FSH:: Lost Harper

Posted on Thu Jul 17th, 2025 @ 1:15pm by Jr Journeyman Senabena & Sr Journeyman Rena & Sr Journeyman Bensen

Mission: 3531 AL
Location: Far Site Hold
Timeline: M3 D6

Bensen stood in the stables, leaning against Star’s stall door. The mare certainly looked ready to drop any day now. Poor girl had to be miserable. He sighed as he watched her.

“Hey, Star girl,” he crooned as the mare walked over to sniff his hand. “Looks like things are changing for us.”

Senabena had seen her brother looking around the stables below and slowly climbed down, listening to his words. She needed to check on him—for once, without the snark.

“Are we still happy with these changes?” she wondered, rubbing her hand on her plain black long tunic. She looked so different from how anyone saw her outside her journeywoman role.

Bensen turned quickly as Star looked over her stall door at the girl. The mare nickered softly, clearly greeting her too.

He finally smiled at his sister when he realised it was her. “I am,” he answered. “Rena told Bre. So far, Bre’s okay with it too.” That had worried him.

Senabena looked at Star and leaned up to stroke her mane. It could not be more than forty-eight candlemarks for the runner, if even that. She looked ready and willing to give birth.

“Of course she is. That girl loves you. You’ve made a great impression on her by being my favourite brother. She told me the day we all got back that she was happy you’re going to be her new dad, but she wasn’t sure if she should call you that or still call you Uncle Bensen.” Senabena nudged his shoulder gently.

Star’s eyes drifted shut as Senabena petted her. The runner was definitely sweet. No wonder she was the stable favourite.

Bensen looked at his sister in surprise. “Really? She asked that? I hadn’t even thought about that part of it,” he admitted. He had only thought as far as telling Brenna the news.

“That’s why I told her to give it time—to see if she actually still liked you in the role of parent.” She teased him, knowing the girls in their family always stuck together as there were so few of them. “Once she’s started calling you Dad, she can’t change her mind, so I told her to wait. But I did promise I’d tell you and Rena that she’d mentioned it so you could help. I just haven’t caught either of you without our brothers or parents hanging about.”

Bensen pulled a face before laughing. “Thank you. As if I needed added pressure,” he said with an eye roll. He hoped Brenna wouldn’t change her mind about liking him. That could be a real problem.

“Yes, I think this is the first time they haven’t been around. Thank you for telling me.”

“Brother, your whole life is pressure, though you seem to handle it with a lot more grace than most.” She laughed. “I needed time away from everyone too, so I came down here.” She grinned, hinting she was feeling the same. “Nabon’s got it right, coming and going as he pleases, and Enabon doesn’t let it bother him because he knows exactly what he’s doing.”

“You’re very right, dear sister,” he agreed. There was a lot resting on all their shoulders if he really thought about it. “Lots of practice. And yes, they do both seem to have it sorted out. It’s nice to have a few quiet moments though,” he added. They all needed it sometimes.

“It is. Are you truly okay?” she asked, stepping back from Star to check the next mare in the neighbouring stall. They might as well tag-team some of their nightly duties.

Bensen moved down too, as Star seemed settled. “I am. It’s a lot of change, but I feel comfortable that we’re in a good place and can get over the little bumps we’ll face.”

“So Brenna’s good. You’re good. What about Rena? It seems she’s back to lessons?” Senabena had passed a class of excited students yesterday, with Rena leading them through a learning song, looking more like herself.

He nodded. “She is. She said she was ready to return.” He considered his answer carefully. “I think she’s okay. She seems happy—if maybe a little uncertain whether it’s okay to be happy or not. We’re still figuring things out.”

“Ah, you’ve answered my next question.” She laughed, checking the board for how long the mare had left. “A sevenday or so, and she looks fine. Not uncomfortable or anything,” she said, filling in the details. “When I saw her at midday, she looked unsure whether to smile or not at an apprentice’s joke. She was there, but not fully there—if that makes sense.” She didn’t want to snitch but adored her sister-in-law too much not to mention it.

Bensen nodded. The mares all seemed fine. Star was the one he was waiting for. He sighed softly. “I understand what you’re saying. I think she still feels guilty, and I’m not sure how to fix that one.”

“Not sure it’s something you can fix, brother,” the teenager said softly. “Time, I suppose, like Mother said at the Gather when we walked back from the races together.” She shrugged, not sure if she was helping or just reminding him of how things were. They went through several more mares with suspected pregnancies before she asked something else. “Did Nabon agree to change rooms?” She knew Bensen had been planning to speak to him.

He nodded, suspecting Senabena was right about Rena’s guilt. He couldn’t take it away; she’d have to work through it herself. “He did. Surprisingly, he agreed quite easily,” Bensen admitted. Maybe the new start would help Rena.

“He did offer originally, and it’s not much of a change—the space is the same, just one less room.” She shrugged as she reached the last stall and noticed Thunder wasn’t in it.

“You’ve got a point there.” All their rooms were very similar. He saw the look on his sister’s face, though, and started to worry. “Sen?”

“I try to have points where my elder brothers are concerned,” she said absently. “Where’s Thunder?” She looked around to check she wasn’t mistaken about the stall, but the runner’s name was painted on it. She grabbed the board with his information and scanned it to see who’d last taken him out.

Bensen shook his head with a chuckle. That didn’t surprise him. He frowned as he stepped up beside her. “Thought he was meant to be in. What does his paper say?”

“He is—because he’s a terror to everyone at the moment. But this says Rena took him out after lunch. That was candlemarks ago.” The signature on the paper was unmistakably the Harper’s handwriting.

“Rena?” Bensen’s voice sharpened in alarm. She could do as she pleased, but he knew she wasn’t comfortable around runners. “We need to find her.”

“Maybe he’s out in the paddock. Everyone else is back inside.” Senabena started out of the stable, hoping Rena had left the runner in the paddock and just forgotten to sign him back in. She tried to stay positive, even as she spotted a saddle missing from the wall. “But why would she take Thunder, of all the runners?”

“I hope you’re right.” He jogged alongside her, hoping Thunder would be grazing in the pasture. “I don’t know. He was Ose’s. Maybe it has something to do with that.” Shards, Rena—what was going on?

As they came out of the stable, journeyman Johu was heading in, deep in thought. “Oh, hello Lady Senabena, Lord Bensen. Can I help you with something?” he asked politely.

“Is Thunder out in the paddock?” Senabena asked calmly.

“No. That’s why I was coming to grab some rope. He came racing into the yard and won’t let us catch him,” the man said, making Senabena turn back to grab a coil of rope.

Bensen’s dark eyes widened in alarm. “Did you see Rena with him?” he asked quickly. Something was definitely wrong. If Johu hadn’t seen her, he’d be fetching his gelding.

The journeyman spun round, surprised. “No. Was she meant to be?”

“She signed him out,” Senabena explained.

“Why would she do that? She knows Thunder’s been feisty since Lord Oseben’s passing,” Johu said worriedly. “And it’s getting dark.”

“That’s what we wondered too,” Bensen said, the worry plain in his voice. He turned and ran back into the stables. There wasn’t time to tack up completely, so he grabbed his gelding’s bridle and led him out.

Swinging onto the runner’s broad back, he said, “I’ve got to find Rena.”

“But surely if she were in trouble, her fire-lizard would have come to us?” Senabena said quietly as Johu ran back for a runner.

“I’d have thought so, but I can’t take that chance,” Bensen replied. He nodded to Johu, who had mounted bareback like him.

“I’m coming with you, Lord Bensen. It’s not safe to go alone,” the man said. “And I know which way Thunder came from. Maybe we can ask the watchpair if they’ve seen anything?”

“Thanks, Sen. Hopefully we won’t need that much time,” Bensen said, turning his runner to follow Johu. Why had Rena taken Thunder? What had she been thinking? “Rena!” he began to call.

Johu sighed softly, not yelling—listening instead. He didn’t like how late it was getting or how they were the only riders heading away from the Hold.

“Wait a second, Lord Bensen,” Johu said quietly, spotting a figure walking towards them. He pointed and steered his runner that way.

Bensen pressed his lips together as he turned. Was it Rena? He couldn’t tell.

Johu sped up and sighed in relief. “It’s Lady Rena!” he called back. The woman was muddy but unharmed. She stopped dead, seeing them speeding towards her.

Bensen urged his runner into a ground-eating trot. Jumping down, reins in hand, he hurried over. “Rena? Are you all right?” he asked worriedly.

She looked at the ground guiltily. “Yeah. I’m okay.”

He pulled her into his arms, just glad she was safe. “You had us scared. Thunder came back alone. Are you sure you’re not hurt? I know he can be a handful.”

Johu trotted forward and took Bensen’s reins so he could hold her properly.

“Just a bruised arm and my pride. I wasn’t even on him when he bolted. He yanked free when some herdbeasts scared him. I’m sorry,” she sighed, stepping back.

“Don’t worry about that, Lady Rena. We’re just glad you’re okay,” Johu assured before Bensen could reply.

Bensen breathed out, relieved. “We’ll get your arm looked at when we get back,” he promised. “Do you want to walk, or shall I boost you up on Midnight? He’s a sweetheart.”

“I’m fine. I’ll climb up behind you,” she said, waiting for him to mount. She clambered up awkwardly, thankful for her trousers despite the mud. Settling behind him, she pressed close, wrapping her arms around his waist.

Johu shared a look with Bensen as they headed back. The young man still couldn’t quite understand why Rena had taken Thunder.