A New Requirement (Attn: Ari, Sulia)

[kayla]

Merrek had relinquished on the chaperone, but he had not even considered changing his mind on requiring Sulia to learn more of her responsibilities as a Lady of a Major Hold. Even if she had been innocent, the previous evening had made clear to him that she needed to learn more of what her responsibilities were.

He had told Sulia when to meet him at the Headwoman's office. He had made it quite clear that he expected she would be prompt.

While he had not slept well by himself the night before - not that he needed her to sleep, but he was disturbed by whether he had overreacted or not and whether those twigs really did stand in judgment over his wife - he was careful not to show any signs of the weakness. He stood tall as he approached the Headwoman's office, having arrived several minutes before he had told Sulia, to speak with Ari some before Sulia got there. His clothing and appearance were emmaculate, and someone would have to looke closely and know him well to know that he was tired.

He knocked on the door to the office and waited for Ari to let him in. The door would remain open once he entered, so there could be no question of impropriety.

[darkaire]

Ari had been awake about as long as the Holder had, scribbling away at various shipment orders. She'd already been running and had a small bowl of fruit on her desk. She had received a note last night that the Lord and Lady Holders would be stopping by for a meeting, so she was dressed in her usual pristine garb. Her coat was hung neatly on a rack by the door, seeing as how she was inside.

She wondered briefly about the cause of the meeting, and recalled the hushed words of some of the more vindictive females in the kitchens. Apparently dinner between the Holders had not been its usual. The Headwoman uttered a sigh and ran thin fingers through her hair, twisting it up quickly into a loose bun. She really needed to get it cut; it was already getting in her way and smearing ink.

The firm knock on her office door alerted her to the Lord Holder's early arrival. She hid the tiniest of grins as she slid her chair back, stood and moved towards her door. She had figured as such. Merrek was like her in the way. Ari opened the door with a pleasant smile and propped it to be left open for the Lady Holder to enter when she arrived. That, and she knew Merrek would prefer it that way. It was the duty of a Headwoman to know her Holders.

She tilted her head in welcome, an acknowledgement of his superiority. "Good morning, Lord Merrek. Please, come in. Have you eaten yet?" Ari eyed the small bell on her desk, intending on getting some use of it sometime. She had never used it much before, being the kind to just go get something herself. But with the Lord Holder here, she couldn't leave.

[kayla]

Merrek would smile at her as she let him into her office. "Good morning, Ari. I'm fine, thank you. However, some Klah would be most welcome."

As the Lord Holder, even in her office, if he remained standing, she was obligated to do so as well, so before being invited to do so, he took a seat.

"Ariashi, I want you to understand that what I'm going to ask of you today is not in anyway a statement that you are not doing a wonderful job. You have been a great help to me over the years, and the perfect Headwoman for Fort. And I have no inclination to ask you to leave your position."

He took a deep breath, "However, I have decided that it is long past time that Sulia take on the fullness of the duties of a Lady of a Major Hold. I know you have been seeing to many of those duties, and you've done a great job. But I have pampered my wife for long enough. She needs to start learning what it means to be a Lady. Therefore, I am asking you to mentor her. Teach her what she needs to do. Help her to learn her responsibilites and what she needs to do them."

He worded it as a request. However, there was something to his tone that would make it clear that if he had to, he would make it an order.

[darkaire]

Letting herself rejoyce at the opportunity to use the bell, she gripped it firmly at the base of the handle and rang it once. Within moments a young girl appeared at her doorway. As Merrek took his seat, she signaled to the girl for two - no, three - cups of klah. She mustn't forget her other, completely undesireable guest.

She listened to the Holder talk as she made her way back to her seat behind the desk. She hid her wince at his use of her full name, that could only mean he meant real business. But then again, she mused as she slid into her chair, when did he not? She inclined her head again at his compliment and assurance he was not asking her to relinquish her job. However, the fact he was assuring of such made her slightly worried. Her job was her world.

And then he mentioned her. The coldness crept back into Ari's face as Merrek continued talking, explaining what he wanted from her. She silently agreed with his admittal of overpampering, and blinked wearily. Unlike many people in the Hold, Merrek had apparently not picked up on her dislike of his wife. Or if he had, he wasn't going to bring it up. Ari was obviously the one to teach Sulia her duties, no matter how she felt towards the woman.

The girl arrived with a platter and three mugs of klah. She quietly moved into the room, set the tray down and left with a curtsy. Ari nodded her thanks and waited for Merrek reach first.

She offered the Lord Holder a tight smile as she replied lightly, "Of course you realize this will require her to forfeit much of her free time at first. Much of what I do consists of being around the Hold and supervising for most of the day. But if it is what you want, I will teach her to the best of my ability." Of course she would never be what the previous lady had been, but if Merrek really wanted this - and it was apparent he did - she would do as he requested.

[kayla]

Oh, he knew. He was more observant than some people gave him credit for. He knew that she despised Sulia - tough in Ari's case he was pretty sure that was because she still missed Ralyn and saw Sulia as trying to take her place. While he did not see that... Ralyn would always hold a place in his heart, but he loved Sulia and did not believe that he had betrayed Ralyn by moving on after several years.

He reached for the mug of Klah and took a drink as he thought for a moment. For his family - he hoped that if she became a responsible Lady, they would come to see her as more than just a pretty young ornament he chose in his middle aged. She was definitely more than that. He loved her.

"Thank you, Ari. I realize that this will require sacrifices from both of you," He would not acknowledge her despising of Sulia more fully than that. "It is imperative. I should have insisted on this from the beginning, but I did not see any harm in indulging her before." And that would be as much of a confession of the problems between him and his as he would make. "However, I'm sure both of you will adapt."

[darkaire]

She gratefully took a mug and sipped lightly, blowing at the steam that curcled up from the liquid. So Merrek did know. She nodded at him, careful not to cast her eyes at the door in slight impatience. It was still a few minutes before Sulia was supposed to arrive, but she was used to starting everything early. Something she hoped to impress upon the Lady Holder.

While she was itching to know why he suddenly decided to make his wife act like her position, she would never ask. Merrek wouldn't tell her anyway; and even if he did, it would be so crypticly correct that she'd wished she hadn't asked. Ari let her thoughts wander. Yes, she disliked the Lady Holder, and mostly for the reasons Merrek suspected. But the woman was just so...not adapted to doing work. Ari blew on her klah again and took another sip. Although from her resources she had heard only praise from Sulia's time as Lady's Maid. Perhaps she did have it in her, and she was just enjoying her freedom too much.

Either way, she thought, settling the mug down on her desk, She will learn. Biting back a sigh, she tried to find her warm smile again, and settled for a safe upward turn of her lips. "Of course, Lord Merrek," she murmured obediately, knowing her job often required unwanted tasks. She had nothing more to say, so she simply watched him, keeping the door in her peripheral view. While she had expected Merrek early, she did not expect him alone. Sulia should have wakened at his stirrings...unless...she set her lips.

"You seem tired, milord, if you don't mind me saying. Are you sure you don't want me to send for something a little stronger than klah?" Merrek struck her as the type to lose sleep when sleeping alone. She had witnessed it in the Turns after Ralyn left. The slight wrinkle beside his eye, the faint shadow and slight glaze all looked familiar.

[kayla]

"I'm fine, Ari." And this time his tone would make it clear that that was to be the end of that kind of questioning. He did appreciate her concern for him, but he would not speak ill of his wife, nor would he air their dispute - not even to her. In fact, he thought silently, especially not to the one friend who would most weigh Sulia against his late wife. That would not be fair to Sulia.

Besides, Ari should know that Merrek did not drink in the morning, and when he did it was always cut with water or juice. He did nothing to impair his ability to reason or think with so much work ahead of him. Perhaps some would argue that he took his job as Lord Holder too seriously, but he was very aware of all the people who were dependent upon him.

He took another drink of his klah. Sulia should be arriving soon, and he did not want her to think they had been talking about her. And to be honest, they hadn't. He'd just briefed Ari on what he was going to ask of her. That's all.

[thedreamerlady]

Sulia hadn't slept soundly, but with the blessed use of cosmetics, clothing, and hairstyles she looked as though she was rested enough to have had a week's worth of sleep. Used to awakening early, no matter what time she'd gone to sleep, it was one of the few habits Sulia retained that hinted she'd ever been anything more than a pampered lady.

It was time now to go to her least favorite place. Any dislike the Headwoman had of Fort's Lady, it was more than reciprocated in Sulia's active hate of the Headwoman. The precise, minute, and masculine Headwoman, who should, if the Hold had been idyllic, have been Sulia's true second in command, was someone the Lady simply couldn't stand. Sulia had gone so far as to learn the Headwoman's basic procedure to make sure they were never in the same place, as near often as possible.

But now, she was to be pressed into Ariashi's service. Face momentarily wincing, Sulia pressed her features back into an acceptable expression, and checked her appearance. Soft gray gown, with dark blue highlights, hair pulled back into a stern braid, and no skin, other than her face, the top of her neck, and her hands showing. She was angry at Merrek still, and wouldn't allow herself to look the same, or act the same. Deciding that she looked icy enough, and good enough she stepped primly down the hall, before pausing at the Headwoman's office door, just enough to give the door a tap, and stick her head in.

"Why, I though I was early." Sulia commented at the cozy scene in front of her. Merrek and Ariashi, old time friends, enjoying a cup of klah, talking. Talking about her, more than likely. And for long enough, especially considering she was fairly sure(at least, her maid had been) that she'd had a good five or ten minutes to make it to the office before becoming late. One of her eyebrows rose slightly, then returned to where it belonged. Merrek wouldn't apologize for anything, but Sulia had been sure he had the decency not to talk to the help about their problems. And yes, Sulia was aware that Ariashi wasn't just the help- but even her thoughts were malicious when it came to this woman.

[kayla]

Merrek had not talked about their problems to Ariashi. In fact, he had even calmly dismissed the basic inquiry of whether he was tired and wanted someething stronger than klah.

When Sulia came to the door, Merrek would rise smoothly. Despite the difficulties, he would still show basic respect to his wife - and that included standing when she entered a room, though to have done so for her tardy appearance at dinner would have been inappropriate, and to not talk badly about her to others, period.

"You are, Sulia, a few minutes early, yes." While it was not his office, it was his Hold and he was the one who had set up this appointment, "Come in." He would hold the other seat, on the same side of the desk as where he had been sitting, opposite of the Headwoman's seat behind the desk, for his wife. In fact, that she had not waited for the last possible moment to show up was a great indication as far as Merrek was concerned, though he had not missed how his wife had dressed - and he knew her well enough to know she dressed very intentionally most of the time.

[darkaire]

Ari had back off the issue gracefully, returning her attentions to cooling her klah. She had never liked it steaming, and that was the only way she could get it if she didn't get it herself. She bit back a sigh and formed another few questions in her mind to fill the space until Sulia arrived - questions about the Holder's children.

However, the Lady Holder arrived early, much to the Headwoman's dislike. While she appreciated her earliness, she had looked forward to hearing about the children. Which would now wait for another time. Ari set her mug down at the Lady's light tap on her door, lifting her eyes to make brief contact.

Even though it was her office, the Headwoman stood when Merrek did, observing Hold etiquitte. She took in the Lady's dress with one look, mildly thinking while it was meant to be modest, it still looked lovely on her. Not that Sulia would ever wear anything that didn't. She was well aware of the figure she cut next to the Lady, though she didn't care much. Ari didn't have time for dresses or cosmetics, and couldn't even be bothered to spend more than a few seconds on her hair.

The Headwoman refrained from speaking, waiting patiently for the Lady to sit. As long as she kept her thoughts away from said Lady, she could manage to remain civil.

[thedreamerlady]

Sulia nodded curtly at Merrek- though etiquette forbid her from from truly showing her distaste for him at this second. Sitting down gracefully, she turned away from her husband, and looked over at the unwelcome visage of Ariashi. Really, you'd think the Headwoman of Fort would at least put a little effort into how she would look to others, but no. She just had to be- Sulia stopped that train of though, and demurely crossed her ankles.

Though she made no mention of her impending punishment, Sulia was well aware that she was the reason for this meeting, and waited for her husband to get to the point. Merrek, now that she thought about it, didn't look so good himself. Which was perfectly fine, after what he'd accused her of.

[kayla]

Merrek did not sigh. He did not close his eyes. In no other way did he react, even in the slightest to the coldness from his wife. It would appear that he was completely oblivious to it. The truth was that it cut him more deeply than any would ever know. A part of him wondered if their relationship was salvagable, but he chose to believe that it could.

"Well, as you both know, I have decided that it is time that Sulia begin to truly take on the full responsibilities of a Lady. This is Fort. This is the Hold that all the others look to for a standard. That means that all of us need to be examples."

He took a deep breath and would do something that was unheard of, "I admit, that this is my fault. I should have insisted upon this from the beginning. I didn't. And now we are here. And now, we are going to fix this."

"Sulia, you have done well by the duties you have taken over, with the exception of being late to dinner last night." And not taking better care of their neice, but he did not feel that needed to be said. "However, there is more to being a Lady of Major Hold than playing hostess. Its time you learn what all goes into keeping a Hold running well. Time you understood that there are thousands who depend on us."

"Ariashi has been the Headwoman here for several turns. She knows what it takes to keep Fort running. And since, as Headwoman, she should be reporting to you as it is, she is the one who is going to teach you what you need to know. I will help where approrpriate, but Ariashi will be responsible for the bulk of it. Each evening, you will report to me what you have learned for the day, including anything that I, as Lord, need to know."

"Do either of you have any questions?"

[darkaire]

Ari slid back into her seat after Merrek sat, listening with full attention as he restated what she had already heard. If she was surprised when the Holder admitted the fault, she hid it perfectly. During the entire instructional, she sat i nthe same position, looking as bland, but attentive as ever. At his finishing question, she tilted her head in a negative. "No, milord, I do not."

Actually, why not have married a more capable woman to begin with? her lips pursed slightly, at the thought. She had given up her momentary struggle to be civil in thought as well as word. Yes, according to her resources Sulia might turn out to be a very capable Lady Holder, but as far as Ari cared, the Lady could continue her frivolous pursuit. The Headwoman was content with how her life was going now.

[thedreamerlady]

Well, if the frump had nothing to say, then neither did Sulia. Straightening a back that was already nearly ramrod straight, Sulia waited for an adequate pause before making her statement.

"I have nothing to ask you, My Lord."

Sulia was good at this- saying things without being said. Others would pick up on it, of course. This was, after all, the couples first big fall out, and it would be interesting to see what lines were drawn. Not mentioning Merrek's name, avoiding conversation with him, avoiding touching him- everyone would notice, but it wouldn't be something people would comment on. She wondered briefly if she would be given any time off- but decided against asking. If she knew Ariashi at all, the Headwoman would jump on the chance to make Sulia miserable, and force her to spend the entire day with her.

[kayla]

Only the slight tightening of his jaw would indicate Merrek's pain and frustration regarding his wife's behavior. However, even that was hidden by him taking a drink from his klah - finishing the mugg off. Placing the mug down, he stood back up.

"Good. Since there are no questions, I will leave the two of you to get started. I will expect a full report this evening, Sulia." He nodded to both of the women and then headed out of the office. He kind of felt bad for both of them, but this was far past time.

He had work to do. And that work would allow him to get his mind off of his problems with his wife. So, leaving the office, he would head out to get his own work started.