Birthingdays are for Children (1)

Writers: Jane, Kaysea, Vix
Date Posted: 5th November 2007

Characters: Fog, Rahona, Lineal
Description: The Sungazer crew gathers to celebrate Fog's birthingday.
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 6, day 21 of Turn 4

"Happy birthingday, Fog," Lineal said, clasping his cousin's hand as the other man stepped through the door into the crew's common room. Behind Fog the paddlewheel was still since the Sungazer was tied up safely for the night and nearly all of the crew were gathered for a celebration.

Fog shook his head, "Not you as well?" he asked, looking a little shamefaced. "Birthingdays are for children," he continued, his voice, while trying to sound disdainful, held a touch of pleasure that people had actually remembered.

"Birthingdays are for everyone," Lineal insisted. "Even - How old _are_ you, or are you too embarrassed to admit it?"

"Old enough to know better." he muttered, shaking his cousins hand.
"Forty four, if you must know." he said, a smile sliding slowly across his face. "And you'll start catching me up soon." he nodded.

"You're nearly as old as Rahona," Lineal said, grinning at his wife's expression as she leaned forward to kiss Fog's cheek. "I'm in a whole different decade from you two."

"But someday you'll look around and find that most are younger than you are." The comment came from Vaheri who was circulating, refilling cups of juice from a pitcher, juice made from precious reserves of fresh fruit that was purchased for this special occasion. "At that point you'll realize that in many ways those turns make little difference."

"I'm glad to hear that," Rahona murmured. "Since Fog and I are apparently getting on in Turns."

"So I heard," Vaheri admitted, with a glance toward Lineal. "Though some should take a look and see just how many are younger than themselves before remarking on others' extreme age."

"Ah, Vaheri, what would I do without you to support and defend me?" Fog smiled while wrapping his arm around his aunts shoulder and planting a kiss firmly on her forehead. His eyes met Lineal's over her head, and they crinkled in a smile as he winked at him and then Rahona. "You're sure you're happy with the _child_ Rahona?" he chuckled.

"I'm under attack from all sides," Lineal complained, then staggered under the onslaught of a much younger body - his daughter Lihona. "Happy birthingday, Fog!" she said once she had settled herself in her father's arms and could look Linli's father in the eye.

"Thank you, Lihona." Fog smiled, a little envious of the relationship the pair had, but he couldn't complain, Linli and he had been developing one this last few sevenday. "Is Linli with you?" he asked looking around, but neither of his daughters appeared present at the moment.

"Nope. I had to help Rahona with the meal. She didn't have to, so -"
The girl shrugged. "I'm sure she won't be late. There's food."

With a distracted smile and nod, Fog's eyes skimmed the laden table -
all of his favourite foods were laid out, but it was his missing daughters that took his attention. "Tahna's not here either." he said quietly. Birthingdays may be for children, but he thought the girls would have at least wished him a happy day.

"They'll be here," Lihona insisted, then looked as if she regretted the words.

"Up to something, are they?" Lineal asked with a laugh. "Come on, Fog.
Let's get something to eat before there's nothing left."

"Aye, may as well." he said with a half smile and followed his cousin to the laden table. His eyes continued for a few moments to skim the room, in case he had missed the girls, but they weren't there.

"Sssh! Linli, don't make too much noise." Tahna warned, and galnced over her sisters head to her aunt. "You're sure he'll like this?" she asked Neke.

"Yes, of course he will." Neke assured the girl, "He'll love it all the more because you both made it for him."

Linli tiptoed along the deck in exaggerated movements, the package she carried held tightly to her. She was more excited about this birthingday than any before, this would be the first time she had actively helped in making anyone a gift, and her eyes twinkled brightly in excitement.

"Here, let me." Neke reached over her younger niece and opened the common room door, pushing it open to allow Linli entrance. With a giggle, the young girl walked into the room.

Lineal paused, a meatroll halfway to his mouth. "Fog," he hissed, nodding toward the door.

Stopping to refill their klah mugs, Vaheri leaned to whisper to both men. "Just relax and let them take their surprise at their own pace."

Fog turned slowly towards the doorway, his eyes slowly moving across the room, both Lineal's and Vaheri's words in his head. His eyes lit on Linli as she came through the doorway, followed closely by Tahna and Neke. The parcel in his youngest daughters arms almost blocking her from his vision.

Last updated on the November 9th 2007

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Birthingdays are for Children (1)