Like Dust in the Mouth

Writers: Len, Paula
Date Posted: 18th July 2011

Characters: Zelanka, F'nel
Description: Zelanka talks to a searchrider and finds out something about him... Mentioned: Petriv
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 3, day 1 of Turn 6

"Ma'am, I think I'm finished with the search." The elderly greenrider
nodded to the Headwoman and sighed. Today had been a fruitless one,
with Jealth not so much as giving any of the young lads a sniff.
Well, he would try that outlying smallholding closer to the Vintner
Hall. But he doubted he'd find anything as his green had always held
a preference for girls. And Amber Hills Hold wasn't known for letting
many girls come forward to be searched.

"Did you find anyone?" Zelanka asked.

The greenrider looked at her and shook his head. "If only we could
have seen some of the young girls..." he said only loud enough for her
to hear.

"Well, better luck next time," Zelanka said, trying to hide the
hostility she felt behind politeness. She didn't much like
dragonriders but she was especially wary of male greenriders or
blueriders. She also knew that dragonriders were only thing between
them and the Thread, so she did her best to hide her true feelings.
She was also thinking of hold's reputation. Dragonriders always
brought conflict of emotions but Turns of practise kept it from her
face. She only showed out polite interest.

"Hmm..." He watched her out of the corner of his eye. "There used to
be a Crafter here, Petriv was his name. Is he still around?"

"Oh, he's here," she stiffed a bit. "Would like some klah?" she asked,
hoping to divert any further discussion about that subject.

"I'd_love_some, m'dear! So kind of you to offer." He followed her
back into the Hold proper.

"All right, here you go," Zelanka said, pouring him a mug from a fresh
pot of klah. "We seem to have cookies too. Do you like hazel nuts?"
she put few cookies on the plate and offered them to the rider.

"Darling, I_love_hazelnuts! It's like you can read my mind." He
winked at her before taking the offered cookies and cup of klah.

"Glad you like them. Some people can't eat them," she said.

"Yes, that Crafter I was asking about..he used to bring me some when
he'd come to visit the Weyr. We don't have them growing around us."
He stopped to take a sip of the klah.

"Really?" Zelanka nearly choked. She quickly took a bite of a cookie
to hide her discomfort. Petriv sharing her cookies, the ones she baked
for him as travel snack, with dragonriders? She felt more than little
offended.

"Yeah, he was a real sweetie. He used to come and visit...a lot."
The gentleman's face broke out in a warm smile, remembering the times
they had spent together.

"That's nice," Zelanka said cautiously. Funny how that cookies
suddenly tasted like dust in her mouth.

"Yeah, then he got to fancying some other cute little boy. Too bad,
that. I did enjoy his company for the turns he came around." He
shrugged his shoulders and gave the woman a sad smile. "Love me and
leave 'em, eh?"

Zelanka managed a nod after swallowing painfully.

F'nel caught her look. "Did he catch your fancy too, once? He_was_a
looker, I wouldn't be surprised!"

"He's my husband," Zelanka said, pulling her dignity back together.

"Oh!" The greenrider recoiled as if he had been hit. "I'm so sorry! "

"Oh indeed," The headwoman said with a dry, brittle voice.

A painfully uncomfortable moment passed as the greenrider put the mug
of klah down. "I should leave now, ma'am. And I_am_sorry."

"It's not your fault," Zelanka wasn't able to meet his face but stared
the floor instead.

"It's not your fault either, m'dear. It's just..the way it is. He
never said a bad word about you, I swear my green's hide on that." He
stood to leave.

"He's what he is and we have learned to live with it," Zelanka said stoically.

"Well, it's more the South is what it is and we have to learn--us gay
boys and ladies--to live within it and learn our places." He sighed
at that and turned to leave, stopping once to add, "if you ever have a
girl or a boy that needs help, call on us to come and get them.
There's no point in being miserable your entire life just because it
makes certain men happy."

Zelanka just nodded silently.

Last updated on the August 2nd 2011

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Like Dust in the Mouth