Looking to the Future

Writers: Emma, Miriah
Date Posted: 30th November 2020

Characters: Teseada, Ninaine
Description: Teseada and Ninaine visit and clear the air, then look to the future
Location: Barrier Lake Weyr
Date: month 6, day 19 of Turn 10
Notes: Mentioned: N'call, J'lor, T'lat, L'keri

Teseada

Ninaine

Luneth appeared over Barrier Lake Weyrhold for the first time and
slowly swept a low circle around the area, looking down at the
buildings and the strange layout of the new Weyrhold. To the green's
eye, it was funny looking, especially with the bowl off to the side
like that and the crescent of the curving cliffs filled with water. It
did, however, look to be a fine fishing and swimming area. The green
wondered if she would be able to take some time to find out. But she
couldn't fly for long and at the direction of the watch dragon, Luneth
landed.

Ninaine slowly pulled off her riding helmet as she Luneth lowered
herself to allow her rider to carefully dismount with her squirming
burden. Callaine poked her young head out of her own wrappings and
peered around with just as much interest. "Da?"

"No, not yet." She adjusted Callaine in her arms. "Da's busy. We're
going to see Auntie Teseada. Hopefully."

"Tes tes!" Callaine bounced eagerly.

**Luneth would you see if Teseada is available? And if she'd like to see
us?**

The message was swiftly passed in the way only dragons could. Onnyth
informed her rider who didn't need an excuse to shove the hides to one side.

{{Shall I tell them you're on your way?}} asked the gold.

**Yes, do that,** Teseada told her, even as she waved at a passing drudge to
ask for some refreshments to be sent to her quarters.

Luneth rumbled as she peered about, interested in the activity of the
new Weyr. There was much more bustle and movement here at Barrier
Lake and the green noticed with excitement that there were plenty of
handsome males as well. She searched the area for one in particular,
but with a measure of disappointment, didn't see him.

It was a bit warmer here, but there was still a bit of chill in the
air and the seasons began to change. Ninaine bounced Callaine in her
arms, looking around with just as much interest. She could see now why
N'call seemed so busy and more active than he had at Dragonsfall.
There was so much going on that it was almost distracting. There
didn't seem to be anyone being idle. As she turned, she saw a
familiar figure approach and Callaine squealed with delight. "Tes
tes!" Her little arms waved in excitement as Ninaine left Luneth to
explore and walked to meet the goldrider. "Hi. I hope you don't mind a
quick visit."

"No, not at all." Teseada managed to keep most of the surprise out of her
voice. Their last meeting hadn't ended on friendly terms at all, in fact she
had thought that there was every chance that Tecall wouldn't see his
siblings in a long while, at least not with her present.

"And you brought Callaine," Teseada gave the little one a big smile. "Have
you got a hug for me?"

"Tes!" With a happy smile, Callaine thrust her arms out in immediate
demand and Ninaine handed her to Teseada.

"She's missed you. And Tecall. I couldn't bring the twins too. I
didn't think I could handle all three of them in flight." Ninaine
shoved a piece of hair behind her ear. "Do you have a moment?
Somewhere we can talk?" She glanced around. "I didn't know where to
find your quarters."

"It's this way," Teseada said as she settled the youngster more comfortably.
"Tecall is with his fostermother, but his toybox will have something to
amuse her. We can go and see him before you go, she must miss her brother."

"She does. The babies can't really play with her and honestly, she's
not that thrilled right now with their existence. They have different
fostermothers, so she's actually not around them too much. " Ninaine
followed Teseada as they walked and when they finally entered the
private weyr, her eyes widened. "Wow. It's really nice." Her eyes
flicked over her surroundings; there were some of N'call's shirts, a
pair of his boots. It looked like a home. A very nice, warm and
comforting home. She couldn't help but feel like she was intruding.
"The new construction definitely has some benefits."

"It does," Teseada said. "All the space to spread out as they build."
Depositing Callaine on a rug, she reached out to pull open the
aforementioned toy box. "I knew it, he left Dagon here," that was a by now
rather disreputable soft toy that had once been meant to be a shiny bronze
dragon. "I bet you could tell him some stories of what he's missed," Teseada
said as she handed the toy to the child. "He'll tell them to Tecall later."

"Sit down, anywhere," Teseada gestured. "I asked for some refreshments, so
they should arrive soon."

Callaine eagerly took the toy and began examining it, waving it in the
air as though it was flying as she giggled. Ninaine smiled as her
daughter began babbling in a mixture of baby talk and words, seemingly
now content to play. At Teseada's gesture, she took a seat and settled
her hands in her lap. "Thank you. For the refreshments. You didn't
need to go to that sort of trouble." She took a breath, looked around
again, then sighed. "I kind of planned a visit when I knew N'call
would be at drills." She rubbed her hands along her thighs. "I wanted
to come to you to apologize. About how I acted before. I shouldn't
have done that."

"You had every right," Teseada said. "I went in, flame throwers blazing
away. I didn't take your feelings into account at all." And she knew it, it
had sounded all so simple to her at the time. What she hadn't counted on
was how other's wouldn't see it that way. "I thought I'd grown up a bit
more, but it seems I can act her age still," she gestured to Callaine. "And
I'm sorry for that."

"So can I," Ninaine admitted ruefully. "I've been really jealous, of you
and the amount of time you get with N'call. It's been really hard and I felt
abandoned. But, " she shifted in her chair, "I know it's not entirely his
fault and it's not yours either. It's just a hard situation." Ninaine looked
at Teseada and offered a smile. I understand you wanting a full sibling for
Tecall. It's not my place to object to it. N'call loves you. And I wanted
you to know, if it happens, I'll be happy for the both of you."

"I," began Teseada, who broke off when she heard a soft knocking at the
door. "Come in," she called out. This at least was giving her time to
marshal her thoughts into some sort of order.

It was a girl from the kitchens with a platter of cakes and biscuits, along
with a jug of juice. "Thank you," Teseada told her, "We'll let you know if
we want anything else."

After the girl had gone, Teseada continued, even as she reached to pour out
some juice. "I never thought it would be easy - you see I think he loves
both of us, but in slightly different ways. I think I understand now what my
father was going through with my mother and J'nev's mother. He loved them
both, but my mother couldn't deal with it."

She remembered Teseada telling her about her family and nodding Ninaine rose
to take a cup of the juice before returning to her seat. "And it broke your
family. " she took a sip of the juice. "I don't want that to happen. And I
don't want N'call to feel like he has to choose between one of us. It would
be different if I didn't like you, " she admitted, "but I do. So, what
should we do?"

"You could move here?" suggested Teseada after a moment. "It would make
things easier, and I'm sure any of the wings would love to have you. Plus
our children, all of them could grow up together, like they should." As she
said the last, her hand drifted up to cradle her stomach protectively.
"Because, because I think I might well be pregnant after all, and I could
use the help if I am."

"I was trying. But Kapera hasn't approved it because Luneth can't fly Thread
and..." Ninaine's eyes widened as her voice trailed off at Teseada's last
statement. Her eyes moved to where the other woman's hand lay. "Oh. Does
N'call know yet? He hasn't said anything." Then again, her reaction to the
suggestion before now hadn't been encouraging. It was possible that he
simply was taking the time to enjoy the new pregnancy before informing her.
She couldn't blame him. "Congratulations, Tes. I'm happy for you. I really
am." She offered her hand.

Teseada took it with her own hand. "I haven't told N'call yet, I have a
healer's appointment tomorrow and I'll know for certain one way or the other
after that." She shifted slightly to look Ninaine in the eye, "I meant it,
about the help if I am having a baby, because I'll be juggling a dragon
ready to clutch, and then when she's got eggs on the sands... I can talk to
Kapera for you, if you think that would help?"

Ninaine held Teseada's hand and took a moment to collect her thoughts.
She'd been preparing to make the decision to remain at Dragonsfall and
step away, allowing them their happiness. She didn't want to give up
N'call, but had been thinking that eventually it would be inevitable.
But if Teseada could speak to Kapera, perhaps it wouldn't be. "I'd be
happy to help you, Tes. If you could convince Kapera to let me come
here, if only to help you, I think that would help both of us. I'd
have to find a new foster mother for Callaine and the babies but I
could make myself useful. I wouldn't ask for a large weyr or anything
that would put a working dragon pair out."

"I'll speak to Kapera," repeated Teseada. "I bet we can think of something
between us. You have so much to offer, and it would be a shame not to use
that."

"Thank you." Ninaine's reply was soft, then strengthened, going to
practical matters.. "If I'm allowed to transfer, will N'call continue
to live here with you? If I'm to have a small weyr, perhaps that would
make sense, especially if you are with child. You'll want him close, I
imagine. And he'd want to be close. A small weyr wouldn't be able to
accomodate a bronze and a green. And, I suppose since Luneth is
retired, I could watch our children more and rely less on foster
parents. That may be better for all of them."

"We'll work it out, You'll need somewhere big enough for you and the
children, and handle having Haloth there as well," Teseada was thinking
aloud. "They're building a family size weyr just around the corner that
might be perfect, and it close enough that when the children are old enough
they can wander between without getting lost, they'd be in sight the whole
way."

"Perhaps, if Kapera approves it, that would work," Ninaine agreed, but
make a point mentally not to get her hopes up. The weyr might have
been already marked for another family. If the Weyrwoman did approve
it, she would be starting all over. The friendships she'd formed with
J'lor, T'lat and L'keri would diminish. She'd have to find a
Mindhealer here to see. She'd have to re-establish herself. Would it
be worth it? She looked around, saw N'call's boots and decided it
would be. She couldn't give him up, not unless there was no other
choice. "As soon as you hear anything let me know."

"I will do, I promise." Teseada said. "About both things, coming here, and
whether she's going to have a sibling."

Ninaine nodded. "Thank you, Teseada." She looked over at Callaine.
"She'll be happier here with her Da. She's missed him so much." She
gave a slight squeeze of Teseada's hand and rose. "I better get
going."

"I'll walk you back to Luneth," Teseada said as she also got to her feet.
"Want to go past the creche and see Tecall quickly? It's on the way?"

"I'd love to see him. So would Callaine" She scooped up Callaine, who
immediately thrust her little arms out to Teseada, insisting that she
carry her instead."But...do me a favor? Don't tell N'call. If it's
approved, I'd like to surprise him."

"I understand. And I'll make Onnyth understand so she doesn't tell Haloth."
Teseada smiled as she reached for Callaine. "He will like this though. I
know he will."

Last updated on the December 14th 2020

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