Post by opalgirl on Aug 18, 2010 8:09:56 GMT 10
Title: An Attempt at Self-Preservation
Rating: G
Length: 711 words
Summary: If he wanted her to like him, what did it hurt? Even if she didn't come to enjoy his company, he could at least try to make her happy in Carthak; he would not see her miserable. Unlike his uncle, he saw need for human bonds and ties. The Emperor gives his new wife a gift, supposedly as a method of self-preservation.
Notes: You keep telling yourself that, Kaddar, eh? (Also: I love theme weeks, because I can recycle half-written fics that don't have enough of an idea behind them to become anything longer).
They were married now, husband and wife, and yet Kaddar didn't know her. The word 'wife' was linked with her in his mind, but he felt little towards her at all.
When she'd arrived in Carthak a year prior to the wedding, his mother and sisters had taken her underneath their wings, and their time together had been chaperoned and formal. As a married couple, they dined together when state functions required it and attended meetings. Occasionally, they were able to ride in each other's company, always under guard (which was no better than the chaperones, truthfully).
His wife revealed a fondness for horses and a good eye for a quality animal, on their rides and their tour of the Imperial stables. As a personal gift (although he couldn't say why he wanted to give her a gift), aside from the formal and symbolic gifts exchanged with their marriage, he purchased a young, half-broken stallion from the finest stud in the empire. Not a docile lady's mount and not a traditional gift at all.
“Oh, he's beautiful.” Kalasin stared at the animal for a moment, taking in the slightly dished shape of the horse's face, the rich grey coat, and proudly arched neck. Disregarding her clothing, she knelt and ran her hands over the horse's legs, checking hooves and bones, then rose to examine the eyes, ears and teeth with deft hands. “He's perfect,” she declared, with a nod. “He looks as if he could run forever.”
“That's what he was bred for,” Kaddar explained. “Some of our tribespeople needed a horse that could survive in the desert. They began breeding animals like this one.”
“Reminds me of the Bazhir horses, but theirs tend to be taller,” she mused.
Kaddar smiled at her. “He's only half-broken, so you can have him trained as you like.”
She grinned back at him, then seemingly remembered herself. “Forgive me, Majesty. Thank you.”
And he had thought he'd done well. He had pleased her, but she still would not call him by name.
“You couldn't have given her something normal?” His mother demanded as she walked alongside him. “Silks, perfumes, jewels...?”
Well, Empress Kalasin was far from ordinary. Any fool could see that. Kaddar shook his head. “She wouldn't have appreciated those things, Mother. She likes horses, is an excellent rider, and didn't subject her horse from Tortall to the journey here.”
Princess Fazia snorted. After a beat, she added, “if she breaks her head riding that animal, I leave it to you to explain.”
“She is accomplished in the saddle,” he defended. “Very much so. It's been said that to see her mother astride is like watching one of the old tribal horse gods.”
Fazia answered with the slightest roll of her eyes. "I do think the stories about your royal mother-in-law are exaggerated."
"Regardless. A traditional mount for a lady would not have suited her. She has a fine eye for horses and I gave her one she could appreciate. Her mother's people were nomads and great warriors in the saddle, and I thought it appropriate."
“One might think you were trying to make her like you, boy," the Princess said, dryly.
What did it matter if he was showing interest in his wife and trying to cater to her interests? Why did it matter that he'd given her a horse and not jewelry or perfumes as a personal gift? If he wanted her to like him, what did it hurt? Even if she didn't come to enjoy his company, he could at least try to make her happy in Carthak; he would not see her miserable. Unlike his uncle, he saw need for human bonds and ties.
His wife, after all, held almost as much power as he did--the laws had been adjusted, on her parents' request, granting her unheard-of ruling powers for an Imperial consort--and, if she was truly miserable, she was clever enough to turn his court against him, if she so desired. It was more of an attempt at self-preservation--if he kept her happy in her new life, she wouldn't turn on him--than an attempt to win her affection.
Rating: G
Length: 711 words
Summary: If he wanted her to like him, what did it hurt? Even if she didn't come to enjoy his company, he could at least try to make her happy in Carthak; he would not see her miserable. Unlike his uncle, he saw need for human bonds and ties. The Emperor gives his new wife a gift, supposedly as a method of self-preservation.
Notes: You keep telling yourself that, Kaddar, eh? (Also: I love theme weeks, because I can recycle half-written fics that don't have enough of an idea behind them to become anything longer).
***
They were married now, husband and wife, and yet Kaddar didn't know her. The word 'wife' was linked with her in his mind, but he felt little towards her at all.
When she'd arrived in Carthak a year prior to the wedding, his mother and sisters had taken her underneath their wings, and their time together had been chaperoned and formal. As a married couple, they dined together when state functions required it and attended meetings. Occasionally, they were able to ride in each other's company, always under guard (which was no better than the chaperones, truthfully).
His wife revealed a fondness for horses and a good eye for a quality animal, on their rides and their tour of the Imperial stables. As a personal gift (although he couldn't say why he wanted to give her a gift), aside from the formal and symbolic gifts exchanged with their marriage, he purchased a young, half-broken stallion from the finest stud in the empire. Not a docile lady's mount and not a traditional gift at all.
“Oh, he's beautiful.” Kalasin stared at the animal for a moment, taking in the slightly dished shape of the horse's face, the rich grey coat, and proudly arched neck. Disregarding her clothing, she knelt and ran her hands over the horse's legs, checking hooves and bones, then rose to examine the eyes, ears and teeth with deft hands. “He's perfect,” she declared, with a nod. “He looks as if he could run forever.”
“That's what he was bred for,” Kaddar explained. “Some of our tribespeople needed a horse that could survive in the desert. They began breeding animals like this one.”
“Reminds me of the Bazhir horses, but theirs tend to be taller,” she mused.
Kaddar smiled at her. “He's only half-broken, so you can have him trained as you like.”
She grinned back at him, then seemingly remembered herself. “Forgive me, Majesty. Thank you.”
And he had thought he'd done well. He had pleased her, but she still would not call him by name.
***
“You couldn't have given her something normal?” His mother demanded as she walked alongside him. “Silks, perfumes, jewels...?”
Well, Empress Kalasin was far from ordinary. Any fool could see that. Kaddar shook his head. “She wouldn't have appreciated those things, Mother. She likes horses, is an excellent rider, and didn't subject her horse from Tortall to the journey here.”
Princess Fazia snorted. After a beat, she added, “if she breaks her head riding that animal, I leave it to you to explain.”
“She is accomplished in the saddle,” he defended. “Very much so. It's been said that to see her mother astride is like watching one of the old tribal horse gods.”
Fazia answered with the slightest roll of her eyes. "I do think the stories about your royal mother-in-law are exaggerated."
"Regardless. A traditional mount for a lady would not have suited her. She has a fine eye for horses and I gave her one she could appreciate. Her mother's people were nomads and great warriors in the saddle, and I thought it appropriate."
“One might think you were trying to make her like you, boy," the Princess said, dryly.
What did it matter if he was showing interest in his wife and trying to cater to her interests? Why did it matter that he'd given her a horse and not jewelry or perfumes as a personal gift? If he wanted her to like him, what did it hurt? Even if she didn't come to enjoy his company, he could at least try to make her happy in Carthak; he would not see her miserable. Unlike his uncle, he saw need for human bonds and ties.
His wife, after all, held almost as much power as he did--the laws had been adjusted, on her parents' request, granting her unheard-of ruling powers for an Imperial consort--and, if she was truly miserable, she was clever enough to turn his court against him, if she so desired. It was more of an attempt at self-preservation--if he kept her happy in her new life, she wouldn't turn on him--than an attempt to win her affection.