Drop This

Writers: Bree, Eimi
Date Posted: 28th November 2006

Characters: Carmora, Almonteo, M'tone
Description: Carmora confronts M'tone about his suspicious behavior with Larken, but Almonteo forces her to drop the issue.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 13, day 29 of Turn 3

Almonteo

M'tone poured himself another mug of ale, staring down into the froth, wondering if he regretted pulling Larkin off into the shadows or not. He had that memory of the fire and the passion that passed between them, and yet also the knowledge that the moment was gone. Perhaps for good. She was married, and that seemed more important to her than her heart, than her desires, than her own needs. It was almost inconceivable that she could be that strong in their devotion to someone, even someone they do not love. He had to wonder, which was the more powerful factor behind her decision, her feelings for her husband or the constraints of the hidebound society she had been brought up in. The brownrider silently cursed them both - her husband and the world she came from - as he took a long pull from his mug. He just wanted to lose himself in drink, and then he wanted to be alone. He couldn't suffer company tonight.

The woman who approached him in the lull between dances looked entirely unconcerned about whether her company was wanted or not. She stopped several paces away from him, her dark eyes regarding him cooly. "Good evening, brownrider."

"Good evening, ma'am," M'tone replied with a polite nod and then returned his attention to his mug.

Carmora was in no mood to be ignored. "Are you M'tone?"

"Yes, ma'am. I'm M'tone." He turned to look at her. Obviously this woman had some sort of business with him. Hopefully it would be brief.

"I'm Carmora," she replied, her smile perfectly pleasant and at complete odds with the hard look in her eyes. "Hallmaster Almonteo's wife."

The smallest hint of an alarm bell started going off in the brownrider's mind. Just what business would the Hallmaster's wife have with him? But he plastered an equally polite smile onto his face. "It's a pleasure, madam."

"Is it?" she asked, her voice taking on a hint of an edge. "Perhaps you take too much pleasure in meeting ladies from the Harper Hall."

"Not recently," the brownrider said, his pleasant smile still fixed in place.

"You have an interesting concept of the definition of 'recently' then."
Carmora crossed her arms over her chest. "You certainly seemed to enjoy Larken's company this evening."

"Not as much as I would have liked to," M'tone admitted before taking another long sip of beer. "Turns out the lady has a husband."

"Yes, she does," Carmora replied, her voice chilly. "And while it may be appropriate for a married woman do dance with another man, sneaking off into corners is less acceptable."

"We were not sneaking into a corner to initiate a relationship. She was letting me down gently." It was only partially a lie. Their kisses had been goodbye, after all. "Larken was reminding me that she has a husband and that there was no chance for anything to ever happen between us. She is devoted to him."

Carmora's eyes narrowed as she studied the dragonrider. "I think you're lying to me, M'tone."

"If I were telling a lie, would I be alone with my beer, madam?"

Almonteo could see the look on his wife's face from the small group he had been making small talk with. Shards, he hoped the brownrider wasn't trying to flirt with her. She didn't take kindly to that sort of thing.
He quickly excused himself and hurried to her side. "There you are, my dear! Are you enjoying your evening? Hello, brownrider."

"Good evening Hallmaster," M'tone said with a polite bow, grateful that maybe now the interrogation would end. Carmora was in no mood to be managed. "Almonteo, this is M'tone. He's been making friends with Ojisan's wife." Her tone left no doubt as to what sort of friends she suspected the two were.

"Is this true, brownrider?" Almonteo asked, turning his eyes towards the rather good looking rider. Ojisan was a bit older than Larken. It was not entirely out of the realms of possibility that young eyes might wander...

"Sir, as I told your wife, I was caught up in the moment, and I cannot say that I was not interested, but she told me quite plainly that she was married and she is devoted to her husband. That is why she is...
wherever she is... and I am here drinking my ale alone. It was a dance, that is it."

"And you have no designs on the lady?" the Hallmaster pressed.

M'tone looked the Hallmaster right in the eye. "She made it quite clear she wants only my friendship and I respect that."

"Well, I suppose everyone gets caught up in the moment sometimes. It seems to be over now. See, Carmora, nothing to worry about. Come now,"
the Hallmaster slipped an arm around his wife's waist, "let's have a dance."

Carmora's smile was dangerous as she turned away from M'tone. "Thank you so much for dismissing my foolish concerns, husband. Perhaps I'll sit this dance out."

"I never said your concerns were foolish, wife," Almonteo smiled back, more resigned than intimidating. "The man says she turned him down and I certainly see no evidence to the contrary. Do you?"

His wife didn't look at him or slow down as she strode towards the hallway that would take her back to their weyr. "If I hadn't seen evidence to the contrary, I hardly would have confronted him."

The Hallmasters long legs helped him quickly catch up with her. "If there is indeed more to it, than it is Ojisan's business, not ours. It is not our job to safeguard every marriage in Hall." As Almonteo had seen first hand with Eliomar and his wife, more than one marriage might be suffering in the Weyr. But he had enough to worry about without having to keep track of every man and his wife.

"Then there may not _be_ very many marriages left by the time we've been here a full turn," Carmora snapped, still refusing to look at him. "It would be one thing if they simply looked down upon our way of life, but they want to destroy it!" "They do not," Almonteo growled as he stopped her by grabbing her elbow.
"I will not make trouble between Hall and Weyr over a little harmless flirting and I would appreciate it if you would do the same. We cannot go around accusing every rider of lustful intentions towards the men and women of our Hall. If we are so easily tempted, perhaps its our failing and not theirs."

Only the lack of privacy in the corridor kept Carmora from slapping her husband. It didn't stop the heat in her eyes. "Let go of me this instant." "I want you to drop this foolishness now," the Hallmaster said, his voice rock hard as he dropped her elbow. "Leave that brownrider and Larken alone, Carmora. I mean it."

Flushed with anger, Carmora pulled away from him and rubbed at her elbow where his fingers had dug in when she'd tried to jerk away. "Whatever you say, husband. Do I have your permission to leave now?"

Almonteo didn't have to respond to that. He just turned around and walked back towards the party.

Last updated on the December 1st 2006

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