In Which Melria Is Informed of the Problem

February 10, 1196

Searle was a knight, and knights had castles. Castles had chapels. Weddings were typically held in chapels, and as Searle's almost-son-in-law did not have a castle, it made no sense for his daughter not to be married in his chapel, in his castle. Melria had no objection to this. However... most stepdaughters had no living mothers.

And the fact that that wasn't the case, as Rennie savored the last hour or so of morning slumber before her big afternoon and the babies napped under the eye of Avine's nurse, put Lettie with Melria until the other siblings arrived.

Lettie didn't seem to have anything against Melria, especially given that her marriage to Searle had been rooted in convenience and would likely remain as such. That didn't make sitting with her, alone, any less... strange.

"So... this must be an exciting day for you."

"For the most part, assuming I ignore the fact that I'm old enough to have a married daughter." She grimaced, as all mothers seemed to do when the first of their children married. Lettie didn't strike Melria as the type to fret much about her age, but milestones rarely managed to pass unnoticed. "My apologies on her behalf, by the way. I know she's been rather cool toward you."

Melria shrugged. "I know that stepparents are an adjustment. It took me a while to warm up to poor Adonis when my mother married him."

"You were still young then, though. Rennie's an adult now." Lettie brushed a shed hair from her shoulder and sighed. "I don't think it will be forever, though. She's bound to realize sooner or later that it's not so much you she's bothered by as it is Searle."

"Oh." Most of the children had taken Lettie's side when the marriage had collapsed--three of the four of them choosing to live with her said a lot, especially when the other had more or less stayed with his father out of pity. But, the marriage had collapsed a long time ago. "They seem to get along these days, though."

"Searle gets along with Rennie. Rennie tells herself she gets along with Searle. He's unaware, and she's too aware. It's not productive; at this point, some sort of blow-out will be required if they really want to improve things."

Melria swallowed. She supposed that made sense... maybe. The feelings needed to be out in the open. Searle more than most seemed to need some things spelt out for him. "You and Searle didn't need a blow-out, did you?"

"No, no need for that with him and me. Searle and I were always good friends." Smirking, Lettie interlocked her fingers and cracked her knuckles with a stretch of her arms. "And that was precisely the problem."

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