The Forbidden Fruit

The morning after some of the Fianni of Redvyrne met, Jadiran makes his way slowly through the halls of his home, looking rather tired. It\'s not even that early, but the teen made it before lunch, and that\'s a small miracle. He must have been up late, drinking, because his eyes are shot with red and he moves at a sluggish pace. Someone had told him Mainchin was in the dining hall, and that\'s where he\'s shuffling. It\'s a wonder he even remembered the face that the man wanted to speak with him.

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The dining hall is a grand but austere room, designed to entertain visiting nobles and wealthy merchants. A long table dominates the room and over it, a heavy wrought iron chandelier hangs from a formidable chain off a heavy beam on the ceiling.

His parents are there, seated and eating a modest but hearty meal. As usual, his mother does not even look up from her plate. Even while eating, her perfect profile is not marred, as she takes tiny bites from her plate after complaining endlessly about her food to the cook. Her beauty is matched only by her frigidity.

His father, on the other hand, looks up from his plate to greet his son.

\"Well Jadiran, pull up a chair. Have you eaten? Batty made the most sumptuous squash pudding that your mother didn\'t care for, so we have plenty.\"

Jadiran drags himself across the room and drops down into a chair near the two. His green eyes look over the food, but he looks more nauseated by the thought than interested in eating. \"No.. thank you. I\'m okay.\" He murmurs. \"I\'m not hungry.\"

Silence only settles for a moment before a complaint comes forth, \"Why did you tell Desmond that I would help him? You didn\'t even ask me.\"

[Gabhran(#15443)] \"Sit up straight, Jadiran,\" his mother quips, without even looking up from her plate. It is clear that Jadiran has inherited his mother\'s good looks.

Mainchin rolls his eyes slightly at his wife before digging into his squash pudding. \"Ask you? Since when does a father need to ask his son what he must do when his son continues to take money from him? By the way, I paid off that scum you owed money to that you lost in the dice game.\"

From the kitchen, an elderly woman - Batty -- comes in with a piping bowl of clear soup which she sets down in front of Jadiran. \"Best cure for a hangover,\" she whispers. The nanny who had practically raised him, has now been relegated to a cook since the Dunhallow children have all grown.

Jadiran makes a half-hearted effort to sit up, obviously only to appease his mother. His father\'s words bring a soft sigh and he almost sounds sincere. \"I\'m sorry about that, father. I meant to pay the man but I forgot. I can repay you for it, okay?\" This is a usual game for him, begging forgiveness after the fact.

When Batty brings the soup he gives the woman a warm smile. \"Thanks!\" He whispers, reaching for the spoon to take a tentative sip of the broth.

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At Jadiran\'s obvious difference in attitude between herself and Batty, the corner of her mouth pulls ever so slightly, but that is the extent of her display of emotion.

Batty, on the other hand, reacts to the mistress\'s slight pulling of her mouth as if she had been yelled at, and she scurries away - but only after stealing another glance at the young man.

\"Your word is as good as those shady peddlers\' who promises their tonics will cure all ailments,\" Mainchin replies casually. \"But no matter. Like I have said many times before, you have your wits and charm, and your mother\'s good looks. That and the Dunhallow name should carry you through most of life.\"

His mother remains expressionless as she next cuts up a pear into miniscule pieces before putting it through her lips which she hesitates to open more than a slit.

Mainchin continues. \"But I am afraid these are not normal times. War is upon us, son, and you must now make a name for yourself and for the Dunhallows.\"

Jadiran doesn\'t pay much notice to the small battle between his mother and former nursemaid. As his father criticizes him he takes another sip of the soup, letting out a soft sigh of contentment, though his brows draw together faintly at the talk of good looks. The glance that flicks up to the man is suspicious. He takes a third bite of the breakfast before answering Mainchin. \"Isn\'t that more for Camron.. or Breig? They\'re much better at those sorts of things than I am.\"

\"I fear I would only disappoint you, father.\" That wormy tone is back. \"Shouldn\'t your most capable sons represent you in battle?\"

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That wormy tone does not seem to bother Mainchin in the least. Instead of answering Jadiran\'s question, he finishes eating the last of the pudding and begins cutting up the pear.

\"I heard that you have been to Dingadarn Keep,\" Mainchin says pleasantly, his eyes on the fruit instead of his son.

Jadiran slowly nurses his way through the broth and the soup begins to bring some relief to his suffering. When he father completely ignores his concerns he gives up the argument for the moment. \"Yes. I went to visit Faol. I had planned to return, actually..\" He says in a baited tone, hinting at a trace of annoyance. \"Of course, now I won\'t have the opportunity.\"

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Mainchin takes a bite out of the pear then works his mouth around until he spits out something. A bug, most likely.

\"No, you won\'t.\"

Mainchin wipes his mouth with a napkin. \"And if know what is good for you, you will stay way from Eilidh Faol. I think that she will make a fine bride for Camron or Breig and I do not want you ruining a good marriage match.\"

He pulls his chair back and stands up. \"You are free to chase all the skirts of all of Dunland the likes of Behsie Conn. But until you prove yourself worthy of a Dunhallow in battle, you are to stay away from daughters of nobility.\"

Jadiran has begun to pick at the rest of the soup as his appetite disappears, almost in a sulking fashion. When his father states his intentions for Eilidh, though, the teen looks up abruptly. \"What? Are you serious?\" He asks with disbelief in his tone. \"Eilidh isn\'t going to.. she\'s my age! They\'re far too old, and.. she wouldn\'t want anything to do with them anyway.\"

It\'s a rare moment when Jade sounds sincerely concerned about something. \"Have you spoken with them about this? Her grandmother is dying and I\'m fairly certain that finding a husband is not on her mind right now.\" Is it simply watching out for an old friend, or something more?

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Mainchin offers his arm to his wife, which she takes with frigid formality. When they stand, they both stare for a moment at their son who rarely shows any kind of concern.

\"Why Jadiran, you sound like you almost care about Eilidh.\" He arches his brows more out of amusement than anything else. He listens to his son\'s little speech but at the end of it, he merely smiles and shrugs.

\"Yes, everyone knows her grandmother, the grand dame of Dingadarn Keep is ill. You know, I have always admired young Lady Eilidh for her sensibility. Hard to believe she is the same age as you.\" Mainchin states matter of factly. \"And soon, it will mostly likely be up to Eilidh to carry on the Faol family tradition. To do that, she will need to choose her husband carefully. So no, quite the contrary, son. I believe that finding a husband is foremost on her mind right now.\" He starts to move towards the door, then stops to look over his shoulder.

\"If you do truly care for her, Jadiran, then you should think of her happiness and quietly step aside for a man who is worthy of her, don\'t you think?\"

\"Of course I care about her. Her and Bledrann are some of my oldest friends. Besides, it\'s Bledrann that needs to find a wife. He\'s the Fian.\" Jade argues, turning in the chair to watch his father prepare to leave. The jibe is answered with an exasperated sigh, \"Matching her up with someone as if you were picking out curtain colors is hardly thinking of her happiness. It\'s assinine and degrading.\" He retorts as some os his temper begins to stir.

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\"Advice about true love and happiness coming out of someone who makes a game out of breaking young maidens\' hearts is equally degrading, my son.\" Mainchin says, this time his tone is serious.

\"Think about who you are, and who you want to be. Right now, you are nothing but an embarrassment to the family. Now either go and make something of yourself, or accept being the spoiled rich baby boy who will forever take money from his father for his foolish ways. The choice is yours.\"

\"That isn\'t the same thing..\" Jade mutters, scowling. \"Spending a night or two with a girl isn\'t a marriage. Eilidh is better than that. She\'s smart, and she\'s talented.\" He says, finally standing now to gaze at his father at a more level height. \"She deserves more and she\'ll make her own choice.\"

Jadiran doesn\'t respond to the distinction that Mainchin makes about his freeloading habits. He finds it far easier to ignore his father\'s occasional insults than to actually work for a living.

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\"Son, I am /counting/ on Lady Eilidh\'s sensibility and intelligence. She is the daughter of kings, Jadiran. Royalty runs thick in her blood.\" Mainchin replies gazing coolly at his son.

\"But if she is foolish enough to throw the Faol\'s long traditions away on a man who sweeps her off her feet with nothing but sweet melodies of cloud white ponies, instead of marrying a real man who can work hard, provide for his family, and help the people of Dingadarn Keep, then by Kiern\'s words, she is really no different than Behsie Conn, now is she?\"

Jadiran glares back at his father, some of his temper flaring in place of his usual tactic of ignoring the man. \"Someday you\'re going to be wrong and you\'re going to be sorely disappointed, father.\" His son growls as he moves towards a different exit of the room. \"And do tell me sometime about how your -sensible- marriage is working out, because you\'re both gushing with happiness all the time!\" Not the wisest recourse, but his father is digging at a sensitive nerve where the Faol daughter is concerned.