The Danger of Rumors

Writers: AL, Heather
Date Posted: 30th July 2014
Series: The Unwanted Sister

Characters: Relea, Coran, Rollan
Description: Relea runs into some trouble
Location: Green Valley Hold
Date: month 8, day 9 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned; Arippa

Relea

"Well well well, if it isn't the little deaf and dumb girl." Relea
offered no reply, for the words were spoken behind her back and she
did not have eyes in the back of her head. Rollan sneered as his eyes
darted about. No one was around, and really, who cared about her
besides the Holder and maybe that Healer they were cuckolding? If
anything, the Holder's wife would probably cheer him on. His arm
snaked out and snatched hers mid step, which brought her to a sudden
halt. She turned, her eyes darting to the hand that grabbed her, then
to the face that continued to jeer. "Hey little girl."

Relea tugged at the hold upon her and he released her, but then
advanced, catching her against the wall. "Aren't you a pretty one. A
shame you can't hear. Or talk. A girl like you might be worth
something other wise." One hand braced against the wall, aligned with
her head while the other reached up to tease a lock of hair. Relea
flattened against the wall and hoped that he would lose interest
quickly. "I guess that's why the Holder likes you. Can't talk. Can't
reveal secrets. Deaf and dumb, perfect combination. Pretty girl like
you probably has your choice of men. How many does he make? Seven?
Eight? More?"

Relea turned her head and tried to duck away from him, but Rollan was
faster than she. His fingers clamped on her arm as he threw her back
against the wall. "What say we take a little walk to my quarters
huh?" He released her arm to allow his fingers to play at the collar
of her dress. "Not like you're exclusive after all, right?"

A hand clamped suddenly to the back of Rollan's neck, the force behind
it crushing as he pulled the man back, "Who the feck do you think you
are talking to?" Coran snarled, his blue eyes livid. He wasn't the
muscular powerhouse that his brother had been prior to his kidnapping,
but he could hold his own and right now he was using his height and
the electrified buzz coursing through his veins to his advantage.

Relea slid to the side in order to place more distance between her
and the jerk of a man. Her eyes shifted to settle on Coran's face and
she cringed at the sight. She'd seen him angry once before, but not
like that. While Rollan wasn't as tall, he was no wimp and he twisted
down and around to force Coran to release him. Once free, he backed
up, hands lifted. "Hey, hey, she's all yours."

Coran advanced a threatening step toward Rollan, "I don't think so you
wher's ass. You are going to look her in the eye and say you are
sorry!" He pointed a finger in the man's face punctuating each word.

Rollan slapped aside Coran's hand, his brows furrowing close together
as his frown turned into anger. "Sorry? Sorry for what? Hitting on
a woman who seems content to bed half the Hold? Just taking advantage
of a good thing. You certainly did. So did your brother!"

There was nothing that Rollan could have said or done to make Coran
any more infuriated, the words did nothing but add fuel to an already
blazing fire. He lunged forward and grabbed Rollan by the front of the
shirt. Rearing back Coran smashed his fist into the man's nose,
accompanied by a satisfying 'crunch''. Pain exploded in his knuckles
but he used the same hand to grab Rollan's face and bring it closer,
"I don't quite think I heard that apology correctly. Would you like to
try again?"

"What the feck!" Rollan howled as his hands flew up to ward off the
healer. Another hand tugged at Coran, not as powerful as Rollan, but
insistent. When he wouldn't turn, Relea stepped where her husband
could see her and she signed a curt, "Stop!"

Coran's eyes locked with Relea's for a moment. Why was she stopping
him? Hadn't she read Rollan's lips? Didn't she know what he was saying
about her? Jaw clenched, Coran looked back up at Rollan, planted his
hand in the center of the man's chest and gave him a hard backward
shove, "Get out of here. And don't ever come near my wife again." His
voice was a growl.

Rollan didn't have to be told twice. He stumbled, caught himself,
then fled while Relea planted herself firmly in front of Coran. She
inhaled deeply, attempting to calm the pounding of her heart now that
the altercation had been calmed. "Let's go home." She signed before
she reached out to clasp Coran's hand firmly in hers.

Blood was still pounding in his ears and the hand not held by Relea's
trembled lightly as they walked back to their room. Coran could not
escape the thought that if he hadn't been passing by on his way from a
visit with a patient, he wouldn't have been there to help Relea at
all. How far would the man have taken his treatment of the deaf woman?
Coran thought he knew the answer to that and it renewed his anger.

Relea closed the door behind them, then reached for Coran's hand
again, that time to study the fingers that had so readily pounded
against the man's face. She lightly stroked them, then reached up to
caress his face before she pulled away to sign. "Thank you."

Coran pulled Relea against him and wrapped his arms around her. He had
never wanted to hurt someone so badly. Reven had always been the
fighter between them growing up. The depths of his protectiveness for
his wife surprised even him. His body thrummed lightly as the last
ebbs of adrenaline began to fade.

She allowed herself to be enveloped in his embrace, her head against
his chest as she listened to the pounding of his heart slowly begin to
quiet. While she hadn't wanted Coran to fight, Relea was also grateful
he'd come. The man had thought her 'dumb', but if things had
progressed, she would have surprised him with her screams. She could
make noise, she just didn't know how things sounded most of the time.
Just because she was deaf and didn't use spoken word didn't mean she
couldn't lift that voice when needed. Still, she was grateful he'd
arrived when he did.

Unfortunately, how she was afraid what this might mean. Those rumours
were getting out of hand, but she didn't know what to do about it -
except to avoid Reven completely. Perhaps that was the key. Avoid
him alone, or only stand in his presence with another - preferably
Coran if male or another female. But who would be willing to do that?
Well, it wasn't as if Relea had to interact with Reven all that much,
but she hated the idea of ignoring a member of the family because
people got the wrong idea. Although she loathed to break his hold,
Relea really needed to 'talk' so she pulled back and sighed. "What are
we going to do? This has gotten out of hand."

**The rumors wouldn't have gotten out of hand if you and Reven had
been smart and not been alone together. Or, I dunno, closed the door
before_verbally_ professing your love for each other.** Were among
Coran's darkest thoughts, but instead he said, "Nothing. Do nothing.
If they have nothing to talk about then they will tire of it
eventually." Or until the next big thing happened. He turned and went
to the cabinet to draw out some numbweed for his throbbing knuckles.

Something flickered across Coran's expression. Anger? Rage? As he
turned to minister to his hand, back to her, she sighed and collapsed
into a chair. Maybe it would be better if she just stayed in her
rooms. She could just flag down a drudge to bring her meals and then
she wouldn't have to worry about wagging words or men who thought she
was giving anyone sexual favours. She glanced back to her husband,
but he still wasn't looking at her. How she wished she could figure
out a way to put these rumours to rest.

Nothing. Do nothing. Well, if that's what it took, that's what she
would do. She had plenty of supplies for the hats that had been
recently commissioned, so she wouldn't have to seek out anything for
those for quite some time. If she really needed anything, she could
just ask Coran or one of the staff as they passed by. If she had to
go out, she'd wait until he was able to go with her. It wasn't the
best of solutions, but it was the best Relea could come up with. She
reached up to rub at her eyes. How had things progressed so far?

Once his hand was dealt with, Coran put away the numbweed, closed the
drawer and then turned to look at his wife and sigh a little. If he
wasn't there the next time... "I have another appointment," which he
was probably late for, "in the infirmary. Will you be all right until
I get back?"

Relea nodded. "I'm just going to stay here." Better to remain in her
rooms than run into that guy again - or someone just like him. "I'll
wait til you get back."

Last updated on the August 1st 2014

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The Danger of Rumors