Chapter 17: Married?

Marcia hadn't seen Joseph for over a week. And she was anxious. But she keept it inside of her. Until she had got the letter. The letter. When she had came back to Endor, she had found it. It had been tied to one of the Tanner-family's message birds. An eagle. It had watched her with it's amber-eyes and screeched. Marcia had been horrified. She had got it of the eagle's leg, and she hadn't dared to open it. Even though it was adressed to her, with Joseph's handwriting, she was scared. She had never been this scared before. Marcia was sure that Joseph was in trouble, she knew it. She would soon be without any brothers, she knew it. At first, Rodrian had dissapeard. Then Maximilian, and now Joseph. Why was this happening to her? Of course she loved Maximilian and Rodrian, even though they sometimes had been horrable to her when they were younger. They had put rats in her bed, pulled her hair and done a whole lot of mean things to her. But at the same time, it had been Rodrian who had taught her how to drive a sleigh, and Maximilian had taught her how to swim. And Rodrian had also taught her how to write her name, when she was a little girl, and it was Maximilian who had helped her draw the labyrinths she had been so fascinated by as a child. Rodrian had probably got killed in the Eastern Snowplains, Maximilian had went over there, and probably he, too, would get killed over there. And now Joseph. Her lovely, dear brother... Marcia rose up. No. No matter what, she would get him back. She would. Marcia opend the letter, and read it.

Dear Marcia, it read (which was very peculiar, since Joseph rarely begun his letters with the word "dear"), I know that you're probably worried sick by now. But it's alright. I'm on Immortalitatem (yes, the ship), and I am fine. Cass- sorry, I meant Cashmére- has asked me to marry her, and I said yes. Tell Ma for me, please. I'll explain it all to you some other time. I hope I see you soon!
-Joseph Overstrand (your brother, if you have forgot it)

After reading it for the third time, Marcia had to sit down. This sounded like one of Joseph's jokes. This had to be one of Joseph's jokes. This was one of his jokes! No way he would just marry a girl like that, no freaking way. Joseph was not impulsive, he was gentle and thought about what he did. If it had been Maximilian or Rodrian, Marcia wouldn't have been surprised a bit. But Joseph... no. No way. This... was a joke. Joseph would think that it was very funny; having her all worried and stuff, while he was away somewhere with Cashmére, and then he would come back like nothing had happend, making her feel like a fool. But, on the other hand, this was very extreme. It was almost cruel. Joseph was many things, but cruel was not one of them. Was this serious? Slowly, Marcia begun to understand that this maybe was serious. Maybe. Maybe she even should tell her mother about it. Yes, a little cold, cruel voice in Marcia's head said, she will be very happy, won't she? Having her family back in the Seven and in the nobility again. Marcia shook her head. It was a mean voice. A jealous voice, saying that whatever she did, she never was enough. She could be the freaking ExtraOrdinary Wizard's apprentice, and still not be enough. She had to be in the Eastern Snowplainian nobility to count- no matter how she had gotten into it. Marcia rubbed her temples. She was getting headache by all this. Maybe, she should talk to Endor at first. Endor was good at helping people. Marcia didn't know what she would do without her, really. Even though she sometimes, sometimes, could be a little, but very little, annoying. But that was very rarely. Very, very rarely.

Selene was nerveous. She always was when she was expecting guests, and her husband at the same time. The guests were no one more than Lucian's own brother, Dextus, Dextus's wife, Daira, and their son, Colum. Daira was a wonderful, insipirating woman- though she talked very much- and Colum was... just wonderful. He was around two years old, and was- he too- very talkative, wich was odd, since Dextus barely spoke at all. And Colum had just taught himself how to run, and how to talk, wich Selene loved. She had always wanted children, but she had never had any. And she probably never would have any: Lucian rarely ever touched her. Sometimes, she suspected that he had some kind of affair behind her back, but all these thoughts were just rubbish. She knew that Lucian was cold by nature: barely anyone could love him. Well, Colum did. One funny thing about it was that Colum couldn't say Lucian's name properly. Instead he said Luc. Wich everyone thought was very funny. Luc sounded like nickname on a girl, not a fullgrown man's nickname. Absolutley not a cold, soulless man's. However, Lucian arrived before the little family did. His arrival looked as it always did; Selene was waiting in the hall, until he came through the huge doors. When he did, they hugged eachother- sometimes he kissed her cheek, or she kissed his- and then they went to either the diningroom, to the sittingroom or to their bedroom. Nothing more than that. Many women would surely, in Selene's situation, get a secret lover or something close to that, but Selene never did that. She thought that it was completely, utterly unnecessary. Not to mind vain. But sure, if she wanted to, she could have a lover. It was in the people who worked under the nobility's policy not to tell anyone about what was going on in the rooms. Especially not if it was someting romantical going on. No one knew who had created that policy, or why, but you could even read in the law-books that, in some cases, the servants should pay for telling anyone what was going on in the rooms of the nobility. Another policy of the Eastern Snowplains was that, if somebody was a couple and lived togther, they both should be in the hall for their guests arrival. And, since both Lucian and Selene followed the old traditions, so of course both of them were in the hall when Dextus, Daira and Colum came. The first thing Colum did was to stumble across the hall, making his way towards Lucian and Selene. The boys straight, brown hair was in a mess, but his lime-green Ramasotti-eyes were gleaiming with life.
"Hi, Colum." Lucian said, softly and lifted the boy up. "How are you doing?"
Selene always was surprised when she saw how gently Lucian treated Colum. It was quite shocking to see, especially to one for her, who mostly had seen the cold side of Lucian.
"Hi Luc." Colum tried to stretch over to Selene, "Hi Selene."
Dextus and Daira came towards them.
"Hello." Daira said, smiling.
"Hello!" Selene replied, also smiling. Everyone said hi to eachother, and then they went to the dining-room to eat.

When Marcia had been sixteen, and had ran away from home, she had sworn to never ever talk to her mother again. Since then, she had broken that promise a several times. And now, she would break it again. She was going to her mother to show her the letter. Marcia did not know how she would take it. That Joseph was going to marry Erianna Tanner's daughter. Marry Cashmére. Which was both good and bad. Cashmére was okay, she was even quite nice, but... why? Why would they marry eachother? They had just met! Marcia knocked at her mothers door.

"Hello?" her mother asked, without opening the door.

"Hi, Ma." Marcia replied, "It's me. Marcia."

"Hi Marcia!" her mother opend the door, and got her inside. "What brings you here? Today?"

"Jose's getting married." Marcia said, plainly. It was better just telling her.

"What? With who?" Trassimma wondered. Marcia swallowed. Her mouth felt dry. This was... the hard part. Marcia scratched the back of her hair.

"Hm, well-"

"Spit it out, Marcia!"

"He's marrying Cashmére Tanner." Marcia suddenly said, "Erianna Tanner's daughter."

"I know who she is!" Trassimma spat, "But why on earth would he do that? Why would he do that to me?"

"This isn't about you, Ma." Marcia snapped.

"Of course it is not." Trassimma said, "But partly, it is."

"No."

"He's my son, for heavens sake!" Trassimma hissed,

"But it's not about you, it has to do with you. But it's not about you."

Trassima grimaced. "Same thing."

"It's not!"

Trassima settled down. "Marcia, I really can't stand arguing with you now, my headache is getting worse and worse."

"Sorry, mother." Marcia sighed, without even realizing why she apologized. She had done nothing wrong, really.

"Now," her mother said, "Tell me about this Cashmére-girl. I want to know everything you know about her."

Marcia sighed again, and also she sat down, beside her mother.