So Kind

Writers: AL, Vix
Date Posted: 8th April 2008

Characters: Eliste, Vaheri, Jardon
Description: Vaheri and Jardon visit Eliste at the hold and come bearing a gift.
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 9, day 12 of Turn 4

Bedrest was not exactly how Eliste would have chosen to spend her days.
She found it boring. The bed was comfortable enough, and the people were ever so kind, but she wished she could get up and take a walk outside, even if it was freezing. It was better than being stuck in bed all day. However, she did not dare. The healer had given strict orders and she would do anything to protect her baby. So, she spent her time in bed. There was one consolation - she could sew while on bedrest.

She was working on a couple of very small quilts. None of them would be of any use as a coverlet - they were far too small. No, but they made nice wall hangings and she hoped they would cheer up the rooms of the people to whom she was going to give them. She had already made one for Vaheri, Linli, Tahna, and Barr. They were so small, they went quickly.

She had one in the works for Lineal and Fog as well as Nico. She was at various stages on all of them. Lineal's was almost done, it just needed to be bound. Nico's was pieced, but needed to be basted and quilted. Fogs was halfway pieced, and that was the quilt she was working on that day. The nice thing about having several going at once, if she got tired of one stage, she could move on to a different project that was in a different stage of completion.

She didn't even pause in her sewing when she heard a knock on the door.
Eliste called out softly for whomever it was to enter and didn't look up until she had finished the stitch.

"Ah, I thought I'd find you at needlework." Vaheri carried a basket in her hands which she placed on the small table next to Eliste's bed. She turned and beckoned toward the door. "Come on in - she's presentable."

A young man entered, giving Eliste a shy smile around the large woven sack he carried.

"This is my grandson, Jardon." Vaheri waved in the young man's direction. "We've brought you some supplies."

Eliste perked up visibly. "Supplies? Oh, thank you, that's very kind of you." She then seemed to realise that Vaheri had introduced her grandson and she nodded politely to him. "Well met, Jardon."

The young man mumbled an acknowledgement of her greeting, an acknowledgement that his grandmother ignored.

"I've collected an assortment of threads for you," the older woman told the younger. "This basket contains those, as well as a few needles and pins. This," she gestured toward the sack, "is one of my stores of scrap fabric. We set aside too much to keep it all onboard, so some is left in storage here for as we need it. Inside you'll find of an assortment of pieces that you can use."

"Oh Vaheri, you are a dream!" Eliste leaned forward, eager to see all that the bag held within. She peered into the basket, eyes shining.
"I've used up most of what I brought with me. "You've already helped me so much, you didn't have to do this too...but thank you." Eliste sighed softly, the sound a happy one. She had left most of her fabric and supplies behind, and it was amazing how having more of such things cheered her. "I have something for you." She said suddenly and pointed at one of her two bags that sat in the room's only chair. "Would you mind handing me my bag?"

The riverboat headwoman waved off her thanks, but moved to the chair, picked up the bag, and handed it to her grandson. Vaheri then seated herself in the chair, her expression calm, though she was eager to see what Eliste had to show her.

Jardon placed the bag on the edge of the bed and stepped back, uncomfortable in this woman's room and yet not having permission to leave.

Eliste stiffened as Vaheri handed the bag to her grandson to give to her. She had almost forgotten he was there with her delight in receiving the scraps and threads, but his presence was brought forcibly to her attention. She lowered her gaze and muttered a soft, 'thank you' before leaning over to take the bag. She hesitated a moment, then opened the bag and rummaged through it. Finally, she picked out a small quilt, only large enough to really cover a knee as opposed to ones lap.
It was folded in half and Eliste held it out toward Vaheri. "I made this for you."

Vaheri took the cloth solemnly and opened it. She studied it for a moment, running her fingertip across the areas where different fabrics met, before looking up at Eliste. "You do very good work."

Eliste looked downward, flushing. She honestly didn't feel her work deserved the praise that it got. She mainly did it because she enjoyed it, and it also comforted her in some ways. It gave her something to do, it made her feel as if she had some worth. "Thank you." She reached into the bag and pulled out three more. "Would you please give these to Barr, Linli, and Tahna? Their names are on the back."

The older woman took the others and spread them on her lap, one after the other, studying the pictures on each, before returning her own to the top of the pile. "You have a good sense of color and the way your fabrics mingle captures the movement of the river in the background."
Her fingers again traced the stitching, her fingernail flicking gently as it would to test the length of those used by the younger women on the riverboat and finding no fault.

Eliste's flush became more pronounced, "My mother and other ladies at the hold taught me." She stated softly, as if any talent or skill were not of her own but of someone else's doing. "I hope they like them."

"I'm sure they will." Vaheri re-folded the small quilts, then gestured toward the sack of cloth. "Use that to make more general quilts, ones that will appeal to a variety of people. You can make either quilt tops or finished products, and then hand them over to us. We'll sell them in our travels. We'll take our cut, but you should still be able to make enough marks to supply your basic needs. If you need more supplies, he'll bring them for you." She nodded her head toward Jardon.

Jardon was awarded with a tentative glance and she nodded. "I'd like to finish these first, but thank you. I will. You've been so kind to me."
It was nice to have others who cared about her to look after her, even when they hardly knew her. She hadn't had that since she married her husband.

"It's what we do." Vaheri rose to her feet, the small quilts still in hand. "Jardon will check in on you at least once daily. Let him know if you need anything - fabric, needles, threads, a larger frame. He'll also keep an eye out for any strangers. A few other boats stop here, so we'll let it be known that the one you're fleeing is not welcome here."

Eliste's gaze traversed over to Jardon, but did not linger but a second.
She let it lower and nodded. "Thank you, both of you. For everything."

The riverboat woman stopped at the door and nodded her welcome. "Take care of yourself -- and of the little one. I'll check in on you when we next stop here." She turned and left the room.

Behind her, her grandson waved his hand, venturing a last glance toward the pregnant woman, and then followed Vaheri.

Last updated on the April 9th 2008

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So Kind