Different Kind of Family

Writers: Anika, Jane
Date Posted: 6th January 2015

Characters: R'taran, Rayche
Description: Rayche offers R'taran some insight into family life in the Weyr.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 11, day 2 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Taine

"R'taran," Rayche muttered under her breath and got to her feet
announcing to her table companions: "Somebody I must see," with a nod
in the brownrider's direction. She gathered her utensils into one
hand and picked up her mug and plate before stepping through the
chairs to join her wingmate as he settled down at a nearby table.

"Rayche," he greeted with a nod as the greenrider joined him, curious
why she'd moved from her previous seat.

"Good evening, R'taran. I'm relying on you to save me from an meal of
endless importuning by a couple of feeble-minded dragonriders." She
said it lightly because she was generally good-humoured but was
feeling a little disgruntled that it had got to the stage where the
men's teasing had made her choose to move rather than sit with them
through another meal.

He chuckled, understanding completely. He often avoided such groups
himself, uncomfortable with the bawdy jests or innuendo. "Well, I'm
pleased for the company. How is your family?" He knew she was
weyrmated, and had at least one child, maybe more.

"Tahvey's settled in quite well but Pia's not liking the heat very
much." She shrugged. "If she doesn't adjust we might send her back
to Dragonsfall - back to my sister, her foster-mother. It would take
very little longer to go and get her for a restday from Dragonsfall
than from the lower caverns, though the time difference would work
against us." She was from an established Dragonsfall weyrbred family
and had always had family on-hand so had never really considered the
advantages of having a dragon when trying to stay in touch. It might
be something she would have to get to understand. "We'll have to see
how things go."

With a shake of his head, R'taran tried to wrap his mind around such a
family arrangement. "Being Holdbred it's hard for me to fathom, but
it's good there are options. I suppose you are right about the
restdays and it must help to have family that can help if need be.
Your weyrmate, he's a crafter right?" The brownrider wondered if the
man was also weyrbred and what he thought of the arrangement.

Rayche nodded. "Taine. Master mason. It's because of him I
transferred. The electrification project."

This news surprised R'taran, but he was unaccountably impressed as
well. So many greenriders he knew were so fiercely adamant about
their independence that they would never have made such a sacrifice.
It piqued his interest about the couple. "That's admirable, to agree
to such a change for the sake of his carreer. This project is indeed
a monumental one. Is he weyrbred as well?"

The greenrider grinned. "Not he! He might have been a crafter but he
was very conservatively Holdbred when he came to the Weyr. He's made
a lot of adjustments over the Turns, and I'm proud of him for doing
so."

"Speaking from experience I can agree that is quite a feat. I don't
know that I would have done very well without Qharterioth."

"Having a dragon certainly makes some adjustment imperative." She
shrugged. "Taine's father had Impressed blue when he was just a babe,
and his mother had remarried so he had been raised with a different
father. As I said, he had a lot of things to deal with when he came
to find his unknown father."

With eyes wide, R'taran took a drink of his klah as he considered the
story. This mason must be an interesting man indeed with the family
history that Rayche described. "But amidst it all, he found you."
Though not phrased as a question, R'taran realized he was quite
interested in how the somewhat unconventional relationship had
developed and hoped the other rider would elaborate.

"Mmm." Rayche's expression was amused. "He had a lot of adjustment
there, too. Flights; my close relationship with my wingmates and
former lovers. And Tahirath came first, of course, so if his holder
sensibilities were going to affect me negatively then it wasn't going
to happen." She laughed. "I don't think either of us enjoyed the
'courtship' process much but in hindsight it was a marvellous time."

With an uncharacteristic laugh, R'taran wondered if Rayche could
fathom how amusing her comment was to him. "I guarantee you, I would
not have done as well as he. Coming from a Holder's perspective
myself, that was an awful lot to overcome. I can't believe you're
describing it as 'marvelous'. Even as a rider I," he shook his head,
"Well, lets just say I pretty much gave up on the hope of a committed
relationship of any kind, or a family." The note of sadness in his
last statement was undeniable. Of course he had started to reconsider
things lately, but he still didn't believe a family was ever in his
future. Something he'd never told anyone was how desperately he had
wanted that.

"Why would you give up on those things? Neither the relationship nor
the family are likely to be _exactly_ the way they are at the Hold,
but that's fair enough, you're weyrfolk now and your children will be
weyrbred."

"In my mind," he tapped his head, "What you're saying is reasonable
and I agree, but in here," he tapped his chest I struggle with letting
go of the values with which I was raised. I guess I've just been
playing it safe and keeping things casual. I don't know _how_ to have
a family the way you describe." He paused, thinking that once again
his ability to change was the issue, then added quietly, "I have a
great deal of respect for your weyrmate."

"You should have a talk to him, sometime. He's very approachable."
She hesitated and then decided that there was no point in keeping
silent after all she'd said, so added: "Perhaps look for long, strong
families among the weyrbred. The ones that have stayed close over
generations. You might find you have more in common with people -
women - from those."

"Thanks, Rayche," R'taran said sincerely with just a hint of a smile.
"Thanks for not being offended, too. I know the way I see things
is...unique for the Weyr. Your weyrmate isn't the only impressive one
in your relationship. Maybe I will try to talk to him."

"Tell him how you saved me from another meal with _them_," she said,
nodding her head in the direction of her previous dinner companions.
"He'll be appreciative - as I am."

Last updated on the February 11th 2015

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Different Kind of Family