Achieving a first goal

[Sinold Bragasson]

It was now official.

Sinold had spoken with the king last night. He knew his brother was very busy and thus likely unable to get to the equally busy king first, and so Sinold had taken the ox by his horns and had asked. Flat out...

Whether he would be allowed to court the Lady halethala.

At first the king pushed the topic aside, as he wished to speak with the Norse about another, as urgent matter – that of an occupation. For some time Sinold knew the king had wanted to make Sinold decide upon something to “do” to earn his living, and last night the king had made a suggestion what Sinold could do. It was a genuous offer, one Sinold would be hard pressed to reject, but finally as good as just did that. Instead he told king agustin of his teu passion – to serve the kingdom and his family with the sword, as a ranger or a guard (although the latter was now out of his reach entirely, he knew).

They would have to talk some more, the king and Sinold, about what would be suitable for the Norse, and somehow Sinold felt slightly ingrateful for basically rejecting the king’s fine offer. However, Sinold also knew that giving him something to do at which he would not be good at would onyl do the king a greater disservice than giving the whole thing a bit more time so that eventually something at which Sinold could excel could be found.

The positive aspect of their talk, however, was the other thing – Sinold was now free to court his letha. Now he only needed to find a way to let her and his family know in the proper way!

[Sinold Bragasson]

So he had told Letha last night that he had asked king Agustin for the right to woe her, and that the king had said yes. Hardly could Sinold have know what joy that brought o his beloved’s heart and mind and he was greatly taken aback when she jumped into his arms and threw herself around his neck, literally. It warmed his heart, and almost managed to drive away the nasty cold bothering him for a good week now.

Forgotten was the heated discussion sinold has had with lady Siya earlier in the day. It seemed he just could not get along with any bearing the name of Hawkmoon, be it the man himself or his feisty daughter.

But that was forgotten now, and the Norse bathed in the happiness radiating like light from the sun from Letha. He then gave her a bracelet, hismelf wearing a matching one, signifying to all that this woman and this man were now in serious negotiations for their future together and that no-one may interfere with their courting.




That courting was something Sinold still had some problems wrapping his mind around, however. It was a custom deemed frivolous and undesirable in his land as it made a potential mate out to be of questionalbe reputation. How could a man sing a woman’s praise without knowing her yet? And in reverse – if he wrote poems about her and spoke of her in flowery term, did that not indicate that the man already knew the woman intimately and thus dishonorably?

At least that was the believe Sinold had grown up with and thus he would need some guiadance as to how to do this “courting” thing without disgracing either Letha or himself. To Sinold, this rather was the time to start negotiatins for the bridal price, the bridal gifu and the dowry of the bride. All important economic concerns which would need to be discussed between himself, tyrun – whom he had chosen to help in the negotiations, and Agustin as Letha’s guardian.

So much still to do, but Sinold was certain they would get through this in tact and that in a few months, when autumn vaned and winter was coming, Letha would be his legally wedded wife.

[Lady Edfeil]

*She must confess, a quiet sigh of awe had escaped her last eve, when she bore witness to the courtship of goodman Sinold and the Lady Halethala being made official. Despite his cold, his coughing and sneezing, the goodman was uncommonly serious, and uncommonly tender in his words.

't had been, well, sweet, to bear witness to the words exchanged. The quiet tenderness within looks and hands when a pledge was made to work together 'twards marriage. Oh aye, there still was a long way to go. The negotiations for the bridal price, the dowery that needed to be settled, all the practical arrangements. Still, the first official step had been made. Bracelets now worn by both Sinold and Halethala were, according to his culture, a visible sign of their commitment to eachother.

Overjoyed she had been to be asked to bear formal witness to the exchange. And she had nae been able to help but blurt out the good news to all she had met later in the eve... Sir Joseph, Lady Laurestina, Lady Dream, Her father...

Remembering the moments, a warm smile still curved her lips. She would keep them in prayers. Oh aye, she would!*





((*L* I posted this in a separate thread just as you wrote your post, so I removed that one, and added it here. Better to keep things clustered.))

[Dream Loxley]

*Lady Edfeil had told her...confirmed the words of the servants who had witnessed the event. She had smiled....a warm genuine smile, knowing how wonderful both must be feeling now. They would take their first steps towards a future together.....such times alone would be special and so rare now....she almost blushed when she recalled the moments she had found herself alone with her beloved. A chaste kiss here and there....the touch of a hand squeezing gently in reassurance.

Aye....the times ahead would be difficult...for many would offer advice....given with love and affection...and yet ...to please everybody...especially with the Wedding itself....would prove a daunting task. She would try and speak to the couple and hope to calm any fears they might have. After all....this was their romance....their lives planned for......she smiled more and touched her rings....indeed... such wonderful days lay ahead for them both...and she was thrilled at the news.*

[Halethala]

She had been the biggest woman Letha had ever laid eyes on . . a full head taller than her, taller than most men, with a face that did not invite second glances. Not hideous, but not a lovely one, except for her eyes. If she held your gaze long enough for you to see them, they would draw you in. She’d been Lord Morrowyth’s trusted Nanny to his son since before his birth, and yet when the time passed for the usefulness of her services, he had been unwilling to let her go. She’d grown too old to begin anew at a new home, and thus she remained until her death.

In the quiet mornings, Letha had found her awake before the cooks began their tasks. Unable to sleep well, she’d often come upon the kind woman, and grew to look forward to spending time with her. Often without a single word between them, she taught Letha to see things differently, to look beyond what the eyes could take in. Once she had set a bit of charred brand to a weathered board, the simple strokes she laid to it vividly bringing a common maple tree to new life. The few strokes provoked emotions Letha did not expect. Through her art, through the unusual way she prepared a simple meal, through condensed words of wisdom dropped like jeweled pebbles in Letha’s hungry heart, she came to love the old woman. She’d come to see beauty not only in the gracious and lovely, but also where it was least likely to reside. Letha practiced looking.

Fingering the twists of the bracelet he’d gifted to her, her smile mirrored a sweet aching in her that was filled with the emotions every prospective bride had felt since the dawning of time. More enmeshed and jumbled than the entwined wires of the bracelet, she wondered if she could untangle her thoughts enough to deal with each strand in turn. One strand surely was the awe of being cherished enough to have someone want to give up all others for only her . . that in itself would be enough . . then there was the small fear that she would not measure up to his expectations . . another strand was the almost universal wondering if it were the right decision ~ they HAD, after all, gotten off to a rather stormy start, and often misunderstood the other. . . yet another strand included all the practical and needed details that had to be considered . .

And then there was the beautiful strand . . over all the others, it won out. She’d seen deep within a goodness and willingness towards wanting to do what was right that formed a foundation in his being. Shaped and buffered by culture and circumstances, it was in there, a framework for his life. She would look to that when his actions spoke otherwise . . and perhaps help to bring the best out in him, with a wish he would do the same with her . .

Closing her hand over the bracelet, cradling it close to her breast, she closed her eyes, hoping she was not being so lofty minded that she could not see things clearly . . She’d heard the old proverb “In a multitude of counselors, there is safety”. She would seek the advice and wisdom of the family here at Windstorm . . yet knowing that over all, one needed to listen to one’s own heart in the end . .