scoorpiuuss
uhm
It should have felt wrong to genuinely have fun with him. Aryana wasn’t sure what to think of it. The right thing would have been to trust him and give him her forgiveness. Then their marriage wouldn’t become miserable and built on lies and lack of trust. It was clear to see that they had common interests, and Brynden was making her laugh. Those were positive things. Good things. She wanted to be stubborn and hate him for what he had done, but he wasn’t making it easy for her. Gods, it made her feel pathetic. She was too kind to him.
When her father had chosen Brynden, he must have had her best interest at heart. He wouldn’t choose a man for her that would treat her unfairly and who would disrespect her. Everyone made mistakes, and though Brynden had made a few, Aryana knew she couldn’t hold grudges forever. She longed for happiness and love. Those were things she wanted to get from him as he was to be her husband one day.
Aryana once again found herself recalling what Antra had told her. Brynden wasn’t a bad man, perhaps a bit foolish and clueless when it came to certain things, but he wasn’t cruel. If anything it was she who had been cruel when she had stabbed him, but that was a memory she wished to forget. One day she would forgive him, that she was certain of, but even though that wouldn’t be today, she wanted to enjoy his company. There was no harm in doing that. She would perhaps just feel closer to him, and he would feel closer to her.
“One day I’ll be by your side, hopefully. Then perhaps it won’t be so horrible,” she said sweetly, squeezing onto his arm slightly.
"Perhaps. Are you interested in politics?"
“I find it interesting, but it can also be quite boring.”
Politics could be fun, but it all depended on the topic. Aryana did care about the war through some aspects, and she did understand the basis of politics. Though she hadn’t been much involved in it. She assumed that soon enough when she would marry Brynden, she would be in the middle of it, surrounded by people whispering in her ear. Most of it would likely be mere gossip, and then certain things would be important.
"Very boring,” Brynden chuckled.
“But I do care about the people. Politics are important for that, even if it can be very boring.”
"That's true. If you want to care about your people, then you have to get through even the most boring of meetings."
“I am sure it is all worth it.”
"In the end, yes."
And in the end, Aryana wasn’t sure what to expect from her marriage to Brynden. She would be living with wealth and influence, but would it be stressful? There was also the aspect of heirs, children she would have to give him. Before she had dreaded the thought of that, imagining spending her wedding night with him like that. Now she wasn’t sure what to think, but she knew for certain that she did want children. Of course she did.
“When I was younger I never really thought about where I would be in the future.”
"Did it not matter to you?"
“I was more mesmerised with the aspect of love. I knew I wanted to love someone, but that was all I really thought about. All that really mattered.”
"So power, wealth, all of those things didn't really interest you?"
“I have never been interested in those things.”
"That's admirable."
Aryana stopped then, turning to face Brynden. Her hands were resting against his chest now, her fingers tracing along the stitching of his clothes. Then she looked up at him with a smile. He returned the smile, and she felt his hands move to her wrists. It didn’t matter that she would be wealthy. She wanted to be loved by him. Not that she was ready for that yet, but one day she hoped. She stepped closer to him then, enjoying his presence.
“Family and love will always be the most important things to me.”
"I agree."
Slowly she stroked her hands up, his hands staying on her wrists as she moved them to cup his face. Her cold fingers stroked against his cheeks as she leaned up, closing her eyes before kissing him. He kissed her back, and Aryana leaned forward to press her chest against his, feeling how the kiss spread a sudden warmth through her body. It felt both wrong and right, but most of all it felt good. Now that they were away from camp and they were alone, it was much easier for her to enjoy this. No one would come to bother them.
Then she pulled away, keeping the kiss short and sweet. Brynden looked at her with a smile, making her smile back. Would it be so difficult to be happy with him? Perhaps not, and Aryana was suddenly glad she had agreed to get away from camp with him. She stroked her thumbs over his cheeks, almost wanting to comfort him even though they both looked happy. It felt nice when he stroked her wrists with his thumbs. It was as if they were comforting each other, and Aryana felt at ease with herself for a moment then.
“I’m glad I agreed to spend time with you, Brynden.”
When her father had chosen Brynden, he must have had her best interest at heart. He wouldn’t choose a man for her that would treat her unfairly and who would disrespect her. Everyone made mistakes, and though Brynden had made a few, Aryana knew she couldn’t hold grudges forever. She longed for happiness and love. Those were things she wanted to get from him as he was to be her husband one day.
Aryana once again found herself recalling what Antra had told her. Brynden wasn’t a bad man, perhaps a bit foolish and clueless when it came to certain things, but he wasn’t cruel. If anything it was she who had been cruel when she had stabbed him, but that was a memory she wished to forget. One day she would forgive him, that she was certain of, but even though that wouldn’t be today, she wanted to enjoy his company. There was no harm in doing that. She would perhaps just feel closer to him, and he would feel closer to her.
“One day I’ll be by your side, hopefully. Then perhaps it won’t be so horrible,” she said sweetly, squeezing onto his arm slightly.
"Perhaps. Are you interested in politics?"
“I find it interesting, but it can also be quite boring.”
Politics could be fun, but it all depended on the topic. Aryana did care about the war through some aspects, and she did understand the basis of politics. Though she hadn’t been much involved in it. She assumed that soon enough when she would marry Brynden, she would be in the middle of it, surrounded by people whispering in her ear. Most of it would likely be mere gossip, and then certain things would be important.
"Very boring,” Brynden chuckled.
“But I do care about the people. Politics are important for that, even if it can be very boring.”
"That's true. If you want to care about your people, then you have to get through even the most boring of meetings."
“I am sure it is all worth it.”
"In the end, yes."
And in the end, Aryana wasn’t sure what to expect from her marriage to Brynden. She would be living with wealth and influence, but would it be stressful? There was also the aspect of heirs, children she would have to give him. Before she had dreaded the thought of that, imagining spending her wedding night with him like that. Now she wasn’t sure what to think, but she knew for certain that she did want children. Of course she did.
“When I was younger I never really thought about where I would be in the future.”
"Did it not matter to you?"
“I was more mesmerised with the aspect of love. I knew I wanted to love someone, but that was all I really thought about. All that really mattered.”
"So power, wealth, all of those things didn't really interest you?"
“I have never been interested in those things.”
"That's admirable."
Aryana stopped then, turning to face Brynden. Her hands were resting against his chest now, her fingers tracing along the stitching of his clothes. Then she looked up at him with a smile. He returned the smile, and she felt his hands move to her wrists. It didn’t matter that she would be wealthy. She wanted to be loved by him. Not that she was ready for that yet, but one day she hoped. She stepped closer to him then, enjoying his presence.
“Family and love will always be the most important things to me.”
"I agree."
Slowly she stroked her hands up, his hands staying on her wrists as she moved them to cup his face. Her cold fingers stroked against his cheeks as she leaned up, closing her eyes before kissing him. He kissed her back, and Aryana leaned forward to press her chest against his, feeling how the kiss spread a sudden warmth through her body. It felt both wrong and right, but most of all it felt good. Now that they were away from camp and they were alone, it was much easier for her to enjoy this. No one would come to bother them.
Then she pulled away, keeping the kiss short and sweet. Brynden looked at her with a smile, making her smile back. Would it be so difficult to be happy with him? Perhaps not, and Aryana was suddenly glad she had agreed to get away from camp with him. She stroked her thumbs over his cheeks, almost wanting to comfort him even though they both looked happy. It felt nice when he stroked her wrists with his thumbs. It was as if they were comforting each other, and Aryana felt at ease with herself for a moment then.
“I’m glad I agreed to spend time with you, Brynden.”