Secrets Shared

Writers: Avery, Miriah
Date Posted: 8th April 2016

Characters: Humari, Zelah
Description: Xeladrie and Humari discuss some very personal matters
Location: Sunstone Seahold
Date: month 5, day 1 of Turn 8
Notes: Mentioned: Vreena, Taril, Bryvin, Bortem, Yriadha

Humari

Zelah

Xeladrie had nursed Brylex after her lunch. Then she'd rocked the babe
to sleep and promptly put him in a crib to hand to a nursemaid to
watch. Now she was working on embroidery to put her mind at ease. The
hurricane had passed several days ago. Their own Hold had been minorly
damaged, but the worst of it had happened to the outside areas of the
territory like the minor cots. The Seacraft Hall had also been badly
damaged. Now dragonriders swarmed the area doing sweeps and moving
supplies, while the Hold's men worked on rebuilding work. The women,
meanwhile, were inside suffering in the solar as always.

She pricked her finger and swore.

Humari stepped into the solar, her brows raised at the cursing. She
brushed her hands over her skirts as she moved to sit down beside
Xeladrie. "I have a thimble, if you like, Lady."

"That would be marvelous/. I seem to be unexpectedly clumsy," Xeladrie
said with a sigh. "How are you feeling?"

Humari easily found her thimble in the sewing kit that she kept nearby
and handed it to Xeladrie. "I'm quite well." She paused, noting
Vreen'a absence, and felt relieved. "I'm doing better today. I wanted
to speak with you, Lady. About a matter of some importance."

Xeladrie slipped the thimble onto her finger. "Yes, of course. What's
going on with you?"

Humari stroked her skirts over her knees and shifted uncomfortably.
Even though they were alone for the moment, she kept her voice soft.
"I..I'm uncomfortable with discussing this, Lady, but...it's about
Vreena."

Now Xeladrie was curious. "You two know each other, don't you?"

Humari shifted on her feet and nodded. "I know Vreena very well,
Lady." She took a deep breath and met Xeladrie's eyes. "I do not often
speak ill of others, Lady, but I ask that you have a care around
Vreena. She's not as she appears some days."

"You dislike her? Or think she's a liar?" That was interesting information.

Sometimes she disliked Vreena very much. Others....she wanted her
desperately. It was so confusing. But she'd also seen Vreena stare at
Xeladrie with that familiar little smile. Not only did it set off her
worry, it also inflamed her jealousy. Humari struggled to say what she
needed. "Vreena...will do what ever it takes to get her own way,
Lady."

"You think she's manipulative?" Xeladrie asked.

Nodding, Humari watched Xeladrie. "Just be careful with your trust, Lady."

"She wants something done about the marriage plans... helping her
there doesn't seem too harmful," Xeladrie mused aloud. "After all, who
really wants to be forced into a match?"

Her cheeks immediately flamed and Humari looked down. She hurriedly
tucked a hair behind her ear. Vreena wouldn't want any match with a
man. "I think she'd prefer never to marry, but I don't think her
father will ever agree to that."

"He's very traditional, then? So was my father," Xeladrie remembered.
"He hoped for presitge. I for a man who wouldn't care much for me."

"He is." She looked up at Xeladrie. "Arranged marriages can work out.
I didn't want mine at first, but...Taril is a very good husband."

"I'm glad it's working out for you," Xeladrie said, meaning it.
Perhaps she wasn't happy, but if someone else was, that was good too.
"I just don't want Sunstone to continue to marry its girls
unwillingly."

"How do you plan on changing that?" Humari looked a little confused.
"It's up to the men, isn't it?"

"The men take their lead from other men around them. Most of the Lords
are traditional, but I've heard in other parts of the South, there are
Lords who insist on full willingess for a marriage. I want to speak to
my husband about the issue. If the Lord Holder could say some words
about forcing maids who are completely unwilling..."

She couldn't change everyone's mind immediately, but if she could
influence Bryvin, and help prevent a few unfortunate matches, it would
be good. How to bring it up to him, without convincing him she hated
him...

Humari may have been naive about many things, but she wasn't stupid.
Her voice was soft. "You didn't want Lord Bryvin, did you?"

Xeladrie lowered her own voice, and finally gave words to the thoughts
that had been in her head for so long. "I didn't want marriage in
general, and I especially didn't want him. My father made the choice,
and I had no control over what happened. No way out."

Well. There was one way out. The way Elarie had taken.

"I didn't want it either. At all. Nor did Vreena. She was sent away to
her husband and I remained here. Mine worked better for me I suppose.
My mother could have sent me away, but she didn't. She likes her
children close." Her nose wrinkled. "For women who don't wish to
marry, sometimes...we have to." She looked at Xeladrie, wondering.
"Lady...how much do you know about Vreena and I?" Her voice was
whisper. "What has she told you?"

"That you were close, but no more." Xeladrie held her breath, sensing
something was about to happen.

"Ah." Humari felt relieved that Vreena hadn't been too open, but her
Lady needed to know the truth. She simply did not lie well and felt
uncomfortable trying to do so. "She and I..." She struggled in how to
hint at it without outright saying so. "We were more than friends,
Lady." Her cheeks grew warm. "We were discovered and she was sent away
to be wed to an older man and my mother wed me to Taril. " She didn't
mention the beating that she had received, nor Vreena's blaming of her
to her mother. "Vreena...she will not want to wed any man. Do you
understand?"

So Vreena's hints at her had meant something. And if Vreena and Humari
had been involved...then that said something about Humari herself, as
well.

"I understand. I have felt the same way," Xeladrie confessed. "I
didn't want to marry the Lord because the idea of a man's hands on
me..."

At that Humari flushed and nodded. "Yes. And I didn't think I would be
able to stand Taril, but I've been able to..." She flushed brighter,
but her voice remained quiet. "enjoy it. I care for him very much.I
don't desire other men, though. Perhaps you and Bryvin can do the
same, but Vreena...I do not think she would ever care for it. She does
not enjoy men at all."

"I see. I'm glad you and Taril are happy," Xeladrie repeated. "Coming
to an accord must be much better than dreading your husband coming
home every day."

Humari's face creased in sympathy. "I wish you could find something to
bring you some joy, Lady." She couldn't believe she was going to say
what she was about to. "Rumor has it that Bryvin has his..." She
cleared her throat. "Amusements. Could you not do the same?
Discreetly? Not that I'm suggesting anything improper...but.." She
sighed. "Perhaps I am, but if you do not enjoy the touch of men,
surely Bryvin could not complain if you found your...uhm..own." She of
course would not do so herself, but her situation seemed so different
than the Lady's.

"It would only be fair if I did, though he may not see it that way.
Men seem so possessive," Xeladrie complained.

She'd suspected Bryvin had his own dalliances on the side. "In truth,
I think I'd rather he play with others and leave me un-hounded."

"Would you be more at ease with him if you could?" Humari wondered.
"It does seem unfair for you. " She didn't think Taril had other
amusements. Would she mind if he did? It didn't take her long to
realize that it would bother her very much if he had. Perhaps that was
why she resisted Vreena so often. But if Lord Bryvin had his pursuits,
it seemed right that Xeladrie could have her own. "It would have to be
discreet of course, Lady. It's one thing for him and quite another for
you, unfortunately."

"Unfortunately so," Xeladrie agreed.

Would it actually help? She wondered. "I think...I think having
someone I cared about would help. I thought maybe Brylex would bring
us together, but it hasn't."

"Vreena probably has the experience and she's the only other one I
know of. And she does like you...in that way. I can tell by the way
she looks at you, but..." It was difficult for her to even suggest
Vreena. "But...please. Be careful."

Xeladrie offered Humari a little smile. "I don't intend to lose my
heart. Don't worry."

"And I won't say anything, Xeladrie. I swear." She tentatively offered
her hand. "You have my support."

Xeladrie took it and shook it. "Thank you for the warnings. And for
giving me advice. People like us should stick together."

"You're very welcome."

Last updated on the April 29th 2016

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