Red Sky At Morning

Writers: Eimi, Suzee
Date Posted: 9th July 2013

Characters: Morin, Sophque
Description: Sophque remembers a tragic loss, and a new beginning...
Location: Sunstone Seahold
Date: month 1, day 20 of Turn 7

Sophque

It was early morning when Sophque returned to her cot from her work in
the Hold. Dawn slashed the sky with a sullen red and she shuddered.
Red was the color of the sky on that day. Storms weren't uncommon in
their portion of Pern but this color was angry and she just knew there
were ships out there in the way of an approaching storm.

She sent a quick good wish toward the towering clouds for all those
upon the sea to make port and safety. It didn't matter that her
husband hadn't been the best of men, she still was concerned for all
those who made their livelihood upon the waves.

Her mother was keeping Sophine for her during the mornings so she
could get a few hours of sleep after work, before she brought her
across the small courtyard that separated their cots. She silently
thanked Morin for making certain she had enough for her own place. She
couldn't have faced the thought of having to move back in with her
parents.

She quickly washed up and pulled her dark curtains closed before she
lay down to sleep. But her mind just couldn't shut down. Instead it
returned to that day.

~*~

It had been three sevendays and she paced on the dock watching the
horizon. Others of the wives had taken their own turns looking out to
sea for the ship that never came. Sophque tried to hold the panic down
to keep it from gibbering in the back of her mind with all kinds of
portents of disaster. But she'd checked with the harbormaster and the
drums hadn't spoken of the Seawind in a month. Storms had swept them,
other ships had arrived but not Inokin's.

Her fingers twisted in knots as she paced slowly back and forth, back
and forth.

Their vigil had not escaped the notice of Holder Morin, though he
noticed fewer and fewer wives seemed to be taking their turn down on the
docks. Whenever he had a spare moment, which was rare these days, and
was in the area, he made a point to acknowledge them with a kind and
encouraging word, though he was pretty sure at this point that hope was
not only faded, it was all but extinguished. Walking out of a meeting
with his Harbor Master, he saw a lone figure standing at the end of the
pier, staring out towards Wall Island. He had a moment to spare, he
decided as he made his way towards her.

Sophque shifted from foot to foot as the sun sank toward the horizon.
Her hope had faded days ago but she wasn't going to give up yet. She
heard the footsteps behind her and though Rozina had come as her
relief. "Nothing at all," she said as she turned. "Oh," she said as
she saw who it was. "I'm sorry sir I thought it was... someone else."

"Forgive me," Morin said, raising a hand in an apologetic gesture. "I
didn't mean to startle you." Her face looked strangely familiar.
Unless he was mistaken, she was the woman who brought him a drink and
talked to him in the corridor at the end of that first Threadfall.
"I'm sorry, didn't we meet before?"

She bobbed a curtsy with a soft smile. She wouldn't have thought in
her wildest dreams that the Holder would have any memory of that
event. "Yes sir," she said. "At first fall. My father was head of your
orchard ground crew."

"Yes, I remember. He said your name was... Sophque?" Morin had a
knack for faces and names. It was an advantage in his position.

"Yes," her smile broadened a little. It was more than nice that he'd
actually remembered her name. "I'm just..." she waved helplessly
toward the bay.

Morin nodding his understanding. He knew why she was there. But he had
not realized that her husband would be among the missing. "There's
always hope," he assured her, though he was pretty sure they both knew
it was fading faster every day.

She closed her eyes and tilted her head with a wry smile. "Thats kind
of you to say." But she was pretty sure they both knew they were just
kind words and hope had ended more than a week ago. She couldn't bare
to look at what her future or independence would look like without a
husband.

"I'm truly sorry, Sophque," he said softly. It was obvious she was not
holding on to false hope. She understood her situation well. He
wondered what kind of loyalty made her stand on that dock when she knew
in her heart he was gone. "Is there anything I can do?"

Forever after she'd never figure out what gave her the courage in that
moment to speak up. But as she pressed on the corner of her eye to try
and hold back the tears that threatened, she sniffed "Oh I don't know,
got a job in your pocket?"

"For who?" he asked curiously. Surely, she wasn't old enough to have a
son ready to support her.

"Me," she said softly.

That was odd to him. While the Hold would never leave someone to
starve, he certainly thought that the family in these cases would
welcome their widowed daughter back until other arrangements could be
made for their future. He knew she had family in the Hold. Did she
have children that she was trying to support, then? "Will your father
not support you if your husband does not come home?" he asked with
sincere gentleness, trying to understand her particular circumstances.

How could she explain to him that her father's plans for her were
repugnant. Inokin had been difficult but he was gone the majority of
the time and she'd learned to deal with him. She didn't want to be
married off to the big farmer who'd already put two wives in the
grave. Rumors were rife but her father ignored them and just saw it as
a way to get her off his hands again. If she could somehow get a job
and remain independent she wouldn't _have_ to marry until she chose.

"He will sir, I just hoped to support myself..." It has been a far
fetched hope she knew but she still had time. There would be the the
wait to see if she carried. Then the mourning period. She still had
time.

That seemed a little odd, and yet he respected her for desire for
independence. Many women were grateful to shelter with their family
after such a tragic loss. But then again, who was to say it was really
so tragic for her. He never knew her husband. "What can you do?"

"Well," she started while she racked her brain to answer his question.
"I tell good stories," but she shook her head. That wasn't going to
get her any wages. "And I can embroider, sew and mend. My stitches are
very fine." She had been told that many times by other women of her
acquaintance.

"A seamstress then," he said, thinking out loud. There was probably a
space for one more on the Hold's staff. But he wondered, "Do all the
women feel the same?"

She shook her head knowing there were many who were satisfied with
their lot and had family to support them but she didn't want to go
back to dependence when she'd been independent for so long between her
husbands visits home. She wanted to be able to buy a book if she felt
like it instead of begging her father for a mark. "Maybe one other,"
she said. "But then Romilla has two almost grown sons who are going go
to work."

"Have you ever worked before? It won't be easy, working _and_ keeping
your home up yourself." He just wanted to make sure she was prepared
for a very different life from the one she'd led until now.

"No," she said but showed her eagerness to try as she went on. "I
don't have anyone to care for so it's just me and it's just a small
cot, just two rooms really." She looked down at her hands and shook
her head. "I've never been blessed with children."

And they would have been a comfort at this time, he thought. "You're
still young. You will yet have a chance to be a mother. Of that I'm
certain," Morin assured her. She seemed level headed, and he could
admire her desire for independence. It was something he could relate
to. "I'm sure the Hold's staff could use another seamstress. And if
your friend also would like work, we will find something that will suit
her skills as well." There was no harm in giving them a try. If they
proved unable to work out, they could go back to their families, after
all.

She almost hugged him, but only almost. Her face broke out into a
wreath of smiles "Thank you, thank you," She clutched her hands in
front of her to make them behave.

"It's the least I can do," he assured her. Morin would speak to the
Headwoman in the morning and ask her to make arrangements. "Go to the
Headwoman in a couple days. She can decide where best you would fit
with the Hold staff. Any another women who are looking to support
themselves." The more hands the better in a growing Hold. "Do you
think some will need a creche for their children?"

Trust him to think of something as simple as that. "Yes sir," she
nodded suddenly feeling a bit of pressure as a spokeswoman for the
rest of her gender at the hold. "I'm sure some of them would actually
want to be the creche workers if there were a place." She clutched his
instructions to her heart and the well of relief threatened tears of
joy.

He hummed thoughtfully. Yes, that would be a good place for some of
these women, he thought. They already had a creche for the few women
who did work in the hold assisting the Headwoman, in the kitchens, in
the laundry. It would probably be a place where many of these women,
who had been taken care of all their lives and never had to try to
support themselves, might feel comfortable. Finally he nodded, deciding
that the Headwoman would know best, but he would make the suggestions.
"I will speak to the Headwoman then. In the meantime, if you could
spread the word to the other women..."

"Thank you," she said again though she meant it with all her heart.
"And if I can ever..." her words trailed off as she realized just who
she was offering to help and she tilted her head with a grin. "I
really do mean it."

~*~

"Thank you," she whispered into the darkened room. Just remembering
the day Morin had first saved her had helped to ease the dread she'd
been feeling from the red sky of the morning. He'd given her more than
she'd ever asked. But more importantly he'd let her into a tiny corner
of his life and she'd grown to love the man behind the Lord Holder.

Sophque was under no illusions about their relationship. It could end
as suddenly as it began but he cared for her now. She really believed
that and someday when Sophine was old enough, she would know her daddy
had loved her mommy, even if that was the only thing she _could_know
about the man who had fathered her.

Last updated on the July 17th 2013

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Red Sky At Morning