|
|
Post by thedreamerlady on May 9, 2007 23:00:45 GMT -5
Enald stood by the bed, standing with his arms clasped behind his back, straight backed, and narrow lipped. Honestly, he'd hoped Lesh would put this silly plan behind her, accept that she would soon conceive, and keep her husband from worrying about what he would need to do.
Enald loved his wife, but unlike the Fort Lord Holder, he didn't have the sons to allow him a barren wife. And it was one thing to say he would adopt his brother's son, and quite another to actually do it. Enald was human, and he would be lying if he said it didn't matter to him if he didn't have children. More than likely, he admitted to himself, though he'd never say it aloud, he would beget a child off his brother's wife, and adopt that child. No one would ever know the son was actually his- except him, and that was what mattered.
Torent needed a wife- he'd have to put Lesh up to finding one with acceptable breeding. His scalp tingled, and his hands itched to run through it- but all of these thoughts and feelings were fleeting, and he simply stood, waiting for his wife to arrive.
|
|
|
|
Post by kayla on May 9, 2007 23:28:19 GMT -5
Leshya smiled to the Dragonrider as she helped her off the Green Dragon. "Thank you for the ride." She backed up and watched the Rider get back on the dragon and fly off to the weyr before she headed inside.
She was hungry, but she knew that Enald was waiting to hear what she had found out, and it would be quite cruel of her to keep him waiting.
She was glad she had gone to see the Healer. She knew that Enald wished he had never suggested that she go to see one. That he wanted her to just trust that they would have children when they would have children. He had tried to talk her out of it, and she wondered if maybe he did share her fear.
She came into their bedroom and smiled a bit seeing how worried he was. She moved to him and gave him a hug, "You were right." She looked up to him, "Its mostly just stress. The Healer gave me a few dietary suggestions, but he really seemed to think that it was just stress and that I can conceive."
She sighed a bit, "He thinks I might have once already, actually. He said there's signs that might have miscarried. It would have been real early on. Before I would have even known I was pregnant. He said it was pretty common." He also said that stress would make that more likely.
She smiled a bit, "You were right. I need to relax."
|
|
|
|
Post by thedreamerlady on May 9, 2007 23:40:20 GMT -5
Enald nodded, a smile appearing hesitantly on his face. It was a good feeling, knowing that it wasn't because of them that they had no children.
"Stress." He said, musingly. What a strange reason- it had been what he thought of first, mostly because a lot of people attributed everything to stress. It was weird to feel vindicated in his idea, especially when it came to medical information. Healing was not an art that he was well versed in.
"You'll need to start delegating your duties, then." After all, as a Lady Holder, her most important duty was to make him an heir. After that- well, after that, she could do as she liked.
|
|
|
|
Post by kayla on May 9, 2007 23:50:10 GMT -5
She whimpered slightly at that and buried her face in his chest. "That's not fair." Her voice was muffled against him, but he'd hear her. She wouldn't say anything else for a moment, just held to him, taking comfort in his presence.
After a moment she looked up to him, "Enald, please, don't make me just be a simpering wife who is nothing more than a breeder. I couldn't stand that. I still need to get that proposal finished about how to increase the tithe. And, I... Enald, please."
|
|
|
|
Post by thedreamerlady on May 10, 2007 0:08:20 GMT -5
Encircling Lesh with his arms instinctively, he listened to what she had to say. One of his hands tracing up and down her back, the Lord thought of what to say. Then, Enald, the man, thought of what to say. And then he said it.
"It's not forever. Just until you've born an heir." It was about as tactful as he could be, while being brutally honest at the same time.
"And how does having children turn you into a simpering wife? Pregnancy doesn't do that to women, does it?" His brow wrinkled, as he tried to remember what he'd been told about pregnant women. Mood swings, he was sure of that, sickness in the morning, wanting unusual foods. Nothing too weird.
"Now." He said firmly, as though her limitations were set for sure. "What foods do we need to avoid, and which ones do we need to eat more of?
|
|
|
|
Post by kayla on May 10, 2007 8:00:37 GMT -5
She sighed and closed her eyes. "Just until you've born an heir" he said. He didn't understand.
"You don't understand. I don't want to be one of those women who are defined by their husband and children. I'm your wife, yes. And I love you. I love being your wife. But am I really supposed to sit all day, doing nothing but waiting for your beck and call to try to create a child?"
She shook her head, "I thought you wanted me to be your partner, Enald. To be more than just a pretty decoration who bears your children." She had not moved from his arms, but he would have felt her stiffen.
|
|
|
|
Post by thedreamerlady on May 10, 2007 18:51:49 GMT -5
He released her when she stiffened, a look of surprise on his face. Enald wasn't sure of what to do. It was different for a woman to not think of herself as one who would breed children(and heirs) as her first job, and not secondary to anything. Though, as Heir, he'd been trained for many situations, dealing with crazy wives was not one of them.
"It is your foremost duty." He said flatly. "Once you've done it, you won't have any restrictions." Really, was it that much of a problem that they were curtailing off the duties? Honestly, she made it seem like he was going to lock in her a room with a single window, and an old woman to make sure she ate. That, in itself, would be stressful, and Enald was many things- stupid enough to do that wasn't one of them.
"Lesh, for all we know, you're already pregnant, and everything will be fine in nine months. And." He paused, searching for the right words. "Who cares what others think? In my eyes, you'll never be simply an ornament." Enald's lips twitched sardonically. "And in everyone else's eyes, that's what they already think."
|
|
|
|
Post by kayla on May 10, 2007 19:19:19 GMT -5
It took every bit of self-control that Leshya had to not slap her husband. While her hand did not fly, her jaw did tighten and her eyes got a hard look. "You have no idea what it is like. You can't begin to understand how much it hurts to have to hide your intelligence. Would your father have even considered me to be your wife, if he knew I was smart?"
She walked away from him, he couldn't understand, and if he was going to say anything else hurtful, she did not want to be in striking distance.
"My first and foremost duty." She closed her eyes and hugged herself. "I'm well aware of what my duty is to you and to the Hold. And I even want to have your child. But I will not jut sit in my bower all day and do embroidery or something else as tedious."
She sighed, "What exactly will I be allowed to, Enald?" She didn't look at him. She knew she was close to tears and she did not want him to see her cry right now.
|
|
|
|
Post by thedreamerlady on May 10, 2007 19:37:59 GMT -5
It was on the tip of his tongue to ask what was wrong with Lesh, but Enald wasn't that stupid. Women could make his life far to miserable for him to honestly consider asking her that. But there were more important things to consider.
"I will still need your experience as a hostess, and the Headwoman would still need to approve everything through you." He didn't want to diminish her power in the Hold, he just wanted her to have less actual responsibility.
"I just don't want you to have to spend countless hours hunched over a glow, trying to read a report. I have no problems with you continue in the duties that belong to a Lady Holder, just try and scale back the extra you've taken on."
There, she couldn't be offended by that, could she?
|
|
|
|
Post by kayla on May 10, 2007 19:52:16 GMT -5
She half mumbled something that would he might or might not make out. "If your stewards would learn to right legiblly it wouldn't be that hard to read." Some of the hand-writing was absolutely atrocious, and reading was only difficult when you were trying to figure out what the shards the scrawled letters were.
Her voice was controlled when she spoke next and she turned to look at her husband. "Am I allowed to finish my proposal regarding the tithe?"
|
|
|
|
Post by thedreamerlady on May 10, 2007 19:57:16 GMT -5
Sighing lightly, Enald nodded his head. Shards, he'd probably end up approving it to get out of the muck this had caused.
"You have my permission." He paused, and looked around the room. Deciding that now would be a good time for a strategic retreat, he smiled at her.
"And with your permission, I must be off." He didn't say it was for work(and indeed he wasn't sure what he was going to be doing next, but he was sure it was important). He bowed, and waited for her to complete the formality of excusing him.
|
|
|
|
Post by kayla on May 10, 2007 20:15:10 GMT -5
"Thank you." Her voice lacked its normal warmth. She would eventually be able to understand where her husband was coming from. That he was not necessarily hidebound as she felt he was right now. After all, he did treat her as a partner.
She nodded, "Of course. I'm sure you have more important matters to tend to."
She would not allow any of the tears that were brimming in her eyes to fall until after he left.
|
|
|
|
Post by thedreamerlady on May 10, 2007 20:28:36 GMT -5
Enald nodded, and while he noticed the tears in her eyes, the man said nothing. There were some facts of life that he couldn't change for her- this was one of them. Their Hold needed children, and if there was a reason she wasn't producing them, and it was a reason that could be changed, then they had to something about it. Remembering that he'd never gotten a straight answer about what foods, he didn't pause- he'd send in one of his Stewards to the Headwoman, or his wife later.
He strode out of the room, arms once again clasped in the back. Sometimes unpleasant things had to be done for the sake of of propriety. Rebuking his wife, while not something he enjoyed, Enald knew that sometimes he had to do it. Everyone in his family agreed on the children issue- why couldn't Leshya agree too?
|
|
|
|
Post by kayla on May 10, 2007 20:58:59 GMT -5
Leshya did not disagree. She just did not want to be limited to just giving birth to children and providing Enald an heir. She wanted to be a mother. She wanted her husband's child growing inside of her. But she did not want to give up being his partner to do so. She had thought he'd understand that. She thought that was what he wanted from her.
The realization that he didn't hit her hard, and the moment that he left and the door shut behind him, she grabbed the nearest thing and flung it at the door. It was a not entirely cheap glass goblet, and while she'd later regret smashing it, the shattering sound was quite satisfactory at that moment in time.
Done
|
|
