You Can't Wait Forever

Writers: Yvonne
Date Posted: 1st December 2013

Characters: Vell
Description: Vell informs her father of her decision regarding Guardsman Prucius' suit, and Holder Elor informs Vell of his decision.
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 4, day 1 of Turn 7

"Father?" Vell stood uncertainly in the door to her father's office, her hands clasped demurely before her. "May I speak with you for a moment?"

Her father sighed and set aside his pen, but he gestured her in with a friendly smile. Dark circles lurked beneath his eyes and the remains of his lunch remained on his desk-it had been a long day for him. "What can I do for you?"

Vell shut the door behind herself before sitting across from him. "I have come to a decision regarding Guardsman Prucius."

Elor's eyebrows rose. "And?"

Vell took a deep breath to quell the sudden onset of nerves. She'd practiced this often enough, the words should come easy, so the rush of emotion surprised her. "I will not marry him."

Elor's expression didn't waver. "State your reason."

"My reasons are threefold." She lowered her eyes so she wouldn't have to meet her father's gaze. Even though the only one serious about the match had been Prucius, she felt as if she were letting her father down for refusing to marry the guardsman, even as she resented her father for putting her in a position to hurt him. "One: I do not love him, nor do I think we are compatible for the long term. Two: the match does not advance the Beasthold in any manner. I could make a much more advantageous marriage. And three.." she trailed off.

"Three?"

"Three." She curled her hands into fists in her lap and raised her gaze to meet her father's. "I am already married, and I am not ready to relinquish my claim."

Her father regarded her for a long, silent moment, then nodded his head. Stating the logic behind any decision was something that her father had drilled into all of his children. "Your reasons are sound, and I cannot say that I am surprised. I will inform Prucius. But we do need to discuss your when you _will_ be ready to relinquish your claim."

Vell bit her lip. "I made a vow."

"So did he." Elor put his forearm on his desk and leaned toward her. "He has not kept his part of the bargain, Vell. Even you must admit to that." When she didn't reply, he continued. "I have allowed for a reasonable mourning period, but you are correct when you said that you can make a much more advantageous match-both for the Hold, and for yourself. I will give you a month, and then we will find you a new husband."

"A month!" Vell squeaked. Her heart fluttered against her ribs, terrified. So this was his plan-to use Prucius' offer to force her into letting go of Yarron. She could feel the trap's iron teeth tearing into her soft skin. "I can't...couldn't!"

"How long, then?"

"A Turn," Vell blurted, then wished she'd said five. A month was too soon to get over Yarron. A lifetime was too soon.

Her father shook his head. "You know that's unreasonable. I'll give you two months, and I am indulging you by allowing it."

"Please? I couldn't bear it. Two months isn't enough time!"

"Vell?" Elor sighed. "Dwelling on the past hasn't got anyone anywhere. It's time for you to move on. Two months, plus the time I have already granted you, is generous. More than generous. Your Harper-if he is a Harper-lied to you and left you. Thank Faranth he didn't leave you with child as well. I will not allow you to throw your life away for that man. You have two months."

"Please don't," Vell begged. "It's _my_ life."

Elor shook his head. "I need you to act your age, Vell. You are no longer a child and I will not treat you like one. You are a woman grown, and with that comes a woman's responsibilities. I have respected your grief and been generous to the point of indulging you. Now I expect you to repay that generosity by accepting your responsibility to our family and our Holding. Is that clear?"

Vell sat, stunned. He was going to do it. He would marry her off again to someone she didn't love, when her heart already belonged to Yarron. And he'd set a time limit. The nebulous future that she'd been putting off was suddenly rushing toward her and she was powerless to stop it. "But...but what about? What are you doing to find him? If you are going to force me to marry again, then you must do everything in your power to find him first."

"I already have," her father said gently. "I have written the Hall, and I've written to our neighbors to see if they've seen him. I can reasonably do no more."

"But you haven't _gone_ to the Hall!" Vell said. "The Hallmaster might say something to you in person that he wouldn't commit to paper. And nobody is _looking_."

"The Hall is looking."

"Are they? Because nobody has been there to ask," Vell said bitterly. "Run the message flag up and pay a dragonrider to take you there. It will be the work of a candlemark."

"The Harper Hall does not lie."

"You just don't want to be embarrassed," Vell shot back. "But you won't be. Yarron _is_ a Harper?"

"I will _not_ have that name spoken within these walls," her father growled.

"Yarron hasn't conned you, or embarrassed you in any way. You just said it-Harpers don't lie. So how _could_ he do these things you accuse him of? He has to have a reason. We just don't know it yet."

Elor's scowl was firmly back in place. "You have two months, Vellience. Then we will find you a match."

"No! You can't. Please, Father. Just look for him. Promise me you'll look for him!" Vell begged.

"Two months." Her father picked up his pen and returned his attention to his paperwork. "Thank you for your prompt reply to Guardsman Prucius' offer. I will see you at dinner."

Her bottom lip was trembling. Vell stood, gathered the shreds of her dignity around her, and left the room. Two months? that wasn't long enough. She was trapped.

Last updated on the December 5th 2013

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You Can't Wait Forever