Logs:Second Chances
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| RL Date: 29 January, 2014 |
| Who: Edyis, K'del |
| Involves: High Reaches Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: K'del is trying to get his daughter to sleep, and runs into Edyis. |
| Where: Nighthearth, High Reaches Weyr |
| When: Day 9, Month 12, Turn 33 (Interval 10) |
| Mentions: Ali/Mentions, Azaylia/Mentions, Iolene/Mentions, Iska/Mentions, K'zin/Mentions |
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| Nighthearth, High Reaches Weyr With its entrance located between the kitchen and the living cavern, this tiny bubble cavern is cozy, always kept warm and is filled with comfortable chairs and a small round table. At the far end, there's a hearth, outlined in ruddy, aging bricks, where a pot of stew simmers in the evening hours. Generally quiet, the nighthearth is the haunt of insomniacs and those seeking quiet from the bustle of daily Weyr life. While his daughter is staying, it's simply not practical for K'del to stay up in his weyr; it's relatively common knowledge that he's been staying in the Weyrleader's weyr, not moved in, just... camping. That makes it easy for for him to come out here, to the nighthearth, on this restless night: he's carrying Iska in a sling, the baby snug against his chest, walking circles around and around the room. Luckily, he's mostly alone, and the old auntie in the corner is too busy dozing to hand out advice. Iska isn't crying, at least, but she's plainly restless, letting out little grizzly noises every few seconds. Were her eyes always open, or did she just open them this moment? The book fallen in her lap might suggest that the sudden alertness comes from the sounds of walking and baby grumbles rather than the notion that Edyis was awake reading the entire time. The hand to her mouth to check for drool might confirm it. It takes a few blinks to come to her senses, and then she spots the pacing K'del and a wry smile appears. "Is that who I think it is?" Softly spoken, dimples showing. K'del is pretty intently focused on his daughter, and in speaking to her in a low tone, words too soft to really be identifiable by anyone. Still, the sound of Edyis' voice has his head lifting, and abruptly, the seriousness all fades. "Edyis," he says, his tone warm and low, "I'd like you to meet Iska. Iska, this is Edyis." Iska does not seem especially delighted by the introduction, and nor is she at her best, but the bronzerider is nonetheless proud as he crosses towards the records keeper to give her a better look. "Ali's Isyath just rose," he explains. "So I'm keeping her here until after the eggs hatch." Standing (possibly on tiptoe), she peers at the infant's face with the kind of glee one might expect of a doting aunt or sister rather than a stranger. "It is good to meet you little Iska." Her voice light and soft in return. "Too bad she has to go back when the eggs hatch, you look much younger when you are around her. How did Fort handle the catch by a High Reaches bronze after the senior flight debacle?" "That's a good thing, then?" wonders K'del, of looking younger, smiling, though there's a suggestion of unhappiness that probably relates more to that question of hers, and not to his appearance. "Spent so many turns wishing I looked older, see. Hard to take a seventeen-turn-old Weyrleader, all spots and awkward, ungainly height, seriously, see. It was an open flight," begins to answer her question, coming after an awkward exhale. "They have no room to complain. Though it looks bad, of course. Same bronzerider, two flights." Iska blinks sleepily, and opens her mouth to yawn. "Somethings are learned from experience and maturity, of which, sadly I've found age is not an indicator." She points out diplomatically, before making cooing noises at the yawning Iska. "I have trouble getting a read on K'zin, but maybe the responsibility of behaving as a diplomat in a foreign weyr will do him some good and help him settle out more. Either way, we get this little darling to spoil in the meantime. Is she having trouble adjusting?" K'del rocks on his feet, all the better to try and keep Iska moving without actually having to pace back and forth. "That's true," he agrees, firmly. "Sadly, people tend to look at the face, and not consider the rest. K'zin..." he seems reluctant to say too much about the younger bronzerider, though his nod could be interpreted as agreement. "I'm sure he'll do his best. can't say, anyway, that I'm not pleased to get more time with my girl here. She's not doing too badly, but she misses her mama. We visit as often as we can, though. Ali's got it worse, really." "You know, you don't have to censor yourself around me K'del, If you tell me to keep confidence on something it stays that way - not that I've been here long enough to earn that kind of trust from anyone, it's just hard to carry on a conversation after a while." Not that he particularly clams up around her usually, but the way her fingers splay, the gesture might seem defensive though they waggle in front of the infant. "Be honest, how many times has she used the link between her dragon and Cadejoth to check up?" "My relationship with K'zin is complicated," answers K'del, after a moment. "That's all. He's a complicated person. At a complicated time of his life." His gaze drops towards his daughter, whose eyes are finally beginning to flutter closed, though Edyis' fingers are distracting and fun. "Isyath's not generally... helpful that way," he admits. "She would, otherwise. Which makes it harder, you know?" "I see." The look is incredulous, but then there may just be a little bit of relief there. At least she's not the only one who has trouble figuring him out. "I can imagine, it's hard when you can't communicate as freely as you'd like. Is Iska her first?" Under that incredulity, K'del gives Edyis a rueful glance. "I'm not trying to fob you off, promise. Or censor myself. It's... just complicated, like I said. You're right, though. It is hard to get a read on him, sometimes." His shrug would probably be bigger if he didn't have Iska to worry about. "It's awful for her," he admits. "She really didn't want Iska to go, but... it's just too hard, while she's on the sands. And while she was proddy, too. Her first, yes. Much wanted." The oh that accompanies the confirmation is much softer. "Poor thing, hopefully the eggs will hatch quickly then. Is being a parent as a rider always like this? I mean Ali is a slightly different case as she's a junior at fort, which adds further complication - but, It seems like a lot to sacrifice on the sands." "It'll be months," says K'del, with a sigh. "And while I'm delighted to have Iska here..." The look he gives his now-sleeping daughter is both besotted and sad. "It's hard, being a parent and a rider. There's a reason most kids are fostered, even during an Interval. You can't have little kids living in a weyr, not unless it's a ground one. You can't really breast-feed. It's... difficult. Ali's lucky, in some ways, and having nannies helps, but... it's not the way I was raised." There might just be the 'hint' of a snort for breastfeeding. K'del just doesn't have the equipment. "You were hold bred?" Surprised, though she inches her way over to the klah pot snagging a mug and holding up a second in invitation. She has both arms and shoulders free after all. " It's harder with her being so young still, can't let her run wild with old paint pots and scrap hide. Though I suppose you could do paperwork in the ground weyr for the time being, or rig a temporary bassinette in the meeting room where you do most of your paperwork." K'del affects a wounded look at her snort, however subtle: he's not allowed to be super dad? So unfair. The offer of klah is accepted with a grateful smile, as the Acting Weyrleader eases himself into a nearby chair, careful not to jog the sleeping child at his chest. "She's spending some time with me while I work," he confirms. "And some with the nannies. We're camping in the Weyrleader's Weyr so I can keep her with me at night. And yes - I'm from Tillek, originally. A vinehold out in the Tillek area, anyway. Lived in the Weyr longer than I lived there, though, by now." Two mugs of klah coming right up. For the affected look, just a smile. "I would say it's where you belong, but you seem keen to act as a placeholder only, or am I misreading your actions?" She points out in a soft tone, balancing the two mugs cautiously and offering one to him before settling back into her own chair. "I never would have guessed, I think Leova said that she also was from that area originally. Seems like almost everyone here came from somewhere else." "Until Hraedhyth rises, and confirms the leadership, one way or another, it's not my place to be anything more than a placeholder. Shouldn't be making big decisions that change the course of the Weyr. Shouldn't throw my weight around." K'del's very firm about that, nearly to the point of sounding fervent. "You wouldn't? Guess that's a good thing. Here's where I belong, really. Weyrs are like that: people come from lots of places, end up here for one reason or another. Melting pots of ideas and ideals." "Until Hraedhyth rises." She repeats,"And then things change again, or not." taking her cup between both hands and curling her legs beneath her. "Perhaps that mix is why High Reaches has had such a divisive history as a weyr. Would there be any big decisions to make if leadership were confirmed? I've heard nothing on the tithe trains yet but I assume everyone gave their share this time around." K'del carefully adjusts his mug in his hands, now that he's accepted it, keeping it well away from his sleeping daughter. "Nabol's tithe is shorter than it should be, but comes with apologies and promises of improvement, next turn," he answers. "And everyone else's seems fine, thus far. We're in good shape. It's... there are always things you can do differently. Big things. Small things. I'm just focusing on being a caretaker: not changing how we do things, so that if I'm replaced, no one has to undo anything I've done. Most Weyrs have a mix like ours. Well, not like ours, but a mix. So... it varies. We've been unlucky. In some ways. Lucky in others." "That is a relief then, things haven't settled all that badly - unknowns aside." Lifting the mug to her lips she studies father and daughter noting details and committing them to memory. For lucky and unlucky there's a curious lift of her brows as she leans in. "How so?" It's a little more awkward to actually drink the klah, with a baby in the way, but K'del manages it - blowing on the surface of the mug, first, in an attempt to cool it. "Well..." he says, after a moment. "Don't like to think that everything that's happened to High Reaches has been bad, you know? We've strong relationships with a few of the Weyrs. We're building a relationship with Nabol, and even with Crom, though I'd never've believed that, once. There are good people, here. People who care about the Weyr. That's important." "Good and bad vary depending on who you ask, but I understand your point." She tilts her head a moment. "So you are forever the optimist then. A good thing in a leader I suppose, and if you haven't been completely jaded in your line of work there is certianly hope yet isn't there." Her smile widens. K'del regards his klah for a long few seconds, giving it serious and considered thought. "Guess so," he agrees, finally. "Haven't always been. Not for a long time. You weren't here when things were... the worst, for me. But," he glances up again, and smiles at Edyis as he does so, "I guess I've gotten past that. I want to see the best in things. Seems like it's time to, you know?" Her cheeks dimpling at that smile, returning it with one of her own. "I'm glad to have met you when I did then, you are one of the few people I've met who refuses to make a promise and yet keeps it anyway. It's a rare quality." Gaze returning to her mug, "It's safe to assume I bet, that Ali and Iska are a big part of that change in you aren't they?" K'del, setting down his mug, seems pleased. His hand seeks out his daughter's head, fingers idly running over her hair, and he says, "They've certainly helped, yes. After... after Iolene, a lot of stuff was... screwed up. I was. It's been a long road to get myself to a place where I'm able to take on things again. And be the kind of person I want to be. So." He gives Edyis a genuine smile. "It's nice, to get a second chance. With everything, not just the Weyrleadership, or relationships, or any of it. With everything." Beat. "Iska clearly makes me maudlin." "I'm sorry, for your loss." Quiet the reply comes. "No I don't think she makes you maudlin, rather I think she just highlights your already natural sappy tendencies." Her smile twinges toward mischievous. "It seems like children do that, I know my brothers at least the older ones, resented our half siblings because they always felt that father was warmer with them. Maybe he was, I don't know." She smiles, "I'm happy for you though, and for her." K'del shakes his head, and murmurs, "It was turns ago, now. Four, in a few months. It's-- fine." Mostly. His smile has not wholly disappeared, even with that reminder, and it twists, amused, for the rest of what the girl has to say. "Can't help it," he agrees. "She's just... well." The daughter in question is glanced at a again, and given a warm, heartbreakingly endearing smile. "It's hard to resist them. However, now that she's asleep, I should go and do something productive. Perhaps next time you'll see her while she's more awake." He begins to rise, cautiously. Edyis grins, "Productive, yes." One wonders how K'del manages to get anything productive done with a daughter to fawn over. "Enjoy the rest of your evening then." Standing both to reclaim the book and hold the mug so the Weyrleader can rise more easily if needed. |
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