. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have
asked that."

"Why? I have no idea and I'm not going to ask her either," Eilomar
sounded angry.

She could tell he was upset, which had never been her intention. "I'm
sorry, Master Eilomar. I didn't mean to say that. I think it's
horrible what she did. I'm sorry to ask you about it."

"Well, it was bit of a scandal, so you will probably hear about it
anyway. Now you know. She was with a dragonrider," Eilomar said, calmind
down.

"So, the dragonriders are really as uncivilized as they say?" She was
sad to hear it. Merlish knew they were supposed to respect them for
keeping the skies free of Thread, but that certainly did not excuse
their behavior.

"Most of them aren't. There are rotten redfruits among good people, like
everywhere," Eilomar said.

"I have to admit, I'm a little afraid to live among them." She hoped
she wouldn't have much contact with the riders. Merlish would much
rather stay with the Harpers were she was safe.

"You don't have, not for long. The hall will move back to Emerald Falls
Hold as soon as the new Hall has been built," Eilomar said comfortingly.

"Will that be safe?" She had heard about how they had burned down the
Hall at the Hold turns before over the issue of female crafters.

"Yes, it will be. The new Lord Holder does everything to ensure it,"
Eilomar assured her. "I admit I'm happy to go back home. Even the
climate agrees with me better than Dolphin Cove's."

"Will we live in special quarters when we move to Emerald Falls?" She
really knew very little about his living arrangements.

"Either the masters suite or lovely little cot around the Hall, I'm not
sure of the arrangements yet. The harpers with families used to have
their own little cot. It was kind of cute sight, all these houses in
neat row,
little garden around them," Eilomar told her.

"The cots sound nice," she said softly, already imagining a little cot
of her own with a garden... Perhaps she should learn how to garden
next. "Would there be space in a cot, you think? For a family?"

"Yes," Eilomar nodded. "My next door neighbour, master Endras, had six
or five children, and they all fit. Of course, they shared bedrooms and
the older ones moved to appretice dorms when they reached that age."

Merlish wasn't sure she wanted five or six children. She had come from
a large family and had seen how much work it could be. Three or four
might be nice, though... A picture of a cot with three or four little
ones running around filled her mind and she smiled. "I can't wait."

Suddenly Eilomar was sweating in nervousness. He was getting old and he
was overweight, could he still give children to a woman. "Perhaps we
should get back," he suggested, sounding bit breathless.

"Oh, all right," she said, a little disappointed to be turning around so
soon. But as they walked back, her mind was filled with the
possibilities that their future might bring.

Last updated on the May 18th 2010

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