Too Late: The Last Argument

Writers: Nici
Date Posted: 9th September 2005

Characters: Jeralir, Calanna
Description: Calanna and Jeralir have an argument, which results in something tragic
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 8, day 3 of Turn 3

The hallways outside the Ladies Solar were fairly quiet as Calanna slipped out of the noisy gossiping of the other women as they continued, even almost two months after her wedding, to give her sidelong looks. Shards, what'd they expect her to do--grow wings or something? She pushed her hair back behind her ears and squared her shoulders, refusing to allow the servants to see how uncomfortable she was.

At least she was getting to the stage in her pregnancy that she could claim exhaustion and escape to their rooms whenever she felt the need. Though, unfortunately, it wasn't that far from the truth of late! Walking down the hall, a soft sigh escaped her as she realized just how little energy she _did_ have lately. She was certain that Jeralir wasn't pleased with her lack of drive lately when they retired each evening.

She wasn't paying much attention to what was going on around her as her hand twisted the door knob and she slowly slipped in. In fact, it took a few moments for the sounds of the pair on the couch in the common room of the apartment she shared with Jeralir to penetrate into her exhaustion-fogged mind. However, her gaze quickly focused in on her husband with one of her maids as the girl pulled away from Jeralir and tried to put her clothing to rights.

"Liala, I'm supposed to be taking those _off_," Jeralir joked, too into his companion to pay attention.

"Just what...exactly...is going on here?" Calanna's gaze slid over the half-naked maid and bored into her husband's.

Jeralir just looked at her. "Well, I'd be smart and say that you're pregnant enough to _know_ except that I'm rather...caught out..." He watched the maid slip away and sighed. "Um...I'm sorry?"

"Get your clothes on and get out of here! And don't bother coming back...I'll be speaking with the Headwoman and ensuring you are reassigned..preferably to cleaning the latrines!" She glared balefully at the other woman as she quickly fixed her clothes and hurried out. Then she turned her attention on her husband.

He'd risen and was straightening his own clothing. "Really, Calanna...the latrines? It's not like it's all her fault."

Her eyes narrowed in anger, her voice filled with anger as she retorted, "Oh, I'm quite aware of _that_, Jeralir! How dare you!?"

"Calanna, darling...really. Surely you can't expect me to believe that you thought things would be any different than they've ever been. The only differerence in our relationship is that it's permanent and there's a babe." He laughed. "I've never been husband material and you _knew_ that.
You dallied with me behind my late wife's back! Shards, you dallied behind your own _husband's_ back!"

"And so you decided to take that as leave to rub my nose in the fact that you are screwing everything in the Hold that has a skirt?" She shook her head and snorted in a quite unladylike fashion. "The fact is I _am_ having your babe and you could at least have respected me enough to keep it out of our apartment!"

"I'm not screwing _everything_. Just the blondes and red heads. Give me _some_ credit!" When she took off toward the door he followed. "Oh, Calanna, I'm joking! I know you're having my babe...all you had to do was _ask_ me not to bring them back here. Jasslara did and I agreed!"

"One would _think_ that would be common sense! But, obviously I'm asking too much of you!" She turned down the hall, heading toward the stairway so she could just get outside and away from her husband.

"This from a woman who's too dense to realize her husband is switching her herbs? I mean, didn't they _taste_ differently? He was Heir, not a healer!"
Jeralir kept his voice to a low hiss as they entered the Hall. He was tempted to just grab her and head back to their chambers, but he'd already rumpled his clothing _enough_ that day.

Whirling on him, she paused at the top of the stairs. "How dare you? You know nothing about it! It's not like you ever knew anything about anything other than how to get a woman into your bed!" Her own tone was just as hissed as his was, her eyes blazing.

"Oh, like you ever complained about _that_ particular skill of mine!"

"I _hate_ you!" Turning on her heel, she stepped away, intending to do nothing but get away from the man she was forced to now call her husband.
If she had it her way, she'd _still_ be the future Lady Holder of Opal Cove, but he had managed to screw that up for her as well!

"Calanna!" He yanked her arm and would have growled in annoyance when she pulled away had it not caused her to lose her balance. For one sickening moment, he saw her fight for purchase at the edge of stair and then he was reaching for her but it was far, far too late...

Last updated on the September 9th 2005

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Too Late: The Last Argument