Maybe This Isn't a Good Idea PT 2

Writers: Chelle, Eimi
Date Posted: 26th September 2010

Characters: Ioven, Parale
Description: Parale and Ioven talk about Briata and the ceremony.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 10, day 20 of Turn 5
Notes: Mentioned: Briata, Ishek
PT 2 of 2

"I would never leave you on a whim. And wouldn't leave you even if you
decided you never wanted to come to my bed. But I have to know that you
won't do the same as your friend. I have to know that you would value
our vows more than she did. I would keep my promises to you no matter
what, but if you don't intend to make this commitment permanent, no
matter how shaky a start we might have, I want to know now." While there
was still time to put her back on a boat to Garnet Valley.

"Tell me..what more do I have to do?" She gathered up all of her
strength and for once, just laid herself bare. She didn't flinch or cry,
but there was a small tremor in her voice, almost undetectable, but it
was there. "I leave all of my family behind. I leave my home-all I have
known for my entire life. I follow you with only the few promises you've
given without even knowing much of who you are. If I didn't intend on
doing what I said, I would still be at Garnet Valley. I didn't have much
but at least I knew who I was and where I stood."

He sighed, knowing she was right. If she wasn't serious about making
this work, leaving her friends and family behind would have been
ridiculous. She had put her faith in him. Like it or not, he had to put
the same trust in her. Now it was his turn for his voice to break ever
so slightly. "You could take everything I have away from me in an
instant. I guess I didn't realize that until today. And if I lost them
too, I just..." He crossed his arms in front of him protectively. "I
couldn't go on. I know I couldn't."

"That's what a partnership is." Quietly, she came forward and wrapped
her arms around him, embracing without making a sound. She would hold
him as long as he needed it, just as she would one of the girls if they
had stubbed a toe.

He let her hold him for a moment as he mulled over how best to word what
he wanted to say. She might not want to hold him so tightly if she knew
what was on his mind. "Partnership is also compromise, and I have a
couple to propose to you."

She did let go then slightly, only to face him as he spoke. Her anger
had almost disappeared completely at that point. "Like what?"

"First, I think you're right. You and I don't know each other very well,
and we are having to put a lot of trust in each other with very little
to go on. The thing that I think we both have in common is the girls. So
I propose that we do put it in writing that if you should decide to
divorce me, you forfeit all rights to them." He quickly continued before
the argument could resume, "And should I choose to divorce you, or if
you ever find proof that I have been unfaithful to you, that you would
be granted the same rights to them as if they had been born to you. I
think that would give us both tangible proof that neither one of us is
going to act rashly."

Parale thought about that. She supposed he was trying to be rational and
she could respect him for it. "If we're going to do a proper contract,
we'll have to do it once we get to the Hold with a scribe and all, but I
can see your reasoning."

"Thank you." That was one hurdle, but he was not sure how well she would
take what he had to say next. "As far as your friend... She would be
welcome to come to our wedding, but, her name is not. I'm new to the
Hold myself, the girls and I are still finding our place, as you will
be, too. If it was known that we brought the former Lady of Garnet
Valley into their Hold, it might not go well for any of us."

"So what are you saying? Are you saying she can come, but she has to
tell people her name is something else?" She was going to give him a
moment to explain himself a bit more clearly. "Or..what if we didn't get
married at the Hold then?" Her mother would have a fit if she knew that,
but Parale had to do what she had to do.

"Where would we get married then?" he asked, his heart giving a rather
hard lurch in his chest.

"We have two ceremonies. One here with Briata. The second one at the
Hold without her if need be. Or just the one, but I want her there." She
would be adamant about that. It was going to finally be her wedding and
she wanted one person there for her.

"As I said, I don't mind her being there, but if anyone knew who she
was, it would not look good for the rest of us. It's not a way to start
out in a new home. She could come, just not use her name, and not sign
the certificate as a witness." If it was that important to her, he
didn't mind her being there. He still thought Briata had acted
foolishly, but Parale couldn't help the unfortunate relation, and as
long as he had assurance that she would not act in similarly foolish
manner, he could care less if she was there or not. Their standing in
the community, however, was important to him. "Where we are married is
completely up to you. But if we had two ceremonies, which one would be
the _real_ one?"

"The first one of course. The harper and all would be there.." She
couldn't quite tell Briata to her face that Ioven didn't want people to
know who she was. That wasn't _polite_. So if they did the ceremony at
the Weyr, Briata would never need know about the one at the Hold, if
they even needed to do one there.

"Well, as I said the marriage itself is completely up to you to decide
when and where it will take place. But... We don't exactly have a home
here, and we have the girls..." He hoped she would get what he was
hinting at without actually having to _say_ it.

"I'm sure there is a fostermother somewhere in the Weyr that would watch
them for a night. If not, Briata certainly could. She was raised to have
babies, after all." She looked at him matter-of-factly, knowing she made
sense.

"I know, but it's not a home," he said, wondering if the uncomfortable
feeling in his stomach was from the thought of taking a new wife to bed
in a strange place, or taking her to bed at all. "It's a barrack and
we're surrounded by strangers and the bed is of questionable comfort
and... stability."

"It also solves that whole problem about having no chaperone." She was
warming to the idea. "What if..Briata came here with the girls..and
maybe we could use her quarters? I think they're private." At least
that's what she had understood.

Hinting obviously wasn't working, and the way his heart raced, and not
in anticipation, told him he needed to say it plainly to her. She did,
after all, deserve it. "I'm not ready to take you to bed, Parale."
That sounded harsh, even to his own ears. "I will be. I just...
Thought I had more time is all." And the last thing he wanted was to
treat her like Lord Ishek had her friend, proving her right.

She almost wilted in front of him. It was a long moment before she could
even think of anything to say. "Then..if you could tell Briata..about
the.." It was just not something you did to a friend. In Parale's eyes,
Briata had been doing her a huge favor by standing up with her. "I
can't. You don't do that to people." She was a simple holder girl, with
a black and white world.

"Then, let's compromise," he said, reaching out to put his hands on her
waist when he saw the look of despair in her eyes. It wasn't her fault
he felt so twisted up inside. "Let's do as you said and have two
ceremonies. Let's have the wedding here, make it official and legal.
But have another at the Hold. It doesn't have to be a wedding. A
dinner or some kind of welcome for you, and _that_ will be our real
wedding night."

Trying to pull herself together, she nodded. "O...oh..kay." The day
wasn't over but Parale was tired after this conversation. So many things
and feelings had gone through her head. She just wanted quiet and to
rest. Then, she could worry about a harper and Briata and all of that.

"Please, Parale..." He hated that look of uncertainty, but he could not
rush into this. "I know it's not... the perfect way. And I know I
could manage to... screw you like a stranger..." Ioven blushed slightly
at the crudeness of his words. "But I don't think that kind of start
would be good for either one of us."

"No it's okay. I'm just tired. So much...and it's been a long day. I'll
have to ask Briata about arrangements tomorrow." She rubbed her
temples, not able to contemplate everything at the moment.

"I can see if there's a boat that leaves a couple days later, but we
can't delay much longer than that. And of course I'll help make the
arrangements. I'll speak to the harper and find a scribe..." He was
relieved that they had been able to work through this. It boded well
for their future, he thought. At least they could work together when
they had to.

She nodded. "I'm going to rest I think..We'll talk about it over
breakfast." She squeezed his arm before disappearing to where she'd be
sleeping.

Last updated on the October 1st 2010

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Maybe This Isn't a Good Idea PT 2