Post by Ankhiale on Dec 10, 2013 19:27:31 GMT 10
Title: Heart to Heart
Rating: G
For: Skylar
Prompt: #5 - Kally with Thayet before she leaves for Carthak
Summary: Kally and Thayet talk about Kally’s upcoming marriage to Kaddar.
Notes and Warnings: No warnings. Technically canon-compliant, though a lot depends on how you take some of the q-canon about Kally’s marriage. Hopefully it fits the spirit of your prompt, Skylar. I hope you like it!
*******
"You're sure about this."
"Yes."
"This isn't what I wanted for you, you know," Thayet murmured. She fought to keep the anger off her face; this wasn't the time or place for anger.
"I know," Kally said, leaning against her mother.
One of Thayet's arms wrapped around Kally's shoulders. "I wanted you, all of you, to be able to follow your dreams. To do what you like."
Kally sighed and sat up. She stared out at the garden for a moment before her jaw firmed and she turned to face her mother.
"No, Mother," she said, "you wanted me to follow your dreams."
Thayet looked blankly down at her daughter. "Excuse me?"
Kally sighed again and looked back out at the roses. She smoothed her skirt, a nervous habit she'd never broken. "You told me, all the time, about how you wished you could've been more than just the Warlord's daughter, how you wished you could've been a warrior like you would've been with the tribes. You and Aunt Alanna and Aunt Buri - all you told us were stories of knights, stories of warriors, stories of how Aunt Alanna had made it possible for girls to be knights and how you and Aunt Buri had made the Riders."
Thayet stared. She sat back. "Are you trying to tell me you never wanted your knightood? It was all you talked about for years, Kally."
Kally smiled - the same half-smile as her namesake, and Thayet's heart twisted when she saw it. "No. I wanted to be a knight, but I think sometimes that I only wanted it in the first place because it was my duty."
"Kally-"
Kally, uncharacteristically, cut off her mother. "I know it wasn't what others would've seen as my duty. What I'm doing now - arranging a useful marriage alliance, going to Carthak - that's what others think is my duty. But your legacy, and Aunt Buri's, and Aunt Alanna's - you don't have a legacy if no one follows in your footsteps. I had a duty to you to help keep your ideals alive."
Thayet's mouth worked.
"Don't get me wrong," Kally continued, smiling softly at the vibrant orange flowers near the fountain. "I would have been happy being a knight. But I think I will be happy this way, too. Not all of us have only one dream."
They sat in silence as the last of the sun set. Thayet watched her daughter as the shadows deepened around them.
She looks content, Thayet realized. She's made her peace with this.
"You're sure this is what you want?" she asked Kally, the tremble in her voice surprising them both.
Kally looked at her, blue eyes wide and bright in the gloom, startled. "Oh, Mother," she whispered. She scooted closer and embraced her mother. Thayet held her tightly. "I'll be fine. I'm the one who insisted Father give me a choice in who I marry, remember? Aunt Daine says Kaddar is kind, and intelligent, and even handsome. And everyone says there's actual work there to do, so I won't be just some bored ornament of a wife."
"I didn't want this for you," Thayet whispered into Kally's hair. "I didn't want you to end up as some political bargaining chip, just doing your duty." She sat back, wiping her eyes. "I knew it was unrealistic, but I really did hope you would marry for love."
Kally smiled. "All things considered, I think I could love Kaddar."
Thayet chuckled. "It doesn't quite work like that, Kally."
"No, but he sounds like the kind of person I would be friends with, and friendship is a form of love." Kally stood, then leaned down to kiss her mother on the cheek. "It will work out, Mother. Weren't you the one who told me that sometimes you have to make your own happiness? That's what I'm doing."
Thayet grabbed her arm. "And if you fail? If this doesn't work out? If Kaddar turns mean, or his court turns on you?"
Kally tugged her mother to her feet. "Then I weigh the advantages and disadvantages, and if things turn really sour I use all those skills you, and Aunt Buri, and Aunt Alanna, and Uncle George, and even Uncle Numair taught me, and I get myself back here, safe and sound."
Thayet smiled wryly down at her daughter. "You have an answer for everything, don't you."
Kally smiled impishly. "I try."
Arm in arm, they walked back inside.
Rating: G
For: Skylar
Prompt: #5 - Kally with Thayet before she leaves for Carthak
Summary: Kally and Thayet talk about Kally’s upcoming marriage to Kaddar.
Notes and Warnings: No warnings. Technically canon-compliant, though a lot depends on how you take some of the q-canon about Kally’s marriage. Hopefully it fits the spirit of your prompt, Skylar. I hope you like it!
*******
"You're sure about this."
"Yes."
"This isn't what I wanted for you, you know," Thayet murmured. She fought to keep the anger off her face; this wasn't the time or place for anger.
"I know," Kally said, leaning against her mother.
One of Thayet's arms wrapped around Kally's shoulders. "I wanted you, all of you, to be able to follow your dreams. To do what you like."
Kally sighed and sat up. She stared out at the garden for a moment before her jaw firmed and she turned to face her mother.
"No, Mother," she said, "you wanted me to follow your dreams."
Thayet looked blankly down at her daughter. "Excuse me?"
Kally sighed again and looked back out at the roses. She smoothed her skirt, a nervous habit she'd never broken. "You told me, all the time, about how you wished you could've been more than just the Warlord's daughter, how you wished you could've been a warrior like you would've been with the tribes. You and Aunt Alanna and Aunt Buri - all you told us were stories of knights, stories of warriors, stories of how Aunt Alanna had made it possible for girls to be knights and how you and Aunt Buri had made the Riders."
Thayet stared. She sat back. "Are you trying to tell me you never wanted your knightood? It was all you talked about for years, Kally."
Kally smiled - the same half-smile as her namesake, and Thayet's heart twisted when she saw it. "No. I wanted to be a knight, but I think sometimes that I only wanted it in the first place because it was my duty."
"Kally-"
Kally, uncharacteristically, cut off her mother. "I know it wasn't what others would've seen as my duty. What I'm doing now - arranging a useful marriage alliance, going to Carthak - that's what others think is my duty. But your legacy, and Aunt Buri's, and Aunt Alanna's - you don't have a legacy if no one follows in your footsteps. I had a duty to you to help keep your ideals alive."
Thayet's mouth worked.
"Don't get me wrong," Kally continued, smiling softly at the vibrant orange flowers near the fountain. "I would have been happy being a knight. But I think I will be happy this way, too. Not all of us have only one dream."
They sat in silence as the last of the sun set. Thayet watched her daughter as the shadows deepened around them.
She looks content, Thayet realized. She's made her peace with this.
"You're sure this is what you want?" she asked Kally, the tremble in her voice surprising them both.
Kally looked at her, blue eyes wide and bright in the gloom, startled. "Oh, Mother," she whispered. She scooted closer and embraced her mother. Thayet held her tightly. "I'll be fine. I'm the one who insisted Father give me a choice in who I marry, remember? Aunt Daine says Kaddar is kind, and intelligent, and even handsome. And everyone says there's actual work there to do, so I won't be just some bored ornament of a wife."
"I didn't want this for you," Thayet whispered into Kally's hair. "I didn't want you to end up as some political bargaining chip, just doing your duty." She sat back, wiping her eyes. "I knew it was unrealistic, but I really did hope you would marry for love."
Kally smiled. "All things considered, I think I could love Kaddar."
Thayet chuckled. "It doesn't quite work like that, Kally."
"No, but he sounds like the kind of person I would be friends with, and friendship is a form of love." Kally stood, then leaned down to kiss her mother on the cheek. "It will work out, Mother. Weren't you the one who told me that sometimes you have to make your own happiness? That's what I'm doing."
Thayet grabbed her arm. "And if you fail? If this doesn't work out? If Kaddar turns mean, or his court turns on you?"
Kally tugged her mother to her feet. "Then I weigh the advantages and disadvantages, and if things turn really sour I use all those skills you, and Aunt Buri, and Aunt Alanna, and Uncle George, and even Uncle Numair taught me, and I get myself back here, safe and sound."
Thayet smiled wryly down at her daughter. "You have an answer for everything, don't you."
Kally smiled impishly. "I try."
Arm in arm, they walked back inside.
Maybe once we'd have seen it during Smackdown!