Settling down, Falling down

Writers: Eimi, Elaine
Date Posted: 21st November 2005

Characters: Ariavin, Daigoro
Description: Arivian comes to play some chess with daigoro, and they end up doing more talking instead.
Location: Vintner Hall
Date: month 8, day 23 of Turn 3

Ariavin hadn't seen his friend daigoro for a few days before he finally heard there had been a minor slip up. In the mood for a game Ariavin found a chessboard and headed off to daigoro's quarters, to see if he was up for some company.

"Come on in," the brewer called, having just found a comfortable sitting position. Luckily it was getting easier. It wouldn't be long at all now before he would have full mobility, the healer had assured him.

"Hey daigoro!" Ariavin waved with board in hand, "Hadn't seen you in a bit. Thought you could use some company when I heard you were laid up. d'ya want some, I brought a chessboard?"

"Yes! I'd love a game!" Daigoro smiled, glad to have something to pass the time. "Come on in and have a seat, old friend."

"Thank you," Arivian responded, catching his soft brown eyes while taking a seat. "Now, while I set this here up," he said carefully putting the pieces in their correct positions, "if'n you don't mind me askin, what exactly happened to put you into bed here?"

"Well," Daigoro said with a sheepish grin, "I was walking Cinale back to the hold the other night, and we got to throwing the snow around a bit and she tried push me. But there was ice under our feet and next thing I knew I was flat on my back with her on my stomach!"

"That does sound a bit compromising," Arivian replied as he put the last piece in place. "You should be a bit more careful when in a snow ball fight. Next time build forts first, hard to fall on ice in a fort," he harrumphed. "and invite me, . So white or black?"

"Black," the Hallsecond said as he gently lifted himself a bit more so he could reach the board without stretching too much. "We weren't planning on getting into a snowball fight. It just... well, it just happened that way." A slight smile flittered across Daigoro's lips as he thought about the perfect night it had been... until he fell of course.

Arivian paused. "I see," he said, distracted. He schooled his face as studying the pieces, using the pretense of designing an opening while thinking about daigoro's expression. He wasn't quite sure he had ever seen that expression of his friends face. He carefully took one of the pawns and precisely moved his hand above the board, putting it two spaces forward. "Hmm, something else happen there?"

The soft smile left the Hallsecond's face as he studied the board ahead of him. His fingers flittered from one pawn to another as he constructed a strategy in his mind. Finally choosing one he moved it forward one square. "Well, she tried to tackle me, but my foot slipped on the ice. I ended up flat on my back, her on my stomach and my tail bone felling like it had snapped in two. It was just bruised though,"
he reassured his friend. "But I think we were probably a funny sight."

"Yes, I bet," Arivian murmured quietly in response. He made a quick move, bringing forward another pawn beside his original one. "Too bad there wasn't a painter available to capture the moment. But glad your not _too_ hurt, friend," Arivian said reaching across to grip diagoro's shoulder for a moment. "The Cook, tackling the Hall Second, quite a stir, quite a stir."

Daigoro grinned. "Come on now, Arivian, she didn't _tackle_ me. I was just cushioning her fall." The Hallsecond movied his dragonrider into play.

Mind not quite on the game, Arivian simply added another pawn to his growing wall of them. "Of course, if that is what you say. I guess,"
he looked up from the board "we can count on you, to take the fall?"

"I would sacrifice life and limb to save a lady, I guess," the Hallsecond chuckled as his dragonrider took one of his pawns.

Arivian immediately moved a pawn into position, readying to take the dragonrider, on the off chance daigoro wouldn't move to protect it.
"Ahh daigoro, you shouldn't give me hints about your chess strategy, if I put your Lady Holder in jeopardy then perhaps I can draw out your Lord Holder?"

"Perhaps. But maybe you should protect your's first." Daigoro moved his harper diagonally out onto the board and now had a perfect line directly to the cooper's Lord Holder. "Check."

Arivian sighed. **Well, maybe I can get that dragonrider later** he thought, trying to decide how to block the check. He moved one of his harpers forward to block. "don't worry daigoro, I still have plenty of defensive moves left."

Daigoro moved his second dragonrider into play and frowned slightly.
"Arivian, we've known each other a long time, haven't we?"

"Years? I don't know, how long have you been around here?" Arivian replied. It was ten years. Just about, since daigoro had returned to the hall.

"Ten turns I'd say. Quite a while. And I have been dedicated to my work. Brewing, teaching... now being Hallsecond..." He frowned slightly. "But, I'm starting to wonder if there isn't... something missing from my life."

Arivian tried to cover the puzzled look he must be giving daigoro.
**What is, he saying** he thought, worried. It was, a risk in itself remaining friends with the Hall Second. Although he was loved his wife, he could not deny he was attracted to daigoro.
But this was the hall, and such things, must be hidden. In addition to being entirely inappropriate within the bonds of marriage.

"Well, your in your early forties, a Hall Second to a surly Master, and a bachelor to a fault." He said, summing daigoro to a fault.

"I'm not worried about being Hallsecond to Fielton, but the later and former are starting to creep further into my thoughts." Daigoro fingered the captured pawn. "I'm not getting any younger, and... well I'm starting to think that maybe it's time I think about settling down."

It clicked into place. "You mean falling down, in the snow?" he replied bluntly.

The brewer looked up at his friend and nodded slowly. "Yes." He went back to turning the pawn over in his hands, watching it turn end over in his fingers. "Since I became Hallsecond I have received marriage offer after marriage offer, almost all with young girls more than half my age.
And the more of them I read, the more I realize that they are not what I would want."

"Yer right, I bet, some of those girls are young enough to be yer daughter," Arivian replied with a weak laugh.

"I don't know. I don't think I would care if she _was_ twenty turns younger than me." Even just thinking about her brought a slight smile to the big man's lips. "Cinale is just... special."

"Well, course she is, kitchens wouldn't run without her, and more.
So," Arivian waggled his finger. "You be careful there. If any of my tasty treats are burnt, I'm coming straight to you." He said, trying to sound surly.

Daigoro smiled, but it soon faded as his brow knotted in thought. "You and I have been friends a long time, and I value your opinion. What do you think, Ariavin? Do you think she'd be good for me? Do you think...
Do you think it's time?"

Ariavin put on one of his brave faces, no one could truly read what he was thinking. It was time to bury down, even further, any attraction he had for this man. Because, he was also his friend. "Not that I thought of it till you said something," he started, shaking his head.
"But don't know why, you crazy kids didn't get together already.
You're a good match daigoro." He said, more solemnly. "And, its is, probably more then time." He laughed. "But thats just my opinion, you hear? From one friend, to another."

"Thank you, old friend," the Hallsecond said with a hopeful smile. He laid his hand on the coopers shoulder, giving it a slight squeeze in gratitude. "That means a lot to me."

"And it means even more, that you'd share this with me," Arivian said right back, his mirroring daigoro's, the chess game, completely forgotten.

Last updated on the November 21st 2005

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Settling down, Falling down