When Are You Going to Learn?

Writers: Eimi, Paula
Date Posted: 24th April 2008

Characters: Zelanka, Shadux
Description: Zelanka mothers over Shadux when she learns about his fight.
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 9, day 1 of Turn 4

Shadux's hopes that Zelanka would be conviniently elsewhere seemed to have been in vain. **Shards, that woman is _everywhere_...** he mused as he entered the kitchen contritely. He knew it was coming. There was no hiding his fat lip and swollen eye. "Good morning Zelanka. Fine morning, isn't it?" Facing her was harder than facing Cyrek!

"Good morning, Shadux....Faranth's eggs! What's happened to your face!" Zelanka replied and exclaimed when she noticed his condition.

He resisted the sudden urge to play dumb. "I got into a little bit of a brawl. But I didn't start it," he quickly added.

"Brawl? In your age?" She examined his face. "Last time you looked that bad was when you were thirteen and Lantriv had used you as a punchbag. I get you some ice."

Shadux wasn't sure whose side the Headwoman had been on in that particular incident, his or her son's. It had probably been a hard choice for her. "Well, this time there were two." At least that fact padded his wounded ego a little.

"What happened? Tell me everything!" Zelanka demanded with worried voice. She instructed a kitchen worker to fetch some ice to Shadux's eye.

"Actually its for my ribs..." He gave the Headwoman a contrite smile.
"I just noticed some boys behaving rather rudely to Mariss and just tried to step in. The boys didn't appreciate the interruption."

Zelanka scowled. "They should know better than attack one of the assistant stewards or my staff member's. Who were they?" She would make sure their life would take turn to worse. There were many ways a Headwoman could make someones life unpleasant. She didn't like to hear that someone had been rude to Mariss. She was different than the Amber Hill's girls, yes, but that wasn't any excuse. She rather liked the Steward's daughter and thought she seemed lonely. Was Shadux taking interest in her? That would be nice. And she could stop trying to find someone to him.

The stewards assistant held his hands up pacifyingly. "Cyrek is already going to blood them like a dragon. I'd rather not send you out on the attack as well."

"Hhmm," was only thing the headwoman said to that. The drudge brough the ice, wrapped in kitchen towel. "Here, some first aid. You better stop by to see a healer," Zela gave him the ice.

"Mariss took me straight to the healer. It truly looks worse than it is," he assured her. "Besides, they couldn't throw a punch nearly as hard as Lantriv."

"That's probably why he's a guard instead of assistant steward,"
Zelanka said absently. "I hope they look worse."

"I'm sorry, Zelanka. I don't mean to worry you. I'll really be all right." Amber Hills had been such a small Hold for so long the residents had all grown close, like a family. The headwoman had been almost like a mother to him, and it made him feel a terrible guilt to know that she was upset by this.

Zelanka patted his cheek gently. "You're good boy, Shadux, and I've been looking after you since your mother's death. Of course I worry."

"I'm just sorry Mariss had to deal with that. I mean, she can be a real pain in the backside, but... I don't know. She already thinks so little of our Hold. I guess I don't like the idea of proving her right, at least in her mind." Though he was rather impressed by the way she handled herself the whole situation.

"Poor Mariss," Zelanka sighed.

"Well, she kind of brings it on herself. I mean, she's so negative."
And yet, in some ways, not all ways, but some ways, he could see her point. About some things.

Zelanka just shrugged at that. Perhaps she was negative, some people seemed to be born negative. She didn't let it bother her.

"I feel sorry for her, in a way." He knew she had not really found a home at Amber Hills, and while he pitied her for that, he knew it was her own doing. It wasn't just that she acted and thought differently than they did - it was the way she seemed to think she was somehow above them all that rubbed everyone the wrong way. "If only she gave Amber Hills a chance..."

"Perhaps we should give her a chance..." Zelanka said silently. "And not to expect her adjust to our way of life instantly. She had a tough time during the earthquake, poor girl."

"I know." This experience would just add to all that. Shadux had felt like he had been trying. He had tried to talk to her before, and it always ended in disaster. She just always acted so much better than him! But she hadn't run when he needed her... "I'll try."

"Well, enough of her. What about you? When are you going to learn how to duck fists?" the headwoman asked.

Shadux snorted. "If I haven't learned by now..." But his stitched lip spread into a small smile

Last updated on the May 1st 2008

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When Are You Going to Learn?