Not Like Things Used to Be

Writers: Eimi, Emma
Date Posted: 1st August 2005

Characters: Daigoro, Fieayz
Description: Daigoro offers a shoulder to Fieayz.
Location: Vintner Hall
Date: month 7, day 4 of Turn 3

Daigoro smiled as he walked towards the young woman sitting on the bench, her face turned towards the afternoon sun. "Hello there Fieayz. What are you up to then?"

"Just thinking," she said automatically, before looking up and realising who it was. At that point she added a hasty "Sir," to her statement. The last thing she needed was to be reported to her father for impertinence again.

"Don't take that formal tone with _me_ young lady. I've known you since you were a small lass." He gave her a wink and a gentle smile to let her know he was teasing.

She shifted over slightly on the bench, making room for him to join her, smiling at him. "I was just thinking about how it used to be."

He took the offered seat. Something in her smile made him think that her reflections weren't all so pleasant. If one is thinking about things _used_ to be, it means those things are now no longer. He gave her a gentle nudge. "Go on."

"I miss Mama," she said simply. And to see another in her place, despite knowing that her mother would never leave River Bluff now, it hurt.

"Ah." Daigoro nodded. "What do you miss?"

"Having her here, to talk to." Yes, there were people here she could talk to, but it wasn't the same as her mother. And now her father had married again, well was this woman expected to take that place. "Papa's married again, and I don't know this woman, I don't know if I can talk to her."

"Ah." He nodded. "And she's not so very much older than yourself. I'm sure that must make things a bit... confusing."

Fieayz nodded. "Mama just had a way of knowing what was wrong."

"And your father?" Daigoro asked gently. "Does he know that something is wrong?"

"He's busy all the time," there was an odd tone to Fieayz's voice.

"Yes, he does seem a bit... distracted." Daigoro put a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Is that what's bothering you?"

"I think so, I mean it could be. I don't know." Aware that she probably sounded like a four turn old child crying for attention, she said. "Is it wrong to want things how they used to be?"

"No no." Daigoro reassured her with a friendly pat. "Even _I_ wish things could be like the _used to be_ sometimes. But as you grow older, you learn that you have to find a way to adapt to the way things are _now_. Sometimes talking to a friend about it helps."

"Can I talk to you?" she asked.

"Of course you can, Fieayz," he nodded slowly. "And I promise I will not breath a word of what you tell me to a living person. Not even your father."

"I got used to doing things at the Weyr," she said. "It's a little hard to come back to doing things that Papa deems suitable."

"I suppose life is very different at the Weyr than it is in the Hall." Daigoro thought it best not to ask what all those differences _were_ of course. One did hear rumors of scandalous things that happened at the Weyrs, but Fieayz and her sister were good girls. He would assume the best of them.

"I got to try things, I helped out after fall, I fed the beasts, I even tried to teach children once, but Papa thinks that those things are not right for a young lady."

"Ah, yes. I suppose he would see it that way, wouldn't he." Daigoro had his own views of what was and wasn't right for a young lady. He was raised in Topaz Sea Hold, afterall, where they had different views on that sort of thing.

"It's just hard to come back."

"I can imagine. You have had a view of a completely different side of Pern life." The Hallsecond had never been to a Weyr, and though he didn't know how he felt about their openness in some areas, when it came to treatment of women he wished the Holds and Hall could be so broad-minded. "And many things have changed in the Hall too, have they not. What do you think of Badia?"

"I don't really know her, I've not had a chance to talk to her outside of meal times, and Papa likes them to be formal."

"Perhaps you can find a time to meet her outside of meal times. The woman must do _something_ during the day." **Besides entertain the Hallmaster** Daigoro added silently to himself.

"That's a good idea," she said after a moment.

"She is... a bit young to be your mother's replacement in all things. But perhaps you can find a way to be friends." Daigoro gave her shoulder an encouraging squeeze. He hated to see the young woman hurting.

"I hope so, for Papa's sake."

"And for your's too. I suppose you haven't been able to see your father much lately."

She shook her head. "He just doesn't seem as interested anymore. When I went to tell him about Arva's eggs..." Her voice trailed off, "It was like they couldn't wait to get rid of me."

"I think it's a phase, Fieayz. It's not that he doesn't care. He's just..." Daigoro wondered how he could explain these things to such a young woman and still stay in the bounds of propriety. "Well, everything is new and exciting right now. Pretty soon things should become more routine."

"I hope so," she said. "Even Jielta's a little upset by it, I can tell, even though she won't talk to me about it."

"Well, you know you girls can always come and talk to me. I've known you both since you were this high, and I promise, not a word to your father."

"Thank you," she said simply. "It's nice to know that there is someone there."

"Anytime, just look for old Daigoro," he said as he gave her shoulder one final squeeze. "Anytime."

Last updated on the August 16th 2005

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Not Like Things Used to Be