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| ==Buy Links== | | ==Buy Links== |
| http://books2read.com/u/3yDBpn | | http://books2read.com/u/3yDBpn |
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| ==Synopsis==
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| ===Prologue===
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| [[Bethsaida Emil Galare|Beth]] continues her convent tour, where she plays up the fact that she's some kind of damaged person, skillfully manipulating the tenants into revering her while she travels. She arrives at the convent of Saint Militha, where she has a meeting with [[Amber Seni Galare|Amber]]. Amber tells her he dislikes [[Lisinthir Lauvet Imthereli|Lisinthir]], both because [[Even the Wingless (Fiction)#Part 1: Sky Longing|he rescued her]] and also, with [[Sediryl Nuera Galare|Sediryl]], declined to let him do something he found [[Only the Open (Fiction)|sufficiently dramatic]] to avenge Beth. Filing this away, Beth manipulates Amber into pledging himself to her cause.
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| ====Key Quote====
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| "You speak of the [[Liolesa Galare|Queen]], now styling herself Empress, and her new heir, our cousin. And all their coterie of alien-lovers, who would throw our world into the arms of people who could not defend themselves from dragons. And they expect these failures to defend us?" - Amber
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| ===Chapter One===
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| Sediryl is being given a tour of [[Jerent Mysfeldt]]'s test plot, and she is amazed that these plants are ''growing'' on her [[Escutcheon|home world]]. [[Qora]], who with [[Aunal|another Faulfenzair]] has volunteered to take the tour with her, reminds her that she also has to think of a gift (meaning for her [[Investiture|investiture]]), also asking her what Beth brought to ''her'' investiture. However, Sediryl is more stumped on what to give [[Jahir Seni Galare|Jahir]] as a troth gift for their upcoming wedding. At [[Maia]]'s suggestion, Sediryl decides she'll turn to [[Vasiht'h]] for help.
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| Back at her office at [[Ontine]], Sediryl is ambushed by [[Valthial Trena Firilith|Val]], who presses her about her training. Qora volunteers to take over her training since she can't give Val the time he says she needs to take, and Val leaves, satisfied. Qora was serious, however, and intends to keep teaching her Faulfenza dance. Sediryl reluctantly agrees to give an hour each day to Qora right as the sun rises.
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| ===Chapter Two===
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| Amber's coming home! And before the wedding! On less than a day's notice? [[Jeasa Seni Galare|Jeasa]] is excited and tells Jahir, Vasiht'h, [[Sehvi]], and [[Marevhe]] about it, inviting them all to come, then goes off to prepare. After she's left, however, Sehvi wonders why now, since Jahir's been home from [[First Chatcaavan War|the war]] for months. Jahir reminds them that lacking modern technology, travel isn't a minor effort, but Sehvi presses. In the end, Sehvi volunteers to go round up whoever else might be able to come and apologizes to Jahir for "being too forthright", which Jahir accepts. Marevhe decides to leave as well, leaving Jahir and Vasiht'h to talk. Vasiht'h immediately begins with the possible [[Healer's Wedding (Fiction)#Prologue|political nature]] of Amber not showing up yet. Jahir floats that he could be returning in order to attend the wedding. Despite his misgivings communicated through the mindline, Vasiht'h expresses some optimism.
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| When he later talks to Sediryl, she is less sanguine about it, and offers to come. Jahir declines, citing Jeasa's desire to keep it to immediate family, though Sediryl points out Amber might not think so due to the presence of aliens. The conversation shifts to them discussing Beth's meddling via letters sent to the broadsheet before Jahir leaves for the day, opting to study in [[Rose Point Forecourt|Firilith]]. Vasiht'h decides to come with, because his mother is going in that direction and he wants to eat [[Kis'eh't]]'s pies.
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| Jahir settles into his favorite table at the new cafe in Forecourt, sampling the emotional presence of those around him and noting that while there was harmony, there was also some friction, but a healthy friction. [[Nemulin Dasiin Eddings|The proprietor]] of the cafe's [[Ivali Dasiin Eddings|mother]] brings him some food and the broadsheet, leaving to get him some coffee, and Jahir begins to read. Vasiht'h doesn't like what he feels through the mindline, so (after some prodding) Jahir lets Vasiht'h read the latest missive some Beth, with the Glaseah providing caustic commentary. In the end, Jahir finally gets some studying in, and as he leaves, talks with Mistress Ivali, who makes pointed comments about not believing everything he reads.
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| ===Chapter Three===
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| It's dinner time, and Jahir is looking over the table set for nine people: [[Marevhe|Vasiht'h's]] [[Petaq|parents]], Vasiht'h, Sevhi, [[Kovihs]], aunt [[Sattri]], Jeasa herself, and, of course, Jahir and Amber. The table is set with exquisite care with little cards for each of the participants, and Jeasa mentions to Jahir that she put all of Amber's favorites on the menu, which Jahir doesn't mind. Jeasa also brings up the matter of the succession (since Jahir is marrying out of the Seni line and into the imperial one), but Jahir assures her that it's not an issue.
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| This nice moment is interrupted by a servant bringing news of rider''s'' on the lane. At least 10. Vasiht'h, picking up Jahir's uncertainty at the amount of riders, comes along to see what's up. Two riders have come forward, one of them Amber. Jahir tries to sense the other rider, but finds that like Sediryl, he couldn't sense an aura off them. Vasiht'h, who arrives at this point, wonders aloud why Jahir is thinking of using his mind-mage powers to force himself into the stranger's mind. He also figures out that, by standing out on the lane and not approaching, they are both threatening and insulting the Seni household but with no clear reason as to why.
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| Jeasa goes to the top stair as Amber helps the other rider down... a woman. The guest reveals themself to be Bethsaida, and both Vasiht'h and Jahir figure that this dinner is going to go poorly.
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| Amber immediately questions the number of place settings, though Jeasa is still smarting (and hiding it) from Amber bringing a guest without warning her, denying her an opportunity to provide hospitality. Amber further objects to aliens (Vasiht'h and family) from attending, to spare Beth the reminders. Beth pipes up that she'll be fine, and after a quick conversation in the mindline between Jahir and Vasiht'h, Vasiht'h volunteers to go tell the rest that they've been uninvited.
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| During the dinner, Jahir (who can barely see that Bethsaida has an aura, from up close) sees the former heir spend most of the time sighing and not eating, with Amber shamelessly doting on her. Plus, Amber basically recounts a blow by blow account of Beth's letters to the broadsheet. Jahir tags him for a fool in unrequited love with Beth. With it over, Jeasa suggests they retire to the library as they used to do. Amber says he and Beth can't stay long, and won't stay overnight, since they wouldn't have stayed this long had they not been riding past. Jahir calls him out on that, and Beth finally pipes up by calling him a mind-mage. Jahir still wants to know how he insulted Amber because he wants to make amends, which Amber doesn't answer, but Beth does: Amber apparently felt slighted and ignored their whole childhood. Neither Jeasa or Jahir know what Beth is talking about, and as they start to leave in a huff, Jeasa tries to call Amber back to at least talk about the Seni succession. Amber wavers, but ultimately chooses Beth and they leave. Jahir tries one last time to call Amber back by inviting him to the wedding, but Amber insults Sediryl while insinuating his relationship with Lisinthir would be disapproved by greater Eldritch noble society.
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| Jeasa takes Jahir to the library.
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| ====Key Passage====
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| Amber met her eyes, and for a long moment, Jahir thought... he would come back to them. He saw it, the wavering. Silently, he begged his brother to give into it. Not for the estate's sake, for the estate would manage even if Liolesa had to appoint a new lady to its head after their mother's death. But for their mother's, and for the memory of their father and... for him. Yes, that too. He loved Amber, and didn't know this stranger who held himself so pridefully apart.
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| "I will go where my lady goes," Amber said. "And she goes not here."
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| ===Chapter Four===
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| Jeasa drops off Jahir in the library while she goes to fetch the rest of the family, and he reminisces about happier moments in the library. Sehvi, upon entering, immediately calls out Amber for bringing Beth in the first place, which Jeasa concedes. The lady of Seni offers everyone brandy, admitting that she's never had it before, and ends up pouring a little of the alcohol for herself. Through the mindline, Vasiht'h asks for and gets the memories of the event from Jahir, and his first reaction is to ask how Amber knew about Lisinthir and Jahir's relationship. At Jeasa's request, she and Jahir recap the events of the dinner for Marevhe and Sehvi while Jeasa offers the brandy to everyone. Jahir also reflects that alcohol also killed his father, despite it also working as a symbol of adulthood for men in Eldritch society.
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| Having been brought up to speed, Sehvi hopes that Amber won't marry Beth. Jeasa replies that Beth will never marry Amber, and Jahir agrees. Vasiht'h can't let go of how Amber knew about Lisinthir and Jahir and what he's planning. Marevhe guesses that Beth is the brains in this operation. Even so, there's nothing they can do about the wedding, though they ''could'' ruin the investiture. Jeasa notes that there would have to be overwhelming reasons to force Liolesa to deny Sediryl being the heir, and shoots down Sehvi's suggestions as to what Beth could do by saying she's thinking too directly. Her best hope is to "[fill] the hall with naysayers during the investiture rite." Vasiht'h suggests, caustically, that Beth is aiming to do that with her letters that suffering is noble when Eldritch do it, but Jahir speaks up to say that Beth isn't wrong. Pelted will soon outnumber Eldritch on their own world due to their help with modernizing the planet, and there could be an existential crisis involving the loss of Eldritch culture. Sehvi and Marevhe offer some suggestions as to how Eldritch could feel less crowded by the Pelted, but Jeasa tells them that there won't be any solution in the short term, as there will have to be more aliens on Escutcheon since they are needed. But at least he can't ruin the wedding.
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| Later, Jahir calls Sediryl from his room and tells her how poorly the dinner went. Sediryl brushes off Amber's rudeness by saying it's in his head, and telling Jahir that when they were portioning out tasks on Sharsenne<ref name="oto-02">''Only the Open'', [[Only the Open (Fiction)#Chapter Two|chapter 2]]</ref>, Amber's mission to rehome the Chatcaavan refugees "did not suit his sense of drama." To Jahir's question of why, Sediryl points out that of the three, Lisinthir was best suited to rescue the Emperor, and Sediryl had Liolesa's ship with weapons and a Duster on it. Also, Amber seemed more interested in punishing Chatcaava than anything else. And that Sediryl wanted to be the one to find Jahir and prove herself, with Amber's suggestion that she was in more danger because she was a woman annoying her. Sediryl, however, forgot the addition of Beth in the equation, and that Amber thought he failed her.
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| After the call, Vasiht'h comes into Jahir's room and distracts him with ice cream.
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| ====Key Passage====
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| Few roles in their society came to men, and ''good'' men, those who wanted to be of use somehow, were far more afflicted by that sense of superfluity than the idle layabouts who used their status to indulge their whims.
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| ===Chapter Five===
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| Sediryl complains that having a discussion about securing her wedding while she's being fitted for her wedding gown, particularly the corset, is cruel. Liolesa comments on her tone to [[Reese]], who replies that it's good practice for when she's in Liolesa's shoes. [[Irine]] continues the banter, tossing it back to Liolesa, with [[Fassiana]] making "a noise too delicate to be a snort, but... unmistakably related to one". When Liolesa compares them to Sediryl's investiture robes, Sediryl has to sit on her impulse to stick out her tongue at her sovereign while continuing the conversation: The capital is out because they don't want complete strangers to attend (Liolesa says they'll find a way anyway) and insists on wedding at the Seni manor because Jahir wants to. Liolesa suggests [[Rose Point]] instead, but Sediryl rejects that since neither of them have emotional ties to the place. In the ensuing pause, Fassiana says that Delen is out for the same reasons against Seni or Laisrathera. Irine cautiously suggests having the wedding at Nuera, which Sediryl refuses point blank, since [[Thesali Nuera Galare|her mother]] wouldn't give permission even if she wanted to wed there.
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| Reese brings out a Plan B, which is alternate arrangements Liolesa had prepared in advance with Reese. Sediryl begins to object, but citing [[Laisrathera (Fiction)|the civil war]] in the recent past, Liolesa dismisses it. Even though it's going to be a circus, Irine compliments Sediryl's wedding dress and Reese agrees. The wedding dress is being made by [[Liral Sura Eddings|Liral]], to whom Fassiana referred Sediryl. The conversation shifts to security arrangements while Sediryl muses to herself how she wants to marry, then she comes up with an idea.
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| Lying!
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| More specifically, telling the public the wedding will be at the announced date, but having the actual wedding a week before, with the traditional feast on the days originally planned for. After all, [[Lisinthir Lauvet Imthereli|Lisinthir]] and the [[Queen Ransomed]] will be arriving within two weeks, and they are the only people not immediately near a Pad. Plus, Sediryl's tired of waiting. Liolesa accepts this rationale, then calls Reese to a separate discussion about a secret.
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| Said secret, as Reese leads them to the battlements of the castle, is help with a gift Liolesa plans to give Sediryl: a [[Guardkin]]. Reese brings up the fact that, as sentients, Guardkin can't really be given away like that. Liolesa merely wants an introduction and an opportunity to plead her case. If none of the Guardkin on world agree, Liolesa has a back up plan that she's already arranged for. Reese, while accepting that it wouldn't hurt for Sediryl to have an additional person to guard her, notes that she's already guarded by two [[Eldritch Armed Forces#White Dirks|White Swords]], a [[Eldritch Armed Forces#White Shield|White Shield]], [[Qora]] and the contingent of Faulfenza following her around, [[Maia]], a D-per, plus Sediryl herself can "melt steel with her mind". From this, Reese guesses Liolesa likes Sediryl personally, and then segues into Beth's plotting, reminding Liolesa that she is here to help. But having secured Reese's help with the gift, Liolesa is pleased.
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| ===Chapter Six===
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| Feeling quite overwhelmed by being roped into the planning process for a wedding feast that will feature an unknown number of guests, Vasiht'h sneaks away from the taste testing of several cakes and pies. He retreats up his and Jahir's room in the Seni manor and enjoys the blissful silence. As he starts to read a trashy romance novel (the latest from [[Rexina Regina]]), he gets a call from Sediryl. After immediately ascertaining whether or not Jahir is in the room with him (he's off with Val training his talents), Sediryl implores Vasiht'h [[Healer's Wedding (Fiction)#Chapter One|for help]]. Vasiht'h makes sure she doesn't need his help organizing another large party, the Glaseah agrees to cook a small breakfast after the wedding for her and Jahir. With that out of the way, Sediryl asks for Vasiht'h's help coming up with a troth gift. He gets what she's come up with so far (while reflecting that Sediryl is absolutely the best person he would have wanted for Jahir), and they speak a bit about what is and isn't feasible. The conversation wanders to Laisrathera's hospital and the fact that Eldritch doctors aren't numerous when Vasiht'h gets an idea: why doesn't Sediryl endow a university for Jahir? He then agrees to go on a recruiting trip for the nascent university to Seersana, and his [[Seersana University|old stomping grounds]]. Even better, this will take Vasiht'h from the wedding preparation. And if it doesn't work out, then Sediryl can "just show up? Naked?"
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| Later, Vasiht'h feels Jahir's presence as he returns from his training, loving how Jahir's mind feels after practicing. Jahir pauses to ask him if he wants anything from the kitchen, then diverts there to pick up a snack. By the time Jahir arrives, they have a short conversation about how things change and Vasiht'h complains some more about the kerfuffle about the party while Jahir relates his experience with Val's training. After, Vasiht'h brings up his errand, not telling Jahir what it is specifically. Jahir tells him to be careful.
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| ===Chapter Seven===
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| ===Chapter Eight===
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| ===Chapter Nine===
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| ===Chapter Ten===
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| ===Chapter Eleven===
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| ===Chapter Twelve===
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| ===Chapter Thirteen===
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| ===Chapter Fourteen===
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| ===Chapter Fifteen===
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| ===Chapter Sixteen===
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| ===Chapter Seventeen===
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| ===Chapter Eighteen===
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| ===Chapter Nineteen===
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| ===Chapter Twenty===
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| ==Characters== | | ==Characters== |
| <categorytree mode="pages" hideroot="on">Healer's Wedding Characters</categorytree> | | <categorytree mode="pages" hideroot="on">Healer's Wedding Characters</categorytree> |
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| [[Category:Jubilee Summer Series]] | | [[Category:Jubilee Summer Duology]] |
