You Don't Belong Here

Writers: Heather, Miriah
Date Posted: 11th January 2020

Characters: Enamra, Everyn, Jesymia, Emareen
Description: Enamra holds her first luncheon as a Hallmaster's wife... it does not go well.
Location: Dolphin Hall
Date: month 1, day 20 of Turn 10
Notes: Mentioned: Thayde, Jalodwyn

Enamra

"I can't even imagine what this is going to be like," Everyn giggled
in a hushed voice as she swept down the hallway in a rustle of
expensive skirts.

"Me either," her mother sniffed, her mostly wrinkled face showing no
signs of amusement. "What on Pern could Endarin have been thinking
leaving the hall to Master Thayde? I don't doubt his qualifications
but his inbred, illiterate wife should have disqualified him
completely."

Everyn paused before the door to the ladies parlor and smoothed the
corners of her mouth, which were still tugged upwards in a laugh.
"Well, let's find out." Squaring her shoulders into a perfect picture
of ladylike posture, Everyn ducked her head to other ladies who had
already made their way into the parlor for the refreshments that the
new Hallmaster's wife had arranged.

Nerves nearly strangled Enamra as the women began to enter the parlor
and she hoped the simple snacks she'd arranged would be sufficient for
them. Dressed in the prettiest gown she wore, she flittered about the
food, tugging lightly at her long, simple braid. The first woman
entered and Enamra managed a bit of a smile. "Please...come in.
Uhm...welcome."

Everyn glanced around as some of the other ladies filing in greeted
Enamra, some starting up small talk with the Hallmaster's wife. "What
are these?" She whispered to her mother as they took a couple of small
plates and stood before the refreshment table.

"Just put it on your plate and eat it with a smile," her mother
muttered. "You heard what the Hallmaster did to poor Jalodwyn? Shipped
her off to Jade Harbor."

"I heard," another young woman by the name of Jesymia whispered as she
stood by them, "that he can't perform with _her_. I can't blame him,
you know. She did have a bastard, so obviously she's a little whore
and he should have better taste. But Jalodwyn was at least a grown
woman."

Enamra only heard snatches of conversation around her, but it wasn't
hard to tell that some women were whispering off to themselves.
"Uhm...thank you all for coming. I appreciate it. Uh...enjoy the
sausage and uhm...fried oysters. There's wine too, if anyone wants
some."

"Oh dear," Everyn's mother whispered. "Is that how she talks all the time?"

"Well, she can't read mother, what do you expect?" Everyn whispered
back, lifting her eyebrows at Jesymia.

"She takes Harper lessons with children." Jesymia offered. "Little
children. Maybe she has the mind of one. It makes sense."

Feeling a little lost and more than a little alone, Enamra continued.
"I guess we can all sit down and talk." She sat down quickly, taking a
glass of juice rather than wine. "Please, join me?"

"The mind of a child, huh? Maybe that's why she's drinking juice,"
Everyn chortled behind one daintily lifted hand as she took a seat
with Jesymia.

"So, Lady Enamra," Everyn's mother asked, "what type of Hall functions
do you expect to be planning? With the last two Hallmasters not being
married, the Hall has been sorely lacking in any type of social
functions."

Being addressed as "Lady" made Enamra jerk just a little in surprise
and pale at the reminder that her marriage and change in status also
meant a change in title. It was jarring. The question also was
unexpected. What did she know about planning anything? "Uh..." She
looked over at the ladies, all of them older and seemingly more wise
than she. "I...I haven't thought of that. I've never really been to
anything." Her voice trailed off. "Uhm...what would you all like to
happen?"

"She's going to be useless." Jesymia whispered to Everyn. "Maybe we'll
just all go out in play in the sand like her classmates."

Everyn snorted in mirth, which she quickly disguised behind a fake
cough. Enamra's invitation for suggestions was not a good idea, as
about seven of the older women there all had varying ideas about what
events should take place and how they should happen. As she studied
Enamra's petite frame and young features, Everyn whispered to Jesymia,
"I just can't understand how she was chosen over Jalodwyn. Wouldn't
Jalodwyn have made the perfect Hallmaster's wife? She's a dolphineer,
experienced, and oh yes, out of training pants."

"She was so fun, too. She made me laugh. I feel so bad for her. If
Thayde had been any sort of man, he'd have tossed this one to the Weyr
and taken Jalodwyn. I mean, I heard that she really is pregnant with
his child and when she boarded the ship, I saw her crying her eyes
out. It was awful."

Enamra heard the name and immediately stiffened, hands tightening on
her glass. Her cheeks flamed even as she tried to absorb the sudden
onslaught of ideas being thrown at her. "Yes...I'll try. We can talk
about that. A ball? Well...I can talk to the Headwoman..."

"She abandoned her own siblings after she married Thayde, how is she
going to see to the Hold's needs?" Everyn muttered. "It's a good thing
the Headwoman knows what she's doing or we'd all be starving in a
month's time. You heard about that, right? That when she showed up she
was skin and bones, and then later when her siblings were found, same
story."

Everyn wasn't as quiet as she thought she was. The mention of
Jalodwyn's name had been enough to catch Enamra's attention and the
mention of siblings was enough to make Enamra's face flame. Face
tight, she turned her eyes to Everyn. "Excuse me?"

"I was just saying we should have an event that we can invite the Hall
children too, milady, since you have siblings that would enjoy it."
Everyn said smoothly, lifting her wine glass to her lips as she did.

Enamra stared at her for a moment, then cleared her throat. "That's a
good idea too."

She looked away, taking a quick sip of her juice. She didn't belong
here. She was nothing like these ladies at all. She _knew_ they were
talking about her, judging her. Some had too much laughter in their
eyes for anything else. She felt like she was in a pit full of
tunnelsnakes just waiting to take chunks out of her. "I think we'll
have a family ball to welcome a new Hallmaster and let the children
attend. Everyone should like that. "

"Great, " Jesymia whispered at Everyn. "It'll be a disaster. We'll
have fried oysters and fish. The whole Hall will stink for days!"

"I actually can't wait," Everyn said to Jesymia behind her glass.
"This should provide us with some entertainment for the next few
months."

Last updated on the January 18th 2020

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You Don't Belong Here