Work Text:
June 8, 2023
Revised for Grammar and Spelling
Rozemyne sat next between her mother and father in a small audience room. It seemed that this was where her adopted father, the aub of Ehrenfest, would be presenting her marriage candidates. Her mother had labored quite hard choosing her outfit today and she could practically feel her excitement oozing off of her as she stared down the door where her two brothers and future marriage candidates, Wilfried and Charles, would be coming through.
“Ahh, this is so exciting!”
Rozemyne and her father exchanged concerned looks but, really, what else could they do? Elivra would write this love ballad one way or another so there was nothing else to do but sit back and wait it out.
The first to arrive was Sylvester and Florencia. Both families exchanged their regular (albeit much shorter greetings) and sat facing each other. A few servants came in with tea and pastries and retired. Elvira took a sip of her tea and a bite of a pastry to show that they were not poisoned.
“The Archduke conference was an absolute disaster.” Sylvester said once everyone had sipped their tea, “Rozemyne, do you realize how many marriage proposals were suggested? What did you even do?”
Rozemyne decided that the most prudent action was to not respond and instead sipped her tea with as much elegance as she could. It didn’t stop the shiver that ran down her back at the idea of being forced to marry into another duchy. It would not be so bad if the duchy possessed many new books for her to read, but Ferdinand, prior to the tea party, had very nicely explained to her how isolated she would be.
“Initially, we had planned to wed you to Wilfried, but Ferdinand suggested we put forward the question to both boys.”
Florencia did not speak, but it was evident to everyone that Sylvester had been showing preferential treatment towards his first born son again. Perhaps Ferdinand’s suggestion had saved Sylvester some face.
“Indeed,” spoke Florencia with a noble smile,“Both boys were asked if they would be interested in weaving their threads with yours, Rozemyne. You must understand, more is at stake here than simply your marriage partner.”
All the adults seemed to recognize what this great stake was, but Rozemyne genuinely could not care; she knew of the possibility of having to marry one of the Aub’s sons when she was forced to become his adopted daughter. The fact that she was being given the choice of whom to marry was not one she expected. In all cases, Rozemyne only cared that her future husband allow her the freedom to continue her current endeavors, and provide her with as many books as possible.
“Rozemyne,” Sylvester spoke gravely, “this choice will affect a great many people. Please do not make this decision lightly.”
Ferdinand scoffed while Florencia gave a complicated expression. Rozemyne just nodded--seriously, what else did they expect her to do?
As if this signaled the end of their current discussion, Sylvester rang a silver bell. The bell must have been a magic tool as the attendants had all vacated the area after serving tea. The door to the room opened and her two brothers came in. Wilfried, being the oldest, was the first to walk through. His face was set, and he marched in with determination. Her second brother, Charles, was a year younger than Wilfried, but walked with a poise that spoke volumes in the matter of his education and strength of person. It was wholly due to the incident with the white tower that Charles had become eligible to become Aub himself. And he, unlike a certain other brother, took his education very seriously.
The two boys greeted their parents, and then were in turn greeted by Elivra and Karstead. Space had been set aside in front of Rozemyne for the two supplicants. While Wilfried bore a grim, serious expression, Charles smiled lightly, eyes creased.
As Wilfried was the oldest of the two, he was the first to propose to her.
Bold and straightforward, the youth spoke simply;
“Rozemyne, I ask that you consider my proposal above all others. I wish for Dregarnuhr, the Goddess of Time, to weave the threads of our fates together under the supreme Goddess of Darkness and the Goddess of light. I wish for you to become my Goddess of light.”
For all of its flowery epithets and noble finery, Rozemyne wondered if perhaps this proposal was a generic one. A look at her mother Elvira, the slight downward curve of her mouth, suggested her assessment has been correct. Elivra looked downright disappointed. Not the material she wanted.
Once her elder brother had finished his own proposal, Rozemyne turned towards her younger brother. The boy smiled, his eyes sparkling just slightly more than usual. Rozemyne could not stop but think he looked like a cherubic angel. Charles was just absolutely adorable and no one could tell her differently. If she had to immerse herself in jureve again to save him, she would. Her younger brother was simply just the cutest.
“My dearest Rozemyne, I have blessed Dregarnuhr, the Goddess of Time, every night since our first meeting. Your hair, like the fineness of silks and your eyes, like the deepest of golds. Kissed by the Supreme gods and beloved by the Godess of Wisom, Mestionora. I could not take my eyes off of you. When you defended me that night, it was all I could do but to wish for Dregarnuhr to weave our threads together again,”
As Charles spoke, it seemed that Elvira’s eyes were getting progressively shinier, if that was possible.
“Rozemyne, I wish to make you my Goddess of Light, my beloved Goddess of Water. I wish to protect and cherish you with the power of Leidenschaft, the God of Fire, and Schutzaria, the Goddess of Wind. Words alone cannot describe my feelings for you. I have prayed to Liebeskhilfe, Goddess of Marriage, for you to return these feelings.”
Charles carefully placed a silk wrapped parcel on the table. Usually, an attendant would have examined the contents, but in this case, Florencia received it and presented it to Elvira. Wilfried sat with a puzzled expression.
Elivra removed the packaging carefully and exhaled.
“Oh dear”
Her noble smile looked like it would give way to a much more enthusiastic one at any moment. Somehow, she contained it, but Rozemyne noticed her fingers twitching--as if wanting to write all this down before she forgot.
“Rozemyne, you may look this engagement present over for consideration”
“Thank you ever so much Charles, Adopted Mother, Mother.”
Rozemyne accepted the package and her smile froze.
A book. A hefty, bejeweled book.
“As this was to be your first engagement present, I scoured the country for a book that you had not already read. The art I had done by an artist of renown and the binding by one of the most prestigious of craftsmen,” Charles smiled lightly.
Under the lovely soft leathered book was a packet of paper bound with thread. Rozemyne looked at Charles with a raised brow. It looked like her mother, and Ferdiand, were also doing the same. Under this pressure, Charles explained.
“I transcribed these myself. I hope that the penmanship is to your liking. They comprise a collection of stories that my mother told me as a child. I have heard that you have been collecting them. I hope you accept these stories as well.”
Rozemyne was flabbergasted. Honestly, if it wasn’t for the sharp piercing look of Ferdinand, her mouth would hang open. But Charles was not done.
“I understand that marrying a younger man will mean that you will have to wait an additional year to be wed. I understand that this could be a slight to a young lady of your ability and standing. And so to compensate, I have prepared other gifts which I think will be valued in kind”
This time, Charles retrieved a parchment from his jacket pocket. There seemed to be an itemized list with dates. At the bottom, Charles had signed his name.
“This is a magic contract that endeavors to demonstrate to you the depths of my affection and understanding for you, dear Rozemyne. Should you accept my proposal, for every season moving forward; I will present you with a new book of which you have not yet read. And upon our marriage, I promise to provide you with a library suited to your taste and rank; I will gift you the Ehrenfest book room.”
“ACCEPTED”
“Rozemyne, wait a second!”
“ROZEMYNE”
“Give me the contract! I will sign it now!”
While Karstead and Ferdiand tried to stall Rozemyne, Elvira had somehow acquired paper and pen, Sylvester sat clutching his head, and Florencia smiled and sipped her tea calmly. To her, this was the best of outcomes for her hardworking son. She felt acutely for Wilfried of course, but at the same time she knew that Charles would be the better aub. For his part, Wilfried’s face had glazed over. He had not expected his brother to surpass him so thoroughly. Charles himself merely smiled fondly towards the book gremlin in front of him. He thanked the gods each day that he had been born a man.