Difference between revisions of "Logs:I See Him In Her"

Lake Shore, High Reaches Weyr

The rest of the bowl may be barren, grass barely surviving at best, but here by the lake, it's brilliantly green in the warmer months: thickening and thriving in the silty, boulder-dotted soil just before it transitions to soft sand and thence to the cool, clear water itself.

A large freshwater lake fed by a low waterfall, it not only provides warm-weather bathing space for humans and dragons, but has one end fenced off as a watering hole for the livestock in the feeding grounds. The water there is often muddier than the rest of the clear lake, whose shallows drop off abruptly several yards out into deep water, and whose edge undulates against the coarse-hewn bowl wall: here close enough to just be bramble-covered rocks, there far enough away that a narrow land bridge divides the main lake from a smallish pond. Between are several rocky outcroppings that form excellent makeshift diving points, though only one -- across the bridge -- has a set of narrow, slippery, quite possibly tempting stairs.

A layer of gray clouds covers the sky. The air feels cool and damp, but there is no rainfall today.

It's not /actually/ raining, and that makes it - in High Reachian terms - a relatively decent day for early spring. Decent enough that, as the afternoon wanes on towards evening, a few people are out and about for reasons of pleasure rather than business. Among them are Madilla and Lilabet, the former lingering against one of the large boulders by the lake whilst the latter jumps into puddles leftover from yesterday's rain. A chilly wind whips at Madilla's skirts, and her hands are carefully tucked into her sleeves, but she's smiling as she watches her daughter - and there's no question that Lily is having an /excellent/ time.

It's not often that Teris bothers being anywhere near the lake without her dragon in tow. Or, rather, charging on ahead of her or dive bombing from the sky. But this evening it's just Teris in a coat and a scarf, the wind catching the hair that has managed to come free of where the scarf holds the rest at her neck. It's Lilabet that she notices first as she draws closer and it makes her pause almost dumbly to watch her play in the puddles without even a glance around for the girl's mother.

An 'excellent time', for Lilabet, doesn't seem to involve the giggles and squeals of other children her age. Instead, she's quite silent, and quiet serious, testing out each puddle with thoughtful curiosity. She's just crouching to get a better jump into her latest puddle when she sees Teris. The sighting doesn't change her game - indeed, her chubby hands press more tightly upon her knees, preparing herself for the jump-to-come - but it /does/ press a smile into her face, aimed shyly in the goldrider's direction. If Madilla notices, she's not saying anything.

The girl's smile makes one flicker over Teris' expression after a moment or two. And then it starts fading again just after, something a little more... longing working its way there instead. Finally she glances about to spy the girl's mother. "Madilla," she greets the healer, voice as polite as always except for that underlying hint of emotion that she seems to be trying so hard to hide. "It's good to see that you and Lily seem to be doing well?"

Madilla must have noticed, must even have been watching, because when Teris glances in her direction, she's standing up straight again, and there's something in her own expression that she can't manage to hide. Lilabet jumps into her puddle, spraying water about in what is apparently a very satisfying way, while her mother says, quietly, "Teris. We-- are, thank you." The sunburn is fading, now, but not completely gone. "I don't think she really understands. How are you? I-- your note. I meant to respond, but I haven't--" Managed it. Yet. "Thank you."

"Good." Teris offers a small nod of her head, glancing between mother and daughter again. "That's good. Probably... better for her. I'm-- It's hard. It's hard to even put it in to words sometimes." She shifts, pulling her hands out of her pockets to cross her arms under her chest. "It's okay. So long as you got it. The least I can do." Granted, perhaps a bit selfish on her part. And never mind that she'd already told Madilla she wanted to be a part of Lily's life long ago. It's different now.

"I want her to have family. To know-- him. Through you." Madilla seems determined to stress the point, shifting from her boulder, now, so that she can walk towards the goldrider and fall in alongside her. "Your side of the family is all she's got." Madilla's family is-- not in the picture. And given the intensity of her words, not ever going to be. She turns her gaze back to Lily, who is wiping mud of her knees with intensity. It makes Madilla's mouth twitch, a barely suppressed smile. "I miss him."

"That would be-- I'd like that." It's, more or less, exactly what Teris wanted, in fact, and it seems to come as some relief to her that Madilla feels similarly. "We'd all be happy to have you both, Madilla." At least those of Teris' family that matter. There are the black sheep, of course. Mostly anyone actually /from/ Crom, granted. "I miss him, too." Her gaze fixes on Lily again. "I'm glad there's a part of him still here."

For all that, given the note, she must have known that already, Madilla, too, seems relieved: she gives Teris a faint little smile, a short, sharp tip of the head. "Thank you. I didn't-- I didn't want anyone to worry that I would try and take her away from you all. Whatever happens. He'll always be her father. You'll all always be family." It comes across as though it's something that has been weighing heavily on her, though she sets it aside then to return her own gaze to her daughter. "I see him in her more and more, as she gets older."

"It means a lot to us. To me, especially." Of course, she's the only one she can really speak for in the end. "I would have understood if you'd wanted... something else for her. But it would have hurt." By then Teris is focused on watching the girl. "I'll try not to be tempted to spoil her /too/ badly." That said with a lightness in her tone that has been almost non existent since the accident. "I never used to think you could really see parents in their children. Not the way people made it sound. But I can see him in her. And you." And then there's a more serious, "Thank you. For giving him that chance."

"I know," says Madilla, simply, her voice very quiet. "I wouldn't do that to you." Her mouth twitches at Teris' reference to spoiling, but she's silent - watching Lily play, the girl utterly oblivious to the conversation between her relatives - until the other woman has finished. She presses her hands together, then, and says, "I'm still so grateful to him. For giving /me/ that chance. I know a lot of people didn't like the idea, but I can't imagine it being any other way. I'm so glad."

"I'm sure he felt the same way. She was all he'd ever talk about when he came to visit sometimes. I know she meant the world to him." Teris is silent for a long few moments after that, a smile pulling at her lips again as she watches Lilabet. "If you need anything, too. Anything. Just ask. I can't, you know, promise, but I can always try." She might sound a little awkward but she's sincere, too.

That thought brings a genuine smile to Madilla's face, as though she's recalling something about the greenrider - or just the greenrider himself. "I'm so glad. That he was her daddy, not just--" She breaks off, glancing back at Teris with genuine affection. "Thank you. I hope I don't need anything, but it's nice to know the option is there. Just in case. Knowing that we're not alone."

Affection is mirrored in Teris' expression, blue eyes still gently fixed on her niece. She takes a deep breath and it wavers involuntarily. When she glances back at Madilla her eyes are a bit bright, though she's trying to ignore the fact. "I suppose I should probably let you both back to your evening," she says, voice tight. No doubt this sudden idea probably has something to do with not wanting to show actual emotions around other people. "But I'll see you both around." She smiles but turns her head away when a tear finally falls. "Good night, Lily," says the goldrider a little bit louder, lifting a hand from her crossed arms to wave before she's moving to turn back toward the caverns.

Madilla must notice, and maybe it shows a little bit about the corners of her eyes, but she makes no comment of it. Instead, she gives Teris an encouraging smile, and nods. "Thank you, Teris. I'm sure we'll see you soon. Good night." The sentiment is echoed by her daughter, Lily making her first statement of the evening: "'night, Aunty Teris!" It's not loud, but there's a confidence to it - and it's matched by one of those rare smiles before she runs to wrap her arms around her mother's knees. Perhaps it's time for them to go in, too.