Thread: The Bear and the Maiden Fair - A Forgotten Realms adventure (Rivine x Madam Mim)

Ah. Glinde nodded at the questioning of her maidenhood. My father or my brothers this time? She looked sideways at Owain. I am not a sensitive woman, Owain. I know what's said about me and it doesn't bother me because I know the truth of things. And so long as I know the truth and you know the truth what the rest of them say doesn't matter, does it? Your enemies will slander you regardless of what you do or how good of a ruler you are, so might as well have a thick skin about it. I told him to take out the fair maiden bit, by the way it sounded so damn silly to me, and I guess to your people, too. But that's a very old rumor. She seemed to dismiss it with a wave of her hand. That's been circulating since I was old enough to come to public notice, mostly to discredit my father then my eldest brother. I suppose it's my turn, hm? She smiled lightly, clearly amused by the amounts of pure bullshit people were willing to make up in response to change. The calmness with which Owain accepted her preferences surprised her. Glinde knew that many kings and princes might be angry, demand to annul the agreement, possibly even force themselves on their wives. This princeling, however, seemed fine with it if not a bit disappointed. They were off to a better start than she had expected. Well, you're handling this all very well, she commented. And for the record, given the circumstances and me being who I am I don't expect fidelity just as I ask you not to expect it of me. I enjoy women very much and I don't think I should be made to suffer just because of that. It wouldn't be fair to ask you to be true to me, either, for the same reasons. Glinde's tone was calm and reasonable, but really it was just a courtesy to Owain. If he expected fidelity from her or attempted to force her into it, he would be sorely disappointed she was controlled by no one, and wasn't even faithful to the women she bedded. Often she didn't even know their names. And in all honesty the more sex Owain had with whomever he chose, the less he would pester her for it. Then her husband-to-be asked about how to earn her respect and Glinde looked over him carefully. How to answer this without sounding like a godless psychopath? Owain, I know the Ffolk and probably you consider my people to be...aggressive, warlike, probably even barbaric. Maybe we are. The fact is you and I come from very different cultures with very different ideas of what might earn a person's respect. I will treat you as a fellow being gifted with the light of the gods just as everyone else is, until you give me reason to do otherwise. But the fact is that for my people, respect and admiration come at costs you might find... repugnant. Scholars and learned men are laughed at the men worth respect are those skilled at fighting, fucking, and killing. Not necessarily in that order. Her eyes flicked over him appraisingly. I come to truly know and respect a man while sharing a foxhole, a game kill, or a woman. And I'm sorry but to me you don't seem the type to start a war or partake in what you might consider debauchery to earn your wife's good opinion.