Post by mistrali on Nov 5, 2018 10:08:17 GMT 10
Title: A Listening Ear
Rating: PG for (mild) sexual suggestiveness.
Prompt: #16 Lies
Summary: Sarai spies a spy. Or, Aly learns some courtesy. AU, set after Sarai's first liaison with Bronau.
A/N: I wanted to write something where Aly gets called out for eavesdropping. I don't think, somehow, that Sarai would've taken Aly's blatant "chaperoning" as calmly as she did in canon. I've tried not to make it OTT, but I've got no clue how well I pulled it off.
Concrit, as always, is welcome.
As soon as Bronau was gone, Sarai strolled the length of the garden path, using the time to take a few deep breaths and fan herself until she was sure her blush had faded. Now to think up a likely story for Papa and Winna. There was no way they’d believe she’d been out for a walk alone, not when Bronau had been close on her heels.
She froze. One of her favourite orchid flowers was askew. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a flicker of gold that wasn’t a light. She bent her head close to the screen of plants by the path, as if she were inspecting the ferns, and mouthed, “You can come out now, Aly.”
An orchid plant parted with a rustle. Aly had a tiny smile on her face as she stepped out, as if she hadn’t just been caught eavesdropping.
“He didn’t do it at all properly. And he never mentioned his debts,” she commented, as though discussing the weather. “Do you think he’s serious about marriage?”
Sarai thanked the gods for the night air, which would cool her face and voice. How dare Aly spy on her? It was bad enough that she had seen them kissing each other, which was highly improper in itself. Worse that she was so cavalier about having been found out. Sarai could simply order Aly punished - most slaves would be, for eavesdropping. But Aly didn’t deserve to be treated like that, even if she had just shown an appalling lack of manners. And besides, Papa would take her to task for being too high-handed with any slave, let alone the god’s chosen.
Instead, she said coldly, “You go too far. What is the meaning of this, Aly? Do you make a habit of listening in to private conversations, and then asking impertinent questions afterwards? I can’t imagine the god has given you permission.”
Instantly Aly bowed low. “Forgive me, my lady,” she squeaked, “if I was forward. I wanted to make sure he didn’t overstep his bounds, I swear...” She gave Sarai a sidelong look. “Only… I’ve heard servants’ gossip, my lady, and for someone of your breeding...”
She’s a good actress, thought Sarai furiously, but a bad liar. She acts like she’s my equal one minute, and my servant the next. Besides, she can’t have forgotten about the sentries - one shout, one suggestion of anything wrong, and they'd have Bronau out on his ear. Does she think that I can’t take care of myself around a sweet-talker like him?
“Breeding? If you mean what I think you do,” said Sarai, so quietly that Aly had to lean forward to hear her, “then you should know that it’s nonsense. You can tell the god so. And Aly?” she added. “I thought we were getting to respect each other. So this time I’m doing you the courtesy of requesting you, and of not telling Papa. Next time you think -“ she stopped, to keep her voice from trembling. “Next time you think I need a nursemaid, do me the courtesy of asking!”
Aly only bowed again, the picture of contrition. “Yes, my lady,” she murmured, biting her lip and backing away hurriedly. “Your ladyship is too generous.”
Sarai sighed. “And don’t insult my intelligence by bowing and scraping, either,” she snapped, at her wits’ end. Then, not waiting for a reply, she turned and walked back to the sitting room. She would tell Winna she’d gone out for some air before supper. All the better that Bronau must be back by now — she would say, for good measure, that she’d met Aly on the way. That, at least, had the virtue of being true.
I think I mentioned this in the other thread, but it ticked me off that Aly was basically eavesdropping and Sarai treated it as if they were friends (not just acquaintances). I get that, in theory, it would be ~improper~ for a noblewoman like Sarai to just kiss a man (especially her father’s friend) without any supervision. But we’re told that Sarai dates/flirts with a lot of boys in Rajmuat, so she’s obviously popular in her social circle and hangs out with the in-crowd. Presumably she can hold her own against someone like Bronau and she knows exactly what the risks are when she kisses him.
Maybe once we'd have seen it during Smackdown!