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Sarine
Deciding that misery loves company she stood abruptly and headed out of the room and down the hall. There was only one person who could possibly be as upset as she was and she intended to find him. She headed for Rodilon’s room but before she got there she ran into his mother. “Sarine!” cried Tilona, seeming somewhat distracted, but as always in good spirits. “I have yet to congratulate you or your sister on her most advantageous match!” “Thank you,” said Sarine, unable to address the woman with her usual cheeriness. “Why, whatever is wrong dear?” Tilona asked, immediately picking up on her sour mood. “I know, you’re going to miss your sister, aren’t you? Well, I’m sure your father will let you visit her very often!” “You’re right, thank you Tilona,” said Sarine, faking a smile in hopes of fooling the woman. “Have you seen Rodi today? I was looking for him.” “No, I’ve not seen the boy since the night the betrothal was announced. If you see him you tell him I’ve been looking for him! I’m not sure I’ll ever forgive him for not showing up to the banquet that evening!” “I will, if I see him,” said Sarine, bobbing a curtsy and rushing off before the woman could start talking again. She rolled her eyes as she continued on down the hall, coming closer to Rodilon’s room. That woman would talk to anyone about anything; she had no reserve and was never embarrassed by anything. Sarine soon found Rodilon’s room and knocked lightly on the door. She got no answer and tried the handle. It turned and she pushed the door open slowly in case Rodilon was indeed there and just hadn’t heard her knock. “Rodi?” she asked as the door swung open to reveal an empty chamber. She frowned but walked in anyway, checking to be sure he wasn’t hiding behind the door as he used to when they were younger. Sarine sighed, missing those days when they’d all been young, before Rodilon and Sabriana had fallen in love, before she’d realized she too had... She shook her head, refusing to think of such things. She looked around the room, finally opening the closet and gasped as she found it half-empty. Sarine pushed the few items around, not sure why, but almost hoping many of the tunics and pants had fallen to the floor. None of them were to be found though and her mind raced as she tried to determine the meaning of this. Finally she settled on only one possibility. Rodilon would never have simply deserted the hold, no matter how painful memories might be; he was stronger than that. Sarine gasped and rushed back to her own room packing her own bag before she knew what she was doing. Once the bag was packed she sat down at her dresser and looked at her reflection in the glass. She’d always been spontaneous, but this time she had to think things through. Sarine stared at her reflection for quite some time before she shook her head. There was no point in trying to think it through; her mind just didn’t work that way. She was going after Rodi, after all, there was only one place he could have gone. She cursed herself for a fool as she hefted her bag and snuck out of the hold. She silently saddled her favorite gelding, tying her bag to the back of the saddle. The runner was a fast one; the reason she’d always preferred him to the more docile runners her father had always encouraged her to ride. But there had never been anything slow or docile about her. Her mind ran faster than the fastest runner on Pern and she made decisions recklessly. Sarine led the runner, Dart she affectionately called him, out of the stable and out of the hold before she mounted. She clambered awkwardly onto his back, not used to riding in skirts and cursed herself once again for not thinking things through. It was too late now though and she kicked the runner forward, her shirts all bunched up around her knees, and he leapt eagerly into a fast canter. Sarine only hoped she could catch Rodilon before he did anything stupid. Continue... |