To Save a Damsel

Writers: Cymiri, Jelena
Date Posted: 17th March 2013

Characters: Daimhin, Sinla
Description: When Daihmin rescues a thankful Sinla from a bunch of drunkards there seems to be something in the air...
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 13, day 10 of Turn 6

Sinla felt alive with a kind of exhilaration she hadn't felt in a long
time. After the lunch they had shared together thoughts of Daihmin and
his offered friendship kept lingering in his head. Yet, as he worked
the night shifts, they didn't have much time to talk and the day of
her husbands return to the Hold was drawing nearer. Finally, she could
bear it no longer and slipped out of her quarters in the dead of the
night, in search for Daihmin.

What she wasn't prepared for, though, was to meet anyone else but the
nightguard and she turned the corner too fast to go unnoticed by the
three men lingering at the Dining Hall's door. "Hey pretty!" one
called out as he swaggered her way. Sinla tried to ignore him and
carry on in a calm and dignified pace, but the three soon caught up
with her. She could smell the alcohol on their breaths.

Her original 'friend' leaned un-coordinatedly against the wall. He
didn't press too close, but drawled softly

"I said, 'Hey pretty'"

One of his companions- a lanky stick wearing clothes that spoke
unpleasantly of animal herding- wasn't quite so polite. Though he said
nothing, he stepped in a little closer.

Sinla came to a stop, took a deep breath and turned to the men.
"Excuse me, I have urgent matters to take care of," she sounded like
she always did, calm and in control, but deep down the men scared her.
She'd heard plenty of stories..

"Well, would you listen to that...."

The 'listen' was decidedly slurred

"Guess *someone* thinks their too important to talk to us, don't they?
Stuck up snotty wher-hen"

"Aw, don't be so harsh man, I', sure she didn't mean it. Did you, darlin'"

Another of the drunk louts pressed in nearer.

Sinla almost lashed out at being called a wher-hen, but while she kept
her hands down in fists, her eyes shot fire at the man. "I think maybe
you guys need to sober up." The insult had made her forget her fear
for a moment.

The third member of the little posse was perhaps the least drunk. It
wasn't saying much. It added a sinister spin to his words though

" I think you maybe need to learn to mind your manners, darlin' "

But it wasn't him who grabbed for her wrist, but her first antagonist

"Let me go!" Sinla hissed, her face paling in shock as she once more
realised the seriousness of the situation. No one knew she was here,
if these man wanted.. wanted to hurt her, there would be no one to
stop her. "Just.. let me go."

"But you're too..."

They'd never know what the drunkard had intended to stay, as a soft
voice spoke quietly from the shadows.

"Remove your degenerate hand from the lady's person immediatly, or it
will be done for you."

It was quite, but deathly serious. Only a fool would ignore it.

Apprarently, the drunk was a fool, because he didn't react with other
then a snicker- cut painfully short as there was an unpleasant crack.
Only when the finger in question was good feet from Sinla's arm did
Daihmin let go of the painful twist he had on it.

"You were warned."

It was still quiet and calm, at least visibly.

Daihmin's appearance, the way he plucked the drunk's hand away from
her and the sheer impact their drunken words and actions had had on
her had Sinla reeling for a moment and she backed up against the wall,
gasping for breath, unable to speak as she tried to regain her
bearings.

Instinctivly, as Sinla faded backwards Daihmin had stepped in front of
her, square between her and her unwelcome 'friends'. One of them had
already melted away, not keen on facing the music or his wrath.

He *wanted* to persue them, make sure each of them got the trouble
they deserved- and preferably crack some heads- but it was more
important to remain where he was.

Deep inside, the strictly professional part of him realised he was
way, way too angry and way too invested in this particular incident,
but he reigned it in firmly. Now wasn't the time to fret the details.

Even rather important ones like that.

Eyes remained firmly on the other pair, pinning them down with a
formidable glare, though he addressed Sinla.

"Are you ok, my Lady?"

"Yes, yes, I am," Sinla breathed, as she still felt her heart pounding
in her chest. But all of a sudden she wasn't so sure it was because of
the stress of her predicament, or the excitement of seeing Daihmin
so... so virile and protective, of her. It sent a shiver up her spine
she couldn´t, or perhaps didn´t want to name.

He'd managed to restrain the first violent impulse to thrash the
offenders 'til they bled enough that his basic inner guard had
surfaced. But somewhere in the depths of his mind, the beast still
snarled and it begged to be given an opportunity. Maybe the least
drunk of the pair realised it, because when his friend- the fool who
started it all- moved to open his mouth, he elbowed him into silence.

"Wise move."

It was deathly quiet.

"Now give me your names...and your knots. And *don't* push it."

People could lie about names, but crafters lacking their knots would
have to get them replaced somewhere. He'd used it before when he'd
thought there may be chancers.

Again, the one elbowed his beligerant friend into silence when he
would have started arguing, giving Daihmin what he required without
disagreement. Daihmin could sense he'd sobered quickly into regret- and
fear of consequences. He felt no empathy. He never had for such
women-bothering perverts, even with less precious targets to defend.

"Now walk. Slowly. Four steps ahead, no more no less. If I so much as
believe you intend to think loudly about disobedience, you will regret
it."

He'd been alone, looking actually for the hold mischief-maker rather
then on patrol. He was not even properly on duty. He'd no choice but
to marshall this pair to their holding cells to sleep it off *with*
Sinla in tow and hope they met one of his fellows en route, though
inwardly he was cursing.

"One wrong step, one look at the lady, and I'll gut you myself.
Understood? You know where you are destined. Move!"

He finally turned, one eye still watching, and offered Sinla his arm.

"I'm sorry. I've no choice. I can hardly leave this pair to wander.
They'll not touch you. There will be a patrol not far off from here to
hand them to. Then I can walk you home."

And why that patrol had not responded to any of the noise, he *would* find out.

Taking his arm gladly, Sinla squeezed it a little tighter than she
should, barely convincing herself it was from stress. While trying to
figure out the emotions rushing through her with no way of making
sense of them, she gave Daihmin a shaky smile. "That's okay, I know
I'm safe with you." And she meant it, she didn't think she had ever
felt safer in her life.

Daihmin's fingers closed on hers on his arm steadyingly. Quite which
one of them he was steadying was up for debate. He made no move to
politely disarm about what she'd said. It was vital the hold and its
people felt like that. His blush, though, he was glad was hidden by
the dark.

When their path crossed the two man patrol shortly after, one look at
Daihmin's face was enough to make them *very* keen to show how
efficient they were in taking charge of the two miscreants. He
intended to see to it the third got what was coming to him as well,
but that could wait. A night on a hard bench in the guard's rooms
might make the other two keen to share their discomfort with their
cowardly companion.

And then they were alone, and unobservable, and he could at last gasp out:
"Sinla, sweet shells what are you doing out here so late alone?"
in a manner perhaps a touch more familiar then he actually meant it to
be, and with a touch more worry showing then was strictly
professional.

By the time the two drunkards were taken away Sinla could still feel
her heart beating madly and for a moment she could no longer deny it
to herself. It was Daihmin, so near, that sent all her senses reeling.
When they were alone and his almost berating words rung through her
ears, she did the only thing she could do at that moment to prevent
herself from trying to kiss him and embraced him tightly. "I was
looking for you," she breathed into his shirt. How had she ended up in
this?

Arms came up automatically to cradle the body suddenly against his,
hands stroking her hair soothingly. It was utterly unthinking, the
impulse of a naturally protective man.

It *really* didn't help the situation much.

A very stern part of him had to swiftly remind the rest that it was
stress, and fear, and women's emotionality, and probably embarassment
too for such a proud person. That -or at least so far as he knew-
she'd have been overcome by the same for anyone else in the situation.
That part had to clamp down very hard indeed on a mouth that
desperatly wanted to say things it would only regret when she
recovered her senses and remembered how little he really was to her.

It was quiet here, and insanely late in the night, but he still
shouldn't let it linger. That part reminded him of that too, though it
took a lot longer to respond to. The lure of the feel of her tucked
against him for probably the only excusable time ever was just too
overwhelming.

And then he took a hold of himself, and gently disentangled her,
though without relinquishing her hands

"Sinla, dear one, I am an officer of the guards..."

**Remember that, you fool**

"...you need only ask for me if you require me. You don't need to do
something so... incredibly... "

He couldn't find the word.

"Oh shells!"

He also couldn't decide if he needed to laugh or scream at her.

At first Sinla only took in his smell and revelled in the feeling of
his arms around her and his hand stroking her hair. But then he pulled
back from her and she looked him in the eyes with clear confusion, not
able to make much sense of her own thoughts. "I didn't need the
officer of the guards," she finally said, still keeping his gaze. "I
needed my friend Daihmin."

He chuckled softly. This felt more like familliar ground then the
dangerous seconds that had passed.

Little could she know- and much would he deny- that the clear, bright
and clever gaze that confidently held his own was only one of the
things contributing to the respect- and turmoil - he felt around her.

"Ah, but most of the time we inhabit the same body, dear lady. You can
ask for one, and the other will come along too. No one need really
know the difference."

He sobered slightly.

"Sinla, dearest Sinla, I am not going to tell you this hold is some
pulsating sore of danger but your night walks near home risk enough
for a delicate and respected woman. This was foolishness. I would
almost rather you set the hold alight to gain my attention then take
such risks again."

At that point Sinla actually smirked, her eyebrows raised a little as
she contemplated telling him maybe she would next time. She refrained
though and just let her raised eyebrows speak for her. "I'll try to
keep that in mind," she replied, still holding his eyes with hers.
"Will you walk me home, then?"

The smile was a balm to some of the nebulous fears clenching in his
gut. At least she didn't seem too badly affected by what had happened.
Maybe a sheltered lady's life had sheltered her from fears what some
of that could have been.

"Oh dear, what have I wrought now? A ladylike and delicate arsonist?"

His hands relaxed slightly, stroking the back of hers where he held
them rather then clinging so hard.

"Yes,dearest Sinla. Of course."

As if there had been a possibility of that not occurring!

"Yes, if the hold goes up in flames any time soon, you can blame
yourself," Sinla nodded, trying to ignore the shiver his stroking her
hand invoked. A plan was slowly forming in her mind as they started on
their path home, a plan she wasn't quite ready to admit she would use,
but a plan nonetheless. "I'm glad it was you who came to the rescue,"
she said softly.

Daihmin blushed again, glad of the poor night lighting.
"I'm just glad *someone* did, m'lady."
How on Pern was he going to answer honestly about the fact he felt
similarly and maintain any degree of professionality?

"Well, I guess if you wanted to get my attention, that was one way.
You were looking for me?"

"I, eh.." Sinla hesitated for a moment. She was sure she had come up
with a perfectly good excuse to be looking for him earlier, but with
all the commotion she had completely forgotten. "I haven't seen you in
a while and I missed talking to you."

Something deep inside melted a little bit more. Another part reminded
him it shouldn't. She was *not* his to feel anything about; positive,
negative or otherwise, any more then anyone normal person in the hold.
Even if she was smart, pretty, witty, sparkling, generous, pretty,
*precious*...

He actually winced at himself. Just because he adored her didn't mean
she noticd him at all, though he liked to think there was *some* truth
in her friendship.

"Oh Sinla..."

He was so busy in his own head, he didn't realise how emotional that sounded.

"You..you shouldn't be walking around in the middle of the night
looking for *anyone*. By yourself, as though you have something to
hide. If someone sees you, what will they make of it?"

Much more softly, he added

"I missed you too. But you have to be careful. For your own sake."

Of course Sinla heard the emotion in his voice and it made her all the
more determined that the plan she was hatching would work. That it was
the only thing left to do. "Well, would you come visit me more often,
then, so I don't have to?" she asked softly, squeezing the hand he
held her with lightly. "

He glanced up. They were close to her home. How'd that happened?

He supposed he should let go of her wrists, then? Reluctantly, he
obeyed his more cautious instincts.

"Yes. I will, if that is what you want."

More softly he added,

"Dearest Sinla."

"That's what I want," Sinla said, giving him one of her rare, actually
sincere smiles. Then she acted quickly, so he wouldn't know what hit
him, and quickly pecked him on the cheek. Lightly enough to be
considered a friendly gesture, but giving him a look she knew could
drive a man crazy if used right. "I'll see you soon then," and with
that, she opened the door to her quarters and vanished.

Daihmin blinked.

He had no choice. The gesture had been too sudden to react to.

But even as the door swung shut behind her, he let a small grin curl his lips.

Last updated on the March 17th 2013

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

To Save a Damsel