Mine

Writers: Suzee, AL
Date Posted: 16th February 2014

Characters: Relea, Arippa
Description: Arippa gathers some additional information
Location: Green Valley Hold
Date: month 5, day 1 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Yanley, Felyna, Reven

Relea

Arippa

Arippa pulled her cloak around her after a sharp gust of wind blew it
open.. Despite the cold bite in the weather that said winter was soon
coming, she knew it wouldn't be as harsh as winters in Amber Hills.

Green Valley was beautiful of that there was no doubt and though the
house was smaller and easier to run than the bigger Hold at Emerald
Falls, it was also hers. With the crops in and the gatherers out
finding all the herbs and berries they could from a late fall harvest,
the storerooms were full to bursting and her jam making could begin
with the headwoman. She was looking forward to using her Aunt Yanley's
recipie for redfruit chutney. It was so good with roast porcine.

As these pleasant domestic thoughts went through her mind another
sneaked in. She sighed and turned to go back into the house. Where she
was immediately confronted by the needlethorn in her serenity.

Relea carefully adjusted her new hat and smoothed the skirt of the
dress for which she had create it. Both were of a light green hue,
but the hat contained accents of darker green to help bring out the
paler colour. Movement caught her eye in the form of the Holder's
wife and she paused to smile and inclined her head to Arippa.

Arippa took a deep breath and returned the nod, though she didn't
smile. Then she felt a little guilty. She'd promised Coran she'd try
to like the girl even though she was having difficulty with that
particular promise.

"Lovely day today," she said.

Relea nodded and then took up her miniature stylus. Upon it she wrote
a question, then turned it so that Arippa could see it. "It is. How
are you?"

"I'm fine," Arippa said, though she didn't really feel that way. "And
how are you?"

"Well, thank you." While Arippa's words assured Relea of her well
being, there was something in her face that didn't. Perhaps her eyes.
Whatever it was, Relea could tell all was_not_ well. So she took a
chance and etched out, "What's wrong?"

Arippa tilted her head and narrowed her eyes. "Do you know about the rumors?"

"Yes." There was no need for a longer reply, but surely the lady
holder didn't believe them. Did she? Relea would have thought Coran
would have at the very least stood up for her.

Arippa nodded and opted for honesty. "I don't want to believe them.
It's hard for me to believe it of my husband." **Though his extreme
anger when I asked about it still concerns me.**

Relea's lips pursed in displeasure. Really? She didn't_want_ to
believe them? So that meant she did believe them. The young woman
erased her board and wrote new words upon it. "They aren't true."

She didn't miss the snap in the other woman's demeanor but there was
no way to know what it meant. A half smile twisted her lips but it
didn't reach her eyes. **You're quite beautiful Relea. Will you be
satisfied with the younger brother I wonder?** She lifted her chin.
Rumors about other things had reached her ears as well. There were
advantages to being blood of a wealthy family after all. "See they
don't become true."

Irritation built up within her. How dare she! Here she'd tried to be
polite and respectful and the woman was letting her position getting
to her head. Relea would have growled had she known the sound.
Instead, she erased her board and wrote out quickly. "What kind of
marriage do you have if you can't trust your husband?" Then, without
waiting for the other woman to respond, she whirled upon her heel to
stalk away.

Arippa stood quietly and watched her walk away. "Alright," she
murmured to herself. "If you want war, you can have war." She turned
her back on the person she knew now to be her rival, either through
her own will or the machinations of those around her it didn't matter.
Her husband was no longer going to have any reason in the world to
seek another woman's bed and she would make certain he didn't.

Arippa had never before had to access those skills her family had used
so skillfully in the last few generations. Inside her family sphere
they were all quite loving but people outside that circle had no clue
how coldly they could deal with an adversary.

A small smile curved her lips as she walked toward her quarters to
prepare for the evening. She had gained some important information
from her time with Felyna and though some of it had puzzled her at the
time, it now fell into place. She was certain Reven didn't love Relea
and now... he never would.

**Mine!**

Last updated on the March 26th 2014

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