Mutually Exclusive States

The problem with immediately dispensing justice, Akadias discovered, was that it was so difficult to think of what fair recompense entailed.  Sure, his back and shoulders ached, and he smarted from the stablemaster's comments about speed and efficiency – neither of which he would have had to use if he had had a partner who was at least present and performing her duties.  What she had really cost him – if indeed she was Eluanna Brynoch, because while he supposed muddy-kneed novices weren't exactly rolling off every hillock in the Gardens, making it highly likely that this was his quarry, it would be dually embarrassing to find that the young woman he'd tormented had nothing to do with his public shaming in the stables.  She would deserve it, being that filthy of nature and habit, but he would not be proper to dole it out.  Technically, he supposed he wasn't now, and surely, Candance would have the sheet upon her desk stating that the girl had not appeared for chores as scheduled, and he could wait, secure in the knowledge that her fate was coming at her in the shape of Candance's leather strap.  But it was a weak man who depended upon another to redress small crimes, and Akadias had never been referred to as "weak."

"I'm looking for someone," Akadias lied, smoothly, inclining his head to peer over her shoulder, wondering if the fool stableboy had been stupid enough to remain behind in the hope of more illicit pleasures on a sunny morning.  "She's called Eluanna?" he probed, mangling the name with his slight remaining accent.  "I think she's a Novice," he said, glancing down at the woman's filthy white gown.   "They're looking for her everywhere," he embroidered, careful to glance away from her as his mind rushed ahead with the last-minute plan inside it.  "You'll never believe what they say has happened to her," he threw in, wondering how much bait it would take for this flounder to take the hook and declare herself.  Turning away, he tried to remember the names of the Novices he had just passed, but they were ether.  He ignored the young women, and in return, they whispered about him in the dark. 

But then again, they did that for everyone, he was told.

"She was supposed to be at the stables two hours ago.  She signed in for chores but then…she vanished!" he said.  "And would you believe, three stableboys are missing, too?  I hear Candance Sedai is waiting with her strap and a gallon of heartleaf tea…that's one Novice who won't be sitting down for a long time," Akadias said, a malicious little smile dancing in his eyes.  "There are search parties looking for her everywhere, of course.  Not a sign of her yet," he added, glancing meaningfully down at her besmirched gown.  Moving on without allowing her the time to defend herself, he merrily continued in the same vein.  "Her description….you know, she looks rather like you."

"Short," he mused aloud, since Eluanna did not even reach the expanse of his chest.  "Dark-haired."  He reached out, snagging a dark curl in his large fingers, gently stroking the silkiness of the trapped tress.  "Dark eyed."  Well, in his defense, it seemed every shore-lapper woman was dark-haired and dark-eyed!  He let her hair fall.  "Pretty, I would guess, or the three stableboys wouldn't be risking their backs, now would they," he lifted an eyebrow as he thought aloud.  "I wonder if there happens to be a prize for catching her."  No, there were no men in sight here: anyone who saw them would assume he was the one who'd tumbled her, but his own clothing was innocent of all but some hemline fouling from the stable chores.  He certainly hadn't laid on his back in the grass – or anywhere else, for that matter, unless it was the hard wooden floor of his own cubicle.

"Maybe we should see," he said, reaching for her wrist.