eulalia | Veridia: Interlude VII (Reply)

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Eluned: You’d better not have touched anything in my room.

Cynric: Ellie? What are you doing here?

Eluned: Being punished.

Cynric: Why?

Eluned: Mother’s sick of my shit. Not her exact words, but certainly the implication. You disagree with her one time and you get sent to the arse-end of nowhere—

Cynric: Okay, I’ll rephrase. What did you do this time?

Eluned: Nothing in particular. I’m supposed to court Arthien Swanecca here. Him! Can you believe it?

Cynric: Um... why?

Eluned: You’re so thick. His father’s a landholder, in the assembly, and he’s got far too much money; they want Cadoc tied more tightly to us before he gets any bright ideas. And with Bodia and Maelgwn both wed, there’s no one convenient outside of Abona to send us off to, so now we get to be used as pawns to control the landholders instead.

Cynric: I think Arthien’s a nice enough chap.

Eluned: He doesn’t know anything about anything. And that nose, ugh. I don’t mind getting married if I’m not getting sent out of the country, but she could at least pick someone better than Arthien Swanecca. Anyway, you’d better start coming up with your next excuse now, because I’m sure Mother’s composing a letter to you right now.

Cynric: If Cadwgan got to choose who he wed, I don’t see why we shouldn’t.

Eluned: Cadwgan’s the baby and had the good sense to choose the daughter of Father’s former left hand. Her village might not be important, but her mother was once. Anyway, go knock up some mildly important woman and maybe you can marry her too.

Cynric: No thanks! Why don’t you go try that?

Eluned: Maybe I will.

Cynric: Oh no. What are you planning?

Eluned: I’m not planning anything, dear brother.

Cynric: Now that I don’t believe.