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rainbowfic2012-02-21 03:05 pm
kay_brooke) wrote in rainbowfic2012-02-21 03:05 pm
Snow White #14, Tea Rose #29
Name: kay_brooke
Story: The Myrrosta
Colors: Snow White #14 (sacrifice), Tea Rose #29 (Woman is fine for her own satisfaction alone)
Style/Supplies Frame
Word Count: 1,756
Rating/Warnings: PG-13; No standard warnings apply
Summary: Cheyti has some news that she doesn't want to tell. But she has no choice.
"Kyla." Cheyti twisted her fingers around themselves in her nervousness. She had almost decided not to approach the Empress, because even though she was Kyla, sister to Cheyti's beloved husband Gyeth (and he was beloved; their match had not been made in love, but she had come to care deeply for him), she was also the Empress of Ceenta Vowei. It did not matter that Gyeth was Emperor. Cheyti was still intimidated. Kyla kept mostly to herself, dealing with the affairs of the state, sometimes with Gyeth and sometimes without him, because there some things Gyeth couldn't do.
"Cheyti." Kyla smiled pleasantly at her. The Ceenta Voweiian Empress was shorter than Cheyti, but Cheyti thought her far more beautiful, with her golden skin and green eyes and auburn hair. She looked so much like the mythical figures from Wyrtessian stories that Cheyti had been shocked to learn she had no Nikolean blood in her. "Is there something you want?"
Cheyti chewed her lip, disliking the way Kyla had phrased that. The words hadn't been mean or impatient, but she didn't like to think that merely talking to Kyla was immediately construed as her wanting something. "No," she replied. "Not as such. I would just like to ask you something."
Kyla turned to face her fully, the smile still on her face. "I was just on my way to midday meal. Would you like to join me?"
Cheyti shook her head. "Not here. It's a private matter." She couldn't stop the blush from creeping up the pale, freckled skin of her cheeks. She was sure she had never looked so much like a country nobody than she did at that moment, standing in front of the glamorous Empress of Ceenta Vowei. How many times had Gyeth told her she was beautiful? Many times, but he was talking about the sound of her voice, the feel of her skin, the wit that made him laugh. He had no idea what she looked like, how much she stood out from the darker-skinned Ceenta Voweiians around her. "If that is acceptable."
Kyla's features relaxed. "Of course, Cheyti. I will always welcome you if you want to talk."
Cheyti didn't think Kyla would still believe that once they had the conversation they were about to have, but there was no backing out. She could dissemble, put it off for another day, but she wouldn't be able to do that for much longer. So she might as well do it now, and withstand whatever reaction Kyla had.
She almost hoped Kyla would demand she be exiled from the empire. Cheyti would miss Gyeth terribly, but he might agree with his sister. What had happened had happened against Gyeth's express wishes, and she hadn't gotten up the courage to tell him yet. Kyla was more intimidating, but Cheyti wouldn't be so devastated if Kyla rejected her. So she had elected to go to Kyla first.
"We'll go to my chambers," said Kyla.
Cheyti followed reluctantly, her feet taking her where she didn't want to go. "Please, we don't have to go to your chambers. I don't want to impose."
Kyla stopped and turned, taking Cheyti's hands in her own. Cheyti, unable to look the Empress in the eye, instead stared at the woman's hands, noticing how similar they were to her brother's. "Don't talk like that, Cheyti. Of course you're not an imposition. After all, we're sisters, aren't we?"
Cheyti supposed they were, but she had not been born to this life and she had no right to claim sisterhood of this woman. "Yes," she said.
"Then come along," said Kyla.
Once Cheyti and Kyla were in Kyla's chambers and the servants had been dismissed, Kyla sat on a couch in front of the fire and beckoned Cheyti to sit with her. Cheyti did so, gingerly, perching on the very edge of the cushion.
"Now tell me," said Kyla. "What is it that you wanted to ask?"
Cheyti folded her hands in her lap so that she would not fidget, and took a deep breath. She was an adult, not a child, and she should be able to speak frankly while maintaining eye contact. "I'm sure you know Gyeth's wishes concerning the succession."
Kyla put a hand to her breastbone, looking a little shocked. "Oh."
"Emp--Kyla?" asked Cheyti, leaning forward in concern.
Kyla waved her off. "No, no, please don't worry. I'm just...surprised you wish to discuss such a heady topic." She looked uncomfortable, and Cheyti was immediately sorry she had said anything. Maybe she should have waited for another day.
"I can come back another time," she said quickly, moving to stand up.
Kyla took her wrist. "No. Please stay. I can tell by your look that something is bothering you, and I did say you could ask me whatever you wanted."
Cheyti closed her eyes for a moment. "You know that it's Gyeth's wish that your child be the one to take the throne. Because of that, we've been...careful. He doesn't want to have children until you do, to ensure that yours is the eldest."
"He fears that the High Councilors will question the succession of my first child to the throne if he is not the first-born," said Kyla quietly, her eyes sad.
Cheyti nodded, unable to look at Kyla while she seemed so vulnerable. The law of succession in Ceenta Vowei was that the eldest son inherited. Because of the unique situation they had now, with the rulership split between brother and sister, there was question over whether it should be Kyla's or Gyeth's eldest who should be the primary heir. Gyeth, who had always felt it was unfair that his sister, the older of the two, was barred from being Empress outright because of the mere fact that she was a woman, had long said that to make up for it he would name Kyla's first son as heir over any of his own children. He should have been able to name any of the potential children heir, but the High Councilors were already nervous about the empire being ruled by a woman and her crippled brother, and it was likely they would grasp for the first healthy male born to the family and back him as the next Emperor regardless whose child it was or what Gyeth said. To that end, Gyeth and Cheyti had tried to avoid having any children before Kyla.
But Kyla was growing older and still unmarried and childless. The High Councilors grew more nervous with each passing year that no heir was born. And Cheyti, though she knew it was a selfish desire, wanted a child more than anything.
She was afraid it was her selfish wishes that had led to her current predicament.
"Why do you bring that up?" asked Kyla, narrowing her eyes at Cheyti.
Cheyti took a deep breath and tried to keep the tears in the corners of her eyes from overflowing. She had to say something. It couldn't be hidden forever. "I'm with child. Now." She hadn't meant to get with child. She and Gyeth had been as careful as it was possible to be, dutifully charting her courses. But that hadn't been enough.
"Oh," said Kyla. Though Cheyti knew she must have been feeling disappointed, the other woman kept her head held high. Gyeth was right. Kyla should be Empress, full and outright. Cheyti didn't understand Ceenta Vowei's resolution against women ruling. Kandel had an Empress. Rednor, where Cheyti was from, had an equal number of women and men among the ruling elders. The concept was foreign to her, but she knew the concern was real. "How long have you known?"
"Since this past Lastday," said Cheyti quietly. "I've suspected for longer, but I know for sure now."
"Have you been to see a physician?"
Cheyti shook her head, miserable. Of course she hadn't been to see a physician. Word would have gotten back to Gyeth or Kyla or both, and they would have wanted to know what was wrong. And Cheyti couldn't imagine them finding out from a physician just because she was too frightened to tell them herself.
"Then we'll do that in the morning," said Kyla, sounding resolute. "We must make sure you and the baby are healthy."
"But--" Cheyti began. When Kyla raised her eyebrows at the aborted statement, she continued, haltingly. "What about you? What about what Gyeth said? He'll be so angry. And..." She trailed off again.
"And?" Kyla prompted.
"I don't want you to hate me," Cheyti whispered. "I didn't mean to get with child. It wasn't on purpose."
Kyla took her hands again, gently. "Cheyti, look at me."
Cheyti obeyed. She hated feeling like such a child, but right now it seemed her entire world was changing again, just like it had when she had left Rednor to marry Gyeth. Even that hadn't been as frightening as this was.
"Gyeth won't be angry. In fact, he'll probably be ecstatic. I know he wants children, no matter what he's told you."
Cheyti nodded. She knew Gyeth wanted children, too, but not until after Kyla had a son.
"As for me," Kyla continued, "I could never hate you. Please don't think that. It's a good thing you're having a baby. You shouldn't wait for me. I don't...I don't know if I'll ever even have children. There isn't anyone I want to have children with, at least not yet, and the High Councilors haven't offered up any decent political matches." She shrugged. "Whatever Gyeth has said, I don't mind if it's his son who becomes the next Emperor. Ceenta Vowei needs to change its ways, to be sure, and I'm trying to do so. I've just chosen a different way of going about that."
"You don't mind, really?" asked Cheyti, meeting Kyla's eyes.
Kyla smiled. "I don't. Not only that, but I want us to be sisters. You married Gyeth nearly three years ago and I feel like I barely know you."
Cheyti took a deep breath in relief. Kyla, at least, seemed like she was on her side. She still dreaded telling Gyeth, but the thought wasn't as frightening anymore.
Kyla jumped up in a very un-Empress-like manner and held out her hands to help Cheyti stand. "Come, I still want you to join me for lunch. We'll talk more there."
Cheyti smiled and nodded, and as she followed Kyla out into the hall she felt lighter than she had in days.
kay_brookeStory: The Myrrosta
Colors: Snow White #14 (sacrifice), Tea Rose #29 (Woman is fine for her own satisfaction alone)
Style/Supplies Frame
Word Count: 1,756
Rating/Warnings: PG-13; No standard warnings apply
Summary: Cheyti has some news that she doesn't want to tell. But she has no choice.
"Kyla." Cheyti twisted her fingers around themselves in her nervousness. She had almost decided not to approach the Empress, because even though she was Kyla, sister to Cheyti's beloved husband Gyeth (and he was beloved; their match had not been made in love, but she had come to care deeply for him), she was also the Empress of Ceenta Vowei. It did not matter that Gyeth was Emperor. Cheyti was still intimidated. Kyla kept mostly to herself, dealing with the affairs of the state, sometimes with Gyeth and sometimes without him, because there some things Gyeth couldn't do.
"Cheyti." Kyla smiled pleasantly at her. The Ceenta Voweiian Empress was shorter than Cheyti, but Cheyti thought her far more beautiful, with her golden skin and green eyes and auburn hair. She looked so much like the mythical figures from Wyrtessian stories that Cheyti had been shocked to learn she had no Nikolean blood in her. "Is there something you want?"
Cheyti chewed her lip, disliking the way Kyla had phrased that. The words hadn't been mean or impatient, but she didn't like to think that merely talking to Kyla was immediately construed as her wanting something. "No," she replied. "Not as such. I would just like to ask you something."
Kyla turned to face her fully, the smile still on her face. "I was just on my way to midday meal. Would you like to join me?"
Cheyti shook her head. "Not here. It's a private matter." She couldn't stop the blush from creeping up the pale, freckled skin of her cheeks. She was sure she had never looked so much like a country nobody than she did at that moment, standing in front of the glamorous Empress of Ceenta Vowei. How many times had Gyeth told her she was beautiful? Many times, but he was talking about the sound of her voice, the feel of her skin, the wit that made him laugh. He had no idea what she looked like, how much she stood out from the darker-skinned Ceenta Voweiians around her. "If that is acceptable."
Kyla's features relaxed. "Of course, Cheyti. I will always welcome you if you want to talk."
Cheyti didn't think Kyla would still believe that once they had the conversation they were about to have, but there was no backing out. She could dissemble, put it off for another day, but she wouldn't be able to do that for much longer. So she might as well do it now, and withstand whatever reaction Kyla had.
She almost hoped Kyla would demand she be exiled from the empire. Cheyti would miss Gyeth terribly, but he might agree with his sister. What had happened had happened against Gyeth's express wishes, and she hadn't gotten up the courage to tell him yet. Kyla was more intimidating, but Cheyti wouldn't be so devastated if Kyla rejected her. So she had elected to go to Kyla first.
"We'll go to my chambers," said Kyla.
Cheyti followed reluctantly, her feet taking her where she didn't want to go. "Please, we don't have to go to your chambers. I don't want to impose."
Kyla stopped and turned, taking Cheyti's hands in her own. Cheyti, unable to look the Empress in the eye, instead stared at the woman's hands, noticing how similar they were to her brother's. "Don't talk like that, Cheyti. Of course you're not an imposition. After all, we're sisters, aren't we?"
Cheyti supposed they were, but she had not been born to this life and she had no right to claim sisterhood of this woman. "Yes," she said.
"Then come along," said Kyla.
Once Cheyti and Kyla were in Kyla's chambers and the servants had been dismissed, Kyla sat on a couch in front of the fire and beckoned Cheyti to sit with her. Cheyti did so, gingerly, perching on the very edge of the cushion.
"Now tell me," said Kyla. "What is it that you wanted to ask?"
Cheyti folded her hands in her lap so that she would not fidget, and took a deep breath. She was an adult, not a child, and she should be able to speak frankly while maintaining eye contact. "I'm sure you know Gyeth's wishes concerning the succession."
Kyla put a hand to her breastbone, looking a little shocked. "Oh."
"Emp--Kyla?" asked Cheyti, leaning forward in concern.
Kyla waved her off. "No, no, please don't worry. I'm just...surprised you wish to discuss such a heady topic." She looked uncomfortable, and Cheyti was immediately sorry she had said anything. Maybe she should have waited for another day.
"I can come back another time," she said quickly, moving to stand up.
Kyla took her wrist. "No. Please stay. I can tell by your look that something is bothering you, and I did say you could ask me whatever you wanted."
Cheyti closed her eyes for a moment. "You know that it's Gyeth's wish that your child be the one to take the throne. Because of that, we've been...careful. He doesn't want to have children until you do, to ensure that yours is the eldest."
"He fears that the High Councilors will question the succession of my first child to the throne if he is not the first-born," said Kyla quietly, her eyes sad.
Cheyti nodded, unable to look at Kyla while she seemed so vulnerable. The law of succession in Ceenta Vowei was that the eldest son inherited. Because of the unique situation they had now, with the rulership split between brother and sister, there was question over whether it should be Kyla's or Gyeth's eldest who should be the primary heir. Gyeth, who had always felt it was unfair that his sister, the older of the two, was barred from being Empress outright because of the mere fact that she was a woman, had long said that to make up for it he would name Kyla's first son as heir over any of his own children. He should have been able to name any of the potential children heir, but the High Councilors were already nervous about the empire being ruled by a woman and her crippled brother, and it was likely they would grasp for the first healthy male born to the family and back him as the next Emperor regardless whose child it was or what Gyeth said. To that end, Gyeth and Cheyti had tried to avoid having any children before Kyla.
But Kyla was growing older and still unmarried and childless. The High Councilors grew more nervous with each passing year that no heir was born. And Cheyti, though she knew it was a selfish desire, wanted a child more than anything.
She was afraid it was her selfish wishes that had led to her current predicament.
"Why do you bring that up?" asked Kyla, narrowing her eyes at Cheyti.
Cheyti took a deep breath and tried to keep the tears in the corners of her eyes from overflowing. She had to say something. It couldn't be hidden forever. "I'm with child. Now." She hadn't meant to get with child. She and Gyeth had been as careful as it was possible to be, dutifully charting her courses. But that hadn't been enough.
"Oh," said Kyla. Though Cheyti knew she must have been feeling disappointed, the other woman kept her head held high. Gyeth was right. Kyla should be Empress, full and outright. Cheyti didn't understand Ceenta Vowei's resolution against women ruling. Kandel had an Empress. Rednor, where Cheyti was from, had an equal number of women and men among the ruling elders. The concept was foreign to her, but she knew the concern was real. "How long have you known?"
"Since this past Lastday," said Cheyti quietly. "I've suspected for longer, but I know for sure now."
"Have you been to see a physician?"
Cheyti shook her head, miserable. Of course she hadn't been to see a physician. Word would have gotten back to Gyeth or Kyla or both, and they would have wanted to know what was wrong. And Cheyti couldn't imagine them finding out from a physician just because she was too frightened to tell them herself.
"Then we'll do that in the morning," said Kyla, sounding resolute. "We must make sure you and the baby are healthy."
"But--" Cheyti began. When Kyla raised her eyebrows at the aborted statement, she continued, haltingly. "What about you? What about what Gyeth said? He'll be so angry. And..." She trailed off again.
"And?" Kyla prompted.
"I don't want you to hate me," Cheyti whispered. "I didn't mean to get with child. It wasn't on purpose."
Kyla took her hands again, gently. "Cheyti, look at me."
Cheyti obeyed. She hated feeling like such a child, but right now it seemed her entire world was changing again, just like it had when she had left Rednor to marry Gyeth. Even that hadn't been as frightening as this was.
"Gyeth won't be angry. In fact, he'll probably be ecstatic. I know he wants children, no matter what he's told you."
Cheyti nodded. She knew Gyeth wanted children, too, but not until after Kyla had a son.
"As for me," Kyla continued, "I could never hate you. Please don't think that. It's a good thing you're having a baby. You shouldn't wait for me. I don't...I don't know if I'll ever even have children. There isn't anyone I want to have children with, at least not yet, and the High Councilors haven't offered up any decent political matches." She shrugged. "Whatever Gyeth has said, I don't mind if it's his son who becomes the next Emperor. Ceenta Vowei needs to change its ways, to be sure, and I'm trying to do so. I've just chosen a different way of going about that."
"You don't mind, really?" asked Cheyti, meeting Kyla's eyes.
Kyla smiled. "I don't. Not only that, but I want us to be sisters. You married Gyeth nearly three years ago and I feel like I barely know you."
Cheyti took a deep breath in relief. Kyla, at least, seemed like she was on her side. She still dreaded telling Gyeth, but the thought wasn't as frightening anymore.
Kyla jumped up in a very un-Empress-like manner and held out her hands to help Cheyti stand. "Come, I still want you to join me for lunch. We'll talk more there."
Cheyti smiled and nodded, and as she followed Kyla out into the hall she felt lighter than she had in days.