Unsatisfactory Answers

Writers: Miriah, Yvonne
Date Posted: 12th May 2015

Characters: Yriadha, Taril, Torinya, Jakin
Description: Taril tracks Yriadha down to find out why his wife is missing
Location: Sunstone Seahold
Date: month 12, day 3 of Turn 7
Notes: Follows Missing; Mentioned: Bryvin, Humari

Yriadha

"I still don't understand what's going on." Jakin was rumpled and smelled faintly of sour wine, as was usual for the Harper. He did not appreciate being roused from his evening on such short notice, but despite his grumbling knew enough to do as he was told. "How does Yriadha think your marriage is invalid?"

"No idea." Taril's expression was dark as he limped down the halls of the Hold toward the Headwoman's quarters. It was surprisingly quiet and echoingly empty, the good Hold residents tucked up tight for the evening to put their feet up after a long day of work. The glows along the hall created small pools of light along the way, like a string of lighthouses guiding them safely along a rocky shoreline.

"I just don't get it. As the Harper who officiated the match, I should have been told," Jakin was perilously close to whining as he hurried after the one-legged merchant.

Taril suddenly stopped and turned on the Harper. "You're right. You _should_ have been involved," he growled, jabbing Jakin in the chest with his forefinger. "You are useful to me as long as you do your job-- keep me informed and write me contracts when I need them. Today you've failed at both, and unless this gets sorted out you'll be face down floating in the bay." The two men locked eyes and it was Jakin that looked away.

"I just... she should have contacted me," Jakin finally muttered. "This isn't the way things are done. Does the Lord know?"

"If he doesn't, he will," Taril muttered. Kidnapping and hiding his wife in such an underhanded way smacked of Yriadha and Yriadha alone. Bryvin didn't seem like the the sort of man to meddle in Taril's personal life, and Taril suspected that if the Lord Holder decided to make it his business, he'd inform Taril of exactly why. There was no point in dealing with a legal issue like this - surprising him by kidnapping his wife without warning or explanation - unless the goal was public humiliation. Perhaps Yriadha had discovered that it was Taril who had set the wheels in motion for Yarmel's demise, although if that was the case then Bryvin either was implicit in the crime or had sold him out. He'd find out soon enough which it was.

They reached Yriadha's door soon after, and Taril knocked with his crutch, perhaps harder than he should. Jakin stood behind him with his shoulders hunched, obviously wishing he was somewhere else.

There was quiet at first, then came the sound of soft footfalls as the door opened just a crack. Humari's sister stood, half of her face hidden by the door. Her eye appeared red-rimmed and her expression somber. "Oh. Taril." She chewed on her lower lip, guilt wracking her expression as her eyes fell to the floor, refusing to look at him. "I suppose you are here to see my mother. I'm sorry but she isn't available right now."

"I'm not looking for Yriadha." Taril's expression had smoothed as he'd knocked, and he'd managed to bury his anger. "I'm here for Humari."

Torinya almost shrunk from the door. "She's not here. I'm sorry, Taril, but she isn't." She glanced behind her as if wanting to say more, but unable to. "I..I am sorry. I really am."

"Where is she, then?" Taril asked. Torinya's meekness made him angrier-- if Humari had been beaten by her mother, then Torinya probably had been as well. It was hard to keep it from his expression.

"Who is it?" The soft, steely voice was heard from behind the door and Torinya sighed softly as her mother stepped out from behind her. Yriadha's hair fell down her back, unbraided and if it hadn't been for the hard set of her eyes, it would have been clear as to why she was once considered a great beauty. Sharp eyes found Taril and her lips stretched thinly in a parody of a smile. "I was expecting you sooner." She glanced at her daughter. "Why don't you step into the back room until your husband gets here, Torinya?"

"Yes, mother." Torinya backed away from the door quickly and bustled away, not looking back at Taril for an instant.

Yriadha turned to gaze at Taril coolly after her daughter left. "I suppose you'll want an explanation? I have the documents ready for you."

"I want _all_ the documents, I want to know where my wife is, and I want an explanation." He bared his teeth in a parody of a smile. "And it had better be a good one."

"She isn't your wife, Taril." That was spoken with a hint of satisfaction, though her expression showed nothing but insincere regret. She half-turned and handed him a stack of documents, all signed by a resident Harper. "Unfortunately, Torinya decided to drug Humari before your vows. She was not of sufficient capability to speak her vows to you and therefore, could not agree. It is a pity, especially considering the child, but I am quite willing to let you have the child after it is born if you so desire it. Despite it being born illegitimate, you can claim it as an heir." Her brow lifted. "Which is what you wanted, if I recall. But, seeing as how she is not legally your wife, she reverts back to my care."

The merchant handed the documents to Jakin without looking at them. The only evidence she could bring forward was Torinya's word? If he couldn't discredit Torinya, then he could easily counter her statement given the abuse Humari had suffered at her mother's hand before the wedding. It could be argued that if Torinya drugged Humari it was an act of compassion. Yriadha probably knew that given she'd skipped due process - like notifying him of her intent before kidnapping his wife, or giving him the chance to find his own damned harper. His anger grew, but long practice at negotiation kept it from showing. "That's not an explanation. Why now, Yriadha?"

Yriadha's thin smile never wavered. "What makes you think I have to explain my actions to you, Taril? You got what you wanted from her and you'll have your heir. I did you a favor, Taril." Her expression became cooler. "You weren't exactly Humari's first choice, you realize. She didn't want you at all. It was only because of my son..." Her expression became momentarily pained before closing off again, "because of Yarmel that you had a wife at all. She was running from you. She never wanted you. Poor Torinya thought it would make things easier on her and didn't realize what the consequences were of her actions. Perhaps I merely wanted Humari with a husband that could do more for her, especially now that she's proven she's fertile." Yriadha's chin lifted. "Now if you will excuse me, I have a Hold to take care of."

"You do that." Taril watched as she closed the door before turning to Jakin and jerking his chin in a 'follow me' gesture. That was-- interesting. He was still angry, but he'd gotten what he'd wanted: exactly what Yriadha thought she had, and why. She had guessed - and rightly - that he had a hand in Yarmel's murder. She thought she could humiliate him and use Humari to make a more profitable match, and she thought she could sow seeds of doubt between him and his wife.

But grief or anger had made the Headwoman act carelessly. When he'd written to Humari, she hadn't said she was done with him or running away. She'd said she was _frightened_. And Yriadha had either forgotten or thought she could break the marriage contract they'd signed before he'd made Humari his. The contract meant that if the marriage was called off, for _any_ reason, Yriadha owed him a lot more marks than he knew she could pay.

He was in a better position to act now that he knew what Yriadha was up to. Ideally he should alert the guard and go to the Lord Holder. That would be the proper thing to do. Instead he stopped in an alcove and wrote a brief note on a scrap of hide on his pocket, which he gave to Dodger. The brown flit uncurled from his shoulders and disappeared /between/.

It was a risk. He might tip his hand. But maybe those insinuations Yriadha made about Humari were at least half true. He was half a man, scarred and crippled, and Yriadha was right when she said that he wasn't Humari's first choice in a husband. Maybe she was running, and maybe Yarmel had beaten her for it. Maybe it was his contract with her mother that had put her in this position in the first place.

The thought made him a little sick. Yes, he'd wanted a wife. But now he wanted-- Humari. She was smart, observant and stronger than she looked. He enjoyed their evenings together playing cards by the fire, and the ache he'd felt when he realized she was gone was palpable. But if she didn't want him...

**I'll deal with that later.** Right now he had to fix the mess that Yriadha had made.

Last updated on the May 14th 2015

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Unsatisfactory Answers