Logs:I Think It Misses Home
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| RL Date: 16 May, 2010 |
| Who: Josian, Madilla |
| Involves: High Reaches Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: Madilla finally gets that book back off Josian. |
| Where: Main Beach, Ista Weyr |
| When: Day 26, Month 9, Turn 22 (Interval 10) |
| Mentions: B'tal/Mentions |
| Main Beach, Ista Weyr The coastline of black sand stretches out in either direction, tropical waters lapping ceaselessly against the subtle decline of the main beach that rests at the base of the plateau cliff. To the northeast, water from the upper pool cascades over the plateau's edge, its destination shrouded in the lush fronts of the jungle's edge and a hint of blue-tinged mist. The Sandbar, Ista's seaside tavern, stands to the south beside the long branching structure of the docks. After a further exchange of letters setting up a meeting time, the day finally comes when Madilla can make it to Ista to collect that poor, wayward book. By the time she arrives, in the late afternoon, the earlier thunderstorm has cleared, and the breezes have come in to cool the place down-- which is probably good, because even in this tropical climate, Madilla wears a full skirt and blouse. Her ride must have been early, because at the appointed time, she's already on the beach, her sandals held in one hand, her skirt tangled about her fingers to keep it from blowing too much in the breeze. She's staring out at the ocean: mesmerised, apparently. Josian makes his way down towards the beach, whistling a cheerful tune. He's got a towel strung over one shoulder and 'the book' tucked under his arm. Josian is dressed for the beach, in a sleeveless shirt and shorts, with sandals flapping on his feet. His knot is no where about, but he'd picked up a pretty good tan in the months since he's seen Madilla last. "You made it!" The whistling stops as he calls this over. The sound of Josian's voice breaks Madilla from her thoughts; she turns around to meet him, face breaking into a bright smile to greet him with. "As promised," she agrees, firmly. "I couldn't let that poor book languish here forever. You look--" she considers the other healer for a moment, and then laughs. "Like you've acclimatised. Which means it's been going well, I hope?" Josian takes a quick look down to his garb and his tan. "So I look like a full fledged Istan now, after a summer here?" Josian jokes lightly before he grins, heading over towards her. "It has been. So far this move has been a great thing. How could it not, getting to see this all the time?" A sweep of his free hand is given to the surroundings. Then the book is produced with a little flourish. "I think it misses home. Glad you could come down for it. And how are you? Past feeling like you're going to puke?" "Istan born and bred," Madilla teases, as she turns her head to follow his sweeping hand, nodding. "It /is/ beautiful. And, I admit, a somewhat welcome change to the cooler weather we've been having. But High Reaches has beauty, too." She accepts the book, stroking the cover exaggeratedly, before slipping it carefully into the bag she wears over her shoulder. "I'm glad I could come down for it, too. I'm-- yes, mostly." Her expression turns rueful. "I was wondering, for a while, whether I was going to be able to eat furing the day ever again. But I feel quite good, now." And looks it: she's one of those pregnant women who glows, and whose hands seem barely able to keep away from the shallow curve of her only-recently showing belly. "I'm sure it does. Beauty in the snow." Josian jokes, his eyes trailing a moment to her belly before he looks back up to her. "You must be excited. Both about the baby and about that whole being able to eat food during the day thing. It's quite the momentus occasion." He pulls the towel from around his shoulder, spreading it out. "We could sit if you'd like? Or go for a swim? Be a shame to come all this way only to run right off again." "/Mountains/," stresses Madilla, as though this makes all the difference, even if her eyes are bright with amusement. "Let's sit," she decides after a moment, setting down both her bag and her sandals, bare feet sinking into the sand as she shifts. "My ride said I could take my time. And yes, I /am/ excited. It was a little rough for a while, but--" She beams. "I've wanted this for a long time. The baby, /and/ the ability to eat, of course." "Beaches totally trump mountains. Especially when it's warm enough to swim so very much." Josian states with his own look of amusement. He pulls his sandals off as he takes a seat on the towel. "I'm sure your partner is thrilled as well." And look, he hasn't been in the weyr long enough not to put his foot in his mouth. "The ability to eat is such a prized possession. Without it? Why, I just might /starve/!" Madilla settles herself beside Josian on the towel, digging her toes deeper into the sand, and even scooping up handfuls of the dark grains to further cover them. She laughs; "I think everyone has its advantages and disadvantages. I admit, I'd rather it wasn't /quite/ so cold at the Reaches." Though her mirth continues for his remark on starving, and she even says, mock-seriously, "In my professional opinion, you may be right on that one," she breaks off to add a quiet explanation. "He is excited. The baby's father. He's not-- well. Uh. I think he thought he'd never get to be a father. He's-- just a friend." She's gone pink. That blush gets a reticent look from the other healer. "Oh. Right. I guess I should know better than to make assumptions." Josian states. "Just figured someone as nice and pretty as you? It's be a partner." He pauses for a moment before leaning forward to start patting the sand around him into a dark heap. "And sometimes I do actually wish it wasn't quite so hot and humid here." He offers in a whisper, as if it's some giant secret. Madilla gives her head a little shake, turning her gaze back towards Josian. "You wouldn't believe how often I hear that," she tells him, simply. "But no. Though it's sweet for you to say so." Her lips are twitching, though probably not because of /that/ remark-- no, it would be for the rest of it. She lets the laughter sound in her tone as she promises, "I won't tell anyone you said that. I /promise/. I'm sure they wouldn't approve." Josian gives Madilla a grin. "Thank you. They might disown me if they knew that. And it would be just a horrible thing, I'm sure. Tossed out of the weyr on my bottom." Josian jokes with a bright tone before he grins over. "Think you'll have a boy or a girl?" Madilla lets a handful of sand slide through her fingers as she laughs. "We couldn't have that," she agrees. "The Hall might label you a problem, and then--" She doesn't seem to have anything suitably awful to add to that (or perhaps it's just awful enough on its own?) and thus trails off, except to add, "I'm not sure. I don't think I mind, though. Boy, girl, whatever, as long as he or she is healthy." Josian pats his mound of sand a bit more as he talks. "It would be just horrible! They might lock me into a dark closet at the Hall and keep me there. All over talking about climate." Not that Josian would ever exaggerate. Oh now. "Really? No guesses? Or old wives tales about how it must be a boy since the smell of this make you sick or a girl because you tied your shoes backwards the day you concieved?" Madilla attempts - but mostly fails - to look serious as she agrees, "They'd probably test all kinds of theories on you... use you as a test subject for anything they wanted! How /dare/ anyone criticise even one small part of the climate of any place they're posted." She stares out over the ocean as, cheerfully, she adds, "No guesses. None at all. I suppose I /could/ consider it, but... it seems to me, as far as I've seen, they're just as likely to be right as wrong, in the end. It all seems very silly." Josian gasps at that. "Anything but being a test subject! Oh no!" And then he'll grab for a little stick, adding it to the pile of sand, like a pole. "Well, isn't that half the point? That they're silly?" After all, Jos seems to have little problem with the silly. "And then you could run across a new one and change your mind every five seconds. Or come up with some really crazy thing and insist that you've heard it all your life so the baby must end up being a boy. Or a girl." Amusement shades Madilla's expression for Josian's gasp, but she turns her attention towards his pile of sand, asking, "Are you claiming that sand in the name of something, then?" One of her sandy hand returns to her middle, resting there as she considers, looking thoughtful. "Hm! Perhaps I /could/ do that. I suspect people might take me seriously, even... it can be quite strange, being holdbred in a weyr. They'll believe anything of you." "It'd be even better if they take you seriously! Because then you can watch them doing that as you're snickering inside." Josian states with a bright smile. "And I suppose I should know that. Being sort of holdbred/craftbred something." And then he'll eye the pile of sand for a moment. "I hereby claim this sand in the name of Healerdom!" "The Istan healer hall!" laughs Madilla, giving the pile of sand an approving glance. "An important place for all healers to visit." She traces her free hand upon the sand, marking circles in the grains as she adds, "I guess I could. I think-- it would be funny, wouldn't it? But silly." "It is! All healers will have to come here to study the fine arts of swimming and drinking beer on the beach." Josian states with a bright smile before he nods. "Funny and silly! What could possibly ever go wrong with that combination?" Madilla, laughing, "And such important skills they are, too!" And so, the afternoon continues: some more laughter, perhaps even a walk along the beach, letting Madilla wade up to her ankles, though no deeper, before, finally, it's time for her to head back home. But: "I'll have to visit again. It's been a pleasure," she promises, before being helped up aboard her ride home. |
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