Thanks to the solitary reviewer (that's sad, by the way)...
queenshinkokami: Delia? Hmm...-muses-
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The Price of Peace
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Jonathan was holding the latest letter from Kally when Vania cautiously slipped into his study. He listened as she quickly told him she loved him so much, blathered on and on about women's rights and their strong warrior spirit --- words so obviously put into her mouth by her Aunt Alanna, and then asked him for permission to try for her knighthood.
He watched her eyes light up as he uttered the one word, and one word only. She kissed him on the cheek and rushed out to inform her mother. Then he sank into his armchair and sighed.
He knows Thayet will approve. Maybe she'll even forgive him a little, for saying that other little word when another little girl had asked him that same question in this same study years ago.
Truthfully, he never really considered arranging marriages of state for his other two daughters.
Maren, Tusaine, Galla, Tyra, and the Yamani Islands are…if not allies, at least not enemies. He'd thought about maybe solidifying some of those alliances with royal marriages, but the flash in Thayet's eyes as he mentioned it one evening made him back down fast. He remembered very well that one horrendously awkward, tense year, and was not eager to repeat it for anything less than the fate of his kingdom.
As for the potential threats… Scanra had been beaten down for at least another generation. Carthak was…placified, and there was nothing to be done about the rebel nobles and their pirates. And Jon knows he doesn't have to worry about the Copper Isles anymore, not with Aly as the spymaster there. She may claim to hold no political preference towards Tortall, but Jon's well aware there's no chance she'd allow a war against her native country. The Bazhir would never rise against the Voice, so he doesn't even need to worry about the Great Southern Desert.
After decades of holding down a realm his father left to ruin, it's finally at peace, and so his younger children are free to live their own lives, free to pursue their dreams.
So why isn't he delirious with happiness? Why isn't he dancing like a fool in the palace halls, ignoring his aching joints in joy and delight?
A lock of white-streaked hair falls across his forehead, and he moves to brush it back in impatience. The feel of paper against his skin makes him sit up in shock and he realizes he's still clutching Kalasin's letter in his hand.
And then he knows.
He just wishes the price for all this hadn't been his little girl.
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-raises eyebrows- Well? Review svp. CC appreciated, as well as spelling mistakes if I didn't catch them. And please someone tell me if I ought to stop writing angst and learn how to writing humor & romance
