Drenched

Writers: Anika, Chelle
Date Posted: 13th January 2015

Characters: Parale, Eirock
Description: Eirock and Parale rush to escape the rain.
Location: Sunstone Seahold
Date: month 11, day 3 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Ioven, Venrys, Syren

Eirock

Hastening his pace as the clouds let forth with a downpour that was at
odds with the small bit of sunlight of just a half a candle mark
before, Eirock realized he'd be soaked to the skin before reaching the
Hold. After this morning's rain there had been a respite and even some
sun so he had thought it a good time to make a trip down to the docks.
Before him there was a brightly clad figure whose circumstances were
more dire than his own, however. Carrying a baby in a sling, and a
good sized basket as well, was a woman making her way to the Hold as
fast as her encumbrances would allow. He thought he recognized her,
though they'd never met.

"Might I help with your load? I'm headed back to the Hold myself."

In that particular moment, Parale didn't stop to think about who it
was or why they were asking her. She nodded and shoved the basket into
his hands, using her free hand to pick up her skirts while her other
steadied the sling. Parys turned wide eyes onto the steward even as
her mother walked as fast as she could. "Thank you!" She assumed the
man would follow her.

Eirock did just that, clasping the basket tightly as he watched the
woman make her way with very good speed indeed. Far better than he
could have done in the saturated skirts. He snorted at the ludicrous
thought. They made it made it to the Hold in good time and the sudden
absence of the pelting rain as they entered was more than welcome.

When they made it inside, Parale stopped to take a breath and to take
stock. She pulled Parys out of the sling to check the baby and see if
she was dry. A little wet wouldn't hurt her for a little while but her
mother had no desire to give her a cold or worse. "Thank you.." Only
now did she have a moment to check his knots and she was surprised by
what she saw. "Steward."

"Eirock," he corrected, his lips turning up just slightly. "And you are?"

"Parale, wife to senior journeyman smith Ioven," she answered automatically.
Her worth was determined by who her husband was. Thankfully, he was
one of a rare few ranking crafters which helped her position. Judging
that Parys was fine, she began to rework the contraption, checking for dampness.

"Well met, Parale. I've heard good things of your husband." Eirock
had just been reviewing the contingent of crafters in the Hold and
working to determine what others were needed. "She seems no worse for
wear," he said, nodding toward the baby with his head as his hands
still held Parale's basket. He was impressed that the child wasn't
fussing after the stint in the drenching rain.

"She has two sisters. She's survived worse." Chuckling for a moment,
Parale saw the basket and realized. "I can get that now, but thank
you." She made a note to tell Ioven what the man had said.

Relinquishing the basket, he nodded. "You're welcome. How long have
you and your husband been at Sunstone, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Since right after we were married. Almost two turns now." Not very
long, to be fair. Of course so much had happened in that
time-including her first child-that she found it hard to believe it
wasn't forever.

"Sunstone has experienced a great deal in just two turns," he
commented. "Have you found the Hold to your liking?"

"It's very different than Garnet Valley." Of course her home had had
electricity and other amenities like heating. Parale missed the river
and the seasons amongst other things. She knew enough not to open her
mouth about it to the new steward though. "The hurricanes aren't fun
but at least there are plenty of people."

"Yes, I can well imagine it's quite different from Garnet Valley. I've
never been further inland than Echo Ridge," he commented, referring to
the minor hold, beholden to Sunstone. "I suppose the change in weather
does take some getting used to. Hurricanes can get one's attention,
but at least we've no blizzards."

"Right but when it's cold you can stay in and be warm. When it's hot
as shells you can go in but it's not cool. And you can only take so
many clothes off. Of course you can swim but it's not the same as
sitting by the fire or under the quilt." Parale did like the coziness
of the mountains. Sunstone was a young Hold and people came from
everywhere. Garnet Valley had turns and turns of Tradition and she
knew everyone or had a relation to them somehow besides the new folk.

Eirock gave a hearty laugh at her apt observation. "True enough!"
There had been cooler weather at Echo Ridge so he did understand her
point. For himself, he loved the tropical coastline - hurricanes,
heat, humidity and all. "Do you find the people much different?
That's something I've often wondered about different places."

"The environments tend to create the people as they learn how to adapt
to their surroundings aye. The difference here is that people are from
everywhere. Sunstone doesn't really have a set of traditions or an
identity yet. It's still figuring that out. So you can't really point
to a person and say-they're from Sunstone. Whereas my Garnet Valley
accent and how I do things...it's noticeable for anyone who's ever
been there. A lot of the older southern Holds are the same way." She
supposed it was that way in the north too but Parale had never been
there so she couldn't say for certain.

Eirock cocked his head as he considered Parale's words. Being born at
Citrus Bay, and his mother's family having deep roots at Echo Ridge he
thought himself a native of Sunstone territory, but he supposed the
woman was right. In his lifetime Sunstone Bay had become Sunstone
Seahold and the population had boomed. Morin had worked hard to
recruit settlers and craftsmen. "Your point is well taken, I suppose,
being the founding generation, we need to choose our traditions well.
Rather exciting to be in charge of shaping the identity of a
population."

"I suppose. I just hope that this does turn out to be a good choice to
raise my children. Their futures are more important." Ioven had made
that choice, not Parale. She had learned to trust her husband, though.
"I better get going, but good day to you sir."

"And to you, Parale."

Last updated on the January 20th 2015

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Drenched