Time Together (Part II)

Writers: AL, Avery
Date Posted: 30th November 2008

Characters: Ishek, Briata
Description: Briata kidnaps Ishek for lunch.
Location: Garnet Valley Hold
Date: month 13, day 20 of Turn 4
Notes: Takes place after "The Wrong Side Of The Bed"

Briata

"I studied up on it when I came here, trying to figure out why it was so
different. It might be interesting to explore the Hold's history more
deeply together."

"Indeed, it could!" Briata had been thinking the very same
thing. "Perhaps now that I'm older and not some wriggling little girl
I might actually pay more attention to it." She flashed her bright
smile up at her betrothed. It felt good. It felt _right_, walking
like that, talking, just _being_ together.

"There were always much better things to do than classes, right?" Ishek
asked with a smile. "I used to think about runners all of the time."
His thoughts were paralleling Briata's. The age difference wasn't very
noticible anymore. She was just a companion, a friend, someone he could
tell things to. Like Shama. This was normalcy. Why had he been so
afraid of remarriage?

"That is definitely something I want to do a lot together." The girl
poked Ishek playfully in his arm. "I don't want to get rusty and, of
course, I need a companion with me."

"I would like that very much." Ishek said. "How much are you going to
bring from your home? Do you have any pets- I didn't meet any when
there."

"I'm not sure, to be honest." Briata mused at the first question. "I
really don't have _that_ much. Not like some women I know. Mostly
clothing, a few personal items. I shared a room for so many turns, I
suppose I learned how to keep my clutter down. Most of it's already
here, really. As to pets, no, I don't have any, although I do love
canines and felines. I could ask my father to bring one of the ones
from the latest litter."

"You'll be able to get new things, as well." Ishek reminded. "If you'd
like a pet, feel free to bring one. I was just wondering if you would
want a companion. I have Yimas, and he's wonderful, even if he does
sleep a lot."

"How old is he?" Briata had, of course, met the rather quiet
firelizard, but she hadn't really had the chance to spend a lot of time
around him. "It's too bad I don't have a firelizard to keep him
company - he'd probably sleep less."

"It could be. And he's Turns old, a wedding gift." More seriously, he said "It wouldn't be hard to get you an egg, if you wanted one." A kitten, a firelizard, a runner, new clothes- anything Briata wanted, Ishek wanted to give _her_.

"Oh I don't know, they can be expensive. It's one of the reasons why we never got one." Briata admitted, then laughed softly. "Papa probably would have let me have one if I had really insisted, but I didn't want to take away from the marks he spent on the hold." And even though Onyx Peak was generally profitable, there had been some turns when the marks were tight. That had happened the first turn after her mother's death, as if the very hold itself had been mourning her passing. For some reason, the ends just hadn't wanted to meet that turn.

"They can be, but we could always try to find our own on the Northern beaches." he offered. "Besides, there are a few gold flits around the Hold, and we could ask around."

"I suppose, though I wouldn't want to inconvenience you." The idea of a firelizard had certainly appealed to Briata for quite some time, but she didn't necessarily want to take advantage of Ishek - or his position anyway.

"It wouldn't be an inconvenience. Gold firelizards produce eggs, those eggs need to go somewhere, it can't be too hard to get one."

"And generally people ask for a pretty mark for them too." Briata reminded him and patted his arm in an appreciative gesture then switched subjects. "Come come, where shall we go for this picnic? You should choose."

"We could go the the meadow I first showed you too. Or there's a rest spot along the road to the Smith Hall. It isn't private, since anyone can stop there and use it, but it does have a good view."

"Hm. You pick." Briata suggested, her eyes darting to the side to watch a little boy toddle after his mother. Soon she would have a husband...then children. She smiled at the thought.

"Let's try the rest spot first, and if someone else is there we can move on." Ishek decided. He followed her gaze. "They're so cute when young."

"Only when young?" Briata asked, turning her gaze back to Ishek, eyes twinkling.

"No, they're always cute. But there's something sweet about them when they're vulnerable, before they become teenagers."

"That I agree." Briata wondered how many children they would have. "How many do you want?" The girl queried. She had told Thalia how many she wanted, but she had yet to ask her betrothed.

"I'd say two. A boy and a girl. I do love girls, I adore my neices, but I'd like a son as well. Not that I'd say no to more!" he said quickly.

"Oh good!" Briata couldn't stifle her giggle. How would he react? "Because I'd like a dozen!"

"A literal dozen, or just a lot more then two?" Ishek asked, with an eyebrow raise. He liked children, but more than six or seven would probably wear him out watching them all. And it might wear Bri out too...

"A dozen." The girl repeated, grinning at his expression. "But I am open to negotiations."

"I think that's a few too many. I think six is much more reasonable." Ishek said. "Besides, I've heard too many children can be hard on a woman." he said diplomatically.

"Well, I suppose we have plenty of time to discuss it." And it would be something they had to discuss, something they would have to compromise on. "And I know that once I have children of my own, I may change my mind."

Ishek nodded. "We might be run ragged with four." he said with a laugh.

"Or even two." Briata laughed with him and slipped her hand into his, squeezing it gently. "We'll just have to wait and see. Finding out will be part of the fun, hm?"

"Certainly." Ishek agreed, enjoying the feeling of her hand in his. Yes, this was right.

Last updated on the December 8th 2008

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Time Together (Part II)