A Cruel Message

Writers: Heather, Suzee
Date Posted: 13th May 2014

Characters: Arippa, Rendrall, Corette
Description: Arippa receives an unwelcome gift
Location: Green Valley Hold
Date: month 6, day 8 of Turn 7

Arippa

Nearly the entire family was seated in Arippa's parlor enjoying the
warmth of the fire place. Rendrall was standing, a cup of tea in one
hand, and the other hand stroking his goatee thoughtfully as he
studied the map of the Green Valley territory. He hadn't given up on
finding his son yet. With no real proof (his son's body, for one) the
man felt that he had no reason yet to give up on finding Reven alive.
Perhaps this was some sort of ransom... **Although they would have
surely given us some sort of demand by now.**

A knock came at the parlor door, and he turned away from the fire. His
wife, Corette, was knitting quietly in a chair near Arippa, and her
eyes automatically locked with his.

"Come in." He called.

The door swung open and a young courier stepped in, a package in his
hands, "Sir, Ma'am," his eyes flickered between Rendrall and Arippa,
"I have a package for Miss Arippa." The poor lad nearly wilted right
there at the intense gaze he was receiving from Rendrall, who had
taken it upon himself to practically act as his daughter-in-law's
sentry since his son was absent.

Rendrall tipped his head but didn't speak, letting the boy know that
it was okay to approaching the lady of the house.

The messenger walked forward timidly and inclined his head as he held
the package out to Arippa, "For you, m-ma'am."

She automatically responded by reaching for the package offered.
"Thank you," she said. But she was puzzled. She didn't received
packages all that often that weren't already opened for her and
delivered on a tray or to her rooms and this certainly wasn't her
birthingday. "I wonder..." she began as she pulled the string holding
the package together. But a scream burst from her throat and the
contents of the box fell to the floor. "It.... it..." she pointed and
covered her eyes sobbing.

"Oh my," Corette turned a pale face toward her husband, "it is Reven's finger."

Rendrall's eyes flicked between his wife's stricken face, and the
offending object lying on the floor. His brain slammed into motion
then, and he strode across the room and grabbed the messenger up by
the front of his shirt, "Where did you get this package?" He shook the
boy, "Who gave it to you?"

The boy's eyes were wide, "I-I don't know, s-sir! I swear it! I was
just passing through the courtyard. H-he had a hood over his face. He
gave me these marks," he pulled the pouch up from his side, "and
t-told me to deliver the package."

Rendrall snarled and pushed the boy away, "Get out!"

She couldn't look at it, "Was there a message in the box?"

"No, I think the finger was the message. Although I am not sure what
to make of it. If it was a ransom there would be a note demanding a
monetary amount." Rendrall said as he put and used the package to pick
up the offending object and wrap it up so that it was no longer
visible, "Perhaps it is meant to be proof that he is dead? I am not
sure why they would care about that though, and if that is their
intention, whomever sent it would have to have contacts inside the
hold that know we don't think Reven is dead."

"I _hate_ this!" Arippa stomped to her feet. "It's so sharding stupid.
Reven never hurt anyone in his life and someone decides to make a mess
of it." She crossed her arms and ignored the shocked faces. She didn't
care of her 'Lady' manners slipped and she swore. It really was
sharding stupid. "I'll kill them Rendrall," her eyes were as hard as
rock. "I promise you I will."

Rendrall had never seen such a fiery side of his daughter-in-law, and
he silently applaued his son's choice once again. Arippa was a fine
woman to be Reven's partner over Green Valley. "I believe you. The
trick is going to be catching whomever it is that is staging this. At
least we definitely know for sure now that this person is inside the
hold, apparently, close enough to us to know our thoughts." This
caused the man to raise an eyebrow, "With your permission, I would
like more security with you, Arippa."

Her anger hadn't robbed her of her common sense but she had made a few
decisions. "Yes," she said and nodded. "and I want some training," she
added. "I'm fairly good with a bow so I'll need one of those and a
practice range set up."

Corrette shook her head, but wisely kept her lips pursed together. A
lady training with men? It was unheard of an uncouth, especially when
Green Valley would provide guards for Arippa's protection.

Rendrall, on the other hand, merely inclined his head, "We can get
that set up for you."

Arippa didn't miss the little movement of disapproval from her
mother-in-law but with her Aunt kidnapped and her husband missing a
finger at the very least. No matter what Corrette thought she was
going to be able to defend herself, or at least stand with her guards.

"Thank you," she nodded at Rendrall. "We're going to get him back,"
she said with firm conviction.

Last updated on the June 2nd 2014

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A Cruel Message