Passage for a Chance

Writers: Miriah
Date Posted: 3rd March 2019

Characters: Yriadha, Bortem
Description: Yriadha discovers Bortem's secret
Location: Sunstone Seahold
Date: month 10, day 20 of Turn 9

Yriadha

Bortem

Yriadha tugged at her necklace, pacing her office as she mulled over
the information on her desk. How could he have been so stupid?
Gambling was one thing and she could tolerate that to a degree, but
this? She had thought he had some semblance of intelligence, or at
least forethought. Her stomach twisted with frustration as she
glanced again at the hide on her desk. At the quiet knock on her door,
she took a breath, steeled herself and moved to take her seat. "Come
in."

Bortem entered and with one glance at his mother's face, he swallowed
hard. Faranth, she knew. How did she always know? At her gesture, he
closed the door behind him and slowly took the seat opposite her.

Yriadha stared at him, her gaze flinty. She spoke softly, but the
words themselves were as hard as stone. "You're a fool, Bortem."

He paled. "Ma, I didn't mean to... I'll pay it back. It was just a few
marks and Fymer said that..." Her eyes narrowed and the words he had
been about to say faltered.

"Marks? Do you think I would have called you here alone to speak about
your debts again? I have paid them. Again."

"You did?" Bortem felt a flash of relief, then dread. If she had paid
them all, he would owe her a substantial debt and she always
collected, if not in marks than with other duties. He thought of
Vreena, who he had been meant to marry, but who had left with Xeladrie
and not returned. Faranth, was she about to marry him off to someone
even worse?

Yriadha lifted up the hide and tossed it on his lap. "You were seen."
Her voice hissed. "How could you be so foolish?"

He looked down at his lap, picked up the hide and began to read. His
hands began to tremble. How? Oh Faranth, it had only been a
dalliance...an exploration... "Ma..Mother...I can explain..."

"First Humari, now you." Yriadha rose, her face tight. "I should marry
you off tomorrow. Who knows how quickly word will spread? You
simple-minded..." She tugged on her necklace harder, ignoring the
sting as the chain scraped her neck. "I'll have to call in a Harper,
find a willing drudge..."

Bortem's face fell and his hands crinkled the hide. "Ma, I'm sorry. I
just wanted...I don't want to marry. Please."

She turned, poised to deliver a scathing rebuke, then saw his face.
The words died on her lips and she turned away from him. Another tug
against the necklace and she felt a snap of the chain, it's limp
weight tumbling into her hand. She stared down at the necklace;
frustration, anger, and repeated force had been enough to snap the
delicate treasure she held in her palm. "Tell me, Bortem, " She didn't
face him. "do you like women at all?"

Bortem squirmed, "Sure I like them."

"But not to marry or...spend time with."

"I..."He swallowed, not wanting to answer. He remembered what had been
done to his sister, and what he had helped do. He didn't want that
done to him! But if he said yes, would he be forced to marry someone
he couldn't stomach?

His hesitancy was answer enough. Yriadha closed her eyes and slowly
closed her fingers over the simple pearl necklace that she had worn
everyday since Yavin's birth. She took a deep breath and turned,
moving quickly to a cabinet, opening it and pulling out a small
satchel. She walked to her son, looked down at him, and the fear in
his eyes, the fear of her, tore at something within her. She grabbed
Bortem's hand and placed the satchel into it. "Find passage to the
Weyr on the next ship, Bortem. Do not spend this on anything else."

"But.." He opened the satchel and found the marks from different
crafthalls, so many... "Mother?" Confusion colored his question; the
reaction was the last thing he had ever expected.

"You'll find acceptance there. Far more than here. Go. Pack and leave
this very day, Bortem."

"I don't understand."

She bent and did something she hadn't done since he had been a small
child. She kissed the top of his head. "Go, my son. Now. Find your
happiness."

Used to obeying and utterly stunned at the unexpected command, he rose
and hurried out, clutching the satchel of marks tightly in his hand.

Yriadha watched her son leave, then looked down and opened her fingers
to peer at the mangled pearl necklace in her palm. "One of us should
at least have the chance."

Last updated on the March 15th 2019

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Passage for a Chance