An Unpleasant Encounter

Writers: Ainsley1
Date Posted: 12th June 2007

Characters: Evaleine, Zabrionya, Flyloman
Description: Evaleine remembers a rather poignant and unpleasant encounter with her brother-in-law
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 4, day 24 of Turn 4

Finishing the rather dramatic piece with a flourish,
Evaleine took a deep breath and then another. Though
no one had been present to witness her performance, it
was quite possibly one of her best. The intricate
piece was one of her favorites and always evoked such
strong emotions. Taking another deep breath and
letting it out slowly, she carefully sat her violin
down in its case, running a loving hand over the
instrument.

She rose and moved to the window where she noted the
rain was coming down even harder than before. The
grey day seemed at such a contrast to the exciting
music she had been playing. As the thunder sounded in
the distance, her mind flashed back to another storm.

** ** ** **
Evaleine moved to the window of the women's solar to
watch the intense storm. The darkness of the day
seemed very in tune with that in her heart. She was
startled by the baritone voice behind her.

"Are you frightened by the storm?"

Spinning around, Evaleine was immediately on guard,
her green eyes burning with unleashed fury. "What are
you doing here?"

"Coming to see you of course."

"Why?"

"Your eyes are most alarming when you look at me like
that. Won't you sit? I would like to talk."

"I am comfortable standing. What have you come to
say?"

"I know you miss my brother, as I do of course. It
has been such a short time, really, but I think we
should speak of the future."

Evaleine looked coldly at her brother-in-law not even
bothering to answer.

Undaunted Flyloman continued, "The Hold has been so
quiet. I don't know why you chose to leave."

"My husband died."

"Evaleine, you will need to move on, to remarry.
Flylonn would have wanted –"

"Don't! Don't you DARE!" Evaleine breathed heavily and
with effort reigned in her temper. When she was
confident her voice would not betray her she said
quietly, "I think it best if you leave."

"I don't know why you harbor such anger toward _me_.
Despite the fact it was deemed an accident we both
know what quite likely happened. Be angry at him if
anyone. _I_ didn't kill him."

"If you didn't you might as well have," she replied
venomously unable to restrain her temper any longer.
"You wanted the Hold and you were merciless. Not a
day went by that you did not point out that he was no
longer a real man and had no right to Hold."

"And if he was really so bad, so unstable, why didn't
you insist he see a mindhealer?"

"You know very well that I tried."

"If you had loved him, you wouldn't have given up."

This simple statement cut like a knife straight into
Evaleine's heart. She had been almost consumed with
her own guilt. She had cared for Flylonn, but knew
well she had not loved him. Was Flyloman correct?
Had she really loved her late husband could she have
kept him from this death, whether it was an accident
or something else?

"We don't know the circumstances of his death," she
stated coldly. "We really don't know why we went into
that water. You were the last to see him, and you
found his body." She left the accusation left unsaid,
but it hung there between them.

In two steps Flyloman was right in front of her and
the grip he had on both of her arms was painful. "You
listen and you listen well-"

"Am I interrupting?" a woman's voice cut in. Evaleine
looked over relieved to see Zabrionya.

The angry man dropped his arms and glared. "No, I was
finished." He started to stalk from the room, but
turned at the doorway. "I won't give up so easily,
Evaleine. I mean to have you as my wife." With this
Flyloman continued on his way.

A chill ran through her at this statement. Nothing on
Pern would compel her to marry that despicable man.
Her dearest friend had entered the room and placed a
comforting hand on her shoulder, not understanding the
confrontation she had interrupted. Evaleine took her
sister-in-law's gentle hand in her own and pasted on a
fake smile. There was no reason to upset her friend.

** ** ** **

Evaleine shook herself and noticed the rain had slowed
now to just a drizzle. Why could she not leave these
terrible memories in the past where they belonged?
That dreadful encounter had nothing to do with her
current life. She was across the continent from the
odious man, and would never need to see his face again
if she did not choose to. It was long past time to
leave the anger and the guilt in the past.

With this thought, Evaleine turned and closed her
violin case, deciding it was time to move about the
Hold a bit. Perhaps she could check in on the girls.
Yes that was a good idea. She had built a rather nice
rapport with two of her three charges. As she left,
Evaleine cast one last glance out the window wondering
if tomorrow would bring another storm.

Last updated on the July 1st 2007

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

An Unpleasant Encounter