A Matter Of Choice

Writers: AL
Date Posted: 6th October 2024

Characters: Nelani, Riclar
Description: Nelani discusses Claranel’s future with her husband.
Location: Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 1, day 21 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: Takradon

Night had settled upon the world, and all of Pern breathed a sigh of relief from the stare of the summer sun that had beaten the residents with its incessant heat. It dissipated in waves, leaving the darkened crevices of Pern and the creatures and crawlers that had hidden away in the wake of the oppression that rained from above. As the shadows crept along the fields and forests, drawing out some to more of their energetic pursuits, the larger inhabitants slowed and eventually stilled. As the children settled in their beds, a solitary figure glided through the main room of the cot, checking the coals that earlier that evening simmered, but had turned as dark and cold as the in the absence of the star that gave life to all below.

In the stillness, she could hear the cracking as the cot settled into its own slumber while she remained awake. She had thought she would go to bed, alone in that wakefulness forced upon her by the worries that scrambled through her mind and refused to vacate her thoughts. Upon entering the bedroom, however, the flickering candle, a weak mimicry of the one that shined so brightly in the sky a mere couple of hours prior, caught the eyes of a form upon the bed, an unexpected, yet welcome glimmer. Smiling, she set the candle upon the bedside table, then crawled into the bed, her arms reaching for the man who lay there.

“I had thought you would remain asleep.” Her gentle voice crooned softly, as her hand stretched out to stroke the head that lay upon the pillow. Once, his powerful arms had encircled her, held her close, and in his embrace, all her fears could not overwhelm. In his arms, they wasted away into nothing but a barely perceptible nudge in the back of the mind, and in those moments, she was able to ignore the weights that plagued her heart. Now, the illness had so harshly withered his form, and though she longed to hold him, she refrained herself, for his body, whittled down to a splinter, was far too delicate a thing for her to dare anything more than the light touch of of her fingers upon his brow.

“I”ve slept. Now I have awakened.” His voice was thin and crisp, like the crackling of paper that she had heard in the book her husband’s father had given to his eldest grandchild. Yet, when he smiled at her, it filled the room with a warmth that rivaled that sun that rose every morning. “In time to gaze upon your lovely face.”

“Hush.” Yet Nelani could not help but laugh softly at the compliment, one made often with as much sincerity every time he uttered those words as he had been the first time he spoke them.

“I’ll do no such thing.” Each word was underscored by a breathiness that had only entered into his voice in the last turn, though in the depths of the night, it felt a little lighter, as if he had somehow found some strength.

A flicker of hope sparked in Nelani’s breast, though she was careful not to let it burn too brightly. “Are you feeling better, love?”

“Now that you are by my side, yes.” He reached for her, his fingers tracing over the hand that lay still between them, his touch like a feather, barely there, but it spurred her to turn and lace their fingers together. “How was your day?”

“It was good. Peaceful. I am certain the men appreciated the chance to rest from their labours.” Nelani’s fingers continued to trace a path over her husband’s head, stirring the hair in gentle swirls. “We had a visitor.”

“Did we now? Who was that?” Riclar enjoyed her touch and his smile remained fixed upon his sallow face.

“Takradon came to see me.” Normally it would have been to see Riclar, but knowing his condition, the man had gone to the mother, and rightly so. The subject was a serious matter, not one to be discussed with the intended before that of the parents.

“Takradon?” That surprised him, as the arrival of the man himself had when she had opened the door to find him standing just beyond their threshold. That surprise faded into a furrow of his taught brow. “Is anything amiss?”

“No. Quite the contrary. He wished to ask for Claranel in marriage.” Nelani watched his face carefully, but there was no concern upon his countenance. Rather, it fell into a semblance of thoughtfulness.

“Did he now.” It was not a question that time, but she could see that he considered the idea, rolled it around in his mind. For all that the illness had taken, it had not robbed him of his lucidity yet. “That is unexpected.”. He pasuded thoughtfully a moment. “And now it seems we have something to consider.” Somehow, his voice gained a hint of strength.

“We do.” Nelani nodded and sighed, daring to lay her head upon the shoulder of her beloved. It was sharp and dug into her ear, but it was so wonderful to be close to him that it mattered not.

“Have you spoken of this to Clara?” Riclar’s hand untangled from hers to reach up and stroke her cheek, and the trembling that had marked him faded with the motion.

“I have not. I felt I should speak to you first.” Ill though he may be, she would not ignore her husband’s right to be a part of the decision.

Riclar fell into silence for a long time. Though his hand stilled save for the light brushing of his thumb against the gentle rise of her face, his mind continued in its course as he thought of his daughter. How quickly time had passed. How quickly that moment had come. Nelani did not rush him, but let him weigh the thoughts in his mind until he was ready to stay more.

“He is a good man.” His crackling voice broke the silence. “But he is not the only choice.”

“We are no longer in the North.” Nelani reminded him.

“No.” His voice broke on the single syllable, but his next words were a little steady. “But the South is changing for the better. Still. You are right. We are in the South.” His thumb stilled. “What better prospects would she have had if we had remained.” His eyes studied her face. “A better future for you. A more certain future.”

“That wasn’t possible.”

“Don’t say that.” Riclar sighed, but Nelani’s fingers stopped further words from spilling out.

“It wasn’t possible. We could not remain, you know this. I would not have stayed, with or without you.” His wife’s fingers tracked the dry, cracked lips, further silencing him. “You saved me from an unhappy plight. I told you, I have no regrets and never shall. No more of that. We will not dwell in the past, but only in the present and look to the future.”

“So be it, my love. A decision still remains.” He sighed, his breath rattling in his chest, reminding them both of his precarious health, but they both also ignored it. “South or not, changes or not, who should make the decision remains the same. What did you tell Takradon?”

“That there are many paths for our child to take, and while this is one, we can not guarantee that path leads to him.” Nelani would not force Claranel in the direction should she not choose it.

“Very good. Claranel should choose where she should walk.” Again, silence descended, but again, Riclar broke it. “This is the South. But the South is changing. We have never considered her choices before, but…” He broke off, a cough causing his body to quake briefly, and Nelani sat up, but he weakly waved her off and finished his thought. “That, too, has changed. In the last few turns, a woman need no longer go to a Weyr to apprentice.”

“You think this is something she might want?”

“I do not know. It should at least be something she knows she can choose.”

It was Nelani’s turn to let the silence fall between them. After several moments, she spoke again. “The turns have gone by so fast. When did she become a woman?”

“They have. It has happened. Perhaps it is a bit late, but now we are faced with this. We cannot ignore it.” He breathed in several times, though the effort was shallow. Still, she could hear his heart beating and it brought her some comfort. After a moment, he continued. “My father’s friend, Leranek, he is still at Emerald Falls and has not, as far as I know, retired despite his age. Perhaps he will take her as a foster.”

“A foster?” Nelani lifted herself up and propped herself upon her elbow, staring down at her husband’s face.

“Takradon is a good man. If she should choose him, she would be well cared for.” Another pause followed, but though Riclar’s energy waned, he would finish. “But she should know there is more out there. If he agrees, and if she wishes it, let her go there. Give her the opportunity to see beyond this little cothold.”

His last syllables were murmured as fatigue settled in, the effort to speak having drained him, and without intending to, he drifted back off to sleep. Carefully turning over so as not to disturb him, Nelai breathed upon the flame and the room plunged into darkness. Their daughter’s fate was not yet sealed, nor would her parents do so for her. No, her husband’s suggestion had merit. They had come to a crossroads, but they would not choose where she should go. No. No one would do that, but Claranel herself.

Last updated on the October 6th 2024

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A Matter Of Choice