Nyna Aidein took care to not let her emotions show visibly on her face as she listened to the tale her neighbour spun. It was not easy, as the tale involved her very own daughter, a girl —her actual age irrelevant— whom she loved very much. Even if little Leonne was overly prone to making mistakes.
She gave the typical non-committal responses required for a conversation of such level. “No!” “Really?” “Are you sure?” before she finally managed to make good her escape and go into her house. As she closed the door and reached for her own datapad, she wondered if she should call that fool of a girl.
Had it only been a singular rumour she’d have done it off as just jealousy. It was not the first time others in the village had been jealous of Leonne and her marriage to that strange, simple boy —his actual age irrelevant too— yet now there were simply far, far too many of them to be dismissed so easily.
She shook her head, feeling her own age. Fool of a girl that Leonne was, she had nearly gotten herself lost to them forever, after she’d been kidnapped in the city after hanging out with the wrong crowd. Only the quick reaction of Jane, her daughter’s best friend, had prevented a worse outcome. The moment Leonne had been done with university, she and Jon, her husband, had made the girl return to Agitana with all due haste, to not leave it again.
Not that it had kept the fool girl out of trouble. She still managed to get herself, and her younger sister besides, in plenty of predicaments. And then Mentuc had arrived…
She shook her head again, letting out a deep sigh. She held nothing against the boy. He was unfailingly polite, made beautiful things with his hands, was wealthy besides and, most important of all, made Leonne very happy. Yet he was so simple of mind. He spoke little, behaved strangely and what little he did say showed that he didn’t quite understand things around him. Not that he could help it! Heavens knew some people were just born that way, and he was not a bad character in the slightest.
Even now, with those rumours swirling around the village she found it hard to put the fault at him. Instead, she found herself blaming her own fool girl. She had warned Leonne often enough! A woman had to entice her man once in a while to keep him on the good and narrow. Goodness knows she did it to her husband often enough. Men already were more simple than women were in that regard, and could easily be lured out of the bed they belonged in and into that of another. And some women cherished the chase, outrageous as the thought was.
To hear rumours swirling that poor Mentuc had been spotted in the village, late at night when few people were up and about, talking to a woman who was clad in things best worn in the bedroom… Darn it, Leonne, she thought angrily. I told you to change the way you dress. You can’t just take a relationship for granted. Especially not with that man of yours. He is too nice for his own good.
It was not an understatement. Mentuc had, upon first visiting the village, shown plenty that he was impossible to anger. Sam, in one of those moods of his, had demanded impossibly high prices of the poor boy, only to make up for it afterwards as his wife cuffed him around the ears for it. Others had, in typical frontier village fashion, not been too nice to him either. Yet he had never let it bother him. He just took their words for truth, the poor boy. She knew the boy needed watching over, and while she had at first resisted Leonne’s burgeoning relationship with him, in the end she had acquiesced, choosing to be proud of how much her daughter cared for him instead. And how much he had cared for her. Simple he might be, but his love for her was a pure one, and he had made her happy.
Now, however… Now there was an issue. And in typical fashion the rumour had spread like wildfire. People were guessing, talking and the rumour was taking on a life of its own. Some suspected it was Jane he was sleeping with. Others, naturally, defaulted to Lady Helena or other single women who had made eyes at Mentuc even after he got married. Others suspected miss Olva, as he was seen talking to her often. One particularly distasteful rumour had made mention of Cassy, but the backlash for that had been enormous and had actually helped in quelling the rumours a bit. Everyone who knew Mentuc knew the man was not sick in such a manner. She had passed by Sam’s shop when she overheard that one. It was hard not to hear it, as the smith was threatening to knock some sense into the head of any idiot who even considered that. Yet even he did not deny the other rumours.
Beeping pulled her out of her intrusive thoughts. She glanced down at her datapad and saw Jon Gyhad’s name as the caller. She smiled at that. No doubt he had heard the rumours as well, and was calling to check up on her, knowing she’d be worrying herself to bits over it. Really, he was such a charm of a man. Still, she was surprised he’d known already. It seemed that even being kilometres out from the village, where her husband typically was due to his much needed skills as a geologist, did not keep them from being gossiped to.
She swiped over and picked up.
“Darling,” he greeted her with his typical gruff voice. “You done worryin’ yet, or were you just getting started?” Then he paused, as if considering something. “Did hear the rumours yet, ya?” he asked, worry in his voice that he’d jumped the gun.
Her smile broadened. Adorable fool of a man. “Yes dearest, I heard. I think I heard all of them by now.”
Jon had long since mastered the art of using silence as a way to speak, and she heard it now. It dragged on for a while, before a voice followed it. “That bad, darling?”
“Someone named Cassy as one of the potential culprits. Sam threatened to knock some sense into whoever started it. Reckon that one’ll die down soon. Another hinted at miss Olva.”
The silence this time was a mixed bag. She heard consternation, then felt it slowly being replaced by hot anger. “They WHAT? As if wee Cassy’d be old ‘nough to consider tha’! He’s a brother ta her!” Wha’ kind o’ sick bastard—”
She shook her head as her husband went on a prolonged tirade, undoubtedly overheard by the other farmers. Jon never hid his temper. It was part of his charm, even if his drawling accent became more pronounced as his emotions began to overrule him.
She was impressed with how much breath he had in him as she heard him go on into detail how Cassy was too young, regarded Mentuc too much of an older brother, how she’d never hurt her sister that way and that, by everything that was holy, Mentuc was not the type of sick, mentally disturbed bastard who’d go after a girl that young to begin with, much less one he regarded as family. He also had a few choice ideas of how the person who started that rumour should be treated, and even went off on a psychological tangent in regard to how cracked in the head that person had to be to even consider that. And just when she thought he ran out of breath, he began a similar, if smaller, tirade to defend miss Olva as well. It did not surprise her too much. Jon had known the teacher for far longer than she had, as it was on his recommendation that the teacher had come to the village after they’d chosen to settle down there after exploring a fair part of the planet. The woman was like a sister to her, part of the reason Cassy got away with as much as she did.
“I’m not sure what to do now, Jon,” she threw in as soon as the need for breathing forced him to pause. “I did warn her that she did not pay enough attention to the way she dressed. Even told her he’d be stolen away if she kept it up. I did!”
“You think them rumours tell true then?” There was a rough edge to his voice, one that showed his anger. Clearly he did not believe so. They had been at odds over how much trust they could place in their daughter’s decision to marry Mentuc, and how much confidence the man himself warranted.
“It’d hardly be weird, dearest. Mentuc’s but a man—” she ignored his snort “—and therefore quite fallible to a pretty face, a gentle voice and a body with but little to cover it. Oh, I did warn her so, I did. There’s hardly a hint of femininity to her whenever I see her, always wearing those durable vests. She’s not playing in the woods any longer, and it’s not good for her to not remind him from time to time she’s a woman too. Heavens help me if Cassy goes the same way, she’s already acting like a boy often enough!”
“Have y’asked them?” The words cut through her mind like a razor.
“Dearest, I—”
“Don’t you dearest me, darling. Did you? Or did y’not?”
“How could I?” she whispered, feeling her hands tremble.
“You’ve not given the man a chance to stand up for himself. And Leonne’s big and wise ‘nough to stand up for herself."
“There’s too many people saying it for it to not have some truth.”
“And some truth do not equate the whole. Dust darn it woman, a rumour’s a rumour. You think our lass’ not keen enough to see him for who he is? ‘Sides if she’s any at all like you, he ain’t nothing to complain about. How we ever only got two kids I’ll never get.”
That hit home, and earned him a blush, though he’d not see it. Not that he needed to. She had never been able to hide it from creeping in her voice.
“But he’s not like you,” she countered, speaking through reddened cheeks.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
“Call our lass,” Jon insisted. “If you do not, I’ll be calling them. Lad has a right to know people are tattling behind his back like that. And our lass definitely has a right to know if he’s stepping wrong. I do not like this rumourmongering. We’re not city-folk. We clear things up right and proper.”
“Dearest,” she tried to placate him. “I don’t think we should do it that brusquely. They’re rumours still.”
“Rumours you think true.”
“John Gyhad,” she coldly said, “I most definitely did not say that I think they are true.”
“Don’t get your hackles up over that now, you said the next best thing.”
“I said they might be true. It would hardly be weird to have Mentuc fall into another’s arms when our fool of a daughter keeps dressing herself like a sack of grain. It isn’t as if he doesn’t have a shortage of arms to fall into either. Plenty of fool girls in the village who are more than willing to look past his strange behaviour after imagining him without a shirt. Plenty more since they know he’s not poor besides.”
“So you will not be calling them? Then I will.” She heard the annoyance in his voice and knew he disagreed with part of what he said, but the man didn’t understand women at all, and he understood even less how men really were dangerously simple at times. And she was not about to let hers run off.
“Jon! You fool of a man, now you listen to me. You will not do such a thing unless you are looking to sleep on the couch tonight,” she rallied. She knew that her husband cared, but the combination of worry for his daughter and distaste for rumours had clearly given birth to some all too straightlaced anger. And that would only worsen the situation.
“Look, let’s invite them over, okay? Have Mentuc assist you on the fields. Heavens knows the boy’s offered it enough, simple sweetheart that he is. In the meantime I’ll have a talk with Leonne.”
“That’s… Right. That I can agree with. Call me back when you have a time.”
“You want me to call them now?”
“Nyna, flame of my heart, bane of my soul, you either get to call our lass now, or I’ll call the lass. You’re not getting out, you’re not running it out and you’re not making excuses for it. An hour from now I’ll be giving them a ring on top of yours, so don’t think of delaying it. Damn it woman, I love you to bits but I’m not reneging on this. And try to put me on the couch and I’ll put you out the house and myself besides. Kids got the rights of it to camp every so often. One tent, not a lot of space. Sets a good atmosphere, no? Have to work now, stones won’t find themselves. That’d be a trick. Take care darling.”
And the call cut, her husband putting deed to word. She grimaced at it. She loved the fool man to bits, but he had a stubborn streak a mule would be jealous of. Fool, fool, fool of a man. And fool of a woman she was to have fallen for him. She’d be angry with him still when he’d come home, though. Sneakily shoving in that last word. As if a bit of camping would convince Mentuc to keep his eyes on that fool of a daughter. Chances were, with his sensitive eyes and those sunglasses he’d not see her if the fool girl was naked, and the girl’d likely still be wearing bedclothes made of hemp.
She put the datapad away in order to get ready for dinner, and for gathering the camping gear. She knew he had a point. Just listening to the rumours would slowly eat away at her as she’d get more and more invested in it, worrying needlessly over it, as Jon knew all too well. So, he rather risked being brusque and earning her displeasure as he forced through the issue, than leave her to stew in it. She had picked right when she had chosen to marry him all those years ago. They were different people, but fit together well, and they worked on their issues. And his way of inviting her to a make-up session was just devilish, something she very much approved. She looked forward to a good night of camping in the outdoors while he worked to smooth over her annoyance and she’d show him that she wasn’t really angry, but grateful instead.
She just hoped that her fool of a daughter would be able to learn from this. Really, the girl should have known better! She had warned her to take better care of poor Mentuc often enough!
“Speak of the devil,” she said, glancing over at her datapad as it began ringing again. She rushed to it, wiped the concern of her face and picked up the video call. “Leonne, sweety, how are you? So good to hear from you! You don’t call me nearly enough!”
Onoelle smiled from ear to ear as her mother went off on one of her typical tangents, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.
“And the less I say about how often you visit the better, you really ought to come visit your old mother more.”
“Nice to see you too, mum. How’s it going?”
“Oh, the usual, the usual. Terribly lonely. Jon’s out in the fields, working. I swear that man has more work with each passing year. You’d think there’d be no stones left given how many he’s helped taking out.” She made a mock gasp. “You don’t think he’s avoiding me, do you sweetheart?”
This time she did roll her eyes, unable to help herself in face of her mother’s theatrics. “Anyway mum, I wanted to talk to you about what you told Mentuc a few days ago. About the Festival.”
“Oh, do tell me you’ll come and attend, will you?”
Onoelle grinned at that. Her mother had long since given up all expectations of seeing her attend the yearly Festival again. Not that it had kept her from trying to lure her back to Agitana for it. “As a matter of fact, I will.”
“It’s such a — you will?” she shouted, for once taken off guard.
Onoelle’s grin turned into a giggle. “Yes. Couldn’t let Cassy’s threat of usurping my title go unanswered. I plan to dance there at well.”
“Oh sweetheart!” her mother said, clasping a hand in front of her mouth as tears began to form in her eyes. “That’s wonderful news!”
“Is the band still as good as they were? I’m a lot tougher now. I think I have an actual shot at outperforming them this time.”
“They’ll be ecstatic to know their number one fan will be returning to the fold,” Nyna replied, smiling warmly as only a proud mother can. Then her face turned, and not in a good way. She tried to hide it, but Onoelle knew her mother well enough to know her thoughts had taken a turn for the worse. “Where will your husband be? Will he come as well?”
“He’ll try, but didn’t promise. He did suggest I’d go to. Apparently, you convinced him to let me go.” She didn’t reveal that her husband would be in the village as well. She hoped he’d mingle, but if he did not want to be seen then she doubted anyone would even catch a glimpse of him. Void knew she had seen him pull that trick on her often enough.
The light-hearted remark didn’t have the desired result. Frowns of worry creased her mother’s face. “Oh,” she said, visibly forcing her visage to return to normal. “That’s a shame.”
“What’s wrong, mum?”
Nyna waved a hand, dismissing the concern. “Just tired dear. I’m not the spry young woman I once was.”
Onoelle nodded, not buying it for a moment and displaying that openly.
“How is Cassy doing? Is she still clinging to your husband like glue?”
The way her mother suddenly redirected the conversation bothered her, but she knew better than to try and engage her on it. Stubbornness was a family trait, and she didn’t want to ruin her mood by picking a fight with whatever was ailing her mother. She’d hear about it whether her mum was good and ready. “Of course,” she said instead, the numberless daily events between her sister and her husband easily conjuring a smile on her face. “I sometimes have to pluck her off him so I can get him all to myself for a spell.” She failed to see her mother shrink at those words. “Did you know they’ve begun constructing a new stable? No power tools or anything. Just saws, axes, hammers, shovels… He's been letting her dig the foundation for over a week now, where they’ll put the poles in. I’ve taken to hosing her down outside the house to keep her from dragging mud all over the floors. And the amount of pancakes I’ve eaten the last months! I must’ve gained a few pounds since she moved in.”
Nyna cringed at the words. The more her daughter talked, the more she understood how easy it had been for the poor boy to be lured into the arms of another. Even the seemingly innocent remarks about how much time he was spending with Cassy rather than Leonne tore at her heart. The poor boy. The poor girl. Fools, the lot of them.
She took great care to not let her dark emotions be readable on her face. It was not something to be discussed over a call and it was already far too rare a treat for her to talk to her daughter. And she was in such a good mood, too. It would be all too cruel to take that away from her. Once she heard about the rumours, put the pieces of the puzzle together…
Really, how the fool of a girl couldn’t connect the dots was a mystery to her.
“That’s nice, sweety,” she voiced instead, willing a smile on her face.
“How have you been, mum? Anything new?”
“Oh, nothing much.” She allowed herself to share some harmless gossip, tell some things about her daily life. Mentioned how Jon was going to take her camping soon, earning her a few good-natured ribs about what they were up to.
“Any chance I’ll get another sibling soon?” her daughter teased.
“Oh sweety, you know I’m too old for that. What about you though?” she asked, knowing she was treading on thin ice. Leonne was awfully sensitive about the subject, for no good reason. She was more than old enough to have started a family by now. She’d been a mother for four years already at her age. Not that she’d tell her that. She had done that once before, one of the few times she had caught her daughter alone.
The girl had stormed out of the house in a rage, swearing every step of the way, far angrier than she’d ever seen her.
No, I’ll not say any of that, she thought. I’ll still inquire and tease, though. The right of a mother.
She heard Leonne let out a deep sigh. “I’ll see you in a few weeks at the Festival then. Take care, mum.”
Nyna’s eyes widened at the brusque rebuffal. “Wait!” she shouted, causing her daughter’s finger to freeze just about the buttons. “Jon and I were wondering, would you and your husband like to visit us for dinner the day after tomorrow? Just the four of us. You and I can spend the day in the kitchen. You keep telling me how much you’ve improved, and I’d love to taste it first-hand. And Jon has mentioned he’d like to take Mentuc out to the fields with him for once.”
Where the first half of her request only roused suspicions in her daughter, the second half seemed to stun her. “Dad did? Really? I… Why now? He’s never offered before.”
“I don’t know how the man thinks, sweety. You know what men are like. Do you know everything going on in Mentuc’s head?” She saw her daughter shake her head. “Exactly. Maybe he just wants to have a chat with his son-in-law. He’s entitled to that, isn’t he?”
Leonne’s face remained contorted in a mixture of emotions. Confusion reigned supreme, but elation was a close contender. A mote of suspicion remained, but was mostly swallowed up by brewing excitement that her father wanted to meet and actually talk to her husband. A proper talk at that!
“I always thought he didn’t fully approve of Mentuc,” she said in a small voice, suddenly sounding very much the young girl again.
“Oh sweety, if he really did, he’d never have let you marry him in the first place. You know Jon. He just likes keeping to himself. I reckon he just wants to have a chat with him. Man to man.” She let out a laugh and rolled her eyes. “You know what men are like.”
“Right…” came a still confused answer. Then, with more clarity and certainty, “right! I’ll go let him know. We’ll be there! What time do you want us to arrive?”
“Will nine in the morning do for you?”
“Of course. I’ll let Jane babysit Cassy in the meantime. Take care, mum!”
“Take care, sweetheart. Give Cassy a hug, and tell Mentuc and Jane I said hi. And treat your husband well for me, okay? Just because he’s a simple soul doesn’t mean you can just leave him be.”
Another eyeroll was her reward. “Yes mum,” came the sarcastic answer.
“I mean it, girl!” Nyna added, chuckling. “Learn from the woman who’s kept her husband happy for more than three decades, and counting!”
“Don’t worry, mum,” Leonne laughed. “Mentuc and I are thick as thieves. Now I really have to run, I can hear the oven beeping. Love you, see you soon! Bye!”
Nyna stared at the datapad for a long while after the connection was closed. “I hope you’re right, my darling fool of a girl. I really, really do.”