[PM to Join] To have and to hold. (Memory)

[Genevieve De Silver]

Evening, Achtus 8th, 2711

Genevieve savoured the meal, taking her time pausing to drink wine. She listened to her guest talk and smiled warmly. Chuckling at the talk of different marriage customs. At Niccolette’s question she put her knife and fork down and smiled slightly.

"Well, I rather think I would prefer something simple I think, which would Anaxian."

She took a sip from her wine glass.

"Now Gioran weddings have far more in common with Bastian traditions. Though marrying for love is uncommon, marriage is more often political. Which I never agreed with, I still do not."

She smiled at Niccolette, recalling her outburst on the subject the night they had first met.

"However, as for traditions well both bride and groom must only wear white, gold or silver. Any other colour is deemed tasteless."

Genevieve made a face and took a sip of wine.

"I never liked white, makes me look like a ghost."

She laughed.

"Other than that, let me see. Ah yes, I recall that the bride and groom can not see each other for ten days leading up to the ceremony. It’s all very religious and spiritual. Although one part I rather liked, the bride and groom are covered in quartz dust. Sounds ridiculous, but it does lend the proceedings mystic air."

A mischievous glint came into her green eyes and she grinned then.

"Well in Gior having more than one partner is not frowned upon, in fact having two mothers is seen as most fortuitous. We are creatures of impulse, Giorans that is. As my mother was fond of saying ‘Do not let your emotions rule you, but do not ignore them either’. My father he was very Ananxian in his thinking however."

She laughed a little bitterly then.

"Perhaps I favour my Gioran heritage too much at times. As for a husband or a wife, why must one choose?"

She laughed again, but this time there was no bitterness and her grin was back, she took up her cutlery again. and continued eating, the food really was excellent.

[Niccolette Ibutatu]

Evening, Achtus 8th, 2711
The De Silver Manor, Outside Vienda

"Silver, I think, not gold,” Niccolette said, studying Jean, and grinned. “But not too bright – it should wash you out,” She took another sip of her wine, and set the empty glass back down on the table.

“Still hungry, beloved?” Uzoji rose to pour her another glass of wine, then settled back into his seat.

“Oh, yes, of course,” Niccolette picked her fork up, and prodded meaningfully at her plate, listening attentively to Jean’s explanation of Gioran wedding customs. She giggled at the mention of quartz dust, taking a few bites of food, then promptly set the silverware right back down at the mention of why must one choose.

“To be married to more than one!” Niccolette giggled. “You wish to have your – ah – what is the expression – to have your cake and eat it too,” she accused Jean, grinning, amused and faintly scandalized at the notion.

“Very interesting,” Uzoji said, thoughtfully. “In Mugroba, of course, it’s mostly a concern about heirs for oldest sons – primogeniture being what it is,” he grinned faintly. “So if you’re inclined towards the sort of thing which won’t produce heirs, you’re encouraged to take a wife as well. It’s less about pleasure and more about duty, but – well – it seems rather sensible, I think.”

Niccolette glanced across the table at him and raised her eyebrows. “Sensible!” She scooped her wine up and took another long drink.

“Well,” Uzoji cleared his throat, “I mean, not one of each, necessarily – or – well, I suppose if you were so inclined,” he shrugged lightly. “It’s never been something that interested me.”

“Sleeping with a man?” Niccolette giggled across the table at her husband, taking another sip of her wine.

Uzoji grinned back. “Yes, darling. Or rather – no, darling. I can’t say I’ve ever thought it’s something I’d enjoy. It’s quite taboo for women, you know, in Mugroba – sleeping with other women.”

“But men – they can sleep with other men!” Niccolette’s eyes went wide.

“Yes, it's rather common,” Uzoji admitted, almost sheepishly.

“How sexist!” Niccolette shook her head, and turned to Jean, imploring him to agree.

Niccolette drank a little more wine, and promptly embarked upon a new topic. “There is quite a problem in Anaxas, I think,” she said, determinedly. “Perhaps it is the same in Mugroba, with all your talk of duty. Women are not taught to have fun in the bedroom,” she grinned, wickedly. “Of course, things are not so bad in Bastia.”

Uzoji coughed, and hastily swallowed his wine before he could lose it on the tablecloth. “Shall I take that as a compliment?” He asked, dryly.

“No,” Niccolette smiled sweetly at him, and set her wineglass down. “I am sure it cannot be like this in Gior, not for women at least. I suppose…” she raised her eyebrows curiously at Jean, wading tentatively into the excessively taboo subject, “for men, it would be… well…” even her courage seemed to stop shy of quite asking outright, and the Bastian blushed and seemed to remember her food, busying herself with it once more.

[Genevieve De Silver]

Evening, Achtus 8th, 2711

With bright laugh Genevieve raised her glass of wine to Niccolette, and said with a grin.

“But of course my dear, one always has room for more cake.”

She laughed and shook her head, she had to remember the constructed reputation she had, or rather Jean had.

“However I do not think I am the marrying kind, after all who would have me?”

Genevieve smiled and drank more wine and looked to Uzoji and nodded.

“Yes, that makes sense, as for inclination well. I have been with men and women and honestly I’m not sure which I prefer.”

Again not a lie, though these days it was far safer and easier to avoid and kind of intimate entanglement. She shot Uzoji a mischievous grin.

“Though, I believe there is a saying that is perhaps fitting. Do not knock it until you try it.”

Then she laughed and held up her hand in apology, at Niccolette’s next words she raised a fair eyebrow.

“See now that I dislike, it is fairer in Gior I think. You are quite right Niccolette, that is sexist and you know my feelings on that subject.”

At Niccolette’s next words Genevieve chuckled. Now this was trickier territory, Jean's exploits and her actual experience differed somewhat. However she knew what her feelings on the matter were.

"Well I think if all parties involved are not enjoying themselves then what's the point?"

She waggled her brows at the company and then burst out laughing.

"But yes, in Gior it is common to act on feelings and speak your mind. It is why we have a reputation for being blunt."

'And we are known for our honesty' Genevieve thought to herself what a bitter irony that was.

'One of the things my father could never get used to was the the fact adultery is not veiwed in the same way in Gior as it is in Anaxas."

She took a sip of wine.

"My mother had a lover, she was quiet open about it as they were also close friends."

She chuckled fondly then.

"Kali was a friend to me as well, almost like a third parent when I was growing up."

Smiling at the memory.

"Actually you might have heard of her. Kali Rasmus Jarvi, she's a Gioran academic and philosopher. She has some very interesting theories about mona, I've several of her books in my library here actually."


She looked to Niccolette with a grin.

"I doubt my sister would ever have mentioned her, Burnnhold is very.. Anaxian in its thoughts of academia. As far as I gather at least."


An exaggeration on her part, but the senior faculty could be a most hidebound back of buffoons at times.

Then she finished the last few morsels on her plate, stood up and went to the side board that held the carafe of wine and refilled her glass.

"As I'm here, anyone for a top up?"


Genevieve wiggled the carafe slightly with a grin.

[Niccolette Ibutatu]

Evening, Achtus 8th, 2711
The De Silver Manor, Outside Vienda

At Jean’s comment about who would have him, Niccolette noticed Uzoji look at him – there was a sudden sharp jerk of her husband’s chin, and a moment when she saw something on his face she did not quite recognize, as he gazed at Jean. She was not entirely sure what to make of it, and she glanced at Jean as well, but she could see nothing amiss in the man’s smile. She glanced back at Uzoji again, but whatever it was that had been on his face was gone, and he was smiling – he had never quite stopped, she thought.

Uzoji laughed at Jean’s comment about knocking and raised his wine glass in a light and rather subtle toast. “Well enough,” he said, and grinned.

Niccolette did not smile, or perhaps she did, but she was aware, looking at Uzoji across the table – she was aware of a sort of feeling that – she could not put her finger on it, but it made her uneasy. It was not what she might have wished him to say. Nor, too, could she help the feeling that he had changed the subject from his thoughts on having more than one spouse – nor, too, could she quite help feeling that he had deliberately wanted to distract her with his talk of Mugrobi sexism.

It hurt, and Niccolette did not know why. She took another sip of her wine instead of thinking more about it, and did her best to put it from her mind. There seemed to be little point in dwelling on it – whatever it was. And perhaps it was nothing, in the end, nothing but her imagination. Surely he had not really meant – it had been – not a lie, of course, but a general sort of thought, not one that applied to him specifically. Surely.

Niccolette had plunged into her change of conversation unhesitatingly, and she knew full well that she had stopped already too late. She grinned at Jean when he gave his answer, relieved that he was not offended. She had not thought he would be, but all the same – Uzoji looked almost sulky across the table, and Niccolette took pity on him with a smile, and a little reach with her field. He looked up at the brush of it, and he grinned too, sheepish and, Niccolette thought, reassured, and she wished that – that she could cross the table to him and kiss his cheek.

“Your mother!” Jean’s words were shocking enough that Niccolette turned to him, her attention taken from Uzoji once more. She raised her eyebrows again. “Against your father’s wishes?” Niccolette asked, curiously. "Or is it just that it was - a surprise to him?"

“The name almost sounds familiar,” Uzoji said, thoughtfully. “Jarvi,” he shook his head faintly, as if not quite able to place it.

Niccolette grinned back at Jean at the mention of his sister. “I would hardly know,” she admitted, and shrugged. She really had hardly attended the class in the end! She had been rather surprised to pass so easily – there had not been any fight – but of course things had been rather busy and she did not mind. Had Jean… but no, she could not see any reason why he would have.

“Yes, thank you,” Uzoji said, smiling, at Jean’s question. “I'll admit I'm not much of a theorist, but is Jarvi terribly controversial, then?”

“For me as well,” Niccolette said, cheerfully. It was excellent wine, after all, and she did not see a reason to stop drinking.

[Genevieve De Silver]

Evening, Achtus 8th, 2711

Genevieve brought the wine carafe over and refilled both Niccolette's and Uzoji's glass before retaking her seat. Taking a sip of her own wine for speaking.

"Well, Kali and my mother where together before my father even came to Gior. As I recall, or certainly as I was told it, their relationship was never kept secret from my father. It was made clear to him that Kali was a large part of my mother's life. He accepted this, even before they married."

She took another sip of wine, then sighed a little wistfully.

"Though it became harder for him as time went on. As an Anaxian it was a big adjustment, Gior in general was very strange for him. My mother saw this and well, that is broadly how and i suppose why we came to move to Anaxas."

She did not say that if they had stayed, then perhaps her parents would still be alive and she would not be living this cursed double life where she must lie to those she cared about.


With an effort she kept most of this from her face and hide behind a smile and a glass of truly excellent red, for what better shield was there?

"However, all that is history. Now the De Silver house is filled with joy and love again. That is reason to rejoice."

Genevieve's smile was broad and warm and her green eyes shone in the candle light.

"Now perhaps we should retire to the drawing room?"

[Niccolette Ibutatu]

Evening, Achtus 8th, 2711
The De Silver Manor, Outside Vienda

Uzoji smiled at Jean as he refilled their glasses, murmuring a thank you. Niccolette nodded in appreciation, and took another sip of the excellent red wine.

Jean began to speak again; Niccolette listened with no small interest, but a good deal of uncertainty. To accept such a thing! She could not quite resist glancing sideways at Uzoji, who was listening with an attentive smile, his head turned gently towards Jean. She could not quite resist admiring the curve of his cheek, the handsome line of his head; these things had not changed, of course, since their marriage, but now they felt somehow indescribably more hers.

But neither could Niccolette quite resist – she glanced back at Jean, aware that she was meant to be paying attention. And what if Uzoji had come to her, before their wedding? What if he had asked her to take him, but had warned her that there was another? Niccolette felt a shock of something down her spine – revulsion, fear – at the very thought of it. He had not, she told herself, her hand tight on the stem of her wineglass, and she glanced up at her husband again.

Uzoji turned and smiled at her, and Niccolette smiled back, and wondered.

Niccolette smiled at Jean. She was sure it was her fault, but she felt a bit of confusion – if his parents had come to Anaxas, why did this make him regret that the house was not full of love and joy? Had they not been happy here? But it seemed to Niccolette that this would be an unpleasant subject, and she did not think it right to broach it.

“Yes, let’s,” Niccolette agreed, leaving behind the still half-full plate of food. She still had a good deal of her wine left, and although it was not quite the done thing, she took the glass with her. Uzoji took his as well, so Niccolette felt a bit better about her lapse of manners.

The two of them followed Jean to the drawing room, and Niccolette settled comfortably into a chair with a pleasant sigh. The room was warm and well-lit, and seemed to blur softly around the edges for the young Bastian. She glanced over at Jean and Uzoji, Jean with the sharp planes of his pale face and the faintest trace of sadness that Niccolette was surprised to notice in his eyes, Uzoji with his bare head gleaming softly in the lamplight and the smile that had scarcely left him since the wedding.

Niccolette took another sip of her wine and wondered, for just a moment, what they saw in her. She shook the thought away with a little toss of her head, set her wine glass down, and lifted her chin. No keeping the world out, she thought, and she could not help but still to feel a little sorry for it, as much as she liked Jean. But Uzoji was there, and even if he did not reach for her hand, Niccolette knew – she knew, in a place she could not name – that she could reach out and take it as she liked, and that made all the difference.

And so Niccolette sat forward, and she laughed, and she let the warm glow of the soft lamplight seep into her, and she could not but be happy.