Logs:Ensuring The Fortian Line
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| RL Date: 28 June, 2015 |
| Who: Hattie, Lilah, Elaruth, Eliyaveith |
| Involves: Fort Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: Hattie finally informs Lilah of her pregnancy. |
| Where: Council Room, Fort Weyr |
| When: Day 14, Month 2, Turn 38 (Interval 10) |
| Mentions: Dee/Mentions, N'muir/Mentions, E'dre/Mentions |
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| For much of the morning so far, Elaruth has been settled on her ledge, curled up in a neat little oval that makes her look snug despite the snow that litters the bowl, and the ice attempting to claim and coat every available surface outside. Calm, she observes the goings-on in her Weyr, until there comes a point when she looks towards Eliyaveith's weyr and slants the glimmer of pale sunlight in her direction. « Hattie would see your rider in the council room as soon as she is able. » As ever, it's a quiet request, not made to sound pressing or akin to a demand. In the council room itself, the scene looks much the same as it always does when Hattie's at work, the hides stacked neatly and the tea waiting to be poured. Sat at the head of the table, she adds a dot of ink to the hide before her, finalising a sentence, and waits. Eliyaveith has commandeered the ledge of the empty junior's weyr next to her, the one that overlooks the weyrling barracks even though her children are not currently out where she can see them. She will wait and watch, silent, until one of them needs her. Yet it doesn't stop her from acknowledging Elaruth's request, only a brief silence before she adds, « She comes. » It isn't from her weyr but the inner caverns that Lilah crosses the bowl when she does, wrapped up in dark riding leathers. Where she has to pass Elaruth to enter into the complex, she gives a soft nod of greeting to the queen, before joining Hattie in the council room with a "Good morning, Weyrwoman." Elaruth observes Lilah's progress for as long as she is able, a soft clatter given in answer to her nod, and so it can be no surprise that Hattie looks up from the hidework at around the right time to find her junior in the doorway, where she takes over the tracking that her queen has been doing. "Lilah," she greets, nothing much of anything in particular discernible in her expression, though that has been the default, of late. "Have a seat?" She gestures to the pot of tea and the extra mugs that usually sit ready, in-case. "Tea?" she offers. "It's the work of one of the kitchen girls and the Weyrlingmaster's daughter. In-case you decide you'd rather not risk it." It likely isn't surprising that there is already the subtle hint of tension in Lilah's posture as she takes that seat, ready to defend herself even if she does not know what exactly against. "Thank you," she replies to the offer, only reaching to pour herself some in a way to keep herself busy. "I think it's probably not so /much/ of a risk if you are drinking it." "I've survived so far," Hattie remarks a little dryly, though she also reaches for her mug as if to dispel any doubt about the drink being wondered on. She takes a slow sip, then sets the mug back down and folds her hands in her lap. "Aside from a few injuries that couldn't be helped, and the issue of that green's slightly... different wing - which I'm reliably informed could be tended to - I don't think we have any reason to doubt that Eliyaveith can produce healthy offspring. Any who comment about her gold daughter's size clearly aren't familiar with the traits of the Fortian bloodline." She, at least, sounds ready to defend the new queen from any of that. "Even if it turns out that Eliyaveith rises... inconsistently, she's demonstrated she can secure a line." "It does seem as if little Taeliyth has taken more after Elaruth than Eliyaveith," Lilah agrees to that, that tension easing at Hattie's words and even a small smile drawn forth briefly, wryly on her lips. "And expect for being naive and nosy, there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with her choice." She nods agreement to Hattie's last statement, only adding, "/Has/ secured our Fortian line, even." "...Nothing is certain," Hattie murmurs, glancing down at the hidework before her. "They're a little over two days old. There's... much uncertainty in the months ahead, for any weyrling. As for her /choice/... there's the matter of whether she - and the brother - will eventually begin clamouring to return to Southern. She'll need careful handling in this first turn." A moment passes, then she insists, "Not coddling." She takes a breath, and, eventually, manages to look up again. "Eliyaveith has done well. Elaruth still has turns and turns in her to rise and retain her place in the Weyr... but I don't." It's an odd way of saying whatever it is she means. "That is, I don't have the will to. And, right now, I don't have the physical strength to either." "She can clamor all that she likes; we both warned her what would happen when she took to those Sands. And now she's on a Fortian queen, whether she wants to go back to Southern or not," Lilah replies firmly, ignoring the fact that Southern isn't without its own Fortian queens as she lifts the tea for a slow sip. "But, I am sure you can handle her. She'll be easier that I was--." Hattie's latter words, those words, are met with a subtle confusion and concern as her junior studies her. She doesn't interrupt her Weyrwoman, only murmuring a questioning "Hattie?" when she has space to. She almost looks away when Lilah murmurs her name, the instinct to do so poorly suppressed, the jerk of her chin as she begins to lift her head and gaze away a motion that betrays Hattie before she can hold steady. "I'm just over five months pregnant," she says clearly, determined to state that much before anything else might fall apart. "The healers want me off-duty immediately. Bridget... the one they're calling a mindhealer... she's been my compromise; she's been looking after me. A midwife. Now, though..." All her talk of Eliyaveith and bloodlines cannot have been idle chatter. "If... I carry to term, I don't want to surrender another child to the nursery after a matter of days. I want my family." She swallows hard. "If you would rather not be Acting Weyrwoman and confirmed by Eliyaveith's next flight, I can begin negotiations with another Weyr for a queen and rider, to bring us to four queens." "You've been pregnant this whole-- She's a midwife?" Lilah is surprised; that much is clear as she processes what the Weyrwoman tells her, the familiar wheels apparently turning in the goldrider's head even as her dark eyes fall to Hattie's midsection with a more exacting gaze. The first thing she says after, though, is a soft reproach of, "You could have told me. I could have done more, taken on /more/." She shakes her head immediately at Hattie's offer, a quick response to that as she tenses under it. "No, it should be me. We do not need another gold." That Hattie hasn't chosen to wear one of the dresses that have so far better concealed her altering figure can't be a coincidence. When one really /looks/ at her, especially in her current posture, the bump of her abdomen is almost impossible to deny. She supplies an honest, "That's why I didn't, because I knew you would," in answer to such reproach. "Eliyaveith needed you more. And... I needed her eggs to hatch whole and healthy. I had to give that every chance I could of it happening. To not stress her, or you, out. So... it wasn't entirely selfless." From somewhere, she finds a wry and weary, if slightly bitter smile. "And no, I'm not mad. No more than I ever have been, anyway." Leaning, she reaches to the nearest empty seat, to retrieve something from beneath the table. The knot she withdraws is not her own, but it is one of a Senior, braided with a gold that might look more bronze in some lights. "I thought-- With the green and the grief, I didn't think you were mad, but that you'd be affected--," Lilah attempts to explain, her own lips twisting into something of an apology as it meets Lilah's smile. "A child, though... That is much better, Hattie. I am /happy/ for you." And when she reaches across the table, it isn't to that knot but to catch the weyrwoman's hand in a brief squeeze. "If you need anything, at all. Time off duties, time away from the Weyr?" "...To lose one of Elaruth's children was - is - bad enough on its own," Hattie says softly, letting her focus fall to the loops of the knot. "To lose one of her children while being constantly reminded that I might not keep my own... I won't pretend that it's easy." The curl of her fingers around Lilah's in response is almost painfully tight, but just as brief. "I appreciate that. I need to be off-duty until the baby is born," she states, matter of fact, if difficult to actually /say/. "During that time... I'd be happy to help train Dee - Dahlia - whatever we're going to call her now. It feels like it /should/ be Dahlia. I'd /like/ to help with that. After... I'll resume what junior duties I'm able." And something of that reminds her: "You'll need someone to look after Dice, I imagine." "It /does/ seem like it should be. Weyrwoman Dee-- It doesn't seem to inspire much authority. There will still be time until her training starts; take your time with being off-duty and then we will arrange what lessons and training you can handle for Taeliyth's," replies Lilah simply, tipping her chin in a nod. She doesn't seem to mind the painful squeeze, but eventually she does draw away to claim that knot, her own fingers tightening around /that/. She doesn't stop to look at it, though, before her hand drops into her lap with it. "Dice." A pause, before she agrees, "I will find someone. At least temporarily, until-- Until someone shows an aptitude for it, maybe." "It's too familiar, if nothing else," Hattie remarks, as the fingers of her other hand easily uncurl for the knot to be lifted away. She doesn't cling to it. "Everything has been put in place," she attempts to assure. "If without most people knowing the /why/ of it. I've a meeting with Shevena scheduled for in an hour or so, and I'll appraise her of the situation. You'll want to meet with the Weyrleader and the Weyrsecond, who'll inform the wings. By midday..." the motion of her shoulders is not quite a shrug, "things will be different." It's as another absent thought must catch at her that her expression turns slightly rueful. "If you wish to claim the Senior's weyr, I'd ask that you give me until the baby is born." Her words shade heavier towards the end, speaking in definite terms about the child a difficult thing. "Thank you," Lilah replies simply of Hattie's pre-planning, tipping a nod to accept it as she studies her Senior. At least, for this moment. "I assume N'muir already knows? That you were intending to--?" It is a light inquiry, casual for all that she seems to take care in watching Hattie as she asks it. It's only after, that she answers, "No. I do not think it would be right until Eliyaveith rises to secure her place. Though, you might want to consider claiming a junior weyr before Dahlia has a chance, so that you could have whichever one you want." Though, presumably, not hers. "N'muir has known for a long time," Hattie murmurs, glancing down into her lap, or, more specifically, down at the bump she no longer needs to hide. She inclines her head a little, something appreciative there, just before she answers, "If it's agreeable, N'muir and I will move into Moreta's weyr. It was my home once... and it's near the records." Undeniably one of her favourite places in the Weyr. "If you'd rather we were further away, we can look to the empty one next to your current home, but I believe it would be Elaruth's preference too, to return to her first weyr." "When you're ready, after the baby," agrees Lilah to Hattie's answer. "It doesn't need to be done until the weyrlings are old enough to move, in any case, and that is still months off." With that, she moves to push to her feet finally, that knot still wrapped tightly in her fingers as she offers a small smile to the weyrwoman. "I should go tell him, then, formally. And congratulate him as well." Another nod signals Hattie's assent, her gaze lifting with Lilah as she gets to her feet. She observes her from her seat, her focus a little intense. "As you will," she acknowledges. "You'll make a good Weyrwoman, Lilah...," the soon-to-be junior tells her, sincere in those words. "Just... remember to work /with/ people. You serve them as much as anyone serves you." "Thank you, Hattie," murmurs Lilah for that sincerity, though whether she will take that advice of the Weyrwoman in the months to come-- Well, that certainly remains to be seen. But for the moment, she steps over and leans in to hug Hattie briefly, her hand falling to the bump without asking permission though it's only a light touch before she draws away. "Take care of yourself and the baby," is her parting goodbye as she moves to leave the council room. |
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Comments
Faryn (11:47, 28 June 2015 (MDT)) said...
This will make for an interesting change. I really REALLY hope everyone gets what they want from this.
Edyis (15:28, 28 June 2015 (MDT)) said...
And the plots for world domination begin!
Alida (23:24, 28 June 2015 (MDT)) said...
Feel both pride and a little regret for her new position. :)
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