Her Secret (Part 1)

Writers: Avery, Eimi
Date Posted: 28th December 2017

Characters: Xeladrie, Kiomo
Description: Xeladrie has to decide if she's ready to open up to Kiomo or not..
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 1, day 10 of Turn 9
Notes: Notes: Part 1 of 2
Mentions: Bryvin

Xeladrie

Xeladrie's brother had persuaded her to spend time in an actual
sitting room in the Hold where she could look outside and enjoy some
air, rather than staying closeted up in the rooms she'd been given.
She kept the door open and was sitting there reading something that
her brother's wife said was interesting, but it was terribly boring.

She was hoping someone would stop in to talk to her, and more
accurately, that someone interesting would stop in. Xeladrie had
enjoyed taking tea with Kiomo the other evening. She remembered that
he had said he would only be around Turquoise Bay for a short time,
and had hoped she'd see him again before he headed back to Sunstone
Seahold.

The Lady did not have to wait long before hearing a knock on the door.
"M'lady?" Kiomo asked as he ducked his head in the door. "Am I
disturbing you?"

"Not at all," Xeladrie said, smiling up at him as he entered. "I was
just reading something my sister-in-law lent me."

"Should I ask, or it is one of those romantic Harper tales young
Ladies hide behind well worn book covers?" he asked with a suspicious
squint to his eye.

"Sadly, my brother's wife would not be _nearly_ that scandalous, I'm
afraid," she said with a sigh of vague disappointment. "She's very
into tales set historically, so this one is about the re-settlement of
one of the old places the Ancients settled. It happened around 80
Turns ago, and they'd just gotten a thriving location going before the
Plagues hit and most of them died. It's conceptually interesting, but
the writing is just so dry."

"Shall I smuggle you a Harper tale to bring a bit of life back into
your reading?" he asked with a grin as he settled into the chair next
to hers.

"I am shocked that a man like you would know where to find tales for
foolish girls like myself," she said in a prim voice, before beginning
to giggle.

"The smartest women I know I have read those 'foolish tales', Lady.
Some would even claim they were..." He shrugged innocently, as if
looking for a word. "Educational."

"And have you read any yourself, or just bring them to people you
know?" she inquired.

"Ah, well..." Kiomo looked down at his fingernails, almost as if he
were embarrassed. "To satisfy my curiosity, I _may_ have read one,
but... You see, boy's have their own stories... Much fewer words,
generally but a lot more... action."

"Action of the kind in the ladies' tales, or action in the fighting
way? I know my brother Rixel used to carry around a book with a pirate
on the cover and play at ship games all day," she mentioned.

"Oh yes, there are those books too," Kiomo conceded. "But I was
referring more to the illustrated variety. Not as much fighting in
those."

"Ah, I see. It sounds like those would be enjoyable as well," Xeladrie
said. "Perhaps I should in fact request some educational and
interesting reads from you. To broaden my horizons."

He threw his head back and laughed. "I had best wait until after your
baby's born. The excitement might bring it before it's time and then
won't Lord Bryvin have a fit?"

Xeladrie looked down at herself. "I'd rather the babe come now so I
don't have to carry him any longer. What my husband would think
doesn't much matter to me."

"Well, he can't fire you, Lady. I'm not afraid it would be you he was
angry with." Kiomo smiled. "I'm sure you have been mighty
uncomfortable recently, but it will be over soon."

"You're right, he'd be angry if he found out. I shall promise on my
heart to never tell him where any such literature came from," Xeladrie
said.

"I am looking forward to the baby being born," which was true, "and
the eventual return to Sunstone. I am tired of being back under my
family's thumb," she confessed.

His look softened at once. "We will be happy to have you back, Lady.
And your little baby will be a source of pride to your Holders."

If it was a son, he would be. If a girl, well...

"Has my husband at all mentioned what he wished for in your hearing?" she asked.

Kiomo shook his head. "No, Lord Bryvin has kept his thoughts to
himself as far as I'm aware. I'm sure as long as you and the baby are
healthy, he will be satisfied with whatever outcome."

"Would you mind carrying a note for him back to the Hold for me? I
trust you far more than Glimmer, she's not very bright."

"I would be happy to, Lady." He remembered Xeladrie's flit as being
a bit of a handful when they first met. "I'm sure it will make Lord
Bryvin happy to hear from you. And I will be happy to report to him
that you are looking well and being well cared for."

"I cannot complain about the food here. I'm thinking of stealing my
favorite cook," she said with a laugh.

"Oh? Is she young?" Kiomo asked with mock interest in her availablity.

"She's older than me but much younger than the Headwoman here. But she
just makes these divine spreads, she's helped encourage me to eat
sandwiches by creating things that appeal even when I thought I didn't
want anything. I'd hire her off and bring her back in a heartbeat if I
thought I could."

"Well, why couldn't you? She isn't a crafter under contract."
Holders were free to move as they wished. What Hold didn't want an
excellent cook? "Besides, I'm sure your father would be happy to let
her go if he knew it would make you happy."

Kiomo had a point. She could just ask for Ileandra if she wanted her.
"And my Lord Husband surely wouldn't object to me choosing staffer
that makes me happy, and the Headwoman won't object if he doesn't,"
she realized.

"No, of course they wouldn't, Lady. Your happiness is important to all of us."

There was a sincerity in his tone that Xeladrie was drawn to. She
wanted to tell him what she was really thinking, wanted to get the
perspective of a man like him and see if he could help. She took a
deep breath, deciding that she'd ask one last question and then, if
she liked the answer, tell him her secret.

Last updated on the January 1st 2018

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Her Secret (Part 1)