Held Prisoner

Writers: Chelle, Jane
Date Posted: 6th January 2015

Characters: Asley, Solynt
Description: He invites her on an outing.
Location: Harper Hall
Date: month 10, day 13 of Turn 7

She had been working since sun up and was ready to just give up for the day. She
was hungry and dirty and a good bath would do wonders for her disposition.
Sighing, she hung up her apron to be cleaned and turned to leave the room.
Leaning against the doorframe for a moment, she closed her eyes and yawned. **So
much to do and so little time.**

"Falling asleep on your feet, apprentice?" the young journeyman asked with
amusement in his tone.

Turning her head slowly, she recognized him with little trouble. He was only a
few turns older than her. And yet here he was, with his knots, and she without
hers. **If he says one more thing...** "Ah no. Believe I was doing it on the
wall here." Exiting, she began to trudge down the hallway, hoping she made it to
the dorms. She probably looked like a wreck.

Solynt found himself following her down the hallway. "Asley, are you just tired
or is there a problem?" She was an apprentice printer; he was a journeyman. He
was supposed to keep an eye on his juniors in craft.

"Tired and stinking." Whether or not she liked it, he was a man who had
authority over her thanks to his rank. She had to remember that. So many men.
All she had wanted was to get out of this pit and yet here she was. She kept
walking, hoping her legs could get her to the dorms.

"I'm probably downwind and I don't think you're stinking _too_ badly," he
offered lightly. "Are you sure you're not ill?" When they lived at the Weyr she
had always appears bright and energetic - something of an achievement in that
climate, but now he took a careful look at her she seemed almost worn down.

**Why does he care if I am ill or not?** "Completely sure. Just need rest and a
bath. A bath would do wonders." Just thinking about the warm water made some of
her aches go away as she trudged along. **I hate this pit. I hate this pit. I
hate this pit.**

"Well, if you're sure." He wasn't, but what could he do? Perhaps she might be a
little more open if she was talking to another woman? "Asley, if there was
something you wanted to ... talk about, or ask about, or something, you could
speak with Lynta, if you preferred." His younger sister wasn't long a
journeywoman and only a Turn or two older than Asley.

That caused her to whirl around and stare at him for a moment. Her eyes turned
to slits as she sized him up. **Had he figured her out? Did he know?** Millions
of thoughts flew through her head. Most of them were tinged by fear. "What do
you think I need to talk about?"

"Er - I'm not sure. You just don't look ... happy. You were happy at the Weyr, I
think. Is somebody bothering you? You know the printers won't stand for that
sort of thing," he said, wondering if there was trouble from the harpers.

"Well besides the hold guards that tell me to go the wrong way.." She sighed and
shook her head. "That was a long time ago though. I told Master Eilomar when I
got here. Since then, I don't go out without an escort."

"So you're stuck in the Hall?" the journeyman said, trying to think if Lynta
felt that way but he couldn't bring to mind a visit to the Hold that she had
made without being part of the family group.

"In a word-yes." Not that she really had a need or desire to go to the Hold.
Asley didn't give a whit about the weaver hall or holders. She might have liked
to explore the falls though, just once. Sighing, she kept walking, by now
resigned to the fact that he was following her.

"Oh." He was silent for a few steps, glancing over at the young woman as they
walked. "I know you shouldn't _need_ an escort if things were as they should be,
but if you wanted to get out more you can always come out with my family and I.
And Lynta. She's usually with us."

Turns of having to be careful of men and distrustful came to the fore as she
wondered just what Solynt wanted. Male crafters had to get married to reach
further promotion. She was aware of that. She wondered if he had considerations.
On the other hand, it would be nice to have a walk outside every once and again.
"Maybe I will if there's no work to be done." For him, that was a small victory.

"Tomorrow's a restday," he pointed out diffidently. "Should be nothing more
than a few chores."

**It went from sometime to tomorrow quickly, hadn't it?** She looked askance
at him again. Hopefully he held no allusions or she would have to squash them.
That could put her in hot water though if he ever suspected why. **Shardit all!**

"After today, I'd like to sleep in then do my chores so I fear I won't be much
company."

"Oh, of course." She certainly did look like she could do with the sleep.
"Well, you just let me - any of us - know when you'd like to go somewhere and
we'll make up a party."

Last updated on the February 10th 2015

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Held Prisoner