un: white pawn; text

[chosenbylight]

Greetings, friends.

I am hoping that you might be able to help me with a bit of advice.

[It's definitely not similar enough to Anduin's own personal dilemmas to have caught his attention and tugged extra hard on his heartstrings, don't look at him like that.]

There is a young girl in the village who comes to the wise man's house, asking for advice. Most of the other visitors are only there to unburden themselves of the frustrations of their day, but her situation stands out in particular.

This girl's family has arranged for her to be married since she was but a child. It is, as most such arrangements are, more of a trade negotiation than a love match. She has tried to put the marriage off for as long as she can, but she is of marrying age and her family is growing impatient.

The crux of the matter is that the girl is in love with another village boy. One from a family her parents most certainly would not approve of any sort of relationship with. She does not wish to upset her parents, they are depending on this arranged marriage to shore up their family's well-being for years to come.

If she does her duty, she may never be happy. But if she follows her heart, her family may suffer the consequences of her actions.

What should she do?

Comments

un: white pawn; text

[chosenbylight]

She is the only one who can decide what is most important to her, but what of the consequences of her actions?

I think her heart has made its own decision, but her mind is still fighting itself over which path is "right".

[beitangmoran]

Well, right or wrong are not the correct concept to apply there. Emotions are not right or wrong.

[chosenbylight]

Of course. Happiness cares little for logic, in the end.

[Let's go out on a limb here. A dangerous limb...]

Is it responsible to weigh romantic feelings over familial connections? If they are not able to see past their dislike for the poor associations they have for the boy's family.

[beitangmoran]

Is it responsible to be self-sacrificing to this point? Is it selfish to want a little bit of happiness?

I'm probably the wrong person to ask, to be honest. I've had too many responsibilities thrust at me from a young age, so I am more likely nowadays to advocate for bucking all of them.

[chosenbylight]

[This earns him a smile, even if he cannot see it through this medium.]

You as well?

Although I fear I have developed the opposite response. Which is what brings my question to the group.

[beitangmoran]

I have raised an Emperor, who I believe will be a good one. He can do the job now.

Duty is not a way of life. One shouldn't shirk it completely, but what value does your soul hold at the itme of passing if all you've ever done is deny yourself?

[chosenbylight]

It is refreshing to hear you say such things. It would be nice if everyone raising a child would care to remember such things.

[Looking at you, Genn Graymane...]

[beitangmoran]

A-Yi was not an easy child, but he is my nephew and my brother's heir. I owed it to our people and my brother to make him the best emperor Huang Dao could hope for.

It took him<a bit of time to get into his own, but now he has and he has my full support. But he could, at times, suffer lighting up a bit. He is too serious.

[chosenbylight]

When you have the weight of such responsibility on your shoulders as I am sure your nephew felt he did, it is all too easy to let it get to your head in such a way.

[beitangmoran]

Indeed, and I am not immune to it myself.