A Sensible Adult Woman

Writers: Jane, Kaysea
Date Posted: 13th June 2007

Characters: Arateyka, R'harne
Description: Arateyka asks R'harne about his sister's life on the riverboat.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 4, day 19 of Turn 4

"Ale?"

"Hmm." Arateyka wasn't always a fan of the beers and ales but R'harne
was, so she settled down opposite him and reached for the pitcher and a
spare glass that was sitting up-ended on a tray in the middle of the
table. "Have you heard from you sister?"

The brownrider smiled. "I have. A letter from a watch dragon via a
Dolphin Cove bluerider who has a weyrmate here. From Emerald Falls."

"And?" she prompted as she sipped the ale. "How is she getting on?"

R'harne shrugged. "Apparently incredibly well. Lovely people,
interesting life. Children are settled, Lineal is always around."

The journeywoman smith couldn't miss his dry tone. "You don't _believe_
her?"

"I don't disbelieve her," he corrected. "I don't know. I suppose I
worry about her in an environment so different from the one she's used
to." He leaned back in his chair and smiled across the table at his
weyrmate's sister. "Isn't it usually you who worries about women –" he
waved his hand with the glass in a general movement that indicated no
particular direction, "- out there?"

"Craftswomen," Arateyka admitted her smile rueful. "That sounds
elitist, doesn't it?"

"A little bit, but I'm only really worried about Rahona and the children
so I have no room to comment." He sighed. "I don't know, Ara.
Rahona's not the sort of woman to lie, but anybody can get into that
spot where it's hard to admit they've made a mistake." He laughed.
"I've done it once or twice – usually relationships."

"Not Teykara?"

R'harne's green eyes reflected his amusement at the worried frown on the
smith's face. "No, not with Teykara. But I'm sure you've been there
too. When it's too embarrassing to admit you've been wrong and so you
let things ride. I don't think Rahona would ever lie, but that ...
That can happen to anybody."

"But Nalin and Lihona?"

He took a long sip from his glass and nodded. "Yes. I think she would
admit to a mistake for them, if not for her. But I do intend to always
make it easy for her to come home, or send the children home if that's
her choice. What else can I do? _Tell_ a grown woman what to do?"

"No. Of course not."

"She's a sensible adult woman who's chosen to make this move. I'm only
her brother and if I think I should look out for her, and want to, I've
got to do that on her terms." He looked at the empty glass with the
inevitable sigh of disappointment. The jug was probably empty as well
now, and he should get off to his Weyr and Teykara. He put the glass
down on the table. "I've got a lead on a firelizard clutch somebody's
willing to part with a few eggs from, so I'm getting her one of those.
And I'll visit. And – most importantly – she seems happy after a
sevenday. They certainly seemed nice people when we dropped her off there."

Arateyka nodded, thinking as much about her own situation as about
Rahona's. Were there nice people out there? Did she need to go out and
discover that for herself as Rahona had?

"Well, I'm away," R'harne said, getting to his feet. "Are you going to
finish that?" he asked, nodding at the still half-full glass.

"Probably not," she admitted, feeling the heat of embarrassment in her
cheeks.

"What a waste. No more of my ale for you," he said, waggling a finger
at her. "'Night Ara. Don't worry about Rahona. I'm doing a fine job of
that all by myself."

"Good night, R'harne," she said, taking another token sip of the ale and
then putting the glass down to head off to her own bed and the thoughts
about life outside the Weyr that were becoming more intrusive every day.

Last updated on the June 19th 2007

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A Sensible Adult Woman