Difference between revisions of "Logs:Building Blocks"

Nursery, High Reaches Weyr

The double door to the nursery is sturdy skybroom and a good three inches thick, meant to contain the natural noisiness of young children. Beyond the doors, a complex of interconnected, glowlit caverns houses the Weyr's infants and children under seven, opening out from a gaily painted foyer where an auntie usually sits to guide visitors and keep a rheumy eye out for would-be escapees.

Two large play caverns see the most everyday use, their smooth walls decorated with layers of more fanciful paintings left by generations of rider and resident offspring. While one cavern is nearly bare, intended mostly for running and roughhousing during inclement weather, the other is lined with shelves at the right height for short legs, stocked with suitable toys, games and crafting supplies aplenty. Beyond the play caverns are two 'quiet' rooms, one with cribs and cradles, the other with low cots for use during both naptime and nighttime sleeping, each with a small sleeping cubicle for nannies on duty during the night shift.

Every child goes through phases. They call it a phase because parents don't want to admit it could be a permanent behavior of their child. Fortunately, frequently it is something triggered by goodness knows what that passes just as quickly. Yvalia has always been an easy child, but now, at so very nearly four turns old, she's started a new one: clingy. This clingy phase wants Mom within line of sight. Evidently she's been throwing tantrums after Tayte's departures from the nursery the past few days, so one of the nannies suggested that the Journeywoman might try floating in and out throughout the day for a time, until this new phase passes. So here's Tayte, hanging out. Vali doesn't want to play with her, she just wants her where she can see her. The tot is sprawled on the floor, happily stacking colorful blocks in some order only she can identify. Tayte reclines against one of the walls, arms loosely crossed over her chest. She sticks out as not belonging because... well, who wears form-fitting leather non-riding pants to the nursery?

It's both a blessing and a curse that healer hours are staggered throughout the day (and night): it does mean more daytimes to spend with one's children, but it also means more evenings away from them. At eight, Lilabet spends most of her days in harper classes, but Dilan, four, is not quite ready - and so it is that when Madilla arrives, she's got her son in hand. "Go on," she says to her son, dropping to her knees in front of him. "Go and play with the blocks. Lily will come and see you when she's finished with her classes, and Delinda will pick you both up later. Be good." "But I--" Dee's voice is not raised to the point of tantrum levels, but it's enough to draw some attention. "Dee. Come on. Didn't we have fun this morning?" Nonetheless, he seems a little sulky as he dutifully receives a kiss, and turns to regard the nursery.

Red-hair? Check. Weyrhealer knot? Check. Madilla. Target confirmed. Tayte pushes away from the wall, arms sliding to her side as she moves, stepping carefully over the wee one engaged in various tasks around the carpeted floor. Vali, blonde haired, though paler than her mother's, and blue eyed, with freckles splattered across her nose, is the picture of enjoyment. These blocks are mighty fun. She sees Dee not far away, and looks down to the block in her hand: bright green. She considers it a moment and then extends it out to him, "Hi?" is her bright, if uncertain chirp. It's almost immediately, though unknowingly, echoed by her mother's alto as she arrives alongside the healer. "Hi." Tayte's, at least, is certain, a smile warming her face in friendly greeting.

It probably wouldn't surprise anyone who knows Madilla that she's aware of Tayte's identity already, even if they haven't been introduced: she takes an interest in these things, especially when it involves newcomers-with-children. The healer turns her attention away from her son, who is more purposeful in his movements, now, and less grumpy (how quickly they forget!), so that she can return Tayte's smile. "Hello," she says. "You're-- the Vintner, aren't you? Tayte. I'd meant to come and introduce myself." "Hiiiiiii," says Dilan, taking the block from Vali and holding it carefully in his (relatively slender) hands. "Wanna build something?"

"Likewise." The nod confirms her name and craft easily enough. "I kept thinking I'd be in the infirmary at some point when you were, but I've been in there thankfully little, and never, apparently, when you were, or when you were available anyway." Tayte reaches to flip a lock of hair out of her face, "They said you were the one to see for all the ins and outs of being a posted crafter here with a kid." The kid in question furrows her brows, wrinkling her forehead in a rather silly over-exaggerated expression of consideration for a breath. Then glancing to the blocks, which had only started to become something, Vali leans forward, reaching out to topple the pile of three and the pile of two and the ones in the middle on the ground for good measure. Grinning at Dee, she agrees, "Okay." Fresh start! "What?"

"Dragon," says Dee, with all the authority of being a turn and more older... and no doubt inspired by his older sister's present fixation. He crouches, leaning forward to pick up one of the blocks and announce, "This can be his head." Mention of kids has Madilla turning her gaze from Tayte and towards the pair of children, her amusement so-evident in her expression when she turns back again. "I'm very glad to hear you haven't needed to spend much time in the Infirmary; that's the way it should be. I suppose I am the one for that, these days. I know how hard it can be. You've just the one, right?"

"What coror?" Vali questions, not owning that tricky 'l' sound yet, squinting at the 'head block'. "What for wins? Blocks're too fat." She says this will all the certainty of a weyrbrat. Wings are supposed to be flat and thin, not big and clunky. Tayte's eyes follow Madilla's to the children, an unconscious tender smile showing for a few moments before looking back to meet the healers gaze. They surely have this in common: love of their children. Their sweet silly children. "I can't say I really regret the lack of time spent there. There are quite a number of other interesting places around this Weyr. But it can be a challenge. The vintners here-- well." She doesn't complete the sentence, because surely Madilla has met some of them; a fairly sour bunch of grapes those. "Yep. It's just Vali and I. Has been since she was born. I'd never thought how many connections I'd made and how many new ones I'd have to make to accommodate my usual work schedules. I'm a bit of a night person."

It's unusual for Dilan to be this authoritative, but perhaps his morning alone with his mother, sans sister, has given him temporary confidence. "Brown. We'll get some dolly blankets to make wings. I'm going to 'press him, but you can have a ride with us." Oh yes: this is certainly something the two women have in common; Madilla's expression is unmistakable. "It's always difficult to make a new place for yourself, I think," says the healer. Her nod, acknowledging Tayte's remarks about it being just the two of them, comes with-- not sympathy, but a certain knowing empathy. Quietly, "It can be even more difficult, without another adult to back you up. I know. I'd be happy to help out, if I can. Those of us with children in the Complex tend to keep an eye out for each other's children. More than once I've been called away in the night."

This gives Vali pause as she considers. She does seem to take her time to think, maybe she needs the extra time because her hair is so very blonde, or perhaps she's a natural-born philosopher, thinking deeply before speaking. "I'd like that. I like flyin'. I'm not scared or anything. An' if I 'press my blue an' green dragons first, you can ride with us." She builds as she talks, finding a few blocks to start making a belly, all shades of brown, except the middle ones (which are, of course, blue and green). "I used to bartend at Ista, and hope to here, also, which keeps me busy some nights, but if I can ever be of help. Let me know. I've come across a girl from the lower caverns, Raegla, she's about sixteen and she seems very competent and willing to be woken if need be. I'm sure you've loads of your own very good resources, but-" Share and share alike. Tayte shrugs her shoulders. "Every bit helps, I'm sure. Or I'm sure it would me, anyway. I'd appreciate any looking out you can do for Vali." She nods to the wee blonde. "What's your son's name?"

"You don't get two dragons," says Dilan, absolutely positively certain. "You only get one. No one gets two." He begins working on the neck, making it significantly longer than it probably needs to be. "There are plenty of people around," agrees Madilla. "I've a list of additional names, if you need them." There's not much about Madilla in Dilan's appearance - not in his dark blond hair, his pale blue eyes, his fine, pale skin. "Dilan. Dee. He's four. His sister is Lilabet. Lily. She's eight."

Vali sniffs, far from put-off by Dilan's obvious certainty. She gives a little roll of her shoulders, so very like the shrug her mother just made. "I'll be first, then." This doesn't bother her. For all that Dilan's being Mr. Big Trousers now, Yvalia has no lack of quiet confidence. Especially when Mom's right there. There's a secretive smile from Tayte that is deeply amused at what she's just heard her daughter say, and it warms her alto all the more when she answers Madilla, "A list would be wonderful. He's a smart boy," She comments after a breath of the blonde instructing the blonde in dragon cans and cannots. "Four and eight. I'm told those are good ages to look forward to. Four and eight and Weyrhealer. Do you get to take much time for yourself?" The reiterated list and her expression is like she's making a mental calendar and trying to find the holes.

"Not nearly as much as I'd like," admits Madilla, answering Tayte's question with a wry smile. "I'd hoped to think of having a third at some point, but it's just not-- feasible, now. Planned, anyway." Unplanned, of course, would be something entirely different. "They're good ages. Good children, too. And she - Vali, you said? - she's delightful." Dilan's not as taken aback by Vali's remarks as he could be... and that probably has something to do with his sister, who has a similar outlook on life to Vali, it seems. "Okay," he says, cheerfully. "That sounds like fun, then. We can ride our dragons together!"

"Well, if you've time one evening, or morning, or whenever, really, we should make a girl's outing of it. It's been far too long since I've had a chance at that kind of thing, and never with another mother. Something tells me we might have a lot to talk about." The smile that accompanies the offer is warm and hopeful. "Faranth has blessed us both then, it seems. Vali's quite good as well. Though, she's got this thing right now, the nannies are having me come in and out. She's well distracted right now though, with your Dee." Tayte watches the pair a moment before murmuring softly, "I might try slipping out. She knows what I'm to do and understands, sometimes it seems to work better than other times, I'm told."

Given Madilla's expression, she understands immediately what the nannies are attempting to do - and smiles for it, following Tayte's gaze towards the two children. "Mm, I think it's a good time, yes. And I should get myself off to work, too. But - I'd like that," she says, warmly. "I suspect you're right. Especially for those of us doing it alone... we need each other's support, no question about that. We'll work something out soon." She tips her head towards the door, encouraging the other woman to join her, as they head out of the nursery and back into the caverns.