Truce

Writers: Suzee
Date Posted: 15th February 2019

Characters: Nazli, Arion
Description: Nazli tries to smooth things over with Arion
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 6, day 6 of Turn 9
Notes: Mentioned: Benamil, Zathris

Nazli

She knew he was here just from some random comments Benamil had made
and the frequency of their visits. Not that that part mattered to her
in the least. In fact, she wanted Benamil to be happy with his lover.
She liked him and was very grateful for his protection. But she got
the impression, over time of course, that Arion wasn't as comfortable
with their arrangement.

So, she went in search of the place where he was working in the
cellars. She stopped in the doorway, a moment of fear sweeping over
her before she took another into the room and cleared her throat.

Sweat was beaded on Arion's forehead as he hefted a keg from the floor
and stacked it up with others. Even though it was cool down in the
cellar, the physical labor had the blonde sweating with the top of his
shirt unbuttoned. He almost didn't hear the soft throat clearing, but
his peripherals caught sight of a figure. His eyes locked with
Nazli's. He recognized her immediately, of course, because he had
looked at her often with more envy than he cared to admit.

"Can I help you?"

She was almost petrified by his body language and began to think that
this had been a very bad idea to come and talk to him alone. Her eyes
grew big and she stammered when she asked. "C-c-can w-we t-t-alk?"

He didn't really want to, talk to her that is, but he found himself
wiping his hands on a rag anyway. "Sure. Would you like to go
somewhere a bit warmer?" he asked, mistaking her stammering as a
result of the cold rather than her fear of him.

She started to shake her head but took a deep breath, "Anywhere we
won't be seen together would be good." Not that she wanted to be alone
with him or any man at all. Yet she didn't see that glimmer of
interest in his eyes she saw in most of the men she'd met. Maybe that
was a good thing.

Arion gestured for her to follow, although his movements felt stiff
and forced. He took her to the small room located near the cellars
where he and the other vintners sometimes sat to update the inventory
lists on goods shipped and received. Arion couldn't fathom what Nazli
could have to say to him. He wondered if she had reconsidered the deal
that Benamil had bartered between them: marriage to her as long as he
could still have his relationship with the vintner.

"You can sit if you want," Arion said, leading her in and closing the
door. He opted to stand so that the desk was between them.

She realized her reason for being here wasn't obvious so she kind of
blurted out her first question. "Do you love him?" She sat in the
chair and carefully didn't look at him.

Arion's arms crossed over his chest defensively. "What kind of
question is that?"

"The kind a concerned person should ask." She lifted her chin with the
little bit of defiance she could summon. "He's a good man and deserves
to be loved." She shrugged her shoulders and this time looked directly
into his eyes. "You know nothing about me, yet you hate me. Tell me
why I should feel any different toward you."

"I don't hate you, specifically," Arion clarified, "I would hate
anyone in your position." Because he was jealous. She was living the
life he could not. "You get to be legitimate, while I am a dirty
little secret."

She covered her eyes with her hands and a little sob escaped her.
"Dirty little secret?" she shook her head and looked back up at him.
"Try being a girl in a hold whose father was a dragonrider and never
married your mum. When she died I was put under the protection of my
auntie and uncle. Some protection," she gulped. "He raped me
repeatedly Arion. So Ben is saving me just as much as my existence in
his life saves both of you. You and Ben are the only men I can stand
to be alone with because I know you don't want to do that to me." She
took a shuddering breath. She'd never said it all out like that except
to Lady Benani.

Arion wasn't sure what to say. He'd never expected Nazli's story was
so dark, or that someone's problems might be worse than his own.
Benamil had never mentioned Nazli's past in such detail, only that she
was aware of who he really was, and that she didn't care. "Benamil
never told me that," he said.

"Probably because I asked him not to," she said. In hindsight that was
probably a mistake but she loved him more for honoring her request.
"So," she turned her eyes "I can play the part of the attentive wife
as much as is necessary, but I have to know. Do you love him? Because
I do. Not in a romantic way like most women but because he's a good
man and he deserves it."

It bothered Arion, to know that Benamil would keep something from him,
and yet at the same time, he knew there were things he'd told Benamil
that he wouldn't want the man sharing with Nazli. "Of course I love
him, or I wouldn't be here."

"Good," she stood and tried to smile. "Has he told you about Lord Zathris?"

"You mean his crazy demand?" Arion said.

"Yes," she blushed furiously. "I mean, I can't..." she waived helplessly
unable to finish the sentence.

Arion understood her frustration in some manner; he couldn't imagine
sleeping with a woman, although his reluctance came from different
reasons. "What are you going to do then?"

"I don't know," she said shaking her head. "Just know that whatever we
have to do, I don't want to do it."

The vintner's posture softened a bit, "I would offer to help but
there's really nothing I can do. Except make it as easy as possible on
Benamil. And you." He would do his best not to behave like the
irrationally jealous person that he sometimes was.

"Can you forgive me just a little for being his wife?" She turned up
hopeful eyes. "I have to act a certain way when people are around.
Lady Benani shows me all the time, how to look at my husband as though
we're... intimate."

"Logically I know it is not your doing, it's just easy to feel...
jealous. It comes naturally to me, it seems," his voice was a little
dry. "It is nothing personal, I know you have a part to play, the same
as me. I'll try not to take it out on you."

"Thanks," she ducked her head. "I hope you'll take your chance to be
happy and don't worry about me trying to pull him away from you.
Because I'm not."

Arion studied her, hesitant to let go of his defensive wall, but
knowing that if he didn't it would only make things difficult for
Benamil. "Truce, then?"

"Truce," she said and stuck out her hand like a man for him to shake,
not palm down for him to kiss.

Last updated on the March 3rd 2019

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Truce