Precious Memories
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Aaron, Heather
Date Posted: 29th March 2024
Characters: Rasme, D'men, Rugatha
Description: Mother and son reminisce on saying goodbye to an important person in their lives.
Location: Barrier Lake Weyr
Date: month 1, day 23 of Turn 11
Notes: Mentioned: Xasvi
"I can't believe Daslim is old enough to be a Candidate," Rasme said
to D'men as they sat together over breakfast. The retired goldrider
had a small table set up on Piketh's weyrledge where they could look
out at the lake while they enjoyed eating and conversation. Daslim
wasn't her oldest grandchild, but he reminded her most of his father,
D'men, who had been her first child. The child that had made her a
mother.
"I would complain about feeling old," said D'men with a smirk, "but I
have a feeling I wouldn't find any sympathy here. Who knows if we'll
ever have any more, but for now, it is wild that even the youngest is
leaving the proverbial nest."
"I was near your age when I had Casmari, so you never know," Rasme
warned with a quirk of her lips. "If only Rugatha were here to see
this. She would love seeing her great-grandchildren on the Hatching Sands."
"I'm glad S'ros and I brought the kids here before it was too late."
D'men smiled and laid his hand on his mother's.
**Flashback**
"Are you comfortable, Mother?" Rasme murmured, her voice pitched low
as she held Rugatha's hand between her own. At seventy-five, Rugatha
should have had many Turns left with them, but an illness had struck,
sapping her body of its strength and will to live.
"I am comfortable, enough," Rugatha croaked back in that stubborn way of
hers, despite the tension in her lips.
}:Abaroath and his rider have arrived.:{ Piketh said, her voice soft.
She understood that her rider's clutchmother was near the end.
"D'men and the children are here," she said to Rugatha.
The older woman's eyes fluttered open, but Rasme doubted how much she
could see with them at this point.
D'men tried not to let the pain at seeing his grandmother so ill show
in his eyes, but he was never a very good actor.
"Hey," he greeted her softly. He touched her shoulder gently. "It's
D'men. And Sareya and Ferros and Daslim." The children stood quietly
in a line at the foot of the bed. They might ordinarily have been all
hugs, but they were too worried they would hurt Rugatha to climb in
bed with her.
"D'men," Rugatha smiled, her weak blue eyes finding his. "And you
brought the children," she wheezed softly.
Rasme stood and went to her grandchildren, ushering them closer to
Rugatha's side so that she could see them better.
D'men took Rugatha's hand, and the children crowded closer. Daslim
hugged her as best as he could, and Sareya touched her cheek softly.
"Do you need anything?" asked Ferros.
"No, dear," Rugatha assured Ferros, feebly patting his hand.
Rasme could tell that the effort of greeting and speaking with the
grandchildren and great-grandchildren was depleting Rugatha of her
remaining strength.
"D'men," Rugatha's nearly sightless eyes sought out her grandson's
face. "You have always been a good boy. Don't let your mother neglect
family things, like birthingdays, anniversaries, and the like... You
know how she gets so wrapped up in her work."
D'men came as close as he could without needing to shove his children
out of the way. He smiled, though tears slid down his cheeks.
"Of course. I won't," he promised.
**End flashback**
Rugatha had passed later that night.
"I miss her," Rasme said softly, her eyes glassy with unshed tears.
D'men took Rasme's hand gently and tried to ignore the tears welling
in his own eyes.
"I miss her, too. And... I'm so glad that I came here to be with you."
The retired goldrider squeezed her son's hand. Children certainly
didn't keep. How was he already this old? **How am _I_ near sixty?**
When you were in your twenties your sixties seemed so far away, but
then in a blink, there they were.
"Look at us sitting here all maudlin," Rasme said somewhat gruffly,
wiping her cheeks self-consciously. "Tell me, what new exciting things
are you and S'ros up to?"
D'men grinned. S'ros was always up to something new and exciting, but
a good deal of that was not something one would usually share with
their mother.
"We found out about a little tavern not too far from here," he said.
"The barkeep is pretty used to serving folks from the weyr, and
there's always music, so we've gone out dancing a few times. It's
Talbor'sâ€" do you know it?"
"Talbor's? I _love_ Talbor's. He always knows exactly what drink I'm
in need of when I walk through the door. He's also good at selecting
musicians, isn't he? There's never a dull group there." Rasme loved
getting away from the Weyr and visiting the tavern when she had a
chance.
"He's brilliant. He'll have to expand the place if he keeps up the
amazing work." D'men chuckled.
Rasme liked S'ros, he was good for her son, she thought.
"Maybe we can get Xasvi to join us for our next lunch date," she mused
out loud, thinking of her eldest daughter.
"That would be so much fun!" D'men sat forward with excitement at the
thought. "I can't imagine she'd turn us down."
Last updated on the April 7th 2024