[Avatar Fic] Girl Talk
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Title: Girl Talk
Characters: Ursa, Lady Ran (OC)
Rating: G
Word Count: 1300+
Summary: Ursa escorts her friend to the Fire shrine, and they talk of marriages past and yet to come.
Author's Notes: This takes place during the events of Broken Promises.
Girl Talk
***
The basalt statue of Firelord Zhiayi glowered down at Ursa. More likely, she thought in amusement, the long-dead Firelord glowered at the daimyos of Three Volcanoes Bay Island - they had led the rebellion against her. Now, centuries later, they were loyal and devoted subjects of the Firelord, but-
"Ursa!"
Ursa turned and smiled as Lady Ran dashed across the square towards her. A guard trailed the new wife of the daimyo's heir, politely expressionless. Lady Ran herself beamed to see Ursa, the gold pins in her hair almost sliding out as she ran. She had not yet been married a full month, and it was still appropriate for her to wear wedding jewelry.
"Lady Ran," Ursa said, clasping the other girl's hands. "How are you today?"
"Well enough," she replied, grey eyes sparkling. "So glad to get away from my father-in-law. Oh, how much time can you spare today?"
Mother and Father both had given Ursa their blessing to spend as much time with the young bride as she wished. Lady Ran would be the wife of the daimyo someday, and it would do their family well to be thought of fondly. Daimyo Makou was a decent man, as Fire nobles went, but he disdained Father. That contempt blackened his relations with the entirety of their merchant clan, and Grandfather might have exacted a divorce from Mother if she were not as strong-willed as he.
"I've a few hours until Mother will need me," Ursa said, smiling. She liked Lady Ran, but she was merchant born and bred. If she gave the noblewoman too much too quickly, Lady Ran would come to expect all of Ursa's time and devotion. That wouldn't do, especially since Ursa would be leaving the island in a year for her own marriage.
"Enough time to visit the shrine." Lady Ran smiled. "The rest can wait until afterwards."
"Of course." Ursa fell into step beside the other girl, the guard keeping behind them. "How much longer will you have to make these visits?"
"Three months after the wedding, traditionally. Longer if the Sisters do not indicate a lack of displeasure with me." Lady Ran pursed her lips. "Lady Keihi thinks it will take some time for them to do so. She says I am too pretty."
"She's an old bitch who resents the lord's mistress," Ursa replied. There was some truth to the idea that Lady Ran was too pretty. She had the fine features so common to nobles of Red Chrysanthemum Island but her skin was as dark as an eastern islander's. Very strange for her family, or so Ursa had overheard at the wedding.
Lady Ran snickered, raising a hand to hide her laughter. "What I don't understand is why she lets him. She can divorce him over adultery."
"And give up the cushy life of being the wife to one of the most powerful daimyos in the Nation?" Ursa tried not to roll her eyes. She liked Lady Ran, she really did, but the other girl didn't think about money and power properly.
Of course, while Red Chrysanthemum Island wasn't Buyou no Long Shima, it made some good money and Lady Ran's aunt was the daimyo. Ursa just hoped she'd grow out of the silliness here on Three Volcanoes Bay Island. The Three Sisters didn't like silly girls attaching themselves to the daimyo. They'd never accepted Daimyo Makou's first wife.
"It's not worth it if you're going to hate your husband," Lady Ran said in a subdued tone.
Ursa glanced at her friend. The other girl looked straight ahead as she walked, her face expressionless.
"You don't like Torao?" she ventured. Would a third disastrous marriage in two generations provoke the Sisters? It took little to provoke volcanoes at the best of times, and between the war and Daimyo Makou's failures with his wives, any little thing might set them off. Ursa felt their fires some nights, hot and fierce so she couldn't sleep.
"I don't know. I don't know him. He's just going to leave when he's assured an heir. Go back to the Earth Kingdom and the fighting. Even though he's the heir now."
Ursa blinked. That was the most she'd yet heard from Lady Ran about her husband and her marriage. She reached out and wrapped an arm around Lady Ran's shoulders. "Maybe you should be doing this with him."
"Maybe." Lady Ran leaned into her touch. "You said you were going to be married in a year, Ursa. Do you like him?"
"I've never met him."
"Never?"
"Never." Ursa tightened her hold on Lady Ran, drawing the other girl closer to her side. "It's complicated. We've been betrothed for-" as long as she could remember "-years now. He's a second son with little inheritance-" the lands given to a Second Prince were little compared to those given to the Crown Prince "-but my parents owe his family much."
The Firelord would have been within his rights to execute Ursa's father simply for being Avatar Roku's son.
Lady Ran wrapped her arm around Ursa's waist. "My aunt extracted some trade concessions from Daimyo Makou for me. Then she went back to renegotiate the marriage contract when Torao became the heir. Second-daughter of a distaff branch to an heir is worth more than marrying a mere second-son. Red Chrysanthemum Island benefits considerably from an alliance with Three Volcanoes Bay Island."
"Does Three Volcanoes Bay benefit from an alliance with Red Chrysanthemum?"
"Oh yes. Daimyo Makou would not marry his heir to someone who brought only breeding ability. There are plenty of lovely young noblewomen in the Fire Nation. The important thing is what else they bring to the negotiating table."
Ursa frowned. Most marriages were alliances, of course. Mother's choice of a penniless career soldier had been shocking. Shock had turned to horror when her family found out the reputation and bloodline Father had. But Ursa's own betrothal to Prince Ozai- What did she even bring that was worth picking her out before she even had her courses?
Father's bloodline. Grandfather's blood.
Her mouth went dry. What did that mean? Being Grandfather's grandchild- No, she thought viciously, her grip tightening on Lady Ran. The other girl squeaked and leaned more heavily against her.
No, Ursa thought. It's not being Grandfather's grandchild. It's being Avatar Roku's grand-daughter, and him being Firelord Sozin's grandson. Didn't Father say they had been friends once, before...? Mother said the Avatar betrayed the Firelord, but when did Father ever say anything about-
"Ursa?" Lady Ran pressed against her side, reaching up as if to cup her cheek. "Ursa, what's wrong?"
"Nothing," she said roughly, catching Lady Ran's wrist and squeezing hard. "Don't you want to attend to the Sisters today?"
The other girl's eyes hardened and she flexed her wrist, breaking Ursa's grip. Bruises were already blossoming on her skin. For an instant, Ursa wondered if Lady Ran would attack her, but the flash of violence drained from the other girl. "So I do," she said, a chill edge to her voice. "But perhaps you are correct that I should be doing these with my husband."
Tempers were so common in the Fire Nation, the change in Lady Ran's mood didn't phase Ursa. It would burn itself out in the night, and anything the other girl said now could be discounted.
"If you so wish," she replied, "I can escort you back to the villa so you may fetch him."
Lady Ran's fingers dug into her side. If the other girl had been a firebender, Ursa would have feared for her clothes. "Let's go to the shrine."
"Of course."
"Tomorrow, I will go with Torao."
"Of course." Ursa closed her eyes as Lady Ran pulled away. Tempers were common in the Fire Nation. It still hurt.
At least Lady Ran might be happy with her husband. Ursa couldn't imagine any happiness ahead for her, Avatar Roku's grand-daughter in the court of Firelord Sozin's son, wed to Firelord Sozin's grandson.
-End-
Title: Girl Talk
Characters: Ursa, Lady Ran (OC)
Rating: G
Word Count: 1300+
Summary: Ursa escorts her friend to the Fire shrine, and they talk of marriages past and yet to come.
Author's Notes: This takes place during the events of Broken Promises.
Girl Talk
***
The basalt statue of Firelord Zhiayi glowered down at Ursa. More likely, she thought in amusement, the long-dead Firelord glowered at the daimyos of Three Volcanoes Bay Island - they had led the rebellion against her. Now, centuries later, they were loyal and devoted subjects of the Firelord, but-
"Ursa!"
Ursa turned and smiled as Lady Ran dashed across the square towards her. A guard trailed the new wife of the daimyo's heir, politely expressionless. Lady Ran herself beamed to see Ursa, the gold pins in her hair almost sliding out as she ran. She had not yet been married a full month, and it was still appropriate for her to wear wedding jewelry.
"Lady Ran," Ursa said, clasping the other girl's hands. "How are you today?"
"Well enough," she replied, grey eyes sparkling. "So glad to get away from my father-in-law. Oh, how much time can you spare today?"
Mother and Father both had given Ursa their blessing to spend as much time with the young bride as she wished. Lady Ran would be the wife of the daimyo someday, and it would do their family well to be thought of fondly. Daimyo Makou was a decent man, as Fire nobles went, but he disdained Father. That contempt blackened his relations with the entirety of their merchant clan, and Grandfather might have exacted a divorce from Mother if she were not as strong-willed as he.
"I've a few hours until Mother will need me," Ursa said, smiling. She liked Lady Ran, but she was merchant born and bred. If she gave the noblewoman too much too quickly, Lady Ran would come to expect all of Ursa's time and devotion. That wouldn't do, especially since Ursa would be leaving the island in a year for her own marriage.
"Enough time to visit the shrine." Lady Ran smiled. "The rest can wait until afterwards."
"Of course." Ursa fell into step beside the other girl, the guard keeping behind them. "How much longer will you have to make these visits?"
"Three months after the wedding, traditionally. Longer if the Sisters do not indicate a lack of displeasure with me." Lady Ran pursed her lips. "Lady Keihi thinks it will take some time for them to do so. She says I am too pretty."
"She's an old bitch who resents the lord's mistress," Ursa replied. There was some truth to the idea that Lady Ran was too pretty. She had the fine features so common to nobles of Red Chrysanthemum Island but her skin was as dark as an eastern islander's. Very strange for her family, or so Ursa had overheard at the wedding.
Lady Ran snickered, raising a hand to hide her laughter. "What I don't understand is why she lets him. She can divorce him over adultery."
"And give up the cushy life of being the wife to one of the most powerful daimyos in the Nation?" Ursa tried not to roll her eyes. She liked Lady Ran, she really did, but the other girl didn't think about money and power properly.
Of course, while Red Chrysanthemum Island wasn't Buyou no Long Shima, it made some good money and Lady Ran's aunt was the daimyo. Ursa just hoped she'd grow out of the silliness here on Three Volcanoes Bay Island. The Three Sisters didn't like silly girls attaching themselves to the daimyo. They'd never accepted Daimyo Makou's first wife.
"It's not worth it if you're going to hate your husband," Lady Ran said in a subdued tone.
Ursa glanced at her friend. The other girl looked straight ahead as she walked, her face expressionless.
"You don't like Torao?" she ventured. Would a third disastrous marriage in two generations provoke the Sisters? It took little to provoke volcanoes at the best of times, and between the war and Daimyo Makou's failures with his wives, any little thing might set them off. Ursa felt their fires some nights, hot and fierce so she couldn't sleep.
"I don't know. I don't know him. He's just going to leave when he's assured an heir. Go back to the Earth Kingdom and the fighting. Even though he's the heir now."
Ursa blinked. That was the most she'd yet heard from Lady Ran about her husband and her marriage. She reached out and wrapped an arm around Lady Ran's shoulders. "Maybe you should be doing this with him."
"Maybe." Lady Ran leaned into her touch. "You said you were going to be married in a year, Ursa. Do you like him?"
"I've never met him."
"Never?"
"Never." Ursa tightened her hold on Lady Ran, drawing the other girl closer to her side. "It's complicated. We've been betrothed for-" as long as she could remember "-years now. He's a second son with little inheritance-" the lands given to a Second Prince were little compared to those given to the Crown Prince "-but my parents owe his family much."
The Firelord would have been within his rights to execute Ursa's father simply for being Avatar Roku's son.
Lady Ran wrapped her arm around Ursa's waist. "My aunt extracted some trade concessions from Daimyo Makou for me. Then she went back to renegotiate the marriage contract when Torao became the heir. Second-daughter of a distaff branch to an heir is worth more than marrying a mere second-son. Red Chrysanthemum Island benefits considerably from an alliance with Three Volcanoes Bay Island."
"Does Three Volcanoes Bay benefit from an alliance with Red Chrysanthemum?"
"Oh yes. Daimyo Makou would not marry his heir to someone who brought only breeding ability. There are plenty of lovely young noblewomen in the Fire Nation. The important thing is what else they bring to the negotiating table."
Ursa frowned. Most marriages were alliances, of course. Mother's choice of a penniless career soldier had been shocking. Shock had turned to horror when her family found out the reputation and bloodline Father had. But Ursa's own betrothal to Prince Ozai- What did she even bring that was worth picking her out before she even had her courses?
Father's bloodline. Grandfather's blood.
Her mouth went dry. What did that mean? Being Grandfather's grandchild- No, she thought viciously, her grip tightening on Lady Ran. The other girl squeaked and leaned more heavily against her.
No, Ursa thought. It's not being Grandfather's grandchild. It's being Avatar Roku's grand-daughter, and him being Firelord Sozin's grandson. Didn't Father say they had been friends once, before...? Mother said the Avatar betrayed the Firelord, but when did Father ever say anything about-
"Ursa?" Lady Ran pressed against her side, reaching up as if to cup her cheek. "Ursa, what's wrong?"
"Nothing," she said roughly, catching Lady Ran's wrist and squeezing hard. "Don't you want to attend to the Sisters today?"
The other girl's eyes hardened and she flexed her wrist, breaking Ursa's grip. Bruises were already blossoming on her skin. For an instant, Ursa wondered if Lady Ran would attack her, but the flash of violence drained from the other girl. "So I do," she said, a chill edge to her voice. "But perhaps you are correct that I should be doing these with my husband."
Tempers were so common in the Fire Nation, the change in Lady Ran's mood didn't phase Ursa. It would burn itself out in the night, and anything the other girl said now could be discounted.
"If you so wish," she replied, "I can escort you back to the villa so you may fetch him."
Lady Ran's fingers dug into her side. If the other girl had been a firebender, Ursa would have feared for her clothes. "Let's go to the shrine."
"Of course."
"Tomorrow, I will go with Torao."
"Of course." Ursa closed her eyes as Lady Ran pulled away. Tempers were common in the Fire Nation. It still hurt.
At least Lady Ran might be happy with her husband. Ursa couldn't imagine any happiness ahead for her, Avatar Roku's grand-daughter in the court of Firelord Sozin's son, wed to Firelord Sozin's grandson.
-End-