The Burn

Writers: Eimi
Date Posted: 23rd September 2006

Characters: Penryn, Kiomo
Description: Kiomo comes to a reluctant Penryn to ask for help
Location: Garnet Valley Hold
Date: month 13, day 24 of Turn 3

"Good evening, Penryn, I hope I'm not bothering you," Kiomo said as he
strode across the Stewards carpet to his desk.

"Not at all, Kiomo, I was just... getting a little extra work done."
Penryn looked that Holder curiously. It was strange to find him in his
office at this time of night. Usually he disappeared as soon as the
work day was finished. Not that the Steward could blame him. Not
everyone
had to hide behind work to feel like they had a life. "What can I do
for you?"

"I have a bit of a problem, Penryn, and I could really use your help,"
his visitor admitted carefully. Its not that he had really anything
_against_ the Steward. He just didn't exactly enjoy his company either.
Having to ask him for help was a necessity, but not an easy one. "You
don't happen to have anything to drink do you?"

"Sapphire Meadows Hold Whiskey work for you?" Penryn _knew_ he had
that...

"That would be perfect," Kiomo nodded.

The cabnet was quickly unlocked and a bottle selected. Pulling down two
glass the older man asked, "What seems to be the trouble?"

"You know how Lord Ishek and I went to Quartz River Hold? Thank you,"
he said taking the offered glass and immediately taking a long sip.
"Well," he licked the whiskey from his lips, "it seems Holder Peringel's
daughter is leveling accusations at me. She's pregnant, or at
least that's what they claim, and they say the child is mine."

Penryn studied Kiomo's face very carefully. "Those are serious
accusations indeed. And I take it you deny them?"

"Of course. There is no way I could be the father of her child, if
in fact she is pregnant."

"From your saying 'no way', am I right in assuming then that you did
nothing with the Holder's daughter which could lead to anyone becoming
pregnant?" the Steward asked, still measuring the man in front of him.

Kiomo brought his eyes up to meet Penryn's squarely. "Just what kind of
man do you take me for, Penryn?" he frowned. "Besides, why would I be
interested in his daughter? Man to man - I already have a woman here
that I have developed deep feelings for, _honorable_ feelings for, and I
would not want to jeapordize them with some casual fling for no reason!"

Penryn's eyes narrowed slightly at his words. So there was a woman he
had his sights on? The only woman he had ever seen him actively seek
out was Thalia. Could there be something between the two that the
Steward knew nothing of? Thalia and Kiomo... Had there
been any hint, any sign in her behavior towards Kiomo that showed she
had feelings for him? They had
been spending some time together in her garden, Penryn knew that.
And didn't they lean just a little too close for comfort from time to
time at the evening meal? Didn't Kiomo seem to have a habit of going
for
long walks, and curiously about the same time Thalia had a was out
riding her runner? And just where _did_ Kiomo disappear to in the
evenings? He could feel a small seed of envy begin to sprout in his
mind that he quickly pushed back with a drink.

Did she know about Kiomo's feelings? Did she know about the
allegations? If she knew, that would cast doubt on any feelings she
might have for the man. How could she marry Kiomo with _this_ looming
over him? Impregnating the only daughter of a Holder, Minor or not, was
no small offense. He
would have to marry Peringel's daughter if the allegations were proved
true. Even if they were _thought_ to be true. Should there even be any
doubt Thalia could not marry him, whether he married Perina or not. His
reputation would be stained. She could not ally a future Lord Holder
with him.

The Steward turned to lock the cabinet once more, buying a little more
time to think this through. Thalia needed a husband, and if she _was_
Kiomo's interest it would be an advantageous match for them both. She
would gain the connections through his family her son needed, he would
leap
from being the son of a Lord Holder to the stepfather of a future
Holder, and all of their children would be descended of two great
bloodlines and related to a third. All that, and she would not have to
leave the Hold to marry. It would be... perfect for her... Kiomo could
give her everything she needed... If he truly cared for her, how could
Penryn deny her the
chance at happiness? How could he wish anything more for her? And yet
that stab of jealousy festered.

Shards, why should _he_ get mixed up in this business? It was Kiomo's
problem! Allegations like this just didn't fall like Thread! There
usually was a grain of truth behind them! Why should Penryn help him
dig his way out of a hole that he may very well have dug for himself?!
Let the truth come out as it will, and let Thalia judge him accordingly.
The Steward had to admit the last thing on Pern he wanted to do was
help Kiomo by clearing a path for his feelings for Lady to be
realized. If there was proof out there, let Kiomo find it on his own!

And yet there was always that possibility that Kiomo _had_ been accused
wrongly. It was still possible that he was a good man, one whose only
crime in Penryn's mind was loving the woman he himself could not have.
If he loves her... and she could learn to love him... Thalia could be
_happy_ with him. Penryn turned and picked up his glass of whiskey once
more, staring down through the liquid, through the glass, through the
woodgrain desk, through time, back to the night when he had told Thalia
about Ryalane. She had tried so hard to convince him not to marry her,
to marry for love, to marry for happiness. If there was the
possibility, even the slightest possibility that she could do the
same...

Penryn took a deep breath and released it slowly. Bringing the glass to
his lips he downed the rest in one long gulp, feeling the stinging burn
of alcohol racing down his throat. Finally his eyes rose to meet
Kiomo's once more. In a voice rasped with pain from more than just the
liquor, he little more than whispered, "Tell me what I can do."

Last updated on the October 1st 2006

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