In Praise of Mothers

Writers: Len, Paula
Date Posted: 17th February 2016

Characters: Uetia, J'nne, Sabia
Description: Uetia and Jayonne talk over a picnic
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 4, day 9 of Turn 8
Notes: Mentioned: Jaylene

Uetia was laying on her back on the beach, wearing only her swimming bikinis. She was half asleep. On the top of her, again, flat stomach was Sabia, curled up to sleep, fist in her mouth. Sirjath's half spread wing was acting as sun screen, protecting the baby's fair skin from the sun.

She heard footsteps crunch on the sand and hear them stop next to her. She cracked her eyes open. "Jayonne. If that's not the picnic I asked for, I won't budge." She was feeling far too comfortable and lazy.

"cold hard boiled eggs, red fruit, chilled white wine, fresh bread, soft cheese...would this be such the picnic you asked for?" Jayonne placed the wicker basket next to her torso and sat down. "Thank you Sirjath for the shade!" Without even waiting to be asked, he gently picked the babe up in his arms and cuddled her close, careful not to wake her. "Tell you what, that was a long walk with that big basket." He rolled his large eyes at Uetia and grinned.

"That does sound like it," Uetia replied and lifter her upper body so that she was leaning against her elbows. "And you need to build up some muscles, harper-boy," she continued.

Jayonne rocked the baby back and forth a few times. "I've got all the muscles I need, see?"

"Not if you want to be a dragonrider," Uetia said and got up to proper sitting position. "A baby weights much less than a dragonet," she grinned. She took the basket and started to rummage thru it. She soon had wine poured to two mugs.

Jayonne nearly slipped the wine she handed him. "Wha--what makes you think I want to be a dragonrider?"

"You don't?" Uetia sounded surprised.

"No, I've got my violin, I've got my family and friends, why would I need more?"

"I don't know, because a dragon is half of you you don't know you are missing," Uetia suggested. She bit into a red fruit.

Jayonne settled back, Uetia's baby asleep in the crook of his arm. "Well then, it's a part of me that just has to go missing then." He gave her a wink.

"Your loss," Uetia shugged her shoulders. "Don't drop my baby," she eyed the way Jayonne held her with wary eyes. She tended to be bit over protective of her.

"As if I wold do a horrible thing like that!" Jayonne's tone was teasing. "You must have mistaken me for my sister." He winked.

"As if you two could get mistaken for each other. She's prettier for one," Uetia replied to the tease with jab of her own.

"Well, J'zen is the prettiest," Jayonne quipped back. Certainly his big brother preened the most.

"Seriously, you should at least _try_ to Impress before you get too old for that. Think what fun the Mating flights are," Uetia said and wiggled her eyebrows.

"Yeah, but..." Jayonne frowned thoughtfully. "I don't know. Every time I think of that I just remember da and J'lan..." He sighed, his eyes dark.

"You're not only one who's lost family," Uetia said, her voice sharp. "It didn't prevent me," she softened her tone and stroked Jayonne's arm.

Jayonne leaned into her touch, smiling to let her know that he didn't take her tone personally. "I know. You're a braver person than I, perhaps. Yeah, I dunno. I used to think about it, a lot. And then I just got wrapped up in my studies. But I have always thought I should do it, just once, just to see what it feels like to stand there out on the Sands. But then again I think it would break my mother's heart. She always worries so much for Jaylene and J'zen, wouldn't have a third child up there shatter her? At least she always knows one child is safe, right?"

"She can't wrap you into a blanket and hide you inside a closet, as much as she wanted to. You're grown man and you have to live _your_ life. If you always think what _she_ wants you to do, let her needs take priority, you will eventually grow bitter and start to resent her. Trust me, I know what's talking about. I want nothing more than keep Sabia safe and sound. But I also know she _needs_ to make her own mistakes, her own choices. She needs to climb the cliffside, no matter how much _I_ fear she'll fall off. She needs to stub her toes and cut her finger with knife. That's life, that's only way for her to learn how to handle knives right. If she wants to become a dragonrider, I won't try to talk her out of. If she wants to become harper, I'll get a flute for her. If she wants a man and two dozen of children, I'm happy for her. And your mother is probably more sturdy than that. Give her credit, she's not made of glass." Uetia had to stop talking to just take breath. That had been quite passionate speech. She gave sleeping Sabia a tender look.

"No, she's not made of glass but she has been through a lot. losing your eldest child and your husband to the same stuff that two of your other children face all the time is hard. I know, I watch her." Jayonne leaned forward, searching through the hamper before he found the bottle of white wine. Silently he pored Uetia a glass. "You might need this after that," he teased

"I'm still nursing. Although one glass probably won't hurt," Uetia said.

"Indeed." Jayonne poured a glass for himself and lifted it to the air. "To our mothers."

"To mothers," Uetia echoed. Of course, that's when Sabia woke up and decided she was hungry.

"She just wants to join in praising mothers!" Jayonne laughed and held his glass up to her.

Uetia put her glass away and took Sabia so she could feed her.

Last updated on the February 20th 2016

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In Praise of Mothers