Logs:Naming Things
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| RL Date: 5 October, 2013 |
| Who: Ali, K'del |
| Involves: Fort Weyr, High Reaches Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: A discussion of names and problems. |
| Where: Ali's Weyr, Fort Weyr |
| When: End of Month 12, Turn 32 |
| Mentions: Aishani/Mentions, Azaylia/Mentions, Hattie/Mentions, Iolene/Mentions, N'muir/Mentions, Reyvar/Mentions, Z'ian/Mentions |
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| It's been snowing on and off all day at Fort - that, of course, has not deterred Isyath from her usual circling position high in the sky. The snowfall muffles sound, the junior queen sliding through falling slow, though it hasn't dimmed her mental exhuberation any, but tonight she hasn't managed to coax anyone to join her yet. There's not too many people out and about if they can help it, though there is a couple of figures standing on Isyath's ledge, arguing. K'del will recognize the slightly taller one immediately as Ali's brother Reyvar, though the other's unfamiliar. "I hired you for /one/ job," Reyvar's saying, "And if you can't do it..." the other man's holding up his hands, shaking his head. "I didn't say that. It's just your asking for /trustworthy/ people and this ain't exactly shooting fish in a barrel." It's been a busy couple of sevens for K'del - but not so busy that he's interrupted his usual pattern of visitation, something he's been very clear on from the start: family is important. Still, there's a sense of relief, and of wings abruptly uncaged and unchained, in Cadejoth's touch as he appears into the snow-clouded sky, something he shares with Isyath but not (he's learning, he really is) with the whole of Fort. The sight of those two men upon the ledge has him landing elsewhere, letting his rider off before he launches back skywards; K'del, pulling his gloves off despite the chill, climbs up towards the ledge and pauses. "Evening," he says, neutrally polite. Like a shadow passing briefly across the sparkle of her stars, Isyath's immediately aware of Cadejoth's presence, her delighted tones incorporating a jangle of chains. /She/ doesn't try to hide it, but it's no longer than 'normal', sweeping this way and that as if to dodge certain falling snow (and ignoring the fact that so much more splatters against her hide). Reyvar starts, and glances over his shoulder: his smile is instantaneous, "K'del! Good to see you, man. Don't let me stop you, she's inside-" he jerks a thumb over his shoulder towards the weyr, then casually nods towards his 'friend', "We were just about to go get a drink." His 'friend' doesn't look entirely reputable; he's broken his nose once (or twice?) before, and there's a heavy set to the way he regards K'del as they move past. Inside- it's warm, the hearth burning, and Ali looks to have fallen asleep on the couch with some sewing in hand. Surging back into the sky, Cadejoth makes no bones over his glee: that innate restlessness has come to the fore in him, apparently leaving him quite unable to contain his own movements. He's not agile, not today, and though he attempts to mimic Isyath's movements, he's not terribly good at it. But oh, does it matter? He doesn't care, not even a little. "Have a good one," says K'del, bobbing his head towards the familiar Reyvar, and then, more cautiously towards the other. Neither seem to take his attention for long, though, not longer than it takes him to step inside, eyes immediately seeking Ali out upon the couch. First, he peels off the rest of his outer gear, hanging his jacket tidily; then, he joins her on the couch, moving carefully so as not to disturb her... though he does touch one hand to her belly, and does press a gentle kiss to her forehead. Isyath doesn't seem to mind, either - tonight there are no games, and she doesn't have to 'win' - she's content with the more-than-welcome company, and the cold, familiar skies of her home. Ali stirs almost immediately at the brush to her belly, though she's not immediately awake, awake: "Rey?" then focusing on K'del, a brilliant smile appears. "I was dreaming about flying through snow. Issy's happy." She reaches out to set her sewing onto the arm of the couch, turning lips towards his. "You look tired," she murmurs. "So do you," points out K'del, redirecting that kiss so that it can be placed - rather more soundly - on those offered lips. "Didn't mean to wake you. Seems like you can use the sleep, really." The right corner of his mouth twitches up, something like a smile. "I'm glad she's happy, and sharing it with you. Cadejoth-- he's been restless, but he's happy, now. And so am I. Need anything?" He sounds almost hopeful, as though he really wishes there were something tangible he could do; but then, it's been obviously hard on him, not being here on hand at all times. This long-distance stuff is hard. "/I/ have an excuse. /Your/ son won't let me sleep at night." Ali's voice is full of laughter, though, "If he's like this when he's born..." she gives him a mock-threatening look, though she really isn't that good at it. There's a slight pause, tipping her head to better regard K'del as he talks of Cadejoth. "Is he- happier, now that you're Weyrleader again?" she wonders. There's an implication there as well, 'are you?', but she doesn't quite voice it aloud. "Some tea, maybe? There's some new leaves that the traders brought through that I haven't tried yet, up on the shelf. I keep wanting some of those Southern fruits I had a few Turns back. It's driving me crazy. You've been warned: I may wake you up in the middle of the night begging for some later." K'del can't help the laugh that answers Ali's remark, and though he nods to the rest of what she's saying, his attention has already turned back to her belly. Lowering his face towards it, he says, mock-stern, "Now, then, young man. No more of that. Your mother needs her rest, and so do you." A moment later, he slides off of the couch altogether so that he can fetch the tea as requested, and set the kettle to boiling. "He is and he isn't. He likes knowing his place in the pack, but he's restless. We don't have as much time to just fly. Guess it's an adjustment for both of us, but... it's important. We're working it out, bit by bit. He definitely won't object, though, if we need to head south to find that fruit for you." And neither, given his expression, will K'del. Ali's still while K'del talks to her stomach, something warm and delighted in her expression as she watches. "I guess we'll find out later if he's obedient, too. Though I guess sons always listen to their father's..." a brief pause, the dark-haired woman's gaze flickering to the exit, "Mostly. Did you see Rey on your way in? He said he was going step out for a walk." Her distraction doesn't last long, chewing her lower lip briefly. "I can see why he'd feel- why there'd be an adjustment. And there hasn't been stable leadership for a while- I mean, Z'ian wasn't in charge that long. But-" a slow exhale. "You're taking care, right? Cadejoth's being watchful?" « We do have to protect them. They get into such messes, » Isyath's mental equivalent of eye-rolling is shared with Cadejoth; /she/ doesn't seem as bothered as her rider. "Mm," confirms K'del. "He was talking to someone else. Said they were going to go for a drink." With the water now set up to boil, he turns back to watch Ali, hands clasped behind his back. "In three months it'll've been three turns since Iolene died," he agrees. "Z'ian and Azaylia counted as stable leadership, I suppose, but - it would be nice if things settled, properly, now. With Aishani, too. Yes," he adds, interrupting his seriousness for a remark that's a little lighter. "Yes, I'm taking care. No intention of being taken out like that. Or at all, I promise." « Don't they? » Cadejoth agrees, with a rattle of bones, the clatter of chains. « It would be much simpler if they listened to us. Followed our examples. » Riders. Ali's frowning, now, more in distraction than concern. "I think he's... arranging for security, for the new place." That's what she calls it: 'the new place', for the lack of the name, or her unwillingness to call it a gambling den. With a press of hand against the couch's arm, the weyrwoman stands, making her way towards K'del. "You better not," it's an empty threat, backed only by her concern as she moves to lean against him. She's silent a moment, then, "It's not- that easy, fixing relationships like that. I- I don't know what to do with Hattie. To try and make her trust me again. It's- it's like when I first Impressed, when I felt like I could never do right in her eyes. I fucked up, and I don't know how to /fix/ it." Her frustration is evident, exhaling sharply. /Riders/, Isyath's agreeing. K'del's arms lift, wrapping themselves around Ali and drawing her close. "It sounded like that," he agrees, of Reyvar. "Though it sounds like they were having difficulties. I'm not sure." There's a question in his gaze, likely something to do with progress on that particular project, but the rest of her words have him sighing - and then leaning in to press a kiss to her forehead. "No," he agrees. "It's not. Guess you'll-- it takes time. Hattie's not, in my experience, a forgiving woman, but she'll-- she'll come around. And if not, well, we'll swap you for Aishani and everyone can hate each other from a distance." He's not serious, not given the quietly, bitterly rueful note in his voice. "I do think you can fix it. You just have to prove to her that you're doing your best, that you won't do something like that again. All of that." "Sometimes I think he /makes/ it difficult," Ali remarks, of her brother, but it has a sighing resignation about it, like it's just something she's come to accept. Her eyes close at that press of lips to her forehead, and she exhales slowly, relaxing. "I hope so. I want- things to be back the way they were, with Hattie, with N'muir-" she hesitates, shaking her head. That latter joke about swapping earns a wrinkle of nose and a cluck of tongue. "Don't even joke about that- someone will hear and think you're abusing your power as Weyrleader and your obviously nefarious influence over me to have your way." With an exhale, she says, "I- I guess you're right. But it's hard. I- I was hoping to share a lot of, of this with her." The slight downcast of her eyes to her stomach makes it obvious what she was talking about. "Hattie's- she's- the closest thing to a mother I have." Of course, she's never actually /said/ that to the other goldrider. "Acting Weyrleader, just to make it worse. Can't imagine your Weyrleaders'll've been thrilled about that." Not that he's asking; not that he seems to want an answer. "It's all right. Wouldn't even joke about it with anyone else, I promise. You belong here." Just as he belongs at High Reaches, wearing the knot pinned so tidily to the shoulder of his jacket. "I know it's hard," he adds, his voice dropping to something lower as his arms tighten around her. "Pretty sure every woman needs another woman to-- particularly the first time. I wish, for your sake, it were different. Wish there were something I could do." "I'd imagine they weren't, but- things being the way they have been, I wouldn't hear about it." Another point of which Ali is visibly uncomfortable with. She's quiet for a moment, thinking, nodding to his words, before she lifts her gaze to his. Deadly seriously, "You can make me that tea you promised like /months/ ago," she says, with a smile. "And you can come and cast an eye over plans Rey and I have for the weyr we picked out. It's really small and cramped, but that makes it /safer/ I think. Only a green or a blue could manage to land easily on the ledge." She's /enthused/ about this, and with a last squeeze of fingers against his arm, walks back over towards the couch, unrolling a hide on the table and placing down some rocks to hold the edges down. There's notations on the diagram on the hide, things about security, the games they're planning to run, and even (undoubtedly Ali's influence) the decor. "Guess that makes me the worst person, ever," teases K'del in return, though he's quick - after she draws back - to tend to that tea, bringing over the two mugs a short time later. "Neglecting the mother of my son like that." After handing over one of the mugs, he blows over the top of his own and drops down to get a better look at the table and the plans laid out upon them. "Small and cramped makes sense to me. You don't want a big place - small and intimate." Her enthusiasm pleases him, makes him smile more broadly, and more genuinely, than he has since he first arrived. "You haven't thought of a name, yet?" That makes Ali smile- that phrase, mother of his son. It lingers as she takes the mug from him, wrapping hands around it and letting the smell of the tea waft up without drinking, yet. "No name," she concedes, "I'm struggling, and if I don't come up with a decent suggestion, Rey'll end up calling it something stupid like The Pit or something. And that just makes me think of armpit, which is probably /why/ he suggested it because he's a dork. If you have any ideas...?" she looks at him, hopefully, like he has all the answers. K'del can't help the way his mouth twitches at 'The Pit', though he acknowledges, "I'm not sure that's quite the atmosphere you're hoping to, uh, engender. Instil. Whatever the right word is. You could call it 'The House', maybe, but I'm not sure that's much better. Might not be the best person to ask... F'manis and I are still calling our little project 'The Lounge'. You could call it the... I don't know. 'The Dice Bag'. Or 'The Hammer and Sheave', which leaves out the Dragons, but... 'The Game House?' 'The Den'?" He stops, finally, and makes a face. Throughout each suggestion, Ali makes more and more of a face, finally chuckling at K'del's own. "See? It's /really/ hard. I don't want to go with anything /too/ generic. I want to give the place a sense of /personality/ that's not too dark." She's taking this whole thing pretty seriously, which is probably not surprising since if it fails things will be even worse with the Weyrwoman, not to mention the Weyr. "Maybe we should stick to baby names. Which, by the way, we /still/ haven't settled on. What about Delis? Ishadel?" "'First Hand'," suggests K'del, but no, he really is done, now, blowing out another breath over the surface of his tea. "The right thing'll come to you, though, I'm sure of it. Just like the right name will come to us... and at least we've a little time, yet." Her suggestions are at least good enough for him to consider, both tested out on his tongue before he gives his opinion. "Delis. Ishadel. I like Ishadel. That's one of the better ones so far, I think." "People will call it 'the Hand' for short, and that's kind of awkward. You know, 'want to go to the hand?' later sounds like something-" and Ali's flustering a little, laughing at the same time. She seems pleased with K'del's considerations of the names, adding, "And if he Impresses, he can become I'del. Or H'del. Or I'had." Not that she's been thinking about that at all, really. "If it's a girl..." it's a big /if/ in Ali's head considering she's already calling it 'he', "Asali? Delia?" K'del isn't flustered - but he is laughing, his free hand lifting up in something like a gesture of defeat: he takes her point. "No hands, then," he agrees. "No hands and no pits." His, "Sh'del," is offered thoughtfully, equally pleased. "He'd have lots of options, which is nice. He'll have, rather." It's been a long time since K'del even made a pretence of reminding Ali of the possibility of a daughter, though he smiles at her suggestions now. "Delia is nice." "Sh'del!" Ali echoes, obviously pleased with that. That seems to be settled, though she's not as convinced on a potential girl's name, chewing her lip thoughtfully. "I think we need to think some more on that. /And/ hope it isn't twins. Otherwise they'll be called Ishadel and Other," she's only half joking - the idea of twins is kind of alarming, after all. With a glance towards the door, "How long do you think Rey'll be gone for?" her tone is considering, glancing back towards K'del with an unapologetically secret smile. K'del, pleased and approving for having at least one name sorted, rather rapidly looks alarmed for this new idea. "If you have twins in there, I think names are the least of our worries," he tells her. "Thankfully, there's none in my family. I'll give the girl names some more thought. It--" Abruptly, he's smiling again. "Reckon there's no way a drink won't turn into two, or even more. We've," he sets down his mug, "got some time, I think." For baby names, and other things. "None in /mine/ either," which Ali is eminently grateful for. "Enough time?" she asks, archly, but either way she's setting aside her own mug and standing, reaching for K'del's hand to draw him after her with a look over her shoulder. "Plenty," decides K'del, authoritatively. Surely this is the entire reason Rey went off with his friend in the first place, after all! Twining his fingers with Ali's, he's easily drawn away. Tea and troubles, not to mention names; they can all wait. |
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