The Hallmaster's Wife

Writers: AmajoS, Bree
Date Posted: 16th March 2007

Characters: Carmora, Narrala
Description: Carmora encourages Narrala to come to her with problems - Narrala isn't so sure.
Location: Harper Hall
Date: month 2, day 15 of Turn 4

Narrala swallowed nervously as she hovered just outside the closed door. She berated herself as her fingers twirled a loose strand of her hair, escaped from the confines of her braid, between them. She'd been sent to help the Hallmaster's wife with some task and now she stood before the woman's door and was working up the nerve to knock. It was ridiculous, the woman was expecting her even!

The impasse was breached when the sound of approaching footsteps panicked the girl enough to just reach up and knock on the door, her heart racing at both the act and at the idea that someone might see her standing here like a sunstroked wherry.

The door opened after a few moments, revealing an older woman with a friendly smile. "Hello, Narrala! Please, come in." She held the door open wide enough to usher the apprentice inside.

Smiling shyly in greeting, Narrla ducked inside. The Hallmaster's wife made her nervous honestly. Not only would it be a bad idea to make a bad impression on her as word of it would very likely get to the Hallmaster himself and she didn't want his opinion of her to be bad. She qualified for advancement starting this turn... She wanted to advance to senior rank by the end of the turn and having the Hallmaster think badly of her didn't seem like a good way for that to happen.

Not only that though, but everything Narrala had heard of her seemed to indicate she was extremely unhappy at the Weyr and thought only the worst of Weyrfolk. Narrala was Weyrfolk born and bred. "You... um, you needed some help?"

"Help?" Carmora tilted her head to the side in confusion as she ushered the girl to a chair. "No, they misunderstood me! I just wanted to have a chat with you and see how you're settling in now that you're a part of the Hall."

"Oh," Narrala sat down, suddenly unsure. "How I'm settling in?"

Carmora retrieved her kettle from the hearth and poured two mugs of hot water for tea. "I mean how you're doing with the Hall. I know it must be a change, to be taking classes with other apprentices all of the sudden. And so many of them who aren't used to having female classmates!"

"Oh, well, it's been different. But, I mean, I expected it to be," she added, not wanting the Hallmaster's wife to think she wasn't happy with her decision or something.

"But you're not having too hard a time, are you?" She gave Narrala a friendly smile, hoping it would put her at ease. "I know that some of the men can be a little... abrupt."

Narrala wasn't sure how to take this. It was true, and she'd like nothing better than to admit that she was frustrated by some of the treatment she'd received over the months since joining the Hall.
However, part of the problem was not only being female, but also being weyrbred. She was often treated as inferior for one and immoral for the other.

The Hallmaster's wife might commiserate with the one, but the other?
It was pretty well known that the woman didn't look favorably on the weyrbred herself. Now, Narrala wasn't sure how much of what she'd heard was true - rumors of the fight she'd gotten into with a dragonrider ranged from a simple disagreement to Carmora attacking the man and denouncing the whole Weyr as a cesspool of impropriety.

"A bit, yes. Sometimes," Narrala replied hesitantly.

Carmora couldn't understand why the girl seemed so nervous. Surely she'd given her no reason to feel uncomfortable! "It's all right, my dear. You can talk to me about it if you have a problem. I want all of the apprentices in the Hall to feel comfortable talking to me, but especially the young ladies. The boys have plenty of people looking out for them, but it is going to be hard for you girls for a while, I'm sure."

"Yes, ma'am," the apprentice answered. She chewed her lip a moment, her fingers twining through the loose strand of hair. Finally she decided that she just didn't have to mention the problems that came of being weyrbred. The woman obviously wanted to help, and Narrala wanted to be on her good side, so she'd give Camora the issues she'd be able, or willing, to help with.

"It's not -so- bad really," she began. "The younger apprentices aren't that bad, it's mostly the older ones; the seniors and the journeymen."

Carmora nodded in understanding. "The ones who are set in their ways, I'm sure."

The young apprentice wondered if the woman realized the irony. Of course, she also wondered if the rumors were just that. Carmora wasn't acting as unreasoning as Narrala had heard. "Yes. I'm hoping that if I just work hard enough, they'll get used to me at least. It does make things a little difficult sometimes," she paused then, thinking of a few recent instances. "But I can handle it."

"I'm sure you can, but you shouldn't have to," Carmora said firmly.
"If things get too hard, or anyone is too difficult... well, if you don't feel comfortable going to the Hallmaster, I hope you'll consider coming to talk to me."

"Yes ma'am," Narrala nodded, though she privately wondered if that would be a good idea at all. She needed to fit in, not set herself apart by running to the Hallmaster's wife every time her ego got bruised. Besides, she still didn't know for sure if the woman would be sympathetic to some of the problems. Of course, letting Carmora think whatever she liked wouldn't hurt anything.

Last updated on the March 16th 2007

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The Hallmaster's Wife