A few days before the forces are to go to Chaos, Maddy and Ishmael arrive to see Ariana. Maddy looks a bit uncomfortable, fidgety almost.

Ariana looks somewhat surprised by this, but invites them to come in and sit down.
"What is it? Has something happened to one of the children?"

Ishmael chuckles. "Way to go Ariana! Assume the worst!"

Ariana relaxes a bit and smiles slightly. "And this surprises you how?"

Maddy frowns a bit at that.

"Hmmmm...." Ishmael pauses. "Now that you mention it, I guess it doesn't surprise me at all!"
He continues, "Anyway, to avoid wasting precious time -- we are here about the children in a roundabout way..."

"Oh? How so?" Ariana looks rather curious.

"Ma'am," he gestures to Maddy, smirking, "Maybe you'd like to address the issue, as we seem to have a common...situation."

Ariana looks at Maddy expectantly. "What is it?"

"Well, um, I'm afraid I'm here to give notice, m'lady. As Ishmael's wife, I'm afraid most of my time will be taken up with running his household."

Which, of course, causes Ishmael to break into a shit-eatin' grin. "Oh, and this is my notice, too."

Ariana stands and gives Maddy a joyful hug, then does the same for Ishmael. "That's wonderful! I'm so happy for you. Have you set a date yet?"
She's wearing a shit-eating grin of her own, of course.

Maddy looks completely relieved until the date part, then looks all tense again and looks at Ishmael.

"Heh," Ishmael chuckles. He takes Maddy's hand and holds it up so Ariana can see the ring. "Yesterday."

Maddy looks sheepish.

Ariana looks briefly hurt, but then she hides it. "Congratulations."

"Very private. Just the two of us and the Priest of the Unicorn -- Bartholomew, right?" Ishmael shrugs. "Anyway, you're the first person we've told."

Maddy smiles again, although she's obviously upset by Ariana's reaction.

Ariana smiles reassuringly, and seems quite delighted by the whole thing. "I can't believe you two managed to hide this from me. I was watching so carefully, too."

"Well, I couldn't act differently in front of the children, after all," Maddy says.

Ishmael lifts Maddy's hand up and kisses it. "You can't be everywhere all the time, Ariana." He smiles. "Besides, you probably didn't know because I was courting like a proper gentleman -- or at least I was trying to."

Maddy gives Ishmael a beaming smile.

"Of course. Aren't the children going to be surprised?" Ariana grins. "I certainly hope you're going to have a reception of some sort, once you've told everyone."

"Um..." Maddy looks to Ishmael.

Ishmael blushes, "Uh. I think the only ones who might be surprised are Ana and Briana. The boys have been on to me from the get go -- Jalana, too. I believe her exact quote was, 'You don't love her yet, but you will.'" He rolls his eyes. "Smarmy little know-it-all...I hate it when she's right."
"As for a reception, probably not until I get back from Chaos. I'd hate to waste what little time we have together before then..."

It's now Maddy's turn to blush...

Ariana chuckles. "That sounds like Jalana. This is wonderful! I had a feeling the two of you would suit each other. Definitely don't waste the time you have right now. You do realize, of course, that there are faster Shadows out there where you could pass a little more time..."

That sails about three feet over Maddy's head.

That's what Ishmael was hoping for...he sort of gives Ariana a "hairy eyeball" at the suggestion, then shakes his head. "It's not the same. I want to live every moment until I leave in the here and now, with Maddy. We're going to have the rest of our lives together -- I don't want to cheapen that."

"Of course, it was only a suggestion. You're right, you'll have plenty of time when you get back. So, are you planning to move into a bigger place?"

Maddy shrugs.

Ishmael sort of stammers, "Uhhh. My place is decent sized, so we shouldn't need to move -- unless we're going to host a lot of 'fetes'..." He smirks and shoots a sidelong glance at Maddy.

Ariana grins. "Well, that has been known to happen..."

Maddy frowns. "You said you didn't want to have any parties."

Ariana looks at Ishmael and raises an eyebrow.

"Whoa! I have *never* had a party!" Ishmael looks at Maddy. "And I *don't* want to have parties!"

"Just making sure."

Ariana smiles at both of them. "Well, as long as you both agree."

"You are a cruel, cruel woman..." Ishmael says to Maddy.

"Me?" she says, putting a hand to her bosom.

"Of course not, my Dove." His voice is dripping with sarcasm and he's rolling his eyes.

Ariana just listens to this exchange with a huge grin on her face.

Maddy steps firmly (but not enough to really hurt) on the end of Ishmael's shoe.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Love. Was I standing in the exact place that your dear, precious, perfect foot wished to be?" He steps one step to the left.

She smacks him lightly on the shoulder.

He feigns great injury. "She beats me mercilessly when no one is around, Ariana...it's just terrible! I thought she was such a sweet and innocent girl when I married her!"

Maddy looks utterly horrified and completely embarrassed. She's beet red.

Ariana laughs and punches Ishmael on the arm. "You're embarrassing your new bride, Ishmael."

He smirks. "I'm sorry Maddy." Then he looks to Ariana. "Seriously now, she is wonderful and sweet and innocent -- Lord knows why she ever consented to marry me..."

"I sat in the sun too long," Maddy says, folding her arms across her chest.

Ariana tsks and pretends to look sympathetic. "No wonder he married you in such a hurry."

"Hey! I'm no fool! I knew that if she got an iced tea and a cool cloth, I'd be a bachelor for life!" He winks at Maddy.

"And then gods help the rest of us who'd have to associate with you," Ariana says with a grin.

Maddy smiles despite herself.

Ishmael's glad to see that she's finally smiling. "...and with that brilliant revelation, I believe we'll be taking our leave of you, Ariana." Ishmael bows to her.

And Maddy curtsies.

Ariana laughs and gives them both another hug. "Do you want to tell the children yourselves, or shall I?"

Ishmael looks at Maddy and shrugs. "I don't know about you -- but I think I could live without Jalana's I-told-you-so look..."

Maddy looks to Ariana. "I think that means you get to do it."

"All right. I assume this means you don't mind if I tell my husband, as well?"

Ishmael sighs. "Fine Ariana. You can tell Vetch." He's working his way towards the door, holding Maddy's hand. "We're leaving now. Good day to you!"

Ariana smiles and waves. "Good day. And congratulations again!"

"Outrageous Fortune"
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All text on this page is © 1998 by Kris Fazzari, Lisamarie Babik and Wendi Strang-Frost.

Last modified on June 19, 1998 by Kris Fazzari.