He doesn't own me - and neither do you!

Writers: Kaysea
Date Posted: 12th April 2007

Characters: Faleen, Fareena, Salvin
Description: Fareena refuses to follow the edicts of the Hold
Location: Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 3, day 4 of Turn 4

"You will do as the Holder demands!" Faleen lectured her daughter sternly.
"Your father and I have always been good holders to Lord Enrizial and I'll not have you change that in any way."

"I won't marry Corlean, and you cannot make me." the young girls voice was shrill, "You may have had an agreement with his family, but I'll make sure he wants nothing to do with me. I _will_ be a Harper, I don't care what that stupid Lord Holder decree's, he doesn't own me, and neither do you!"
she spat at her mother, lifted her skirts and took off running through the cot to the doorway.

"Come back Fareena - come back!" her mothers voice echoed through the cot, "You mustn't disobey, you mustn't." Things had been hard enough since the death of Ferana, without Fareena making them more so. There was pressure on Faleen to remarry and bear more children, but now that Fareena was of an age to marry and bear children, the holdfolk were looking in askance at them.

Fareena yanked open the cot door, and ran down the small pathway. When would her mother understand? Would she ever understand the needs her daughter had? Not only to be a Harper, to go out into the wide open spaces, visit other Hold's meet other people; but the aversion she felt towards men.
Not just Corlean, he was nice enough, but he wasn't what she wanted, what she needed or what she craved.

She ran past the row of cots, past the smithy and down to the river.
Ignoring the looks of astonishment from people, she made her way down to the river, and once out of sight from those closest, she turned in the direction of the old Harper Hall ruins.

* * * * *

Salvin walked along the shaded pathway through the trees, his concentration more on his gitar as he plucked at the strings than the way he was walking; but something caught his attention. He could hear what sounded suspiciously like sobbing, coming from further along the pathway, and sped up.

"I won't...I won't marry him, I won't..." the litany was repeated over and over, as Fareena paced back and forth. The words coming out like hiccups, her breathing jagged. She was unaware of being watched, unaware of the approach of the Harper, until he was almost standing in front of her.

"You won't marry whom?" Salvin stopped, holding out his hands, he took hold of her arms. "You don't have to marry anyone you don't want to." he tried to reassure her, knowing this wasn't entirely true - it depended these days on where you lived and who had control over your livelihood.

"Don't! Don't touch me!" Fareena pulled back from the stranger, "Just -
leave me alone." She struggled to break free of the hold the Harper had on her. She didn't need him to comfort her, she was stronger than he was giving her credit for. "I won't marry him, and _no one_ can make me!"

Panic was setting in now, there was little she could do to avoid marriage to Corlean, and that fact was finally hitting her. This stranger had no idea what he was telling her. She needed to find Caelah - she needed to be with her; Caelah needed to know how desperate things had become at home. She didn't want to leave her mother, but the way things were happening, it looked as though she would have no option.

"I just...sorry I thought you needed help." Salvin held his hands up in appeasement. "Are you sure you're alright?" He stood back, allowing her the space she demanded, but looked on in concern. "If I can help in _any_
way?" Her face was familiar but he wasn't sure why, exactly.

"I - I need to find Caelah." Fareena said allowed, but almost to herself.
her eyes darted first one way, then the other.

"Caelah? From the kitchens?" he asked. That was it! He had seen her a few times around the Weaver Hall. She had been in the company of the young girl who worked in the kitchens at the Hall. Caelah, the one who showed such promise - if only he could get her out of the Weaver Hall. If only, he sighed, if only the Harper Hall was still here, it would have made things so much easier.

"You know her?" Fareena's face brightened a little, at his words. "Do you know where she would be right now?" She was anxious, and she knew it showed.

"She'll be in the kitchens at the moment, I should imagine." Salvin said encouragingly. "Helping with the evening meal. But if you would like to wait for her, I can find you somewhere quiet?"

She took a longer and more comprehensive look at the Harper, this time recognising him for who he was. "You're...Salvin, aren't you?" she asked, almost tempted to kick herself for her stupidity.

"Yes I am." he smiled, "And you would be?"

"Fareena, I'm from the Hold." she nodded her head back in the direction of her home. Her faced turned blank and her voice lost all animation as once again her thoughts returned to what she had run away from.

"Well 'Fareena from the Hold' if you would care to accompany me back to the Hall, I think we can find your friend." he held out the crook of his arm for her to take.

Tentatively she threaded her arm through his, and allowed Salvin to lead her to the Weaver Hall proper. Caelah wouldn't be far away, and maybe, just maybe, with the help of Salvin, she just might be able to find a solution to her immediate problem. Just maybe...

Last updated on the April 14th 2007

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He doesn't own me - and neither do you!