Work Text:
“So, how was your date?” Faeva smirked from her position, upside down on her bed with her head hanging off the edge staring at her sister as she entered their lavish bedroom.
Shari sighed, the redheaded high elf nearly tearing her ostentatious dress off as she popped her closet door open and pulled out one of her simple shirts. “Terrible. Cover your eyes.” She groaned as she pulled the dress off to change, Faeva making a show of covering up her glowing eyes. “Ok, so the food was great, but no dessert. The guy, though? The worst. Wouldn’t stop talking about how his brother’s a Farstrider, his mum met King Sunstrider once! Didn’t let me get a word in edgewise.”
“Mmhmm, mmhmm. And how hot was he?” Faeva smirked.
“Gross. Alright, I’m changed.” Shari stretched, fluffing out her shirt and letting a relaxed smile fall over her ruby lips. She dropped down into her chair and leaned back.
Faeva peeked out from behind her hands. “Was my question gross or were his looks gross?”
The door creaked open and another high elf walked in. Her hair was orange, her form muscled, arms crossed. “Hi, little sisters! It’s probably both, Faeva. Shari, why don’t you just tell Minn’da and Ann’da that you don’t want any more suitors? We’ve known you like girls for months, just tell them.”
Faeva nodded and pointed at the newcomer. “Aleida’s right. Just tell them, what’s the worst that could happen?”
Shari sighed and snapped her fingers, conjuring up a hair tie to put her hair in a short tail. “Why haven’t you told them you’re bi? Look, they’re not cool like you two. And... I’m the youngest daughter. I’m only useful to the family to get married off, and if I can’t provide that... I don’t know.”
Faeva nodded and pointed at Shari. “Shari’s right. Our parents are not supportive, you remember how they shot down Shari’s plan to study history down south.”
Both turned to glare at Faeva, speaking in unison. “You’re not helping!”
The middle sister rolled her eyes playfully and rolled onto her stomach. “I’m a perpetual people pleaser! But… Look, Shari, you can either tell them you’re gay and deal with the fallout, or keep going on dates with gross men forever until you die or find one you can tolerate enough to marry. Your choice.”
Shari shifted in her seat, still unconvinced. Aleida sighed. She reached out and gently took Shari’s hand. “Alright. I’ll tell them with you. C’mon. Sisters stick together. It’ll be fine.”
Faeva sat up and grinned. “We’ve got your back, sis.”
Shari sighed in admission and stood up. “Fine, fine. Let’s go. They’re in the sitting room.” Aleida shifted uncomfortably and straightened her shoulders. Faeva hopped off the bed and followed the two down through their family’s mansion.
Faeron and Villia Cleardawn sat together in their sitting room, the parents of the three high elves. Villia raised an eyebrow as Shari walked into the room, in casual wear. “Good evening, dear. You’re back from your date already? Why aren’t you wearing your dress?”
Shari winced slightly, her sisters taking up defensive positions on her side as she straightened herself. “Yes, it went poorly, and I changed out of the dress because it’s uncomfortable. Haldis was rude and pompous.”
Her father glanced up and she straightened her posture instinctively. Faeva gave her an encouraging pat on the back as the grizzled elf spoke. “And what of his family?”
Shari sighed. That’s always what it was about. “He bragged, but his family seemed unimpressive. Few connections, little power or resources.”
Faeron let out a long sigh and took a sip of wine. “Ah, I feared as much. My apologies for wasting your time then, dear.”
Villia narrowed her eyes slightly, a hand drifting to her husband’s. “My love, this is Shari’s sixteenth suitor and she still hasn’t found a match. Cupcake, are you really making an effort? Finding a husband will be good for you! You’ll have the freedom to pursue your little hobbies.”
Aleida took Shari’s hand and squeezed it reassuringly. “Actually, Mother, she wanted to talk to you about that. As did I.”
Villia’s tone turned cold in an instant as she snapped out, “You’d better not have given her ideas, Aleida. Out with it.” Aleida’s fingers tensed at her mother’s comment, but she held her tongue.
Shari sighed, “No, Mother. I’ve been wanting to say this for a long time.” She took a deep breath and closed one eye, forcing the words out. “I don’t want a husband. I... I’m not interested in men. I’m a lesbian. And. Uh...” She trailed off with nervousness before her mouth shut as her father stood.
He gently reached for her hand, taking it. “Cupcake, of course we love and support you no matter your lifestyle. Right, dear?”
Villia’s face was aghast. Clear and obvious disappointment flitted over her features before she calmed herself and flashed a fake smile. “Of course, nothing but support! But, you know, it’s not an uncommon arrangement for you to take a husband for political reasons and have your own romantic relationships on the side... There’s no reason your, ah, condition should hamper our family’s networking.”
Faeva shrugged from behind Shari. “I fully intend to marry a husband that doesn’t love me so I can write my novels in peace and have affairs with cute serving boys when I feel like it. If you’re down with it, a loveless marriage is an option.”
The mother turned her attention and barked out, “Faeva Cleardawn, don’t say such things! My point is, Shari, just because you’re a, ah, you know, doesn’t mean you can’t marry a man for the sake of the family and have children. You can kiss all the girls you want when your husband isn’t around.”
Shari winced. Her lips opened, but she found herself unable to say any more. They had given their final word. Her father wasn’t disagreeing. They didn’t understand. Just like they didn’t understand when she wanted to study archaeology. Just as the young elf was preparing to nod, bear it, and return to her room, Aleida stepped forward. “Mother, she doesn’t want that! She doesn’t want a husband, she doesn’t want kids!”
Villia glowered and stood up. “Just because you don’t want that doesn’t mean she doesn’t! I can’t believe you’re doing this again, trying to ruin our family!” Aleida glared daggers at her, opening her mouth to shout back.
All the women winced and fell silent as Faeron’s voice thundered through the room. “Villia, that’s enough! It’s not our place to force our children into the roles we want! Shari, daughter, what do you want?”
Shari smiled weakly. “T-thanks, Ann’da. I don’t want to marry a man. I don’t want kids. That would feel like betraying who I am. M-maybe I’ll find a woman I like someday and marry her. I don’t know. I’ll help the family in other ways! I’ll get status and fame by myself, not off the coattails of a husband I don’t love.”
Faeron chuckled softly. “Then we won’t ask you to meet with any more suitors, at least not men. Your mother is perhaps being clumsy in how she says it, but we just want what’s best for you, what will make you the happiest. Thank you for telling us this, I only wish you had done it sooner.”
Villia sighed. She continued to glare at Aleida, but her voice softened as she spoke, “Right, I’m sorry, Cupcake. I just worry for you and your future. I don’t mean to say you have to get married to a nobleman, just that you can. And should. I love you, no matter what.”
Shari wiped some growing tears from her eyes and nodded. “Y-yeah. Thanks, Ann’da, Minn’da. I’m, uh, going back up to my room.” She hurried off upstairs, leaving Faeva and Aleida.
Aleida winced and took a step forward. “While we’re at it, I’m bisexual. I don’t particularly want to talk about it, I’m going back to my room.” She followed after Shari, her parents barely able to get a few words in. Villia fumed at her as she walked away.
“Alright, honey, we support you too!” Her father waved after her.
Faeva twiddled her thumbs awkwardly. “I’m straight. Uh, you already knew that, just... I didn’t have anything to say.” She waved awkwardly and followed after her sisters. Despite her crying, Shari seemed somewhat reassured by the night. She was certainly more confident in who she was.
Hours later, the young high elf was sleeping in her bed when something woke her. A few words spoken too loud snapped her out of sleep. Her mother’s voice, shrill and angry. She let out a sigh as she rubbed her eyes and sat up in her bed. The sharp blue glow of her eyes cut through the darkness to show Faeva fast asleep in her own bed and Aleida missing. She picked up more indistinct words, now in Aleida’s voice. Against her better judgment, Shari murmured an incantation and traced a magic symbol with her foot. Her form shimmered and vanished as she silently slipped out of her room and downstairs to listen in while her invisibility spell held.
Her mother was standing and pacing across the living room floor while Aleida stood across from her with arms crossed. The elven woman hissed out in annoyance as she whirled on Aleida. “This is your fault! Belore, all this nonsense about not wanting to get married, you put her up to this!”
Faeron sighed softly from his seat on the couch. “Dear…”
Aleida snarled out, “Oh, come on, Mother! Shari’s been like this for years, she was just too nervous to tell you!”
“Don’t be absurd! My daughter is not a lesbian! This is just another one of her phases! Like when she said all she wanted was to be a historian, then she never did anything to make it happen! Or when she said she wanted to learn magic, and never did anything with that! She’ll be over it in a month, and if she just stops looking for a husband she’s going to regret the lost time. So whatever got this silly ‘lesbian’ idea into her head, that I’ve heard nothing about before by the way, it will pass like all her other flights of fancy.”
Faeron sighed a little louder and spoke up. “Dear, we already said we wouldn’t push her to get married if she didn’t want to.”
Villia scoffed. “And what else is she going to do? She’s not particularly magically talented, she’s not good with high society, and I will not have my daughter lounging around the house all day or working in a shop like a commoner! So what is she going to do with her life other than be a wife? Even besides that, think of the family. Faeva… She’s Faeva. Aleida has decided doing her familial duty is too ‘traditional’ for her and wants to go die fighting trolls or orcs or some other savages. So does the family line just die with you three?” Faeron narrowed his eyes at her, and the two exchanged harsh glances for a few seconds. With obvious reluctance, the man at last broke the staredown and said nothing.
Aleida clenched her fists. She looked like she wanted to scream, or to punch her mother. After a long while and a deep breath, she spoke softly. “What if I got married? In her place. Would you lay off her then? I-I’ll stop training to be a knight, I’ll look for a husband. You let Shari do what she wants and be her own woman.”
Shari let out a pained squeak. Her father’s ear flicked. Villia stared down Aleida for a long while before muttering something too low for Shari to hear. Then, a smug, “I’ll consider it.” Aleida humphed and started off towards the foyer. “And where are you off to, young lady?”
“Off to hit my feelings with swords. I’ll be back late.” She hissed and stormed out.
Shari slowly walked up the stairs, holding back tears and silently slipping back into their room.
She closed the door and collapsed onto her bed with a groan. Only a few seconds later, the door silently creaked open as her father’s head poked in with a quiet whisper. “Shari? Cupcake, I know you’re still up. Come out, let’s not wake your sister.”
Shari glanced back, her blue eyes aglow. Slowly, she nodded and stood up, following him out of the room. Her father led her out to the balcony on the second floor of the manse. The summer night air of the Eversong Woods was cool and soothing and a pleasant breeze washed over them both.
He took a seat with a grunt, and Shari curled up next to him, unwilling to look up at her father. He twiddled his thumbs for a few moments before he worked up the courage to speak. “Your magic is improving. I didn’t know you’d learned invisibility spells.”
“You and mom don’t really pay attention to my magic, so I’ve learned a lot you don’t know.”
“Touché, cupcake. Hey, I, uh… I’m sorry about how your mother reacted to that. I support you. I’m proud of you for having the courage to tell us, and I’m so happy you can be honest about this part of yourself. Being your true self, loving who you want to, it’s a gift.” He looped an arm around the smaller elf’s shoulder in a gentle hug.
Shari shrugged him away and scooted further against the edge of the bench. “I… I didn’t realize how much Minn’da hated me…”
“She doesn’t hate you, cupcake. She… She really does care about you and she wants the best for you. In her own misguided way… This is just…” He let out a sigh. “She and Aleida have been angry at each other for a while and she’s using this to get back at her. And… I think she’s still mad at me and taking it out on you.”
“Why would she be mad at you?”
Faeron let out a soft chuckle and leaned back on the bench. “It was a while ago, before you girls were born. She caught me, uh, taking Faeva’s advice. Would be quite the scandal if it got out.”
Shari perked up. “You… Had an affair with a cute serving boy?” The gears in her head turned slowly, but the switch finally flipped as her father sent her a coy wink. “O-oh! Ann’da! You never told me! Wait… Who was it? Was it Vyaeth? It was Vyaeth, wasn’t it?!”
Faeron’s cheeks flushed as he avoided Shari’s excited gaze. “I… N-no, it wasn’t. He was fired when Villia found out. Vyaeth, cupcake? He’s almost twice my age!”
“I heard Faeva say he was hot once. I don’t see it, obviously, but I assume she’s right.”
The older elf smirked and ruffled Shari’s hair teasingly. “You’d better keep that to yourself! And I’m going to need to talk to Faeva…” He paused and glanced over at his daughter. She was still giggling, joy filling her face. He let out a sigh and leaned back in his seat. He was letting her down. “Alright, cupcake. Don’t worry about getting a husband. You… You should be allowed to be braver than me. I’ll talk to Villia about it. I’ll make sure she doesn’t push this on you. But she is right about one thing, you need to do something.”
Shari turned away. She was trying, and failing, not to cry. “T-thanks, Ann’da. I… I do want to do something. It’s so boring being here all day.”
“Do you still care about that archaeology stuff? I know you said you wanted to go to college for that down south. Why the Reliquary isn’t good enough is beyond me, but… If you really want, we can send you for one semester. Show us you’re serious and talented, and we’ll support you through more.”
“Ann’da…” Shari squealed and dove in for a tight hug. “T-thank you. I’ll do well! I promise!”
Faeron smiled softly and hugged her twice. “I know you will, cupcake. You’ll shine as bright as the sun.”