voice.
“Benen is fine. Tell me, Brenia, do you want to be my wife? Is that something that would please you?”
“Yes, Benen, it would please me very much.” She looked him in the eye when she spoke and her full lips smiled at him. Benen had never held the interest of a woman before; her attention made him feel nervous and giddy at the same time.
“How do you see our life together? What is it like?”
“I imagine we would move to a city, or the capital, and join the elite. There would be balls and dancing. I would manage your household and make sure the servants know not to bother you while you work.” She paused and then reached across the distance between them to place her hand on Benen’s knee. “I would make sure all your needs are met.”
Benen blushed. If he had not committed to meeting the other two sisters before making his decision, he would have made his choice then and there. He wanted this woman to be his. But that would not be fair to her sisters, so he smiled back at her and composed himself.
“Thank you, Brenia. I, uh, should meet your other sisters before making my decision. But I can tell you now that you have made a very favourable impression.”
Brenia leaned forward and gave Benen a kiss on his cheek before departing. Benen took a few moments by himself to regain his composure before calling for the next sister.
Pol’s middle daughter came in and took the seat Brenia had previously occupied. She was plainer than her elder sister, but still quite pretty. She smiled at Benen, but her smile did not have her sister’s intensity.
“Hello Dania.”
“Good day, Benen.”
“Are you sure you want to be my wife, Dania?”
“I am. I make no decision without thinking it through, and I think the two of us would be perfect for one another.”
“Oh? Can you tell me how you envision our marriage?”
“As a wizard, you are an educated man. Unlike my sisters, I know how to read and I am familiar with some of the rudiments of science. I would be a helpmate to you in your research and an adviser to you in other areas. Ours would be a partnership of equals.”
Benen found the idea of marriage as a partnership appealing, but he felt nothing for Dania herself. She had a business-like manner about the subject of marriage and love that did not appeal to him.
“And where would we live?” he asked her.
“We will decide this together, but I assume we will most likely move to a larger city with a well-equipped library, a centre of learning.”
“And children?”
“If we have the time and you have the desire.”
“Thank you, Dania. I will meet your younger sister now.” The girl nodded and left the room.
Benen knew he could not choose Dania, there was no emotional or physical connection between them; she would be a good lab assistant, but not a good wife.
The last sister entered and he motioned for her to sit across from him. She was quite young, two years younger than he was. He watched her walk to the seat and saw she was not used to the fancy dress. Where Brenia had been graceful, and Dania deliberate, the third sister was hesitant in her movements. When she smiled, it was shyly.
“Hello,” she greeted him as she sat. She had a small voice.
“Hello Sania.” She blushed and smiled when he said her name. The colour in her cheeks suited her perfectly. She was not a beauty like her eldest sister, but there was something more genuine about her appearance. “Can you tell me what our marriage would be like?”
“Oh dear, I’m not sure. I’d be there for you, I guess, and do what I can for you. And you, you’d be there for me, when I’m not well — for me and the children. We’d help each other and try to make the other happy. Isn’t that what marriage is supposed to be like?”
Benen warmed to the young girl. She had an earnestness that was endearing and disarming.
“Are you sure you want to marry me?” he asked.
“Who wouldn’t want to be your wife? You came to help us
“Benen is fine. Tell me, Brenia, do you want to be my wife? Is that something that would please you?”
“Yes, Benen, it would please me very much.” She looked him in the eye when she spoke and her full lips smiled at him. Benen had never held the interest of a woman before; her attention made him feel nervous and giddy at the same time.
“How do you see our life together? What is it like?”
“I imagine we would move to a city, or the capital, and join the elite. There would be balls and dancing. I would manage your household and make sure the servants know not to bother you while you work.” She paused and then reached across the distance between them to place her hand on Benen’s knee. “I would make sure all your needs are met.”
Benen blushed. If he had not committed to meeting the other two sisters before making his decision, he would have made his choice then and there. He wanted this woman to be his. But that would not be fair to her sisters, so he smiled back at her and composed himself.
“Thank you, Brenia. I, uh, should meet your other sisters before making my decision. But I can tell you now that you have made a very favourable impression.”
Brenia leaned forward and gave Benen a kiss on his cheek before departing. Benen took a few moments by himself to regain his composure before calling for the next sister.
Pol’s middle daughter came in and took the seat Brenia had previously occupied. She was plainer than her elder sister, but still quite pretty. She smiled at Benen, but her smile did not have her sister’s intensity.
“Hello Dania.”
“Good day, Benen.”
“Are you sure you want to be my wife, Dania?”
“I am. I make no decision without thinking it through, and I think the two of us would be perfect for one another.”
“Oh? Can you tell me how you envision our marriage?”
“As a wizard, you are an educated man. Unlike my sisters, I know how to read and I am familiar with some of the rudiments of science. I would be a helpmate to you in your research and an adviser to you in other areas. Ours would be a partnership of equals.”
Benen found the idea of marriage as a partnership appealing, but he felt nothing for Dania herself. She had a business-like manner about the subject of marriage and love that did not appeal to him.
“And where would we live?” he asked her.
“We will decide this together, but I assume we will most likely move to a larger city with a well-equipped library, a centre of learning.”
“And children?”
“If we have the time and you have the desire.”
“Thank you, Dania. I will meet your younger sister now.” The girl nodded and left the room.
Benen knew he could not choose Dania, there was no emotional or physical connection between them; she would be a good lab assistant, but not a good wife.
The last sister entered and he motioned for her to sit across from him. She was quite young, two years younger than he was. He watched her walk to the seat and saw she was not used to the fancy dress. Where Brenia had been graceful, and Dania deliberate, the third sister was hesitant in her movements. When she smiled, it was shyly.
“Hello,” she greeted him as she sat. She had a small voice.
“Hello Sania.” She blushed and smiled when he said her name. The colour in her cheeks suited her perfectly. She was not a beauty like her eldest sister, but there was something more genuine about her appearance. “Can you tell me what our marriage would be like?”
“Oh dear, I’m not sure. I’d be there for you, I guess, and do what I can for you. And you, you’d be there for me, when I’m not well — for me and the children. We’d help each other and try to make the other happy. Isn’t that what marriage is supposed to be like?”
Benen warmed to the young girl. She had an earnestness that was endearing and disarming.
“Are you sure you want to marry me?” he asked.
“Who wouldn’t want to be your wife? You came to help us
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