Unexpected Guests

Writers: Stasha
Date Posted: 29th February 2008

Characters: Alasha
Description: The family of Desamin's cothold enjoy a quiet evening before unexpected guests arrive
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 8, day 17 of Turn 4

The living room of the cothold remained peacefully silent, a silence that Alasha was contently enjoying. Too many times did arguments and fights break out in the cothold and hurtful words shouted out across the room. It pained her when the animosity rose in the cot, but for now there was no anger that sparked between them. Instead only the sound that sparked in the room was the crackling of the fire at the warm hearth and the occasional snip of scissors as Murasha hemmed a simple dress for Hedona. Alasha allowed her eyes to scan the room one last time before she turned her eyes back to the pages of the book that she had brought back from Dragonsfall Weyr.

"My life is far from a simple tale," the story began. "Even as a child I knew this, and I found myself hung in the webs of its possibilities.
Yet if I knew what I know now, of the cruelness that life bestows upon those that live it, I might have remained barricaded in my sea hold, warm in my bed... but life is not meant to be lived within the confines of walls, and regardless of the errors I made, I made a choice and I will not regret it. All I can do is this: tell you my tale, so that you may learn from it and take what you will. My name is Alibet, and this is my story..."

Alasha shifted the book over her lap, and was careful not to disturb Zephyr. He only lifted his head briefly, letting out a weak trill, and crooned softly before he tucked his head back under his wing and curled into a tighter ball on her lap. He was too tired to concern himself with anything else but sleep.

"I grew up in Red Sands Sea Hold under the watchful and diligent eyes of my mother, Adista, while my father, Salibet, spent time at sea with his true love, the Bronze Dolphin. I saw my father rarely, but learned to cherish the little time that I had with him. His visits were kept short, and often a time left my mother pregnant with another sibling, if she was not carrying already. Still, he loved his family, and often bestowed gifts to us that were found on his voyages. During his stays I spent many candlemarks listening to his heroic tales about the might ocean and his days riding her. The stories were often exaggerated and told of him surviving the merciless boiling waters of a storm, and fish tales of snagging various strange beasts that supposedly swam in the sea; of course there never was a sea creature hidden with in the bowels of the ship for he said he released the beast back into the sea. Regardless, I forever was captivated by his tongue and his fables, and often I would dream of some day riding a ship of my own and living my father's stories..."

**What's that?** Alasha's attention was diverted from her readings as the sound of runner hooves entering the stables caught her attention.
She cast a glance at Murasha. Did she know who it was? Her mother seemed just as puzzled, but when Alasha turned to Desamin she found his eyes laughing at her.

He set his mug down and called for her brothers. "Demashin, Nelaso, Iriek, come with me to the stables," he motioned.

"You did not tell me we were going to have guests," Murasha accused the man with bitterness accenting her tone.

Desamin only sneered back. "I did not know it was required of a cotholder to answer to his wife." He held his stare with Murasha before he waved her off with his hand. "Prepare the guest rooms, and have Soneya prepare dinner for two more than usual."

She was reluctant to obey, but she gave a him a slight bow, none the less, and called to her daughters. "Hedona, Edana, comes with me to prepare the rooms. Alasha," she turned to her youngest. "Please help Soneya in the kitchen."

Alasha set her book down and nodded to her mother. Without a word she removed a lazy Zephyr from her lap and migrated to the kitchen.

~*~

"Ah, Ranillis, you're early. I didn't expect you for another two days," Desamin greeted his old friend and patted him soundly on the back. It had been too long sense he had seen him.

"We always like to travel with time on our sides, and figured you wouldn't mind our early arrive," the older gruff man replied as he gave his runnerbeast's reigns to Iriek.

"Well, I'm glad you arrived safely." Desamin took the saddle and straddled it with the others, though he did take a moment to notice its craftmanship. He would ask Ranillis later where he had obtained such an impressive piece.

"Oh, and before I forget," the cotholder quickly noted. "Bortalis," he called out to a stocky young man.

The man quickly appeared at his father's side. "Desamin," Ranillis began, "I'd like to introduce you to my son Bortalis."

Desamin was glad to shake the very reason he had invited Ranillis to the cothold, despite what he had told his friend. Bortalis was and impressively sized man that spoke more from heritage than it did activity. He had broad shoulders and a thick torso that stretched at the fabrics of his red tunic. His hair was still tossed from the ride, but it was quickly fixed as Bortalis combed his fingers through his waved black hair. He was not a pretty man, but he was a masculine one, and possibly attractive enough to catch Alasha's eye... not that her opinion of suitors mattered much to Desamin. "Come inside where it's warm," he beckoned them into the cot. "I have my servants preparing a meal, and there is a room being prepared for you as we speak."

Ranillis was more than happy to comply. "Thank you for your generosity," the older man bowed before he stepped into the cot.

As the two men passed, Desamin caught the faint smell of ovine. He was able to hide his distaste for the smell as they passed, before he touched his finger to his nose attempting to remove the fowl stench.

"You're cot is quiet impressive, Desamin, almost suiting enough for a holder." Ranillis and Bortalis scanned the room before they found their seats in the living room.

"It's from turns of hard work," Desamin began as his sons found their places around him. Nelaso was on the one that sat furthest from him, Desamin noted to himself. He found his eyes bitterly dwindle on the young man before he switched his gaze back to his guests.

"Hard work," Ranillis scoffed. "More likely from hand-me downs from your family."

"True, but it takes hard work to maintain it," which was precisely why Desamin had them here. He knew he would not have been able to get them here if he had directly said he wanted Bortalis to meet Alasha as a marriage prospect. Ranillis would have laughed at Desamin before promptly turning him down. However, if Bortalis saw the girl, Desamin knew he had a good chance to remove the girl once and for all from his household. Bortalis was dim-witted enough, and lustful enough to fall for her. Even Desamin had to admit that Alasha was the most attractive of the three girls left in the cothold. Still, it did rankle in his mind, but he would not have to think about her any longer. And even though he would not get much for the girl, Alasha would still be taken away from the cot, and he could finally work on rebuilding his family's name and reputation, and fix the damage that she and that bronzerider father of hers had caused. "Would you like a drink of ale?"

"Ale sounds good," Ranillis approved.

"I'll have one too," Bortalis agreed.

"Soneya, bring out the ale," he called out to the kitchen.

Soneya lifted her eyes to the entry way of the kitchen. That man is insufferable, she thought bitterly to herself. She was right in the middle of pinning the tenderloins of their meal. She gave a pleading look to her young mistress. "Alasha," she dared to ask.

Soneya did not have to finish. "Stay with the tenderloins, and I'll bring out the ale," Alasha replied as she left for the cellar. She brought back several mugs of cherry ale and entered into the living room. She felt all eyes fall on her as she began to hand out the ale.
Nelaso was quick to thank her while Iriek and Demashin were silent.
Then when she handed Desamin his mug she was surprised as he said...

"Thank you Alasha," he remarked with a rueful grin.

Alasha was suspicious of his gratitude, and wanted to ask him what he wanted, for it was out of Desamin's character to thank her for anything. Had she been younger she would have been grateful, but she knew better now. She only responded with a polite bow before she moved on to the guests. She gave a bow to the older gentleman as she gave him his drink, while the younger man, who seemed to still be several years her senior, only watched her studiously as she handed him the mug.

"Thank you, Alasha," the man spoke her name with a kind manner.

Alasha only lowered her gaze to the ground and gave him her last bow before she departed from the room.

Excellent, Desamin grinned.

Last updated on the March 2nd 2008

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Unexpected Guests