Moving Out?

Writers: Jane, Kaysea
Date Posted: 11th September 2008

Characters: Lihona, Linli
Description: Linli and Lihona talk over the upcoming changes in their riverboat lives.
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 11, day 23 of Turn 4

Lihona stood on the bottom rung of the rail so that she could lean far to far over the top rail to and watch Nettleweed Dock disappear behind them.

"Up and down, and stop at the dock," she chorused as she had learned from the other youngsters aboard. "Then down and up, and stop at the dock."

"Hey!" Linli ran up to her cousin, and clambered up beside her on the rail. "Watcha doin?" she asked, a smile on her face.

"Nothing," Lihona said with absolute honesty. "Just singing that silly song."

"That song goes on forever." Linli shook her head, swinging her legs through the rails and sitting on them, with her legs swinging free on the river side of them. "Hey! Guess what!" she exclaimed, her face brightening.

"What?" It was going to be a nice morning for paddling upriver and the two girls were bathed in sunlight as they balanced on the rails. "Something good?" the former Weyr-child guessed.

"Yes - I got to see the baby!" Linli's face was wreathed in smiles. "He's still small, but he's so _cute_."

"Do you think I would be able to go and see him next time?" Lihona had _seen_ the baby from a distance but she wanted to see him close up. And maybe hold him. "I need to practice for when Rahona has my brother or sister."

"Eliste and Dar will be back on the boat soon. I think everyone will get to hold him then." Linli said, looking out across the river. "Tahna said we'll get to look after him when Eliste is busy quilting."

"Oh. Maybe ... Maybe I could help too?" Before the other girl had a chance to answer the question Lihona was off on a tangent. "Are you going to have to move out of your room? And sleep in with your father and Eliste and the baby?"

"I don't know...." Linli hadn't considered moving from her room to one with her father and Eliste. She had lived with Tahna and aunt Neke for as long as she could remember. "I don't think so." she shook her head, "Do you think they'll move us in with them? Who will aunt Neke share with then?" More questions swam into her head at the prospect of actually sharing with her parents, like Lihona did - she wasn't sure she liked the idea.

"Well they can't fit both of you," Lihona pointed out, for each room had only four berths, "and my father said the oldest child is usually moved out if there's a third baby."

"Then it'll be Tahna, won't it?" Linli asked, fear gripping her. She had never slept anywhere but with Tahna and Neke - she looked worriedly at her cousin. "Do you think they'll take me and leave Tahna with Neke?"

"That's what's going to happen to us. Nalin will have to move in with some other family, or some of the younger grown-ups."

"I didn't think of this. I was too happy with Eliste bringing the baby on board to think of me possibly being moved around. I can't remember ever sharing a room with Dar, though I think I must have when Marilea was still here." she said, referring to her mother as she would any other woman on board the boat. She could never remember calling Marilea mummy, she couldn't even remember a time when Marilea had lived onboard, it had been so many Turns before.

"You would have just been a baby," Lihona said, excusing her friend's lack of memories. "I don't think Rahona wants Nalin to go but she has to make room for the baby."

"I don't think Dar will mind me staying with Neke," she shook her head. "I might go ask Vaheri about it."

"I'll come with you and ask about Nalin. He might end up sharing a stateroom with Uncle Barr," she said, her eyes wide and her tone hushed just in case her irascible uncle was around to overhear.

"Ooohh. I wouldn't wanna share with Grandad." Linli felt a shiver run down her back.

"Well, you wouldn't," Lihona pointed out, quite reasonably. "Because you're a girl."

"Yeah, but even if I was a boy, I still wouldn't." She shook her head adamantly.

"Then I don't suppose Nalin wants to, much."

"Yeah, but he's lucky," Linli countered, "Grandad seems to like Nalin. He likes to teach him, anyways..."

"It's the engines thing," Lihona said, nodding in agreement. She suddenly raised her face, sniffing the air. "I think breakfast is ready!"

Linli followed suit, sniffing the air around them. "Good, I'm hungry! And we can ask Vaheri after breakfast too." she quickly dismounted the rails, and taking Lihona's hand, the pair made their way to the galley.

Last updated on the September 14th 2008

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Moving Out?