Gwenvair frowned and looked to Kilniara. Kilniara looked at her then turned away, staring down. Joe quickly noticed that as well and leaned forward.
“I don’t like this. Please, tell me. I do not want any harm against Kilniara. Please… just explain to me.”
Gwenvair sighed and began, “It is expected that… the man is to protect his women and make sure…”
Joe closed his eyes and lost the rest of her statement, even as he drew deep shuddering breaths. Joe grimaced and opened his eyes. Not helping! He turned to Kilniara.
“Kilniara. I am sorry… I did fail in protecting you. I should have been wiser in keeping you safe. I will be more…”
Gwenvair and Kilniara stared at him with wide eyed shock and Joe trailed off, surprised. Kilniara leaped up and ran to his side, even as Gwenvair stood and came to stand at his other side.
“Joe! Joe… you did not fail me. If you would have been there, you would have protected me easily. But how can one protect when they are not there.”
Joe sighed, “Planning wisely… seeking out an escort for you.”
Gwenvair frowned at that and laid a hand on his shoulder, “Then I am as much to blame as you. Even more to blame, as I have the men to offer escort. You had none.”
Joe frowned at that, “This does not change my screw up.”
Kilniara searched his eyes carefully before nodding, “Mistakes are to be learned from, right Joe?”
Joe blinked, staring at Kilniara before laughing and nodding, “Yes. Yes they are. I have now learned of how dangerous this world is. I will be much more cautious with friends and famil… wait. Zilnek and Garnedell leave alone often. Is it important to offer protection for them as well?”
Gwenvair shook her head, “Let others know who your apprentices are.”
Joe raised an eyebrow and tried to hide his grimace and upset. Didn’t I already do that when I made them my apprentices? Is there some kind of… right.
“I’m pretty sure I did the whole ‘publicly make them my apprentice’ thing. Is there more?”
Gwenvair shook her head, “Not likely. It is more probable that Kilniara is simply known as a tailor’s daughter in the city, so some have not learned of the change.”
“Ah… so going to a new city… we would be known… hmm… it would be more public and normal for everyone to know their relationship to me?”
“Yes.”
“So others knowing they are connected to me is the protection?”
“Yes, Joe.”
“Huh. OK. Good to know? But… ok… back to the original topic. This wasn’t… what was bothering Kilniara, right?”
Gwenvair nodded her head, “Yes. It is… well,” Gwenvair took a deep breath and simply explained bluntly, “It is often seen as an action of strength for a man, in protecting his woman, to punish the criminal personally.”
The light bulb went off instantly and Joe sat back in his seat, “Ooooh!”
Kilniara took advantage of it and quickly slithered into his lap, sitting on his right knee. Gwenvair frowned, scowling slightly but did nothing and remained standing by his side with a hand on his shoulder. Joe turned his attention back to Kilniara.
“Do you wish me to do this?”
Kilniara stared at him, searching his face once again before she sighed, “I… I do not know, Joe. I am certain of your care for me, this I know. But … I do not understand how the city will react. I am… a simple girl. This… Gwenvair understands this more than I.”
Joe stared back at her for a time before turning to Gwenvair, “I … think I’m as confused as Kilniara.”
Gwenvair thought carefully as she spoke, “It… a man should protect his wife. If he does not, then many may feel … he … has failed… or…,” Gwenvair ended with a flickering glance towards Kilniara and Joe caught it, quickly turning to Kilniara.
Joe paused, looking back and forth between the two for a bit, finding himself lost as he couldn’t quite parse what the discussion was about. He took some time, but found himself unable to quite figure it out so simply went with what he heard.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
“So people will think me weak? A failure?”
Gwenvair nodded cautiously.
“I will be honest. I care little for what other people think of me. I will not be forced into actions simply because others think little of me. Will this cause harm or will others feel they can attack me… or you all?”
Gwenvair shook her head, “No. They … will likely mock you.”
Joe snorted and rolled his eyes, “The mockery of fools is often proof you are doing something right. If others are so small minded, then allow them their mockery. Like I said, aside from you four here, their mockery of me is nothing.”
Zilnek sat forward at that, and Kilniara quickly reached out to catch his hand, attempting to stop him with whispered protestations, but Zilnek pressed on through, “You think so little of my sister then?”
Joe paused at that and stared at Zilnek. He then looked over at Gwenvair, back to Zilnek, then finally to Kilniara. Kilniara, however, hid behind her feathered hair and raised hands and Joe couldn’t really figure anything else out. His thoughtful look slowly turned sour as he began to frown and looked back and forth again between Zilnek and Gwenvair.
“What’s going on?”
Gwenvair seemed embarrassed and turned her head away while Zilnek seemed to explode in anger as he leapt up and leaned across the table.
“How could you treat my sis…”
Zilnek cut off when Garnedell grabbed Zilnek’s hand and pulled him back down before turning to face Joe.
“Joe. When a man’s wife is harmed, a man must protect his wife. You have done so. But a man must also ensure that an appropriate punishment is given to those who brought harm. If you do not do so, as Gwenvair has said, many may mock you and belittle you. Some may also believe that you have little … care for Kilniara. And Kilniara… will feel quite hurt, probably.”
Joe sighed at that and set heavily back into his seat. He stared at everyone looking at him before sighing again with a frown. Gwenvair looked on with a carefully neutral look, while Kilniara still hid behind hair and hands, although her hands were now spread open to allow her to peak through every once and a while. Garnedell stared at him with stoic support while Zilnek stared at him with burning, if restrained, rage.
“Right. This…” Joe struggled, uncertainty crippling him as he wrestled with options but could find nothing that seemed appropriate or suitable. Suddenly, an idea came to mind and he calmed.
“Then I will speak with you, Gwenvair. I wish to discuss this with the First in Line for Matriarch as well as the Matriarch. I do not wish to do anything inappropriate.”
Gwenvair’s eyebrows flickered up before she bowed her head, “It will be my honor, Eccentric.”
“Then, shall we head up to the rooms? We can speak … ”
Gwenvair interrupted him with a shake of her head, “We can speak tonight, if you wish.”
Joe took the hint, “Excellent. Then… I’ll meet you guys upstairs in the room?”
Zilnek had calmed down while Garnedell remained stoic and considerate, leading the two siblings away. Kilniara stood and looked at Joe, a flush on her cheeks and Joe wasn’t sure if it was embarrassment, shame, or anger. But after a few moments, she came around the table, much more subdued, and hugged him with some reluctance he wasn’t really able to understand.
She stood and fled the table while the others followed after. Zilnek rushed after his sister, obviously to comfort her while Garnedell stopped at the foot of the steps and nodded to Joe, offering him support before he disappeared up the stairs.
With them gone, Joe dropped his head in his hands and let out a long, rough sigh.
“You know. Cultural differences are… really annoying some times.”
Gwenvair said nothing at that, only quirking an eyebrow and staring at Joe. Joe took a few moments to collect himself before looking up.
“Right. How did I hurt Kilniara just now.”
Gwenvair’s cool face melted and she chuckled before softly shaking her head, “I do not think she is hurt. Very confused, and maybe a little… concerned, but not hurt.”
“Could you explain to me, explicitly, what is the hurt, how I did it, how I fix it, and advice how I will never do it again.”
Gwenvair’s smile turned to laughter and she shook her head, “You … I… well, thank you for being willing to learn. You… I am grateful … and like how much you know about men and women.”
Joe shook his head, “My mother and father were an excellent example of a healthy couple. Another healthy example that my mother showed quite well was to explain things and not expect my father to be able to read her mind. But… I don’t think I’ve … I’m not a good example. I screw up a lot… screwed up just now.”
Gwenvair sat back at that, her smile fading as she grew serious and then nodded, “No. You… really didn’t. But I’ll be honest.”
Joe nodded, “Yes. It will save me a lot of hurt and pain. And then it will save Kilniara lots of pain and hurt as well as I will know how to treat her well in the way she expects. And if there is something we disagree on, we can speak on it and come to a healthy compromise. If we do not speak with one another beforehand, then the first time we did would likely be when emotions are raised. And if you’re already angry, you don’t speak with each other well.”
Gwenvair nodded, “Very wise and true, except how do you know you need to speak on something if you do not ever know you need to.”
Joe’s smile grew at that and he nodded, “Impressive. There are few that would have noticed, but you are correct. It is impossible to know and likely this situation would have been impossible to know before hand as it would have been very unlikely that we would have spoken of it. But, now that it has happened, we still need to discuss it and Garnedell’s blunt explanation helped more than anything else because now I know how to act and what is expected of me. I have no desire or intention to harm Kilniara and I do love her so I wish to make sure that my actions appropriately show this. That said, I will not compromise who I am, nor my integrity.”
Gwenvair’s eyes rose at that, “You refuse to change?”
Joe laughed, “I must change. But my integrity is something that I will not change. There are things that are right and wrong. I believe them and live my life by them. I will not compromise that.”
Gwenvair relaxed on hearing that, “On what is right or wrong.”
“Yes. This does not mean I will not hear what others say and possibly grow and change, but it must come with wise counsel and conversation. I am not saying that I will not change, but I will not react to a situation with something I believe is wrong without careful thought.”
Gwenvair’s grew serious and nodded, ‘Like this situation, then.”
Joe nodded and sighed, “Yes. I wish to show her my love and that she is important to me, but my love for her should not be expressed by harming others. Nor should my love for her be dependent upon harm to others. I would feel… quite uncomfortable if this is expected of me.”
Gwenvair considered that for a bit, “But … then you would not protect her?”
<Chapter 92 Continued>