Fair Peril!

Writers: Yvonne
Date Posted: 30th October 2005

Characters: Cyrek, Mariss
Description: Cyrek nearly catches Mariss with the adventure novel she borrowed from Gevina
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 8, day 17 of Turn 3
Notes: Follows 'Proper Books for Young Ladies'

...he was tall, broad-shouldered and Penelpa felt that his piercing blue-grey eyes could see into her soul. For a moment her conviction that he was her brother's killer wavered. The look in his eyes assured her that Drakk could never hurt her. But the moment passed and Penelpa was once again locked in a room with her brother's murderer. She began to shiver uncontrollably. "Why did you do it?"

"I didn't kill him." Drakk pulled a set of wires on a round key ring from his pocket and began to work on the door. "Your brother was my best friend; we were blood brothers! If I had not gone to the Weyr all those turns ago I would have been here to protect him - and you."

"Me? Am I in danger?" Penelpa's heart began to race. Drakk was twice her size and could probably snap her in half if he chose. Drakk nodded, and his dark hair swung into his eyes. "Yes Penelpa, you are in very grave danger. You need leave the Hold with me at once if you wish to live to see the dawn, and to bring your brother's true evil killer to justice."

But Penelpa still did not trust him. Drakk was a stranger found in the Hold only moments after she had come across her brother's mutilated body--

~*~

"Mariss!"

Mariss jumped and guiltily hid her book beneath her skirts. "Over here, Da!" Gevina was right - this was certainly _not_ the sort of book that her father would approve of! A bloody murder, a shadowy man in disguise, and what was shaping up to be a steamy romance... Cyrek usually gave her history books to read, or geography, or scientific theory. He generally frowned upon fiction. **And he'd frown on this especially,** Mariss thought guiltily as her father appeared around the store room corner and bent to kiss her on the cheek. "I'm almost done the inventory."

"It's taken you a while. Do you need some help?" he asked. Usually a simple inventory would take his daughter no more than a candlemark. But Mariss shook her head. "It's all right. It won't take long now."

"Then why don't I help you and then we can go for dinner?" Cyrek said. He reached for the inventory sheet before she could whisk it out of reach and settled down on the barrel opposite, pen poised as he went over the ledger. She'd raced through the first half of the inventory so that she could steal a few moments to read her novel before finishing up. But it had been so absorbing, she'd lost track of time... "You finished with the quarter inch nails?"

"Yes." Mariss held her breath. "Um, I'm actually pretty hungry now.
Why don't we go to dinner...?"

"There's only a few more boxes to go. It won't take long with two of us," Cyrek said. This put Mariss in a pretty pickle. If she moved, the book would drop from where it was wedged between her hip and the shelf and her father would see what she was reading. A lecture would follow, and Mariss wouldn't find out who killed Penelpa's brother. And she couldn't just stand there with her Da waiting expectantly for her to count something. Shards and shells!

**Wait... what would Penelpa do?** Cyrek was watching her expectantly and Mariss swallowed nervously. In the first chapter Penelpa had snuck away from her prospective suitor at the Gather dance...

~*~

Penelpa was the most beautiful woman in the room, and everyone couldn't help but watch her dance with Marak. The cotholder had a vacant smile on his face and he trod on the new blue satin slippers that she'd bought to go with her navy Gather dress with the yellow beads and ivory lace. Everyone in the room watched as Marak pressed her closer and closer to his breast. His breath stirred her fiery hair as he leaned in close to whisper in her ear, "I love you Penelpa, and I've asked your father for your hand in marriage. He's agreed!"

Married... to Marak?! Penelpa gasped, and her white bosom pressed perilously against the daringly low neckline that her maid had coaxed her into. That could not be! Not Marak - he might have a fine, rich cot, but she did not _love_ him! Suddenly Penelpa had to leave the room and the trap that was Marak's arms and love before she was suffocated. Panting, she scanned the room for a means of escape and found none. **I must make my own,** she thought wildly, and pointed to the door. "There is my brother! I must speak with him immediately!" She tore herself out of Marak's arms and raced to the door, heedless of his cries for her to stop. She raced out of the Gather Hall and took refuge in the first room she came to.

~*~

"Why don't you check the quarter inch nails, and I'll see to the inch long ones?" Cyrek asked. Mariss swallowed nervously and pointed down the aisle. "Look! There's Trouble!"

"Trouble?" The Steward turned to find his flit and Mariss quickly stuffed the novel into the waistband of her apron and out of sight.
Her father turned back toward her with a puzzled look on his face.
"He's showing me images of a beach somewhere."

"Oh. I must have imagined him," Mariss said lamely. Her heart beat and her bosom pressed perilously against the dull brown fabric of the dress she wore. "So," she said after a heartbreakingly long moment, "I'll take the quarter inch nails, shall I?"

Last updated on the October 30th 2005

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