Right and Wrong
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Devin
Date Posted: 12th February 2008
Characters: Marod
Description: Marod considers the situation and questions his past and present actions
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 8, day 13 of Turn 4
There was a pleasant crackle and surge of heat as he threw more wood on the fire. The smoke was a risk, but it was too sharding cold, and he hoped the snow would conceal it. It had been snowing for three days now. Fresh snow made the going harder. Marod broke trail, but walking through the deepening snow was still exhausting for Royani.
Royani.
He turned to look at her, sleeping on the worn cot, curled under all the blankets they could find. She was the reason he was out here now, instead of somewhere clean and warm. And he was the reason she was here, instead of safe with her family back at Amber Hills. He'd taken her from a comfortable life, lured her away and dragged her off, all for marks. And she'd repaid him by staying with him, by not telling anyone who she was. She was doing it to keep him from being arrested for his part in the kidnapping, and as much as he wanted to keep his freedom, much of the time he didn't feel like he deserved it. What he had done was wrong and stupid. By getting her away from Klegen and Boesyn and getting her home safe, he hoped to make up for part of what he'd done.
Marod walked over to the window and pulled aside the thin curtain to watch the snow fall. Abandoned cots like this were getting harder to find as they neared Amber Hills. They would have to take more risks by staying with people. People who might recognize her, people who might be involved with the person that had planned Royani's kidnapping in the first place. The question of who was behind this bothered them both. They didn't know who they could trust, even way out here. What Marod hadn't mentioned to Royani was the suspicion that someone in her family could have been the one to order the kidnapping. They would have the money, and perhaps the motive. What that motive might be, he didn't know, but those of the Blood often dealt in intricate politics he didn't understand.
He sighed. There would be another few inches of snow on the ground when they started off tomorrow. He wished they could stay for a few days in the cot, but Klegen and Boesyn were still on their trail. The men were relentless, and Marod could imagine what Klegen would do to him -- or what Klegen would have Boesyn do to him-- if they ever caught them. What they would do to Royani might be worse.
Sometimes Marod wondered if he should have just gone along with the other kidnappers and sold Royani to whoever had offered more marks. He would have plenty of money and be living somewhere warm by now. He wouldn't have to worry about Klegen and Boesyn either. But one look at Royani's dirty, exhausted face, and he knew he had done the right thing.
During their long months of travel, Marod had asked her if she wanted to declare herself, send word to her father, stop running. But each time she said no. She owed him for getting her out of that situation, even if he was the one that had helped put her in it. Marod suspected she might not want to declare herself more out of fear of falling into the wrong hands than out of a desire to repay him. He also wondered if she knew that by taking her home, he was very likely going to get arrested. If Klegen and Boesyn were ever caught, he was almost assured of going to the mines right along with them.
Those two were getting closer. He could feel it. They could travel faster than he and Royani on foot, and had almost caught them a few times. If they ever did catch them, Marod would fight. He would try to kill or hurt them before they killed him in turn, and hope to give Royani enough time to escape.
He let the curtain fall. Thoughts like this were only keeping him awake, and he needed to rest. He crawled under the covers beside Royani and settled near her -- for warmth, he told himself. He looked at her face again. **I'll get you home, I promise.** He was beginning to think he would do anything for her.
Last updated on the February 14th 2008