It Came From The Woods

Writers: Chelle, Eimi, Paula
Date Posted: 28th May 2010

Characters: Parale, Apeline, Orlo, Osman
Description: Apeline sets Parale up on a blind date.
Location: Garnet Valley Hold
Date: month 9, day 15 of Turn 5

She was pacing the floor of the family's quarters. Apeline had invited
some man to dinner. Parale hoped she wouldn't disappoint. She'd put on
one of her prettier skirts. It was a sort of deep violet and she adored
it with the tunic she'd made herself out of spun wool. Sighing, she kept
out of sight, in the pantry.

"For Faranth's sake, what are you doing?" her friend asked as she peeked
her head in. "You haven't even met the man and you're already hiding?"

"Well I thought I'd come in here and collect my thoughts before he
arrived." She frowned, wondering if that meant he *had* arrived.
"And you want his first impression of you to be hiding in the pantry?"
Apeline chuckled, opening the door wider. "Come on, they'll be here any
minute and I need your help setting the table. You'll make a much
better impression, I promise."

Nodding, she admitted defeat and walked out, assisting Apeline with the
preparations as best she could, her stomach doing flip-flops all the
while. A male voice that both could recognize as Apeline's husband,
Orlo's, could be heard as the door swung open. "Come on in. We don't
stand on ceremony in this house. Apeline? Parale?"

"In here, husband," his wife called back, giving her friend a quick wink
before she faced her fate.

Osman followed Orlo in. He was Orlo's cousin and nature had been rather
cruel to him when looks were dealt out. His hair was probably his best
feature, ashy blond. His eyes were deep set and big eyebrows
over-shadowed them, so you could barely see them. His nose was very
large. A scar across his cheek pulled his mouth askew. He had no chin
whatsoever and the few hairs growing in it weren't an improvement.

When she got her first look at him, she wilted. Parale hadn't hoped for
much, but she had envisioned someone who was at least allright to look
at. Inside, she felt like crying. "Ahhh good day.." Still, a holder had
manners.

Apeline set her jaw despite the large grin on her face. When Orlo had
said he would invite his cousin, she was sure Osman was not the one he
had in mind! Didn't he have a perfectly decent cousin on his mother's
side who was unwed? What was he thinking! "You're welcome, as always,
Osman. This is my friend, Parale." The look she gave the foster mother
was one of silent apology.

"Well met," Osman mumbled shyly.

"Indeed. Are you hungry?" She moved to help Apeline with the food
as the men settled themselves, taking the opportunity to corner her
friend. "Did you see his *nose*?" she whispered, urgently trying to keep
herself from running out the door.

"Yes, it's the only thing he and Orlo have in common," her friend
whispered back. "A nose isn't everything. He has nice hair, at least."

"Have a seat, Osman, and I'll pour us a couple drinks," Orlo said as he
gave the man's shoulder a pat.

Osman nodded and took a seat. He was a man of few words. He was watching
Parale. She was younger than he had expected from Orlo's talks and
prettier. Well beyond his reach, he knew.

She took her seat at the table, sharing a glance with Apeline.
"What is it that you do, Osman?"

"I raise herdbeasts," Osman mumbled the answer.

"He has quite a herd, Parale," Apeline interjected with an encouraging
smile. "And you're working on your master's knots, are you not, Osman?"

"Yes," Osman murmured.

"Very nice Osman. Do you have any children?" Parale was doing her best.
No one could say she wasn't.

Osman just shook his head.

Thinking desperate thoughts, she wondered if he might speak if she
brought up his career. "How many herdbeasts have you then?"

"About two hundred head," Osman replied.

"Do you raise them for meat or stock?" Parale had almost reached her
knowledge of herdbeasts.

"For dairy and meat," Osman replies were still short. It was like he was
afraid to open his mouth.

She was trying. Faranth, but she was trying. She looked at Apeline for
some help, then settled on eating some of the food spread before her.

Her friend tried fill the silence. "Parale makes many of her own
clothes, Osman. She's a fine seamstress."

"Really?" he mumbled his mouth full of food, spraying crumbles all over.

~*~

After it was all over, Parale had said her polite goodbyes and then
began to help Apeline clean up. "Apeline..I'll not do that again."

"Oh, really?" her friend asked, her smile faltering slightly. "I kind
of already set up another dinner... With a woodsmith my brother works
with..."

She sighed. "Fine, but he better not be anything like this. I cannot carry a whole conversation myself."

Last updated on the May 28th 2010

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

It Came From The Woods