Completed A Marriage Proposal

[Grendel Strand]

"Yes, well. We are a stoic bunch but when we are happy we show it."
Though they had not much cause for happiness recently. This proposal was the event of the season for them really. Since his brother fell there had been no joy, no warmth in his home. Here, under the foreign sun his sister spoke and while his mother had smiled in pleasantry and manner only, he had missed it all the same and felt good when he saw her so. Life had returned somewhat.
"I think our visit to your land has done us some good. Change stirs something in the soul, it, wakes us I think."
He wondered to himself if he should disclose the more somber side of his family. Perhaps later a better opportunity would come. He did not wish to spoil anything.
"And what do you like?"
Grendel was so very thankful that he was given an opening to ask Nilofer about her interests.
Even if he shared none he would at least know something about her. The reserved presence gave little away and horses were a fine start but surely she was not as singularly motivated as her brother, at least, he hoped she was not.

Nilofer Saladin

 

[Nilofer Saladin]

Nilofer tilted her head a bit. So there had been something that had happened to his father and brother- that was why they weren't here. She was curious but didn't prod. He'd tell her when he felt like it.

Then he asked her a question, about herself. What did she like?

"Reading, I suppose," she replied softly. Her mother wasn't particularly fond of her love of reading, but it kept her quiet and busy which her mother did in fact like, so she let it slide. She had read many Kaliti books but she longed for the more expansive selection of other nations.

"Do you have a library?" she asked. She hoped he did, else she might be quite bored whenever she moved to Vel Anir.

Grendel Strand

 

[Grendel Strand]

Reading, his mother would love to hear this. She felt what separated nobility from the common folk was not just education but a thirst for knowledge. She had insisted that they all be well read to varying degrees of resistance.
"We do, it's not the biggest but it has sections on history, philosophy, art and naturalism."
He had read some of the three hundred or so texts held in the family library, probably just under half.
"Though I know my mother keeps a few books of Anirian poetry also and of course, family history. From Vallex Strand all the way to myself and Maggreska."
He was of course well versed in his own ancestors but he was drawing attention to himself again. That was not his meaning.
"What do you like to read about?"
A part of him felt like there was a very lively person under all those restricting jewels and he could not help put try to uncover them. It was a thing he had grown used to, the calm and subtle veneer over a dynamic personhood.

Nilofer Saladin

 

[Nilofer Saladin]

Nilofer was genuinely surprised he kept the conversation up and continued to ask questions of her. He was certainly kinder and more recieving than even his own family, and she was grateful for it. She had spent the past few days leading up to this one worrying about what her future husband might be like. The man in her head was much older and uglier and meaner than Grendel, and she was relieved. Her imagination was vivid.

"Stories of other cultures and other lands, real and make-believe," she replied, a touch of dreaminess in her voice.

She was particularly fond of stories that helped her escape from where she was- with new people in lush landscapes fighting against all odds for love. To say she was a hopeless romantic was an understatement.

Grendel Strand

 

[Grendel Strand]

He had a few of those fiction books though he had not read them, they were scattered about in the library. Not enough were there for a whole section. Grendel had always considered them rather fanciful.
"Oh, tales of great daring and terribly romantic gestures?"
He could not help but say it with a chuckle.
"I admit they are not my usual fare but if there are any you would recommend I'll give them a read."
All relationships, at least all working relationships, relied on a willingness to give and receive. His Mother taught him this lesson very early on and in each instance his father had enforced it. Staunch as the Strand family was, they knew the value of being open to new ideas. Perhaps he had been too quick to judge those works of fiction.

Nilofer Saladin

 

[Nilofer Saladin]

Nilofer could not help her smile. It sounded rather foolish when he put it like that, but she'd be damned if anyone tried to make her stop reading them.

And it seemed he wasn't being entirely serious, as he spoke of taking her reading reccommendations. A bit of a dangerous gamble considering her scope of books was narrow and not all of them entirely pleasing.

"I can not think of any at the moment- I'm sure Anirian novels are far more interesting," Though of course he could very well think the same of Kaliti books. It was what they were each used to.

She glanced over her shoulder, glad Tariq was still focused entirely on the dog, now having forgotten Magresska.

Grendel Strand

 

[Grendel Strand]

"Well, the only one I know is about a terribly mysterious swordswoman who seems to find very handsome dark haired men who all fall madly in love with her very quickly. I think there's thirteen books written about her adventures all across the world."
Maggreska had found one while snooping around the bedrooms of the Eden Estate last New Years Eve. When he finally tracked her down she had fallen asleep reading it so he carried her back to her room and not even the fireworks woke her.
The glance gave Grendel a chance to look back as well and he didn't mind Tariq at all. He saw only Maggreska. She was looking at the sky change over the city in that way that made him fear she would never stop. Never blink or move ever again.
His hand tightened on the reigns and Worren, sensing his tension, made a short snickering pull that Grendel had to check himself to stop Worren jerking free of his grasp.
"Easy boy, easy."
He stroked the horses neck and patted him. Eased the tension out then handed to reigns over to one of the waiting footmen who strolled the great beast away to the stables along with the other.
"I'm sorry if he startled you. I was, I was thinking about, something else."
He did not mean to break the tone but it had been disrupted. He could only hope to find a way back to it.

Nilofer Saladin

 

[Nilofer Saladin]

The story Grendel described sounded dramatic and romantic, her favorite kind. The perfect escape from the redundancy of the real world.

She was about to ask a question about the story, when both she and the horse noticed Grendel tense. He apologized for it after a moment.

"What about?" she asked casually, implying that he didn't have to answer if he didn't want to. He wouldl get no pressure from her.

Grendel Strand

 

[Grendel Strand]

Grendel sighed and looked over Nilofer's head at his silent sister again.
Perhaps it was time to say something sooner than he'd like but sometimes you just had to do unpleasant things.
"I don't know how much you are aware of but my country is still recovering from the civil war. My father and brother lost their lives in it. The rest of us have, well the truth is we still miss them greatly."
He tried to keep it to the facts, not let emotion drive him. He still felt a lot of anger and hurt over it.
"I'm sorry. The talk of family, it brings it to the front of my mind. I don't mean to be distracted by it. I don't want to be distracted from you."
Looking at her he felt perhaps that it was true. He wanted to spend more time with Nilofer, to what end he knew not only that he wanted to see it.
But there it was, the cloud over his family had a name, it was grief and they had darkened this home with its shadow.

Nilofer Saladin

 

[Nilofer Saladin]

"I'm sorry for your loss," she replied softly. "I can't begin to understand how you feel," It was not false pity- she meant every word she said.

"You don't need to apologize," she added. She was considering saying something about how soon they would be family but then she heard footsteps and raised voices, announcing the presence of her father and Grendel's mother.

"It is done!" Lord Saladin exclaimed, a wide grin on his face. Nilofer could see the familiar glint of power in his eyes. Tariq had straightened and was watching Nilofer as if he had been doing so the entire time.

Nilofer felt a strange mixture of fear and relief at the announcement. She had been sold like a piece of property, the rest of her life and future given over to someone she barely knew, and yet she knew as soon as she was married to Grendel, she would be free, at least from her parents. She may not know Grendel well but she thought he seemed more pleasant than her parents, and if she was to be under his control, at least she could hope she would be in better hands.

Grendel Strand

 

[Grendel Strand]

It was a bit of a one two punch.
He had allowed a moment of vulnerability, measured though it was and in the echo of Nilofer's grace the deed was done.
He did not know how to feel about this but he knew how to act.
Smiling lightly he dared to show acceptance in as meaningful a way as he could.
Stepping beside Nilofer he closed the gap, bringing them shoulder to shoulder.
"Master Saladin has asked us to stay a while with his family. I have accepted his kindness in the interests of strengthening our family ties."
This made Grendel smile a bit wider, his mother had the Strand bluntness honed to an art. Though he could tell she was much more active than he had seen her in months. The climate must be agreeing with her, or perhaps it was the wine. Either way, he knew he needed to be gracious.
"Joyous news."
He replied, looking at Nilofer no longer caring about his lip scar. His mind turned now to her and the extension of his duties to her.
Books, he'd need to expand the library, or perhaps her own collection. Her riding lessons, she could begin those in earnest and of course... children. The realisation made him blush a bit. Before this moment it was all hypothetical, now there was solid and tangible expectation on both of them.

Maggreska had returned to his mother's side looking like a smaller version of her.

Nilofer Saladin

 

[Nilofer Saladin]

Nilofer kept her gaze on her father as Grendel's shoulder brushed her own. Their moment of peace was gone as reality crashed back down upon Nilofer's shoulders. But she did not buckle from the weight. She could not, not here.

Lady Strand announced that they would continue their stay here for a while longer. Nilofer expected that in that time, her father would host a celebration announcing the union here in Annuakat. She supposed he would also give the Strands a chance to have their own announcement celebration in Vel Anir, but then they would return to Amol-Kalit for the wedding.

But that was the easy part. She could smile at parties, keep her lips sealed, and follow her parents rules; it was what came after the wedding that she was nervous about.

"Come, come, let us return inside," Lord Saladin said, gesturing for Nilofer, Grendel, Tariq, and Magresska to follow the two house leaders back into the manor.

As they walked in, Nilofer's mother appeared in an entryway, the rest of Nilofer's brothers gone. The sun was nearly down at this point, and the temperature much cooled. A shiver ran down Nilofer's spine as she met her mother's gaze. She was surprised to see tears and something like pride in her mother's eyes when she looked upon her.

She knew the night was nearly over, even before her mother extended her arm to her, beckoning her to come. She also knew the conversation that was to follow, and dread pooled in her stomach.

She reluctantly left Grendel's side and walked up to her mother. She dared a glance over her shoulder at him before her mother led her back up to her room.

Grendel Strand

 

[Grendel Strand]

For his part Grendel knew that no small amount of planning was in order, the groundwork would be organised soon but he had to decide who to invite as well as organise much of the festivities back in Vel Anir.
While not particularly observant with others even he could not fail to see the subtle change in Nilofer as her mother appeared.
He knew the difference between silence and tranquility and this was not tranquil.
Meeting her gaze briefly he thought perhaps he ought to say something to her, something encouraging perhaps.
"Hurry back my Lady."
Was all he could manage.
Then she was gone and unsure if she even heard him he joined his family in one of the chambers that he thought might be the Kaliti equivalent of a lounge.

Nilofer Saladin