I Met Someone

Writers: AL, Ames
Date Posted: 30th March 2011

Characters: Wirnan, Zathris
Description: Zathris notices Wirnan's distracted air.
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 1, day 8 of Turn 6
Notes: Takes place after "Guaranteeing Tomorrow"

Wirnan

Zathris

Zathris couldn't help but grin at the expression on his Steward's face. The
man wasn't necessarily prone to being moody, or down, but he was often
serious. And there was often a distracted air about him when he wasn't
working, the sort that spoke of longing. Of something missing.

Today, however, something was different. He was distracted, not only off
duty but on, and there was a sparkle in his eyes. Even the corners of his
mouth turned upward without really meaning to. Zathris leaned over as if to
get a closer look, then cleared his throat. "Wirnan...did you hear what I
just said?"

"What? Oh," Wirnan looked over a bit sheepishly at Zathris. "My apologies,
my mind was somewhere else." **Thinking about when I might see Kaya again,**
he mused. He wracked his brain to try and figure out what Zathris had been
telling him, but he was embarrassed to admit that he didn't have a clue.

"I assure you it won't happen again, Zathris."

"Is that so?" The matter at hand wasn't urgent so Zathris set down the
parchment and looked over at the man who had quickly become a friend. "Of
course, you must tell me where it was. Otherwise I shall wrack my brain and
lose sleep over what it is that is distracting my steward."

Wirnan chuckled a bit as he looked at Zathris. "Well," he hedged a bit, "I
met a nice young lady at the Turn's Beginning celebrations and I've found
myself enjoying her company quite a lot lately."

"Oh really?" Zathris' eyebrows shot upward, but he couldn't help but be
pleased. Wirnan was generally a pleasant and happy man, but even he was
plagued by bouts of sorrow that slipped over his features. Zathris had seen
that on his own expression before, even more so after his first wife had
died. He had known that lonliness plagued his Steward. "You've been
spending a lot of time with her since then?"

He couldn't quite hide his expression as he looked at Zathris. "Some, yes."
Wirnan seemed to always be smiling when he thought of Kaya of late, "But
she's so young," he added, his eyes drawing together a bit as his smiled
slipped slightly.

"Young? How young is she?" Now that would be interesting. Zathris
couldn't help but be curious about this girl that had caught Wirnan's eye.

He flushed a bit as he looked his friend in the eye. "About 20," he replied.
Saying it aloud made him realize he was nearly twice her age. He was being
foolish to think about her in such a way, but he couldn't seem to stop
himself. The way the sunlight glinted off her hair, the way her lips curled
in a smile, the way her eyes seemed to light up when she spoke. "It's just
company," he didn't want Zathris to think he was _really_ going to pursue
this.

"Ah, that's not that bad." Zathris made a dismissive gesture with a flip of
his hand. "There are men thirty and fourty turns marrying women that young.
I'm surprised she's not married already, to be honest. Maybe her father's
been hoarding her."

"I'm not sure she and her father get along all that well," Wirnan replied
then shrugged, "not that that matters. I believe he was trying to set her up
with quite a few men during the celebrations, perhaps he's working on a
match for her now." He couldn't help but pause at that thought. Aye, it had
crossed his mind, but he really hadn't allowed himself to dwell on it overly
much. He hardly knew her, he was not where near ready to consider what her
father would likely be asking for.

"Then perhaps it would be best to be careful and make sure that you aren't
making them think that you have an interest beyond friendship." Zathris
cautioned, but couldn't help but wonder. Just having a friend...Wirnan had
friends. Zathris was one of them! But surely that was not the cause of
that smile. That wasn't the sort of smile caused by someone who was looked
upon as 'just' a friend.

He grinned a bit slyly at Zathris. "Well, I didn't say I wasn't interested,
but I know so little of her. I'm just not sure I'm ready to make any bold
moves quite yet." In fact he was more than a little interested, but he'd
hardly even spoken to her father or mother and he'd never even broached such
a thing with Kaya. What if she wasn't looking on him in that light?

"Ah, I see." Well, at least Wirnan was willing to admit that he was
entertaining the idea. Zathris chuckled. "Maybe you could speak to her
father, see if he'd be willing to enter into a contract of courtship. I've
heard of such things. A set amount of time where you court her and see if
you would like her as a wife." That was where this was going, wasn't it?

Wirnan contemplated that idea. It was not something he'd considered, but
perhaps it was an idea worth considering. Yes, he'd speak to Kaya soon and
see if she was even interested in such a matter, and if she was he'd
approach the man and ask him. Maybe then, he'd see if they could become
something more. Yet, he just didn't know. If he did this, how was he to know
it was more than just lust over a youthful figure? "May I ask you knew you
wanted to be with Lady Benani?" Perhaps hearing some of Zathris's story
would help him find a way to create his own.

"To be honest, I was hesitant at first." Zathris admitted with with a half
grin. "I was still mourning over my first wife. But...Benani. She was
there. She knew my pain. She encouraged me to remember her, not forget her.
And she was a friend. That's the best kind of wife to have, one who is a
friend. My first was the same. I am very fortunate to have my second be so
as well."

"I would like that as well. If I ever do find the right woman for me." Maybe
Kaya could be that woman, but maybe she had just been placed her to remind
him that he shouldn't give up hope. For these past few months he'd grown
rather lonely and had begun to wonder if that would be his perpetual lot in
life again.

"Perhaps we should get this finished, my lord? Then I might have time to go
seek out a certain...friend of mine and see what might happen." His eyes
were happy for the first time in long time. Wirnan felt young and joyful and
full of hope each time he thought of Kaya. Would she think the same of him?
He could only wish it.

"I don't see why there wouldn't be." If Wirnan had someone in mind, Zathris
was going to encourage it. In his experience, men who had responsibilities
outside of their job actually were better workers within their job. They
were happier, and while Wirnan was always careful and precise, those who had
families were even more so. They had someone take care of that added
another level of care that single men just didn't have. He knew having a
wife had certainly changed his own perspective. "So let's get to work. I
might need you to go check on a certain Holder. If you can find him,
perhaps you can talk with his daughter."

He chuckled at Zathris's comment, already thinking about the next time he'd
get to see Kaya. Then, he turned his thoughts back to the task at hand, for
he knew if he didn't get his work done he wouldn't have the free time he so
desired at the moment.

Last updated on the April 27th 2011

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I Met Someone