Family Matters

Carn explains his presence in Amala's room to her parents.

67.

Family Matters

 

He felt someone gently tapping him on the shoulder and was pulled out of the most wonderful dream of his entire life.

He opened his eyes to see a beautiful Drow lady standing over him, and for an instant he was confused, for it wasn’t Amala.   She was still asleep against his chest with a content smile on her face.

Then recognition came to him.

Standing over him was Duchess Aurei; Amala’s mother.

 

Carn jumped, opening his mouth to say something - anything- that would explain his presence in her room.

To his surprise, Aurei just placed a finger to her lips to indicate silence, and pointed down at her daughter.

He nodded and gently slid out from underneath the sleeping girl, gently moving her head to a pillow.

Duchess Aurei waited for him and then motioned for him to follow her out of the room.    Her expression was not what he expected to see.   She was smiling.

 

She led him out into the hallway and Carn closed the door behind him, preparing his explanation.

“How is she doing?”  Aurei asked him softly.

“Your Grace, I can explain-“ 

“Carn, all I asked was how my daughter is doing this morning.”

“Oh… well, she slept soundly, but that was after I cast a spell to calm the Ssinssrigg-Chath.   Hey, I just realized something… how did you know it was me?   The last you saw of me, I still was a Bugbear.”

 

Aurei seemed amused at his bewilderment, “Carn, I have learned something from my mother, Alleania.   She kept tabs on my life as well as the lives of her grandchildren from afar, using magic.    Snoe contacted me last night with Mathlyn’s help.   We were in flight on the Autumn Maid toward home, but Alleania used her magic to snoop on Amala… and you.”

“Oh no!”   Carn groaned, “Did you hear what we said as well?”

“Yes, every word.”

Carn rubbed his temples, “Yesh have mercy!   I’m utterly ruined.”

Aurei laughed at his distress, “Carn, do I seem angry at you?”

“Well, no, but-“

“Neither is Eleazar.”

“He saw it too!   Good Lord!”

“Yes, we both saw what you did and what you said to help Amala and we are both extremely impressed with how you treated her.”

“Duchess, I meant what I said to her.   I love her.   I didn’t really plan on this happening to me.   But there is something that you don’t know.   Last night, when both of us were asleep, Amala and I… shared a dream.”   He waited for her reaction, and he didn’t have long to wait.

“Aleiryid!”  Aurei exclaimed joyously and she hugged him excitedly, “Praise Yesh!   Carn, nothing could make me any happier than that!    We thought the two of you might be drawn to each other, but we didn’t know if it was the effects of Ssinssrigg-Chath or something else!    But it is confirmed now!   You are her soul-mate!”

 

He had not had enough time to think about the implications and his mind raced as he quickly considered them.   He hadn’t even spoken to her since they had shared the dream.

“I’m not sure what to do next, Duchess.”   He confessed to Aurei, “This has been so fast-moving that I’m rather dazed and confused.”

“Carn, I wouldn’t worry about it - things will transpire as Yesh wills them.   However, I came to see you for a reason - Eleazar wants to finalize the treaty with the Faesidhe quickly, so he is going to have the airship take him over to the Clearing of the Ages, as soon as he and the crew eat some breakfast.   Since you brokered the deal - along with Aedric--- he would like you to accompany him.”

“Oh… okay, I’d be honored.”

“Don’t worry about Amala - I will speak to her - we haven’t spoken to each other very much in many months and it is long overdue.   I fear she doesn’t know how much I love her.”

“She knows, Your Grace, but I’m sure she would love to talk with you.”

“Good.    Go and join Eleazar and the crew while I spend some quality time with my daughter.”

“Alright… you are certain that the Duke is not upset at what he saw?”

“Trust me, Carn, I know him.   He is my soul-mate.”

Carn nodded and then hurried off to join them.

 

***

 

She had not lied to him, for Duke Eleazar was quite friendly to him when he arrived in the ducal feasting hall.   Carn still felt obligated to say something about his feelings for Amala to him, and so later on, after they had boarded the Autumn Maid for the hour long journey to the Clearing of the Ages, he finally summoned up enough courage as they sat in the bridge of the airship.

“Your Grace, I feel I should speak to you about my intentions regarding your daughter.”   He said, sounding so formal that Eleazar gave him a mildly amused look.

“Certainly Carn… I assume you are referring to Amala?”   He joked.

“Yes, sir.   Duchess Aurei explained to me that you both witnessed what happened last night in Amala’s room by scrying device.”

“Yes, we certainly did.    Carn, you behaved like a perfect gentleman to her, I am not offended by your actions.   In fact, I applaud them.”

“Thank you, Your Grace.    I expressed my affection for her, sir.   I wanted to let you know that I meant it.    I’m in love with her, sir, and as we slept last night, we experienced Aleiryid.   I have not spoken to Amala this morning, but I feel that she loves me as well.   I wanted to get your blessing as her father.”

 

Eleazar leaned back in his chair, “Carn, I think it is a bit late for that, don’t you?”

Carn looked surprised and then somewhat panicked, “Sir, we didn’t do anything, I assure you.”

Eleazar smiled, “Sure you did, Carn.   You both had a wonderful experience of the joining of souls.   It is a bond that many Elves do not experience.    It is a sign by Yesh that you are joined in his eyes, Carn.    You don’t need my blessing, for in Yesh’s eyes, you and Amala are soul mates.”

“Never-the-less, Your Grace, I really want your approval of it.   I intend to ask Amala to marry me… it sounds so odd to hear these words coming from my mouth.   I want to marry her, Your Grace, if she will agree to it, but your blessing is very important to me.”

 

Eleazar leaned closer to the nervous Bard, “Carn, you were dearly loved by my mother.   If the situation had been different, I would not be surprised if she would have been your soulmate, and perhaps I would have been your son.    I know how highly she thought of you.”

“Time and time again she would tell me how Carnithum Lealomyhll was the most noble man she had ever met.   She even told me that when I was born, she was going to name me after you, but that she decided not to, as it would have made her too sad to say your name again and again.”

“But I believe that Yesh has rewarded you for your goodness.   I never told Amala this, but she always reminded me of my mother.   She has much of the same fiery spirit, though she is different too.   I can’t think of a better match for her than you, Carn.    I am quite sure she loves you - I knew this when she came after you into the Underdark.    So you have my heartfelt blessing.   Go and marry her, and join our family.”

Carn bowed respectfully, “Thank you, Your Grace.    You are most kind, sir.”

At that moment the captain of the Autumn Maid announced their approach to the Clearing of the Ages, and the conversation ended.

 

***

 

Amala awoke to find not Carn, but her mother lying next to her on the bed.   She blinked in surprise and stared at her for a moment, until Aurei opened her eyes.

“You’re awake!”   She said to her daughter.

“Mother, what’s going on?”

Aurei told her of the distant viewing of her and Carn the night before, then quickly added her account of the conversation with Carn, before Amala became offended.

Amala seemed to accept it without irritation, “So he has gone off with Dad to sign the treaty?”

“Yes, your father values his presence.”

“Oh.”   She looked a bit lost.

“Amala, he’ll be back tonight.”

“I know, Mom.   I’m just not sure what I’m supposed to do, now.”

“Why?”

“I feel like what he said last night about loving me was probably due to the stupid Ssinssrigg-Chath!   It probably forced his hand.”

“Child, you don’t believe that for a minute!    You shared a dream with him!   Don’t you realize what that means?”

She paused for a few moments to consider it, “I guess we did, didn’t we?   Mom… was that Aleiryid?!”

Aurei laughed, “Of course it’s Aleiryid!   What did you think it was, sweetheart?”

“I don’t know - I thought it might be due to the Ssinssrigg-Chath!   So does that mean that Carn and I are soul-bonded?” 

“Yes - forever, just like your father and me.”

Amala’s eyes widened and she sank back down onto the pillow with a sigh, “Oh my heavens… I didn’t realize that the dream was real!   I mean, I knew it was real to me, but I didn’t know that Carn was actually there having it with me, I guess.   Or maybe I really did know and just thought it part of the Drow sickness.    I don’t even know what I’m saying, Mom!   My head is full of cobwebs; Carn cast a spell on me!”

“I know, child, and I’m glad he did.   You got to experience Aleiryid before you had any physical relations with him.    The bonding of souls is a much more satisfying experience.”

“But does Carn feel the same way?”

“I’m sure he does, Amala.    He told me that he loves you.”

 

Her eyes filled with tears, “I love him too, Mom.    What am I going to do?   That stupid Ssinssrigg-Chath!   It is driving me insane.   All I can do is long for sex with Carn!   I’m so glad you’ve come back; you’ve got to help me, mother!   How can I overcome it?”

Aurei caressed her daughter’s face, “Sweetheart, there is a very simple way to be free of it forever - mate with Carn.”

Amala’s mouth dropped open, “Mother!”

Aurei grinned, “Why are you so shocked?    You are joined in souls, so unite in bodies.   You might wear him out, but it will satisfy the Ssinssrigg-Chath and you will enjoy it as well.”

Amala slapped her forehead in disbelief, “I can’t imagine that my Paladin mother is telling me to do this!”

“Well, there is one little thing you should do first… marry him.”

“I would be glad to, Mom, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to wait that long to… well, you know.”

“Why wait?   Aedric and Snoe were married quickly.    Your Aunt Zeatt could marry the two of you this evening.”

 

Amala sat up in bed, horrified, “This evening?!”

“Why not?    In two days we’ll be having a somber funeral of two of my dearest friends and their daughter, as well as three brave people who died to free us from Torrin’s evil.    I think a wedding would remove some of the sadness of that upcoming event, don’t you?”

“But Carn doesn’t even know about it!”

Aurei shrugged, “We’ll tell him when they get back.   It will keep him from getting too nervous.   Grooms do better when they are bewildered and helpless anyway."

Both of them laughed at the thought.

“You’re serious, Mom?”   Amala asked, and Aurei could see she was considering how to set it up.

“Yes.   Sometimes women have to take the reins, child.    You are a strong-willed woman, and Carn will want this too.”

“How do you know, Mom?”

Aurei just grinned, “Trust me, child.”

Amala took a deep breath, “Well… alright then!    Can you find me a wedding dress on such short notice?”

“I think I have something in mind.   Come on, we have a lot to do!”

Her head still spinning, Amala jumped out of bed and joined her mother in a flurry of activity.

 

Reviews

[Elina]

"...things will transpire as Yesh wills them to transpire." You can leave out the last "transpire," as it's a bit repetitive.
"...much in many months and it is long over due." You'll want to make over due one word.
"Go and join Eleazar and the crew and I’ll spend some..." Perhaps, to avoid redundancy, "Go and join Eleazar and the crew while I spend..."
"I expressed to her my affection for her, sir." This sounds a bit...clumsy? You might want to change the wording.
"Oh course it’s Aleiryid!" I believe you were wanting "Of" rather than "Oh."
"

[Eddie Davis]

Thanks, Elina.