Logs:Family Talk
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| RL Date: 26 June, 2012 |
| Who: Brieli, Iolene |
| Involves: High Reaches Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: A very tired Iolene and a somewhat-concerned Brieli talk about family. |
| Where: Living Cavern, High Reaches Weyr |
| When: Day 27, Month 1, Turn 29 (Interval 10) |
| Weather: Windy |
| Mentions: K'del/Mentions, Azaylia/Mentions, Devaki/Mentions, Riorde/Mentions, Issedi/Mentions |
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| It's long after lunch and the living caverns is in a lull. The serving tables have some light snacks: bread and crackers, cheese, fruits and vegetables, and some sort of seafood stew. There are pitchers of klah, tea, and juice. The few occupied tables are a mix of late eaters and people working. Iolene bridges both by having a small plate of cheese and crackers, that's barely being touched, and a mug of tea that's sitting cold. In front of her are a stack of papers that are getting annotated infrequently to the side, and while there's a diligence to how she tries, it's still a poor attempt at best as work wars with a paled complexion and heavy lids. She's seated by the lit hearth, as far from the serving tables as possible. It's time for the majority of the weyrlings to be gliding at this point - quite a challenge with the winds today - but there's one who's a little bit behind, and thus, Brieli finds herself with the opportunity to have a late afternoon meal. Perhaps the tall girl missed lunch, because she's taken full advantage of the crackers and cheese for her plate, balanced in one hand with a few papers; a mug in the other. She's quick enough to head hearth-wards for warmth, but spotting Iolene speeds her steps, and the blonde's demeanor draws her brows together. "Io," she says, taking a nearby seat. "Are you all right?" She's forgotten her manners, even. A tired face looks up, and the usually quick smile is slower to appear, but it does, eventually, creasing lines across the blonde teenager's face. "Just, a little tired. I think it's the weather, and K'del thought I should stay indoors today," a statement on its own that might not make much sense, but with the after thought addition of, "Ysavaeth and I went flying a few nights ago. She likes trying to race storms back home and I wish I could live by the water," draws a fuller picture. "Have a seat." Not much one for the rules of etiquette, Brieli's lack of manners doesn't even seem to sink in. "Missed lunch?" Understanding dawns as Brieli listens, taking a sip from her mug. With some sympathy, "I can see how either might make you tired - the weather or the travel, but I can't say I blame anyone for wanting a break from... this." Her nose wrinkles; she glances over her shoulder to look out towards the entrance, as if glowering at the winds might help. "Was Ysavaeth happy with the flying? I remember that she doesn't like to stay put for too long. And..." Glancing down at her plate as she shrugs off her coat, grinning a touch, "No. Though I only had half a sandwich." "Her home is High Reaches," Iolene says with unequivocal firmness, perhaps the slightest hint of defensiveness in that statement. "But," is then conceded with a rueful sigh, "She does enjoy soaring over what she considers her domain, which is the entirety of the region. And sometimes, a girl just has to get away. I think if I had known how limiting freedom would be, I might not have stood." There's a beat. Her nose twitches and a hand comes to press into her temple. "I must be more tired than I thought to say things like that aloud. Tell me, how's your training? You're running a few weeks behind the others, right? Is it discouraging? Or does it make it easier when Iesaryth has to do the same things later?" "I know." Brieli doesn't react to that defensiveness, but there might be a reassuring tone to her words; she knows, Iolene - don't worry. Putting the papers in hand down finally - correspondence, maybe - and picks up a bit of cheese and cracker. Wistfully, "It does sound nice, getting away. I suppose --" She'd say more, but she's too busy wincing at Io's sudden 'headache' - with a wry quirk of her lips, "It's not so much discouraging as it can be frustrating. Iesaryth is bright enough to know how to do things; to see the others and learn, to take direction - so it frustrates her to have physical limitations. I've been getting her to glide on the ice in lieu of flying, but it still eats at her. I'm not sure what she'll do when they fly. Or between." She can't help but shudder. There's sympathy in that wane face for Brieli, as Iolene finally reaches for a cracker on her own plate to nibble along the edge. "I will never enjoy flying between. Or going between, or whatever people call it. It might make it easier to get across Pern in three seconds, but at what cost? And Ysavaeth agrees, to an extent. There's positives to getting to Benden quickly, but when you do that, you miss seeing so much, and after living on a tiny island all my life, I like seeing things." The childishness of her statement draws another smile to her lips, quicker now, as her brain seems more stimulated by the conversation than her 'work'. Her free hand drifts to the top of her abdomen, the non-visible curve there nonetheless getting a testing feel and that cracker keeps getting nibbled at until it ends up flower-shaped. "Has you family ever come to visit you?" is the goldrider's sudden question. "Have they met Iesaryth?" With a smile, "I like seeing things too. There's something to the journey. People say nothing changes, but it does, over time." Brieli glances down at her plate to fiddle with her food, make a few little stacks of cheese-and-cracker for easier eating. "I don't know if I'll like it or not - between - but I can see the appeal of going the long way. We'll fly with you." Looking up to flash a grin at Iolene, it fades only a little at the question, and she shakes her head. "No... I don't have much family left, and the ones I wrote after the hatching... well. They were polite. It's fine. It was expected." But she seems shaken nonetheless, even now. Iolene looks instantly apologetic, her pretty face falling at Brieli's response, particularly as the vocal 'it's ok' doesn't quite jive with the shaken physical reaction. The hand to her abdomen lifts and places onto a space on the table between the two. "I'm sorry for being nosy. I just wondered. I've been thinking about family a lot lately. I lost my parents when I was young and then my grandparents when we were- rescued." Bitterness isn't present in her voice, but the hesitation might suffice in lieu. "Devaki and Riorde were my best friends and now they're both- they have their own lives. I'm sorry, Brieli." There's further hesitancy, a question unasked that hangs tangibly between them and in Io's dark blue eyes: do you want to talk more? But it her voice doesn't actually find air. "Don't -- Don't feel badly, please. I just didn't expect..." To be asked about it? Maybe. Brieli hestitates a moment before reaching out to cover Iolene's hand on the table and pat it gently. "I lost my parents too, I think I said that once - and I think maybe I would have liked them to visit. But things in families change over the years, I suppose." Her expression shades a touch darker for that hesitation, and she sighs heavily, straightening to take up her cup. "I'm sorry that... This place has taken so much from you. It gave you Ysavaeth, but it took your family." There's a weight to her words, and they don't quite reach bitter either, but it might be that she's not just talking about Iolene here. Her gaze, which had been occupied by her cup, drifts up to meet the blonde's again; with a slight smile, "I'm sorry I'm not always very forthcoming. Please, really. I didn't tell anyone I'd written them." The expression clears, though not for a few more lingering seconds, and in its place is an understanding nod, if not a small smile. "I'm probably more forthcoming than I should be sometimes. Too trusting. But when you grow up knowing everyone in your community, it's hard not to just trust people. You know?" Iolene turns her hand beneath Brieli's and clasps, a certain lightness to her grip that speaks further of the level of her sheer exhaustion. "Ysavaeth has come to terms with the fact that while she's filled many voids in my life, there are some things... like her having a clutch and K'del and I having a child... that are our personal joys. She didn't understand at first and I've hurt her a lot. Sometimes- a dragon is everything and still not enough." How depressing, and as if aware of just how depressing that thought could be, Iolene shakes her head, as if shaking off all the negative and when she exhales, it's with a briefly renewed outlook. "You'll be flying soon. It'll be spring soon, and Ysavaeth can't wait to show the weyrlings off at the next spring gather. Maybe you guys can do some sort of aerial show for Devaki and lady Issedi's wedding." "I suppose?" Brieli is at least trying to understand, by her somewhat bemused expression - though she does agree with Iolene, "You likely are a little too trusting, but that might be a better way to be than suspicious. Iesaryth thinks... Well." She stops herself, waving off the gold's opinions with her free hand, shaking her head. The blonde's grasp has her frowning a touch with concern again, but she's distracted by the discussion; "That's... That's sad that it hurt her. But it's true - and I imagine I should be glad that Iesaryth understands some parts of that, at least. She matches me up when she's bored." Perhaps the last is said to lighten the mood, offered with another grin. "It can be a little annoying when you're trying to concentrate. And maybe we could. Azaylia can't wait for the wedding, I think." "Does she?" The lighthearted subject change of what Iesaryth does in her free time interests Iolene for just that moment before her face pales and she looks incredibly queasy again. "You'll- have to tell me about it- some time." But not now. Looking a little horrified at her own lack of manners now, and none too well at this point, finger wiggles will have to suffice for how fast Io darts out of the living caverns towards, presuambly, the latrines, leaving all her work and leftover food behind. |
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