Meeting the Parent

Writers: AL, Cali
Date Posted: 31st October 2009

Characters: B'lamick, Briata
Description: B'lamick introduces Briata to his father.
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 5, day 14 of Turn 5

Briata

The Hall was roomier inside than it looked outside. Of course it had looked bigger than she had expected when they first arrived. She was certain that she would get quite lost if she wandered away. Briata felt a little like she had when she had first arrived at the Weyr, minus the voices that had bombarded her. "So you lived here all your life until you were searched?"

"Mostly," B'lamick replied as they wove their way towards the herbal rooms he was sure to find his father in. "We spent two turns at Amber Hills when I was younger, but came back when it was time for me to apprentice."

"I've never been to Amber Hills." Briata mused. As they approached the rooms, scents greeted her. Several were pungunt, mixing together and clamouring for the spotlight. There were numerous others that were more subtle and managed to slip in beneath the others that were quarreling. "What was it like there?"

B'lamick shrugged, "Nice I guess. I don't really remember much about it... except the harper there was great. We were always going out on adventures, exploring and the like."

"Belamick!" Selmick was startled to see his son standing in the doorway as he turned. "What a pleasant surprise. And you've brought a friend, wonderful."

Briata smiled to the healer and nodded. "Hello." She stated softly and glanced at B'lamick as he made introductions.

"Briata, this is my father, Journeyman Selmick." B'lamick began, "We're not interrupting you are we?"

"No no, not at all, I'm finished for now." the Journeyman passed two large and heavy bags over to his son which B'lamick took dutifully. "Let's just take those back to my office and then we can get a cup of klah and chat."

"Are those all herbs?" Briata asked, surprise in her voice. Surely not, it would take forever to gather that many...wouldn't it?

Selmick gave the girl a smile, she was really quite beautiful, a very nice catch for his son. "Mostly. I'm going to be going around to the outlying cotholds to check on some patients. They need restocking usually, and it's just as easy for me to take supplies to them as it is for them to come to the Hall for them."

"That's...a lot of herbs." Briata probably sounded quite stupid but she'd never seen so much at one time. "How long does it take you to make the deliveries?"

The journeyman thought about it a moment. "Oh, probably about a month. I can only go twice a turn so I try and stay a day or two at most places so that I can check everyone out and make sure all are healthy."

They walked together to Selmick's office, B'lamick leading the way. "You know the offer still stands to take you wherever you need to go."

"I know, and you know I can't possibly accept." Selmick replied with a wave of his hand. "You've got far too many other more important things to do than to ferry me from hold to hold. Besides, I enjoy the countryside."

"It doesn't take that long." Briata stated by way of encouragement. "And think about how much more often you could go if you had a dragonrider to take you."

Selmick laughed, "Did you bring her here to gang up on me? You don't have to listen to him you know. He'd have you believe me too old to travel about by myself."

"Father, it was different when I got to go with you." B'lamick cried. It was an argument they'd had frequently. "You're a target to bandits travelling alone with all those supplies."

"I was travelling back before you were even born." he reminded his son and he opened the door to the office and watched him set the bags down in the corner, "Bandits don't attack healers, they have scruples too you know. Now let's change the subject before we start repeating ourselves again. Who wants tea?"

Briata felt it wise not to push the subject. "Tea would be lovely." She glanced up at B'lamick and could see the worry in his face. She couldn't blame him - she worried about her father when he traveled, but he never went alone.

"Tea sounds great." B'lamick agreed. His father would never change.

Last updated on the November 15th 2009

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Meeting the Parent