Childbirth, Ledgers, and Night-dresses

Writers: Miriah, Yvonne
Date Posted: 20th July 2017

Characters: Taril, Humari
Description: Taril and Humari discuss the baby and some interesting ledgers.
Location: Sunstone Seahold
Date: month 12, day 2 of Turn 8
Notes: Mentioned: Yriadha, Bryvin

Humari

Since she no longer had a firelizard, Humari had had to pace nervously
until Taril got home. The moment the door open, she hurried forward,
Tumaril clutched in her arms. "Taril, Torinya told me this morning
that she's going away for a few days with my mother." Her voice
lowered. "I think it's going to be close to her time." She offered a
hand to help him with his jacket.

Taril couldn't quite hide his smirk. That his mother-in-law was having
a child out of wedlock was a source of no end of amusement. His son
would have an aunt or uncle younger than he was. "Really. Isn't it a
bit early?"

"No, it's about right." Humari fretted her lower lip, bouncing Tumaril
on her hip as she spoke. "But that's not really what I'm concerned
about. I've heard rumors about who the father might be and I think I
know, but...do you think we should take in the baby?"

"Woah, woah, woah!" The merchant held up a hand to stall his wife.
"Take in the baby? Where did this come from?!" He had _no_ desire to
take on Yriadha's mistake. She made her bed and she could lie in it.

Her brow furrowed. "Well, the child can't be raised without a father,
can it? Look what happened to me after my father died. If it's a girl
then..." Humari's lips tightened and she sighed, looking down at
Tumaril. "Shouldn't I help?"

"Well-- let's talk about this a bit first." Taril leaned on the wall
and kicked off his one muddy boot. "Another baby is a lot of work,
Humari. Especially since our son isn't quite a Turn old yet-- two
children that small? And then there's your mother." He paused, trying
to find a way to express himself without offending his wife. "She
would be spending a lot more time here. With you." And he couldn't
imagine anything worse.

Humari picked up the muddy boot and placed it on the mat next to the
door as she frowned. "I know. And I don't want that but..." She looked
down at Tumaril and kissed his brow. "I understand. I just don't want
my mother hurting another little girl." She rested her cheek on her
son's head. "Or boy. Besides, one day we'll have another." Her lips
lifted a little even as she flushed. "I mean, if you want."

"Of course!" He reached out to brush his fingertips against the soft
skin of her face. "I'd like that more than anything. But in the mean
time... you said that you knew who the father was?" A little gossip
would distract his young wife away from awkward topics.

She leaned into his touch and smiled, her gaze gentle as she looked up
into her husband's face. When Tumaril started to squirm, however, she
put him down and let the little boy begin to crawl on the rug, picking
up a wooden runner toy to gnaw on its head. "I'm not for certain, of
course, but..." She licked her lips and sounded earnest, "and I
wouldn't ever say anything in public, but the only man my mother seems
to respect in any way is Lord Bryvin." Her brow knit. "I know he's wed
and I do like Xeladrie, but..." her voice lowered to a whisper. "but I
can't see my mother keeping a bastard child for any man beneath her
station. And there is only one man here that really outranks her."

Taril's eyebrows rose, although he wasn't as surprised as he ought to
be. The Lord Holder had never struck him as particularly devoted to
his wife, and he was good at keeping his business private. But to bed
_Yriadha_ of all people!? "Not the last Steward, then? He would have
outranked her."

Humari shook her head. "No, she had him in mind for me for a time,
remember?" She sighed. "Maybe I'm wrong. I shouldn't be assuming these
things anyway." She pushed back a small lock of her hair. and tucked
it behind her ear. "It's no longer my concern, really." She looked up
at Taril and tilted her head. "But something else is." She paused and
glanced at the table behind her where hides were piled from the
previous evening.

She didn't quite know how to approach the next subject nor how he
would take her meddling. She decided to simply be upfront. "I was
cleaning up and those ledger hides...Taril, I looked at them." Before
he could object, she hurried on. "The harpers always said I had a good
head for numbers, and I suppose I was curious." She took a deep
breath. "I saw the one for one of your ships and...and I think you're
being cheated."

Taril stilled. Perhaps he'd grown careless with his hides, but Humari
should not have gone poking around where she had no business-- and
yet. "What do you mean?"

Hurrying over to the table where the hides lay where she had left
them. She pulled out a sheet and brought it to him. "See here?" She
pointed out the purchase sums. "It says that one of your captains
picks up master level furniture from a little cothold up the coast."
Her brow furrowed. "I know that family and he's not a master level
woodworker. He was only an apprentice when he had to take over the
cothold and never got to finish his training. He's all self taught."
She chewed on her lower lip."He does it for the enjoyment. He made
Tumaril's little runner toy." She frowned. "It says that your captain
bought some furniture for that amount, but Rosef is an an honest man,
Taril. He would never charge anyone that much. I think your captain is
lying to you because you should have more profit than this."

"Really." Taril eyed the hide in her hand. "Interesting. Why do you
think Ahrun might have done that?"

"Well, maybe Ahrun is claiming that he spends more to purchase the
furniture and taking the extra profits for himself." She nervously
tucked another piece of hair behind her ear.

The merchant felt a brief flash of fury. Ahrun had been working with
his family for Turns, now. If he was running this scheme, then he
might be running others. And if Ahrun was scamming him, who else was?
"I think I need to have a talk with Ahrun," he said grimly. "I...
didn't know." The last part was hard to admit.

Maybe she had really helped him, but he certainly didn't look happy
about it. Thinking, she decided that were she in his position, she
wouldn't be happy either. "Well, I think that sort of thing is hard to
catch unless you personally know the crafters and cotholders around
here. I hope I helped a bit." She paused and drew her braid over her
shoulder, stroking it. "You're not mad at _me_ are you?"

"You? No." Taril brushed the back of his hand gently against Humari's
cheek. "Although I am surprised that you were able to deduce all that
from a ledger."

Her expression was relieved as she leaned towards his hand. "I don't
really know. It just caught my attention." She met his eyes. "And if I
can help you, then I should."

"And you did. Thank you for that."

She took a breath, paused, and then visibly forged ahead. "You told me
when we first were betrothed that you wanted a partner...more than
just a wife." She shifted on her feet, trying to find the right words.
"I know that I'm a disappointment in some ways but I really want to
try to be that for you. You deserve that."

"I have no regrets about marrying you." But it was true that he wanted
a partner, and Humari was... young. She wasn't like the wild
fishergirls that he'd grown up with, but she wasn't quite a proper
Hold woman either. In some ways she was like him; neither of them
really fit in. Taril sighed, trying to think of a way to banish the
self-doubt in her voice. "And you are not disappointment. Most people
- woman or not - wouldn't have been able to spot Ahrun's scam like
that. I appreciate that."

She looked up at him, eyes searching his face and finally smiled a
little more, a measure of pride coming into her eyes. "Thank you." She
checked Tumaril, who was still happily gumming the toy and then
reached to brush her lips slowly over Taril's. It was gentle, but also
hinted at seduction, something she was still trying to work on. Her
voice lowered to a whisper. "Oh, I went to the market today. I got a
new night dress." She looked at him through her lashes. "I thought I
might show it to you after dinner." Her cheeks pinkened just a little.
"It's red."

Taril's eyes rose. "Or now. You could show me now." Tumaril could look
after himself for a while, couldn't he?

"We can't until Tumaril is sleeping." She gave a pleased little smile
that she had caught his interest so quickly. It was always thrilling
to her to know that she could make him react like this. "I'll wear it
for you then."

"I can't wait." This was going to be a long dinner.

Last updated on the July 28th 2017

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Childbirth, Ledgers, and Night-dresses