All This Brou-ha-ha

Writers: Kaysea
Date Posted: 25th July 2007

Characters: Minaretta, Tanallyck
Description: Minaretta & Tanallyck come face to face with Kaldyn's real father
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 5, day 2 of Turn 4

"Come on Mina!" Tanallyck tugged at her arm, as they walked along the Hallway, "I don't wanna be here _all_ day." he was grouchy, but his countenance had been that way for a while now.

"I don't either, but if you keep dragging me everywhere, I'll do myself an injury." she flapped her free hand at the grip he had on her upper arm. "Let go, for Faranth's sake."

He released her but didn't slow his own pace as they neared the steps down to the stockrooms beneath the Hold proper. "All this brou-ha-ha for a few sacks of grain." he complained, taking the steps two at a time, and almost overbalancing on his descent.

"A few sacks of grain that could mean the difference between a prosperous harvest or one that won't be enough to feed the family." she said, almost out of breath in the attempt to keep up with his pace, "You know Kaldyn wants to make this, our first harvest at Amber Hills, a successful one, to confirm the Lord Holders decision to grant us the extra land."

"Yes, yes, so I keep being reminded." Tanallyck shook his head, and had to hold onto the wall to stop himself from losing all balance and falling down the remainder of the stairs.

At the bottom he waited a moment, and allowed Mina to catch up with him, before striding off again towards the stock room. "I don't have to be reminded every candlemark of everyday." he growled to himself. "Kaldyn this, and Kaldyn that.
It's all I ever hear."

Minaretta shook her head as she followed on behind him. He was becoming more irascible the older he got; but more so since they had moved to Amber Hills Hold. She felt her own trepidation rise this morning with every dragonlength closer to the Hold they had travelled.

She wondered, not for the first time, whether Tanallyck was aware of just who was up here at the main Hold. Was that why he had become more surly the closer they got to got to their destination? She didn't think he had seen Learman the last time they had been up here, but she could have been wrong. Besides they had all changed somewhat in the last forty turns or so, surely Tanallyck's eyes weren't so sharp that he could recognise Learman through all those turns?

"Nal! Nal hold up!" she called after her husband. She watched as he stopped just outside the door, and she picked up her pace to near him.

Huffing and puffing she drew up to him, "For Faranth's sake, I'm not a young woman any more." she said, flapping his arm with her hand. "Don't rush me like that." Though she protested her breathlessness, she wasn't really as puffed as she made out, and winked at him as she took his hand in hers. "Come on, it's a day away from the toil of the farm, let's not be grouchy with one another." She attempted to put on a brave face and mask her true feelings, but the attempt was only half hearted.

He looked down and met her eyes, "You know, don't you?" he asked.

"About Learman?" she hesitated for a moment, but realised the futility of denial, "Yes." she finally admitted. "Have known since that first time we came up here. He was helping someone else load their cart."

With a nod, Tanallyck turned and opened the door for her. "Thought so."

"Have you - erm - talked with him? Does he know who you are?" a thousand questions rattled in her head, not least of whether he had recognised them, after so many turns. 'Nal had been up here more frequently than she had, the chances of the two men talking were slim, but still a possibility.

"Haven't talked, but I have a feeling we're about to." he nodded inside the room; a voice could be heard drifting through the open doorway. "He's on duty, I was kinda hoping he wouldn't be here." Tanallyck's disappointment could be heard.

"Well come in 'Nal, don't leave the door ajar. And you can close your mouth too, else a bug may fly in." Learman's voice carried, as always, loud and garrulous the man was and his voice always gave the game away.

Tanallyck took two steps inside the room, and almost turned around again. This was neither the time, nor the place to discuss old wound's especially with others around, and the store room was bustling this day. "Learman." he nodded, and held out his hand for Mina to take. He could feel the stress running through her at the other mans' welcome - her hands were shaking fit to fall off.

"Well bowl me over with a trundlebug." Learman's voice rang out again, at the site of the woman. "If'n it's not Mina. How _many_ turns 'as it been?" he stepped out from behind the counter, and approached them. "Is _he_ here as well?" he asked, watching the doorway expectantly.

Minarette and Tanallyck looked at each other in shock, "You _know_?" They asked in unison, neither even considering a bluff.

"Well didn't take long for me Mam to put two and two together. Said he looked like me as a young'un too." Learman smiled, "Don't have any other children, so I was right proud to think I'd sired one, and a good'un at that, from all accounts."

"I think I'm going to be sick." Minarette said quietly, before her eyes rolled back into her head and she slipped to the floor.

Last updated on the July 29th 2007

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All This Brou-ha-ha