[Susan Delgado]

Eolinda sighed. She saw Remdil's point, she really did, but at the same time... "Remdil, the difference here is that during our courtship, you were not trying to live in my parents' house. That's what I object to, not his very presence. Although I wonder at what sort of providence he would have for her."

"He'd work in the Inn of course." He obviously considered himself the voice of reason.

She considered this. As a policy, the Inn provided lodgings for all regular employees should they need it. This meant that Carthon would have a home and employment without actually living in the family apartment. Knowing this made his courtship of her daughter a good deal more palatable. She glanced back at Carathon. He seemed unhappy. SHe could guess the cause; probably he'd asked Remdil for a home and seen her riding off as a flat denial. Well, maybe she could do something about that. She turned her horse back, leaving Remdil to his musings, and confronted her would-be marriage-son.

He was relieved to find out that he could stay in the Inn and work, and although she didn't mention it, he seemed hopeful for hi future with Livia as well. The boy, though...She offered to have him ride behind her for a while. She wanted to find out what he wanted, what his plans were.

It seemed he and Carathon had been talking and had decided they should stick together: two orphans, loose in the wide world, they could lean on each other for support. She sighed. Two sons! Well, if he was going to be living in her house, they could hardly keep calling him "boy". She would call him...Brando. Yes, that would do.
He looked like he wasn't quite sure how to feel about his new name, but when she'd asked what his old name had been and he hadn't remembered, well, she had no choice but to give him one.
At his hesitant request to be put back on Carathon's horse, she happily agreed. He'd have to stop calling her "ma'am" though, that wouldn't do at all!

[ December 17, 2002: Message edited by: Susan Delgado ]