Sisterly help for a grieving brother

Writers: Chelle, Jelena
Date Posted: 28th October 2012

Characters: Chupsin, Sinla
Description: Sinla checks up on her grieving brother.
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 10, day 15 of Turn 6
Notes: Mentioned: Alivya, Keayd, Zelanka

The junior journeymen were taking over for a time as Chupsin had
pulled back from his duties and disappeared into his quarters. From
time to time food appeared but he knew not from where. He remembered
seeing the bodies being put into the caves they used for such things.
He couldn't see the other one, but he knew it was there-inside her.

Quietly, he had begged off from saying anything to anyone and had just
gone to bed. He couldn't say that he had loved Alivya. She was useful
and she had been a good wife, though there had been moments where she
had annoyed him greatly. Still, for her to be gone so soon and taking
his child as well, without him even having a chance to try and save
either of them.... Just thinking about it made

him angry again as he looked at his quarters, seeing all the changes
she had made. He didn't need the bigger quarters anymore. He'd have to
talk with Zelanka.

Sinla was torn on the inside. On the one hand, she wanted to respect
her brother's obvious wish to be left alone, on the other she wanted
to be there for him and support him in this difficult time. It was
true their relationship usually wasn't a very warm and tender one, but
the mother in her ached at his loss. She couldn't begin to imagine the
pain he must be going through. Losing his unborn child. And his wife.
All in the blink of an eye. So, finally, she figured she had left him
on his own long enough and came up to his door with a gentle knock.

"Mmmmm?" came the soft query from the man who was standing at the
counter, eating dinner from some sort of dish he'd heated up. It was
good, but he was unhappy with the fact that he had had to serve it to
himself. She had always done that. It was interesting the things one
got used to.

Sinla had nearly missed it, but she took Chupsin's soft query as
permission to enter and slipped into his quarters. "Hello brother, I
just came to see how you are doing."

Seeing his sister, he frowned. He really didn't want to talk about it,
though the healer in him told him it was healthier to. Still, he
hadn't sorted out himself and it wasn't really grief, but shock that
had hold of him. It would fade as time went by and he accepted what
had happened, but right now he didn't want to think about it. "I'm not
starving," he replied quietly as he continued to eat the heated up
food. She still had her husband and her children.

"Well, that's something," Sinla replied, not very surprised by his
briefness. "But how are you doing otherwise?" She sat down with the
air of someone who wasn't going to leave for a while.

Recognizing the signs and a bit of himself in the face and stance of
the person before him, he allowed himself to be quiet just a little
longer as he ate. When he was finished, he stopped avoiding her,
hoping it would make her leave quicker. "Just what do you mean by
that? I've just found my pregnant wife dead on my floor. I'm wondering
if the rest of the Hold thinks I killed her and my own child. If so, I
could lose my position here. And who would marry me now, Sinla? Who?
I'm the healer who couldn't even save his own wife!" He was shouting
and his feelings of helplessness, vulnerability, and anger went across
his face.

Good, at least he was letting out some emotions, Sinla thought. "Who
by Faranth's egg would think you killed her, Chupsin?" she said with a
shake of her head. That was just plain ridiculous and she hoped he
knew that deep down.

"I don't know, but someone might. It's....either way, no one would
marry me now." That wasn't the real reason why he was upset, though it
was a part of it. He had to have something to think about other than
the fact that he was now a widow and also not a father either. "What
are people saying?" That, at least, was helpful information she could
provide.

"That's not true either, Chupsin, but let's worry about that when the
time comes," Sinla replied, shaking her head. "People are mostly still
in shock, going on about how unfair it is, for such a young woman with
a child..." She trailed off shaking her head. "I've heard no one speak
ill of you, brother, and you know I keep my ears open."

That was something at least. Maybe none of them were thinking the same
way he was because they couldn't make the leap that he could. He had
to remind himself that not all holders thought like he did. They were
simpler folk for the most part. "Hmph. Well, I have to resume duties
after a few sevendays. Until then I plan on just staying here."

"If that is what you want," Sinla said, thinking on that for a moment.
She didn't want her brother to start living a hermit life, but she
could also understand his need to be alone. "But if you want to come
over and have a meal with us, or just visit, I would really enjoy
that. Whenever you feel like it."

"I will give you permission to do a few things for me, though, if you
wish it. Her things...will have to return to her mother. And I am
going to move back to my old quarters." His tone said that he could
see no other option and he couldn't touch the things himself.

If it were any other situation, Sinla would have reprimanded her
brother for talking to her like that. But for now, she could forgive
him. "I will see what I can do. Perhaps I can start sorting through
her things with Genna tomorrow and have the boys return them to her
parents, if that suits you?"

"Aye, I don't...want to look at them anymore. I think I'll go pick
some herbs tomorrow maybe and see Keayd if that will give you enough
time?" He had half a mind to get stinking drunk with the vintner but
he didn't tell her that.

"Yeah, I'm sure it will." Sinla nodded. Of course she had a good clue
on what her brother would get up to with the vintner, but she was all
for drowning troubles herself.

And that was really all Chupsin had to say just then. He didn't want
to talk about the whole thing anymore. He wanted to be left alone
again.

Sinla got that hint and actually got up. At least she had gotten
Chupsin to talk for a bit and it seemed like he had at least some
resemblance of a plan for the near future. "Well, I'd better get back
to the kids. I'll come over with Genna in the morning."

He was thanking Faranth that she hadn't yet seen the pile of laundry
in the bathroom. Normally fastidious, Chupsin hadn't really touched
it. That had been Alivya's job and doing it would mean he realized she
wasn't going to be there to do it.

"Right, see you tomorrow then," Sinla said with a nod as she got up
and left for the door. He would heal from this, she would make sure of
it.

Last updated on the November 17th 2012

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Sisterly help for a grieving brother