Not So Welcome News
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Jelena, Paula
Date Posted: 31st January 2017
Characters: Corowal, Lizayna
Description: Corowal receives some unwelcome news.
Location: Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 10, day 2 of Turn 8
Corowal went through the list of names again. He needed reliable men (or women) who he could place on riverboats to guard their security. They needed to be people he could trust _and_ they had to be able to handle themselves in tight situation. The requirements where strict and not many fit them. Problem was that the Hold's guards were already stretched thin and overworked with the vandals and anti-Weyr movement.
Corowal's ponderings were soon interrupted by a short, but crisp knock on the door. Behind the door Lizayna waited impatiently for a response, a tray on her hip and anxious expression in her eyes. Yes, it was a stroke of luck her brother's plan had worked out so wonderfully, with an actual pregnancy to strengthen her claim. But from the moment she had discovered this 'stroke of luck' she had felt a twinge of regret at her choice. This baby wasn't a bargaining chip. But she couldn't back away now, could she?
"Ah, Lizayna. How are you?" Corowal greeted politely and turned the hide upside down.
"I, ah..." Lizayna faltered, before stepping in and quickly closing the door behind her. "I'm doing alright, all things considered..." she trailed off uncertainly, before moving towards his desk and putting the tray down. "I was hoping you would have a moment to discuss a certain.. private matter with me for a moment."
Well, that didn't sound very promising. "Of course, Lizayna, I always have time for you," he said smoothly. His face showed nothing but polite interest.
"Thank you, Sir," Lizayna said, nervously easing herself down in the chair across from his desk. She didn't really know how to broach the subject gently. Perhaps she should just tell him straight out. "I came to tell you.. well our little meeting a few sevendays ago. It seems it came with a little surprise. The baby kind of surprise."
Corowal just stared her for a long moment. "Are you sure?" he asked.
Lizayna shifted uncomfortably in her seat at his stare, unsure what it meant. "I'm positive," she said with a serious nod. "Well, I didn't get it officially checked out by the Healers yet. I didn't want to be.. indiscreet. But it's hard to deny otherwise."
"I see," Corowal said and crossed his fingers, thinking furiously. The timing was most unfortunately, with Felyna being pregnant and all. Of course, it was Felyna's difficult pregnancy that had driven him to seek entertaiment elsewhere, since she was unable. "What are you going to do?" he asked. His initial thought was send her away, far, far away to hide the child...unless she agreed to abort it.
"Well, um," Lizayna seemed to get more nervous by the moment. "Seeing as there's no chance you can make an honest woman out of me, I figured you'd at least want to contribute to your baby's well-being in some way. That's why I came here."
"I can send you somewhere far away and make sure you'll have a nice, secure life," Corowal suggested. "How does Sunstone sound to you?"
"Sunstone?" Lizayna's eyes grew wide. The compensation had to be well worth it for that to happen! "Just how.. secure are we talking about? I cannot go alone, my brother would need to come with me and it might be hard on him to find work."
"I don't want anybody to know about this pregnancy. It would be too hard on Felyna," Corowal said.
"I understand. But it's going to be hard on me too, so I want to know how much.. what I can expect from you," Lizayna said, trying very hard what her brother had told her to say.
"Don't expect to take an advantage of me," Corowal warned her with cold tone.
"I'm taking advantage of you?" Lizayna asked, eyes wide in mock surprise. Corowal's tone was more than a little unsettling and she got to her feet. Maybe she should talk with her brother some more about how to handle this. She didn't want to mess this up...
"I think you need some time to adjust to the news. I will come back later."
Last updated on the February 1st 2017