Thanks to Todger65 for helping me edit another chapter!
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"I only want a little more detail."
Arissa seemed intent on making her regret agreeing to the pages as a wedding gift. Her insistence on more and more detail was aggravating.
"There isn't just one right way to do any of these things, Arissa. And I would be writing these pages until the end of time if I tried to figure out every single way you could possibly manage to do them." Isonei tried again to explain it to her, "If you listen to each other and take your time you won't need these at all."
"Can you at least make the pictures more detailed?"
Arissa huffed pulling her toward the dining room for dinner.
"Daga Liadith is good with drawing and painting, I'm not. The pictures are only there to give you a general idea of the position if my descriptions seem unclear." Keeping the exasperation out of her voice was impossible.
"Are the two of you arguing?"
Daga Liadith joined them to walk into the family dining room.
"She cannot listen. I cannot make more detail."
Isonei frowned back at the Daga as he gave her a cautioning look.
"She is infuriating, Daga Liadith. You would think I was asking for something impossible. I only asked for a little more detail. Her descriptions could be more full and the pictures are barely adequate."
He settled Arissa into her chair as Isonei flopped herself sullenly into her own.
"Her drawing skills leave something to be desired. I'll be happy to illustrate the pages after we've tried them. Perhaps you can elaborate on her descriptions?"
"Yes. Please."
Isonei snapped.
"Take these pages and I will find you a-a length of cloth. Write your own pages."
"I think you've upset her, my dear."
"I may have been nudging her too hard,"
Arissa offered noncommittally.
"You have been nagging me incessantly since we went back to our rooms! I told you I'd be as detailed as I can be, but there isn't just one right way. You don't listen! If you don't listen in bed you'll be very disappointed." Isonei crossed her arms returning Arissa's angry look.
"Is this how sisters bicker?"
Daga Liadith sat in his chair with an amused smile. His smile faded as both of them turned their glares on him.
"Never intervene when sisters argue, Daga Liadith." Draeseth approached the table dressed in Lerian clothes and Isonei admired him as he came toward them. "It's best to remain silent."
"You have sisters?" The Daga leapt at the chance to change the subject.
"No, my father's wife has four. We all learned not to attract their attention when they argued."
"I have eleven. This is barely an argument."
"I was raised with three of mine, this is usually as bad as they ever got. But then they spent half of the year with their fathers and we were rarely all together." Isonei gave Arissa a small smile. "Father didn't tolerate bickering; sullen silences until we got bored were more common."
"I thought he argued when he was unhappy?" Draeseth sat next to her placing his hand on the table.
"He does, over everything and nothing at all. But if you argue back it makes it worse. Just let him get it all out and get away from him until he's calmed. My mothers taught me that."
"Perhaps my father should have brought you home years ago. Lord Eliorith will learn to contain his displeasure if he ever wishes to enter this house."
"I would prefer he never did. I've never liked him. Her brothers are tolerable, usually."
"He's not always angry. He can be such a dear man, he always said the only good thing to come from my mother's death was that he got to spend so much time with me."
"And now your husband is taking you far away." Draeseth turned his hand palm up as if asking her to clasp it.
"Yes." Isonei slipped her hand into his and entwined her fingers with Draeseth's.
"I would be lying if I said the thought of one of my own daughters leaving Torga with a man I loathed would not make me furious."
"You chose a man with a temper like your father's. Why?"
The Daga looked at her thoughtfully as he made the gesture for the food to be served.
"I chose because uhhmm he is sweet."
Isonei shook her head, not able to explain in Lerian.
"Tell me, it might be easier in Aran."
Arissa offered helpfully.
"My Draeseth is sweet and eager, charming and earnest. It's easy to see he has a good heart." Isonei smiled warmly at him. "I like that he's passionate, his temper doesn't frighten me."
"I will learn to control my temper better. I will put my passions in your gentle hands, wife." He leaned close and she pressed her face to his.
"What was it you told her?"
The Daga sounded bemused,
"Her father could keep his wine?"
"He can keep his wine, I will take his daughter. I told her that the first night. I meant it and I still do. Isonei is mine."
"If you can separate your faces long enough to have dinner with us..."
The Daga teased gently,
"I'm enjoying this conversation."
"So am I."
Arissa began to sample the foods Daga Liadith had put on her plate.
Isonei brought Draeseth's hand to her lips to kiss his fingers before she released it and began to choose some of the foods for herself. "These have capers, you might like them." She lifted out a stuffed mushroom cap that was double the usual size.
Draeseth sampled the mushroom cap and then put several more on his plate. "You know the things I enjoy; I don't think I can choose foods for you as easily."
"I liked the spiced root vegetables at the dinner in Ara." She offered him a helpful smile. "I don't know quite what they were but they were good."
"What else did you like? The meats were cooked well."
"They tasted sour somehow, I could eat them but the oysters and the soup were better."
"The oysters and the soup were Aran." He grunted in annoyance. "Shellfish isn't something we serve in Torga."
"Sour meat?"
Arissa inquired taking a mushroom cap for herself.
Derisively, Draeseth clarified, "Arans like their foods sweet and creamy. The meats were all cooked with various wines and seasonings from Torga."
