Location [Syliras Location] Housing Authority

[Dusk]

Ha'na

The Knight frowned at her a moment, worrying tinting his dark eyes. It made the crags and scars on his face a little more fearsome, but the sympathetic sigh erased and misconception that he was angry.

"Not happening too soon?" he murmured, leaning forward and folding his arms on the desk in front of him. "Whyever not? I don't mean to pry, my lady, but... if you're to leave behind the independence of your own suites to cleave both your life and your business to this man, shouldn't he at least make some sort of promise to honor that sacrifice? I mention it only out of worry for you," he added with a soft, friendly smile. "I've seen it before, miss. A woman gives up her life for a man with no vows made, and finds herself in unfortunate circumstances later. I don't know deGrey and can't speak to his motives but... well," he sighed, shaking his head. "You should take care to think this through, my lady. Are you sure of his intentions towards you?"

[Hana]

That was when poor Ha’na burst out into tears. It wasn’t that she doubted Alistair’s intentions. It was just that she’d had terrible times in the past with relationships, which was why she didn’t get into them. They just mucked things up and ended with pain and suffering. And she had thought on it all to the point of almost making herself sick over it.

In the end the problem was that Ha’na was, in fact, quite traditional. At the same time she was prone to secret fits of fancy and more than a few times had found herself in situations she hadn’t planned on. Clearly that resulted in a sobbing Benshiran woman in front of the knight. She in turn let out a string of frantic Shiber before she realized it was the wrong language.

“Oh, no… I… I…” She sniffled and kept her eyes glued to the ground as a shaking black hand moved to rub at her nose. “His intentions are quite good and honorable… I am quite sure he…” She tried to get herself under control, but to no avail. “Loves me.”

[Dusk]

Ha'na

When the poor woman dissolved into tears, Tenner simply slid out of his chair and circled the desk, pulling the other armchair closer to hers and offering her a clean handkerchief. He blinked at the Shiber, not understanding a word of it, but smiled warmly once she started to explain in Common.

"There, there," he murmured, patting her shoulder comfortingly. "Now, I'm sure he does. Alistair seems like a good man, and he's an excellent gadgeteer. Perhaps he simply doesn't understand the traditions tied to such arrangements." And perhaps he would benefit from a bit of a talking to. Tenner had seen too many women in similar situations not to make sure something wasn't fishy. And besides that, he was one of those men with the fatal flaw of being unable to watch a beautiful woman cry. So he looped an arm around her shoulders and let her cry herself out on his tabard, and determined that one Mister deGrey would get an earful before the sun rose the next morning.

"I'm sure that if you love him, and he loves you, you'll have nothing to fear," he murmured, letting her sit back up and taking her hand in both of his. "I didn't mean to frighten or worry you. My apologizes, my lady."

[Hana]

“Th-thank you.” She leaned into him and let out the most pitiful, helpless little cry imaginable. She was rather good at the damsel in distress act. “I-i-i… We’re not carnal.”

And yet she cried? Yes, she did.

“I just… I love him, and I am not worthy of him… And I have been so bad in the past. And I just… I love him so much… I don’t want to upset him.”

[Dusk]

Ha'na

Tenner had to try very hard not to actually laugh - not because it was funny, simply because he didn't know what else, exactly to do when she started mewling and babbling about being unworthy.

So he did the only thing he could think, and took her by the shoulders to straighten her up and meet her eyes. "Now, I'll have no talk of your being unworthy," he said softly. "You're likely worth twice as him, my lady, and he'd be a fool not to see it. I'm sure this is all just a misunderstanding," he said with another of his well-trained smile, all comfort and understanding and the perfect person to bring your troubles to. It was part of the job, after all, though having a gorgeous woman staring at you with big, tear-sparkling eyes was a bit of an odd turn. "I bet he's either working up the courage or just waiting to make sure it's what you want. I'm sure that once you show him that you've given up your suites and truly joined your life to his, he'll turn right around."

He would, by the gods, if Tenner had to put his foot in Alistair's ass.

[Hana]

She sniffled, bobbling her head up and down as he talked to her. It seemed for a moment like maybe she’d pull herself together.

“I…” She sniffled. “But I told him I would make a good wife…”

Maybe she needed to express that she was also very fertile and came from a large family.

[Dusk]

Ha'na

Tenner patted her hand and gave a warmer smile than his last had been. "And you surely will, my lady," he said, squeezing her fingers again before he rose. "Now, I'm going to reimburse you for part of your suites," he said, crossing to a large wooden cabinet against the back wall and pulling a ring of keys from his belt to unlock the door. "I can give you four hundred back, but you must promise me that you'll put that money aside and keep it yourself until you've said your vows with Alistair," he said, glancing over his shoulder at her as he unlocked one of the drawers within and drew out two linen pouches tied off with a bit of red ribbon.

He locked all the doors again and then drew closer to settle the bags into Ha'na's small hands. "And I will hold your suite empty until the end of the season should you require it," he said softly, patting her shoulder again as he held her gaze. "But I do not think you will need it. You'll have to come show me your Chevas once that silly man of yours has come to his senses," he said, grinning brightly.

[Hana]

Her eyes widened at the amount she was going to get back. She hadn't had that much since Ahnatep. Quickly she set to nodding, dabbing at her eyes with the edge of her veil she wore over her hair. Then she gave him the most brilliant smile imaginable; it might have been hard to imagine anyone saying no to the woman at that exact moment.

"Thank you so very much, Sir Tenner. Thank you so, so very much. Yes, I will do exactly that."

[Verlin Ranes]

The sounds and bustle of the city were both exhilarating and a little unnerving to Verlin. The days and nights passed with purpose in the fields of Mithryn. Here, though a constant aura of Order remained due to the presence of the Knights, people came and went, some seemingly with purpose, others not so much. Verlin had never known about a carefree existence. As soon as he was no longer at his mother's breast, he was working. From that day to this day. Though he was there for an important reason, he still felt pangs of guilt that he was not quite as busy as he should have been.

He found the Housing Authority and it was thankfully quiet inside. It looked like offices did, a few small compliments of comfort, generally serving as a buffer between harsh reality and ideals. Setting his wrapped canvas down, the young man opened his water skin and had a few healthy swigs. The heat was much more oppressive without the winds blowing through the crops. He stepped to the small desk and waited patiently for the Knight mentioned.

[Dusk]

A woman in her mid-twenties looked up at Verlin and smiled warmly. "Good afternoon," she said brightly. "And welcome to the Housing Authority. How can we help you today?"