100 Themes #53-Future
"Y'know, Aenor, symmetry is rather interesting in friendships," Father Cross pointedly mentioned. He was careful to keep his pace mirroring Aenor's, but they were both very practiced in the art, so they didn't need to focus on it too much.
Aenor glanced back at the temple. "I still can't be sure we're exactly friends." Dormentis wasn't exactly a friendly person. Neither was Aenor, but his point was still there.
Father Cross shrugged. "You're monks, angry stubborn monks. You spend time together. Its a symmetric match. Of course you're friends."
Aenor shrugged, "terms don't exactly matter, I doubt he'd jump at the chance to call me friend. Besides, I imagine that wasn't your point."
Father Cross nodded slowly. "With marriage, two become one. It creates a separate order of balance, and adds weight to one side of the scale."
The elf laughed, "So first you insist we're friends and then you tell me I should stop being friends?"
The old man shook his head, "Of course not, I wouldn't expect that of you. But there are ways to regain balance other than leaving the scale."
Aenor stopped and took a deep breath. Father Cross was usually determined to get him to socialize, but this was new territory. He was an elf, there was no need to think of romance so soon. Besides, he was a monk, and thought that alone would have been enough reason to keep possible suitors away, let alone his actual personality. "You suggest marriage?"
Father Cross smiled, "It would make good balance in your life. Besides, we all know what happened when I wasn't around to take care of you." The church itself had been fine, Aenor had made sure of it, but the elf himself had begun to fall apart.
The mention of that situation brought Aenor to anger. "What would you know about symmetry? Aren't you supposed to be dead? After life there is death, that is symmetry and balance, life after death is simply out of order."
The human frowned. "I suppose, but it's for a greater balance. I have an important announcement to make after everyone's calmed down from the wedding. Besides, you already have a perfect choice."
"I do not. I highly doubt there's anyone out there that would balance properly with Manteia, let alone one I wouldn't hate."
Father Cross laughed lightly. "Eveline is rather similar. She has traits you miss, in the same way Manteia makes up for empty space in Dormentis."
Aenor smirked, "You would suggest I marry a whore?" He liked finding flaw in the expectations of religion. He could, but it wasn't like she would become pure or lawful from his influence. If anything, she would probably only corrupt him further.
Father Cross nodded, unconcerned. "She is devout, even if it's a different type of devotion. She would be a good influence on you."
"A good influence, next you'll suggest I wear my hair parted to one side and get a tattoo of the orc god on my left wrist."
Father Cross frowned, "Flawed symmetry is still better than no symmetry. You need balance, all good things must come with the bad. Besides, you like her well enough, and I doubt she would really refuse. You should at least consider it."
Aenor shrugged. He wasn't entirely opposed to the idea, he just didn't like that it was being forced upon him. Besides, he wasn't sure that Eveline liked him enough for a permanent bond, he wasn't about to suggest the idea to her. There was another reason he didn't think it wasn't a good idea, involving lots of pain and family, but he couldn't exactly remember what it was at the moment.
For now, he decided, it wasn't worth thinking about. He needed to focus on properly digesting the poisons from earlier, anyway.