Thoul wrote:Nial and Alair are the perfect example of marriage as an alliance instead of a relationship. Their union unites the two warring factions under one banner, but the two have barely even met.
Good point, Thoul. Being of a western culture, I'm thinking of marriage built on eros, and while that may seem ethnocentric, I'm also considering the whole medieval romance thingy that made Rhys chase after Maia.
But while Nial and Alair's marriage can been seen as politically driven, to some, a marriage between Nial and Laya
seems better, mostly because they spent a lot of time together and as a result, knew each other quite well. It is on that very basis (i.e., "knowing" someone you're marrying, as inarticulately stated in my previous post) that I am considering. Even if it was an arranged marriage, like Rhys and Lena were originally planned, they still could get to "know" each other and decide whether they want to marry that person.
That said, before Maia, Rhys didn't know Lena, and with Maia, Rhys didn't really "know" her either, because Maia didn't know who she
really was. I think it was Srijita who made a quotation regarding this, that: "Before saying 'I love you', you have to first consider the 'I.'" For all we know, Maia, like her other people, was probably a hater of all things Orakian. Would her feelings change knowing who she really was, and would Rhys's feelings change knowing who she really was, too? Would Rhys be willing to give up his homeland and kingdom for her, still? Something to think about. I like to think that Rhys got to know Lena -- the real Lena who genuinely and unconditionally loved Rhys -- and yet considered the fact that their marriage would also unite Satera and Landen, as well. Regarding the pros and cons, doesn't a union between Rhys and Lena seem more compatible, and realistic?