Creid was on the hunt. She was wearing her best pieces today, which...wasn't much. One son was out on an excursion, hopefully to bring home his family a few more trinkets to improve what wealth they had. Her head was held high, regardless of the fact that hew pieces were a bit tarnished, and not at all anything new. "Chin up, Ylva, we'll find something," she purred, a sly smile escaping her features as she glanced over at her pretty daughter. She was plain, but with the right embellishing, she would be gorgeous.
Ylva sighed as politely as she could, though she knew that any sort of sighing was against etiquette when it was towards her mother. "If my chin was any higher, sweet mother of mine, I believe I would be looking at the world upside down." She knew her back was straight and her shoulders were not bunched up around her neck. She delicately took her steps, being mindful of any hazards that may litter their path. She did everything her mother asked of her, even if it wasn't quite to the perfection that she wanted. Ylva was so tired of living in her mother's shadow, but had to tolerate it until there was a decent husband for her to be married off to.
And to help with that, Creid was trying to see if there were any pretty trinkets to barter for. Ylva knew her mother was wearing almost everything good they owned, with hand-me-downs from other family, and what little bits Creid managed to sweet talk out of others' paws. Her father was still a freeborn, still avoided the family den as best he could, and so Ylva had nothing fruitful to offer a husband except for her body. And there were plenty of bodies to go around, as plain as could be seen with all the sticky little cub paws running around being thorns in her side. Her mother's nagging pulled her out of her thoughts, though she had missed what her mother had said. "I am so sorry mother. What can I help you with, again?" she asked, cringing under Creid's glare.
Ylva knew better than to let her mind wander when she was conversing with another. Still...Creid knew that a well placed glare was enough to remind her of that mistake. "You are my only real hope, little Ylva. Your other sisters show absolutely no interest in marriage...what is our family line to do if it doesn't grow?" she sighed dramatically, taking a moment to consider throwing herself onto the ground for extra effect. Unfortunately, there were very few lions around, and even fewer paying attention. It wouldn't be worth to work to get clean again if she inadvertently threw herself into some mud or muck.
Oh well.
"I know, Mother. I'm trying," Ylva whispered, trying to push down the feelings of resentment and fear. She wasn't old, but she wasn't any of these young, barely grown ladies that felt like competition. Marriage had slowed in the pride, more than likely being the main reason why Ylva was still stuck at home under her mother's rule. Her olive eyes glanced around at the other lions around them, her mind always wondering who was married, who was betrothed. Who even cared about marriage? Who spent most of their time with their thralls than their wives. She wasn't an idiot; she honestly didn't care too much about any future husbands fidelity as long as she got first pickings of any loot, any choice bits of food, and the best thralls to keep her home running on a tight ship. As long as she bore strong children, she felt like life would be fulfilled.
"Ylva!"
The silver lioness gasped. "I...I'm so sorry Mother." She had found herself twisted up in her thoughts again and rightly deserved that snap. Her mother had very nearly swiped her daughter's face, but thought better of it at the last moment.
"I swear, child. You need to focus on your task, or you're going to be stuck with someone like your father as a husband. Nice enough, but is completely unmotivated for anything except a full belly." Creid had...slight affection for Snorre, but his laziness tipped the scales towards disgust whenever Creid thought about it too much. Her right paw raised to touch some of her jewelry, the twinge of disappointment threatening to twist her own heart. Some of this was her own mother's, and as much as she didn't want to trade it away....at the end of the day, her daughter's future was more important than the past.
Ylva's ears tucked against her skull, peering down towards the ground before glancing back over to her mother. "I am truly sorry. I promise to the lighting in the sky that my mind is focused on this task." Whether Creid believed her or not, Ylva wanted to be free from the chains of childhood that seemed to hold her back. "I just...wish we could find another way than risking Grandmother's trinkets," Ylva whispered, her eyes quickly looking away and off towards the uneven horizon. This wasn't the easiest land to live in, but its jagged edges and stormy skies were home. It reflected her own heart; not quite whole, but strong enough to see things to the end.
"Anything for you," Creid said as she looked away, pulling her paw off the jewelry to wave Ylva's worries away. "I'm hedging all our futures on you; if you can find one who has enough ambition to be at least Captain, we should be set for the rest of our lives." Food, thralls, loot...that was all well and good, but he would have the drive for glory. And she would see to it that the ladies of their bloodline would support that to the fullest.
"I won't fail you, mother." Ylva's voice was strong as she looked forward. The pair would find something nice to trade up her mother's trinkets for items that would look better on Ylva, and she would wear them proudly.
Her mother had ambition, but the silver lioness had her own that she kept tucked safe against her heart.
(1,029 words)