Pros of marrying Kaddar
-Avoid war
-He's nice
-He's handsome
-I like him
-Money, people, land
-Numair said he'd stay
Cons of marrying Kaddar
-No more Daine, Gary, Uncle Gareth, Father, Mother, Thayet, Uncle George, Aunt Rose, Grandfather Myles, Grandfather Eleni, Leo, Neal…
-Tortallans mad about Tortall land part of Carthak
-War
-Related to Ozorne
-Trapped in Carthak (it's hot!)
-Slaves
-Less freedom
-Tied down at 15
Eliena sighed. Making a list had gotten her nowhere. She pushed the paper aside and put her head on her desk.
"Why me?" she asked the empty room.
"Because you're Eliena," came a reply. Eliena sat up and turned to the doorway. Numair's tall, lanky frame was leaning against the frame. Eliena jumped to her feet.
"Numair! What are you doing here?" she asked.
"I know this must be hard for you," he replied, walking toward her. "I came to offer insight." Suddenly, Eliena was very aware of how she looked in her white nightshirt and purple dressing gown. She ran her fingers through her black hair nervously.
"Thanks," she said. Numair sat on her bed and patted the spot next to him.
"Come, sit." Eliena obeyed, moving robotically. "Now, what was that paper?"
"A list of the pros and cons to marrying Kaddar," Eliena replied, not looking at the mage.
"I see." Numair rose and retrieved the sheet. He looked it over and looked at Eliena. "Yours cons outweigh the pros."
"I know!" Eliena groaned, feeling more comfortable and falling back on the bed. "That's the problem. I like Kaddar, but…"
"There are others you'd rather marry," Numair finished.
"Exactly." Eliena sighed and propped herself up on her elbows, looking at Numair. "What would my mother do?" The question was more to herself than to him.
"Whatever she wanted to," a voice replied from the door. Gary walked in and stood in front of her. "Eliena, your mother is one of a kind."
"No, because Eliena is just like her," Numair countered.
"No. Eliena has a level head on her shoulders, like Jonathan. Alanna can be… rash sometimes." Eliena grinned. How well she knew that!
"Now, Eliena. I think that you should-"
"Accept the offer and ask Kaddar to break it," Gary said. Numair looked at him.
"I was going to say take more time, but your proposal works just as well," Numair told the man calmly. Eliena shook her head.
"Uh-uh. If I promise to marry Kaddar, I follow through. That's the way I was taught," she disagreed.
"And you were taught well." Gary smiled.
"You know, you really aren't helping," Eliena told the men with a smile. "So, could you leave? I'd like to have a decision ready by the time I get word from my parents." Gary nodded and kissed the top of her head.
"Be smart, El," he advised. Eliena nodded.
"Always am," she responded impishly. Gary left and she turned to Numair. "Your turn." Numair smiled.
"Think it over, Eli," he said, and suddenly became serious. "Love is important."
"Love has nothing to do with alliance marriages," she retorted.
He kissed her softly on the lips. "Love always has something to do with it." And he left, leaving Eliena with a lot to think over.
As if the possible marriage wasn't enough!
Author's Note- can anyone tell me if "leaving her with more to think about than just a possible marriage" sounds like anything you've read. It sounds VERY familiar. And I'm trying to watch my language, after that whole incident with the plagiarism of that girl in her book. Anyhow. Hides from DN fans don't kill me! Looks pointedly at Pink Squishy Llama that means YOU, Chelsea! REVIEW. (No flames)