"Overprotective"

Writers: Heather, Suzee
Date Posted: 28th May 2014
Series: The Unwanted Sister

Characters: Coran, Relea
Description: Relea goes missing for a bit, and a panicked Coran shows her a side of him that she's never seen.
Location: Green Valley Hold
Date: month 6, day 26 of Turn 7

Relea

They were entering the cooler season which meant that flowers were
getting more and more difficult to find. There were still some,
however, especially those that bloomed later and preferred the lower
temperatures. She felt odd picking those that were cultivated in the
gardens, so Relea had always gone outside of the hold. Many children
had similar thoughts so most of the flowers right by the doors and
walls had been plucked, the ground barren of its former glory. It
just meant Relea would have to walk a little further. She didn't mind
a bit of a walk and, with a jacket, the day was quite pleasant. She
had hoped to urge Coran out of the infirmary but he had been with a
patient and the apprentice thought it would be some time before he'd
be available. So Relea procured a sandwich and set out on her own for
a walk outside.

The buildings receded behind her as she trekked down the path that lay
to the main road. She had no plans to go quite that far, and once she
saw a few bunches of flowers, she veered off the path and settled down
among them. First, she would eat, then she would gather. She could
dry them and use them in her hats. With care, they would last a long
time and could be replaced easily if need be once more were blooming
again.

~*~

Coran had not expected such a lengthy appointment and he sighed as he
came out of the examination room and rolled down his sleeves. Going
over to the wash basin he began washing his hands as one of the
apprentices came his way.

"Sir, your wife came by to see you."

"Was it urgent?" Coran asked.

"She didn't say it was."

"Thank you." Coran dried his hands and left the infirmary for his
quarters where he was sure Relea would be waiting.... Except when he
opened the door he found the room empty.

"Relea?" He called and then rolled his eyes, "Right, Coran, as if your
deaf wife is going to answer you."

Where was she? He left the the room to make a round through the keep.

"Hello Coran." One of the drudges mopping the floor fluttered her
lashes at him. The healer was handsome and the brother of the Holder.
Even though he was newly married, some women were not above a little
flirting - or more if he was open to such a situation. As he
continued one, she sighed and resumed her work.

Coran had no time to stop and see who had spoken to him because panic
was beginning to set in his belly. He had checked all of Relea's usual
places and nothing. She was no where to be found. What if she
disappeared just like Reven had? They had no way of knowing who the
culprit was and there was the real possibility that he was still among
them.

When Coran's expression was dark and the worry was far too obvious on
his face as he passed by her on his way back, the drudge paused in her
mopping and called out to him again. "Coran, is something wrong?"

With a frustrated sigh, Coran turned and ran his fingers through his
hair, "Have you seen Relea? I cannot find her."

"Your wife?" The woman who was sleeping with the holder had married
his brother, but everyone knew it was just a cover for any pregnancies
that might occur - and it kept her close by. "I saw her heading out
of the hold when I was bringing in water not that long ago. She was
going down the trail toward the main road."

Coran's lips pressed down into a thin line, "She left the Hold?"
Without waiting for an answer he stalked out of the keep, making long
strides across the bailey as he headed for the gates of the Hold. When
he found his wife he had a mind to wring her precious little neck.
What was she thinking going out on her own? Had Reven's disappearance
taught her nothing?

She'd not gone too far, but she was off the path in a small clutch of
flowers. She'd eaten the lunch she had brought and by the time Coran
found her, Relea had gathered a half basket of the blossoms that
surrounded her. Every time she plucked one, she took a moment to
inhale deeply before placing it with its brethren. They held a
lovely, sweet scent that was almost heady, as if they were desperate
to attract all the insects they could before the winter weather drove
them to sleep.

When he saw a flash of color amongst the trees, Coran's heart jumped
to his throat, and his steps increased. Once Relea came into view his
body sagged with relief and placed a hand to his forehead. She was
safe. Licking his lips, the healer's anger returned in a flash as he
went over to where she was, reached down, grabbed her by her arms, and
hauled her to her feet. "What are you doing out here by yourself? What
were you thinking?" He was too upset to even try to use his hand
gestures.

There was a gasp at the sudden jerk and the pain of fingers digging
into her flesh. The flower she had clutched in her hand tumbled to
the ground and her face contorted with the pain of his vice like grip.
Surprise mingled with it as she noted the severity of his expression
and the way his lips flung his words at her. She'd never seen him so
upset, so angry, and while they hadn't known each other_that_ long,

he'd always been gentle with her before. Not like this.

Relea's silence only served to irritate Coran further. Could she
really not perceive what she had done wrong? Did she not understand
what easy prey she made? A beautiful woman out on her own was one
thing, but a beautiful woman who was also deaf was in even more
danger. Were someone to sneak up on her she would never hear them,
and wouldn't be able to call for help either.

"Well?" He demanded, waiting for an explanation.

It was difficult to sign with her arms locked the way he had them, but

Relea managed to sign one word - 'Pain'. His fingers continued to dig
into his flesh even as she tried to wriggle out of his hold. He was
far too strong for her to even halfway break free.

The simple one word gesture was like a jolt to Coran's brain and he
released Relea immediately. His eyes registered the look on her face,
and with sudden clarity he recalled the biting grip he'd had on her
upper arms. Coran slowly backed away from her, his hands signing the
words, 'I'm sorry.'

Relea's arms crossed, her hands rubbing at the places where his
fingers had been seconds before. She took a tentative step back,
placing some distance between her and the healer.

"I am sorry." This time he said it with his lips. Had they been inside
he probably would have fled to their rooms, but this entire chaos had
started over his worry for Relea being outside of the Hold
unchaperoned. He wouldn't leave her out there. "Please come inside."

Relea bent down to pluck the basket from the ground. She motioned to
them before she hooked it over her arm so she could sign. "I need
more flowers." She eyed her husband warily, then motioned to the
flowers that still remained secured and nestled in the grass.

The wary look he received hit him like a dagger. He had earned the
look, he knew. Coran had never lost his temper like that with a woman
before. He supposed he could try to blame it on Reven's disappearance
and the fact that the idea of losing Relea made him crazy but, it was
a sorry excuse. His mother would have his head if she knew.

"Show me what to do and I will help." He offered.

She nodded, uncertain. He'd not acted like that before. Was it a
fluke? Would she run into that temper again? For the moment, she
allowed him the benefit of the doubt and crouched down to show how she
chose the longest flowers and snapped them down as far as she could to
keep the stems as long as possible.

Coran bent beside of Relea and carefully began picking the flowers,
just as she had instructed, as if helping her in this way could help
erase some of his rash actions.

There was no attempt to communicate as the pile of flowers grew
larger, not until she declared with a sweep of her hands that she had
enough. That done, she gathered the basket once more, then turned to
head back to the hold.

Coran walked beside of Relea, but with a good space between them. He
was afraid to touch her, even just to hold her elbow to escort her
back inside. The healer was afraid that Relea would recoil from his
touch and that he could not bear, so he did not try at all. He needed
to explain why he had acted the way he did, but he wanted to wait
until they were in the privacy of their rooms first.

Relea barely even looked at him, even as they entered their quarters.
She immediately moved over to the table where she'd set up her work
and placed the basket upon it. A spool of thin rope already sat
there, waiting, and she began to unravel it, cutting pieces off so
that she could hang up the flowers to dry, ultimately preserving them.

Hooking a chair, Coran drug it over beside of Relea and sat down,
tapping her knee to get her attention as he spoke with his hands, "Can
we talk, please?"

She had to look at him to 'hear' him. At his request, though, she set
aside the flowers and turned toward him, though she kept some distance
between them. She honestly wasn't sure what to think or how to feel,
other than cautious. The last thing she wanted to do was make him
angry again.

Coran had learned a lot of Relea's hand language, but he still spoke
whenever he used it, just in case, "I am sorry. Really. I didn't mean
to be rough with you. When I couldn't find you inside the Hold I
panicked. All I could thing of was Reven's disappearance. The thought
of something happening to you.... Makes me panic."

So he'd been rough because he'd panicked? Relea tried to wrap her
mind around that sort of thing. One of her fears had been that she'd
be given to a man who would hurt her. With Coran, she thought she had
escaped that fate. While what he'd done was nothing compared to what
she'd heard other women endure, she had to admit it concerned her.
Was it a one time thing, or simply a taste of things to come? What
had she gotten herself into? "I've done this a lot. I wasn't far
from the road."

"That was when Green Valley was safer. Reven was taken right from his
bedroom. Imagine how easy it would be for someone to take you while
you were outside the gates of the Hold." Coran didn't even want to
think about it, it made him feel insanely protective all over again.

"I'm no one." Relea pointed out. "Just a broken woman who's the wife
of a healer. Reven is a holder and desirable." So why would anyone
ever want to bother with her? There would be no reason, no advantage
to doing so.

Coran shook his head, "I am not saying you would be targeted because
of who you are or who you are married to, but simply because you are a
woman and alone. It's not safe." He reiterated.

Relea frowned, her hands paused mid air. Finally, she signed, "I've
done it before, but if you are uncomfortable with it, then I won't
again unless I am with someone." She didn't want to upset him or make
him angry, and as he spelled out his reasoning, she had to admit he
made sense.

The healer's shoulders sagged with relief, "Thank you, Relea. I really
am sorry about earlier. It won't happen again, I promise."

She nodded slowly. "I forgive you." There was a moment's pause, but
then Relea's hands worked again. "I shouldn't keep you from your
duties."

Coran was actually relieved to have to go back to the infirmary, but
regardless, he kissed the top of Relea's head and said, "I will see
you for supper." She had said she forgave him, and he hoped she really
meant it, but Coran knew better than most that broken trust was hard
to earn back.

Last updated on the June 2nd 2014

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"Overprotective"