The Shelter of Rhasha

Writers: Stasha
Date Posted: 12th March 2008

Characters: Alasha
Description: Alasha and her loyal family find shelter with Rhasha and her husband
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 8, day 18 of Turn 4

It was night fall before Alasha and her family finally encountered the cothold that they searched for. It was a small cothold nestled in the foothills of the Western Barrier Range Mountains. The original creator of the cothold had made use of the mountain side, cutting away at the rock to make it part of the cot. Perhaps the original inhabiter thought to turn the cothold into a hold someday, but it was obvious that their ambitions would never come to life, and the cothold would forever remain a cot, until the turns of age whithered it away into ruins.

"Do you think they'll take us in?" Hedona whispered her question to her sister as Alasha dismounted from the runner.

That was a good question, Alasha thought before she responded. "Yes, I think they will," but the uncertainty lingered in her voice. She honestly did not know whether their sister Rhasha would welcome them into the cothold. She had not seen her sister in over six turns, and now here she was begging for a warm place to stay until they figured out how they would make their way to Dragonsfall. Would she understand?
Alasha hoped that Nelaso's trust in Rhasha was well placed.

Everything about Rhasha seemed like a memory now to Alasha. She recalled a kind sister, who mimicked their mother in every way. It was hard to mistake Rhasha for anything else but hold-bred, and Alasha could not recall if Rhasha had a tolerance for the weyr. She could only hope that her eldest sister would set aside any bitterness she held for the weyr life, and help them in this greatest time of need.

Murasha was first to approach the door, with Nelaso right by her side.

"What will we say?" Nelaso asked his mother.

"You will say nothing," Murasha responded in her firm tone. She knocked at the door, and waited for a response.

~Hungry~ Zephyr's need for food was unmistakable to Alasha. They had been traveling all day without rest. Everyone was exhausted and hungry, but not like Zephyr. He was still a babe, and he needed to eat constantly to sustain himself. He stroked his head against her cheek and gave her a weak chirp. He needed to eat, but Alasha had no food to give him. She could only take the little bronze flit and cradle him in the warmth of her arms. He would be fed soon she projected to the firelizard. He only whistled in relief and waited for the meal he was promised.

The door gave way and in the doorway stood a small boy, no older than five. He turned his brown eyes to the group that stood before him before he rubbed the exhaustion out of his eyes. Then a familiar image appeared right behind him.

"Mama?" Rhasha could hardly believe what she was seeing. After six turns! She beckoned Murasha forward into the cot and embraced her with the turns that she missed her. It had been too long. Then she saw the rest of them. "Nelaso? Hedona?" She quickly held both of them before her eyes cast to "Ala-" Her heart caught in her throat when she saw the woman that shadowed the small girl she once knew so long ago.
"Alasha!" She reached out for her sister, before she caught herself and saw the small flit in the crook of her arms. He seemed off color.
"Please come in, all of you," she motioned for all of them to enter.
"Ragelin," she patted the small boy on the shoulders. "Go to the kitchen and have Yulida get some dry meat."

He nodded his head and disappeared from sight.

"Is that?" Murasha watched as the little boy rounded the corner, not even completing her question. She turned her eyes back to Rhasha.

The woman only beamed back at her mother. "Yes, he's our oldest."

Murasha gave a loving smile back to her daughter and held her once more. "It's been too long."

"Yes it has." Rhasha turned to Hedona. "Oh, Hedona." She had grown into such a beautiful woman.

"You turned me into an aunt," Hedona laughed as she finally reunited with her eldest sister.

"Several times over," Rhasha added. "I have three of them."

"Rhasha?" A tall lean man with a bush of red hair swarming his this face entered into the room. When his eyes fell on the group there was nothing but suspicion that floated to his thoughts. "What is this?"

Alasha stepped back and hid herself behind Hedona, fearing that he would see her like a blemish on fair skin. Did he know about her? And if he did, what would he do?

"We are only seeking shelter for the night," Murasha stepped forward to the man that had married her daughter. "I promise we will be gone by morning."

Rhasha stepped to the man and set her hands gently on his defined forearm, and lifted her lips to his cheek, kissing him gently. "Please Eushanin, let them stay." Her body made subtle movements that Eushanin quickly sensed and drew on. The control that Rhasha had on her husband had became blatantly obvious as he turned his loving eyes to his wife.
Their mother had trained Rhasha too well.

"You can stay for the night, and we'll supply you with what we can."
His tender gaze remained firm on his wife. "I trust you to tend to your family."

"Of course." Rhasha placed one final kiss on her husband before he made his way back to the main room. She turned her gaze back to the rest of her family. "Come with me and I'll take you to your room for the night. It might not be much-"

"It'll be enough Rhasha," Nelaso was the first to thank her.

Rhasha only smiled back at them before she motioned for them to follow her into the cothold.

Zephyr could merely whistle with relief.

Last updated on the March 12th 2008

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The Shelter of Rhasha