Difference between revisions of "Logs:AU - Wife"

Their exams finished, their classes concluded for the summer, the youngest group of Apprentices at Healer Hall had taken to spending their days in the lazy orchard, or by the river. It was one of those picture-perfect summers, as lovely as any could be, with long, warm days with barely a cloud to be seen.

"If I failed," said Jeshi. "I think I'm going to abandon this whole, stupid Apprentice thing and convince one of those cute riders to take me back to the weyr. Maybe I'll Impress! They've got to have it easier than us."

A chorus of laughter answered her; Rian snorted. "You have to be Searched for that. And it's Interval. It could be turns and turns before there's another clutch. They barely even need to Search anymore."

"I bet I can convince them. Men. It won't take much."

Deeane sat up, shading her eyes from the sun's glare. "Evin has an uncle who's a rider. And Mya grew up at Telgar. But neither of them have been Searched."

"Uncles. That barely counts. It's not like it's real family."

"My father's a dragonrider."

All eyes turned to regard Lilabet, usually the quietest in the group.

"Don't make things up, Lily. Your parents are both Master Healers; everyone knows that. We know your parents."

But Lily shook her head, and insisted, "No, Master Varens isn't my real father. He and my mother got married when I was two. But before that, we were at the Weyr. I was born at High Reaches. My father is a greenrider called B'tal. And my aunt is a Weyrwoman."

Silence. "Are you serious? How come we didn't know that?"

Lily swallowed, and twisted a lock of her unruly brown hair out of her face. "Father prefers to keep it quiet. Varens, I mean. He says he's done more of the raising of me, anyway, and it confuses people. Mama says it doesn't hurt anyone, and I do still see B'tal."

Jeshi's eyes were wide with envy. "You could be a rider. Why are you a Healer, when you could be a Rider?"

"There are barely any clutches, Jesh. Anyway, our Lily is in no danger of failing her exams: she's a good healer."

Jeshi scowled, but before she could say anything, Lilabet spoke up: "Besides, I'm only thirteen. Too young to Stand. I think I'd like to be posted to a Weyr, though, one day. I know my mother loved working at High Reaches. I think she still misses it, sometimes. She used to actually get to-- heal. Not just teach."

"Our Apprentice Master, actually working Infirmary shifts? That's--"

"Surprising! I can't imagine her doing anything but teach."

"And make babies. How many is it now, Lily?"

Lily bit her lip, answering the question - "Five," - only distractedly. Was it surprising? Should it be? For the first time in her life, she really wondered about her mother's career.

For the first time, she really wondered about her mother.

And then she began to wonder about herself.

The trouble was that Lilabet couldn't remember when she'd decided to become a Healer. She couldn't remember telling anyone that that was what she wanted; she couldn't remember coming to the realisation on her own. It had just... happened.

How? Why? When had the choice been taken away from her? When had she let it?

Lilabet felt cold.

She felt... trapped.

B'tal -

Will you come and get me? I want to come home.

Lilabet