Like Her Mother
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: AL, Eimi
Date Posted: 30th May 2008
Characters: Almonteo, Almora
Description: Almonteo gets a visit from his daughter
Location: Harper Hall
Date: month 10, day 12 of Turn 4
"Daddy?" The call came with a knock upon the door, a voice so very familiar to the Hallmaster. "It's Almora." The annoucement was unnecessary, but seemed to be good protocal. She stared at the wood, waiting for the answer from her father, at least, if he was even _in_
his office. No one seemed to be able to tell her where exactly he was at that point in time.
"Well, there you are," the Hallmaster grinned when he threw open the door. "You have a dragon that can carry you all over Pern and yet you can't seem to find your way to our door?" he asked, his tone teasing despite the gentle scold as he wrapped her up in his arms. "Well come on in."
"Well, I wasn't sure if you'd even _be_ here, so I checked with others." Almora encircled her father with her arms and squeezed tightly. "And, evidently no one in the Hall is exactly sure where you are at any given moment."
"Your mother would kill me if I didn't get out of the office and stretch my legs sometimes," he sighed, though his healthy tan should have told her that he did indeed get more of his fair share of fresh air at Dolphin Cove. "Have you seen your mother yet?"
"No, not yet. I came here first...well, after I dropped of a package for one of your journeymen." Almora jabbed her thumb behind her, indicating some vague area of the hall. "Thought it would give me a chance to see both of you."
"Your mother will be overjoyed to see you. It hasn't been easy on her being so far away from her brood." Even after a turn, she was having trouble adjusting to their lives here, a fact which had not escaped her husband's notice despite her attempts to put on a brave face, with varying levels of success some days.
"You both would be welcome to visit me, you know." Almora hinted, "I mean, I'm not that far away anymore." "You assume we haven't considered it?" he asked, pulling out a chair for her. "We are always thinking about visiting our beloved children."
"They why don't you _do_ it instead of thinking about it?" Almora lowered herself into the chair, one leg crossing over the other. "Why waste time in thinking?" "I'm afraid its not that simple," Almonteo sighed as he poured them both a glass of nice cool water. "I'm a Hallmaster now. I have added responsibilities here."
"You don't have to talk to me about responsibilities." Almora leaned forward, resting her arms upon her knee. "I'm a dragonrider I fight thread. I may not be a wingleader or weyrwoman, but I certainly know about responsibility. Don't forget that you have a responsibility to your family too." She paused for a moment, adding softly. "I miss you. I hate not being able to spend more time with you. It's been even worse since you became Hallmaster." "And now you sound just like your mother," the Hallmaster sighed as he rubbed at his forehead. "Like mother, like daughter." Almora offered her father a small smile. "I don't mean to add more stress to your life. It's just..." It was hard to put into words, but she had already said what she was feeling.
She missed him. She missed having the relationship they once had. Sometimes change was good, but this change didn't feel good. It was that kind of change she hated. "Things are not so different now, are they? I might have a bit more access to dragons now, but before we came here we had to rely on your lifemate to reunite us. Has so much really changed?" Of course, he used to have more time to stay away from the Hall, to have a proper visit with his family. But Carmora was certainly still free to come and go as she pleased.
"I see Mom more than I see you." Almora leaned back in her chair, hands laced over her stomach. "And when I do see you, you're always so distracted, as if you can't stop thinking about work." "I am surrounded by it," he sighed, pointing to the mounds of hides on his desk. "But certainly I put the work aside when you come." Carmora would kill him if he didn't. He had been very careful not to bring his work home with him. It only seemed to make his lovely wife feel more isolated and alone, and that was something he was trying with all his might to avoid.
"Yeah, when I come, but you never come to visit me." Almora said quietly, then sighed. "I guess since you have so much work to do I should just get out of your hair. Why don't you come visit me when you get the chance?"
"Surely you're not leaving the Hall so soon." He would have thought she would have stayed for dinner at least!
"Yeah, well, I have things I have to do." Almora pushed herself to a standing position and crossed over to the door, adding, "You know, responsibilities and all taht." And without giving her father a chance to respond, she left.
"Faranth's name, she's just like her mother," Almonteo muttered as he picked up a sheet of hidework. But he couldn't think clearly about the task at hand. All he could think about was the sudden stab of guilt, like he was somehow to blame for having so many responsibilities and he was failing his family by working hard for the Hall. And she knew it too. She knew just which buttons to push to drive her point home. Finally he threw down the hide in disgust and leaned back in his chair with a resigned sigh. "Just like her mother..."
Last updated on the June 1st 2008