A Gift With a Hidden Meaning

Writers: AL, Heather
Date Posted: 16th August 2016

Characters: Irabel, Thayde
Description: Irabel brings Thayde a gift, but still doesn't find a way to share her feelings.
Location: Dolphin Hall
Date: month 7, day 1 of Turn 8

Thayde

Irabel fingered the petite package nervously. She had come to Thayde's quarters, a place she'd visited frequently since his return. Checking on him had been a front - well, sort of. The female dolphineer had always been concerned about him, how he was doing since his return, trying to make sure he was eating. However, the visits were not purely for his benefit, but partially for her own. She had missed Thayde. She had missed him more than she had ever thought possible. His disappearance had hammered something home, but she had yet to find the words to say to him.

The box itself was nothing special. Only a dull khaki colour, a small blue ribbon added a bit of spark, but it was not particularly fancy. Neither was the item it contained of great value, but she hoped he would like it all the same. After taking a few deep breaths, Irabel finally rapped upon the door, then waited for it to open.

Thayde looked up from the report he was reading when the knock came at this door. He still hadn't returned to full duty in the dolphin infirmary, but he was slowly beginning to read through the medical reports from the time that he had been gone so that he could catch up. "Coming," he called out as he set the reports down and pushed up from his chair.

"Irabel," his voice reflected his surprise as he opened the door, "come in."

She didn't have to ask, and that was good because if she had, Irabel might have lost her confidence. As the door widened, she stepped through and crossed the threshold. Nothing had changed, not that she had expected it to. She fingered the box again, but didn't just hand it over. "How are you feeling? She queried.

"Good, I didn't wonder where I was when I woke up this morning." He said as he reclaimed his chair and motioned for her to sit as well.

Irabel took the seat, setting her hands with the box in her lap. "Have you eaten today? All three meals?" That was important, especially after his ordeal.

Thayde fought off a smirk, "Yes, mother, I even brushed my teeth too."

Irabel's cheeks took on a distinct pink hue. Perhaps she'd better just move on to other topics. After another moment of fiddling with the box, she finally lifted it and held it out toward Thayde. "I...brought you something."

"Oh," the dolphineer took the box, and then looked back up at Irabel, "what's the occasion?"

If she said the true reason, simply because she had missed him and how much she had missed him and how grateful she was glad to have him back, Irabel wasn't sure he'd take it well. Instead, she simply said, "It's a welcome home gift."

Thayde pulled the ornamental knicknack from the box, "Thank you, Irabel." He stood and placed the blooming flower, made of different pieces of seashell, on the shelf beside of some pieces of sea glass that he'd collected over the Turns.

"Do you...like it?" His reaction hadn't been very revealing, not that Irabel was really good at determining such things. She watched him, wishing she could be as bold as he, trying to gather the courage and yet hesitating at every step.

"Of course I like it, it's a gift from a pretty lady." He smiled as he returned to his chair. "Where did you get it?"

"From the sea. I mean, I got the shells from the sea, then I put it together." Irabel didn't really make them for anyone else very often. She'd given away a few on occasion, but rarely. Mostly, she kept them for herself.

"Where did you learn to make them?" he asked curiously, since he'd never seen Irabel do anything other than her studies.

"Trial and error." Irabel shrugged. It was not something she shared with people often. Since it was rare for anyone to visit her in her quarters, such things generally went unnoticed. Thayde, however, was different.

"Have you talked to your mother yet about your promotion?" he asked.

Irabel didn't want to talk about her mother. That was the last thing she wanted to even think about. "I sent word to her, yes." A very short letter, but a letter none the less. "I haven't received word back yet."

"I bet she'll show up, she was very adamant about seeing you become a Master." He said, which was putting it lightly.

"Yes. She was." Honestly, Irabel hoped not. Her mother often made things...more tense. All right, ALWAYS made things more tense. "We'll see." She glanced back at the door, then to Thayde. "Do you...feel up for a walk? Maybe get some fresh air?"

"Sure, we could take some treats down to the pier." He was spending as much time daily in the water with Ada as his strength would allow, but he still felt as if he had a lot of missing time to make up for.

"That would be lovely." It would mean time with him and the dolphins, a combination Irabel couldn't refuse.

Stepping in to his sandals, Thayde grabbed the empty bucket by the door, "Let's go pick up those treats then."

Last updated on the December 17th 2016

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A Gift With a Hidden Meaning