The unfairness of it all

[sythyry]

It is entirely unfair (to me) that Dustweed should collect a lover before I do. Dustweed has lurked alone in apartment and library. I have been to many social engagements, and Flirtatious Dancing. Dustweed is quiet, withdrawn, sullen, and morose; I am active, friendly, pleasant, and cheerful. Dustweed is, by all accounts, unattractive even to zir own species; I am ... well, I can be honest in my journal. I've never met a Zi Ri who wasn't a relative. But everyone says I'm fairly appealing. Dustweed isn't even looking for a lover. Tethezai simply showed up and collected zir.

It is entirely unfair (to Dustweed) that, having collected a lover, zie remains quiet, withdrawn, sullen, and morose. Sobbing, even. Not because of anything Tethezai did. The brief summary I heard suggested that Tethezai is skillful (which everyone suspected, as Tethezai is reputed to have left many footprints of satisfied lovers of all species but her own and mine) -- and also that Tethezai is kind (which I, for one, did not expect).

It is even more unfair (to me) that Dustweed should choose me as the one to cry on from this event. The exact story behind the tears was not clear at the time, but this is what zie said, roughly in order.

1. Zie does like Tethezai. A lot.
2. Zie doesn't love Tethezai. Indeed, zie doesn't think that zie can love a non-Herethroy.
3. Nonetheless, zie is having a relationship with Tethezai from ears to knees. (Zir phrasing, not mine. Zie didn't explain what zie has against Tethezai't toes. I am not clear on which portions of Tethezai's tail it includes, either. Nonetheless, certain crucial regions definitively fall between ears and knees, so I don't think we can have too much doubt there.)
4. Zie is ashamed of indulging bodily with Tethezai despite not actually loving her.
5. Zie felt some terrible combination of flattered and shoved into bed. Zie doesn't think that any Herethroy would ever be interested ("except a horrid one," whatever that may mean).
6. In consequence, zie considers zirself foolish and weak-willed.
7. Zie can't hope for any sort of enduring relationship with Tethezai, who is a libertine and will surely change interests by the middle of next term, if not sooner.
8. Zie doesn't want an enduring relationship with Tethezai, due to the unbearable social difficulty of Herethroy-nonHerethroy matches.
9. Having finally tasted physical affection, zie does not want to be without it for the rest of her zir life.
10. Other Herethroy all hate zir, unfair as that may be.
11. And, at this point, zie must flatten zir antennae to zir scalp and abruptly excuse zirself to go cry on Thery instead.

I presume I somehow offended zir. I know that zie somehow offended me. Perhaps I was a touch flippant with a response or two (e.g., recommending that zie enjoy the affection for what it is worth). But I was really trying to be as kind and helpful as I could! In any case i have nothing to do with all Herethroy hating her!

It is grossly, hideously unfair to importune upon a roommate with weeping, and then to flee before one can be properly comforted. Next time I shall ... shall ... I shall sit upon zir shoulder, coil my tail around zir neck, and refuse to be dislodged by any moral or social arguments.

Oh, and it's also rather unfair that all nobles are given a three-day extension on their Famous Collections report -- officially because many of them are required to spend a half-day in attendance at the Ducal palace the day the report is due, and the professor does not want to convene a makeup session of the class. However, the way that it was phrased, everyone who can legitimately use a title gets the extension, not just the people whose presence is commanded to the palace. (Some soap-merchant's son who is a margrave in Morthavon (on Aradrueia) asked about that -- it's not even a real title; they barely have proper lesser nobility there, just rich people who can buy fancy words for themselves.) I will not complain about this particular bit of unfairness: if a soap-merchant margrave qualifies for it, then Hezemikkainen's sibling surely does as well.

Comments

[chipuni.livejournal.com]

Dustweed is going through a heavy change in her life. Zie's realizing that zie has a body that has desires of its own, and it's scary.

Just be there for hir.

[ocean-song.livejournal.com]

*Hugs* (if that can be done cross-species) and wishing you lovers galore. You are fantastic beyond any doubts and utterly delightful. And a good friend. Take care!

[alari.livejournal.com]

they barely have proper lesser nobility there, just rich people who can buy fancy words for themselves

I had no idea there was a difference. ^.^ Your culture is weird .. interesting .. diverse.

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

I had no idea there was a difference.

[IC as Sythyry -- Bard has quite different opinions on the matter.]

There is quite a difference! A proper noble comes from a family that
has been important in Ketheria for at least a couple hundred years.
(Some people say, instead, "half a dozen generations", but that would
exclude most Zi Ri. I don't know if any of us is as many as
six generations from the creation. Also I don't know very much about
nobility outside of Ketheria.)

Now, there is no special divine goodness sprinkled upon proper nobles.
It is a matter of considerable work -- work done over centuries! The
proper noble knows zir place in society (which is close to the top),
and how to do it well. There is an art to ruling a county or a
country, of being gentle and effective enough so that your subjects
would rather be ruled by you than by themselves.

There is a grace of manners that comes from centuries and generations
of practice. Not elegant court manners: those are quite different,
and intended to belittle people rather than encourage them. (Which is
also useful in its own place, but anyone can learn to do that -- and
in any case court manners change every few months.) Proper nobles are
distinctly calmer and less demonstrative than anyone else ... except
for the occasional priest or what have you, I suppose.

Not that all nobles are proper, by any means. Orren --- and,
according to my roommates, Zi Ri -- have never managed the "distinctly
calmer" part very well. One must make allowance for species of course.

[rowyn]

It is entirely unfair (to me) that Dustweed should collect a lover before I do.

But, on the bright side, at least you have not collected a relationship like Dustweed's.