Keeping in Touch

Writers: Eimi, Paula
Date Posted: 6th June 2017

Characters: Aileyan, Merlish, Eilomar, Ravyan
Description: Aileyan and her son pay their family at the Harper Hall a visit
Location: Harper Hall
Date: month 12, day 14 of Turn 8

"Now, remember to be nice and behave while we're visiting Granpa and Merlish," Aileyan admonished her son while attaching him to Kjarliheth's straps.

"I always behave," Ravyan replied innocently. Aileyan lauged softly and gave him a kiss before attaching herself.

Kjarliheth launched to the air and Aileyan summoned the image of Harper Hall. With the strained relationships between Weyrs and Emerald Falls Hold, she hadn't been visiting that often. They /betweened/.

"Do a barrel roll! Do a barrel roll, Kjarrie!" Ravyan was urging the green when they reappeared to the sky above Emerald Falls Hold.

** Not aerial tricks!** Aileyan told her sternly.

}: But the hatchling wants to { Kjarlitheth said.

** No trick! ** Aileyan stayed firm and guided her to land. Kjarliheth announched their arrival with loud call.

Merlish jumped at the sound. The sound of green had not been the cause of her start, but rather the fact that their guests had arrived before she was ready! She had been putting the final decoration on the cake she had baked for their dessert. **Good enough,** she assured herself as she untied her apron from the back. Her hands stilled for a moment, **It is good enough, right?**

For some reason, Merlish always felt more than a little self-conscious when Master Eilomar's family visited. She always wondered if they compared her to their own mother. Of course, from all the stories, it seemed the woman had left the bar fairly low for her. But still, she was their father's _second_ wife...

No, it would have to do, she decided as she pulled the apron tie over her head and hung it back up in it's proper spot. "Husband, are you ready? I believe Aileyan and your grandson are here!"

"Already? Must be wonderful to have a dragon and the ability to go anywhere in a blink of an eye," Eilomar stepped out of his office/practise room.

Kjarliheth sulked when she backwinded to land outside the master harper's cot. She so wanted to do aerial tricks to impress people.

Merlish quickly adjusted her husband's collar before taking his arm. "You look handsome, husband," she said with more assurance than she felt. Her confidence didn't extend to her own appearance. **Will she notice that I gained a bit of weight?** she wondered.

Aileyan helped Ravyan out and dismounted herself.

"Hey, Granpa! Autie Merlish!" Ravyan yelled and ran to meet them, He had picked up a habit of calling her auntie from somewhere. It was probably better than calling her grandma, since she was only two Turns older than Aileyan.

Aileyan approached with more sedate pace. She always felt so shy around Merlish. What did she think of her? They were close in age and Aileyan so wanted her to like her. That her father had married someone so young didn't bother Aileyan a bit. She had seen stranger pairins during her Turns at the Weyr.

"Hello Ravyan," Merlish grinned, dropping her husband's arm so she could bend to do the boy's level. Behind a child was always a safe place to hide. She often took advantage of that fact when Aileyan was around. "Did you have a good flight?"

"It was boring," Ravyan gave her a hug. "Mom doesn't let Kjarliheth do barrel rolls."

"Not when you're on board. Hello Father, Hello Merlish. How have you been?" Aileyan replied.

"Nice to see you again Aileyan, Ravyan;" Eilomar greeted.

"It's a pleasure to see you, Aileyan," Merlish said with a small nod as she stood back up to her full height, folding her hands self-consciously in front of her stomach. "How do you fare these days?"

"We're doing well, thank you," Aileya replied with kind of stiff formality.

"I can read now!" Ravyan declared.

"Can you now? We'll make a harper out of you yet," Eilomar chuckled.

Merlish turned her attention to the Master Harper and the boy. He could be very sweet with his little grandson in a way that would surprise most people. "You are truly a smart boy, Ravyan," she said with a grin. "And I think you've grown taller, too!"

"Based on how he sticks out of his clothes, I'm sure of it," Aileyan murmured.

"Shall we move indoors," Eilomar suggested. He wanted that cake he had smelled Merlish baking.

As Ravyan bounded ahead and Eilomar, no doubt after that cake followed behind, it left Merlish and Aileyan to bring up the rear. With another polite head bob, the master's wife fell in beside the dragonrider. "Your green Kjarliheth looks to be in good health."

"She is in good health, we have been spared for Scorings," Aileyan replied. She fretted to find something to say. "You look well too."

"Oh? Thank you," Merlish said, actually blushing. She was sure Aileyan was just being kind. After a few steps she said a bit more quietly, "I know I've put on a bit of weight recently. Master Eilomar's diet doesn't seem to do well with my body, unfortunately.

"You have?" Aileyan hadn't noticed any weight gain, "It really doesn't show off." She remembered the meals his father ate when she was child. "Yes, he always has enjoyed eating," Aileyan said. "Do you have to eat same food than he does? I'm pretty sure my mother made herself something else."

"It just seems so wasteful, cooking two meals instead of one. Very few recipes are made with a single person eating it in mind, and it means buys twice the stores." Melish took a surreptitious glance over at the greenrider, envying her petite frame. "You are so lucky that you can eat in a dinning hall where there are so many choices on offer."

"Lucky, yes, I couldn't cook if my life depended on it," Aileyan sighed. Her mother had neglected to tech her that. Her older sister, yes, she was excellent cook.

"Thankfully in a Weyr you have everything you need. You must be very happy there." Though Merlish could not say that she would be happy in such a life, it certainly seemed to suit the young greenrider. But she wasn't sure she would have been suited to a life of so much adventure.

"Yes, I'm happy there. I would never be happy as someone's wife. Unlike my sister, who is very happy being a Holder's wife," Aileyan replied.

Merlish wondered if that was why she had brought no man with her when visited now. And why Ravyan's father was not really spoken of. The Weyr was very different indeed. And maybe Aileyan looked down on women who preferred a life taking care of a family and a man. Women like herself. She again suddenly felt on very unstable ground. "Yes, well, Ravyan seems to be growing up very well," she said by way of steering the conversation to much safer topics.

"He's a happy little weyrbrat, well, not so little anymore," Aileyan agreed. At least she had gotten that right.

"Well, his visits make his grandfather and I very happy." And perhaps someday, there would be a little one of their own to be his playmate...

Aileyan nodded. "I want Ravyan to stay in touch with his relatives in Hold and Hall," she said. She felt important that her son was surrounded with loving people and that he knew his kin.

"You are always welcome," Merlish said with a smile as she held the door open for her guest. **And maybe someday, we can be friends, too...**

Ravyan's head peered out. "Hurry up or there won't be any cake left for you." He had a cream-moustace.

Last updated on the June 8th 2017

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