Faye (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
said_scarlett) wrote2007-09-09 08:14 pm
said_scarlett) wrote2007-09-09 08:14 pm
Entry tags:
Fic: Proper Ladies Don't Discuss That; Shana and Keman; PG-13
OKAY! I ended up sort of just taking out one section and posting it on its own because...yes. ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
chocomimi, I hope you enjoy!
Title: Proper Ladies Don't Discuss That
Fandom: HBC
Pairing: Eventual Valyn/Shana
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 2,959
Author's Note: AUverse, following Pomp and Circumstance!
Summary: Shana didn't know much more she could take of boring elven ladies and trying to bite her tongue. At least she had Keman to keep her company....
“I think I could happily live the rest of my life without ever wearing another skirt in my life.”
Shana sighed and looked at herself in the mirror. Was it her imagination, or did every single bower look exactly alike? All pinks and pastels and too much lace. This was the third that the halfblood had visited, and she was already bored out of skull.
“I’d live happily, too,” Keman muttered. He was currently in the guise of a dark haired halfblood female - a form that had taken Shana some time to get used to. He was her handmaiden for this trip, and she was glad to have his company.
“I can’t believe Valyn expects me to do this.” Shana tucked a stray curl of red hair behind her ear and threw herself down on a plush couch. Her gold skirts billowed up and she squawked, trying to shove them down. She was never going to get used to dressing like an elven lady!
“It’s politics,” Keman pointed out. “It’s stupid, but it’s politics. Besides, it’s not so bad…”
“As long as you don’t mind gaggles of tiny girls staring at you like you’re going to eat them.” The red haired halfblood rolled her eyes. She was sick and tired of being gawked at and regarded with fear. She’d been through two tedious meetings already, full of stilted conversation and blank stares and ridiculous tiny cakes. “Where are we again?”
“Uh… you’re in the manor of Lady Pyneria en Hynmar. One daughter, Oressa en Hynmar. And it’s time for tea.”
Wonderful. Shana stood up on tottering feet - she still couldn’t keep her balance in slippers and giant skirts - and gave herself one last look in the mirror. Her gold dress was practically glowing. At least it wasn’t red. Why in the name of fire and rain had Valyn thought she could wear red?
“I’ll be waiting for you.” Keman offered her a sympathetic look. How could he possibly be sympathetic? He got to stay in her suite, reading and lazing around while she had to go make small talk with elven ladies she had nothing in common with. She just shot her foster brother a look and staggered out the door to where a servant waited to take her to the receiving room of the bowers.
***
Immediately upon entry, Shana realized this was a bit different than the last two times. Rather than two or three elven ladies, there was a whole gaggle of them. And they seemed to range in age from teenaged to practically grandmotherly. And they were all looking at her.
Conversation had stopped when she was led into the room. That she was used to. How did she look to these women? They were all perfectly groomed, pale and sleek and pampered… and she was just Shana. She could be stuffed into a pretty dress and painted and coiffed, but she was still just Shana.
“Ah, Lashana. Please, sit.” One of the older women stood. She was very lean and dressed in pale blue and gold, Shana didn’t recognize her House. She was still learning crests and colors and Clans and all of that. How did Valyn keep it all straight?
“Thank you, milady.” She bobbed her head awkwardly and took a seat, trying to ignore the stares.
“It’s an honor to have the future Lady of the House Hernalth in our home. I’m sure you realize what an honor it is to be engaged to such a prominent Lord.”
Prominent Lord. Shana still had trouble thinking of Valyn that way. He was still just Valyn to her - arrogant, stubborn, childish and pedantic. He wasn’t a Lord, he was a pompous twit. That she happened to be in love with, but he was still a pompous twit.
“A great many young women had hopes of becoming V’kass Valyn’s wife,” another of the ladies said.
“Why? He’s an arrogant twit half the time.” Shana immediately regretted what she’d just said, and her face burned with shame. Fire and rain, she needed to learn to hold her tongue! And the look of shock on the faces of the younger ladies only made her flush harder. She’d certainly just committed some horrible social sin….
But to her surprise, the first woman - who she was rather sure was the Lady Hynmar - chuckled softly.
“Oh dear child, all men are arrogant twits at one time or another. Some more often than others.”
“Most moreso than others,” someone else added. This was somewhat refreshing.
“As long as he’s not a brute in bed, we should considers ourselves lucky,” Lady Hynmar added.
“I don’t think Valyn could ever be a brute anywhere,” Shana said, trying to arrange her skirts. Certainly not in bed. Could he? No. He flushed anytime the bedroom was even mentioned.
“No, from what I’ve seen of him he seems a kind young man. Unconventional, but kind.” Lady Hynmar seemed to be leading the conversation. And seemed to be the most comfortable with Shana’s presence. “And I imagine he’d be a perfect gentleman behind closed doors. Though regardless, it’s a lady’s duty to please her husband. Simply be willing and quiet and all will be well.”
“Willing isn’t a problem,” Shana said, brashly. “But I didn’t think quiet was a part of it.”
“There’s no need to go to one’s marriage bed like a…a concubine,” one of the younger ladies said, aghast.
“Why not?” Shana shrugged. “It’s supposed to feel good, isn’t it?”
“Dear child, that’s… it’s considered improper for ladies to speak of such things.”
Of course it was. Elven Lords kept sex slaves, and ladies wouldn’t even admit it was a pleasant activity. Shana was never going to understand elven society. She was hoping that maybe she’d get some good advice for getting Valyn into bed in the first place. As far as she could see, he didn’t have any plans to take her to bed.
“Men are like beasts when it comes to bed play,” Lady Hynmar said, gently. “We of the fairer sex understand it to be a necessity, and certainly it isn’t always unpleasant, but it is our duty to please our husbands and provide them with an heir. That is why we allow them their pleasure slaves.”
Shana was of the mind that maybe if Elven Ladies took more of in interest in their own pleasure, maybe there wouldn’t be so many harems. No wonder elven men turned to concubines… it was better than going to bed with a stick of wood!
“Oh,” was all she said. Well, that was helpful.
“Don’t trouble yourself over it, dear. Every woman has fears about the bedroom but it’s nothing but a tedious chore. There’s nothing to worry over. Now, did everyone see the cut of Lady Jivernor’s gown…”
Conversation soon turned to topics Shana had no interest in. Clothes, who had danced with who at the last fete, who was pregnant…. The life of an Elven Lady was more boring than she’d ever imagined.
Finally gifts were given - gaudy things that Shana couldn’t care less about - and thanks were said and Shana could escape back to her suites.
***
“Fire and rain, I’m ready to go home!”
Shana threw herself onto the bed in her shift, the gold gown abandoned on the floor. Keman prodded it with his - currently her - foot but left it. Keman wasn’t exactly the best of handmaidens.
“It can’t be that bad,” he said, from his place on the couch.
“I think I stuck my foot in my mouth every time I spoke.” She sighed and plucked the heavy earrings from her ears. By the time this was over, she was going to be a laughing stock. And Valyn would probably be angry with her.
“What happened?”
“Apparently when an Elven Lady brings up sex, you’re not actually supposed to talk about sex.” She sat up and groaned, casting a plaintive look to her foster brother.
“They were talking about sex?” Keman’s eyebrows raised.
“Sort of! I don’t know.”
“Well… what were they talking about?”
“How awful it is? I don’t know! It was like they were trying to warn me or something.”
“How awful it is?” Keman sounded skeptical. She didn’t blame him. Dragons were relatively open about mating, and as far as she knew, they all enjoyed it.
“For women. It must be some elven thing - it's a 'tedious duty' apparently. I’ve read some old romances… I don’t know, it looked like everybody was enjoying themselves.” But those were just books. What if it was awful in real life?
“Elves are sort of weird about mating,” Keman pointed out. “It can’t be that bad. I mean, people need to do it and all….”
“I don’t think Valyn even wants to. He keeps talking about separate rooms and politics and that sort of thing.”
“I thought elven marriages have to be consummated,” Keman mused, thoughtfully.
“Really?”
“I have been doing more than just sitting around all day.” Keman grinned. “I’ve been reading up on elven politics. And marriages have to be consummated to be recognized. So he sort of has to sleep with you.”
“Hmm.” Shana bit at her lower lip. That sounded so cold - he had to sleep with her. But she did want to. She didn't understand why he was strange when it came to sex - it wasn't like he was a virgin! But he flushed and avoided it like he was the unspoiled bride.
“I’m sure it’s not awful,” Keman added, hopefully.
“It better not be.” She’d been dreaming of this for too long.
“And…well… he has experience, at least….”
“Ugh, don’t remind me.” Shana threw a pillow in Keman’s direction, and they both laughed. Of course Valyn had experience. He had Triana and concubines. What if she wasn’t good enough? She didn’t even know what to do, she just knew where things went! And all the books she’d read had been full of flaming passions and heaving bosoms and swelling swords… half the time it had been too confusing to even figure out what was going on.
“It’ll be fine.” Keman tossed the pillow back. “And you only have how many manors to go? Four?”
“I know it'll be fine. Even if it's five minutes of 'fine' in the dark." She rolled her eyes. Knowing Valyn.... "Four.” Four more stupid meetings and boring afternoons and trying hard not to do something too horribly stupid. And then it was the wedding. “Keman, am I doing the right thing?”
“I don’t know.” Keman sighed. “I mean, this will help everything. And it is an important step in uniting elves and halfbloods. But like I said before, Valyn really doesn’t seem too happy about it.”
“How can you even tell?” Shana hugged her knees to her chin. “At the engagement dinner he didn’t seem like he didn’t want to do it.”
“He just seems so distracted every time it comes up. Like he doesn't want to talk about it.”
“He does have a lot to think about.” Shana was still worrying her lower lip. “And besides, that's how he is. Keman… I love him.”
She'd never said the words out loud before. They felt and sounded strange. But it was the truth! She loved him and she wanted to be his wife and go to bed with him and...
“I know you do.” Keman left the rest unsaid, and Shana was thankful for that. It didn’t matter that she loved Valyn - did Valyn love her? Did Valyn love anyone? Other than Shadow….
“He just has a lot on his mind," she repeated. He was juggling so much, of course he was distracted! "I know he’s not perfect, Keman. I know he’s a twit and he’s pompous and he thinks he’s smarter than everyone else, but he is a good person and I love him.”
“I know he is.” Keman nodded. “I think it would be too much to ask for an elven lord - even a nice one like Valyn - not to be pompous. And I guess he doesn’t talk down to you as much as he used to…”
“He knows I’ll kick him if he tries it.”
“That probably isn’t going to endear you to him.” Her foster brother grinned weakly.
“Everybody’s got flaws.” Shana chuckled. She knew she had her own flaws, and so did Valyn, and maybe the two of them together would do alright. And he could love her, once he got used to her. Once they were married and living as man and wife and Lord and Lady.
“Four more to go,” Shana repeated, nodding to herself. “Then the wedding, then we move into the manor. Valyn says he’s having a garden cleared out so you can carve out a lair.”
“He told me!” Keman sounded pleased at that prospect at least.
“I’d better get some sleep. I have to continue the tour tomorrow.” She burrowed under the covers in her shift, sinking into he overly-soft bed.
“Goodnight, Shana. Sleep well.” Keman pulled out a book and settled back into the couch. “I just hope I don’t have to be a girl for the wedding….”
chocomimi, I hope you enjoy!Title: Proper Ladies Don't Discuss That
Fandom: HBC
Pairing: Eventual Valyn/Shana
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 2,959
Author's Note: AUverse, following Pomp and Circumstance!
Summary: Shana didn't know much more she could take of boring elven ladies and trying to bite her tongue. At least she had Keman to keep her company....
“I think I could happily live the rest of my life without ever wearing another skirt in my life.”
Shana sighed and looked at herself in the mirror. Was it her imagination, or did every single bower look exactly alike? All pinks and pastels and too much lace. This was the third that the halfblood had visited, and she was already bored out of skull.
“I’d live happily, too,” Keman muttered. He was currently in the guise of a dark haired halfblood female - a form that had taken Shana some time to get used to. He was her handmaiden for this trip, and she was glad to have his company.
“I can’t believe Valyn expects me to do this.” Shana tucked a stray curl of red hair behind her ear and threw herself down on a plush couch. Her gold skirts billowed up and she squawked, trying to shove them down. She was never going to get used to dressing like an elven lady!
“It’s politics,” Keman pointed out. “It’s stupid, but it’s politics. Besides, it’s not so bad…”
“As long as you don’t mind gaggles of tiny girls staring at you like you’re going to eat them.” The red haired halfblood rolled her eyes. She was sick and tired of being gawked at and regarded with fear. She’d been through two tedious meetings already, full of stilted conversation and blank stares and ridiculous tiny cakes. “Where are we again?”
“Uh… you’re in the manor of Lady Pyneria en Hynmar. One daughter, Oressa en Hynmar. And it’s time for tea.”
Wonderful. Shana stood up on tottering feet - she still couldn’t keep her balance in slippers and giant skirts - and gave herself one last look in the mirror. Her gold dress was practically glowing. At least it wasn’t red. Why in the name of fire and rain had Valyn thought she could wear red?
“I’ll be waiting for you.” Keman offered her a sympathetic look. How could he possibly be sympathetic? He got to stay in her suite, reading and lazing around while she had to go make small talk with elven ladies she had nothing in common with. She just shot her foster brother a look and staggered out the door to where a servant waited to take her to the receiving room of the bowers.
Immediately upon entry, Shana realized this was a bit different than the last two times. Rather than two or three elven ladies, there was a whole gaggle of them. And they seemed to range in age from teenaged to practically grandmotherly. And they were all looking at her.
Conversation had stopped when she was led into the room. That she was used to. How did she look to these women? They were all perfectly groomed, pale and sleek and pampered… and she was just Shana. She could be stuffed into a pretty dress and painted and coiffed, but she was still just Shana.
“Ah, Lashana. Please, sit.” One of the older women stood. She was very lean and dressed in pale blue and gold, Shana didn’t recognize her House. She was still learning crests and colors and Clans and all of that. How did Valyn keep it all straight?
“Thank you, milady.” She bobbed her head awkwardly and took a seat, trying to ignore the stares.
“It’s an honor to have the future Lady of the House Hernalth in our home. I’m sure you realize what an honor it is to be engaged to such a prominent Lord.”
Prominent Lord. Shana still had trouble thinking of Valyn that way. He was still just Valyn to her - arrogant, stubborn, childish and pedantic. He wasn’t a Lord, he was a pompous twit. That she happened to be in love with, but he was still a pompous twit.
“A great many young women had hopes of becoming V’kass Valyn’s wife,” another of the ladies said.
“Why? He’s an arrogant twit half the time.” Shana immediately regretted what she’d just said, and her face burned with shame. Fire and rain, she needed to learn to hold her tongue! And the look of shock on the faces of the younger ladies only made her flush harder. She’d certainly just committed some horrible social sin….
But to her surprise, the first woman - who she was rather sure was the Lady Hynmar - chuckled softly.
“Oh dear child, all men are arrogant twits at one time or another. Some more often than others.”
“Most moreso than others,” someone else added. This was somewhat refreshing.
“As long as he’s not a brute in bed, we should considers ourselves lucky,” Lady Hynmar added.
“I don’t think Valyn could ever be a brute anywhere,” Shana said, trying to arrange her skirts. Certainly not in bed. Could he? No. He flushed anytime the bedroom was even mentioned.
“No, from what I’ve seen of him he seems a kind young man. Unconventional, but kind.” Lady Hynmar seemed to be leading the conversation. And seemed to be the most comfortable with Shana’s presence. “And I imagine he’d be a perfect gentleman behind closed doors. Though regardless, it’s a lady’s duty to please her husband. Simply be willing and quiet and all will be well.”
“Willing isn’t a problem,” Shana said, brashly. “But I didn’t think quiet was a part of it.”
“There’s no need to go to one’s marriage bed like a…a concubine,” one of the younger ladies said, aghast.
“Why not?” Shana shrugged. “It’s supposed to feel good, isn’t it?”
“Dear child, that’s… it’s considered improper for ladies to speak of such things.”
Of course it was. Elven Lords kept sex slaves, and ladies wouldn’t even admit it was a pleasant activity. Shana was never going to understand elven society. She was hoping that maybe she’d get some good advice for getting Valyn into bed in the first place. As far as she could see, he didn’t have any plans to take her to bed.
“Men are like beasts when it comes to bed play,” Lady Hynmar said, gently. “We of the fairer sex understand it to be a necessity, and certainly it isn’t always unpleasant, but it is our duty to please our husbands and provide them with an heir. That is why we allow them their pleasure slaves.”
Shana was of the mind that maybe if Elven Ladies took more of in interest in their own pleasure, maybe there wouldn’t be so many harems. No wonder elven men turned to concubines… it was better than going to bed with a stick of wood!
“Oh,” was all she said. Well, that was helpful.
“Don’t trouble yourself over it, dear. Every woman has fears about the bedroom but it’s nothing but a tedious chore. There’s nothing to worry over. Now, did everyone see the cut of Lady Jivernor’s gown…”
Conversation soon turned to topics Shana had no interest in. Clothes, who had danced with who at the last fete, who was pregnant…. The life of an Elven Lady was more boring than she’d ever imagined.
Finally gifts were given - gaudy things that Shana couldn’t care less about - and thanks were said and Shana could escape back to her suites.
“Fire and rain, I’m ready to go home!”
Shana threw herself onto the bed in her shift, the gold gown abandoned on the floor. Keman prodded it with his - currently her - foot but left it. Keman wasn’t exactly the best of handmaidens.
“It can’t be that bad,” he said, from his place on the couch.
“I think I stuck my foot in my mouth every time I spoke.” She sighed and plucked the heavy earrings from her ears. By the time this was over, she was going to be a laughing stock. And Valyn would probably be angry with her.
“What happened?”
“Apparently when an Elven Lady brings up sex, you’re not actually supposed to talk about sex.” She sat up and groaned, casting a plaintive look to her foster brother.
“They were talking about sex?” Keman’s eyebrows raised.
“Sort of! I don’t know.”
“Well… what were they talking about?”
“How awful it is? I don’t know! It was like they were trying to warn me or something.”
“How awful it is?” Keman sounded skeptical. She didn’t blame him. Dragons were relatively open about mating, and as far as she knew, they all enjoyed it.
“For women. It must be some elven thing - it's a 'tedious duty' apparently. I’ve read some old romances… I don’t know, it looked like everybody was enjoying themselves.” But those were just books. What if it was awful in real life?
“Elves are sort of weird about mating,” Keman pointed out. “It can’t be that bad. I mean, people need to do it and all….”
“I don’t think Valyn even wants to. He keeps talking about separate rooms and politics and that sort of thing.”
“I thought elven marriages have to be consummated,” Keman mused, thoughtfully.
“Really?”
“I have been doing more than just sitting around all day.” Keman grinned. “I’ve been reading up on elven politics. And marriages have to be consummated to be recognized. So he sort of has to sleep with you.”
“Hmm.” Shana bit at her lower lip. That sounded so cold - he had to sleep with her. But she did want to. She didn't understand why he was strange when it came to sex - it wasn't like he was a virgin! But he flushed and avoided it like he was the unspoiled bride.
“I’m sure it’s not awful,” Keman added, hopefully.
“It better not be.” She’d been dreaming of this for too long.
“And…well… he has experience, at least….”
“Ugh, don’t remind me.” Shana threw a pillow in Keman’s direction, and they both laughed. Of course Valyn had experience. He had Triana and concubines. What if she wasn’t good enough? She didn’t even know what to do, she just knew where things went! And all the books she’d read had been full of flaming passions and heaving bosoms and swelling swords… half the time it had been too confusing to even figure out what was going on.
“It’ll be fine.” Keman tossed the pillow back. “And you only have how many manors to go? Four?”
“I know it'll be fine. Even if it's five minutes of 'fine' in the dark." She rolled her eyes. Knowing Valyn.... "Four.” Four more stupid meetings and boring afternoons and trying hard not to do something too horribly stupid. And then it was the wedding. “Keman, am I doing the right thing?”
“I don’t know.” Keman sighed. “I mean, this will help everything. And it is an important step in uniting elves and halfbloods. But like I said before, Valyn really doesn’t seem too happy about it.”
“How can you even tell?” Shana hugged her knees to her chin. “At the engagement dinner he didn’t seem like he didn’t want to do it.”
“He just seems so distracted every time it comes up. Like he doesn't want to talk about it.”
“He does have a lot to think about.” Shana was still worrying her lower lip. “And besides, that's how he is. Keman… I love him.”
She'd never said the words out loud before. They felt and sounded strange. But it was the truth! She loved him and she wanted to be his wife and go to bed with him and...
“I know you do.” Keman left the rest unsaid, and Shana was thankful for that. It didn’t matter that she loved Valyn - did Valyn love her? Did Valyn love anyone? Other than Shadow….
“He just has a lot on his mind," she repeated. He was juggling so much, of course he was distracted! "I know he’s not perfect, Keman. I know he’s a twit and he’s pompous and he thinks he’s smarter than everyone else, but he is a good person and I love him.”
“I know he is.” Keman nodded. “I think it would be too much to ask for an elven lord - even a nice one like Valyn - not to be pompous. And I guess he doesn’t talk down to you as much as he used to…”
“He knows I’ll kick him if he tries it.”
“That probably isn’t going to endear you to him.” Her foster brother grinned weakly.
“Everybody’s got flaws.” Shana chuckled. She knew she had her own flaws, and so did Valyn, and maybe the two of them together would do alright. And he could love her, once he got used to her. Once they were married and living as man and wife and Lord and Lady.
“Four more to go,” Shana repeated, nodding to herself. “Then the wedding, then we move into the manor. Valyn says he’s having a garden cleared out so you can carve out a lair.”
“He told me!” Keman sounded pleased at that prospect at least.
“I’d better get some sleep. I have to continue the tour tomorrow.” She burrowed under the covers in her shift, sinking into he overly-soft bed.
“Goodnight, Shana. Sleep well.” Keman pulled out a book and settled back into the couch. “I just hope I don’t have to be a girl for the wedding….”