Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows

Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold

Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold

Elsewhere on Pern
NPC Weyr
River Bluff Weyr
Seacraft Hall

Story Listing
Series Listing

Weyrling Training

Writers: Yvonne
Date Posted: 20th June 2014

Characters: Taril
Description: Taril mulls over his upcoming match
Location: Sunstone Seahold
Date: month 6, day 3 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Humari, Yriadha

Marriage.

Taril limped across his apartment to collapse into the large, comfortable leather chair by the fire. He set his crutch aside and rubbed at his shoulder absently as he stretched his one good leg out before him. The heat was nice; the winter weather brought a lot of rain to make his bones ache. Dodger appeared from /between/ over his chair and landed lightly on his shoulder, scrambling down his tunic to curl in his lap like a feline. He ran his fingers over the flit's smooth hide, and Dodger's eyes whirlled with pleasure.

Yriadha's offer of her daughter still felt unexpected, even after they'd negotiated the details. Humari was just sixteen, a pretty girl with a quiet, gentle nature. She'd be a good wife for anyone. And yet her mother seemed suspiciously anxious to pawn her off to whoever would take her. Taril was under no illusions - he might be rich, but he was nobody's idea of an ideal husband. A scarred, disfigured cripple. Children threw stones at him, babies cried when they saw his face. What mother would want a man like him for her daughter?

And yet Yriadha was willing to marry her daughter off to him. Why?

Greed, perhaps. Yriadha was a cunning woman, and she liked her comforts. Perhaps she thought that once they were wed, she'd have access to his marks. That brought a small, twisted smile to his face. If that was what she thought, then she had another think coming. She'd have to be much smarter than he gave her credit for if she thought she could manipulate him through Humari, and if she tried to cross him there would be no mercy-- not even for his wife's mother.

_His_ wife. What an odd thought. Not entirely unpleasant, but he felt a momentary stab of pity for the girl, for being sold off like a barrel of salted fish or a bushel of wheat. Both he and her mother were treating her unfairly, but for different reasons. He just wanted a family, children of his own. But her mother... what did Yriadha gain?

Maybe it was about her reputation. **Humari's not a virgin,** he thought after a moment. Her mother must have caught her in another man's bed and wanted to get rid of her before anyone found out that she was ruined. **Maybe she's pregnant.**

And if she was? Taril thought on that for a moment. Could he raise another man's child as his own? Would it matter? Did having a child of his own bloodline matter more than having a wife who was faithful? Maybe not. If they were married everyone would assume that the child was his. And if he could find out who the father was, it wouldn't be too difficult to have him removed so that no stain of suspicion marked the baby.

It would be easy enough to find out what Humari's condition was. Just ask to postpone the wedding for a few months, just long enough for her to begin to show. If Yriadha protested, she was pregnant. If she didn't, then she wasn't. Simple.

Except... Taril shifted in his seat and stared broodingly into the fire. Except he wanted to be married. Perhaps Humari could find it in herself to look past the lost leg and pink scars. Perhaps they could come to some sort of accord. He was under no illusions -- she would never love him. But perhaps she wouldn't hate him. That could be enough.

He found himself wondering what Humari was like. Did she like music? Could she sing? What was her favourite colour, her favourite meal and her favourite sweet? What did she do in the evenings by the fire? What did she ever do? What did she dream, when she thought no one was looking? And what would his family say when they met her? She was barely an adult.

And he was going to marry her. The thought made him suddenly tired, or maybe it was the wine he'd drunk with his future mother-in-law. Taril rubbed his face with his hands, then sighed. The Headwoman would be his mother-in-law. If that wasn't foolish, then nothing was.

Transferring a sleepy Dodger to his shoulder, he reached for his crutch and awkwardly stood, banked the fire, and limped off to his bed. For good or ill, it was done. He'd take a wife, and Yriadha would lose a daughter.

Last updated on the July 1st 2014