To Choice!

Writers: Kaysea, Paula
Date Posted: 18th March 2008

Characters: Corowal, Luter
Description: Luter dines with Corowal before he leaves to take up the new Holding.
Location: Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 8, day 5 of Turn 4

"Thank you for inviting me tonight, Sir." Luter shook hands with the Lord Holder, before taking the proffered seat. "We leave first thing in the morning."

"You're welcome, Luter. Did you bring your wife along?" Corowal greeted with a warm, welcoming smile.

"Sorry Sir, she couldn't come with me tonight, the youngest is feeling poorly, and much as she wanted to come, she felt it best not to bring contagion up to your family."

"Well, that was thoughtful of her. My children can pick up contagion all by themselves though," Corowal said with droll tone.

"As do they all. But Siri has been carrying this bug for almost a sevenday now and doesn't seem to be on the improve. I plan to take her to the healer before we leave in the morning."

"Master Miranek is the best one," Corowal said. "Why don't you take a seat. Any preferences for an aperative?" Corowal asked, moving towards the closet where he kept his alcoholic brewerages.

"No Sir, whatever you're having will be fine." Luter took a nearby seat, admiring the room as he did so. So different from the home he had grown up in, and definitely more comfortable that the old holding they would be in within the next day or so. He watched as Corowal poured his drink, "It's good to know Gentle Bess will foal for you within the next few months." he said, bringing up the subject of Strider's latest progeny.
"Aivorn should be pleased too, another winner to add to the stable."

"That's great. Speaking of winners, Aivorn is organizing a race for young runners, kind of practise-competition. Do you have any young promises you would like to race?" Corowal asked and offered him a glass.

"I certainly do!" Luter sat forward on his seat, eager to hear more. "I have Conswain, he's only two Turns old. And EmeraldForce, he's almost two Turns and a sign of Striker's potency. He's from Striker and the dam was..." he paused for a moment, a smile breaking across his face, "actually he's a full sibling to the one Gentle Bess is pregnant with now. You'll get to see what their combined genes can produce." he grinned widely at the Lord Holder.

"Sounds great. The Field Meadow's holder is participating too. I understand that he raises runners too. A competitor of yours?" Corowal said.

"Aye..." Luter nodded, "but I'm obligated to say - and I'd be a fool if I didn't, mine are a better strain." he retorted with a laugh.

"Isn't that the purpose of the races? To see who's the best?"

"Well the truth will out, I think. Any idea when the race will be?" he asked, wondering if it would be too much to come up a day or so before, and allow Strider and EmeraldForce a day or two to resettle, before the race.

"I'm not sure. In next month, I think," Corowal admitted. A drudge came in bringing the diner and set it to the table in front of the men.

"Thanks." Luter smiled up at the serving girl, than back to Corowal.
"Well, if you can send me a sevendays warning, I'd like to bring the two of them back up a couple of days prior and let them resettle, before the race, if that's alright?"

"That sounds fine," Corowal grinned. "So, I believe you promised to tell me how you ended up with your wife?"

"Oh.. yes I did, didn't I?" he laughed, a little surprised at the quick change of subject, but realised the man showed real interest. "Well, it wasn't really much of a mystery." he shrugged, pushing the food around on his plate, he speared some tuber onto his fork, but let it hover for a moment. "I was delivering some young foals to a smallholding just outside the Weyr. Easy to keep an eye on the herds if you can keep up with them." he said, popping the tuber into his mouth appreciating the herbed flavour.

"Weyr?" Corowal urged him to continue.

"Yes, we'd travelled a distance with them, over towards Dolphin Cove."
he would never forget the journey, would never forget the journey back either, and wishing he had brought Alia back with him. "We'd had twenty head to deliver to smallholdings along the route. The final one about a candlemark from the Weyr."

"Did you met her there?" Corowal asked, cutting his meat.

"Yes, I met her there." he nodded affirmatively, "she was visiting her relatives on her restday; and I was delivering their new runners. It was a chance meeting, and we escorted her back to the Weyr at the end of the day. Got to know her quite well over that candlemark." he smiled in memory.

"My meeting with my wife wasn't nearly as romantic as yours," Corowal replied. He poured them both more wine.

"Oh? How so?" Luter asked, taking another bite of the delicious meal before them; it was almost as good as his Alia could make.

"She was a Coral Bay's Lord Holder's relative, unmarried because she was nearsighted and plain looking. I started to court her on purpose.
But I found her truly interesting when I learned to know her. I found out she was hiding a brilliant mind behind her thick-lensed glasses. I found my soulmate," Corowal said.

"You didn't feel an instant attraction, then?" Luter asked, surprised at the man's honesty if not his scruples. "How long were you together?"

"No, she was suitable. Marriages between Bloods are often like that.
Attraction does not play part. We were fortunate to have a happy marriage of twelve turns," Corowal sighed.

"I'm sorry Sir." Luter said, placing his utensils back on the table.
"Sorry that your time together was so short." He didn't know what he would do himself, without Alia in his life.

Corowal smiled sadly. "At least I have our children."

"I'm sure the children think of you in the same way, Sir." Luter nodded, "Do you mind me asking, Sir, how long its been?"

Corowal had to stop to calculate it. "Nine months. Has it already been nine months?"

"Oh, sorry Sir, I didn't realise it had been such a short time ago."

"A lot has happened since then," Corowal remarked.

"It's still only a few months. I was going to ask if you had considered remarriage, but in the circumstances..." Luter looked down at the table feeling more than a little embarrassed for his gaff.

"I'm a lord holder, I can't afford to stay single for long. I've already received enough marriage proposal's," Corowal said with a roll of his eyes.

Luter smiled, "I can imagine. There wouldn't be too many mothers who wouldn't want their daughter to make such a good marriage; but - if you don't mind me saying so, you don't look as pleased as maybe you should?"

"I like the attention but too much is too much. It started right after I was confirmed as the Lord Holder. I rather take my time and choose the right person in peace."

Luter laughed aloud at this plaintive statement. "Much chance you'll have with every available woman in the area bringing in her unwed daughter, Sir."

"My thoughts exactly," Corowal laughed too.

"If I may," Luter raised his mug of wine, " - to the right to chose for oneself!" he said, alluding to his own choice of mate as well, and the old Lord Holders reaction.

Last updated on the March 19th 2008

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