A Quilt For Nico

Writers: AL, Kaysea
Date Posted: 25th May 2008

Characters: Eliste, Nico
Description: Eliste finishes her quilt and sends it to Nico along with a note.
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 9, day 26 of Turn 4

She had never meant to hurt Nico. She had never meant to offend him.
Eliste had never meant to lead him on. It was only after Fog brought to the forefront Nico's intentions that Eliste realised how he had felt.

After Fog left, Eliste had taken up the quilt for Nico. It was almost done, she just had to finish the binding. Finish it she did, clipped the threads and inspected it once more just to be sure everything was tight and even. When the drudge had come by to check on her, she had asked for something with which and on which to write, then asked for the drudge to return in a bit so that it could be sent to the riverboat.

Eliste sat with the pen and parchment, staring at it for a long while before she began writing. She mulled over and over again what she would write, but she realised if she didn't just start writing, she never would. So, without exactly sure what she was going to say, she put the pen to the paper.

"Dear Nico, I apologise for offending you earlier this evening."

Yes, that was probably the best way to put it. His feelings for her were not something she wanted to discuss in writing. They were far to personal for that. No, if it came to discussion, that would be something that would have to be done in person, though Eliste didn't relish that idea. It would be an uncomfortable situation, she was sure, at best.

"I never meant to make you think that I did not value your friendship.
It is quite the opposite."

Eliste took a deep breath. She didn't know exactly how she was going to put things, but she realised that she was going to tell her story to him, and she was hoping she could get through it.

"There is much I have not told you, but I will do so now. Vaheri is the only one who knows my entire story - until now.

I was married to a man by the name of Helvar two and a half turns ago.
He is not a nice man. I found myself subject to his wrath on many an occasion. Then, a few months into our marriage, I found out I was pregnant.

I had an easy pregnancy and my daughter was born healthy. She was beautiful, Nico. She had blue eyes and dark brown hear and her smile could make your heart melt. I loved her desperately, more than anything or anyone else on Pern.

When she was one, she got very sick. I had taken her to the healer and gotten medicine. We came home and she lay down and took a nap. An hour or so later, she awoke, crying desperately in her misery. I went to get her medicine, but couldn't find it. I searched and searched, and finally found it and went back to her. Helvar was there and I saw him as I walked through the door, I saw him hit her and..."

She paused then, the tears blinding her, her throat tightening and her breath coming in gasps as the need to cry became unbearable. So she didn't fight. She let the pen fall, splatting a little ink upon her words and covered her face with her hands. She sobbed desperately, her body shaking and her heart rending in two. She couldn't do it. She couldn't reveal so much of herself, not yet. Vaheri knew, yes, but she had been so afraid of being turned away that she had told the story. Now, here, by herself, writing it all out, she couldn't do it.

Eliste didn't know how long she cried, but she finally managed to stop long enough to tear the blank space away from that upon which she had written. While she couldn't bear to finish, she couldn't bear to throw it away. So, she tucked it into her bag and turned back to the fresh canvas upon which she would write another, different, and less revealing note. She fingered a couple of spots where tears had stained it. She didn't have much left, so they would just remain upon the paper. Eliste took up the pen again and wrote once more.

"Dear Nico, I am sorry that I have upset you. I never had any intention of doing so. This is the quilt I have made for you. I wasn't quite finished with it when you came, but I have finished since you left. I didn't want you to leave thinking that I did not think of you too."

The young woman stared at her words, then signed them. Her face was still wet from her tears and she lifted a hand to wipe at the moisture. She took up the small quilt, enfolding the message in it.

Eliste was a little more together when the drudge returned and she managed a smile. The drudge had brought a bit of cloth and Eliste wrapped the quilt in that, then gave it to the girl with instructions to deliver it to the riverboat and tell whomever she gave it to that the bundle was for Nico. When the girl left, Eliste turned back to her misery, clutched at her baby's quilt, and once more gave into her tears.

~*~

Tahna found him sitting in his quarters, fingering a small wad of cloth in his hands. He had finished work for the day, and had planned to get some much needed sleep, but her face still appeared to him each time he closed his eyes. The wad of cloth was a small piece of patchwork he had found in the commonroom, it looked much like the pieces Eliste had stitched together for the quilt that now reposed on Fog's cot across the cabin from his. He wasn't sure if it was from Eliste's collection, but he suspected it may be.

"Uncle Nico?" she tapped lightly on the partly open door. "This arrived for you at the dock - I was told to give it to you."

He turned and noticed her holding a bundle similar to the one Fog had returned with. "Another quilt? For me?" he asked, not really believing what he could see.

"There's a note..." Tahna offered, holding it, and the note, out towards him.

"Thanks, Tahna." he took them both from her, inspecting the quilt quickly before tossing it aside on his cot, before opening to the note. His hands smoothed the paper out, his eyes reading but not really taking in the words before him. Her name at the bottom of the letter caught his breath and held it. He took in a gulp of air, before slowly beginning to read the words again.

He sat back down on his cot, the note held lightly in his hand. She had thought of him. She didn't want to hurt him? But she had no interest in him other than as a friend. He could see that in her words - but also from the way he remembered her looking at Fog. The making of the quilt a gesture of friendship - no more. He unfolded the quilt, and spread it across his bunk. Something inside him still refused to give up completely, on her and on what he hoped could come from their friendship. But first he needed to talk to his cousin.

He tucked the note under his pillow and stood upright again. With a nod of confirmation to himself, he turned towards the door way.

So much for sleep.

Last updated on the June 1st 2008

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A Quilt For Nico