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feredarTitle: Treaty
Year: 991 FY
Characters: Princess Kesshare, Princess Nolani
Warnings: Forced marriage
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.
Year: 991 FY
Characters: Princess Kesshare, Princess Nolani
Warnings: Forced marriage
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.