The Consequence of Honor

Writers: AL, Heather
Date Posted: 2nd August 2014
Series: The Unwanted Sister

Characters: Coran, Relea, Caenir, Reven, Rollan, Sorash
Description: Coran has to suffer the consequences of defending his wife's honor
Location: Green Valley Hold
Date: month 8, day 9 of Turn 7
Notes: Note: Directly follows "The Danger of Rumors"

Relea

Reven

Coran was the last healer left in the infirmary, which wasn't
completely unusual. After what had happened earlier in the day with
Relea he felt as though he needed the extra time to unwind and relax
before he went home to his wife. He knew that she was scared to go out
by herself now and he was upset that she had even been put in the
situation to begin with. He was going to have to talk to Reven about
Rollan and perhaps about having a few more guards throughout the
hallways.

They were waiting on him outside of the infirmary. Rollan was there,
his nose 'patched' by another healer and a second man, wheat coloured
hair jumping out against the dark stone wall upon which he and his
buddy leaned. They straightened up when Coran appeared, then shifted
into the shadows and waited til he passed by. Dinner time had drawn
everyone to the dining hall - except them. They didn't let him go
far. Rollan snuck up behind Coran and tapped his shoulder. As the
healer turned, a fist pounded against his jaw and the other man jumped
in to capture his arms behind him.

Lights exploded behind Coran's eyes and he grunted at the impact. The
punch left him stunned as his vision swam. As it began to straighten
out he realized that his arms were pinned behind his back. He
struggled against the arms that held his own but they were ironclad.
**Rollan.** He finally made out the shadowed face of the man who had
accosted Relea earlier.

Not a word was spoken. Only a grin spread over Rollan's face as he
brought up his knee to connect it with Corran's stomach. A hand
jerked at his hair, forcing his face up and the other connected once
more, that time on his cheek.

Air exploded from his lungs as he doubled over. Had it not been for
the man holding his arms Coran would have collapsed completely. Blood
dribbled into his mouth from his busted lip. He worked his mouth
enough to spew the blood mixed with spittle onto Rollan's boots.

"Pretty little thing of a wife, you got." His fist paid some
attention to Coran's stomach, then lifted to smack against his face
again. "Having a bit of fun with the Holder it seems. Too bad she
doesn't know what it's like to be with a real man." First a left,
then a right punch and Rollan echoed them with a sharp laugh. "I
think we'll take care of that real soon. Make her beg for more.
She'll want to leave you in the dust after she's been with me."

Coran could barely hear what the man was saying. His nose was
bleeding, and his ears were ringing. When he heard Rollan say Relea's
name he growled and lunged, but the man holding his arms still didn't
budge. Coran panted and spit more blood onto the floor, this time
because the tangy goo was filling his mouth and making it hard to
breathe.

Rollan pulled back, preparing to launch his fist once more. It didn't
have a chance to connect. A hand grabbed Rollan's forehead and, with
surprise on his side, Caenir was able to pull the guy back and let him
fall. Rollan's head smacked against the floor as the Stablemaster
stepped aside to face the other man. Coran was released and a fist
swung. Caenir smacked it away, ready for it and planted his own fist
in the guy's face.

Coran didn't have the strength to do anything other than crumple to a
heap in the floor. He was in so much pain he could barely tell which
way was up and he had no idea who had finally come to his rescue but
he was so thankful that they had.

The straw-haired man went sprawling, managed to clamber back up to his
feet, but didn't try to fight back. Instead, he ran, leaving Rollan
alone with Caenir. The hit to the head and sent him writhing on the
floor, hands clutching where he'd hit it. "Stupid." Caenir spat as
he untied the rope that encircled his waist. It generally acted as a
belt, but it was useful for times he needed rope and didn't have one
handy otherwise. He'd just never thought he'd need it for a human
rather than an animal.

It took all of thirty seconds to tie hands and feet together, leaving
Rollan helpless. Once he was taken care of, Caenir turned to Coran
and kneeled beside him. "Can you stand?"

Coran mumbled something but his words were incoherent as he lay on his
back, blinking in a dazed fashion. He had the presence of mind to lift
one hand, a symbol for whomever was speaking to help him up. He wasn't
sure how far he could make it, but maybe with help... The infirmary
wasn't far.

Caenir didn't need any other indication. He knelt down and hooked his
arms beneath Coran's shoulders and then heaved. "Come on." With
Caenir's help, he managed to tug Coran to his feet. The beastcrafter
looped an arm over his shoulders and bent his knees to allow Coran to
lean against him as much as possible. "Infirmary?" Well, it seemed
the most logical place.

The healer grunted something that sounded like an affirmative. Once
they were inside the empty infirmary and he was stretched out on a
cot, he choked out three words, "Relea... Please... Check."

"Hold up there buddy." Caenir wasn't a healer, though he had
knowledge of basic first aid. Coran needed more than that. "You just
stay still. Gonna get a healer."

"Relea." He said again, his shoulders rising up as if to get off the
bed but he slumped back down just as quickly with a groan. He had to
know that she was all right. She was alone in their rooms with no way
to know who was at the door waiting on the other side.

Relea. His wife. Well, he could understand the desire to make sure
she was all right. "Okay. Stay here, I'll be right back."

Caenir trotted out of the infirmary and down the hall to Coran's
quarters. The handle would budge - locked. He lifted a fist, then
let it fall. The woman couldn't hear, so what good would it do to
knock? Coran most likely had a key, and if the door was locked, he
doubted anyone but the healer was able to get in. They were far too
solid to knock down easily or quietly.

Well, he'd done what he could for the moment. The Stablemaster turned
upon his heel to hurry through the halls, though not without a kick as
he passed a still moaning Rollan. About halfway to the dining hall he
ran into a drudge and, after a quick word to fetch a healer and Reven,
double backed to the infirmary. Rollan was awarded with another kick
just before Caenir rejoined Coran. "Door was locked, fetched a
healer."

"Thanks." He spoke through the gurgle of blood in his mouth before
rising up enough to spit it out. Coran was a healer and he already
knew his nose was broke, his jaw popped when he tried to use it too
much, and from the excruciating pain in his torso he either had some
broken or badly bruised ribs. The ringing in his ears still hadn't
stopped but he heard the infirmary door burst open and then Reven's
face swam in his vision.

The Holder's jaw clenched, a tic developing there as he looked down at
his brother on the table. Reven's first assumption was that the same
man who had taken him had tried to get to Coran too.

"How bad... Does it... Look?" Coran's teeth were even smeared with
blood as he talked.

Reven shook his head, "Once the blood is cleaned up it might be an improvement."

Coran barked a laugh and regretted it immediately as pain engulfed
him. Blood vessels had apparently been damaged as the white of his
right eye was blood red as he looked up at Reven, "Key in my pocket.
Check on Relea. Please."

Reven reached into Coran's trouser pocket and took out the key, "She
will want to come."

Coran's eyes flicked to the other journeyman in the room, "Don't let
her see me until I am cleaned up."

"Caenir, throw that wherdung in the dungeon. I will see to him later.
And the other man. Think you can find him?" Reven looked to his best
friend.

"Yep. That's Sorash." Caenir bobbed his head once and then tipped
his hat. "I'll take care of it." He slipped from the room, then
graced Rollan with another kick before he untied his ankles and jerked
the man to his feet. "Let's go." With his head still whirling,
Rollan could do little but comply and the two disappeared down the
hallway.

Reven pressed his hand to Coran's shoulder before leaving the
infirmary and heading down to where he shared rooms with Relea. Using
the man's key he opened the door and poked his head inside. He found
Relea sitting inside, apparently unharmed. He breathed a sigh of
relief and stepped inside.

"Relea," he signed.

She'd spent the time since Coran left fiddling with her hats in
progress - after she had locked the door. If anyone really needed
her, they could go through Coran. Movement from the door caught her
eye and she smiled, expecting Coran, but instead she was greeted with
Reven, and his expression alerted her. "What's wrong?" She signed
back as she left all her things scattered on her little work table to
approach him.

"Coran," he signed the gesture that she used for her husband's name,
"is hurt. He's in the infirmary. Another healer is there helping him."
His sign language was limited at best so he hoped he had said it in a
way that was at least understandable.

Without another sign, Relea's jaw set and she pushed past Reven into
the hallway. She beat him to the infirmary, her eyes immediately
catching sight of her husband. She clasped his hand in one of her
own, her face twisting as she gaze down into his battered features.

"Reven!" Coran voice was ragged.

Reven wrapped his arms around Relea and tugged her away from the cot
as the other journeyman drew the curtain back around the bed so that
she could not see him.

She reacted without thinking, her hands slapping at the arms that
confined her. Although he was stronger, she writhed in that tight
embrace, anger in her gaze as she jerkily signed, "Let me go!"

Last updated on the September 7th 2014

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