Our heroine, that'd be Miniyal, finds some approval from her father.
I still need to write Corin and Miniyal together. But, that's a harder one to write. Definitely something I need to be properly in the mood for. So, instead? I write happiness.
This takes place after this log where Gans invites Miniyal to live with him.
Halfway there I realized I’d forgotten to do what I said. So I raced back, grabbed the first person I saw, and relayed my request. After making sure it was understood I turned and fled back towards work. It was. . .weird. As I hurried to change and brush my hair, raced to my duties (twice), I felt weird. Or maybe it was just that I couldn’t stop myself from smiling.
Not, the whole time, not what everyone might. . .well, I could feel it. The way my lips curved upwards no matter how hard I tried to keep my expression more neutral. Bothal was the first person I saw when I entered the records room and I gave him a wave and a wink as I went to see what I was assigned for the day. To see if I could, indeed, escape early. Escape. It was not a word I had ever thought to use for here.
I still loved it in here. I would never find the scent of old hides anything but comforting, too many turns among them. However, today, it was someplace I had to be that was keeping me from where I wished to be. I could fix this. I just had to, well, deal with Navan. Peeking at the duty list I blinked. Then I looked over at Bothal who was grinning at me. He was such a flirt. I loved him like a brother, although I suppose like plenty of other women I once saw him another way.
But, holding a man’s head while he’s throwing up from one too many glasses of wine sort of. . .well, either you love a man then or you don’t. Clearly, thankfully, it was the latter for me. Marrying him would have been. . .well, like Navan marrying Corin and I had no desire for that. No desire to marry at all I suppose which is a good thing as it’s certainly not in my future.
Another glance at the duty list and I gestured with my hand. Being smart and pretty, Bothal grinned and waved me towards where Navan was. Leaving the list behind I followed a familiar path to find Navan working away. Why did this seem so familiar? Oh, that’s why. Clearing my throat softly, again, so familiar I waited.
This time, however, he looked right up. There was even a brief smile for me, puzzled perhaps because I was already smiling. Which perhaps explains why his first words to me were, “What has he done?” Rather than anything in the way of a greeting. Worrying at my lip I edged closer to his little table, waiting to be stopped. When he made no move to do so I sat, hands folding properly before me. And? Still smiled.
“He’s asked me to move in with him,” offered so hesitantly. Quiet even for our conversations. If this ruined his good mood I didn’t see it, too scared to look anywhere but at my hands. Such interesting hands, ink stained as they were under the nails. When the silence got to be too much, odd, when did it start doing that, I looked up again. Whatever he had been thinking was masked carefully and I couldn’t help but sigh.
“Do you hate me? For saying yes? I know you and Corin do not approve, but. . .but I am happy. I’m worried too, Dad. About what will happen in the future. But just this once I want to try. To not run away from what is scary. Do you. . .” I couldn’t say it. Couldn’t ask forgiveness for something that I knew wasn’t wrong.
“Have you told your mother?” The question was what I expected so maybe it was not so bad. He was not moving, hands folded like mine. A gift from Corin to us both I suppose, manners in the face of awkwardness. Although he succeeded far better than I, always. “Not yet. I. . .he just asked me. I thought maybe. Well, if I might go early? If I do not get the new texts reviewed before I need to go I could take them with me. You know how careful I would be. I could finish them in his room.”
“Your room,” gently corrected me and I blinked, trying not to blush. “Our room,” I responded and this time when I looked at him he had a smile for me. This was, well, acceptance. He may not like my choice, or what it did to Corin, but he would accept it. It was a relief to know that. It’s not one I can explain, but anyone who’s feared losing someone forever just to find they only left a short while will know what I mean.
Navan took up his pen again and glanced at his work. “There’s no reason, so long as they all get reviewed, you cannot do them from your new quarters as you get settled.” When he glanced up at me I could see what that final gift had cost him and I rose to my feet to depart.
“Thank you, Dad,” I whispered, all Daddy’s Little Girl now and not even close to being an adult, but there are times that is ok. Blinking away tears that would embarrass us both, the same way he did now, I smiled. “I love you. Thank you.”
I turned to go, but not fast enough. “Tell your mother,” I was instructed and turned back. He watched me carefully then, I suppose to read me as he reads everyone. So, I did what I thought best. Sticking out my tongue I giggled. “Maybe not as much now.” It was old, this ritual. He allows me to get away with something, I express my love, he informs me /I/ get to tell Corin, and the love diminishes. In words only.
I fled this time with no further words. None were needed. We were alright. We would be. I don’t know what changed his mind, but that doesn’t matter. As I gathered up the hides that would need review before being added officially to the inventory I saw Bothal looking at me. As I sailed past him I waved with the arm not carefully holding my work. “Sucks to be you,” I informed him with all the glee a little sister, even one who is not really, could summon. “See you tomorrow, Thal. Tell your lousy brother next time he calls me Mini I’m gonna leak ink all over his work.”
His expression made me laugh. A sound, I suppose, not very familiar to anywhere. Maybe that would change. Maybe it would be ok for once. Maybe, even if it wasn’t? Maybe I would be ok anyway. As I headed back, much earlier than anticipated, I poked gently at that voice. He was still there, but quiet. Maybe that should scare me? But not today. Let him watch. Let him learn. I would not be so easy to scare next time. Not be run off. For a time, even if it didn’t last, I was not alone.
When I reached the door I hesitated. I nearly knocked. Which only made me laugh again. There would be no more knocking at the door. No more ritual. He was sitting down to breakfast when I walked in. Looking up, surprised to see me. “Navan said I could work from home,” I informed him, stressing the last word without meaning to, smiling all over again. I set the hides on the table and then glanced at breakfast. “It’ll keep,” I added with a grin. There was only a second’s confusion, ended by his taking note of the gleam in my eyes. Or maybe just the way I was already walking towards the other room and our bed. Ours.
This takes place after this log where Gans invites Miniyal to live with him.
Halfway there I realized I’d forgotten to do what I said. So I raced back, grabbed the first person I saw, and relayed my request. After making sure it was understood I turned and fled back towards work. It was. . .weird. As I hurried to change and brush my hair, raced to my duties (twice), I felt weird. Or maybe it was just that I couldn’t stop myself from smiling.
Not, the whole time, not what everyone might. . .well, I could feel it. The way my lips curved upwards no matter how hard I tried to keep my expression more neutral. Bothal was the first person I saw when I entered the records room and I gave him a wave and a wink as I went to see what I was assigned for the day. To see if I could, indeed, escape early. Escape. It was not a word I had ever thought to use for here.
I still loved it in here. I would never find the scent of old hides anything but comforting, too many turns among them. However, today, it was someplace I had to be that was keeping me from where I wished to be. I could fix this. I just had to, well, deal with Navan. Peeking at the duty list I blinked. Then I looked over at Bothal who was grinning at me. He was such a flirt. I loved him like a brother, although I suppose like plenty of other women I once saw him another way.
But, holding a man’s head while he’s throwing up from one too many glasses of wine sort of. . .well, either you love a man then or you don’t. Clearly, thankfully, it was the latter for me. Marrying him would have been. . .well, like Navan marrying Corin and I had no desire for that. No desire to marry at all I suppose which is a good thing as it’s certainly not in my future.
Another glance at the duty list and I gestured with my hand. Being smart and pretty, Bothal grinned and waved me towards where Navan was. Leaving the list behind I followed a familiar path to find Navan working away. Why did this seem so familiar? Oh, that’s why. Clearing my throat softly, again, so familiar I waited.
This time, however, he looked right up. There was even a brief smile for me, puzzled perhaps because I was already smiling. Which perhaps explains why his first words to me were, “What has he done?” Rather than anything in the way of a greeting. Worrying at my lip I edged closer to his little table, waiting to be stopped. When he made no move to do so I sat, hands folding properly before me. And? Still smiled.
“He’s asked me to move in with him,” offered so hesitantly. Quiet even for our conversations. If this ruined his good mood I didn’t see it, too scared to look anywhere but at my hands. Such interesting hands, ink stained as they were under the nails. When the silence got to be too much, odd, when did it start doing that, I looked up again. Whatever he had been thinking was masked carefully and I couldn’t help but sigh.
“Do you hate me? For saying yes? I know you and Corin do not approve, but. . .but I am happy. I’m worried too, Dad. About what will happen in the future. But just this once I want to try. To not run away from what is scary. Do you. . .” I couldn’t say it. Couldn’t ask forgiveness for something that I knew wasn’t wrong.
“Have you told your mother?” The question was what I expected so maybe it was not so bad. He was not moving, hands folded like mine. A gift from Corin to us both I suppose, manners in the face of awkwardness. Although he succeeded far better than I, always. “Not yet. I. . .he just asked me. I thought maybe. Well, if I might go early? If I do not get the new texts reviewed before I need to go I could take them with me. You know how careful I would be. I could finish them in his room.”
“Your room,” gently corrected me and I blinked, trying not to blush. “Our room,” I responded and this time when I looked at him he had a smile for me. This was, well, acceptance. He may not like my choice, or what it did to Corin, but he would accept it. It was a relief to know that. It’s not one I can explain, but anyone who’s feared losing someone forever just to find they only left a short while will know what I mean.
Navan took up his pen again and glanced at his work. “There’s no reason, so long as they all get reviewed, you cannot do them from your new quarters as you get settled.” When he glanced up at me I could see what that final gift had cost him and I rose to my feet to depart.
“Thank you, Dad,” I whispered, all Daddy’s Little Girl now and not even close to being an adult, but there are times that is ok. Blinking away tears that would embarrass us both, the same way he did now, I smiled. “I love you. Thank you.”
I turned to go, but not fast enough. “Tell your mother,” I was instructed and turned back. He watched me carefully then, I suppose to read me as he reads everyone. So, I did what I thought best. Sticking out my tongue I giggled. “Maybe not as much now.” It was old, this ritual. He allows me to get away with something, I express my love, he informs me /I/ get to tell Corin, and the love diminishes. In words only.
I fled this time with no further words. None were needed. We were alright. We would be. I don’t know what changed his mind, but that doesn’t matter. As I gathered up the hides that would need review before being added officially to the inventory I saw Bothal looking at me. As I sailed past him I waved with the arm not carefully holding my work. “Sucks to be you,” I informed him with all the glee a little sister, even one who is not really, could summon. “See you tomorrow, Thal. Tell your lousy brother next time he calls me Mini I’m gonna leak ink all over his work.”
His expression made me laugh. A sound, I suppose, not very familiar to anywhere. Maybe that would change. Maybe it would be ok for once. Maybe, even if it wasn’t? Maybe I would be ok anyway. As I headed back, much earlier than anticipated, I poked gently at that voice. He was still there, but quiet. Maybe that should scare me? But not today. Let him watch. Let him learn. I would not be so easy to scare next time. Not be run off. For a time, even if it didn’t last, I was not alone.
When I reached the door I hesitated. I nearly knocked. Which only made me laugh again. There would be no more knocking at the door. No more ritual. He was sitting down to breakfast when I walked in. Looking up, surprised to see me. “Navan said I could work from home,” I informed him, stressing the last word without meaning to, smiling all over again. I set the hides on the table and then glanced at breakfast. “It’ll keep,” I added with a grin. There was only a second’s confusion, ended by his taking note of the gleam in my eyes. Or maybe just the way I was already walking towards the other room and our bed. Ours.