The Hot Seat

Writers: Eimi, Chelle
Date Posted: 8th June 2010

Characters: Parale, Ioven, Apeline, Alie
Description: They have lunch and Ioven is grilled about his intentions and prospects.
Location: Garnet Valley Hold
Date: month 9, day 19 of Turn 5

Ioven untwisted his knots and smoothed the front of his best white
tunic. He ran his fingers through his hair once more and brushed at his
short beard in case there was anything lingering. Of course, he had
checked his image meticulously in the mirror before leaving his rooms,
but he was more nervous than he had been in turns. Even though he was
forty-turns, he had never met a prospective bride's mother formerly.
Narys' family was already friends of his own, so no formal introduction,
or pressure to impress, had been required.

Letting out a deep breath and brushing at his tunic once more, he
shifted the small bundle of sweets he had brought to his other hand so
he could give the door a decent knock.

Of course the women had been waiting. Parale came forward and opened
the door. She peeked her head out first and said quietly, "Relax, it'll
be fine." Then, she stood back and allowed him inside. "Momma, this is
Ioven."

Alie was sitting down, but she got up when she saw he had entered. Her
eyes walked over him, making judgments. "Pleased to meet you,
Journeyman."

"Madam," he said with a small bow. He walked forward, holding the
package out to her. "It's not much, I'm afraid, but I was told they are
some of the finest sweets in Garnet Valley. I hope you like them."

Apeline had to admit it was a nice touch, grudgingly. She stood and
gave the smith a polite curtsy. "I'm Parale's friend, Apeline. Well
met, journeyman."

"And you," he nodded, kicking himself for not thinking of bringing
something for her as well.

Parale came forward as her mother put the package away, thanking him.
"Let's all have a seat then, shall we?" Making her way to the table, she
sat after her mother did.

Alie began quietly pouring her beverage and spicing her food. "How many
turns have you Journeyman?" She was highly curious about that, though
it seemed he was of a prime age.

Well, she seemed to be wasting no time, he thought as he took a seat
himself. "Forty as of five months ago, ma'am."

Parale offered him some of the rolls, trying to put a good foot forward.
She knew her mother wasn't the easiest person to face.

That wasn't too much older. "How far is your Hold from here?" Alie had
never gone far herself from Garnet Valley so she really didn't know of
it.

"River Bluff Weyr is about halfway between Sun Stone Seahold and here,
so roughly 1,500 miles." He looked at Parale's face and tried to guess
what she was thinking being faced with the reality of just how far it
was he was asking her to go.

Generally, she measured in dragonlengths but Alie could figure miles.
That was a long way and she likely wouldn't be able to see her daughter
again. Still, that was the nature of children. They grew up and they
left.

Parale had been to the Weyr though she hadn't flown straight, but she
understood what Ioven was saying. To be honest, she was terrified of
leaving her home for so long. Still, she was even more terrified of
being an old Auntie with no one to take care of her. "Is the water like
it is at the Weyr?"

"Yes, I think so," Ioven nodded, though he had never been to the Weyr.
He had sailed close to it, though, to reach the mouth of the river which
he and his girls sailed down on their way to Garnet Valley. "The water
is warm, and has a lovely emerald green color to it in some of the
bays."

Apeline looked at her friend as she asked a question. "Sir, how long
does it take to get to your home from here?"

"Not as long as it sounds," he assured her quickly. "Two to three
sevendays, I'd say. Most of it is by water."

That was long enough. Certainly not a journey that could be taken on a
whim. Were Apeline to visit her friend, it would mean being separated
from her husband and children for at least two months, and that was
something she could not do. "It's no so far that you can't go, Alie,"
she acknowledged, though sadly. It would be a long time before she
could make such a journey herself.

"You would be more than welcome," Ioven nodded to Parale's mother.

Parale frowned. She knew her mother would never travel that far alone.
Maybe she could write Briata a letter to work something out.

Her mother thought she understood the situation. "I know why my daughter
would go. I also understand the situation with your daughters. Tell me,
would my Parale have her own home to run?"

"If you mean would she be given all the responsibilities and privileges
of a woman of the home, then of course." They were duties he had taken
on out of necessity, but would be happy to relinquish to her. "Though,
I would expect that she would take my daughters' needs and feelings into
account. Too many sudden changes might not be good for them."

Parale looked at him as if he'd lost his mind. "Of course I would think
about the girls." He had hurt her feelings.

Alie noted the tone of voice she had used. Perhaps her daughter cared
more for the smith or his daughters than she realized. "Do you travel
much?"

Ioven wasn't sure why she looked at him like that. He didn't _think_ he
had said anything wrong. "I... no. I mean, aside from this trip, no.
I have late nights from time to time if I need to watch the kiln, and I
may be asked to travel to some minor Holds in the area if they decide to
go through with building the generator. But that would be it. I mostly
just supply the Hold and its Holders with tableware. And sell some
extra to the ships that come in as ballast."

Parale ate some of her food and Alie began to dig in as well, thinking
about things. "Where are you from originally?"

"I was born in Falling Rock Hold. It's in Dreams End's territory." He
figured she probably wouldn't recognize the name without that bit of
information.

"And why did you leave?" her friend shot in before she had a chance to
ask the next logical question.

Ioven wasn't much interested in his food, but he politely pushed some
around a little with a piece of roll. "After my wife died I decided I
needed a change. Sun Stone was looking for a potter so about a turn
ago, we moved there."

Parale gave Apeline a look that said she was not going to ask questions
about the wife. "But you came here for your training, right?" It was a
wonder she hadn't met him before.

"The smith hall, yes. I was there for a few turns, as were all my
brothers at one time or another." Smithing was a family trade, and they
had been lucky enough to be able to afford to all receive formal
training.

"How many brothers do you have?" This came from Parale as she realized
she knew nothing about his Bloodlines. "And what do your parents do?"

"Three brothers and two sisters." He figured she would want to know
about them as well. "My father's a smith, and all three of my brothers,
though they're blacksmiths. My sisters are married to an assistant
steward and a farmer. My mother takes care of the home."

"Where are they?" She wondered if Syren or Venrys knew any of their
extended family.

"Falling Rock Hold, or its beholden areas." It seemed he had been the
only one to break away from their ancestral home, and had it not been
for Narys' death, they might still be there.

"And your late wife's family?" Apeline asked, much more interested in
steering the conversation back to her. "Where are they? Do you still
contact them?"

"They're also at Falling Rock. I give them regular updates about the
girls. They've been family friends since long ago, and I grew up with
my wife's brother." Talking about them made him miss them. He was
starting to realize just how long it had been since they had seen each
other. Like Parale if she were to make the move, the opportunity to see
his old family and friends was exceedingly rare because of the distance
between them.

She was beginning to get an accurate picture of what things might be
like. Parale worked on her food some, allowing her mother to speak up.

Alie had already made substantial inroads on her plate. "Now, this
Hold... how big is it? Are people there behaved?" Sticking a fork out,
she seemed a bit too serious. "Are there many weather problems?"

That was a lot of questions, he thought as he pushed again at his food.
"Well, the Hold is actually quite large, though new and so still
relatively unknown. It's a very traditional Hold, and yes, the people
are friendly and modest. They're very welcoming of strangers." A fact
that he and his girls had certainly appreciated. "As far as weather,
it's very hot and humid in the summer, and the sun is stronger than it is
here. But really the worst only lasts about two months and then it
becomes comfortable again. Winters can be cold, though it doesn't snow
like it does here. And there are hurricanes from time to time, but
there's warning, and the Hold proper is safely located. Really, it's no
worse than waiting out Thread."

Parale digested that, watching her mother. It didn't seem so bad. If it
was a good-sized Hold, she could live there. Since it was on the Coast,
she could also travel by boat if she needed to.

Alie heard what he was saying. "Allright, we've had our turn, would you
like one of your own?" Not that she didn't have more questions, but she
thought it was only fair.

Ioven could understand Parale's need to have their approval of him, but
there really wasn't much that he wanted to ask in front of her mother
and friend. Still, he felt he would seem anti-social and disinterested
if he didn't at least say _something_. "Are you the only family Parale
has, ma'am?"

"She has some Uncles, Aunts, and cousins spread out a bit but when it
comes to immediate family, aye I am it." Alie had never managed to have
a second child, which she regretted, but what was done was done.

"Do you intend, then, to move in with your daughter's family later on?"
He looked at both Alie and Parale. Had they discussed her mother's
future plans at all? Or had they not looked that far into the future?

"I'm too far in my turns to be getting used to anything else. I plan to
stay here and the Headwoman will look after me with the rest of the
Aunties and Uncles." Alie didn't want to be a burden and she felt very
strongly about her home.

"I understand," Ioven nodded, though he wondered if that would effect
Parale's decision. He looked at her out of the corner of his eye and
tried to guess what her thoughts were on the subject. Would she be
willing to make a home elsewhere, knowing that her mother would spend
her old age separated from her?

Parale saw that it was time for the meal to end. Standing, she began to
clear away the plates and things. Once she was finished, she came around
to offer refills. "Do you want some or is it time for you to get back?"
she asked the smith.

"I apologize, but I think it is time I get back," he said, having
exhausted all his own questions. "It was a lovely meal, though. Thank
you."

Last updated on the June 13th 2010

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The Hot Seat