Happy... birthingday to you?

Writers: Chelle, Jelena
Date Posted: 26th March 2013

Characters: Sinla, Genna, Chupsin
Description: Chupsin comes to visit his sister on her birthingday and finds her completely out of sorts.
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 13, day 26 of Turn 6
Notes: Mentioned: Makarl, Daimhin, Alivya, Zelanka

Genna

She still couldn't believe it, not even after she had turned every
cupboard, pillow, and chest upside down. Had he really forgotten? As
the day was coming to a close, Sinla had to face the fact that he
wasn't coming home with a present either. Presents, that was the only
thing Makarl was ever really good at. That was one of the few things,
perhaps the only thing, that he could still make her happy with. And
his birthingday presents were usually a great reminder of why she had
ever married him. This turn though, there was nothing. The usual sweet
trinkets from her children, of course, and probably a visit from her
brother later, but no Makarl. The shame it would cause her to go out
into the hold without a spectacular piece of jewelry to show off-a
clear sign that she had been forgotten by her own husband-she just
couldn't bear it. So she just sat there in her chair in the living
room, staring into nothingness, feeling an incontrollable anger
gnawing at her gut.

Laden with a bottle of good liquor he had traded for and a gift,
Chupsin did indeed make his way to his sister's quarters. He'd finally
gotten away from the house calls he was making to some of the cotholds

and the infirm who couldn't go anywhere. Changed into a clean shirt
and trousers, he knocked a few times and waited while Tourniquet rode
on his shoulder. The bronze knew where this was and knew it might mean
a nice biscuit or piece of meat. Chupsin used him to send messages to
most of his family so they were all familiar with the firelizard and
his preferences. "Hello the house-I have drink."

Sinla didn't even look up at the call, she just waved her hand at
Genna. "Go open the door for your uncle, alright?" she said shortly.
Genna rolled her eyes, but got up to open the door for Chupsin anyway.
As she met him in the doorway she put a hand to her lips. "Mother's in
a bad mood," she whispered warningly.

He shrugged. "She might be having a bad day but my wife and baby died
so I win." He said it casually, but there was a light tone of
underlying anger. Still, he did wonder why Sinla was upset. "Happy
birthingday to you, happy birthingday to you, happy birthingday dear
Sinla-and why are you just sitting there?" He looked momentarily
confused as he gestured for Genna to get some glasses.

"Hm, looking at it like that you always win, uncle," Genna said
softly, giving him a kiss on the cheek in greeting before she turned
to bring the glasses he wanted. Sinla looked up at Chupsin, singing
her a birthday song and for a moment she opened her mouth to comment,
but then she closed it, thinking again. After all it was not his fault
and if anything, it was good to see him singing after all that
happened. "Thank you for remembering, Chupsin, but I'm not really in
the mood for celebration," she finally said.

"Why the shells not?" Surveying this situation, he had a very
concerned look on his face. "This is good liquor. And I was thinking
Zelanka might have some cake hid back somewhere. We could do like when
we were kids and sneak past Daimhin and find it." Oh he was in a rare
mood and she was ruining it.

The mention of Daimhin stirred something in Sinla, but she pushed it
down. She wasn't sure what Chupsin would make of their friendship, or
if he would notice her interest in the night guard reaching further
than friendship. "Alright, give me some of that liquor and I'll see if
I can forget about that no good husband of mine," she sighed, reaching
for one of the glasses Genna had brought.

Genna's attention, meanwhile, was drawn by Chupsin's mention of her
mother's childhood insubordination, which was rare information she
could use well. So she didn't even ask for a taste of the liquor and
sat down quietly with her embroidery, keeping her ears open.

"No good husband? What did he do to deserve that?" Now that was
something Chupsin wanted to know about. He and his brother-in-law were
polite, but they weren't anything close to friends. For one, Makarl
outranked him even if it was probably due to turns more than anything
else. Pouring the skin into the glasses, he then began to take a drink
out of his as he listened. Tourniquet, meanwhile, flew to alight near
Sinla-waiting patiently for some food to be had.

"Forgetting his wife's birthingday, that's what he did!" Sinla said
with anger still resounding in her voice. She took a long sip from her
drink.and then continued. "Staying away Faranth knows where all day
and not even leaving a note or anything. I cope with him being away
often enough, but it's my birthingday, Chupsin!" Then she looked at
the firelizard for a moment and leaned forward to pick up a treat for
him from the table. She used to have a strong dislike for the
creatures, but at least she was slowly warming up to Tourniquet. He
wasn't that bad.

He took the morsel and began to eat slowly, chirruping his thanks
before subsiding. Chupsin, on the other hand, listened to her
complaints and felt himself getting a bit angry. Handing Sinla the
gift he had brought, he was mindful that Genna was there listening. It
wouldn't do to denigrate her father in front of her. It didn't mean
that he appreciated the way his sister had been forgotten about
either. "Well, did you send him a note?" He couldn't send Tourniquet
without knowing where to send the bronze.

Sinla took the gift, but replied to his question first. "I would have
if I had any idea where he was, I would have. He told me he was going
to 'see some clients' and that it 'could take a few days'. I guess I'm
not important enough to be in the know." She shook her head angrily,
but then turned her attention to the present in her lap, starting to
open it carefully.

"Hhhmm." Chupsin thought that over. With a few well placed questions,
he could probably track down a Master Smith, but that didn't mean it
wouldn't take some time and by then Makarl would be home anyhow.
Still, he wondered what excuse the man had for disappearing on his
wife during her birthingday and not even leaving a gift.

Sinla hesitated, remembering her siblings had on occasion
presented her with prank gifts and she eyed Genna for a moment.
"Genna, love, it's about time you got ready for bed, isn't it?" Genna
looked up and considered protesting for a moment, but was fully aware

that her mother needed only a small push to get caught in a full on
rage attack. "Yes, mother, I think you are right," she offered, though
obviously reluctant, as she came to kiss her mother and uncle
goodnight and headed off into her room.

"She's a good girl." Thinking about the baby he never saw born, he
shook his head back to the present and sat down, sipping his wine.

"She is, most of the time," Sinla smiled and then finally undid her
present of its wrappings. She took in a sharp breath as she looked at
the book in her hands. "Oh Chupsin!" she exhaled in disbelief. This
was why he was her favorite sibling, he knew things about her not
even her own husband did. "Where did you find this? It's perfect!" She
carefully opened the ancient book and leafed through the Harper poems
with a disbelieving smile.

"Let's just say I made a few quiet deals with a few people," was all
he commented before knocking back some of the alcohol. In reality, he
came across all sorts of things when people paid for his services in
trade. And then again, people that knew him knew things he wanted and
sometimes came across interesting objects. "Glad it made you a bit
happier."

"Yes, it did," Sinla said, smiling still as she leafed through the
book. There was something magical about it, so old and with such
powerful poetry. Finally, she looked up. "It's not that hard, is it,
making me happy? Do you think I ask too much of Makarl?"

"To be honest Sinla, even though he is my brother-in-law, I don't know
the man much. However I have the advantage of growing up with you. He,
on the other hand, only knows the woman you let him see. And we both
know that's not much. Still...he could have at least sent you a
message or something on your birthingday. After all, what if he found
you lying in the floor when he returned home?" Grief was simmering
very near the surface and it was quickly turning to anger at his
brother-in-law since he was absent and an easy target. Otherwise
Chupsin would have directed it at himself.

Sinla looked at her brother for a moment, realizing that the last
statement wasn't so much about her and Makarl anymore, but rather
about himself and his late wife. "Well, he's lucky I'm not going
anywhere, then," she sighed.

"Would you? Would you disgrace yourself in such a way?" He liked to
think he knew her well enough that she wouldn't. Chupsin also realized
this conversation was quickly turning away from happy celebrating to
something else and he took another drink, getting up to hunt around
for food.

"What?" Sinla look confused for a moment and then shook her head. "Of
course not, I mean I'm healthy as a fish." Then again, Alivya had
seemed to be quite healthy as well. "Not that Makarl notices when I'm
ill, but alright."

He had meant her leaving her husband, but apparently she didn't follow.
Shrugging, he finished his glass and did locate a loaf of bread and some
cheese. "So no other plans then? How about finding that cake?"

"That sounds like a plan to me," Sinla said with a faint smile,
secretly wondering if they would indeed bump into Daimhin if they went

out in search for cake. She would sure like to see him after the
disappointment of the day. At least he would cheer her up, he always
did somehow.

Last updated on the April 1st 2013

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Happy... birthingday to you?