----------------------------------
Chapter 2: ReconciliationAuron wended his way through the busy city streets, paying no attention to the hustle and bustle around him. He couldn't stop thinking about the unexpected turn his life had taken this morning. Never would he have believed himself to be Tashira's choice for a husband. She had flirted with him in the past, but she flirted with every man. He had even made a point to discourage her, but obviously that hadn't deterred her one bit. His frustration at the situation grew and he hoped Xavier wouldn't mind a particularly energetic spar; he needed to relieve some tension soon.
His long strides brought him quickly to the small field on the city outskirts where he had asked Xavier to meet him. As usual, his friend was already there, limbering up his lanky muscles with warm-up exercises. As Auron approached, Xavier released the stretch he was holding and grinned.
"Good morning!" he said cheerily, raking a hand through his short brown hair. Seeing the stormy look on Auron's face, he revised his greeting, "Or is it just 'morning'? I get the feeling we lost the 'good' somewhere between your home and here…care to talk about it?" The Crusader folded his arms across his chest and gave Auron a look that clearly said he wasn't moving from that spot until Auron told him what was wrong.
The warrior monk sighed. "High Priest Grevin summoned me this morning."
Xavier raised an eyebrow. "And?" he prompted.
"And he told me I was to be honored with his daughter's hand in marriage!"
Xavier stared at Auron in disbelief for a moment, then burst out laughing. He couldn't help it…the outrage in his friend's voice was almost palpable. The glare Auron graced him with did little to stifle his mirth. "So you are the lucky one," he said, with a puckish grin. "Congratulations!"
"Don't tease me about this, Xavier!" Auron snapped. "In the space of half an hour, my whole life has been entirely derailed!"
Xavier's aqua eyes widened at the vehemence in Auron's tone coupled with an uncharacteristically melodramatic statement. His friend was well and truly pissed. "Why do you object so strenuously to this marriage?" he asked curiously, trying to understand what exactly had upset Auron so much, "Lady Tashira is known to have a temper, but is she really that awful?"
"Tashira is shallow, conceited, volatile, fickle, forward…" Auron grimaced. "How could any man actually want to marry her?"
"I take it you don't think her stunning good looks would be adequate compensation for her multitude of faults?" Xavier asked dryly.
Auron snorted, "Definitely not! Besides," he swung his arm around expansively, "there are plenty of attractive women out there that are free enough with their charms who don't require marriage, for Yevon's sake!"
His friend smirked. "For a handsome stud like you, perhaps," he acknowledged. "But you were going to get married someday, right? So why does it bother you so much that it's Tashira you're wedding? You do realize you will be the envy of every man in Bevelle?"
"I don't want a wife at all!"
Xavier raised an eyebrow…so that was really what was bothering Auron, although he was sure Tashira as choice of bride only added insult to injury. Hoping to uncover the reasoning behind Auron's emphatic statement regarding wives in general, he asked, "Why not?"
That was the very question that Auron had been asking himself and he didn't have a concrete answer. "I don't know…" he said with a frown, "I've just always felt I had something I needed to do. Something that a wife and family would get in the way of." His brow furrowed in frustration at his inability to vocalize clearly what he was feeling.
"Look," Xavier said sensibly, "The bottom line is this…are you going to refuse her hand?" He winced at the pained look that passed across Auron's face but he couldn't bear to see his friend continue to fight a losing battle.
Auron sighed, "No."
"There you go, then," Xavier said, coming up and slapping Auron on the back. "If you can't change a situation, then make the best of it." He flashed an encouraging grin. "After our spar I'll take you to lunch and we can go over all the reasons why Tashira will make you a good wife." He winked. "You just have to learn how to handle women."
"And I'm supposed to learn this from you?" Auron said, a reluctant smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"Of course!" Xavier laughed. "I have a handicap when it comes to looks so I've had to make up for it with my wit and charm." He poked Auron in the chest. "And it's high time someone taught you how to be charming!"
The warrior monk just rolled his eyes. "Xavier, draw your sword," he said, grasping the hilt of his own weapon with both hands and assuming a balanced stance with consummate ease. "Let's see if your charm can help you win this battle!"
Xavier grinned and skipped back, his movements lithe and agile as he brought his sword to bear. This was more like it…for the moment, at least, Auron could lose himself in the dance of steel against steel and forget about women, marriage and vague shadows of unease. Tomorrow would take care of itself; it always did.
---------------------------
Well, Auron seems to be reconciling himself to marriage, but life has a disturbing way of throwing you curve balls when you least expect it! I hope to have Chapter 3 up in a couple of days. Again, thanks for reading!
