A Sympathetic Ear

Writers: Avery, Jelena
Date Posted: 24th July 2014

Characters: Parme, Liassa
Description: Liassa talks to Parme
Location: Sunstone Seahold
Date: month 7, day 3 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Yriadha

Liassa scanned the corridor before knocking on Parme's door. "Excuse me,
ma'am?" Hopefully Parme would be much less mean than Yriadha had been.

"The door is open, do come in!" Parme called out from her comfortable
chair. Barley was in her lap purring contently.

She pushed the door open and came inside, smiling hsitantly. "Hi. I'm
Liassa and...I have a problem." The drudge hesitated before closing the
door behind her.

"A problem, dear?" Parme said, also smiling, though less hesitantly. She
had a good guess about what that problem was, her recent conversation with
the Headwoman still fresh in her mind. "Have a seat and tell me about it.
Problems exist to be solved."

Liassa settled into the seat. She wasn't much to look at - a small girl,
with frizzy hair in a mousy brown and an overbite.

Something about Parme's manner opened the floodgates. "So Sethrul and I
down at the stables have been friends forever, but his da doesn't much
like me. He thinks his son could do better than a drudge, like a crafter's
daughter. But we really like each other, see, and we've been a little
carried away, and now I'm pregnant and Yriadha hates me."

"I see," Parme said, a sympathetic warmth in her eyes. "About that last
bit, don't worry, Yriadha hates everyone," it was delivered with a playful
wink, but inwardly Parme felt her irritation with their strict Headwoman
grow. Yes, this girl had made a very bad choice. She would probably be
haunted by it the rest of her life. She didn't see how it could help to
further degrade the poor soul.

"About the rest, yes, you did get yourself into a very sticky situation.
But let's see if we can come up with something to make it a bit better,
alright?" Parme reached for the girl's shoulder and gave it an encouraging
pinch. "Did you tell Sethrul yet?"

Liassa nodded, trying very hard not to blubber. She hadn't expected such
sympathy, not when she knew her parents, and Sethrul's, were going to come
down on her so hard for this.

"He knows. And we'll have to get married now - but, at least his dad can't
stop us." A momentary spark of defiance made her lift her chin.

Actually, Parme figured there were a lot of things the boy's dad could do
to stop them, but this didn't seem like the right time to point that out.
"And who have you told about the pregnancy so far? Do you think he told
anyone?"

She shook her head. "Sethrul, Yriadha, Healer Jhose, and now you."

"Try to keep it contained and don't tell anyone else. If you get married
real soon, we might be able to pass it off as an early labour when the baby
comes. It won't fool everyone, but it might save you some trouble in the
long run." As long as she got married, Parme figured the girl would be
alright. People would gossip, surely, but didn't they always?

Liassa nodded again. "I don't want to be shamed." Her eyes watered and she
looked like a scared sixteen-Turn-old.

"It was a risk you knew you were taking, sweetie," Parme said, though her
eyes still betrayed compassion. "It isn't going to be easy, but you can get
through this and make a better future for yourself and your babe. You just
have to be strong now. Do you think you can do that?"

It took her a moment of wiping her face with her handkerchief to regain
her composure. "I think so. But - but I don't want to work in the kitchens
anymore with the food smell and that's where Yriadha puts me."

"I'm afraid you don't have much of a choice dear," Parme sighed. "I have a
feeling Yriadha won't be very eager to relocate you." For a moment, Parme
fell silent, thinking. "I guess I could go talk to her, explain that you'd
be more efficient elsewhere until your morning-sickness subsides." That
would mean putting aside her principles on being treated like one of the
Headwoman's workers. But then again she'd never been one to put her ego
above the well-being of others.

"I like laundry and mending. But if you can't do anything, I understand."
She couldn't blame anyone else for being afraid.

" I can't promise you anything, dear, but I'll have a chat with Yriadha and
see what I can do." Parme nodded. "Now, I assume you're here for a check-up
officially, hmm?"

"Yes, ma'am. Thank you," she whispered.

"You're welcome, dear, now let's make sure you and the babe are doing
alright, okay?" Parme gave the girl a pat on the shoulder. Hopefully, this
would all turn out just fine.

Last updated on the July 29th 2014

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A Sympathetic Ear