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::It is a beautiful spring day. The sun is out, the birds are singing, the sewers don't smell too bad yet. Gloss and Zoya are walking down the streets of Marsember, heading for their lunch meeting with Myralynn. Gloss is, to be expected, somewhat nervous.:: ::Just as they enter the dark, slightly cooler, taproom of the Old Oak Inn and Tavern, Zoya starts to feel someone picking at the carefully arranged magical wards she set around the Preening Maiden a few weeks before.:: * Myralynn waves at the two women from across the room. * Zoya clenches her teeth and forces herself to lead Glossaria across the room and introduce Glossaria and Myralynn. "Mistress du'Nache, Gloss - forgive me, but..." She looks at Gloss. "Someone's tampering with that ship. I have to go *now*. Enjoy your lunch. I'll check back with you later." * Gloss blanches. "But-- Mistress Zoya--" She stutters to a halt as Zoya dashes from the room, and swallows hard against a suddenly dry mouth. "Oh. Dear." Putting on a brave face, she turns to her mother-in-law-to-be and manages a tremulous smile and a polite curtsey. "I'm honored to meet you, Mistress du'Nache. I'm Glossaria Anobium." * Myralynn is all business. She stands almost rigidly erect, her face stern and serious. She looks at Glossaria almost coldly analytical. She walks all the way around Gloss, touching her hair briefly, looking at her waist and hips, then taking a long moment and looking very seriously into Gloss's face. * Gloss stands stock-still under Myralynn's inspection, keeping her eyes forward and doing her unsuccessful best to still the slight trembling in her hands. When Myralynn comes back around into Gloss's field of vision, Gloss hurriedly stops biting her lip and opens her mouth, tilting her head back slightly in the assumption that Myralynn might wish to inspect her teeth, also. * Myralynn strokes her chin thoughtfully, stepping back a pace or two. * Glossaria slides her eyes down for a moment to glance at Mistress du'Nache before hurriedly pulling them straight again to stare fixedly at a point in space slightly above her head. * Myralynn smiles warmly, completely changing the way she looks, from stern and disapproving to friendly and inviting. <Myralynn> Come on, Miss Anobium... I have lunch prepared for us. ::leads the way back to a small, private dining room in which a nice table has been laid:: * Glossaria is not quite sure what to make of the sea change in Myralynn's mood. She follows obediently to the other room and politely pulls out a chair, waiting for the older woman to sit before taking a seat herself. * Myralynn sits down gracefully, tucking her dress around her legs. * Glossaria takes the chair across from her, smoothing the skirt of her dress beneath her before sitting and folding her hands neatly in her lap to keep from trying to shred her napkin. <Myralynn> ::waiter comes up, slicing a roast chicken, placing chicken, potatoes, bread, and butterbeans on each plate, then pouring two glasses of lemonade, before falling back and leaving the room:: <Glossaria> ::clearing her throat and trying a tentative conversational gambit:: I've never been to this inn, Mistress du'Nache. It's very nice. * Myralynn looks around. "Yes, I've been enjoying it. Somehow I feel wonderfully guilty getting up in the morning and not having to make the bed. * Glossaria is wearing one of her newer dresses...a serviceable dove grey with dark and light green embroidery around the yoke and cuffs and on the shoulders to dress it up. * Myralynn folds her napkin neatly over her lap and picks up a fork and knife. "I didn't know what sort of food you like, dear, so I hope this suffices. We can get the waiter to bring you something else, if you'd rather." <Glossaria> Oh, no, this is nutritionally quite sufficient, Mistress. ::unfolding her napkin and spreading it over the skirt of her dress, waiting for Myralynn to start before picking up her own utensils:: How are you finding Marsember? Have you visited here before? * Myralynn takes a bite of chicken, then looks over at Gloss. <Myralynn> I am enjoying it. ::she smiles:: The waterways are quite lovely. In my youth, I spent many years in Suzail, but I have never chanced to visit the City of Spices previous to now. <Glossaria> ::slices her potato open almost surgically, adding a small amount of butter and pepper, but no salt, and takes a bite, chewing and swallowing before answering:: Suzail? I've corresponded there, but have yet to visit. Did you like it? <Myralynn> ::smiles:: I enjoyed the Festival of the Sword. And there was a wonderful bread shop that I frequented. Of course, I was usually there near ten of the clock, when Corporal Yarran was making his rounds, and my sisters and I admired him greatly. ::laughs:: <Glossaria> Sisters? So Vallel has aunts on your side of the family, as well. ::taking another bite of food and swallowing:: Forgive me, but Vallel has not told me a great deal about his family, although of course I know his aunt Nacheyla. <Myralynn> ::looks a bit sad:: He's never met them. My parents did not approve of my choice in husband. I haven't seen my sisters for over thirty years. <Myralynn> I would like, very much, for my Vallel to not know that pain. ::looks seriously at Glossaria:: <Glossaria> ::wrinkling her eyebrows:: Oh, that's very sad! Being cut off from family... ::biting her lip:: I have no wish to hurt Vallel, but... I do love him very much. ::looking Myralynn in the eye:: I want, with all my heart, to spend the rest of my life with him. <Myralynn> ::smiles:: I felt, and do feel, the same way about Rostell, my husband. So, you can see, I would not wish to step between my son and yourself. I could not, having chosen for love over duty. But I wish to make things as easy as possible for Rostell and Vallel. * Myralynn takes several bites of chicken, then picks up her dinner roll and tears it in half, biting it daintily. <Glossaria> ::nods, looking sad again:: Yes, I can understand that. I-- Vallel has given me the impression that... well, that his father may not... approve. I know he worries. <Myralynn> Well ::takes a sip of her lemonade:: He has cause to worry. Rostell has been, in a word, furious. Goodman Mandeil offered a handsome dowry for his daughter, Tarri Mandeil. The fifty acres of pasture land are quite fine, and Rostell was quite angry at the thought of losing them. <Glossaria> But... ::looking a little confused:: Vallel doesn't love Tarri. <Myralynn> ::nods in agreement:: No, he does not. And I dare say, she feels quite a different emotion towards him. But it was marry him, or marry not at all. <Glossaria> ::nodding:: Vallel told me she was furious with him for burning her hair off. Even though it *was* an accident. ::Gloss takes a swallow of lemonade and smiles delightedly:: Ooh! Tart! ::licking her lips:: Excuse me. As I was saying, it would be illogical for two people who hated one another to marry, wouldn't it? <Myralynn> There are many things in life that are not logical. To my father, giving up a promising commission to the King's sister to marry an illiterate shepherd was illogical. <Glossaria> ::cocking her head to one side:: Illiteracy can be cured. Money does not mend a broken heart, or a broken marriage. What is to prevent a married woman from weaving as beautifully as a single one? <Myralynn> ::smiles softly:: Lack of need, really... I make serviceable cloth, but not like those tapestries I wove in my youth. ::sighs:: But I wouldn't trade one day of my marriage for all the golden thread my father's money could buy. <Glossaria> ::puts down her knife and fork for a moment to run a thoughtful thumb over the writer's callus on her right hand:: I believe I'm very lucky in that respect. Vallel has no qualms about my continuing my work after we marry. <Myralynn> ::smiles:: There's just not much need for a tapestry on a ranch, dear. And lots of need for good, sturdy wool cloth. Here, in the city, things are different. <Glossaria> ::nods and smiles as she picks up her fork again to take a bite of butterbeans:: <Myralynn> So ::neatly eats her potato:: Tell me a little about yourself. I feel as if I've done all the talking, when really, I want to get to know *you*. <Glossaria> Oh... my apologies. It's just... ::blushing:: I've been very nervous about meeting you, especially without Vallel. ::taking another swallow of lemonade:: What is it you'd like to know? <Myralynn> What do you like to do? My Vallel says that you read a great deal. What kind of books do you enjoy? Have you done any traveling? ::picks her napkin up and wipes her mouth:: <Glossaria> Oh! Well... I love my work. Mistress Zoya told you that I'm the Tower Librarian, as well as an apprentice priestess? I read extensively on any subject I can get my hands on, really, although currently I'm enjoying gnomish fantasy for leisure reading. <Myralynn> Ah... ::smiles:: Have you read Hail Fellow Traveler by Frimshil Flindinger? <Glossaria> ::delightedly:: Yes! You read gnomish fantasy? <Myralynn> ::nods:: Sometimes. Hail Fellow was my favorite when I was a girl. <Glossaria> ::eyes shining:: One of the classics of the literature. You'd probably enjoy Halsing Sleebottom's "Once More Into the Planes"-- he's a new author, but he's quite good. I could make you a copy, if you wished. <Myralynn> ::smiles:: That sounds lovely, dear. Oh... ::reaches into her pocket:: I have something for you, if you want them. ::hands Gloss a small wooden box:: <Glossaria> ::cocks her head enquiringly, cleaning her fingers quickly on her napkin before accepting the box and opening it:: <Glossaria> Oooh! ::tilting the box to throw better light on the pair of very old wedding bands inside, and exclaiming admiringly:: ...dwarven manufacture, I believe? These must be... almost two centuries old, at least, from the graining style....? <Myralynn> ::nods, taking a sip of her lemonade:: They belonged to the Blessed Mother and her fourth husband, Polaran from whom Vallel is descended. ::smiles:: <Glossaria> ::eyes wide:: These were Nacheyla's? ::hesitating:: You're sure she won't mind? <Myralynn> ::shakes her head:: They've been in the family for a long time now. The Blessed Mother only wears a few of her wedding bands. <Glossaria> ::nods and closes the box reluctantly:: Thank you, Mistress du'Nache... they're wonderful. I'm sure Vallel and I would be honored to wear them. ::eyes shining, she puts her napkin on the table and gets up to give Myralynn a quick, impulsive hug before taking her seat again:: * Myralynn smiles, patting Glossaria on the back. <Myralynn> In any case, dear, if you're finished with your lunch? ::stands up:: Would you like to go shopping? <Glossaria> ::biting her lip:: Does... does this mean Vallel and I have your blessing? <Myralynn> You certainly do, dear. ::smiles:: I always knew my Vallel wasn't meant to be a farmer... and I would not be doing my own life fairly, to stand in the way of his. I'll talk Rostell around. <Glossaria> ::smiling:: Thank you! ::folding her napkin more neatly this time, and placing it next to her plate before turning her fork upside-down on the plate in Emilia Posten-approved fashion:: <Glossaria> I'm ready to go. * Myralynn leaves a few copper coins on the table for the waiter and leads the way into the bright afternoon sunshine, heading towards the Marketplace. * Glossaria follows Myralynn out, before pausing in mid-step outside and putting a hand on Myralynn's arm. "Oh! I... Mistress du'Nache, much as I want you to approve of me... there is one other thing you should know about me. ::wrinkling her eyebrows:: I don't want you to accept me under false pretenses, and Mistress Zoya told me she hadn't yet told you about my origins." * Myralynn stops and looks at her. "Yes, dear. She avoided it very nicely." <Glossaria> ::dropping her eyes:: She probably felt it was my secret to reveal or not... but... well, you *should* know. <Myralynn> Only if you want to tell me, dear. After all, the most important thing is who you are now. ::smiles:: <Glossaria> ::nodding:: I *want* to. And who I am now owes a very great deal towards what I used to be. ::cheeks coloring a little as she leads Myralynn to a small bench under a tree outside the inn:: You see... my existence in the Tower of Erdian actually predated Mistress Zoya's, a little. <Myralynn> ::sits down, folding her hands in her lap:: <Glossaria> ::swallowing:: My family and I... we'd lived in the Tower Library for untold generations, until my mistress took charge of the Tower and saw the... depredations we'd caused. <Myralynn> ::raises an eyebrow:: Depredations? <Glossaria> In answer to her... well, to her unknowing request, actually, the Tower's magic changed me, and I took charge of repairing the damage to the library. My family has retired quite happily to the solarium. <Glossaria> ::nodding and wringing her hands together in her skirt:: Well, I was... I was a bookworm. <Myralynn> ::raises her other eyebrow:: A... a worm? <Glossaria> ::nodding:: A bookworm with several generations' worth of Tower magic in her system, actually. ::quickly:: But I'm a fully functional human now, really... Goody Beatrice, she's a midwife, inspected me and pronounced me sound. * Myralynn smiles, only a little forced. <Myralynn> Thank you, dear... I hope you don't mind my saying you should probably not bring that to Rostell's attention? <Glossaria> ::hesitantly:: You can speak with her, if you like. And Vallel knows. ::nodding:: That's what Vallel said, as well. But I thought that... well, you'd be the grandmother of our children. As the woman, it's your *right* to know. <Myralynn> Ah well ::hugs Gloss tightly:: We have one branch of the family that's part-elven. They are still wonderful people, and you are as well. <Glossaria> ::lets out a sigh of relief:: Thank you. ::smiling a little shyly:: You're a wonderful person, to be so understanding. <Myralynn> Well ::laughs a little embarrassed:: It wasn't what I expected, but as long as Vallel is happy, I'm happy for him. ::hands Gloss a folded piece of paper from her pocket:: He sent that to me, you know. <Glossaria> ::takes the paper curiously, unfolding it:: * Glossaria smiles fondly at the sketch of herself. "He flatters me." <Myralynn> Not at all... ::smiles:: Come along... let's get you some nice white satin. <Glossaria> ::blushes and stands with Myralynn, following her into the Marketplace.:: |
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