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wayfarers_lodgeAlex sat with her eldest childe, running her fingers over the ring on the fourth finger of her left hand, over and over, as if trying to understand it, trying to derive some truth from it that it hadn't already shared with her.
"Will you be upset if I marry, Ellis?" She asked, eyes distant, voice trembling with sorrow and- fear? Nervousness?
The man next to her considered for a long time, and eventually shook his head.
"No," he said, "I won't. Those of the Monachal Creed will be, but it isn't them that matters- it's what is right in your belief."
Alex nodded, and considered the ring again.
"I don't know if I can love him like he does me."
"Has he asked you to love him like that?" Ellis countered, without scorn, without judgement, only the question on his lips.
"Well... no. He hasn't." She paused for a moment. "And I don't think he will."
"How do you see him? What is he to you?"
Alex closed her eyes and considered her lover, his eyes, his words, his hands, his heart before her. There would be no other like him, and that thought struck her speechless for a moment, as Atalanta before Meleager.
She opened her eyes, and smiled shakily at her childe.
"He is... my equal."
Ellis smiled in return, and put his hand on hers, and she wondered at the touch as he spoke.
"That is a good start. In fact, that is an ideal start. You must reflect, though, and contemplate. Pray if you will. This is not an easy thing, and you still have your year and a day."
Alex leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.
"Thank you, Ellis. You always have the best advice for your sire."
"Will you be upset if I marry, Ellis?" She asked, eyes distant, voice trembling with sorrow and- fear? Nervousness?
The man next to her considered for a long time, and eventually shook his head.
"No," he said, "I won't. Those of the Monachal Creed will be, but it isn't them that matters- it's what is right in your belief."
Alex nodded, and considered the ring again.
"I don't know if I can love him like he does me."
"Has he asked you to love him like that?" Ellis countered, without scorn, without judgement, only the question on his lips.
"Well... no. He hasn't." She paused for a moment. "And I don't think he will."
"How do you see him? What is he to you?"
Alex closed her eyes and considered her lover, his eyes, his words, his hands, his heart before her. There would be no other like him, and that thought struck her speechless for a moment, as Atalanta before Meleager.
She opened her eyes, and smiled shakily at her childe.
"He is... my equal."
Ellis smiled in return, and put his hand on hers, and she wondered at the touch as he spoke.
"That is a good start. In fact, that is an ideal start. You must reflect, though, and contemplate. Pray if you will. This is not an easy thing, and you still have your year and a day."
Alex leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.
"Thank you, Ellis. You always have the best advice for your sire."
