Married Life Begins

Writers: Chelle, Mirren
Date Posted: 14th May 2012

Characters: Alivya, Chupsin
Description: And the wedding night begins.
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 8, day 22 of Turn 6

As he opened the door to his quarters, he realized he was once again going
to have to share his space. First, it had been at the crafthall in the barracks.
Now, it was with a wife. Moving aside, he allowed her to come in behind him.
"The headwoman said our new quarters should be ready in a few sevendays.
For now, I suppose this will do." There was a bedchamber, a small sort of kitchen,
a small living area, and a latrine. It wasn't much, but it had been enough for
him until now.

Coming here felt wrong. Alivya felt ashamed all over again for what she'd done
here. Since she had no choice, she walked through the door. "Where should I put
my things?" she asked, the soft tone full of uncertainty.

"There's room in the bedchamber-a closet. I wouldn't unpack everything now
since we'll just be moving again, but it's up to you." Of course, he didn't have
much to pack as it were, so Chupsin wasn't worried about that. Shutting the door
behind them, he headed over to the small kitchen area and poured himself a
drink. Sipping the wine, he ignored Alivya for the moment, allowing her freedom
to do what she wanted.

It didn't take long for her to put her clothes on hangers and hang them up. While
she worked she listened to the silence. At home there were always other voices
chattering away. Crying, screaming, laughing. She could hear none of that here. She
had to swallow hard to keep from crying. She was too close to home to be homesick
but she was feeling overwhelmed.

He had the day off duties tomorrow so he wasn't worried about getting to bed in a
hurry. When his glass of wine was empty, he put it in the basin and then pushed off
from the counter. Removing his coat, he hung it up on the peg near the door. He took
off his shoes and put them by the door. The healer was fastidious and that would soon
be apparent to Alivya. Filth bred disease. Sauntering over to the living area, he sat down
on the sofa, loosening the buttons on his tunic and the ties on his trousers so he could
breathe.

Not knowing where to put her bags she stowed them under her clothes, beside the spare
pair of shoes. She could hear him moving around outside but had no idea what he expected
of her. She walked back out into the other room, her lower lip drawn between her teeth.

"I suppose we should talk about a schedule," he said as he heard her approach. "Generally,
I serve shifts in the morning and afternoon, but I am on call during the evenings which means
there could be a door knock at any time." He paused as Tourniquet appeared from /between/
and landed on his leg, curling up for attention. He stroked the bronze firelizard as he thought
through things. "I imagine you'll complete your wifely duties then employ yourself in some
manner if you wish. I'm sure the headwoman could find a task or two for you." Of course once
the child came, she'd be expected to stay home.

She walked to the couch while he was speaking, slipped off her shoes and sat at the other end,
feet tucked up under her, skirts pulled out over her knees. She nodded. "So you're usually hom...
here in time for dinner? What do you like to eat?" She enjoyed cooking and was good at it, but
cooking for two instead of eleven was going to take some getting used to. Especially as she hated
leaving a scrap of it left over.

"Well..." That was quite a long list so he had to condense it in his mind. "Herdbeast meat's fine,
wherry as long as it's heavily spiced and marinated so it's tender, and certain types of fish. I don't
like things fried in general. Poultry is good when we can get it. Porcine...even lamb chops." He really
wasn't too discriminatory. "And pretty much any vegetable, though I don't like greens too often so
tubers and beans and other things are better."

She nodded. "I've never learnt to fry anyway, it uses up too much oil." And that led to another
question. "How much will I have to spend on food?" The whole conversation was so unemotional
but it made her feel at ease.

"Well...that will depend on a few things. I get a monthly allowance from the Hold. Now that I am
no longer supporting just myself-that allowance may change. Still waiting to hear from Zelanka
on what it might be. And as far as food goes, the holders often pay me with it." Her father had something of the sort, so he thought she might have already thought about that.

She nodded. She'd learnt how to make do with whatever was around so she could do without too
much trouble. It would be easier in warmer weather. "And right now? Would you like more wine? Or klah?"

"Ah no, I'm good thanks. You can have whatever you want." He waved a hand since she'd likely want to look around in there and see what she had to work with. Livren was right, though. So far, she seemed quite practical-which he liked.

"Maybe some water," she got up and went to find a cup. She couldn't drink anything else this close to bedtime or she'd need the latrine all night. But then at this time in her pregnancy she needed it anyway. She filled her cup and went to sit back down. She sipped, not able to meet his eyes. "Um... Do you like sweets?"

"Sometimes, though not very often. One of those things you do in moderation lest your teeth rot out." He thought about the recent extractions he had been forced to do and grimaced.

"Of course," she agreed. She sipped her water and watched his expression. "Is something wrong?" she asked.

"Not wrong...just hard when you see someone's mouth when you talk about rotting teeth." Every now and again as something occurred to him, he was prone to weird expressions as he thought through the images in his head. "You get used to it, though."

"Oh. I've never thought about it from a healer's point of view," she admitted. "It must be...horrible sometimes."

"Depends on your idea of horrible. You get used to it." He shrugged, leaning back on the sofa and closing his eyes. Oddly enough, he felt no rush to consummate his marriage since he already had-in a quite effective way. "So what do you do to occupy yourself?"

"Usually I help mother with my siblings," she said. "and otherwise I help clean, do laundry, sew and cook. And I embroider. My mother said if I was a man I could ask for marks for my embroidery." she sighed at that. Sometimes it wasn't a good thing to be just a girl. "And I know how to make plants grow, but I don't suppose I'll need to do that much now..."

"Actually...." He was beginning to think she could be quite useful to him. "As a healer's wife, you have a few more options than a general holder woman, Alivya. I have Lady Yanley to assist me as a midwife and nurse, but if you would like, you're more than welcome to tend the herb garden I keep for necessary supplies. The cleaning, laundry, cooking, and sewing will likely remain the same though only for two still yet. You're welcome to embroider whatever you wish for the infant." She wouldn't lack for what she or the child needed-he wanted that to be clear, and industry in whatever form-was prized. He would not tolerate laziness.

She smiled. "I'd love to!" she said with a smile. "I'm good with plants! And it will be nice to be busy and useful." She'd been brought up to think that as much of her time should be filled with industry as possible, with only her occasional, ill fated walks as the exception. Those wouldn't be happening again!

"Very well, I'll show you what you'll need to know tomorrow." Reaching down under his tunic, he scratched his belly just for a few moments then withdrew his hand. "It's going to be an early day though." Getting up, he turned and stretched for a moment. "Tomorrow if there's anything you need, make a list and see the headwoman about it."

"All right," she nodded, "I will." She finished her water and got up to wash and dry her cup. She put it back in place and then turned back to him, feeling shy again.

Since he hadn't had a chance to speak to her about it until now, Chupsin gestured for her to follow him into the bedroom as he changed out of his wedding clothes. "Tell me-any changes with the pregnancy?"

She followed as instructed. "I'm not being sick as often," she said, walking hesitantly through the doorway. "and..." she reached up to flatten her dress against her belly. Without the fabric hanging out from it, it was more obvious that her belly had started to swell as the baby grew. "Not everything fits anymore," she remarked.

"Mmmm....you know how to let things out aye?" Of course she did. He removed his tunic and put it in the small hamper he kept. His trousers followed suit. He bathed every morning so he left his shorts on. "Come here and let me see." He turned to face her, but he sat down on the edge of the bed.

She walked closer. "Oh yes. I'm good at sewing as well. I often have to mend things and take them out. When you live with so many growing children there's always someone out growing something."

Pulling her close, he put his hands under her skirt and then moved them around her belly. He measured the size with his fingers, comparing it with what he knew the size was supposed to be at this point. Satisfied, he pulled his hands back. "I'd like to do a more thorough examination tomorrow since it's time."

His hands were cold but as clinical as ever. When he seemed satisfied, so was she. She trusted that he'd say something if there was something wrong. "All right. It won't be long until I can feel it kick, will it?"

"Could be a few sevendays to a month," he answered as he yawned and pulled back. "I've got to get to bed but you can do whatever you need to." He pulled the bedfurs over himself. "If you're coming, that's fine. If not, please turn the lights off."

She'd expected him to insist so she was taken aback for a while. "Oh... I need to use the latrine first." She walked over to where she'd put her clothes and pulled out a nightgown. She might as well do two things at once. She went away and came back a few minutes later wearing a cotton nightgown that fell halfway down her calves. She'd let her hair out and brushed it, so it fell neatly down her back. Turning off the light, she had to feel her way until her eyes adjusted. She found the covers and climbed under before curling her legs up, her hands under her cheek.

Making a few noises as he got comfortable, the journeyman-now-husband subsided after awhile. Tomorrow would be the second day of his life as a married man. As of yet, he hadn't really considered just what that meant other than someone to take care of his needs and to provide him with children.

She lay awake for a long time after she thought he was asleep. She'd expected he'd want her and didn't know what to think when he didn't. Part of her was relieved and part was disappointed. Was she unattractive now that she wasn't off limits to him? Maybe her swollen belly had put him off. Or maybe she'd done something wrong. That was her last thought before she fell asleep, her first night as a married woman.

Last updated on the May 14th 2012

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