Someone Who Understands

Writers: Suzee, Clancey
Date Posted: 21st April 2014

Characters: Dysali, Pierka
Description: A chance meeting turns into a promise of friendship.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 6, day 10 of Turn 7

Pierka

Just in for a routine physical, Dysali reached her arms up over her
head, stretching. The newest scar on her back, gained 2 months ago,
seemed to be more achy than her others. It was also far more
noticeable.

She heard some noise outside her own room and poked her head out,
still clad in a loose undershirt from her exam.

She smiled at one of her fellow greenriders, an obviously pregnant one.

"Hello," Pierka smiled back at the other greenrider. "Dysali isn't it?"

"Yes, its Dysali." Her smile widened and she stepped out to talk with
her. "And you're Pierka, right? I bet I know why you're here." Her
head nodded down toward her belly, but Dysali wasn't one to touch
people, so Pierka's belly was safe from whatever it was that made
pregnant women "free game" for anyone to touch.

"Everything all right with the baby?" She was curious, despite
herself. She had never, yet, wanted to have children. She felt like
a child herself, still.

"Yes," she smiled. "Everything's fine. This is just a checkup. Almost
ready to pop." She chuckled at her own joke.

Dysali laughed back, though it did make her re-affirm her own decision
to not have children. At least not yet. She wanted to ask some
questions... would it be alright? She took a step toward Pierka, and
pointed at a bench in case she wanted to sit down. "I have a few
minutes waiting for the Healers... can I ask you something? I mean,
about being a rider and being pregnant?"

Pierka sat down and stretched her back a little. "Oh of course," she
smiled. "What's your question?"

"Is it scary, being a mother and a dragon rider? Do you think you can
raise your baby and care of your dragon too? I've thought of
children, but I still feel like a child sometimes... " Dysali sat
down beside her, leaning back against the wall.

She didn't want to overload Pierka with questions, but she just ..
wanted to understand. What emotion drew you to another person ?
Wanted to have another one that depended on you for everything, like
your dragon did?

Pierka shrugged. "I can't lie to you, it's scary.I know I'll need help
and the baby will have a foster mother certainly. I've thought about
it a lot," she smiled shyly at the other woman but she was serious
when she continued. "This little one will be the only real family I
have in the whole world. I just couldn't give that up."

Dysali thought that over and her eyes took on a misty look. She
understood that feeling very well.

"My parents died when I was very young. I know the feeling of being
the only family... " She paused, thinking about it further.

"It would worry me to leave my children the way my parents left me.
I was ... affected... and still am by that event in my life. Our
lives are so unsure and so .. temporary... I would worry about
leaving any children. Do you think that a foster parent would help
with that if something did happen to us?" She wasn't disagreeing
with Pierka, but that was partly why she didn't want to have children.
What if Thread got them? She'd been 'Scored too many times
already.

"I do think they will. I've watched them with the children. Do you
remember your parents?" Pierkas eyes grew big at the other woman's
admission. She'd had a long time to think about things just like that
and it was nice to know someone else felt the same things she did. "I
don't remember mine."

Dysali turned her full attention to Pierka at that comment. She
supposed she hadn't known that Pierka had also lost her parents. It
was amazing to find someone else that might understand. Dysali felt
no particular bitterness about it but she knew that until Lillyth and
then D'ren, she had not formed a single "permanent" relationship. And
when D'ren had left her, it had erased all of her progress. She had
retreated so far back into her shell that she had not seen any of her
former friends for months and no one seemed to be missing her.

The fact that no one missed her had just increased her desire to
disconnect from Weyr life, other than performing her duties and
drills. She took all her emotion out on Thread.

And all that had given her was another scar. So far.

"You lost your parents too? I'm so sorry Pierka. " She smiled at her,
a very genuine caring smile, while she considered her question. Did
she remember her parents? Yes, she had memories. But did she
_remember_?

"I was 7 when they died in a sea rescue. They were dolphineers,
Masters both of them. I have memories of them, certainly. But with
every turn that passes, some of the other things fade. And Thread
erases even those memories. At least for a little while."

She smiled though, and went on. "But I was gifted with parents who
loved me beyond anything I could ever have wished and I remember being
loved. That feeling has never left me. I'm sorry you don't
remember yours. I know they loved you, though. They must have. "

Pierka shrugged, she'd been through all her feelings with a mindhealer
and while it didn't make her cry like it had in the past, she was
still sad not to remember anyone or anything from before the
shipwreck. "I hope so," she smiled. But then she focused on one of
the things Dysali had said. "Your parents were dolpineers? I used to
be an apprentice!"

Dysali nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, both Masters... I was raised at
Topaz Sea Hold. It was destroyed after I left ..." She looked sad
for a little while, knowing that was a part of her past. Then she
smiled. "I was an apprentice too! I came to the Weyr at 14 turns.
We should go swimming sometime... " Dysali smile sheepishly after she
said that, nodding down at her belly. "... after the baby is born
anyway."

It was amazing the similarities in their lives and Pierka felt an
automatic kinship forming with the other greenrider. "Yes," she said
with a smile. "I probably got there just after you left. I was washed
up in a boat after that big storm. I don't remember anything before
that day." she shook her head. "So I came with the Dolphin Hall when
they moved here. We should go swimming after the baby. You know... we
should compare notes. They're bringing dinners to my quarters these
days, would you like to come have dinner with me tomorrow?"

Dysali was stunned, too. She had never really had a female friend.
Maybe...

She was quiet for a moment, considering the ramifications of letting
someone in again. Granted, not romantically, obviously, but close
enough to hurt her.

But lately, she had been thinking about changing that part of her life.
She had decided maybe it was time to grow up. D'ren was never coming
back, and hadn't contacted her, either. He was happy. She needed to
move on and find her happiness again. Maybe this was a start...

"We should definitely! We must know alot of the same people. I would
love to join you for dinner, Pierka. That sounds like fun!" She
smiled warmly at her fellow greenrider, glancing up as Healers began
to return.

"Alright just have your lifemate bespeak Liddith and she'll give you
directions. But I'm fairly close to the dining hall." Pierka turned to
the healer that had come to see her with a lightened hear. What a
fortunate meeting!

Dysali stood up too, smiling more broadly than she had in months. This
was the best Healer visit she'd ever had, so far. "See you tomorrow!" She
waved and headed back into her own room.

Last updated on the May 4th 2014

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Someone Who Understands