Why Don't We?

Writers: AL, Ames
Date Posted: 2nd June 2011

Characters: Wirnan, Kaya
Description: Wirnan brings up the possibility of fostering children and making them their own and Kaya doesn't react well.
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 2, day 4 of Turn 6

Wirnan

Kaya was tired. She'd spent most of the day cleaning those rooms from
head to toe, going out only to restock the shelves with the few items
of food and drink they kept for easy access when they didn't wish to
have to get something from the kitchens or dining hall. Nothing major,
a bit of fruit, bread and cheese, the sort to nibble on rather than
have a full meal. The wine had been low as had the brandy, so she had
procured more of that with the marks given to her for housekeeping.
Not that she needed much. Still, she had walked all the way to the
Vintner hall and back only to resume her cleaning. Who knew rooms
could get so dusty and dirty so quickly?

She hadn't really taken the time to work on any drawings. By the time
dinner came around, she plopped on the couch, determined not to move
until her stomach forced her to. And she'd probably have to do it all
over again in a couple of days!

"Looks like you've been busy," Wirnan declared the moment he entered the
room and took in the fresh smell and the clean shine that the room
seemed to have. "Ready for dinner now or would you like to stay in for
a bit longer?"

"I just sat down." Indeed, she'd not been sitting there more than a
minute or two before Wirnan had walked through the door. "If I could
just have a few minutes where I don't move, I think I might be ready
to go to dinner."

"Alright then," he moved to the side table, poured himself some klah
and took a seat. Slipping off his shoes, he relaxed for a bit. "The
rooms look wonderful, though," he added, complimenting her on the work
she'd done.

Kaya offered a small smile. "I didn't really think such a small space
would require so much effort." Wirnan wasn't _dirty_ but there had
been a lot of clutter, things that didn't quite have a place and she
was trying to make a place with the space they had. She would have
thought that a Steward's quarters would be larger, but who knew?

"Small? I always felt these quarters were rather roomy. but then
again, I was living in them alone. I _can_ ask for a larger set of
rooms. There is one in this wing, but when I arrived here, I didn't
think I needed such a large space." He paused, thinking about reasons
why they could use more space. "Especially if, it wasn't just the two
of us."

"I guess I'm just used to...something a little different." And while
her father wasn't particularly gentle, she'd had a decent sized room,
though no sitting room. Her parents had, but theirs had been larger.
Well, why would he have larger rooms? As he had said, he had been
single, and he wasn't a Lord Holder - or even a Holder. Why would she
expect bigger? Probably because the Steward of her own hold had larger
quarters than this, but Wirnan had effectively explained why. "Yes,
well, I shouldn't complain. It _is_ just the two of us."

"About that," Wirnan started, watching her closely. "I hear there's a
young girl in the hold who needs a new fosterhome." He waited to see
her reaction.

Kaya stiffened. Was he bringing that up again? Why? "Oh." She
managed after a moment, turning away so she didn't have to meet his
gaze.

Her response didn't give him much to go on. Just like the day before,
she'd clammed up at any mention of such a thing.

"Look, Kaya, I know it's not always easy to think about other children,
but, well, I've always wanted children in my life, and knowing there's
a child out there who could use a good home. I just, well, thought we
could talk about it. Consider if it's something we would want to do
together." He paused, letting out a rather unsatisfied breath of air.
He had no idea what to make of her reaction or what thoughts were
running through her head.

Together. The problem was they weren't _really_ together. She didn't
plan on staying and he'd been frustrated with her enough that she knew
he wouldn't mind it if she left. After all, he hadn't wanted this
marriage - and neither had she. The problem was, she had been letting
her guard down and she'd had to remind herself more than once that this
wasn't forever, that she shouldn't get too close. Except she _was_
getting to close and Kaya knew this was dangerous. It wasn't right.
She couldn't let it happen. "I don't want children." She stated
simply, her back still to Wirnan. "At all."

He gritted his teeth at her words and her tone. "How can you say that?"
He asked incredulously, "It's part of our duty living in a hold to have
children and populate Pern. Even if you _can't_ have children, that
doesn't mean that we couldn't raise the children who need us." Wirnan
was so shocked by her statement he'd raised his voice some as he spoke.

Kaya took a deep breath. Anger stirred in her breast but she was doing
her best not to retaliate - not that it would last much longer if he
didn't let things like. "I don't want children." She repeated,
casting a glance toward him, but she couldn't let it linger, eyes
drifting away again.

He slapped his knee, anger bubbling beneath the surface. He couldn't
stand it anymore. He pushed up from the chair and started pacing. "Why
the shards not, Kaya? You've got to have a _reason_ for this total
disregard for our duty to the hold, to Pern and to each other."

"What is so sharding wrong about not wanting children?" That anger
bubbled up again and Kaya swerved to face Wirnan. "Duty? I've _been_
doing my duty. I've been keeping your quarters so spotless that the
walls and floors shine. I've reorganized everything so that it might
actually be able to be found in two minutes rather than twenty! I've
made sure the laundry's done! Isn't that duty _enough_?"

"Wonderful," he snapped, the word hardly meaning what it should. "I knew
this farce of a marriage would never work. Why would I want to be
saddled with a wife who doesn't want to bring children in this world?
Shardit, of all people to get stuck with. Did you ever think about what
you've done to _my_ life, Kaya? What about the things _I_ wanted in
life. You're so selfish and self-centered, I don't think you can see
past your own nose!" Wirnan was angry. He grabbed for his jacket,
knocking something over in the process, but he hardly cared. "If all
you hope for for your life is to keep house, then by all means, DO IT!
I'll even leave you to it." Then he stomped across the room, grabbed
the door and with a shudder banged it shut behind him.

Last updated on the June 10th 2011

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Why Don't We?