Difference between revisions of "Logs:Sisters in Southern"

Southern Weyr

The tall cliff that houses Southern Weyr overlooks the crescent-shaped cove at its base, riddled with caves often used for storage. On the headland, lush foliage and scattered trees provide shade for stone dwellings and the distinctive shapes of dragon wallows beside. Squarely in the center of this sprawl of housing is the open-sided weyrhall boasting flagstone paving all around, branching off into paths that lead across the plateau. The shallow cone of the old volcano is weather-worn, not high enough for habitation, but its sands are still warmed from beneath, providing an excellent location for Southern's golds to lay their eggs. About a mile distant lies the Hold's headland, the red sails of Southern ships often dotting the harbor.

Zeizath's rider's dwelling has seen a lot of pacing over the past sevenday, not that Jeyli is often still for very long, but ever since she'd gotten that letter from her relation, even such a simple task as putting away her laundry is back to being a production. Zeizath doesn't have to see his lifemate to know how she's upending the canvas sack to spill all over her hurriedly-made bed, doesn't have to hear her words-- though he can, if he tunes his headknobs just so-- to hear her talking to the two of them as she shakes out her blouses and refolds her trousers, fragments of has she changed and of course she's changed and a younger sister's I don't want to give up my bed, with the sense that it's her/their place, that she/they have made it now, that the tables have turned and it's satisfying to be able to do this favor. For it is a favor, having one's older sister-- half-sister by blood, but Jeyli refuses to count that even if other people do-- and her daughter turn up for 'sanctuary,' yes, Jeyli likes that word, Zeizath feels that as much as he hears it. « Sssssanctuary, » he teases her, even as he idly gnaws on the huge clean bone he'd brought back to his wallow, careful not to break this one too soon. He hears her laugh.

But then with the next flick of fabric, his Jeyli's back to worrying over the issue as though she had a bone of her own; she's practical enough to think that if this 'Tayte' and her 'Yvalia' share her bed (she doesn't wet the bed, does she? I need waterproofed cloths either way, Zeizath, don't let me forget!) then the little girl can be curtained off for the night and she can roam the whole rest of the place by herself. Or herself and Tayte, rather, because surely they'll stay up late talking, won't they? Playing cards? Even if Tayte said she didn't want a lot of questions, that doesn't mean they can't talk. It won't last forever, Tayte had said she'd swing a place of her own, and then she wouldn't need to worry about keeping track of Yvalia. Right? Zeizath doesn't see any reason to argue with her. He can feel Jeyli's excitement about taking her to meet her friends, any excuse for a party and this is a good one, her big-no-older sister coming to be with her at last.

But that's tomorrow, or maybe the day after that, or the day after that. At Southern, there's always another sunny day. (Except when there isn't.)

Tomorrow has even been delayed. Tayte sent word that simply explained she was having trouble getting her hiatus from the Hall approved, and she wasn't sure how long she would be in coming, but would come as soon as things were sorted. And true to her word, Tayte comes as soon as things are sorted, and conveniently in a window of opportunity for avoiding questions from a certain quarter. It means, however, that her arrival is unanticipated. After bidding farewell to Jo with assurances that she could handle her bags from here, a familiar Southern touch reaches for Zeizath. Leixanth calls, « Zeizath, your riders kin wait for you. » A flash of Tayte with four Very Large duffle bags, a four turn old perched atop the bags at the usual landing spot. « She says they can wait until you're free. They like the heat. » As does Leixanth. The green adds a sassy-flavored image of her possibly glowy hide from where she's sunning smack dab in the middle of the landing zone.

It's a hike. Zeizath's untroubled by that, and would have gotten to stay that way if only he hadn't passed on the message to his rider to see her scramble to fix up last-minute not-so-details. That was entertaining while it lasted, but now he has to deal with Jeyli's clamor about look at all those bags and they're huge and her poking at his side, too. The dragon shifts to look down at her, but only enough to emphasize all the discrepancy of size between an adult blue dragon and a measly human of any flavor. « If they want to be here, they will take their things here, » he points out. Surely this is rational. But, of course, his lifemate has to point out things like they could get lost and look how big and strong he is and he finds her pretty adorable when she's urgent like that. And of course, now there is Leixanth. To the green, amused, « Then how will we convince them to leave you? » He gives her an image right back, of the two visitors plastered up against her saltwater-green hide, the bigger one rubbing up against her leg. Only then does he indulge his rider in the quick flight over, descending in a glide that makes his wings look particularly broad. Jeyli isn't too careful dismounting, but it's not like her bare heels are going to hurt him, and he watches as she hurries towards the waiting pair. She does hesitate partway, but then her arms go up in that unmistakable warning: hug coming. Because that's what normal families do with reunions, isn't it?

« You do raise an excellent point. » Leixanth replies with a definite sense of lazy confidence, « But theirs is not the attention I covet. » It's not that she remembers the last time Zeizath caught her, but she does like him. Who wouldn't? He's not as likeable as she is, of course, here sprawled as she is, but as blues go... She sends flattering feelings of interest. And when he arrives on the scene, there's a sassy warble directed his way. It's been turns since they've seen each other, but Jeyli was Jeyli the last time they met, and is thusly recognizable, even if it takes a moment of hard looking. The fact that she's hurrying toward them is a bit of a clue. Tayte is a hugger, so her arms open without hesitation when Jeyli nears. "Jey," She greets in her warm alto, the tone affectionate. After all, this is the first five minutes: things are all happy for now. The Vintner's hug is firm, but doesn't linger as long as some sisters might embrace for. "Thanks for having us. It's good to see you." She's looking back over her shoulder, "Vali's grown some since you saw her last." Then to the girl, who looks a little more sad and worried than happy to be seen, "Vali, this is your Aunt Jeyli," since the little one was even littler when last they met. The look the four turn old gives the bluerider is uncertain. It's not her usual warm expression and easy-going manner.

She liiikes you. That's all that eavesdropping Jeyli has time for before there is hugging! and seeing just how different Tayte looks, and then shaking short hair out of her face before she smiles broadly at the little girl. « Are you going to eat the girl? Cover your fangs, » Zeizath tells Jeyli right back, not like it's much of a distraction from giving Leixanth some quality time. His rider does take him seriously enough to make it more of a closed-mouth smile. "It's nice to see both of you, too. I'm excited that you'll be staying with us! The last time I saw you..." well. "It's just nice to see you," she finishes. "Why don't you hop off those bags, and I'll strap them up to Zeizath? You can call him Zeizy if you want." Zeizath rumbles. "Special permission."

Vali watches Jeyli as she addresses her, and that close-lipped smile. "Mommy, when is Daddy coming?" The girl's eyes fall on Tayte, little brow furrowed with her continued concern. "Oh, sweetie," The mother's voice is gentle, but one who knew her once upon a time might hear the hurt underneath, "Remember what I told you? We're visiting Aunt Jeyli and we're going to draw him pictures and have a lot of fun just us. Like it used to be. For a little while. And after a little while, you can go visit Daddy. But he's--" She swallows hard, "He's really busy right now, sweetheart. So we're going to let him work and not bother him." Then she gasps, "Oh no!" She moans softly, dramatically. She gives Jeyli a 'go with me on this' look to the side that's only a bare second's glance to the rider. "Jeyli. I think we've forgotten something terribly important back at 'Reaches." Vali's brow knits even further. "What? What did we forget, Mommy?" "Your smile!" Tayte's answer comes with a swoop and a grab and a hug of the little girl to her chest. That, paired with the clever tickle results in finding the smile with giggles and frees the bags all at once. "Now why don't you say hi to your Aunt Jeyli and to Zeizy." She smiles at her sister over her daughter's head. The hello to Jeyli is practically shy, which is unusual for the friendly Yvalia, but it's been an unusual day, but she's squirming quickly to get down and runs toward the blue, stopping some yards away with her hands tucked behind her back. She looks uuuup uuuup uuuuuup! Dragons are cool. Obviously.

Daddy? Jeyli can't help but look at Tayte, curious as any younger sibling and then some, but most younger siblings also know that the way to find out more is by listening; it makes it that much easier to play along with Tayte's ploy, at least where 'play along' means 'don't interrupt.' She does wave to Yvalia for her hello, and then moves to get the bags situated; Zeizath might even have ignored the girl if Leixanth weren't about, but at least he's not rumbling anymore, and once he crouches half as an afterthought, it should be easy enough for Tayte to help her daughter to get up when she's ready. After that, it's just one more quick stop by the weyrhall for sustenance and they're off to Jeyli's dwelling with its white and indigo hangings... and snacks, fruit and crispbread to distract little (and maybe even big) girls with. Though at some point she has to ask, "Do you have everything you'll need for the first few days together? Because I remember what it used to look like when you went through your closet back with Mum and Dad," and if Tayte still packs as efficiently as she used to, if everything comes out then they'll drown in a fabric sea.

Dragons are cooler when they're paying attention, but at least Yvalia has enough manners and sense not to prod at the dragon. She simply frowns up at him. Tayte's answer of "Sort of," is not encouraging for those hoping not to drown in the great fabric sea. But soon enough the bags are being loaded and there's food at the weyrhall and they're back to Jeyli's place. "On the bright side, I've learned to put the booze where I can get at it." The elder sister jokes as she roots in one of the duffles for not booze, but rather some blank pages and coloring materials to keep Yvalia occupied. Once Yvalia's settled, Tayte's returning to Jeyli with a smile. "I'm hoping she'll be a little more cheerful once she starts having fun here." It's almost an awkward offering, but it's a starter. "I'm sorry I didn't have a chance to send word before we came. Things finally came together and swiftly. I didn't want to waste any time," is offered a moment later with an apologetic smile.

"People usually are!" Jeyli returns, accepting the bid and raising it with her smile. "It's all right, we'll manage. Now, are you hungry?" as though it might have been such a long flight, or maybe she anticipates that a pregnant Tayte might require a little something more in her stomach every five minutes or start ravenously terrorizing the neighborhood, starting with her sister's arm. "And," there's no good segue for this, so she settles for a glance at Yvalia and then dropping her voice, "She doesn't wet the bed, does she? Or the couch or the blankets or anything?" Like certain of their foster-siblings she could name, who did when even older.

"Food would be good. I figured it was better if we didn't eat before we came. I didn't want either of us messing up the upholstery on the flight." There's amusement in Tayte's voice, a positive attitude for the less pleasant realities of early pregnancy and kiddie stomachs. Yvalia was decidedly the less dangerous of the two. "Can I help?" Fix up the food for eating from the vittles they nabbed from the weyrhall. "Infrequently. I brought the oiled hides and her bedding. I figured it would make her feel more at home. I'll try to get us out of your hair within the seven. Just need to get a word with the Headwoman here."

'Upholstery' sets Jeyli to laughing, earthy for one of her stature, subsiding into chuckles as she unlids the basket and gets into the repast rather than cutting off all at once. "Thank you. No, why don't you sit, be a guest this once. I'll put you to work next time." She mimes the crack of a whip, then gets to plating the soft, cheese-filled flour wraps, with salsa, beans and fruit on the side. "I am so glad to hear about the bedding, I kept meaning to ask one of the assistants for something for her, but I really wasn't sure what," so she put it off, and put it off. That much hasn't changed. "We'll take the back cushions off the couch, it's long and wide enough since it's not like, you know, you're carrying the cothold in your stomach yet, and there's a pallet for her underneath. I take it camping. I also have those olives you like," and Jeyli says it as though it's a treat that took some doing, but does Tayte still like them? Did she ever, really?

"Mmm." Olives. Yes, apparently she did really like them, and does still. "That's fantastic. Thanks, Jey. I ran out of my supply back at the Weyr a few months back." There's a warm smile of gratitude for her younger sister's thoughtfulness. "All things children is a sphere of knowledge that does seem to be gathered by those with them or with jobs involving them. The things I've learned in the last four turns would amaze and terrify you." Tayte answers with a laugh, settling herself as suggested. "Sounds perfect." The blonde says of the couch and pallet. "Her father took her camping - though just for the day - for his turnday and she's been talking nonstop about how she'd like to go, so that will be a good tact for the pallet. One of her brothers told her she was too little to go camping, so I bet if you tell her about your camping and that she's going to be camping here, she'd be excited."

The diminutive, from her sister, has Jeyli's eyes shining even before the laugh and the perfect. "Nonstop? 'Terrify' is the word, definitely terrify," and the word lifts as though she might continue, but in the end Jeyli reconsiders; right now it's perfect, after all. She decants the olives into a little bowl from her breakfront before passing it and its fraternal twin to the blonde, "For the pits. But her father?" Did she say that too loudly? "You found her father?" Hushed. "And brothers, are they halves, then, or have you been getting up to more than you've told your sister?" Her tone stays teasing, mostly, not to try and make Tayte feel guilty or anything... much.

There's laughter for Jeyli's emphatic agreement about terrifying and a warm smile. After all, procreation is not everyone's cup of tea and garden party. (Really, is it anyone's?) (Maybe if they're a Magical Pregnancy Unicorn.) "Thanks," Again, for the olives and the bowl for the pits. Tayte takes the time to enjoy one and spit the pit casually into the bowl before taking a deep breath. "Okay. This gets complicated fast and I'm only going through it once, got it?" Her alto is kept low because, yes, Jeyli did say that a bit loud and little ears are paying attention as the four turn old does her best to still look like she's not paying any attention at all to the conversation of her mother and aunt. "I think I mentioned that the healers were trying to help me narrow down the time period in which I would have likely conceived based on Yvalia's size, weight, and development at birth, and we narrowed it down to about a seven and there's about five guys who could have biologically been her father. And I know who they are, but I never approached any of them, because I could never say for sure. However, one of them is the father of this baby," she touches her abdomen, "For sure." That's said with definiteness. "But when I got to High Reaches, I made this friend. He turned out to be my best-friend. And then one of Vali's classmates who hadn't known who his father was found out he had one, Vali wanted one too and asked my friend. And he really cares about her, and so I let him adopt her. Only it turns out I wanted to be more than friends with him, and he wanted to be more than friends with someone else. And he doesn't know I'm pregnant because we're not exactly friends right now, even though he is still Vali's father. And he has two biological sons with two other women." She bites her lip. Has she explained enough in that spill of explanation?

Jeyli's nodding, the tips of her short hair bouncing, ready-set-go! Olives aren't just for her sister either, apparently, for she reaches to steal one with quick fingers that may still be well-trained as ever. Then she can set in on the cheese-filled goodness, which doesn't stop her from talking with her mouth full when the time comes. "One. How long were you at High Reaches again? A sevenday? Two. He's not one of those sickos that 'cares about her,' is he? He'd better not." At least she kept her voice down at last. "Three. You know, you sound just like Auntie Dilkarney when she was trying to explain boys and girls liking each other very, very much. Four... no, three is good. Your turn."

Tayte is attentive through the points, though she opens her mouth and closes it after point two, waiting. She eats olives in the meantime. The nimbleness of snags show that that family trait is still in practice on this sister as well. The smell of the food brings Yvalia over just after Jeyli announces it's Tayte's turn, so answering the points have to wait a moment or two while Tayte separates some of the food onto a little plate, opting to share plates with Jeyli (though she adds food to the plate from the one she gives to Yvalia to take back over to where she's been coloring. Once that's settled, then: "One: about nine months. Two: No. K'del's--" She starts to try to explain then gives a heavy sigh, "He's just a really good guy with a big stupidly guarded heart." Beat. "Who makes really dumb choices." She spits a pit pointedly. "Three: Auntie Dilkarney knew it got complicated fast; maybe I took her lessons too much to heart." She rolls her eyes a little.

For her part, Jeyli nudges her plate closer to Tayte, not to imply her sister isn't nimble. Hospitable, that's what she is. Tayte can spit all she wants. "He is a guy," so the rest goes with the territory, doesn't it? "Though you'd think somebody who'd been a weyrleader... but maybe that just means they do big and they mess up big too. You know she'd like to hear you say that, 'too much' to heart." She pauses to suck on a section of orangefruit, what would have been a rare treat back at Bitra and is anything but rare now, to get the juice out before actually eating the rest of it. "So good-but-stupid guy has biological kids with other people, and now so do you," instead of just singular, implies the nod of Jeyli's chin towards Tayte's abdomen. "But what about the bio-father? How does he fit in? Is he more good or more stupid?"

"It's nice to know that his surprise of me not knowing him by sight or by name when we met is not an exaggeration. You at least would've recognized that he'd been Weyrleader by his name." Tayte's alto is amused, but then there's a grimace. "You'd think. Whatever. He's an idiot. I don't want to talk about him. The baby's father has been shockingly good about everything, though. I'm not sure if I haven't met his good twin, really. Though he has his share of stupid. You'd want to punch him and claim some teeth if you heard him talk about how he feels about women in power, and I often want to when the topic comes up." There's a pause, "But he's been-- downright sweet about the baby. Protective of us. Wants to visit me while I'm here. I didn't even expect him to want anything to do with the baby. I really expected to tell him so I wouldn't have to explain myself later if he found out, and for him to go 'so?' and just move on with being stand-offish after he'd bedded me." She's finished her speaking for the moment because a growl from her stomach prompts her to reach for the plate that had been so kindly nudged nearer.

"You didn't?" Jeyli laughs all the way through the next bite of orangefruit, her fanned fingers not that much of a visual shield. "Tayte. It's not every Weyrleader who can get rid of his Weyrwoman, you know... speaking of women in power." Still, she doesn't have to talk about him anymore, since Tayte doesn't want to... at least, now that she's said that much. And since she has more to say, which at least gives her sister more time to eat: "Does not-idiot-- should we be calling them Idiot and Stupid?-- think that you're his woman? Do you mean, visit him here," in Jeyli's abode here? "I don't want to kick you out or anything, but if he's going to be here, I need his name and I need to be here too, and you don't get to steal my bed for anything either."

"I did." Tayte answers simply, smiling at both her sister's amusement and her knowledge that so outweighed Tayte's own when she first met the former Weyrleader in question. The next look is funny, just because it combines an amused smile with a telling wince: does he think she's his woman? Well... he might. The guilty look slipping onto the older woman's face says that if he holds this belief, it might not be founded in fantasy. "Weeell..." She starts, "We did sort of talk about being monogamous." She chews her lower lip after the admission as she thinks back on the conversation. Then, "He won't come here here, just here Southern. I don't expect he'll come until after we're settled and I send him a message to say so." Then again, she's been wrong before.

Jeyli's, "Mmmmmm," has that rising-peaking-falling-lingering quality to it. "I wonder why," a call to 'da-da-da-da' response, "He'd-think such a thing," two words crammed into one beat, "because of you," so the singsong goes, but Jeyli's hard up for the last line, so, "oo-oo-oo-ooh?" Her look at Tayte makes it less than rhetorical, though it's not as though she can make even a vintner version of the proverbial runner drink. It's a look that turns into something like a stare because monogamous, her sister, even talking?! "I hope you're right. But just in case, how would I recognize him?" From far enough to bar the door?

"Ugh." Tayte rolls her eyes and aims a shove at her sister's shoulder. "You're impossible." She complains. Apparently the 'honeymoon' is over. Or maybe not. At least ocean eyes are rolling in good humor, and there's a blush on her freckled cheeks. "I thought I'd give the whole relationship thing a try. Only it's so complicated because of K'del..." But she doesn't get into that mess. Instead, "Oh, well... He's something like six foot five or six, has muscles that make you bite your knuckle, and is sort of shaggy looking with brown hair. And really, really good looking." At least she has good taste when it comes to looks! "And the first thing he says to you will probably make you want to punch him. Or throw a drink in his face. Although, maybe not, since he's trying to be a one-woman man now." She shrugs her shoulders. "I'm not really sure what to expect from all of this."

"Don't beat up on me in front of your daughter!" Jeyli protests. "You want her beating up her little," here she nods towards Tayte's midsection, "Hm?" And that's even before she gets to relationship and her sister in the same sentence, before she starts staring at Tayte as though she's gone barkers. She has to rub her eyes, even, with her knuckles so she doesn't get spiced olive-brine in them. "Did you just say what I thought you said? Whatever happened to 'relationshit'?" If she heard the description part, she's still stuck on what came first.

"Shhhhhhh!" Tayte's hands do actually reach to try to silence Jeyli. "She doesn't know about her little whatever." A pointed look. "I'll tell her once I'm showing." All of these words are delivered in a hushed but urgent tone. Then, "Well, I mean-- It made Mom and Dad happy. I've never tried it before. Cut me a break. I just want to see if I like it. I was thinking about it with K'del, but then-- and then H'vier-- and -- " And it's all very muddled. So muddled she can't rightly explain it. "I'm not even sure it's going to happen, but if it does, just-- just let me give it a try, alright?" As if Jeyli's opinion matters very much to her attempting or not attempting the whole crazy monogamy thing.

"Oh, now you want to shush me." What's probably more effective with Jeyli, though, is, "You told them you might be serious?! You won't bring him to meet them, will you? They would..." Jeyli just whistles, through her teeth, something that she'll probably try to teach Yvalia later... except the more piercing version, and after they have moved out to wherever they're going to go. "You'd be even more their favorite child. Fine, I'll let you give it a try. Does this mean I shouldn't point out all the other tall built knuckle-draggers you like?" Which might imply Jeyli doesn't. "We have a lot of them. They're practically littering."

"What?!" How Jeyli got that she told her parents out of what she said has Tayte's voice rising and then quickly quieted to a hush, "No, for Faranth's sake. I haven't seen Mom and Dad since before I got posted to Ista. I haven't told them anything!" Before Yvalia. "I just meant-- monogamy works for some people!" She half-squeal, half-wails this clarification, distressed by the very idea of bringing any man - especially a bronzerider, and perhaps even especially H'vier home to her parents. She takes a moment to shovel food into her mouth and try to get her reactions back under her control before she says with a sniff, "There's no rule against looking. You can point out all the good looking men you want. I'll look." And maybe more, after all, it seems there's been no formal agreement about the whole monogamy thing, yet. "But, please, only the ones that rolling around with wouldn't cross bedroom paths with you." No sister sets for any of these knuckle-draggers if Tayte can help it. Not that it should matter if she's really only looking.

Jeyli's giggling, yes she is, cheeks turning crimson after a while until she can catch her breath, and then she's hiccuping. "If you saaay so." Hic. "I'll have to drink," really drink, "for you, too. And what else can I do that's fun?" That question can tide her all through the fun of food. Before Tayte eats it all!

Yes, getting your fair share of food is important, although it's not long before Tayte scoots back from the food, explaining briefly to her sister one of the glories of early pregnancy: nausea. But, at least it doesn't seem like Jeyli needs to worry about her upholstery when it comes to Tayte, it just takes some of Tayte's focus, and for a time there's decidedly less to be laughing about. But eventually, it will pass and between the two of them, they'll get them temporarily settled and Jeyli's giving a helpful (if perhaps disorganized) orientation to the Weyr to mother and child.