You Must Be Alydelle

Writers: AL, Jane
Date Posted: 27th April 2009

Characters: Ylisahn, Alydelle
Description: New Dolphin Hall headwoman, Ylisahn, meets pregnant apprentice Alydelle.
Location: Dolphin Hall
Date: month 2, day 16 of Turn 5

"Now," the blonde woman said as she appeared in the doorway of the office off the dining room and caught sight of the young woman wearing the knots of an apprentice and bearing the obvious signs of pregnancy. "You must be Alydelle."

"Y...yes ma'am." Alydelle couldn't hide the blush and lowered her gaze. It was obvious who she was. Everyone knew the story, knew what had happened. A couple of girls had reacted in a positive and friendly manner, but the large majority of the other apprentices gave her furtive glances and whispered about her. The teasing was less, but Alydelle wasn't sure if she preferred the outward teasing or the whispering and gossiping behind her back.

The older woman smiled. "And I'm Ylisahn. Perhaps you already know that? I'm the new Headwoman here."

"Yes ma'am." The whole Hall knew. The Hall had needed a Headwoman for some time and Alydelle knew that a lot of people were glad to finally have one.

"And I know about you, too. You're doing special lessons so you can keep up with your craft while you have your baby, aren't you?" That sounded all very reasonable to Ylisahn; almost surprisingly so for a Hall outside the Weyr - or was that only her prejudice showing? "Do you have a room to yourself?"

"No ma'am." Alydelle shook her head. She hadn't thought to ask for one as all apprentices shared rooms. She didn't think she would have been granted one even if she had thought to ask.

"You might need one when your baby comes. I'll have a think about that and talk tot he Master of Apprentices. Is that right? Master Mahantan? He looks after you all?"

"Y..yes ma'am, he does." And did his best. Alydelle liked Mahantan. "I..still don't know what I'm going to do about the baby." The girl admitted.

"Do they have foster parents at the Hall?" Ylisahn asked gently. "I don't know very much about this place yet, so perhaps you can explain what happens with the children born to crafters here."

"I've thought about fostering." It was the only way Alydelle could conceivably craft as she saw it. "I'll probably foster. I...never really paid attention to children before."

Ylisahn suspected that the apprentice was still very much a child herself. "Would you like me to find out some more about fostering at the Hall for you? Since I don't know, either, it'll be a good thing for me to spend some time learning about."

The offer was a kind one and Alydelle nodded, glad to accept yes. "Please. That's...that's very thoughtful of you."

"Well, perhaps it is," Ylisahn agreed, "but it's my job, too. As Headwoman. These are the sorts of things I'm here to look after, so you remember that if there's ever anything you're worried about or want to ask."

"Yes ma'am." She had been offered that before. Master Leisenn had been kind to her, but Alydelle had never had any trouble with kindness from the Masters and older Journeymen.

"I mean it, young woman," Ylisahn said in a light tone, waggling a finger at the apprentice. "There's no point in not using the resources at your disposal at any time, but especially during your pregnancy and when your babe is young. And I'm one of those resources. Do you know where I'm living? In the converted storage hut down by the wharves? You can come and see me there if there's something bothering you and I'm not up here in the main building."

"Y...yes ma'am." Ylisahn's approach to Alydelle was different. It was more teasing and more insistent than she was used to. The girl flushed at the tease and nodded as if to emphasize her words.

The new Headwoman still had doubts the girl would ask for help, but she had done all she could for the moment. Only time would prove to the apprentice that she was welcome to share her problems with the Hall's Headwoman and Ylisahn couldn't make time pass any faster. "So, what am I keeping you from? Do you have lessons now?"

"In about a half hour." It was still around her lunch time and she'd eaten and headed out to get some air before she had to get back to work. "I've already eaten."

"All right. No need to explain to your master or journeyman why you're late. I'm glad I've met you now, Alydelle."

"Thank you, Headwoman." Alydelle bobbed her head and turned to hurry off toward her class. She had seemed nice, but Alydelle couldn't remember what the last Headwoman was like so there was little room for comparison.

Ylisahn watched the girl go. How different was it for them - pregnant girls outside the Weyr? Even in a Hall that accepted women crafters the new Headwoman was afraid that the pervasive opinions of the Continent beyond the walls likely had an affect.

Well, she would do what she could to make people behave and hope that people could learn a new way of thinking by example. Of course, it wouldn't hurt her own and Wirril's acceptance in the Hall if they did.

Last updated on the April 27th 2009

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You Must Be Alydelle