Finding a Good Puppet

Writers: Estelle, Miriah
Date Posted: 3rd January 2021

Characters: Enali, Terren
Description: Enali befriends Terren, hoping he'll be useful
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 8, day 16 of Turn 10

It wasn't hard to find the man that Daturna and the other women had
described after hearing the gossip. So, he's been in prison and was
now here....Her eyes narrowed as she watched the man work; there was a
sulky set to his mouth, as though he didn't truly enjoy what he was
doing. She would have to figure out if he could be useful. Was he
still loyal to the Hold? Or was he loyal to the Weyr that had taken
him in? She had to tread carefully and probe lightly.

Passing by the herdbeast paddock, Enali looked past the fence and
pulled out a flagon from the hook on her waist. "Hi there...you look
like you're working pretty hard." She offered the flagon between the
fence slats. "Would you like a drink?"

Terren straightened, and after a quick glance around to check that the
chief herdsman wasn't watching, took a moment to rest. Seeing a pretty
young woman watching, he brightened. "Why, yes, I would. That's very
kind of you." He propped his pitchfork up against the hay cart and came
over to take the flagon from her before drinking deeply. "Ahh, that's
better." He winked, turning on the full power of his charm. "May I know
your name, so I can thank you properly?"

"Enali." She let her smile appear sweet as she rested her chin on her
arms as they folded over the fence. "I think it's just terrible that
they haven't offered such a hard worker a good drink for his troubles.
What's your name?"

"I'm Terren. And you're right, I've never been offered anything to
refresh me before. It's shocking." Ah, the Weyr, Terren thought, hiding
a grin. The stories weren't so far wrong; you only had to smile to bring
girls flocking to your side. "Wherever did you learn such beautiful
manners, Enali? Perhaps you're one of those Ladies who steals away to
the Weyr in the ballads."

"Not from here, that's certain. My parents always taught me to be
respectful of hard working men. And hardworking men like an occasional
drink when they work. It strengthens the blood. I'm no Blooded Lady,
but.." She looked over her shoulder, making a point of glancing
around. "who wants one of them anyway? They're all cold and stiff and
they don't know how to treat good men." She rested her chin on her
arms again, studying him. "Maybe I could bring you a drink or two when
you're working."

"That sounds wonderful." Terren took another gulp from the flagon, then
brushed his mouth with the back of his hand before handing it back to
her with a flourish. "I'd like it better if I could bring you a drink
one evening when neither of us are working, though."

She took the flagon back, tucking it into her rough belt with ease.
"That sounds like a good idea." Cyradis had given her a private small
dwelling away from the drudge's barracks; it would certainly be more
convenient. She wondered if he was loyal to this place, it would take
some time to ferret out that information, but not as long if she could
get him to relax around her. What easier way than to stoke his ego and
then get him to talking? "You're certainly more appreciative of a kind
gesture than some of the riders here and much more than the men at
home at the Hold."

"You're from the Hold?" Terren asked, his pleasant fantasies interrupted
for a moment by a twinge of alarm. "Emerald Falls?" For a moment, he
wondered if she'd have heard about him there. She might even have
witnessed the trial. He still nursed bitter memories of that day, the
fear and the humiliation.

She sighed and nodded. "Yeah, but not from the hold itself. I lived in
a cothold." **Careful, now...careful...** "I didn't have much of a
choice but to come here."

"No choice?" He leaned against the fence and smiled, his task forgotten.
"Surely a girl as pretty and helpful as you could find a place at the
main Hold."

She allowed her face to look sad and resigned as she looked over at
him. "My family cast me out," Enali lied, "I wanted to live my life
the way I wanted and they didn't understand. After my father cast me
out, there was no one at the main Hold who would take me." Her jaw
set. Some of that had been true. Once her relationship with Grevan had
been discovered, she'd been an anathema, untouchable and unwanted;
he's been brave. It was almost all of them that had been the cowards.
She turned her eyes back to Terren and blinked them slowly. "There's
at least some freedoms here to do what I want."

"I know how that is," Terren replied, deftly employing a bit of sympathy
to draw her in while airing his own troubles. "My wife and her family
turned me out, too. I was just a fieldhand. I wasn't good enough for
them." He'd left out a great deal, but she didn't need to know that and
besides, he was far more interested in the kind of freedoms she hoped to
find at the Weyr. "Now you're here, you'll find there are people who'll
appreciate your worth."

"Oh, I still have friends here and there." If she could draw him in,
find out where his loyalties lay, he could be useful. "They appreciate
me. But it's awful sometimes, not knowing anyone or being able to talk
to anyone. I suppose I'm lucky since I have my own little quarters,
but it's lonely sometimes."

The mention of private quarters immediately drew his attention and he
perked up. Terren didn't like his new sleeping arrangements; one of his
room-mates snored like a dragon and there was no possibility of
assignations unless you found a partner with their own place or resorted
to a quiet corner of the storerooms or the back corridors. He wondered
how a drudge had managed to get a room to herself, when he'd been
offered no such luxury. "That's a shame, but you can always talk to me.
Perhaps when I bring you that drink of an evening. There's no need for a
girl like you to be lonely in the Weyr."

He certainly was interested in that evening drink. The Healer had
warned her against drinking any spirits or ales while she was with
child, but Enali could honestly care less about the unseen child she
currently carried. She had other goals that she wanted to accomplish.
"I wouldn't mind a good talk now and then." Her fingers trailed over
the fence. "Why don't you bring one by this evening? I'm not promising
anything, of course, but I wouldn't mind company."

"I'd like that." Terren gazed on her admiringly, though he was careful
not to slip into lasciviousness. Not yet. "I could meet you at the
dining cavern with a bottle, and you can show me your little place. Then
we can really get to know each other."

Straightening and pushing away from the fence, Enali hid a satisfied
smile. The men at the Weyr were so _easy_. Maybe this one wouldn't act
like some rutting herdbeast, she thought with a pang of longing and
grief for her Grevan. He at least, had been gentle. "I'll see you
tonight then."

"Until tonight." Terren watched her go for as long as he thought he
could get away with, then reluctantly resumed his work. As he pitched
out hay for the herdbeasts, his thoughts were occupied with anticipation
of the night ahead. With any luck it would be far more pleasant than
lying in a narrow bunk listening to a snoring drudge...

Last updated on the February 19th 2021

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Finding a Good Puppet