He'll Be Back
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
Writers: Heather, Suzee
Date Posted: 7th February 2016
Characters: Benamil, Benani
Description: Benamil delivers some bad news to his sister regarding Lord Zathris.
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 3, day 28 of Turn 8
Notes: Mentioned: Chupsin, Zathris
Benamil had been doing a lot of 'this and that' sort of work ever
since Chupsin had wrapped his midsection to help ease the discomfort
of his cracked ribs. Today he was helping out with some administrative
tasks since Zathris was gone and the new Steward was still learning
the ropes.
It was as he was standing at the main entrance, telling Nimroy of the
horrible date he'd been on, that a messenger arrived.
"Message for Lady Benani, sirs."
"I'll see that she gets it." Benamil assured the runner, plucking the
folded piece of parchment from his hands. "Go get something to eat and
rest before you head back out."
"Yes, milord."
Benamil opened the letter with curiosity, but the first line made his
heart plummet.
"Lord Zathris has gone missing in a shipwreck off the coast of....."
the letter went on to detail that the Dolphin Hall was sending rescue
searchers and that both Dolphin Cove and Dragonsfall had been
informed.
He thought of his sister, who was just finally beginning to seem like
her old self again. Benamil's fingers tightened on the paper, causing
it to crinkle a bit.
Excusing himself from Nimroy, Benamil strode down to the family
quarters that Benani and Zathris shared. "Nani?" He knocked on the
door, using the nickname he'd given her when they were children.
A smile of welcome accompanied Benani as she crossed the room. "Ben,"
she said and gave him a quick hug. While she also had Benil it was
only Benamil she'd shortened. Maybe it was because she felt closer to
him and Yanley than she did to many others of their crowd of siblings.
"What brings you here today?"
A pained expression crossed his face. "I wish it were better news. A
messenger just delivered this." He held out the letter for her to
take.
She took the paper he held out with a puzzled look and then turned her
attention to the contents. As the words registered, all the color
drained from her face and her mouth worked though no sound came out.
In a matter of a second the paper fell from her fingers, her eyes
rolled up in her head and she fainted.
Benamil, who hadn't left her side, caught her in his arms. "Benani."
He carried her over to the couch and laid her down. It was the
reaction he had been expecting. He touched his hand to her cheek.
"Benani," he called again.
When her eyes fluttered open again, she was disoriented and didn't
know where she was. "Wha... what happened," she asked. Then the answer
flooded over her and she covered her face with her hands. "It can't
be," she cried.
"I'm sorry, Nani. The Dolphin Hall is looking for him and both
Dragonsfall and Dolphin Cove have been alerted. Zathris is
resourceful, I'm sure he's sitting on a beach somewhere just waiting
to be picked up." Benamil said, trying to soothe Benani's nerves.
She rocked from side to side for a moment trying to calm herself. She
knew she wasn't going to allow herself to fall into the black pit
she'd just climbed out of. "Not your fault," she said and tried to sit
up.
"What do you need me to do? How can I help?" Benamil wanted to be
there for his sister in a way he hadn't been able to when she'd
returned to the Hold.
"I don't know what to do," she said with her eyes wide. "You said the
Hall is looking for them and the Weyrs. What can I do?" Tears filled
her eyes. Tears of frustration and loss. "I can't lose him Ben," she
whispered. "Not when we just..." she covered her mouth and didn't say
anything about how long she had kept her husband from her bed.
Benamil pulled Benani into a hug. "You will have to be strong and
lookout for the Hold and your children while he is gone. I'm sure he's
coming back, they'll find him."
She hugged her brother hard thankful for his understanding. Then she
nodded and gathered the shreds of her sanity together. "I will be,"
she said. "In a minute." She cried on his shoulder.
Wrapping his arms around his sister, Benamil offered her as much
support as he could as she cried. It seemed awfully unfair that she
would have to go through something like this when she had just found
her feet again. "He'll be back, Benani, he will."
Last updated on the February 9th 2016