Snacks and Conversation

Writers: Curious, Emma
Date Posted: 9th September 2021

Characters: K'deren, Naradis
Description: K'deren has a conversation with Naradis while fetching snacks for Cyradis.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 9, day 9 of Turn 10
Notes: Mentioned: Cyradis

K'deren

Rukbat was setting over the horizon as Naradis made her way into the dining
hall. The girl was holding herself together enough to avoid looking
blatantly out of sorts, but with mussed hair and a vaguely distant look I'm
her eyes, it one could make an argument that she was barely holding herself
together.

Perhaps it shouldn't have been too much of a surprise when she walked right
into someone.

"Shards," she cursed, taking a step back. "I'm sorry..." she trailed off as
she took in exactly _who_ she had bumped into, shame flashing across her
face. "K'deren." She looked upward, just over the rider's shoulder, and
repeated a mumbled, "sorry."

The brownrider cast his eyes up and down his weyrmate's daughter. She wasn't
as put together as she usually was, which was the first clue that something
might be off, and the mumbling completed the picture. Turns of experience as
both a parent, and a wingsecond gave him the sense that something was not
right, but didn't tell him exactly what.

"That's ok, no harm done," he told her. "But you might want to come back
down to Pern from wherever you are right now, there are lots of people in
here."

Naradis snorted. "Yeah," she murmured. "Plenty of people."

The young woman's gaze darkened for half a second before she brushed it off.
She shook her head and offered the wingsecond a bright grin. "How are you
doing, K'deren?" she asked.

To his eyes, the grin seemed a little forced, something was clearly up, but
he wasn't going to push her to tell him - not unless she wanted him to.
Sometimes people needed to work these things out for themselves.

"I'm good," he replied. "I was just going to get some snacks for your
mother. Do you want to help me choose the best ones?"

"The best ones would be imported," Naradis said, tilting her chin up and
putting on a snooty voice. "The rarest pickled redfruits from the farthest
reaches of the Northern Continent, where it's so cold that they have to
spend a small fortune to keep the things alive."

She snorted then, a hint of genuine amusement breaking through her mask of
forced cheer. "But sure," she said. "I could help."

"Well, I don't know if we'd have those," K'deren said, mentally marking the
fact away for the future. "But they do have some fancy pickles from Ista
that she might like?"

"I don't really think you'd have to go fancy to please her," Naradis said,
shifting into a more serious mode. "If you get her actual fancy snacks, go
all the way and make it a gift basket. But for a "just because" thing just
stuff that tastes good should be enough."

She _said_ that, but after pausing to nod, she continued, "but yeah, I know
where you can get some good pickles. They aren't quite sour, but make your
mouth tingle more than most. And cheese and crackers that pair well with
them. There's a journeyman farmer called Korent; have you met him? Weird
guy, nice, lots of hair, talks all fast and excited?"

"I think so, he's the one with the mangy looking canine?" K'deren replied.

"He is!" Naradis said. "Not the best looking guy, but he's stellar at his
craft. You can get good stuff from him."

"Well, that can wait until the restday," K'deren grinned. "Your mother is
hungry now, and you know what that means."

Naradis laughed. "You poor man." She paused for a moment before starting up
again, a thoughtful tone in her voice. "In that case, you should get her
salted wherry with sweetened redfruit. It shouldn't take too long, but the
flavors will complement each other, and it can work as snack or a full
meal."

"That sounds like a plan." K'deren moved to pick up a tray. "I'll get her
some of that, and some cold citrus juice to drink. Grab something for
yourself too, I'm sure you would be welcome to join here."

Naradis moved to open her mouth, but closed it before saying anything.
Uncertainty flickered across her face for half a second before she buried
it." Are you sure?" she asked, voice very carefully casual.

"You're her daughter. Unless there's a really good reason, why wouldn't she
want to see you?" K'deren asked gently, giving her the chance to talk, if
she felt she needed to.

Naradis smiled, forcing a little extra energy into it just to keep it from
seeming frail. Was there something she needed to talk about? Maybe. However, she wasn't willing to talk about it right now, so it was a moot point.

"Good point," she said. "Let's get going, then."

"And grab some of those sweet pastries, they'll make a nice treat for her."
K'deren loaded up his tray rapidly with the suggested treats, and small jug
of juice.

"Good thinking," Naradis said, smiling slightly. A genuine smile, for all
that it was small. Even if all wasn't well in her world, it seemed that she
was beginning to get a little better.

"Follow me up when you're ready," K'deren told her. "We'll see you in our
weyr."

Last updated on the October 1st 2021

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Snacks and Conversation