Beyond - Legends Violence is Not a Virtue (post-NJO, Adumari OCs, humor, vignette)

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Disclaimer- Finally, characters that I actually own! Although credit goes to the Almighty Aaron Allston for creating the wonderful world of Adumar. I heart Adumar.

Title- Violence is Not a Virtue
Author- LianaMara
Genre- humor, vignette
Characters- OCs
Timeframe- 20-something years after The Unifying Force
Summary- Has the perator of Halbegardia finally met her match in a dirty carpenter?

AN- Sequel to Juliene and NarundiJedi's Attention Moron: Your Pal is Stealing Your Gal! (in a way). Basically, Lani's story introduced Jule's baby daughter Iarla. I decided I'd write a viggie that described adult Iarla. She can't remain a gurgling infant for ever!

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[b]Violence is Not a Virtue[/b]





It figured that the head carpenter would choose me to be the scapegoat. I was the youngest member of the work team, eighteen years old but looking much younger thanks to my neglected mop of hair and dust-covered hair. It wasn?t unusual for the other men to single me out for punishment when someone screwed up. Maybe I gave off the aura of a victim, attracting bad luck like a light draws glitnats. Maybe I just had cursed stars deciding my fate.

?Ke Maideri, we?re two days behind schedule. Go tell Madame, but be careful - she?s been in a bad mood lately.?

I wasn?t looking forward to the task set before me. Iarla Bacherr, [i]perator[/i] of Halbegardia, bore a reputation second to none. For not only was her father a foreigner, but she had been raised on exotic worlds like Mon Calamari and Corellia. She had a strange accent, odd habits?and that wasn?t the worst part.

During fits of rage, her abusive tongue and tendency to violence were inconceivable to her relatively sheltered subjects. Madame Iarla possessed a vocabulary that put pilots to shame. Her subordinates were constantly in fear of her abrupt mood swings, which could be triggered by anything from a squeaky floorboard to a hiccupping chambermaid.

I wasn?t any different. Standing before the entrance to Her Lady?s private study, I was shaking ? literally trembling. I used to pride myself on my unfaltering courage; but now? I was scared of a woman. I knocked tentatively, heard a peevish ?Enter? in response, and stumbled inside.

I took a long look at Iarla Bacherr ? partially to satisfy my own curiosity, but mostly to survive the other men?s interrogation when I returned. She was utterly unlike Adumari women: dark-haired, ivory-skinned, with a symmetry and purity of form that reminded me of an old engraving my mother had of the Goddess of the Night. Her mouth was curled down indolently, her lashes brushed against aristocratic cheekbones ? they lifted, and her eyes caught me. They were pale and light, a shocking mix of blue and grey, burning with a passion that contradicted her overall languid expression. She was not what I would have called beautiful; yet striking, gifted with an allure that made it difficult for me to lower my gaze.

?Excuse me, ma?am, but??

She rose slowly and stalked towards me. She was unbelievably tall ? her head was equal with mine, and I was known for being of great stature. I swallowed uneasily.

?What do you want??

?Ma?am, the head carpenter has sent me to tell you that--?

?If you have bad news, don?t be oblique.?

I toyed with the ruler on my belt. ?The work team is behind on the grand hall repair, ma?am. It is hard to refinish the wood molding, as you know--?

Iarla?s cheek twitched. ?How far behind are you??

?Two days.?

?Dammit.? Her skin began to flush, and I noticed a tightening about her mouth that did not connote good humor. ?Kriff the heavens above. Kriffin? hell. How long have you known this??

I took a few steps backwards. ?Several days, ma?am.?

Her eyes blazed and roamed around the ro

 

That was very interesting! I liked the way you introduced the characters, and I can't wait to see more!

Quick question, however. Do the people she works with not know who she is? 'Cause the way that woman was talking about Iarla's mother indicated to me that she didn't know who was.

~Lali

EDIT: Ignore my question. I'm stupid enough to not have realized that Iarla was using a man's name and referred to as mister. *whacks forehead* My bad