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Ulrika was getting married. She was getting married, and she wasn't getting married to Gaved. No, hah! She was getting married to Halvar; she'd been sweet on him for a long, long time - and it was undoubtedly a pairing that her father approved of, knowing how much he thought of Gunnar. Yes, Halvar was a b*****d - but then again, so was she; it was sort of a non-issue.

Married. Married, and before Morath! Hah! It was fantastic. It was amazing. It put Ulrika in the best mood she'd ever been in in her entire life. She was introspective as she walked along the shoreline of the large lake. Ulrika couldn't wait to flaunt it in front of her sister. It would be amazing.

So amazing.

There had been many weddings afoot. Many weddings, and while Valena had hopes of snatching up a fine young Reaver - or Captain - or even a Freeborn of her own someday... well, Valena had more interest in one thing.

Offering advice.

While she'd never been wed herself, Valena considered herself to be quite the proper Freeborn lady. Perhaps it was Ulrika's lucky day, then, when Valena finally caught up to the younger lioness, gasping daintily for breath.

"Hello! You, there! Hello, I'm .. goodness, I'm so out of breath .. I'm Valena. You're getting married, yes?"

There was almost a wild look in her eyes.

Ulrika had seen the lioness around the pride. She was a dye-crafter; an interesting profession, one that was utilized often when it came to making various warpaints. Ulrika was somewhat shocked that someone so flowery and graceful and proper had assimilated so well into a pride filled with fighters and swearing and other such manful things.

Then again, Ulrika had done just fine, though she was nowhere near as dainty and precise as the lady before her.

"I am," Ulrika tried to tamp down the giddiness in her voice.

She failed.

"Oh, now, isn't that just wonderful."

Valena panted softly in the sun; despite her pale pelt, the sun felt utterly scorching on her back. Goodness.

"When is your feast? And who is the lucky man? And do you know what will be expected of you?"

Valena lifted a dainty paw to fan at her face while she waited for the pale-maned female to answer. Was her nose burning? It certainly felt like it was. She dabbed at it tenderly with the paw she'd been using to fan herself.

"We should move into the shade, this sun is utterly horrid."

Ulrika's eyes widened. Expected of her? She had no idea what would be expected of her. Why should anything be expected of her? She had small aspirations to be a priestess in the pride, but it wasn't a strong drive like her sister had. Ulrika wanted to be a wife. A wife that sat around looking pretty while eating bits of fatty, rich meat while her husband worked to keep her safe.

That's what being a wife meant.

"Oh, uh, sure. The shade. And I'm not sure about the feast. And ah, here we are.. what.. do you mean about.. about expectations?"

Oh, thank the Gods in the sky, that was much more lovely. The sun was such a terrible, horrid thing; so hot and dry and just.. just horrible. She arranged herself before Ulrika, wrapping her tail comfortably around her paws as she settled.

"Well, fabulous, then. There shouldn't be any reason for a quick elopement. You should take your time, get to know your future husband! Make certain that he knows what you like and how you like it." She paused.

"I mean, your favorite dinner. Your favorite time to eat. A husband should be very attentive to his wife. Is your beau attentive to you? I'm sure he is."

Valena smiled.

"And expectations? My dear, I mean providing him with cubs! Pleasing him! You don't want him seeking another to sate his lusts! You don't want him spreading his seed near and far, toting along a b*****d cub or five after each successful Viking, am I wrong?"

Ulrika slowly blinked at Valena. There was something quite off about the female. This wasn't the kind of thing you spoke to strangers about. This wasn't the kind of thing that you just... just...

"What?!"

Ulrika's voice was a harsh squeal when Valena started in on pleasing her husband, on bastards spread here and there. She had a moment where she felt like the world was spinning around her and she couldn't really grasp what the pale lioness was speaking about. The gentle, cultured tone that the lioness used didn't help her any, either.

"I.. I can't.. what?!"

Was she daft? Valena was having a hard time telling if the pretty lioness before her knew what was ... well, what was what.

"Cubs, darling, cubs! Rutting! It's an inglorious thing, to be honest, and while I am still as pure as the snow high on the mountains - you will not be for long!"

She tittered behind a paw.

"You do know what procreation is, don't you? I mean... well, surely your mother told you what to expect? What your husband will expect?"

The lioness looked as if she was waiting for something - anything - to pounce on, and Ulrika wasn't certain that she wanted to give the lioness the pleasure of explaining this.. procreation.. to Ulrika. She knew how babies were made, where they came from!

Mostly!

"I've.. I've got to go. I think I .. I hear someone calling me."

Ulrika sounded faint.

Why were so many of her pridemembers so strange?!

Valena looked decidedly crestfallen.

"Well. If you need help or.. or advice. Well, come find me. I live just over there," she lifted a paw in the direction of a rather well-decorated den. Maybe even overly decorated. There were dried flowers everywhere, and painted pawprints scattered all along the mouth of the den.

As she watched Ulrika leave, Valena watched after her fondly before she rose to her feet.

Ah, well. It was all in a day's work.