Have To Get Away!

Writers: Miriah
Date Posted: 30th June 2014

Characters: Yriadha, Humari, Yarmel
Description: Humari panics
Location: Sunstone Seahold
Date: month 7, day 27 of Turn 7

Yriadha

Humari

"Sit down." Yriadha pointed to the chair across from her as her
youngest daughter entered her office.

Humari slowly sat, hands clasped in front of her. "You wanted to see
me, Mother?"

"Yes." Yriadha steepled her fingers in front of her. "I wanted to make
certain things very clear to you, Humari. This marriage of yours must
succeed. I've taken certain measures to ensure it."

Humari frowned. "What do you mean? What measures?"

Yriadha's smile lacked humor, but was full of satisfaction. "I've
scheduled the wedding on a day based on your cycle, Humari. If you are
anything like your sister, when it is consummated," her eyes narrowed,
"and it will be, you will most likely be with child before the first
week is over. I'm sure that your new husband will be most willing to
bed you every night for the first few sevendays. Newlywed husbands are
active in that regard."

Humari paled. That often? But…she wasn't ready to be a mother. She
didn't even know Taril well. "But…"

Her mother's voice became sharp. "No buts, Humari. You will give
yourself to him as often as he needs and wants and even encourage it.
Whether or not you want it is not a concern. Your…little indiscretions
will be completely forgotten, do you understand?" Humari nodded then
bit her lip and lowered her head to stare at her lap. Yriadha
continued. "Because, if he puts you aside…for any reason, you'll find
no comfort from me."

Humari looked up in confusion. "But you said in the contract…"

"If you are put aside, neither your brothers, your sister nor I will
take you in, Humari. You will be cast from this Hold immediately.
Holdless. You _will_ become a model wife, Humari because if you
aren't, you'll have no home. You'll have nothing. And if even the
slightest hint occurs that you might decide to continue your
disgusting perversion, Yarmel or Bortem will have a personal, private
chat with you. You will not shame this family even more than you
already have, is that understood?"

Stricken, Humari felt a tear slide down her face, but quickly wiped it
away. Throat tight, she couldn't speak, but nodded her understanding.
Misery swelled in her chest as Yriadha stared at her from across the
desk.

Yriada nodded with satisfaction. "Now, go home. Bortem is waiting
outside to escort you. I expect you to remain home until the wedding."

"Yes, Mother." Humari's voice was a whisper. She rose, hands trembling
as she hurried away and stepped outside, only to be immediately joined
by one of her brothers. He said nothing to her, but just walked beside
her until they reached the quarters she shared with her mother.

Humari stepped in and he firmly closed the door behind her. She stared
blankly at the living area before sitting down, numb. She couldn't do
this. She couldn't. Panic began to rise in her stomach. Taril seemed
so nice and kind, but what would happen when he found out what she
was? How perverse she was? Could she watch his expression turn into
that disgust that her family now had? Could she live an entire life
seeing that disgust? As kind as he had been, she couldn't bear the
thought. Not from him too. And if he put her aside when he found out,
she'd die. She knew nothing about living holdless. She choked out a
sob and covered her mouth as if afraid someone would be able to hear
her.

She couldn't stay. She couldn't face it. She couldn't stay here and
face that inevitability. But where could she go? In a flash, she knew.
She'd take the first ship and find a way to the Weyr! They were
accepting, she could work and they would never force her to marry a
man that would end up despising her. In a pure panicked rush, she ran
to her room and immediately began filling a sack with clothes. She dug
through her wardrobe and found her small bag of mark coins. It wasn't
much, but it should be enough for passage. And if not, she could trade
some of her jewelry. Just not the bangle. She would hide it in her
clothes.

Breath heaving, she ran to the front window and peeked out. Bortem was
gone. Relieved, she opened the door, looked around and as quick as she
could, made for the docks. She had to hurry and find a ship that was
leaving soon. Within candlemarks, if possible.

As she reached the docks, she went to the first sailor she could to
ask which ship was leaving soonest. With a questioning expression, the
sailor directed her to the Harbor Master. She made her way towards him
only to have him eye her critically. She tried to explain. "I'm trying
to reach..."

He held up his hand. "Hold on for a moment, miss. You're trying to
seek passage?" She nodded. "I'll have to go fetch the list of ships
currently taking passengers on. Wait here for a moment please."

As he walked away, Humari shifted on her feet, glancing out at the
ships. One of them would mean her freedom. She hugged her satchel
closer to her as minutes passed. A few days journey and she'd be able
to…

A hard hand gripped her upper arm and yanked her around. With a scream
of surprise and fright, Humari was brought face to face with Yarmel's
chest. Immediately her hands began shaking and her stomach clenched.
"Yarmel…I.."

He grabbed her face in a tight grip, stilling her words as his fingers
dug into her jaw. She whimpered and stared up at him in growing fear.
"Don't speak to me. Not a word, Humari." There was fury in his
expression. "Trying to leave? After a contract's already been signed?
Do you have any idea what that would have cost us? Cost Mother? You
selfish, little bitch." He squeezed her jaw just a little. "You care
about no one but yourself." He dropped his hand away from her jaw and
looked up to give a nod to the Harbor Master before beginning to pull
her back to the main hold.

She stumbled and he jerked her up, wrenching on her arm. She gasped
and he snarled down at her. "Be quiet. Walk. If you make a scene, it's
only going to go harder on you when we get home." Humari wisely
sealed her lips and walked with her head down, but knees knocking.

And it was worse. Yarmel wielded the belt with vicious efficiency. By
the time he was finished teaching her his own lesson about obeying
family, Humari could barely walk. Welts and bruises covered her lower
back, upper thighs and buttocks; in some areas the skin had been
broken. She was given nothing to help with the pain.

When her mother returned and was told what had happened, the rest of
Humari's back and shoulders was treated to the same. As she lay limply
in her bed, she had to watch with hazy eyes as her room was stripped
of anything precious, including her bangle. That was slid upon her
mother's wrist. She closed her eyes, tears streaming down cheeks
already raw from weeping.

Last updated on the July 1st 2014

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Have To Get Away!