Aajmaii and Jaamiaa
:Search:

*Some content not suitable for younger children*

Jaamiaa rolled her eyes as her sister rode by on her runner, giggling like a little wherry. She leaned up against the fence and watched as her sister sat deep into the saddle and pulled back lightly on the reins.

Her runner, Ewinsa, dropped her hind end quickly and slid, her black colored tail trailing behind her.

Aajmaii pulled her runner out of the slide and then trotted over to her sister. “That was a good one, wasn’t it?” She asked as she reached the fence.

Jaamiaa shrugged and said, “I don’t understand how you can have so much fun with a stupid beast like this. You should have chosen the firelizard that father offered you. They’re far more useful.”

The younger twin flipped her amber colored hair out of her face and said, “How would you know? You’ve never ridden a runner in your entire life so you wouldn’t know how smart they are.”

Jaamiaa waved her twins’ comment away with her hand and said, “I’m glad of it too. The only beast I’ll be riding is a dragon.”

Aajmaii smiled slightly and said, “That’s not true and you know it Miaa. You’ve been riding the cotholder’s son for the past week now.” She wheeled her runner around as she made her comment and cantered away, knowing her twin was probably about ready to kill her.

She was almost right. Jaamiaa let her mouth drop open for a moment, but then quickly pulled herself together. She was furious at her sister now. Not just for saying what she had, but the fact that she had even known angered her even more.

She walked out towards Aajmaii, trying to keep her face clear and not let her emotions show through.

Aajmaii trotted Ewinsa around in a few circles, wary of her sister at the moment.

“I can’t believe you said that!” Jaamiaa cried as she reached her twin.

Jaamiaa sighed, trying to control herself, and then said “both I suppose. How did you know though? You’re never awake when I leave, or when I come back and I’ve never mentioned anything about it.”

Aajmaii shrugged and said, “I have my ways.”

Her twin sighed again and said, “No now you have to tell me Aaj. You can’t just say something like that without having some information to back it up. Who did you hear it from?”

She let her reins drop onto her runner’s neck as she twisted her hair up into a bun. “I didn’t hear it anywhere, I saw it.”

“WHAT!?” Jaamiaa exclaimed, causing Ewinsa to jump slightly and her sister grabbing for the reins. “You saw us you shelling little brat? Why can’t you just stay out of other people’s business?”

Aajmaii shook her head and said, “I saw you walking in the direction of Jural’s house but I didn’t know if you were sleeping with him or not. Thanks for filling me in though, I really appreciate it.”

Jaamiaa rubbed her temples and said, “I hate it when you do that, I hope you know that.” She sighed again and said, “Well I suppose you would have found out sooner or later.”

Aajmaii nodded and said, “Yes I probably would.” She was quiet for a moment and then said, “You know that father would murder you if he found out.”

Jaamiaa nodded and said, “That’s why you’re not going to tell him. If you do, oh Aaj I swear on Faranth’s egg I will kill you myself.”

Aajmaii patted Ewinsa as she began to paw at the ground in boredom and said, “Don’t worry I won’t say anything. I’m quite mad at father right now as it is.”

Jaamiaa raised an eyebrow in question and asked, “What has he done now?”

Aajmaii shrugged and said, “Nothing any worse than what he’s done before. I’ll have to tell you later though. If I don’t finish working her out she’ll be a monster tomorrow.”

Jaamiaa nodded in understanding and walked back out of the ring, wondering what their father could have pushed onto Aajmaii now.

When Aajmaii had finished riding and had dismounted Jaamiaa followed her into the barn. Sitting down on a stack of hay she watched as her sister untacked her grey mare and started to brush her down.

“Where’s Masut?” Aajmaii asked suddenly.

Jaamiaa looked up at her sister and said, “I don’t know really. I haven’t really seen her since this morning. You know how she is though. She’ll show up around dinner time like always.”

Aajmaii nodded and brushed her runner’s tail out. “Do you think you’ll ever get to Impress Miaa? Search dragons have never come to our Cothold as far as I know. Maybe you’ll have to leave and go to a Hold where the dragons come more often?”

Jaamiaa shook her head and said, “No I’ll stick around here with you Aaj. You’re my twin, even though we don’t look it, and I couldn’t leave you here with mother and father. You know they would drive you insane.” She laughed slightly, thinking about what her sister would have to put up with if she wasn’t around.

Aajmaii shrugged and said, “I think I could handle it.” She put her tail brush down and then said, “I would rather come with you to a Weyr, or at least another Hold though.”

“Why?” Jaamiaa asked her sister as she ran her fingers through her hair.

Aajmaii shook her head and said, “Don’t worry about it. Hey, you never answered my question though. Do you ever think you’ll become a dragonrider?”

Jaamiaa shrugged and said, “I don’t know. What you said is true, the search dragons never come around here but you never know. I suppose that there is a slight chance that a Weyr may Search here, but it’s doubtful. I’ll probably be stuck here in the middle of nowhere for the rest of my life.”

“Not necessarily,” Aajmaii said with a slight smile on her face.

Jaamiaa cocked her head to one side and asked, “What do you mean? We can’t just leave if that’s what you’re thinking.”

Aajmaii started to pick Ewinsa’s hooves out and asked, “Why not? We’ll never get the chance at Impressing if we stay here and you know it.”

Jaamiaa thought quietly for a moment and then asked, “What are you trying to get away from Aajmaii?”

Aajmaii dropped the hoof pick, jumping as it hit the ground with a metallic clang. As she picked it back up she asked, “What do you mean? I’m not trying to get away from anything Miaa. I just want to get out of this Hold. There isn’t anything left here for me.”

Jaamiaa frowned and said, “Whatever Aajmaii. You can’t think that I won’t find out eventually, because you know I will. All I have to do is walk back up to the house and ask mother or father and they’ll tell me what’s bothering you.”

Aajmaii sighed heavily and said, “Fine, but you can’t tell mother or father how I feel about this yet. I was going to tell them later, like when I’ve had time to think about whether or not I could deal with it or not.”

Jaamiaa frowned and asked, “What happened?” She was amazed, mainly because her sister could put up and deal with almost anything. If her sister, the most tolerant person she knows, wants to run away from this it cannot be good.

Aajmaii sighed again and asked, “You know of Fyvra Cothold correct?”

Jaamiaa nodded and said, “Of course I do. Father has been good from with the Cotholder for some time now. He’s brought me along a few times when he went to go visit.”

Aajmaii nodded and led Ewinsa back into her stall. When she came back she asked, “Well then I’ll assume you know the Cotholder’s son?”

Jaamiaa thought about this for a moment and then said, “Actually I don’t think I’ve ever met him. Does he have anything to do with why you’re unhappy?”

“Does he ever,” Aajmaii said sadly.

“How so?” Jaamiaa inquired.

“Father told me yesterday that I have been betrothed to that sharding wherry-brain since I was four and that since I am nineteen now I must go and get married to him,” Aajmaii sighed.

Jaamiaa shrugged and said, “That doesn’t sound too bad. At least father thinks about you enough to think of betrothing you to someone. He has always gone along with you choice of suitors and then turns to me and says that each choice I make should be more like yours.”

Aajmaii shook her head and said, “You don’t understand though Jaamiaa. Narciss is the most self-centered, egotistical, perverted dimglow on all of Pern!”

Jaamiaa laughed slightly and asked, “What did he do to be forever on your bad side?”

Aajmaii smiled but then said, “When I went there two years ago to talk to him about what is happening he waved my complaint away and said that he ‘didn’t see why I didn’t wish to be with him.’” She shook her head as she recalled the event and then continued on with the story. “He said that I had ‘nice breasts and that he would like to see them so I should accept my father’s doing and come to live at his Hold.’”

Jaamiaa’s jaw dropped and she asked, “He said what? I’m not sure I heard you right Aaj.”

Her sister shook her head and said, “No Miaa you heard me right.”

“Have you told mother or father what he said?” Jaamiaa asked, thoroughly disgusted by Narciss.

Aajmaii nodded and said, “Multiple times but mother and father both say that there is nothing she can do because this has been arranged for over ten years.”

“There has to be something you can do,” Jaamiaa insisted. “Perhaps talk to Narciss’ father?”

Aajmaii shook her head, “There is nothing I can do, nothing at all. The rest of my life I will only be there for the purpose of producing him an heir. I shall be his bed toy and nothing more and it sickens me!”

“You are right to be sickened. I’m sorry I did not know about this Aaj. There might have been something that we could have done earlier. However, I also don’t know how to get you out of this one,” Jaamiaa commented.

“I could run,” Aajmaii said.

“They would follow and bring you back,” Jaamiaa replied.

“I could simply refuse to marry him,” she offered.

Jaamiaa shook her head. “They would force you to marry him. This wasn’t put together because of your love for Narciss, it was because of politics. If you two get married the ties to the two Holds will be stronger.”

“You’re taking their side now?” Aajmaii asked angrily, referring to their parents.

Jaamiaa shook her head quickly and said, “Of course not! I’m merely seeing things from their point of view.”

“What am I supposed to do?” Aajmaii asked desperately.

Jaamiaa shrugged and said, “I suppose you must go to the Hold and I shall go with you. I will not leave you alone with Narciss.”

“There is nothing else?” She asked.

Jaamiaa shook her head and was about to open her mouth to speak when Masut, her green firelizard, flew into the stable and landed on her arm. “Where have you been all day?” She asked as she stroked the little green creature.

Masut warbled and stuck her leg out proudly. Tied around it was a piece of parchment, complete with the seal of Narciss’ Hold.

“Oh great,” Aajmaii said as her sister untied the blue colored ribbon and cracked the wax seal.

Jaamiaa read it over and then frowned, handing it to her sister. “I’m sorry,” she said as her sister took it with nervous hands.

She read it over and then sighed, letting the parchment drop to the ground. “It has to be today?” She asked softly.

Jaamiaa got up from her seat on the hay and gave her sister a hug. “All will work out,” she said, trying to calm her twin.

Later that day Aajmaii was saddling her runner up again, this time not really looking forward to her ride, which would take her to Fyvra Cothold.

She tied her belongings onto the back of the saddle and then swung up, waiting for her sister to climb up behind her.

Jaamiaa hesitated and said, “I think that I’ll just ride father’s runner there. I don’t want to put too much weight on your filly.”

Aajmaii smiled sadly and said, “She would not be burdened by you but I don’t mind having the extra time to think while you’re tacking up.”

Jaamiaa nodded and walked back into the stable, getting their father’s chestnut gelding out of his stall. She tacked him up quickly and then led him outside, climbing up into the saddle and following her sister as she headed out of the Hold.

Fyvra Cothold was about twenty miles away and it wouldn’t have taken them too long to get there, but neither of the girls were in a big hurry to reach their destination.

Jaamiaa urged the gelding on until she was riding beside her sister, who was looking off into the distance. “What are you looking at?” She asked her.

Aajmaii shrugged and said, “Nothing really. The open fields which I won’t get to see for the cage bars of Fyvra Hold.”

Jaamiaa frowned sadly and said, “I’m sure it won’t be that bad Aaj. I mean, you’re not like a canine or a feline. He can’t lock you up in there and he can’t control your every action.”

“But he will try to,” Aajmaii replied as she patted Ewinsa’s neck.

The rode in silence the rest of the way to the Cothold and when they reached it they saw that Narciss was waiting by the gate.

“He’s good looking,” Jaamiaa said in surprise.

Aajmaii snorted and said, “His personality makes the good looks melt away. You think he looks nice now but wait until you actually meet him.”

As they approached the gates Narciss helped Aajmaii down from the saddle, which she could have, and wished, to do herself.

“Lovely to finally have you here,” Narciss said as he looked her over, letting his eyes rest on her chest before tearing his gaze away. “It has been far too long.”

Aajmaii was silent for a moment and then mumbled something that was along the lines of “yes it has” and then took the reins over Ewinsa’s head.

“Let your servant do that,” Narciss said. “We have much more important things to attend to.” He stroked his chin, pulled Aajmaii close and then whispering into her ear, “Also let her know that she will not need to attend to you tonight because you will be far too busy. However, she may have someone to bed with her tonight if she wishes.”

Aajmaii broke away from his grip and smacked him. “You think that I am happy to be here, and if you think that I will ever sleep with you you’re daft,” she said angrily. “Also, I will let you know that neither my sister, nor I will be made a man’s toy in bed.”

Narciss’ eyes flared and he bowed stiffly. “My apologies milady, I knew not that she was your sister.”

Aajmaii led Ewinsa past him without saying anther word, her sister following closely behind.

When they reached the stables Jaamiaa asked, “Do you think that was a good idea?”

Aajmaii sighed as she lifted the saddle off or Ewinsa’s back and said, “I don’t really care anymore Miaa. I was not going to just stand there when he insulted both you and me. He disgusts me and I wouldn’t sleep with him even if he was the only human left on Pern. I would sooner sleep with a tunnel snake; at least they have more manners.”

Jaamiaa laughed and said, “That would be fairly interesting I would think. I still do not know if hitting him at the front of his gate was a good move however.”

“I know, but I didn’t know what else to do. I’m so unhappy already Jaamiaa and I’ve only just arrived,” Aajmaii told her sister as she took the bridle off and slipped the halter over Ewinsa’s head.

“As I said before,” Jaamiaa said, “everything will work out.”

Aajmaii walked into her room later that night, hoping she would be able to take a long bath and soak away the day’s troubles. However when she walked in and set her bags down she saw Narciss, sitting in one of the large cushioned chairs.

“What do you want?” Aajmaii asked as she started to unpack her things.

“Why do you hate me so?” Narciss asked as he undid one of the buttons on his shirt.

Aajmaii unfolded one of her dresses and then hung it in the large closet before answering. “I would not hate you so if you were not so incredibly rude.”

“I am rude?” Narciss asked with a laugh. “I was only trying to be friendly and you smacked me in front of my entire Hold. No I believe that you are the rude one Aajmaii.”

“It is not your Hold as of yet so I don’t see why you think it was such a big deal,” she asked as she hung up another dress.

Narciss undid another button and then said, “Well it will be my Hold one day and I would like to have a suitable reputation when I become Holder.”

Aajmaii didn’t answer and continued to hang up her clothes in the closet.

“You can’t seriously think me that horrible,” he said as he walked across the room and stood behind her.

“You will kindly keep your distance,” Aajmaii said as she pushed the dresses out of the way to make room for more.

“You’re giving me orders now?” He asked as he undid the rest of the buttons and let his shirt fall to the floor.

“Yes,” Aajmaii said as she took another article of clothing from her bag and hung it up in the closet.

He walked to the side of the closet and leaned against the wall, watching her as she put her things away.

“Do not look at me like that,” Aajmaii said as she got her other bag and undid the latches.

“Like what?” he asked as he continued to watch her as a canine watches a beast that wandered away from the rest of the herd.

“Like the way you’re looking at me know, it makes me uncomfortable,” she said as she took another dress out of the bag.

He walked over to her quickly and pulled her towards him, fondling her as she struggled to escape his grasp. “Well then let me make you more comfortable,” he said as he picked her up, ignoring her as she clawed frantically at his skin.

He put her down on the bed and held her down as she tried to roll off of the other side. He started to pull at her skirt but stopped as he heard a knock on the door.

Aajmaii opened her mouth to scream but Narciss quickly covered it with his hand, smothering her call.

He waited for another knock but when it didn’t come he shrugged and said, “You will behave or I swear I shall teach you a lesson.”

Aajmaii cried silently as he continued to pull at her skirt, which was refusing to come off.

“Shells on it,” he said as he gave up on pulling it up and settled for folding it over her hips. He started it undo his pants, and as he did so Aajmaii lifted her leg and kicked him square in the jaw.

He cried out and fell off the bed, giving her enough time to slide off the other side and make a dash for the door. She had made it about half way when Narciss caught up with her and grabbed her by the hair.

She cried out and was almost relieved when she heard another knock at the door, this one more insisting, more desperate to be answered. “Help!” She cried out as Narciss dragged her back to the bed by her hair.

She kicked him again, this time in the shin and ran for the door again, managing to get it unlocked before Narciss grabbed her again and tried to drag her back to the bed.

He stopped when he had almost reached the bed and threw her down onto the floor, climbing up on top of her. “I told you that you learn your lesson and now you will you little brat,” he said as he closed his hands around her neck.

She gasped for air as he tightened his grip and clawed at his chest, his arms, anything she could reach.

Narciss lifted her head up slightly, yet not letting his grip weaken, and was about to knock her out when the door flew open and a young man stepped into the room.

“What is going on in here?!” The man exclaimed as he saw them.

Narciss let go of Aajmaii and scrambled back, trying to find his voice.

The man ignored him however and walked over to Aajmaii, who was now sitting up and struggling to breathe again. “Are you alright?” He asked as he helped her to her feet slowly.

She nodded and gasped, pointing at Narciss angrily.

The man looked Narciss over, a scowl on his face, and then turned back to Aajmaii and led her from the room.

When she had could talk again she said, “thank you, by Faranth’s egg thank you.” She embraced the man, crying as the shock wore off and she realized how lucky she was to be alive.

The man patted her on the back softly and then pushed her away gently. “Do not thank me,” he said as he led Aajmaii down the hall and into the courtyard. “Thank my dragon. She’s the one suggested that we stop here.”

“What?” Aajmaii asked in confusion.

The man smiled and said, “You’ve been Searched. We were flying over the Hold and Remarth thought that there were two likely candidates and said to land and find you. I’m glad I listened to her.”

“Searched?” She asked, not really believing the man.

He nodded and said, “Yes. I’m Z’rae, a searchrider from Beach Shards Weyr. There’s a clutch of twenty-five on the sands and we need candidates. Would you be willing to stand?”

She hesitated for a moment and then asked, “What about my sister? I can’t leave her here with Narciss. He’ll take everything out on her if I’m gone.”

Z’rae nodded in understanding and said, “Well I don’t think you’ll have to worry about that because your sister has been searched as well. She’s over with Remarth, waiting for you.”

Aajmaii brushed her hair out of her face and then ran to her sister when she saw her by the large green dragon.

Jaamiaa embraced her sister as she reached her and asked, “What happened?”

Aajmaii shook her head and wept, not wanting to relive what had just happened.

Jaamiaa looked up at Z’rae hopefully but he shook his head. He wasn’t going to tell her if Aajmaii wasn’t.

After a few moments Z’rae cleared his throat and asked, “Are we ready to depart?”

Aajmaii wiped her eyes and nodded. “Yes, get me out of here.”

Z’rae smiled and helped her up onto his dragon’s back. He swung up after her, pulling Jaamiaa up after him.

After they had strapped themselves in Z’rae gave Remarth the signal to take off. Aajmaii and Jaamiaa smiled as they saw climbed higher and higher into the air, watching as the Hold grew smaller and smaller.