A Difficult Situation

Writers: Vix, AL
Date Posted: 20th September 2008

Characters: Mahantan, Alydelle
Description: Mahantan finds Alydelle and discovers why she's missed her classes.
Location: Dolphin Hall
Date: month 12, day 1 of Turn 4

Alydelle sat huddled on the beach, legs drawn to her chest, and arms hugged tightly against her thighs. She couldn't remember how long she had been there, only that when Mordin had finally thrown her from his room, her tunic torn, her body sore and used, she had wandered in a stupor only to collapse there into a sobbing, heaving mass. She had cried on and off, stopping to drop into a strange soft of half-sleep only to jerk awake at the cruel visage that seemed determined to refuse her any reprieve from her despair. She would then begin to cry again, clutching at herself. Sora had found her some time before and while he could not come inland, he hovered in as shallow water as he dared, darting here and there, clicking and calling out to her in an attempt to soothe and comfort. His voice seemed hollow against the aching rush of the water that stretched in and out, paying no heed to the pain of the poor girl huddled on its doorstep.

"I see her," Mahantan said in response to the dolphins scree-ing around him, giving him the news. He allowed the dolphin beside him to tow him as far as possible and then rode the next wave to shore. As he viewed her, all anger drained from his body and he felt only concern. He trod over the rocks and sand quietly, finally seating himself next to her. "Alydelle?"

She had heard the dolphins, though her sleep-deprived and sorrow filled mind hadn't registered them. So, when she heard her Master's voice so close to her, her head snapped and she started back, red-rimmed eyes wide and staring.

Now that he was here beside her, he really did not know what to say. "You. . . you missed your classes."

The sound of his voice simply seemed to thrust her into a fresh bout of tears. "He...he...he..." Alydelle couldn't get anything else out. She fisted her eyes, smearing the tears over her hands.

He. Mahantan wondered what that meant – he, help, hurt? Helplessly, he put an arm around her. "It'll be fine."

Alydelle shrunk from the Master's touch and she shook her head as her hands futilely wiped at the tears flowing from her eyes. "He wouldn't stop..I didn't want to but he wouldn't stop..."

Wouldn't stop? The Master Dolphineer's eyes narrowed at that revelation. "Someone. . . who did this to you?"

"M...M...Mordin." The girl sniffed and hugged her knees closer to her chest. "I thought...I thought he..." She couldn't finish but burst into tears again wishing she had never stopped to answer him when he had first called to her.

"Mordin." The name was familiar, yet not familiar. Not an apprentice who answered to Mahantan and probably not one of the journeymen either. That much was a relief – if there could be any relief in this situation. "Are you badly hurt?"

How could she discuss this with him? Alydelle shrunk away, hugging herself. She wished she could dig a hole in the sand and just disappear. She wished she could turn back time and tell herself to keep running instead of stopping and talking to the smith.

He felt extremely exasperated – he apparently was not handling this well, and yet he had to do something, to somehow help this girl – this apprentice. "I know this is difficult, but we need to talk about it."

Aly refused to look up at him. She didn't _want_ to talk about it. She wanted to forget all about it, to have had it never happen in the first place. Dwelling on it was the last thing she wanted to do, yet even when Mahantan hadn't been there, she couldn't have _stopped_ thinking about it, agonizing over it and the choices she had made that had led to it all. It was her own fault, her own stupid fault.

"Alright then," he told her, his mind already considering what consequences must be applied to the young man – and to this girl – and wishing that someone else had found her here. "Let's get back to the Hall."

She didn't want to go back. Alydelle was ready to jump in the water, start swimming and never stop. If only things were that easy. She didn't make a move but huddled there, sand crusted fingers still clutching at her knees. She shook her head, fighting back more tears though all in vain and refusing to look her Master in the eye.

Though he waned to respect the girl's feelings, he knew that he did not have that luxury. "There's no choice in this. The dolphins will accompany us back to the Hall."

Her first impulse was to jump and scream and yell at the Master. She didn't want to go back. She didn't want to face other people. But what else was she to do? The girl didn't scream, she didn't yell. Instead, she stood up without a word and made her way down to the water. Tears began to make more paths down her cheeks and drip from her chin, but soon enough they mingled with the water from the sea. If only it was so easy to wash everything else away.

Last updated on the September 20th 2008

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A Difficult Situation