When Can I Meet Her?

Writers: Kaysea
Date Posted: 12th July 2007

Characters: Fareena
Description: Fareena faces her mother and confesses her true feelings for Caelah
Location: Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 4, day 12 of Turn 4

Fareena pushed open the door. The small cart outside was a dead give-away that her mother was leaving the cot, but to go where? "Mam?" she called into the empty room.

There was a muffled oath and the sound of something crashing to the floor. "Fareena?" her mother's voice sounded doubtful. "Fareena is that you?"

"Yes mam, it's me. Can I...can I come in?" she called, her voice cracking. She hadn't realised until now, just how nervous she really was. Her whole body was trembling, and she was having trouble maintaining the level and tone of her voice.

The doorway was yanked open and her mother stood there, watching her, waiting?

"I didn't think... I wasn't going to hold my hopes up that you would come back. I... I packed what was left of your things, I was going to take them with me, and store them for you."

"You're leaving." It was a statement, not a question. It was obvious; there wasn't much left in the main room now mainly dust and scattered odds and ends of rubbish.

"Yes, I asked for a position in the main Hold, so I've been assigned quarters. You're welcome to accompany me. The Headwoman, Vanea, has told me you are more than welcome to accompany me. They can now assign someone with children to the cot." Her hands fluttered nervously in front of her, fingers twining and loosening over and over, as she took in the whole of her daughters appearance. She was different from the girl who had run screaming from the cot a little more than a month ago; more mature, a definite self confidence in her demeanour.

"No, I don't need somewhere to go, I'm happy where I am." Fareena stepped over the threshold and entered the front room. "I.. I got your message and thought I should come and talk."

"There's no where to sit, in here." Faleen held up both hands in supplication, "Come into the bedroom, and we can sit on the bed and talk. It's the only thing I will be leaving. The frame at least; they'll be bringing their own tick."

Fareena followed her mother into the bedroom, there wasn't much left to pack, but she realised the thud she had heard earlier was the rack her father used to hang his clothes over each night. It wouldn't be needed any more. There was a soft patina to the wood from turns of use; the oil from her fathers hands burnishing the wood to a soft, lightened klah colour.

She smiled as she remembered hiding behind it as a young child. Playing hide and seek behind his hanging garments, with her father, while her mother prepared dinner. It had been a pastime she had enjoyed and engendered many fond memories.

"Come, sit." her mother patted the bed and took a seat herself. Fareena noticed her mother had a scarf in her hands, a soft multi-hue woollen scarf, so familiar.

"Dads.." she said quietly, nodding towards the scarf.

"Yes.." her mother bent her head in agreement. "I've only kept a few things of his, the rest I sent up to the Hold to be added to the used clothes cupboard the Headwoman has. No use to you or I, so why not to someone who is in need?"

Fareena nodded. "I.. yes. A good idea." She was lost for wards now she was actually sitting face to face with her mother.

"Umm.." she looked anywhere but at her mother. "I'm sorry." she blurted. "Mam, I'm sorry for yelling, and screaming. I was stupid." She finally lifted her head and met her mothers eyes; it was then she noticed her mother too, was close to tears.

"I know love, I am too. We're silly, both of us." she reached out her arms and pulled Fareena into her embrace. "We're all we've got now."

The words were like a cold bucket of water over Fareena. "No mam." she said quickly, straightening up, "We're not _all_ we have now. _Caelah_. _I_ have Caelah, and you could have her too, as another daughter, if you would accept her."

Faleen sat back, a small frown on her face, the tears that had filled her eyes moments before had slowly traced furrows down across her cheeks. "How can I accept someone I have never met?" she asked softly. "I only know of her from rumour.. and gossip." she finished quietly, her eyes never leaving those of her daughters.

"You've never wanted to know her-"

"That's not true." Faleen countered, "Be honest, my love, you have never wanted to bring her here. Scared of what I might say - or do? How I would react?"

Fareena looked intently into her mothers eyes, would she find acceptance there?

"We've both had to contend with the gossip and innuendo around here, for too long. If you had given me a chance..." Faleen held her hands up again as if in surrender. "If I had known..."

"If you had known, mam, you would still have tried to marry me off, we both know that. It's the way it goes around here; and everywhere else, it seems."

"If I had _known_ about Caelah, I might have thought differently." she reached out and took Fareena's face in her hands. "Your father and I were an arranged marriage, yes, it's true. But - we loved each other from the moment we met. _Neither_ of us had shown interest in anyone else, before or after our marriage."

"That still doesn't mean that if you had known about Caelah..."

"You never gave me the chance to know her, or you." Faleen stood and walked across to the window. "Do you really think I give a toss what they say about us?" she asked vehemently, nodding to the cots surrounding them and alluding to the residents. "What is said in anger is often regretted. And very quickly, too."

She turned back to her daughter, "When can I meet her?" she asked, smiling for the first time since Fareena had entered the cot.

Last updated on the July 14th 2007

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

When Can I Meet Her?