What Awaits Us

Writers: Yvonne
Date Posted: 4th May 2024

Characters: Elana, Sellimere
Description: Elana tells her friend Sellimere about her encounter with the new Acting Lord Holder.
Location: Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 10, day 23 of Turn 11
Notes: Mentioned: Alina, J'ackt (not by name), Lord Corowal, Lord Corofel

For the first time since it happened, Elana hadn't woken up from nightmares of shattered dragon wings and blood soaked hallways. She hadn't spent her day jumping at shadows or wondering if bandits lurked around every corner, and she felt good enough that she spent a half a candlemark wandering through the rain-drenched gardens before dinner.

The dead dragonrider made Elana doubly glad that she'd stopped seeing her sister in person-- even if not having her around still felt like a toothache. Except all the new dragons in the courtyard made her think of Alina-- and also worry that she'd somehow be recognized.

**I'm better off if nobody knows,** Elana reminded herself as she swept down the hallway toward the dining hall. Not only did she have a dragonriding sister, but her stupid twin had gone and weyrmated herself to the literal worst man on Pern. If anyone knew she'd be so thoroughly shunned that she'd have to move to the Northern Continent, because her only other option would be living alone in a cave somewhere.

And that was the best case scenario. The worst... she suppressed the sudden urge to look over her shoulder for bandits.

"Elana! Wait up!"

Elana paused to let her friend Sellimere catch up. They linked arms as they started down the hallway together, and Elana did her best to ignore the ring glinting on Sellimere's finger. "How is Redmin?" Elana asked.

"Oh, he's well! We were discussing our wedding gather this afternoon, and I think that I have finally persuaded him to marry me here at Emerald Falls, although I still want to marry in the autumn and his mother thinks we ought to marry just after Turnover."

Elana wrinkled her nose. "Who wants to get married in the middle of summer? It's so _hot_! You'd be all sweaty."

"Precisely what I said!" Sellimere tsk-tsked, then lowered her voice. "Besides, with everything going on right now... I'm not sure that anyone will want to travel here."

It was a fair point. A watchrider had been gruesomely murdered, the Lord Holder was still missing, and Sellimere's runaway mother was a dragonrider. They entered the dining hall before Elana could reply, and after gathering a light dinner of soup, greens and bread, the two young ladies sat together beneath a window to eat.

"Have you heard anything about the Lord Holder's son?" Sellimere asked.

Elana smiled and dunked her bread into the soup. She couldn't have orchestrated a more perfect chance to talk about her run in Lord Corofel if she'd tried. "I actually met him yesterday."

Sellimere gasped. "Really?! What was he like? Tell me _everything_!"

"I was putting Lord Corowal's childrens' clothing away when Corofel came into their suite. I didn't hear him and he scared the daylights out of me." Elana laughed, the wide-eyed look on the new Lord Holder's face dancing in her memory like sunlight on water. "I thought he was a bandit for a moment. I even threatened him with a wooden runner!"

"You didn't!" Sellimere hid her giggle behind her hand. "What did he say?"

"Not much. Just asked what my name was and why I was there." Elana gazed wistfully into her soup. "He's quite handsome, though."

"He's a bit younger, isn't he?" Sellimere asked.

Elana shrugged. "Perhaps, but not by much."

"You know that _everyone_ is going to be quite jealous that he actually knows your name. I'm sure that he finds you _quite_ memorable." Sellimere batted her eyelashes at Elana.

Elana patted her hair and fluttered her eyelashes back. This was so like how she and her sister used to talk... she missed her. "Unfortunately I'm only memorable for nearly bashing his head in. Even if I had a chance at catching Lord Corofel's interest, why would he bother with me when he has ladies throwing themselves at him every time he turns a corner?"

Sellimere's playful expression softened as she reached across the table to grip Elana's hand in her own. "Don't say that about yourself. You're quite the catch."

"And yet I haven't caught _anyone's_ eye since I got here," Elana said bitterly. She picked up her spoon again. "It's been two Turns..." Time was running out. Her great aunt Panna was right; it was so stupid how the Plague had reduced Pernese women to marriage material and nothing more. Except for Alina-- who rode a dragon and sat in on Craft classes if she chose.

For the first time, Elana wondered if some of the holders hated the Weyrs because they reminded Pernese women what had been lost. If that was the case then maybe Emerald Falls Hold wouldn't be the only target. The Crafthalls were starting to accept girls as apprentices again... and men wouldn't like it if their women could run off to make their own lives. Having options was dangerous.

"Two turns isn't that long. And I promise that I'll introduce you to Redmin's friends at the wedding. I'm _sure_ that one of them will catch your eye. Wouldn't that be lovely-- us two friends married to two friends!" Sellimere giggled again. "We could live in side by side cotholds and plant a flower garden together!"

Elana smiled. "I would love that." The lie slipped past her lips easily. Elana couldn't imagine enjoying such a small life.

Sellimere prattled on about flowers and babies and Elana let the conversation flow around her like a river current, washing away the last of her nerves and fears for the future on a tide of small, meaningless dreams and tasty bits of gossip. It was enough to turn Elana's faked smile real.

Maybe not forever, but for now it was enough.

~*~

Last updated on the May 9th 2024

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