Haleth walks alone, a little apart from the bulk of the group. When a dark shadow joins her she looks up, and once again that brief smile crosses her face. There is a warmth in it most of her people would be surprised to see. She is not even aware she does it.
They walk in silence for a minute or two more before she speaks. "My father was not born Chief," she says, not bothering with small talk first. Of course they are picking up from their conversation of last night. What need for any unnecessary preliminaries? "Our previous Chief had been brave, but foolish; he died fighting a bear when I was but a babe. My father was elected, and after he had ruled more wisely for many years, it was decided that the Haladin would henceforce have their leaders from his lineage, instead of choosing them anew. My twin brother Haldar was the heir, for he was male, and the older by ten minutes besides."
Her mouth twists with pain at the mention of that familiar argument, which he had teasingly held over her more than once. Her twin's loss is so great a grief to Haleth that she does not speak of it. Even to Caranthir she has not said a word about Haldar as of yet. Caranthir has two brothers who are twins; perhaps he will understand.
That is not germane to the point, however, and she moves quickly on, looking up at the sky. The sun falls warm on her face, and she closes her eyes for a moment, drinking it in. "A year later a young man of the village paid court to me. I was not indifferent, for he was comely and intelligent and well-spoken. I was fifteen, and curious."
She does not look at Caranthir as she says it, but there is a moment's silence that is faintly suggestive. She has already told him that courting is not the same for Men as he has said it is for the Firstborn. She and her suitor did not do so very much at the time, for all that she dislikes the memories now, but it was clearly more than any Eldar would lightly undertake. If that changes Caranthir's wishes, it is better that he know now rather than later.
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timeasmymeasure
this wall of text kept going but I figured I should let him have a chance to talk a bit!
Date: 2019-01-23 10:03 pm (UTC)They walk in silence for a minute or two more before she speaks. "My father was not born Chief," she says, not bothering with small talk first. Of course they are picking up from their conversation of last night. What need for any unnecessary preliminaries? "Our previous Chief had been brave, but foolish; he died fighting a bear when I was but a babe. My father was elected, and after he had ruled more wisely for many years, it was decided that the Haladin would henceforce have their leaders from his lineage, instead of choosing them anew. My twin brother Haldar was the heir, for he was male, and the older by ten minutes besides."
Her mouth twists with pain at the mention of that familiar argument, which he had teasingly held over her more than once. Her twin's loss is so great a grief to Haleth that she does not speak of it. Even to Caranthir she has not said a word about Haldar as of yet. Caranthir has two brothers who are twins; perhaps he will understand.
That is not germane to the point, however, and she moves quickly on, looking up at the sky. The sun falls warm on her face, and she closes her eyes for a moment, drinking it in. "A year later a young man of the village paid court to me. I was not indifferent, for he was comely and intelligent and well-spoken. I was fifteen, and curious."
She does not look at Caranthir as she says it, but there is a moment's silence that is faintly suggestive. She has already told him that courting is not the same for Men as he has said it is for the Firstborn. She and her suitor did not do so very much at the time, for all that she dislikes the memories now, but it was clearly more than any Eldar would lightly undertake. If that changes Caranthir's wishes, it is better that he know now rather than later.