Keeping Things Hush-Hush

Writers: Heather, Suzee
Date Posted: 14th November 2020

Characters: Benamil, Arion, Nazli
Description: Benamil rejoices in the birth of his daughter; Arion and Nazli share their secret.
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 2, day 2 of Turn 10
Notes: Mentioned: Zathris, Saedriel
Follows "AHH: Murder and a Baby"

Benamil

Nazli

Benamil was still in shock as he sat on the edge of Nazli's bed in her
room, staring down at the baby she held in her arms with awe. When
Arion had shown up at the stables out of breath and said that Nazli
was in labor, he had dropped everything and raced back up to the Hold
to be with her. Even though he'd known that she was due any time, the
sudden arrival of the baby had still caught him off guard.

"You did good, Nazli," he said with a tender affection in his voice.

Nazli's heart was overflowing with love for the tiny infant in her
arms and her eyes brimmed as she looked at her husband. "She's
beautiful and perfect." she said. "Do you want to hold her?"

"Yes," he said immediately. With so many siblings, Benamil was used to
being around his many nieces and nephews, so there was no hesitation
when he took the tiny bundle into the crook of his arm. His daughter.
A wave of paternal protectiveness surged inside him. He would do
anything for her.

"We did it," she said with immense pride as she handed their new
daughter to him. "Have you decided on her name yet?"

"I really like Zinali." There were so many 'B' names in the family
already that it felt fresh to have something a little different.

"Oh, I like that," Nazli reached out to touch the curls so much like
Benamil's. "No one will doubt she is your daughter. Little Zinali."

Benamil swelled with pride at that, at no one being able to deny she
was his. When Zathris had imposed the demand on them that they produce
a child he had never thought they would be able to do it but here they
were... a little family. He had not anticipated how good this would
feel. "Yes, she certainly got the curls. I hope she's okay with that
later."

"I'm sure she will be," Nazli smiled. There was something else and she
shuddered not from memory but from a fleeting vague feeling of danger.

There was a light knock at Nazli's bedroom door, which caused
Benamil's brow to furrow. Who would have allowed themselves into their
quarters uninvited? "I'll see who it is," he told Nazli, depositing
Zinali back into her arms.

Leaving his wife's bedroom, Benamil's eyebrows shot up when he saw
Arion standing in the midst of their quarters. "What are you doing
here?"

"Happy to see you too," Arion griped.

"Sorry, you know that's not how I meant it."

Arion's eyes flicked past Benamil's shoulders toward Nazli's door. "I
came to see Nazli, how she's doing, and the baby."

"Oh," Benamil felt a moment of conflict. He loved Arion, he wanted
Arion to be a part of his daughter's life in some capacity, but he
wasn't sure how Nazli would take that. "Let me go see if Nazli is up
for visitors," he said before slipping back into her room.

"Naz, would you mind if Arion came in? He wants to see you and the
baby," Benamil asked.

"Yes please," she smiled. "Arion, come on in," she said in a raised voice.

Arion tentatively stepped into the room. His mind was racing after the
events of the day. He'd hidden Saedriel's body in a better place, for
the moment, and he'd scrubbed up the stone floors so that there was no
evidence of the blood left behind. A part of him had anticipated
arriving at Benamil and Nazli's to find the two of them in a panic
over what had happened but.... They both seemed blissfully unaware.

"A daughter," Benamil said with pride.

Arion took in the look on Benamil's face as the beastcrafter looked
down at his newborn, and a sharp stab of anguish shot through the
vintner. A family was something he would never be able to provide
Benamil, and perhaps Benamil had not realized how much he wanted one,
until now.

"She is beautiful," Arion murmured, eyes leaving the face of the child
to look up at Nazli. "And how are you?"

"I'm fine," she said. The birth had been fairly easy for her, so not
out of the ordinary for what she'd witnessed. She looked at him for a
long moment and slowly she realized and her hand rose to her mouth.
"Did you... is she..."

Arion's expression was somber. "She is. I did."

Benamil's brow furrowed as he glanced between his wife and his lover.
"I'm sorry, what? Who is she? What did you do?"

Nazli's lips trembled, "Thank you," she said softly and held out her
arms to the vintner. "Thank you for saving me and Zinali. Nobody's
ever done anything like that for me before."

Benamil stood, stupified, watching Arion lean in and hug Nazli.
"Somebody tell me what is going on."

Arion took a seat on the edge of the bed beside of Nazli so he could
look up at Benamil. "I found Nazli and Saedriel in the storeroom."

"Saedriel..." Benamil repeated the name, his mind suddenly kicking
into gear. There could be no good reason for Saedriel to be alone with
Nazli. He had thought after Saedriel's failed attempt at blackmailing
Lord Zathris with her information about Benamil that she would give
up.

"She's dead." Arion said.

The beastcrafter's eyebrows shot up. "What?"

"I heard a scream and a struggle, when I came into the storeroom Nazli
was in labor and Saedriel was lying on the floor in a pool of blood.
I'm not sure what all took place before that," Arion said, glancing at
Nazli.

Nazli cringed back against the back of the bed and pulled the covers
up toward her chin. Her eyes filled with tears and she couldn't
control the tremor in her voice. "I'm so sorry Benamil," she cried. "I
just went down to the store room for some pickles and she was there
and she had a knife. She was going to cut me but I hit her with the
pickles and tried to run past her. She yelled and I yelled and then I
fell down and Arion came and saved me." She looked at Arion with a
teary smile.

Benamil sat down heavily in the chair by Nazli's bed. "Why didn't you
tell me sooner?"

Arion speared him with a look. "There hasn't exactly been time."

The son of Benaroy looked at Nazli and Zinali, shaken to know how
close he had come to losing them. "Arion," he reached out to touch the
vintner's knee, "thank you."

"I didn't do anything, really. Nazli took care of herself." Arion
insisted. It felt weird to be with Nazli and Benamil, in their home,
but there seemed to be a different understanding between them now.

"B-b-but, You saved me Arion." she said in a little voice. "Benamil's
right. Thank you."

Arion patted Nazli's leg through the blanket as he looked up at
Benamil. "I have the body hidden, for now, but it's not a permanent
solution. You'll need to find some way to get rid of it where no one
will know."

Benamil's mind raced. A body. There was a body to get rid of. What
would he do with it? Should he tell Zathris? Yes, surely his
brother-in-law would have a way of hushing this up. "I'll, uh, I'll
take care of it."

Nazli looked back and forth between the two men. Then she fixed on
Arion, "Am I in trouble?" She couldn't quite wrap her mind around what
had happened other than the baby. That part was normal. "Whatever
happened," she said. "I didn't do it on purpose."

"Of course you didn't," Benamil said, reaching over to soothe his
wife. "I need to go talk to Zathris. Would it be okay if Arion stayed
here with you while I went?"

Nazli nodded with wide eyes. But she held out her arms for Zinali.
"She can stay here with me and her uncle."

Arion's heart fluttered. **Uncle?**

"Yes, of course," Benamil said as Zinali was placed back into her
mother's arms. "I'll be back shortly," he said, kissing the top of
Nazli's head. "You did wonderful, Nazli." He said, trying to calm her
again with thoughts of the baby.

"We'll be okay little girl," she smiled down into the tiny face and
began to sing.

Last updated on the November 22nd 2020

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Keeping Things Hush-Hush