Attraction at first sight

Writers: Eimi, Paula
Date Posted: 26th February 2013

Characters: Yanley, Benaroy, Golansin
Description: Yanley remember her first meeting with her ex-husband.
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 12, day 7 of Turn 6
Notes: Mentioned: D'ale, Royan

Yanley

Yanley was enjoying the sunny spring day and took a book outside. She was
sitting and reading, or pretending to read, in the garden. Occassionally
her hand sneaked to her abdomen. Two sevendays later and she still had a
trouble to get a grip with her situation. She was pregnant. The master
healer D'ale had fetched had confirmed the dolphin's words. She had morning
sickness now, it had started few days after that day on the beach. She was
fortunate for it wasn't that bad. Mostly just mild nausea when she woke up
or let too much time pass between meals. She didn't show it yet, but she
had already gained few pounds. Soon she wouldn't be able to ride.

A young couple passed her, and she observed them with stab of envy. They
seemed so happy and enjoying each other's company. She and D'ale would
never had that. She was having his baby and they would never be able to
share their lives or show their love. Unless she abandoned everything and
went to Weyr. Yanley just wasn't ready for that. She had duty, duty to this
hold, duty to her family. Duty had made her marry Golansin in the first
place. Although it hadn't been so bad, Golansin had seemed like a good
match. There had been instant attraction and happiness at first...
**

~*~ flash back ~*~

Yanley left the reins for a stable hand and gave her mare, Snowlight, a
fond pat. She was just coming from a riding, wearing the pants ( to the
horror of the hold's Ladies and her step-mother) and the riding jacket of
her own design. Walking with long strides towards the main door, she
spotted her father. He seemed to be standing there with a young man. She
groaned, not another suitor again! She was getting so tired of them. She
was now of marritable age, beautiful young woman with dark hair tied in
ponytail and long legs. (The pants she wore riding just made her legs look
even better.) She knew her duty was to marry. At least she was fortunate
and Lord Benaroy just didn't pick a man for her.

"Yanley," Benaroy called, crooking a finger to beckon her over. He frowns
ever so slightly at the sight of her in her unfeminine riding outfit. Had
he noticed it before he had called her name, he would have let her go
inside and sent word for her to make herself presentable before making the
introduction. No help for it now.

"She is an accomplished rider. The pace she sets makes formal attire
impossible," he said by way of explanation to his companion with an
apologetic smile.

Golansin found himself not minding the unconventional attire. Shards, those
legs...she was hot. He could only stare her with admiration.

"Yes, father?" Yanley asked when she reached them, smile on her face.

"This is Golansin, heir of Lazur Lake Hold. He will be visiting us for a
couple days. I wanted to introduce you." He turned to the young man.
"This is my eldest daughter, Yanley."

"Lady Yanley," Golasin bowed at her.

"Holder Golasin. I'm pleased to meet you," she replied and offered her
hand, all manners and grace.

"The pleasure is all mine," Golansin took her hand and kissed it. Something
in his tone or perhaps in his eyes made a pleasant shiver to run along
Yanley's spine. He was certainly handsome looking man and seemed to be
about Royan's age.

Benaroy could tell by the way that they looked at each other that there was
an attraction forming between them. It was what had been hoped, but he
couldn't help but feel a little twinge at the thought. He would make
Yanley a fine husband, if the arrangements could be made to both parties
satisfaction. But Lazur Lake was so far. "I was just telling Golansin
about our prospects for the new line of racing runners. He seemed
interested in seeing them train," he said with a point towards the racing
circle. "Perhaps you would like to accompany us."

"I would love to," Yanley said.

"I have spent too much time in the office as of late. Perhaps you can tell
Holder Golansin about the runners we are readying for the Summer Gather?"
The Lord Holder noticeably fell in behind the young pair, encouraging them
to converse while he merely observed.

"Of course," Yanley replied, "There's Snowlight, of course, I've been
training her. She's still young but very promising. Dark Tempest is
established champion, Amber Flash is his worst challenger, if he doesn't
get himself injured. Does Lazur Lake has runners?" Yanley chatted and
asked.

"Naturally, both for racing and hunting. It would interesting to race them
against your runners," Golasin replied. "Do you hunt, Yanley? I do like
hunting myself," he asked.

"No, I don't hunt," Yanley replied, not revealing that she found the
hunting for sports disgusting. She felt sorry for those animals who got
hunted and killed just for fun. It was different if the beast was causing a
danger for people or lifestock, then Yanley could understand the need to
kill it.

"Hunting is a bit too dangerous for my daughter," Benaroy piped in. He
definitely did not want to encourage _another_ manly interest in her!
"Besides, she is assisting her mother in the Hold. She has been learning
the responsibilities of a Lady Holder, and she is quite skilled in
management."

"Sounds good," Golansin said. She was appearing better and better...a
perfect match for him.

"Ah, here we are," Benaroy said proudly as they came into site of the
track. They were greeted by the thundering of hooves. "I don't think you
will consider it an empty boast when I say we have some of the finest
runners on the Southern Continent. Any race you have a chance to see will
surely have at least one runner that can trace their linage to our Hold."

"I just love watching them," Yanley said with a smile. That was a smile
Golasin could in watch from here to eternity.

"Ah, that runner there," Benaroy said, pointing to a proud black stallion,
"That is Amber's Peerless. I intend to include him in Yanley's dowry. He
has won several races for us in the past. Breeding rights alone would be
worth a small fortune."

"That would certainly please my father," Golansin remarked.

"How about you, would it please you too?" Yanley asked, her tone slightly
teasing.

"It's a fine animal," Golasin answered seriously, not really catching it.

Yanley shrugged to herself, well, he was bound to have _some_ flaws.

Benaroy smiled inwardly. Their little exchange proved two things to him,
first that Golasin liked Yanley well enough to seriously consider her, and
second, that Yanley like him enough to want him to do so. **It is good,
then,** he thought, with just a touch of sadness.

~*~
The bitterness came later, when Turns passed and no child came to them.
Yanley couldn't help a sarcastic little laugh. _Now_ she was with a child.

Last updated on the February 26th 2013

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Attraction at first sight