Tragic Tale (2/2)

Writers: Avery, Eimi
Date Posted: 13th March 2007

Characters: Ishek, Kiomo
Description: Kiomo finally faces his accusers
Location: Garnet Valley Hold
Date: month 2, day 3 of Turn 4

Peringel strode into his Lord Holder's office, his daughter Perina silently in tow. His eyes hardened when he saw Ishek's assistant sitting by his side. "Lord Ishek, I have come with my daughter as you requested. I am here to formally charge that man, Holder Kiomo, with having impregnated my daughter, Perina, robbing her of her virtue and her value as a woman, on the occasion of his accompanying you as my guest to my Hold. I demand that he confess to his actions and that he do the only honorable thing and marry her as soon as possible."

"I understand the charges you are placing. But first, please, sit."
Ishek said. "Would either of you like a drink? I understand that you want to get to business," he added, "but I know travel can make one thirsty." It was the polite thing to offer at least water if they'd come all this way. On the other hand, Ishek could respect the man's desire to get down to business.

"I would rather see this matter settled," Peringel said with a respectful bow to take the edge off his abruptness. He pointed to the chair beside him and his daughter dutifully sank into it before he took his seat.

"Very well." Ishek said. Perhaps it was best to get this distasteful matter over with as soon as possible. "Holder Kiomo, how do you respond to this man's accusations?"

"I deny it whole heartedly, my Lord," Kiomo replied flatly. "Though I do not deny that Perina may indeed be pregnant, I believe it is not by me."

"You wherry filth!" Peringel growled. "You not only refuse to accept responsibility but you have the _audacity_ to all but call my daughter a whore to me _face_?! My Lord, I will not stand for that!"

Well. Tempers were certainly starting to flare and things were going to get out of hand. Ishek had to move carefully and craftily- but shards, he wasn't very good at that! But he could at least try to calm people, he was good enough at that. "Holders, please try to keep calm." he said, keeping his voice neutral. "I am sure the Holder is not slinging accusations without some form of evidence." He looked at Kiomo, gaze suggesting he'd better provide some evidence before this got out of hand.

"Sir, I did not mean to imply Perina is a 'whore'," Kiomo clarified. "I am saying that I believe Perina has been with a man. At Sapphire Meadows Hold."

"What? No! No!" Peringel sputtered. "No, you are piling lie upon lie!"

"Perina was sent to Sapphire Meadows Hold as a fosterling. However she was brought back to your Hold withing two months. Why was that, sir?"
Kiomo turned his dark eyes on the young woman who now squirmed in her chair.

"My wife missed the child," her father quickly muttered.

"Careful, Peringel," Kiomo said with an icy edge to his voice. "You are speaking in front of a Lord Holder."

"There is no lie in that," Peringel growled back.

"My Lord," Kiomo turned back to face Lord Ishek, "though I have no doubt her mother did miss Perina as any mother would, I have reason to believe that Perina was sent home because she was too often found in the company of a stable-boy named Suvan."

Perina turned positively pale as she looked up the mention of the name.
"No, Lord Ishek, that's not true," she all but whispered, fear written on her face.

"Quite, girl, let me handle this," Peringel said as he jumped to his feet. "I would like to know just what Holder Kiomo is implying!"

"I am implying, my Lord, that Perina is pregnant by Suvan, and not myself," Kiomo replied calmly.

Peringel turned to the Lord Holder in desperation. "My Lord, he is now making up stories in an attempt to get out of caring for my daughter and her child! He is _not_ an honorable man!"

Ishek was rattled by the entire affair. He'd known that Kiomo had gone to Sapphire Meadows to find proof, but listening to the accusation, and then seeing Perina's fear and Peringel's anger and listening to Kiomo's calmness in the face...it brought home the reality of what was going on.
Right then and there Ishek decided he hated this aspect of being Lord Holder, as well. Arbiting disputes, trying to find the best way when everyone was upset and situations were messy...

But he had a job to do, and his duty made him take a deep breath and then do it.

"Holder Kiomo, other than just the rumors of Perina spending time with the stableboy Suvan, do you have any proof?" Ishek asked.

Kiomo nodded as he turned his eyes up to meet Peringel's coolly. "I have Suvan."

Peringel's jaw tightened as his daughter hid her face in her hands.
"You _have_ Suvan?"

"He's here, at Garnet Valley. I brought him here to give testimony before the Lord Warder of his involvement in this case." The look Kiomo's face was almost pitying as he looked at Perina. "But I would rather not have to call him in. Any testimony he would give would then become a matter of Record. I think that is in no one's best interest here."

The Holder was silent a moment as he considered his options carefully, the realization of bitter defeat written on his face. "And what would you have me do in return for such a gracious favor?"

Kiomo picked up a rolled document from the desk. "I have a proposition that I think would be in everyone's best interests - your family's as well as my own."

"What kind of proposition?" Peringel asked warily.

"I have an older brother who has a Minor Hold like yourself. He and his wife are extending an official invitation to you to foster Perina." He held up the rolled paper and turned it so that the official seal could be seen clearly. "Though in your records she would be considered a fosterling, at their Hold she would be treated as a guest. A distant cousin or a friend of the family who has been left tragically widowed at a young age. None of their Holders would question her pregnancy. She could carry the baby to term and, once the baby has been born, return to you with no one knowing the better. The child would be a ward of the Hold, and my brother, with Perina's help of course if she would like, would find a suitable fostermother to raise him or her as their own.
The child would be well cared for and your daughter's reputation would not suffer because of it."

Perina's face was unreadable, as she folded her hands in her lap. Her father took a step closer to get a better look at the seal. "And what would your family like in return for such generosity?"

"I know full well that, while Suvan could come in here and testify that he was a potential father, that does not exonerate me. In the end it would come down to her word against mine, and we would have to wait until the baby was born to know the truth of it." Kiomo stood, roll still in hand, and faced his accusers. "You have made an accusation against me. My name and my respuation have been called into question.
Do you still insist that I am the father of your daughter's child and must marry her?"

Peringel looked down at his daughter, then the roll in Kiomo's hands, and finally the Lord Warder. "My Lord Ishek," the Holder finally said, his voice quiet and strained though he stood to his full height, pulling together the tattered threads of his pride. "I have accused your holder, Kiomo, of taking advantage of my daughter's innocence and empregregnating her. It seems... I may have spoken prematurely."

"_May_ have?" Kiomo corrected coolly.

"I _have_ spoken prematurely," Peringel amended. "Children sometimes are afraid of hurting their parents and will protect them from the...
pain of the truth. It seems the truth has come to light today." He turned to his daughter, his voice surprisingly gentle. "Perina, did you lose your innocence to Holder Kiomo?"

She looked up into the Lord Warder's face as she answered quietly.
"No."

"Is Holder Kiomo the father of your child?" he asked, with the barest rasp of emotion audible in his voice.

Looking down as a tear escaped her eye, she whispered her answer. "No."

"Think carefully, child," Peringel laid a hand on her shoulder. "Have you anything to accuse this man of?"

Though she tried, she could not speak as the tears began to fall unhindered. Instead she shook her head silently.

"My Lord," Kiomo said finally, his voice also quiet and grave, "If Lord Peringel has nothing further to add, I am content with this outcome and will not seek any compensation from my accusers."

Peringel nodded, his tired eyes looking at the Lord Warder's desk rather than in his face. "With your permission, we will return to our Hold and bring no further charge against your holder. We are finished. We would ask that you would consider this matter... closed..."

Ishek was riveted, speechless, as the situation played itself out to its logical, inevitable, and tragic conclusion. He couldn't help but wince at Perina's reaction to much of the news, especially how she cried and was unable to rescind the charges verbally. Kiomo's solution seemed so logical, so practical, and came out effortlessly, as if it was easy for him to find this the right thing to do. And Peringel, the proud father who, though a bit blustery, Ishek believed sincerely wanted the best for his daughter... The entire tale was tragic, and the solution worked, giving the child to a good place, leaving Kiomo entirely unscathed and looking to be a generous man, and preserving Peringel and Perina's reputations. Yet somehow it sat badly with Ishek.

"Consider it closed." Ishek said, unwilling to drag this out any longer. "And, Peringel, Perina?" he added. "Best of luck to you and yours." Not formal words, perhaps, but honest sentiments. Ishek hoped that this solution would serve them well.

Last updated on the March 13th 2007

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Tragic Tale (2/2)