Sleepless

Writers: Kaysea
Date Posted: 10th February 2008

Characters: Royani
Description: Royani ponders on her situation and wonders if she did the right thing in staying quiet
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 8, day 4 of Turn 4

Not for the first time, since Marod and she had escaped from Klegen and Boesyn, she asked herself why she hadn't gone to the nearest Hold and declared herself. As the months drew on, she wondered time and again if it wouldn't have made more sense, but - once again Marod's face came unbidden to mind.

Yes he had been responsible for luring her away that night, and yes, it had been for his financial gain. But when the situation had worsened for her, he had been the one to get her away and lead her to some kind of safety; she couldn't and wouldn't turn him in.

Not knowing who to trust had been the worst of the experience. Even if she had tried to march up to the nearest Hold or even cothold, she couldn't be sure she wasn't walking into the hands of the one who had started this whole episode. Marod maintained he had no idea who was behind it, that it was Klegen who had planned everything - but under orders from someone else - someone willing to pay well for her.

She lay under the worn blanket, not able to sleep - again. Would any of her family recognise her if she entered the Hold today? She had tried, at the start to keep clean as best she could, but Marod had discouraged it. Cleanliness in this case would determine her as someone worth taking a second look at. If she maintained a well worn, and travelled look about her, she would be considered as no more than another holdless looking for a few days work and food to tide her over until she made it to another area.

People were less likely to remember you when you looked and smelt like they both did. They _chose_ not to remember, because remembering would be an unpleasant experienced. So she continued to keep the basics of cleanliness and let the rest go by the wayside. Once a sevenday though, Marod found her a place to bathe - somewhere secluded, and never at a smallholding, where people would look closer at her clean and shiny face.

Most days, just walking over hills and across fields would make her look grubby again, so by the time they reached occupied areas, she was looking more traveller than Lady. And her clothes - she didn't think they had been washed in almost a month now.

One farmers wife had refused to let them enter the kitchen of the cot, without washing their clothing first. She had made them both strip down and provided them with wraps and food while their clothes were being washed. But then the woman had needed to go through her own, and her husbands, meagre wardrobe to find the pair something else to wear when their own clothing had come out of the wash tub as nothing more than shredded rags.

They had stayed and worked at that particular farm for a sevenday; wanting to leave but not feeling right, without giving the family payment in labour for the fair treatment they had received. But the farmer had become suspicious of them when he returned one night from the Tavern, saying someone had been asking about a pair of holdless who were robbing farms and holds in the area. They had taken off in the middle of the night, not waiting for the farmer or his wife to report them to the local holds guards.

For a day or two after, Royani had regretted not declaring herself then and there. But to do so, would have caused Marod to be incarcerated along with Klegen and Boesyn, who they were certain, were the men the farmer had spoken to in the Tavern that night.

It always seemed that just as they thought they were far enough away, and maybe safe enough to declare themselves, Klegen and Boesyn would appear in the same place, and the pair would be on the move again.

She missed her family dearly, her father more so than anyone, and wondered if he were still alive - hoping against hope that her kidnapping hadn't been too much of a shock for him to bear. She took heart that along their travels nothing had been mentioned of any Lord Holders dying. If anything, that would be the thing she would hold against Marod - if because of his machinations, her father was dead.

She rolled over, under the blanket, and heard Marod stir next to her. On more than one occasion, since they had escaped he had apologised for getting her into this situation; had even offered for her to hand herself in, encouraged her to do as much. She could see in his eyes how sorry he was for this whole mess, but if it hadn't been for him helping her escape only Faranth knew what would have become of her. And for that alone, she owned him his life.

She closed her eyes again, and sighed deeply - willing herself to sleep. They could be no more than two sevendays away from Amber Hills now - she recognised some of the scenery surrounding them as they walked. Fourteen days and she would be back with her family - maybe; if Klegen and Boesyn didn't catch up with them first.

Last updated on the February 14th 2008

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Sleepless