Old Faith
Dakran sighed, it was one of the ugliest things he'd ever seen, but it was part of their ways. He, himself wasn't a believer, but many of his people were. He'd allowed them to do as they pleased, unencumbered, as long as they kept it to themselves. For the sake of peace and unity, he'd played along and allowed those who wished to practice it, to do so in peace.
" To put it in a few words" he began recounting " Before all this" he paused a beat, trying to gather his thoughts" Women were nothing more than bed warmers. Once they were married off, I would hardly call that a marriage. They were sold off, locked in a room for men to use them as they pleased, and how they pleased. In most cases not in the best of ways, I would rather not get into details about it, it's pretty gruesome. Once they gave birth, the younglings were taken away, and given to the Whitsun temple to be raised in old religion ways, so they can perpetuate the same disturbing cycle. I was one of them" Dakran sighed " But by the time I came along father, had already fallen for mother, and when he took me away. Mother began wilting away like a fallen leaf under the scorching sun. Father changed his ways, left all of that behind, and brought me back to her." Rom had fallen silent, shocked " I'm not a believer myself, I wouldn't ever treat Maya in such despicable ways. I love her, I truly do. She will be my wife and a Lady of these lands. Once were are wed, she will carry my name and own these lands along with me. I want to see her happy. I have chosen her, and after much hard work, she has conceded to be my wife. I would never do anything to hurt her." Dakran let out a heavy sigh when Rom didn't seem convinced " I would never disrespect Maya. She is the air I breathe, and the reason I awake every day" Dakran stood up from his chair hopeful that would be enough to appease Roms's rattled spirit, and walked to the window, to give Rom some time to think things over. It was a lot to take in, and that wasn't even half of it. He'd left out the atrocious details, how the very same women, were given away to other males, in exchange for certain favours, and many other godawful practices. Old religion should have been wiped off and burned all the literature ascribed to it. Dakran grimaced in disgust at the mere thought of another man touching, his little red. Dakran shook his head, trying to shake off the bitterness that unfurled in his gut and turned his attention back to Rom, who appeared to give the matter some serious thought.
" Does she know?" Rom was staring at the table " I know there is more to it. I don't particularly have a taste for sugar-coated crap. So, does she know what she is getting herself into?" Rom struggled to contain his revulsion, hands tightly fisted, his jaw ticked, bearly keeping it together. It wasn't sugar-coated, just half-truths.
" No, at least I don't think she does, but she has spent a lot of time with Sala. And she was once, one of the said women. I'm sure she has said a thing or two." Dakran returned to the table " I'm not sure. I didn't think she would need to know, since I'm not into that life. But if she wants to know, I will tell her, when, and if the need, arises. It's not something easy to swallow." Dakran frowned, and sat down, as Rom shuffled in his chair, fidgeting, uneasy.
" I have no interest in leading that kind of life. She will be my wife in the true sense of the word. You worry for nothing." Dakran sighed, it seemed that each attempt to reassure Rom went on deaf ears. He was losing himself in a whirlwind of ifs and buts, and what would come to pass, if he would let Maya take Dakran as her husband? He didn't even know the whole truth, that alone made his skin crawl, at the mere thought that Maya could become a slave for men to do as they pleased with her. It was a beyond horrifying thought.
Rom buried his face in his hands, it seemed a trait that ran in their lineage, Maya did that more often than not. Unable to wrap his head around the fact that Maya has chosen to live a life, filled with such filth. It was unbecoming for a woman with bright prospects ahead of herself, to debase herself in such a way and wed, someone that encouraged behaviour such as that. Rom sighed, he appeared to battle with himself. Dakran pinched the bridge of his nose, his already-tried patience was wearing thin, and things were getting out of hand. He had to find a way to settle Rom, otherwise, he would take Maya, and dash out of Ironstone. And there was nothing he could do about it.
" How about we bring Maya into the fold and see what she has to say? You make a good point, I should have told her, but it seemed nonessential since I don't hold any interest in the old faith." Dakran hoped that bringing Maya into the discussion would help his case.
" What if she decides against you? What if she is just as repulsed by your practices, just as much as I am? And I'm a man" Rom scoffed " I can't believe that you are the same man that raised Edýia " Rom went off the rail, and it appeared, that his story had finally caught root.
Dakran sighed " I will let her go. I didn't raise Edýia according to the old religion. Haren has tried to instil some of their practices into her, but not many had taken root." Dakran rubbed his chin, anguished that, the past was coming back to haunt him.
" Which practices?" Rom shouted, appalled and stood up. Clearly, mentioning Edýia had been an awful mistake, it only added to Rom's bundle of revulsion, disdain and disapproval. It was pilling up with each passing moment, once again he found himself in a pickle, this time of his own making.
Dakran cleared his throat " There are many but only one caught on" Dakran stood up " It doesn't matter which. It doesn't do you any good if you know, and most certainly wouldn't make your life any better. Sometimes, is best to leave things be" Dakran patted Rom on the shoulder, in an attempt to placate him" We should go, and find Maya" Dakran sauntered towards the door, while Rom followed sulking stomping the floor beneath his feet, any harder, and he would have put holes in it.