Fourteen years ago, Adamo has a problem. Not only did his youngest daughter fail to exalt, she managed to become pregnant by a young Water Aspect of House Peleps. With his wife station in the Threshold, there was no way for Adamo’s wife to fake a pregnancy and claim the child as her own. Nor was Maiden’s tea was a option; the child had a good chance of Exalted as Dragonblooded. The only suitable option was marriage, yet Adamo was not about entertain an alliance with a stranger.

Adamo worried at the problem all though the day’s classes. He was clearing the blackboard of arthritic, when a young Nellens Patrician approached him with a question. As Adamo conversed with the student, he observed the student in a new light. The boy was far from the stranger; Adamo has been teaching Nellens Ryo since he came to the Spiral. He was bright for a mortal and while his bloodline was not strong, Adamo’s daughter was already pregnant. There were advantages to an alliance with House Nellens. They had ties to all the mortal merchants in the Blessed Isle and in the Threshold.

The longer Adamo considered the situation, the better the marriage seemed. Nellens Ryo would make a fine son-in-law. Yet Adamo was not one to make a hasty decision. Best sleep on the idea and see how he felt about it in the morning. If the marriage was still a good idea, Adamo will approach House Nellens. Adamo ended the conversation in a better frame of mind then he started.

Nellens Ryo was also in a good mood. He never had the opportunity to speak so long with his Dragonblooded professor. Ryo was sure he made a good impression on the Dynast. Perhaps Ragara Adamo will vouch for him when Ryo applies for that Teacher’s position next year.

Instead, in the next year, Ryo found himself stationed on the Jade Coast with a sullen wife and a colicky newborn.