A Parting Shot

Writers: Avery, Yvonne
Date Posted: 30th July 2014

Characters: Ikalis, Alina
Description: Alina does something about her 'Ervine' problem
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 8, day 1 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: L'pin
Notes: The Game 11

Alina

She was still angry. A day later, and her blood continued to boil and her mind kept returning to stupid Ervine and what he'd done. Alina knew that a big person, a nice person, would let it go. That's what a true lady would do. But she was a farm girl, and holdbred to boot. So, in a fit of inspiration, she started something that farm girls did best: a rumor.

It started in the kitches, when one of the dishwashers asked how Ervine was. Alina shrugged. "Oh, fine. Last I heard he was feeling under the weather."

Then when she was stacking dishes, it was "I don't really see Ervine anymore. It wasn't... healthy."

And then at lunch, she deliberately sat with a group of girls she knew to have big mouths. They were laundry workers, so who better to air some dirty laundry with? "I hear you're stepping out with Ervine," Wazi whispered across the table, her eyes sparkling and her mouth curved in a smile. "He's cute."

Alina shrugged. "Not any more. Not after... well. I shouldn't tell you." Of course the other girls started clamoring for details until Alina had built up their credulity to the point where she could insert her rumor believably. "Well... I shouldn't tell, but I suppose it's better for everyone if I do... I guess." She leaned across the table, and the other girls leaned in. "So, you know how he's just back from training at the Harper Hall? I heard from someone who works in the Infirmary that he's been visiting there because he's got--" she lowered her voice, "Warts on his vocal chords. It's highly contagious, which is part of the reason why I dumped him. It can scar up your voice and leave you mute. If you're _lucky_."

"Wait-- only part of the reason?" Wiza asked breathlessly.

Alina bit her lip. "Well... this is just what my friend told me, and she swore me to secrecy. But... I guess Ervine has known for a while now that he's got these warts, and he just doesn't care. He's kissing people all over the Weyr anyway."

Wiza shuddered, but she clearly relished it. "By the Egg, it's good you're rid of him! Did you kiss him?"

Reluctantly Alina nodded. The best rumors had a seed of truth. "I went to see the Healers last night to make sure I don't have warts too. I don't, thank goodness. You have to drink acid to get rid of them, and it can take _months_. And it can also really mess you up inside, like permanently damaging your guts, or even infertility. So just... make sure that people know to avoid Ervine, all right? But don't tell them who told you. I don't want to get my friend in the Infirmary in trouble for sharing patient records."

After chores, more exercises, and dinner, Alina went in search of Ikalis. She found the Lower Caverns worker on the path toward the laundry and hurried to catch up with her. "Ikalis!"

"Hey, Alina," Ikalis said with a genuinely warm smile. "I haven't seen you too much the last couple days. Are you okay?"

The candidate jogged up to meet her, then linked elbows with her friend. "Yes. Well... sort of. Not really. Mostly?"

"That doesn't sound good. You want to talk about it?" She wondered if the impending reality of the hatching was scaring her off or something.

Alina laughed, a little bitterly. "There's not much to tell, really. Remember how I was asking about Ervine?"

"Yeah." Mostly, she remembered the sharp stabs of jealousy that it had sent through her. "Did he do something?"

Alina lowered her voice. "If I tell you, do you _promise_ not to tell anyone else?"

"Not if you don't want me to,"

"I _really_ don't want you to." The candidate took a deep breath. "Ervine tried to play a really dirty trick on me because I'm not from the Weyr. Which is why he's got that black eye, by the way. That was me." It felt so good to finally tell someone. Alina was good at secrets, but they'd always been shared secrets with her twin. "He's a complete maggot. I'm just-- I'm so mad right now, I can't even say it properly."

"No way. _You_ gave him that?" Ikalis covered her mouth partly to hide her outrage, and partly to hide her irritation. Poor Alina! "I wouldn't have thought, but good for you. Want me to accidentaally burn all his food?"

"Yes. Well, maybe." Alina smiled, feeling the relief that only sharing a secret can bring. "Actually, I had something else in mind. But again, you have to _swear_ not to tell anyone."

"Sure." She was deeply curious about the kind of thing Alina might do.

"Well... I started a rumor." Alina grimaced. "I know, it's not very nice. But neither is Ervine, and quite frankly it's the best way I can think of to get back at him. I've started telling people that he's got warts on his vocal chords. With any luck, no woman in the Weyr will come within a dragonlength of him by the next rest day. Or ever."

Ikalis began to laugh hysterically. "Are you sure you don't want me to at least tell people the rumor?"

Alina smiled. "Sure, if you want to. I don't know-- is it too ridiculous?"

"No, I think it's a good rumor." She grinned viciously. "I'm sorry he hurt your feelings."

Hurt feelings didn't quite encompass it, but Alina let it slide. Even if it did make her sound as if she was a little having a temper tantrum. "Thanks for helping me spread it."

"No problem. Do you need me to do anything else?"

Alina shook her head. "A word here or there in the right ears is the best thing you could possibly do. I want to absolutely _ruin_ him."

"I've got a few people I think I should tell." Celissa down in mending would talk to everyone about everything, for one. And if she embellished it a tiny bit, well...

"I can't believe he was just pranking you. What a dirty guy."

"You have _no_ idea." Alina shivered theatrically. "His time at the Harper Hall did not civilize him one bit."

"You'd think he'd have learned manners there," Ikalis agreed. "Most of the Harpers I've met have been well mannered. I mean, look at L'pin and his formality, and he was just a hidework pusher."

Her mind wouldn't even wrap around L'pin trying to pull a prank, let alone one like Ervine's. Alina shook her head. "Well. I suppose they can't all
be harpers."

"Maybe they sent him back 'cause he was gross."

"Maybe!" Just very unlikely, no matter how much she wished she'd never have to see Ervine again. But that was what happened when you made mistakes. You had to live with them, sometimes for a very long time.

Last updated on the August 1st 2014

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A Parting Shot