remedial goodness for Chelish archdukes
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"It does seem like something you mostly couldn't fix with a rule. Thank you. I think that's helpful.

Are there other things I should know about, or that you're wondering about from us?"

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"Probably lots. You said you thought it was possible that nobody here was doing anything conscionable. What's conscionable look like, according to you?"

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"A man and a woman, both of them free, both of whom have if nothing else the meaningful option of joining a religious order and leading a life of prayer and service, and so who at minimum prefer this to that, court by - going to dances, lingering after church to talk to each other, visiting each other at home - and decide to marry. Their parents need to approve but cannot oblige them in a marriage they don't themselves choose. Then they are faithful to one another for as long as they live, and work together to support their children."

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"That seems like it requires quite a lot of other people's cooperation."

 

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"It is what happens for almost everybody at home and I am not accustomed to thinking of it as requiring cooperation exactly but I suspect it relies on many things that Asmodean Cheliax tried to destroy. What are you thinking of as - requiring other peoples' cooperation -"

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"There have to be religious orders around for you to join. They have to be willing to take you and a place that you can go. You have to have parents to approve. Or perhaps if you don't have them they're optional, and you only need reasonable parents if they're present. I suppose you need someone to draw up a marriage."

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"A marriage is actually valid in Lastwall without anyone signing anything. But - the rest seems right. There will probably eventually be religious orders here but I am not equipped to start one."

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"What's the agreement, if no one signs anything?"

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"The default of what a marriage is, if the couple has not signed something that is different than that, is an agreement to form a family together, to be faithful to one another and to remain together for good or for ill, for a man to honor and protect and for a woman to honor and obey her husband, and for both to seek to raise honorable and good children by the teachings of Heaven together, this vow to be only dissolved if a judge or a priest finds that it is leading them to Evil and that the ill cannot be corrected."

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"Huh.

I have a woman. She was my younger brother's, before she was mine. The Archduke's oldest legitimate son. Then the Archduke's second wife murdered my brother, and she was afraid. They had had a child. A girl, not very dangerous, but ugly things happen, when brothers fight. She couldn't go home; her father had died, and she didn't trust her uncle, either. So she was no one's, only affiliated with a murdered man. And so I told her that she could move into my room, with the child, if she wanted, and if anyone did hurt her I would kill them. I don't know how it would have gone. I wasn't as strong back then, or quite as important, but I would have tried.

We have two, now, plus the girl. That's her, shooting there." He gestures. The human girl, about thirteen. She's good. "I don't know if you'd call anything about that conscionable. But that's what I have, and I have everything I want. Except my room."

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"I don't think things always have to have been done by the right rules to turn out right. I'd - have to talk to her, to assure you I thought it was right, if you want that. I think - it sounds like while you did not make the promises I spoke of you have kept them, and that is important, and I know the goddess wants you and her and your children to be safe."

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"Well, you're welcome to speak to her, if you now need to check that there isn't a knife pointed the other way. She teaches the younger boys to read, most days."

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"Are you two allowed to marry? Would you want to?"

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"Not legally. I'm not actually sure if there's some noble on her side I'd technically need permission from, if I were free. Probably the Archduke would be good enough. But I don't know. I sort of like everyone knowing she's where she wants to be. I guess I would probably let her talk me around, if she wanted one."

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"I see. Thank you. I'll make sure we get it sorted out by tonight."

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"Thank you. If you have any more questions, you know where I am."

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On a gentle hill outside the castle complex, a group of young nobles are throwing darts at a baby kobold, which is stuck inside a cage with a target on the bottom. On your turn, you and a partner each throw three darts, as quickly or slowly as you like; the kobold is only worth points if you hit it while it’s in the center, so first you try to drive it to the center, and then aim for the center and hope the kobold is there. Another group is playing cards, only a few paces off. Queralt is sketching them. And then, on towards the bottom of the hill, Guim is sitting under a tree with a girl.

      “I don’t know,” she says. “It’s dangerous out by the river.”

“Margarida, I have killed, like, six guys. I think I can keep you safe from, what, fish?”

     “I worry about your counting skills. Anyway, his Highness said not to.”

“His Highness said we couldn’t go into each other’s rooms. He didn’t say we couldn’t be alone at all.”

     Right after saying that it was so people wouldn’t have sex. I was there, Guim.”

“Who says we’re going to have sex?”

     “You, constantly. What, now you just like spending time with me?”

“I do like spending time with you!"

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     One of the young men playing cards muses aloud. “I wonder, does one have a moral obligation to prevent another from doing evil? A great evil, we are told, not a petty one?”

          The girl next to him draws a card. “I rather think one has an obligation to prevent one’s guests from being harassed.”

“One’s guests, certainly,” says Redempció, delicately studying her cards. “But one knows a guest by that she is invited. I did not invite Margarida, did any of you?”

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Another young man. “Ah, I see the mistake. But it also seems uncouth for a dog to help himself to refreshments.”

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Redempció glances at him, smiling slightly. “Well, you might chase him off before he does, and hope to enjoy them yourself.”

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“Has he not already sampled them? Not refreshments anymore, I suppose. Table scraps.”

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Guim leaps up and draws his sword, growling. It’s not a human sound. Margarida has gone very still, beside him.

“Draw and defend your life, you pathetic fucking worm."

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He does not get up. “I do not duel animals, I shoot them.”

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"You don't shoot anything! Your uncle shoots for you, and only keeps you around to fuck your ass!"

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"You insolent cur. Will someone remove this beast? I believe it's rabid."

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