Life and Other Things

Writers: Chelle, Mirren
Date Posted: 4th March 2012

Characters: Alivya, Chupsin
Description: Alivya shows Chupsin the finished pot and they talk about their lives.
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 6, day 17 of Turn 6

The pot had finished being fired and was decorated with paint, made from plants and flowers, to look like an orchard with a mountain behind it. The mountain looked a lot like the picture of a Weyr Alivya had seen once, but the green dragon above it had been her idea. She'd done the work herself and was immensely proud of it, so she decided she'd show it to Chupsin before she planted herbs into it.

Out of the infirmary, he had been making his rounds around the Hold to the infirm who were unable to come to him. The healer finished his work after several candlemarks, then headed to the Great Hall to get something to eat. "Need to get some more needlethorn, cheesecloth, as well as make some bandages. Apprentices can do the bandages easily enough." He ran through everything else he was trying to remember. With his food, he sat down and began to eat, glad to have some peace.

She saw him sitting there and hesitated. He had the look of someone content to be in their own company. She almost turned away, but then she took a deep breath and walked forward. "Excuse me, Healer Chupsin," she said softly.

His head came up, though he thought the voice was familiar. When he saw her, he immediately placed the face. "Good day Alivya. Are you hungry then?" He almost said what brings you here, but then he thought better of it. He was in the eating place, after all.

Now that she thought about it, she was. She hadn't eaten since an early breakfast, too many hours ago. "Well yes, I am," she paused. Had that been an invitation to eat with him? She didn't want to be presumptuous.

"There are definitely some good choices today. Try the pie." Chupsin didn't encourage eating sweets all the time but fruit was a necessary part of the diet. It it tasted good, well then so much the better in moderation.

Alivya smiled. "It's my favourite. My father grew the stone fruit for it." She scanned the food table and decided on bread with a small amount of cold vegetables and a tiny sliver of pie. With one hand she put her choices on a plate. She carried both food and pot to the table and put both down before sliding into a chair opposite the healer. "I wanted to show you the pot, now that it's finished." Her tone was filled with pride.

Looking up, he saw the pot and examined it. It was well decorated and he couldn't help but see that she was obviously proud of it. "Well done. You seem to have some painting ability." She brought it on purpose-to show him. That was curious. That meant she planned on seeing him again.

For a moment she imagined a master crafter seeing her work and deciding he must whisk her away to be his apprentice. Her work would be renowned all across Pern. People would clamour for her work and pay marks and marks for it... Then she came back to reality, reminding herself that women weren't crafters and no one would pay for her to paint anything.

Somewhat subdued, she simply said "Thank you. It was easy because the pot was well made." by him. Eyes lowered, she picked up her fork and pushed into a piece of vegetable.

"Well thank you. Like I said-practice. Of course I also do a lot with my hands so I suppose that helps." He ate some of his food, chewing carefully as he thought about what else to say. One had to be careful with unmarried young women. Sometimes their fathers took offense and tried to force weddings. Maybe Chupsin had seen that happen. "What else have you been doing lately then?"

"Mostly caring for my brothers and sisters. I take them around the orchards and we pick the fruit that's low enough for us to reach. Some of them we dry and pack to send to the Weyr. The rest comes here or gets made into preserve. And then because they always tear something, I spend a day mending my brother's clothes." She sighed. "Boys can be so rough. I suppose you see that, when they get too wild and hurt themselves?"

"You send fruit to the Weyr?" He supposed they would need it in tithe, but he didn't realize they sent it. Shrugging mentally, Chupsin considered her next comment. "Aye, some of them can be that. Mostly when they're young though when they get older they do tend to get themselves in more dangerous situations than females by trade. Me-I was never really that way." No, he had been a serious youth, more concerned about his ambitions and his training.

"Were you the oldest child in your family too? Sometimes it seems the oldest is too busy with responsibility to be wild. Not that I mind," she added hastily. "Just... Sometimes I think the younger ones have more fun than I did..."

"No I was the youngest actually, but I have all sisters." He was doted on, though he had worked hard, eventually sending him to the hall for training. It had come easily for him and still did really. Chupsin was grateful to the Lord Holder for the opportunity, but he knew he had more than earned it. The turns spent back at Amber Hills saving lives had more than made up for that debt, if there had been one

"Oh," of course. Only a man raised by so many females could be so sensible. "They must be proud that the only lad was so successful. Your parents must have been happy to have a boy after only girls." She didn't mean any offence, she was simply brought up to think of girls as 'only girls', just a nuisance meant to look after babies (preferably brothers) until she could be married off.

"I think they meant to keep trying until they did have a boy, rather. As it is, though I am indeed thankful for my own birth." Chupsin snorted. The rest he had gotten by his own two hands and his intelligence. "My parents are still here, as well as some of my sisters. The other two married men from other Holds."

Alivya smiled. She'd have laughed had she felt more comfortable in his presence. "You have sisters who didn't find husbands? That must be terribly difficult for your parents!" And them. What must they do with their time?

"Oh no. They're married. They just live here with their children and all." He saw his nieces and nephews from time to time, especially when it was necessary to sew them up. Thankfully, he hadn't had to birth any of them. That would have been disturbing, even for him.

That _was_ a relief! "How nice to have family so close! I'm sure I'll have plenty around too, some day. They're all a bit young yet. My next brother is 15 and sister is 14."

"Ahh see I'm the only one not married and I'm getting older so they're beginning to worry. Of course as a crafter I don't necessarily have to carry on the bloodline." Chupsin had to concentrate on things. He had to work to get his Master's knots someday, run an infirmary. Not that he wouldn't like a woman to cook for him and all that but...

Alivya sighed. "My parents are worried on the same account. I have only so many childbearing turns left." About 30 more. "They don't say too much but I know they wish I'd hurry up and wed."

"It's important for a woman to have protection and someone to provide for her," he agreed with that philosophy certainly. He also imagined being a spinster was never fun.

Alivya wasn't sure she needed protecting, but she nodded anyway and concentrated on finishing her meal.

Last updated on the March 4th 2012

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Life and Other Things