A Murderess' Chance

Writers: Miriah, Suzee
Date Posted: 23rd November 2020
Series: The Assassin's Husband

Characters: Bryvin, Lusilk
Description: Bryvin finds Lusilk at Rorigraff's hold and gives her a chance, but did she take it?
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 7, day 17 of Turn 10
Notes: Mentioned: Varlin, Lorican

Bryvin

Lusilk

Sore, bruised and battered, Lusilk lay on a loose matting of straw.
Dried blood caked on her swollen face, obscuring one eye and coating
swollen lips. Her ribs burned like fire and she was certain that the
intense pain along her collar meant the bone there was likely cracked
as well. It hurt to breathe and it hurt to move. The bars before her
had already been tested and all she
could do was wait for the inevitable. A guard, his face smugly
satisfied, had already told her that the Council of Lord Holders had
already been called to convene in a few days' time; he was quite
certain and supplied in graphic detail what he thought her fate would
be. She didn't need to be told. She knew what would be decided and
hadn't been allowed anything sharp to allow herself to take her fate
in her own hands.

She had known this was a possibility. She had known that she might
never return to her son, or to Lorican. Her only relief was that
Silgan was cared for and Lorican would be released from a marriage
that had been only for convenience. He would care for Silgan even
after her death. She sighed into the straw, exhaling slowly and
painfully. She knew her death wouldn't be quick. She knew it would be
painful. She quietly accepted it and no longer struggled. She was
tired, she was hurt, and she was ready. **Varlin, we're both avenged.
I did it."

Voices sounded down the corridor finally resolving into the voices of
men arguing.

"I don't care what you think," Bryvin said with a sneer in his voice.
"I will interview the accused as is my right as a Lord Holder and one
of her judges. Now stand out of my way or my armsmen will remove you.

"I must check with.." the burly guard started to bluster.

"Who!" Bryvin interrupted. "Rorigraff is dead and my wife is his
nearest relation.. Don't tell me you doubt my motives
here?"

"No sir," the man sputtered while Bryvin pushed past him.

"Well don't you look like a sad sack of rags," he looked down his nose
at the bundle on the floor.

Her head slowly lifted to peer up at the familiar voice. With her shaky good
arm she pushed herself up to greet him. Mindful of the potential
audience in the guards and uncertain how Bryvin would perceive her
now, she spoke carefully. "Lord Bryvin. What a surprise. To what do
I owe the pleasure of your visit?" She studied his face, but it had
always been difficult to read him.

"Careful of that one sir," the guard piped up. "She's dangerous."

Bryvin turned slowly toward the guard with a narrow glare. Then he
flipped a look at the leader of his own guard and the man stepped
between him and Rorigraff's man who backed off slowly down the hallway.
Turning his attention back to the cell, he slowly gave a tiny shake of
his head. "Hardly a pleasure," he said. "You're in quite a bit of
trouble. Though I'm pretty sure you knew exactly what was coming when
you did this."

Lusilk smirked as she watched the guard move away. He looked to be
barely off of his mother's apron strings. She waited until he was out
of sight. "I knew there was a chance. You don't seem surprised
either." She admitted. "Congratulations on your marriage. Perhaps
there was some additional inheritance freed for your new wife." She
didn't admit to killing Rorrigraff; she didn't need to. The Lord Holder
knew why she would be here and what she would have done. She slowly
rose to her feet, grimacing at her battered body as she did so. "So,
will you be voting for or against me being strung out for Thread?"

"Thank you," he smirked back. "Your note was timely." He looked back
down the hall to see if he was being watched. And as he'd been
instructed his guard stepped sideways to lean against the wall and
check his shoe temporarily blocking the watching guard's view of
Bryvin's hands. Bryvin used that moment to flip a knife into the straw
and tossed another item to Lusilk. "I will vote as my conscience
dictates as every Lord Holder must." His expression didn't really
change much but he tilted his head and narrowed his eyes slightly.

"I'm glad you understood." Lusilk watched the knife and small package
land in the straw, then promptly kicked straw over the items to cover
them. She would wait to examine them. The knife was very welcome; she
could take her own life before they could decide her fate; she knew
that being left for thread would be a far more painful and
excruciating death than she wanted to experience. Bryvin had been far
more merciful than she'd been to Rorrigraf.

Mindful of his previous promise, she had to give him discrete
information before her fate was decided. "Of course. As you must, but
I don't hold much hope. I think that would be foolish. " She studied
his face, flicking her eyes to the straw and then back to him and
arched a brow. She'd have to wait until she was certain that she
wouldn't be watched before examining the parcel. What was in it?
"Still, perhaps there is something under a bed, locked away, that will
give real meaning to what has happened here. Maybe then, it'll be
understood"

Bryvin nodded his understanding and again when she looked at the box
and back at him. "scream at me," he whispered.

Lusilk nodded slowly and the accepting smile she gave him was twisted
from the bruising. She mouthed the words 'thank you' before suddenly
screaming to lunge at the bars, arm straining through to reach at
him. "You fecking piece of wher shite! You're just like the others!
I'll kill you! I'll slice you from gut to chin!"

Bryvin jumped back from the bars in a mock moment of fear. Visibly
pushing down his 'fear' as his guards stepped between him and the
raging woman. The guard came running. "So much for my questions," he
said, shaking his head. "Well I know what I must do then.

"Are you alright my Lord?" one of the guards asked.

"Fine," he said with a curt nod. "Excuse me," he said to the hold's
guard and turned to leave. But he turned back with narrowed eyes.
"Good luck with that." he sneered. "I don't imagine you'll be getting
that chance."

Lusilk was roughly shoved away from the bars, but she kept a snarl on
her face. She watched with narrow eyes as the Lord Holder was led
away, the guard staring at her with promised retribution in his gaze.
As they left, she made sure that no one was remaining to watch her and
darted quickly to the straw. She found the dagger, a small,
utilitarian blade, but as she tested it against her thumb, it proved
to be sharp.

Then the package. She quickly unwrapped it, tearing up the wrapping to
blend in with the straw. There was a note wrapped around the small
box, she unfolded it and read quickly. Her brows rose, unbelieving as
she read it again. Then her lips quirked upwards as she recognized
what the box was; it was a tinderbox. Bryvin was sly and he knew exactly
what she needed. Her eyes went back to the note as she buried the box
again in the straw. "Outside of the walls. A man will be waiting."

Later that night, the cells were found ablaze with no chance to save
whomever might have been inside. After the blaze was battled and there
were only smouldering coals, They found what they suspected. Curled
into a fetal position, a charred body of a woman was found, limbs
twisted from the heat and face stretched opened as if in screaming
torment. The guards didn't bother with burying the disgusting display;
none of them wanted to be near the horror of the corpse. Some felt the
woman's horrifying death was a suitable justice, some were simply glad
it was over. But none offered the body a burial. Instead, the lowest
ranked guards covered their noses and hauled the noisome body to a
ravine near the hold. The body was dumped unceremoniously for the wild
animals to dispose of.

Last updated on the December 2nd 2020

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