Gather Memories

Writers: Eimi, Paula
Date Posted: 10th March 2010

Characters: Zelanka, Benaroy, Lantriv
Description: Left momementary alone during the Gather, memories come to haunt Zelanka.
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 7, day 21 of Turn 5

Zelanka laughed when two ten Turns old girls dragged away her husband to the
dance floor. Poor Petriv was no match for his grand-daughters and was forced
to take them to toss-dance.

"Determined girls," Lantriv noted. "Do you want a dance, mother?" he asked.

"No, dear, you go ahead and take your wife to dance," Zelanka replied with
fond tone. "This is your chance for quality time alone, before your children
come back from the snowball fight with Pelanka and Romella's."

Her son nodded and left to fetch his wife for a dance. Zelanka found out
suddenly that she was all alone. That was a rare moment for the Headwoman.
Usually she had at least one or two grand-children with her. Or
staff-member trying to catch her notice to deal with some disaster or the
other. Solitude didn't sit well with her. That left her too much time to her
thoughts. Thoughts like, this was first Gather after _his_ death, and what
fun they had at Gather's in the past...when he had been between wifes and
she had loved him. Of course, they had had to be discreet, she was married
woman after all.

~*~
Benaroy had been watching for her ever since the music had started.
Most of the hold-folk's attention was turned towards the musical
performances and drink tables now that the races were done and the
crafters had finished their business. No one would notice his absence,
nor would they notice her husband's, he was sure. Just in case, as he
fell into step with her he whispered, "Where's Petriv?"

"Playing dragon poker with his friends. They having a tournament of
sorts," Zelanka replied with small conspiratory smile.

"That should take all night." They passed through the bright light of
one of the cauldrons he had set up along the path between the Hold and
Gather square and would be in relative dark for a few steps. He took
the opportunity to gently touch the small ornamentation that adorned her
hair. "You're wearing the comb I bought for you, I see."

"Yes, I am," she smiled.

"You look absolutely stunning," he said softly as he allowed his fingers
to lightly caress down her neck before pulling his hand away as the path
grew brighter before them. "Did Petriv ask where it came from?"

"No, he didn't," Zelanka replied. He never did. Like he knew and just
turned his eyes to the otherway. It did make her feel guilty.

It worried Benaroy sometimes. He didn't much care if people knew he was
having an affair, but he was afraid for Zela. Still, for all his
anxiety, he just couldn't stop. She was on his mind constantly. If the
people knew the thoughts that went through his head every time he looked
at her... "I saw you down at the races today."

"I was cheering on Petriv. He came third," she replied. She wished they
wouldn't have to talk about Petriv. Everytime he got mentioned, she felt
a stab. She had loved him, until the moment she had seen him with other
man.

Benaroy didn't feel like talking about her husband, either. "I saw you
smile, and it was all I could do not to rush down to you, push you up
against that rail and kiss you."

She laughed, tingling happy laughter, "Well, that would have caused a
scandal!"

"You're turning me into an old fool. I hope you realize this." His
tone was only half teasing.

"And what are you turning me into?" Zelanka asked and realized it was
the wrong question. She really didn't want think _that_, it would ruin
the mood. She was cheating her husband with Lord Holder, and it really
wasn't something she wanted to dwell on.

He was silent for a moment as they passed by another cauldron. "I meant
no offense, Zela," he said softly as they crossed once again into the
darkness. "I just meant that you make me want things that a man my age
has no business wishing for."

"None taken. Let's just enjoy the moments we have and not waste it on
thinking," she asked.

"Then you make me even more the fool. I seem to be always thinking.
And I can't say I don't take a great deal of pleasure wasting my time
thinking of you."

"Now you're making me blush," Zelanka said, her cheeks colouring
prettily.

A rather adolescent question raised itself to the fore of his thoughts,
and just because he had confessed himself a silly fool, he asked it
aloud. "Do you... think about me?"

"Yes, almost all the time," she admitted softly, the love she felt
shining from her eyes.

He wasn't sure if the warmth he felt came from the blazing heat of the
cauldrons they walked between, or from something within, but his eyes
reflected the warmth as he looked down at her. "What do you think
about?"

"Things I shouldn't be thinking," her voice was soft and quiet.

As they passed back into darkness, Benaroy reached down and brazenly
took her hand, pulling her off the main path and further into the
darkness towards tents that earlier had been used to protect
Gather-goers from the blazing sun while they watched the races. Now he
hoped they would protect them from curious eyes. Stopping behind a
curtain of cloth, he turned to face her, his fingers tracing along her
cheek. "I want to know what you think about me, Zela."

"I..." her mouth was suddenly dry. "I think how good you have been to me
and how much I love you."

Benaroy gently pulled the comb from her hair. As his fingers dug into
her golden curls, he wanted to tell her the thought that was on his mind
ever sharding day... Perhaps it was the darkness that emboldened him, or
her own painfully exquisite confession that brought down every guard.
"If I were any other man, Zela... I would take you from this place, and
I would marry you."

"You would have to get rid of my husband first," Zelanka replied.
Although Petriv would probably grant her a divorce if she asked. The
thought, the dream, was so tempting. Yet she knew it would ever happen.
Few stolen moments in darkness, that was her share of him.

"And we would have to forget our children, and the people we would leave
behind." He leaned his forehead against hers, knowing that it could not
be. Even now, he was interviewing possible brides. None of them, not a
one, could hold a candle to the woman who was hiding in the shadows with
him. A small smile played across his lips as he pulled back to look at
her. "But let's do it. Just for tonight. Let's run away together, and
when the sun comes up, we'll come to our senses."

"That's sounds lovely," she agreed. Petriv wouldn't miss her. There were
dragoriders visiting the gather, he would probably find his own company.

It was unforgivable, he knew - a Lord Holder escaping his own Gather
just as the festivities seemed to get started! But what better time
would they have? Even as the sound of laughter and music and a thousand
voices raised in cheers reached their ears, he pulled Zelanka to him and
kissed her under the twin moonlight, not caring in that moment if anyone
might see. This was _their_ night, and damn the rest. **Damn all the
rest.**

~*~

Zelanka's hand moved to touch a comb in her hair, bit more worn, bit more
tarnished, like her. Tears streaked down her cheeks and she hid to the
shadows to cry alone.

Last updated on the March 19th 2010

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Gather Memories