Sulphur #12, Angel Cake #17

[shadowsong26]

Name: shadowsong26
Story: Treaty
'Verse: Feredar
Colors: Sulphur #12. Manipulation, Angel Cake #17. Obedience
Supplies and Materials: frame (991 FY), stain
Word Count: 669
Rating: PG-13
Characters: Princess Kesshare, Princess Nolani
Warnings: Forced marriage
Notes: Constructive criticism welcome, as always.


Nolani entered her mother's suite without knocking. She knew she was expected, and best to get this over with. "What did you want to see me about, Mother?"

Her mother looked up, and gestured for her to come closer. "There is an item we want to include in the treaty. I need your consent."

She could guess where this was going, and stayed right where she was, but asked anyway. "What?"

"We want you to marry King Andrell."

Nolani winced. She'd met him, once or twice, since arriving here in Asendar for the talks. The youngest of Sorell's sons, he'd defected a year before the war ended. He was her age, born the same year. He was certainly brave, and thoughtful, and hardly unattractive. And...well, it would be a lie to say she'd never considered him, but she’d long since dismissed the idea of a relationship with him as being far, far too complicated. The global political situation was far too fragile to risk on an affair, and she would never have dreamed he'd consent to marry a mage, defection or no. Besides, he had too many nightmares of his own, without asking him to share hers. "Mother..."

Her mother cut her off. "I've spoken with your friends and your guards. You're managing stable, long-term commitments now, so you can't claim to still be wild. He's a reasonable age, and a decent man, despite where he comes from. What, precisely, is your objection?"

Nolani swallowed. "I'm...concerned about compatibility."

She studied her for a minute. "Not all of us have that luxury. And compatibility is not the issue at hand. This marriage will go a long way to secure the peace."

"I know that," Nolani replied. "I just...I'm not you. I don't like the idea of marrying someone who's afraid of me." She knew, as soon as she said it, she'd probably gone too far, and, truth be told, Andrell wasn't nearly as bad as some of his nephews, but...

Her mother just stared at her, but let the comment pass, for now. "I need your formal consent for this clause to be valid."

“I’m familiar with our laws, Mother,” she said.

“Well, then?”

Nolani didn't answer right away. Why do you really want me to marry him?

...oh. Oh.

She took a deep breath. "Wouldn't I have to abdicate my place in the succession?" she asked, carefully.

Her mother smiled faintly. "That is something to be decided with the official marriage contract."

So within two generations, if you have your way, Feredar will be part of Glass, without having to start another messy war.

"It won't be right away," her mother continued. "The treaty will only stipulate that you marry Andrell sometime in the next three years. Our nations individually can work out the details. The Islanders, Heartwood, Asendar, and the other Great Cities all agree that we need this insurance against further trouble, and we're the only ones with a ruling mage-line with a marriageable daughter of appropriate age."

There really was no way out of this. Her mother was bound and determined to see this marriage happen, and Crown Princess Kesshare always got her way.

Nolani could argue the rest of the day about the very real danger--to her and to her prospective husband--from those radicals who had survived the war. She could argue her worries of incompatibility and his fear, but her mother was right at least about that being less than essential. Her mother had been extremely lucky in having the freedom to choose Ineku Loquelin for her consort, and had only managed that because she'd been so far down in the succession at that time that no one objected, particularly since she chose someone perfectly acceptable by anyone's standards.

"Nolani, I need your consent," her mother repeated, after waiting for her to speak for several minutes.

She closed her eyes. "You have it. May I go now?"

"If you like."

Nolani sketched a bow and all but fled out of the room.

Comments

[bookblather]

Ouch. Poor Nolani. I like how she carefully thinks out all the implications of this marriage and this request, even though she knows she doesn't have any choice-- it shows how intelligent and politically savvy she is. Well done.

[shadowsong26]

Thank you.

Yeah, Nolani's official consent is essentially a formality, but one that has to be observed or the treaty can be invalidated by Glass's laws, which require the consent of both parties to a marriage. She agrees because she does know how important it is, even if she doesn't really want to marry Andrell.

[kay_brooke]

Poor Nolani. Even though she knows she really has no choice, and even though it's not the worst match ever, she can't help but feel upset at the circumstances that have landed her in this position.

[shadowsong26]

Thank you.

[clare_dragonfly]

Jeez, that really sucks. Poor Nolani. At least she's not kept ignorant of the political situation. But I wonder how Andrell is supposed to be persuaded to marry her, if he's afraid of her...

[shadowsong26]

Andrell...has very few options at this point. If agreeing to marry Nolani means what's left of his city will survive, he's absolutely willing to do it, so there's that, at least.

Thank you ^^

[clare_dragonfly]

Then poor Andrell as well!

[shipwreck_light]

THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME TO LOP OFF YOUR HAIR AND CALL YOURSELF A PIRATE.

Goddamn, that was awkward and cruel and fist-shaking, which is pretty much everything it needed to be. Props for writing that without gnawing on the screen and such.

[shadowsong26]

"But...but that would mean boats and being on the water all the time! Can I cut off my hair and call myself a bandit instead?"

Hah, yeah, this one wasn't easy to write. Thank you ^^

[subluxate]

Oof, man. That hurts for Nolani. She really has no choice, but there are so many ways it's wrong and she knows it.

Of course, the fact that I feel for her means you did a good job!

[shadowsong26]

Thank you ^_^

[dark_kana]

Oh... This is ... Poor Nolani.
I do like how you show she thinks about all these things. She's a smart person, no?
You had me very intriged with this particular sentence : Besides, he had too many nightmares of his own, without asking him to share hers
Also Andrell is afraid of her?
I must check out more of this story. ^^

[shadowsong26]

Thank you ^^

Andrell...basically, in Feredar, children are more or less taught that mages are Evil Dangerous Not Entirely Human beings that need to be oppressed for the good of the non-mage human population. His mother taught him differently, in secret, but some of the Danger message did penetrate. And Nolani doesn't actually know for sure he was taught otherwise, so she's sort of assuming he'll be afraid of her, the way most non-mages from Feredar are once they learn she's a fire-mage.

[dark_kana]

Oh, thanks for the info. ^^ Now I understand and I'll be sure to read more of your writings in the near future. when I'm not at work. :p Because this world sounds way too interesting. :-)