The Lady Returns

Writers: AL, Clancey, Suzee
Date Posted: 16th June 2014

Characters: Zathris, Benani, Felyna
Description: Benani remembers her arrival back home
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 7, day 5 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Zelanka

Zathris

Benani

Felyna

It was dark when she woke and she could tell it must be the middle of
the night. The fire burned low and lit her familiar room but for a
moment she was disoriented until she looked across the room to the
chair where Zathris slept with his head thrown back.

Her head whipped around to look in the bed but there was no Crolarin
and no chain around her ankle though she could still make out the
marks of where it had been before Zathris struck it off. She pulled
her foot back up under her night dress. Lifting a hand she ran her
fingers over the sleeve marveling at the fine thin fabric and the fact
that she wasn't naked.

Her eyes closed and she remembered

~~~ flashback ~~~

Huddled against his chest while the sound of the runners hooves went
from earth to gravel to stone, she peaked out of the cloak to see the
side of the main hold building and the faces in the windows.

Felyna had sent her flit but had not gone with the rescue party.
After all, Xebex could come back and forth to her as easily as she
could ride with the group. And besides that, what good would she
have done ? She had no fighting skills and would have just been
another woman to protect.

She was, however, waiting at the window watching for any sign of the
group returning. She knew they had been successful from her flit,
but he had no idea about time, so he didn't know when they would be
home.

She saw them finally and she let out a yell. "They're here!" In the
second of her unladylike dashes since Benani had disappeared, she
raced out the door, wanting nothing more than to embrace her friend
and see for herself if she okay. Or, actually, how_not_ okay she

truly was, since Xebex' picture had showed the horrifying state in
which she'd been kept.

There was no telling what kind of scars this would leave on her friend.

She appeared at the side of Zathris' runner, speaking softly. "Hi
Benani... welcome home dear friend. You're safe now."

Benani's pale hand snaked out of the bundle in Zathris arms. "Thank
you," she sobbed. "Thank you for sending Xebex, Felyna." She couldn't
contain her tears and the pretty blond Lady Holders' face dissolved as
the tide broke inside Benani. "Thank you," she kept trying to say over
and over.

Zathris' arms tightened possessively around his wife. "We need to get
you to bed, and a healer to see you." His eyes darted about and fell
upon an onlooking drudge who tried to hide in the shadows. "You
there, tell Chupsin of the Lady's return, send him to her quarters."
The sooner she was looked at, the better.

The thought of a man, any man, looking at her or touching her threw
Benani into a panic. "No," she yelled. "No Chupsin," pain and hurt
filled her eyes as she looked up at Zathris. "I can't." she added in
more of a pleading tone. "I can't.

Felyna's own hand came to rest on top of Benani's hand, even within
her safe grasp by Zathris.

"Of course, my friend... we love you. You are safe." She repeated,
as she stood there, watching Benani's reaction to the suggestion of
Chupsin.

She didn't need to be told what had happened; the state she'd been
kept in and the despair on her features in Xebex' picture was forever
burned into her brain. She couldn't forget, even if she wanted to,
what her sweet, strong friend had lived while captive by that horrid
man.

"A woman, would a woman be alright, Benani? We do need to get you
inside an checked out, so we can put you to rest. In your own home!"
She glanced at Zathris. "We could send to the Weyr for a female
Healer. They are bound to have them at the Weyr..." She said softly
to him. "In the meantime, I can stay with her, help her bathe and
change maybe? Would you like that, Benani?"

A woman healer. If that's what Benani wanted, Zathris would certainly
fulfill it. Unlike his predecessor and other Lords, he had no problem
with female crafters. "Yes, I'll have one sent for immediately. I
won't let anyone touch you that you don't want, Benani. I promise."
He was her husband, he was supposed to have kept her safe - and now
she had suffered horrendously. His jaw tightened even as his hold
upon her remained secure. "My lady Felyna, if you are willing to stay
and assist, you would have my eternal gratitude."

She could handle that and felt relieved that her friend was there and
understood her so thoroughly. "Thank you Felyna," she said fervently.
They'd stopped and she'd been handed down while Zathris dismounted.

Felyna nodded fondly. Of course she understood; she was a Lady, bred
and trained to do exactly this sort of thing. Besides that, she
adored Benani and the woman had saved her life... and maybe her
marriage... after they had lost Felwal.

She stepped back, but would follow Benani to her quarters and get her
bathed and dressed. No doubt some time with women would help her.
Though... if those eyes were any judge... there was so much more to
heal and it would take much longer than one afternoon of 'girl' time
to even touch those scars.

~~~ flashback ends ~~~

Her feet had been cold in the snow with no shoes so she hadn't waited
for anyone but scampered up the stairs and through the open door like
she was running to escape all the eyes and questions that threatened
her fragile grip on sanity. Zathris' cloak was the only covering she
had and she'd clutched it around her like armor as she almost ran
through the house to her own room. For more than eight hours she
hadn't let anyone but Felyna in the room with her. Not the healers,
not Zelanka, and not even Zathris. She'd cried and told her friend
only the smallest portion of what she'd experienced. For the most
part, she'd sat in front of the fire with her arms around Camnae
rocking back and forth while her friend tried to talk her into letting
the healers in.

She'd finally done so of course but her hold on sanity was tenuous at
best. "Small steps," that is what the mindhealer had told her. "Small
steps."

Right now looking across the room she couldn't help but feel guilty in
the way she'd treated her husband. But he'd faithfully kept his
distance and honored her need to sleep in their bed alone. Shaking
with apprehension, she eased off it now and crept toward the chair
where he slept. She knelt at his feet and laid her cheek against his
hand where it lay on his knee. "I'm sorry," she whispered and when she
felt him move, she stood and tugged at his hand adding, "Come to bed."

Last updated on the June 17th 2014

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The Lady Returns