Overplaying Your Hand

Writers: Yvonne
Date Posted: 24th July 2014

Characters: Alina, Ervine
Description: Ervine makes his intentions very, very clear
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 7, day 27 of Turn 7
Notes: Notes: The Game 8

Alina

It was past dark by the time Alina was finished Candidate chores and had dinner, and she hoped that Ervine remembered his stint as a candidate well enough to excuse her lateness. She crept down toward the beach hesitantly, still not quite trusting that her new sandals would protect her feet from rocks and thorns hidden in shadow.

When she stepped off the path onto the sand, the beach was washed with moonlight. A little ways up a group of weyrfolk was having a bonfire, and the rising sparks mingled with the white of the stars. The water was calm and still as a dark mirror. She took a deep breath.

"Alina?"

The soft sound of her name caused vtols to flutter in her stomach. She turned, smiling, as Ervine stepped out of the shadows with a blanket over one arm. "Hello, Ervine."

"I wasn't sure you were going to come…" His voice was hesitant and his face soft in the moonlight. "I'm glad you did."

She flushed and hoped that it wasn't noticeable. "The Candidate schedule isn't very forgiving."

"Ah."

Maybe she was supposed to have skipped off? But that was something she'd never do. "I hope you weren't waiting long."

Ervine shrugged and held out his arm. "Not really. Let's go for a walk and find somewhere a little quieter."

"All right." She slipped her hand in the crook of his elbow and followed as he led her down the beach. His support was useful-she wasn't used to walking on sand, and her footing seemed unduly treacherous until he led her onto the wet strip where the ocean met the beach. They laughed and danced out of the way when waves came up too far, and chatted about not much in particular.

Once they were long past the party, Ervine pulled her toward a shadowed grove that was surrounded by flowering trees. "Let's stop here."

"I don't know… can't we keep walking?" Alina eyed the dark space dubiously. It made her feel… uneasy.

"Don't be like that." Holdbred. "Come on!" He tugged her forward, and Alina reluctantly followed. Unfurling the blanket with a flick of his wrist, he pulled the candidate down beside him to stare at the water. "See? Isn't this nice?"

"It is a beautiful night." And it was. The moonlight dancing on the waves made everything look so… peaceful. It made her want to come to the beach more often, and maybe brave the crowds of naked bodies during the daytime to see how the ocean looked then. **And what would it be like to actually wear something so skimpy, and jump in?**

"So…" Ervine put an arm around her and drew her close. "How are you feeling?"

"Well, I guess." It was an odd question until she realized that he was probably as nervous as she was. "And you?"

"I'd like a kiss."

Her heart stopped. Ervine gently turned her chin with a finger, and then he kissed her. And kissed her again. And somehow they were lying down, and his hand was travelling up her leg… "Ervine." She grabbed his wrist. "Don't."

"Don't worry so much." He kissed her again, silencing her when she wanted to speak. Even though she had a hand on his, his fingers continued their journey toward her knee.

She squirmed away. "Ervine, don't."

"Stop being so holdbred." He kissed her again. "Everybody does it."

That stung, and she pushed him away. She was breathless and her hair was in a tangle, and the bodice of her dress seemed too tight. "That's not fair."

"Relax." He grabbed her wrist, planted a kiss in her palm. "I didn't mean it like that."

She shook her head. His calling her 'holdbred' rang in her ears. "I should go."

"No, don't do that." Ervine kissed her palm again. "Stay. I just-you make me so crazy. I can't help it!"

"I can't." His kisses felt so good, but this whole situation was making her stomach feel sour. He wasn't listening to her. Why wasn't he _listening_? "And don't call me holdbred like it's an insult."

"It's not. It's just…" He crawled closer, and Alina found herself trapped as he knelt on her skirt. "I just want you so bad. And this is the Weyr. We can have anybody. Don't you want me?"

"Well-" She bit her lip, not wanting to hurt his feelings but not quite knowing how to say 'no' either. So what if she was holdbred-- he shouldn't hold it over her head like that. She still liked him, and there was the possibility of marriage. "Of course I like you. I wouldn't have come if I didn't." Which was true, so why did it sound like a lie to her?

He leaned forward and kissed her, and despite her intentions they were lying down again. And his hand was travelling up past her knee. She grabbed it. "I said stop!"

"You are _so_ holdbred." He kissed her neck, wouldn't stop even as she squirmed away. "Just relax and enjoy yourself for once."

"I mean it, Ervine!" She tried to get away again, but he pinned her in place with his weight. And she panicked. "Get off!"

He hesitate for a long, long moment, then rolled off her. His expression was stormy, the dimpled smile gone. "What's your problem?"

"I don't have a problem. You do." Shaking, she sat upright and readjusted her bodice. "When a lady says no, a true gentleman would respect that."

"Who says I'm a gentleman? Or even that you're a lady? You're a candidate." Ervine flashed a crooked grin. "Come on. It's _fun_."

She crossed her arms. "No, it's not just _fun_! This is serious. You said you were serious."

He shrugged, still smiling. "I would have said anything to get you out here. And now that we are, the stars are bright, and we're alone... we can do whatever we want. Nobody will ever know. We can just continue on with our lives and pretend nothing ever happened, although now that you're at the Weyr nobody will care anyway."

The flutters she'd felt when she'd met him on the beach abruptly disappeared, replaced by something dark and sharp and scared. And hurt. He'd lied to her, the entire time. Lied with every word. Maybe he _had_ thought about marriage, but it was probably someone else's marriage, and it certainly wasn't about marrying her. He was just like all the other weyrfolk, so entitled and intent on their own pleasure that they were blind to the consequences.

And what was worse, she'd been just as blind as him. And more foolish, too. She was supposed to _know_ better. "You're an absolute beast."

"Now I'm beastly because _you're_ too stuck up and prudish to have a little fun?" Ervine snorted. "That's so backward, I don't even know where to start."

"That's it. I'm leaving." Alina started to stand. "I don't want to see you again, Ervine. You're not the sort of person I want to associate with. Ever."

"Wait, what?" He caught her skirt and tugged her off balance. "You can't just go like that! I'm not done yet."

She snatched her dress from his fingers. "What's that supposed to mean!?"

He sighed. "I didn't want to do it like this, but you give me no choice... Alina, give me your panties. Please. It'll be worth your while."

Alina's mouth fell open as she stared at him in shock. He might as well have punched her in the gut. "What!?"

"Give me your panties." Ervine held out his hand. "It's a bet, okay? I need to get a holdbred girl's panties, and you're it, sweetheart. I get double if I take them off you but I get the impression that option's out. But if you give them to me I'll split my winnings with you fifty-fifty. Come on. It'll be worth it, I swear."

"I hate you!" The words spilled out of her, black and venomous. "You're a disgusting, yellow-bellied maggot of a man. I don't even know why I came here!" Alina scrambled to her feet, clumsy with embarrassment and anger and intent on leaving.

"Aw, don't be so dramatic! A moment ago you said you liked me. Just give me your panties and we both walk out of here rich!" He caught and tugged at the hem of her dress again. "You're at the _Weyr_. It's not like it's a big deal or anything."

There was a gale of laughter from the shadows-- he'd brought people to _watch_?! Humiliation and fright made her strong, and Alina slapped Ervine as hard as she could. The sound echoed down the beach like a thunderclap as he was knocked sideways onto the sand.

"Hey!"

"Bitch!"

The laughter was replaced with a crackle of underbrush as the watchers in the woods charged forward. Ervine moaned at her feet. Alina turned her back and tried not to run as she left the clearing and headed back down the beach toward the sounds of the bonfire. Her back tingled and she expected them to grab her from behind. She walked faster, nearly tripping in the sand, past the bonfire, up the path and to the relative safety of the Candidate's barrack, which suddenly didn't feel safe at all.

Last updated on the July 28th 2014

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Overplaying Your Hand