Two Crows Watch from the Gallows Tree (part 18)

"Oh, you'll meet them after the journey." He waved a hand dismissively. "They're more on your level."

“What is that supposed to mean?” She scoffed, anxiety clutching her gut. “Who are they? I don’t want an arranged marriage.”

"Don't pick this fight here," he said stiffly. "We're having tea."
Feyer glanced between them in silence, saying nothing.

“You can’t just announce you’re going to force me to get married and then expect me not to have questions about it!” Rana protested, the entirety of her focus on her father.

"We'll talk about it later." He gave her a sharp look.

“As if you ever talk to me,” Rana scoffed. Talked at her, sure. Lectured her, no doubt. But she wasn’t sure he’d ever talked to her once in her life. And he wasn’t about to start now. He’d decided to thrust a major expedition on her 16 hours before they left — what was to stop him from planning a marriage behind her back? She certainly wouldn’t put it past him. Or rest easy now that she knew he was planning it.

She felt ill.

“…please excuse me.” She stood up and curtsied quickly to the general and set her tea on the table then stepped towards the door quickly in an attempt to take her leave.

Cairbry let her go, but his face had gone beet red as he watched her.
Feyer sipped her tea quietly, glancing at Lia.

Lia was sitting very, very still with wide eyes, not sure what had just happened or how to fix it. She’d thought maybe if Rana got married to Lord Tarr it would save her from having to be a solider. That would be better, right? So how had she made Papa and Rana so angry? She wished she wouldn’t have said anything.

"I apologize for my daughter," Cairbry said, turning back to Feyer with a heavy sigh. "We've been working on her since she was an infant, but she can't seem to find her manners no matter how we try."
"She's at that age," Feyer said with a shrug. "I can't say I blame her."

Lia gave the tiniest tentative nod of agreement and sipped her tea, grateful the general didn’t seem upset. Rana was gonna be in so much trouble for embarrassing Papa in front of one of his generals. It’d be even worse if the general was offended by it. Lia wished there was a way for her to fix this. To make him forget about Rana entirely so he wouldn’t be cross with her.

"Lia's at an even younger age and she still sits quietly and politely," Cairbry pointed out.
"Well, you were saying miss Rana might be more suited to the army anyway," Feyer said. "Once she's eighteen. She strikes me as restless."
"Hmph."

Anxiety clutched at Lia’s gut. How could she stop this? Papa was serious enough about that he’d been talking to his General? Oh that wasn’t good. That wasn’t good at all. “I…I think she was just surprised?” She had to at least make an attempt to save her sister from that fate. “Perhaps she'll grow accustomed to the idea? Perhaps if she could have a little bit of say about it?”

"And how would you react if you were told we had suitors for you?" Cairbry asked. "You'd be perfect. No complaints, no irritation or outbursts."

She hesitated a long moment, not sure how to respond to that. He was right. She’d bottle it all up, like she always did. And then a thought struck her that came like a punch to the gut. “…D-do you? Have one for me?” She braced herself to not react beyond the way she already looked vulnerable and anxious. But gods she hoped not.

"Gods, not yet! You're far too young to be worrying about that. Besides, if you're to be a Reputation you need to keep your options wide open. Look at me. I'm unmarried and yet I've fathered six or seven children. I have many heirs, not all of whom I have to look after, and I sleep with who I want, when I want. I can have everything."