(open post) I'm still a delicate flower, you know

[indolentaxe]

you know what to do.

Comments

You know

[silky_bearing]

As much as he's thrilled to have her staying with them while she's back in the former Leicester region it's also a little nerve wracking. Hilda had her share of responsibilities too, as much as she tried to play it all off as nothing. They hadn't really had time to figure out what parts of their relationship might shift after his and Marianne's wedding. And now, abruptly, she's going to be living with them for the next few weeks at least. The weather in Sreng is too unforgiving for the boat out of Derdriu to leave until the temperatures warm enough for them to have a port that is not encased in ice.

The first day (two, really,) that she's been in Gloucester was, of course, spent with Marianne. But now his wife is catching up on some much needed rest and Lorenz was fussing over tea, tense and ever so slightly uncertain how things between them will play out. Hopefully it will be as though nothing has changed but he can't deny that she would be within her rights to resent him for getting to stay at her lovers' side while she is on the other side of the country.

I know

[indolentaxe]

Hilda won't deny some degree of jealousy that Lorenz gets to spend as much time with Marianne as he does, but to call it resentment is way too far. It's not like she can drag her lover along to all of her travels across the continent--even without the anchor of marriage, Marianne has political and social responsibilities that she can't drop at a moment's notice. If anything, having Lorenz has been a boon in that regard, making sure that Marianne isn't alone when Hilda's wanderlust (and need for supplies) becomes too much to bear. As far as she's concerned, Marianne and Lorenz's marriage has been a net positive, and she's been among their biggest supporters both publicly and privately.

Of course, that doesn't diminish her nerves as she watches Lorenz prepare their tea. It's easy to get caught up in the 'Lor and Mari' of it all that it hasn't allowed her much thought to 'Lor and Hilda.' Their relationship is different now, just by virtue of the situation. But she has no idea what that difference means. Does he begrudge her the actual romance between her and Marianne? Should they be closer now because of their shared partner? Are they like, half-married or something now?

She realizes that maybe she and Lorenz should have had a heart-to-heart before the wedding instead of spending all their time together planning the damn thing. Hindsight and all that. At least they have the opportunity now.

"I really appreciate you and Marianne letting me stay here on such short notice. I didn't think that Sreng would be dealing with an ice storm so late in the year." It's good to start with small talk and then work up to the big stuff. "Add that to the list of 'things I didn't know about the world outside of Leicester,' I guess."