What Does It Mean?

Writers: Francesca
Date Posted: 29th April 2025

Characters: Lindora, Ilinora
Description: Lindora discusses Aleriand's strange text with her sister.
Location: Harper Hall
Date: month 5, day 7 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: Aleriand

Zinora finally napping, Lindora closed the door to the bedroom and
took a seat at the dining table as her sister finished tidying up
after lunch. Within a month of Lindora transferring to the Printer
Hall, their father had recalled Ilinora from the Bakercraft Hall to
cook and clean for him and, eventually, to be married off. While it
was wonderful to have Ilinora nearby again, Lindora felt guilty that
her decision to increase her own independence from her father had
meant her sister was back to living under the same roof as him.
However, Ilinora insisted she had never been very interested in baking
and was happy to be back at the Harper Hall.

Now that her daughter was asleep, and their father out, Lindora pulled
a small book out of her bag. The cover was innocuous: the outline of
two dragonriders and their dragons at night on the beach. The title
was similarly tame: "Stars Over the Sea." She slid the book towards
her sister, who took a seat across from her.

"I ran into the Hallmaster a little over a sevenday ago and we talked
about books," she explained.

Ilinora raised an eyebrow, knowing her sister's ambitions. "Ran into
him? Or stalked him until he was alone?"

Lindora rolled her eyes but couldn't help giving a small smile. Her
sister knew her well. "Whatever. Anyway, near the end of our
conversation, he gave me a book to read and said it was one of his
favorites."

"Ooh, that's promising." Ilinora flipped through it, trying to get a
sense of the story.

"Exactly! I thought it was his way of sharing his interests, which
would help me understand the kind of wife he's looking for. But now
I'm not so sure." She made a frustrated noise. "The story wasn't at
all what I expected. It takes place at a Weyr, so I thought it might
be a little scandalous, but it was strange." It was embarrassing to
talk about, but Ilinora was the only person she felt comfortable
talking about this with.

Ilinora had only been half listening as she skimmed parts of the book.
"E'ruk and R'shen? Why is it always them? Where's the woman, and which
rider does she choose?"

"That's the problem." Lindora lowered her voice. "E'ruk and R'shen are
two male greenriders and they're _together._ There is no woman." It
was just the two of them, and some nighttime scenes at exotic beaches
around Pern.

"You mean, _together_ together?" At Lindora's nod, Ilinora frowned.
"Why would he have you read something like that?"

Lindora's voice rose. "I don't know!" Then, remembering her sleeping
daughter, she lowered it again. "Isn't that strange? Why would he ask
me to read that? I keep trying to think of a reason, but nothing makes
sense."

"Well, he spent Turns at the Weyr, right? Maybe he has friends who are
male greenriders and wants to see if you're ok with it?"

"Maybe? He did say he still plays dragonpoker at the Weyr pretty
frequently. Maybe he wants to make sure his future wife wouldn't have
a problem with that." Her voice gained some confidence as she thought
it through. "Maybe he's even looking for someone who can join in;
someone who can be friends with his friends. I could do that." She
wasn't exactly thrilled at the idea of spending time with male
couples. But, she was sure she could get used to it, as long as they
were fully dressed and didn't kiss in front of her.

"It doesn't make sense he'd give you a romance though. Couldn't he
have found another kind of book? Or another way to get your reaction?
I mean, listen to this." Ilinora read from a page about halfway
through the book: "E'ruk's breath caught as he met R'shen's eyes
across the dining hall. He was supposed to be paying attention to the
Weyrleader's speech but all he could think about was their upcoming
date." She shook her head. "What's the point of reading a book with
that?"

Lindora felt the need to defend the Hallmaster. "Well, he is a
Printer. Maybe he communicates through books?" She sighed. "And now I
have the perfect excuse to see him again, but I have no idea what to
say. Hey Hallmaster, thanks for the book. I think male greenriders are
perfectly ok, and would love to visit the Weyr. Is that what he wants?
Ugh. Why can't he just say what he wants?"

"Yeah, men are supposed to be direct," Ilinora agreed. "Maybe this is
his way of letting you know that he isn't good at being direct? So
he's looking for a woman who can kind of take the lead?"

"That's a pretty big stretch. I guess it could explain why he's single
though." He was so much older, it was difficult to imagine him taking
a more passive role in a relationship.

"Or," Ilinora lowered her voice again. "Maybe he's telling you he
wishes he could be a male greenrider, because he likes men."

"That's ridiculous." Lindora shook her head. "If he liked men, why
didn't he just stay at the Weyr? He could have been a Master there.
No, he's one of those crafters so focused on his studies he never
bothered with a relationship. I don't think our Dad would have ever
married without his parents pushing for it." Yes, she just needed to
be more direct with him. She nodded decisively. "I'll just need to
come out and tell him I'm interested in a relationship. Otherwise,
he'll never say it."

"Are you sure?" Ilinora was skeptical. "If he's not interested, it
could get really awkward. And, he's the Hallmaster, so he could make
your life difficult.

"I've been at the Printer Hall for almost 5 months and I finally have
his attention. Now, I just need to keep it." She'd need to strategize
exactly what to say to him, but she'd take a few days to figure it
out. And then, hopefully her life could get back on track.

Last updated on the April 30th 2025

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What Does It Mean?