Oh What a Night

Writers: Chelle, Eimi
Date Posted: 4th August 2010

Characters: Parale, Ioven
Description: They talk while travelling to their new home.
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 10, day 13 of Turn 5
Notes: Mentioned: Briata, Syren and Venrys (NPCs)

The party had traveled out of Garnet Valley by carriage. While Venrys
and Syren started off the journey with positive spirits, the excitement
quickly wore off as they realized that they were cooped up in a very
small space for an entire day. Ioven and Parale's time had been
consumed by trying to keep the girls entertained and comforting Syren
when she got motion sickness along the way. By the time they had
reached the lake at the base of the mountains, they were all exhausted
in mind and body, and barely had the energy to get food in their
stomachs before they stumbled into their beds for the night in the inn.

After the midday meal the next day, they boarded a boat which would take
them across the lake and to the mouth of the river which they would
travel down to where it met the ocean right in front of River Bluff
Weyr. At the Weyr they would board a boat which would take them the
rest of the trip to Sun Stone Seahold. All told, they expected to be
there in a couple sevendays time, weather permitting.

The girls were far more pleased with traveling by boat than the carriage
as they had the freedom to move about, but as Syren was yet not a strong
swimmer, one of the adults was with the children at all times while on
deck. As such, Ioven and Parale had spent no more than mere moments
alone in each other's company since the journey began. They were
finally afforded a moment's break once night came, and the girls were
put to bed in the room they would share with Parale that night.

It was with a little awkward hesitation that Ioven finally made his way
up on deck to find Parale. He was pretty sure that the reality of their
situation was hitting her as much as it was him. The last two days they
had been working together, much as a father and mother would, and saw
glimpses of each other in a completely new light. For better or worse,
they would be facing life as a team now. He wondered if she was having
second thoughts.

She was sitting in the small eating area, sipping klah. She needed the
time to wind down after a long day and she was enjoying the quiet as the
ship rocked her.

The smith followed her lead and grabbed a large mug for himself. "The
girls are out," he said softly, slipping into the seat across from her.

"Good..." She closed her eyes for a few minutes then opened them again.
"It'll be so nice to sleep in a real bed."

"In a couple sevendays, we'll have you home and get you settled in.
You'll feel better then." Faranth knew he couldn't wait to sleep in his
own bed. For as long as it would be _his_ own bed...

Parale shifted slightly, getting comfortable. She hated the heat of
River Bluff and was already wondering just how she would adjust to it.
"What is your work schedule like there?"

"Much like it was at Garnet Valley. Leave after breakfast and usually
back for dinner. There are some nights when the kiln is going when I
have to stay awake and watch it, but I try to keep it to only once a
month." Of course, he had been very strict with his work time since he
had two girls to care for. Now that he was going to have a wife who
could watch them, he could see himself spending extra candlemarks here
and there in the shop. Especially if they were going to add to their
family at all...

"How many smiths are at the Hold?" She was used to being right near
the crafthall so she knew it was going to be different. She wondered
what Sun Stone's main trade was.

"Quite a few, actually. We have a lot of glassmiths and blacksmiths
that work down in the shipyards. And a few of every other
classification rattling around, I'm sure." He knew he wasn't the only
ceramics maker. It would be nearly impossible to keep up on demand
alone.

"What is their main trade? Besides being a seahold.." Parale wasn't used
to shipping so that would be a new thing.

"Sun Stone? Well, ship building and fishing, of course. River grains.
Fresh fruit. And just general trade. It's really in the perfect
location, so you can sell just about anything to the people who pass
through on their way to other destinations." Ioven had been impressed
just by the variety of goods that were always available in their Hold,
and for good prices, too! "I do a lot of extra business with the
traders. They use my ceramics as ballast for their ships. It's heavy,
cheap, and can be sold when they don't need it any more."

"Sounds..interesting." Sipping her klah, she thought about how that
would mean different people coming and going. That didn't sound very
safe.

"I think you'll like it," he assured her, hearing the uncertainty in her
voice.

Bringing up a hand, she covered up a yawn. "Well right now all I can
think about is sleep. Thankfully I can try to rest while on the boat a
little."

"Yes, a lot of time for rest. We'll be on boats for sevendays yet.
Once we get on the river we won't touch land again until we reach River
Bluff Weyr. Have you ever seen the ocean?" he asked curiously.

"When I went to the Weyr that one time I did." She thought about
Briata and wondered if she should tell Ioven about that. "I was visiting
a friend. She's promised to come to the wedding."

"That will be nice," he said, a little surprised she hadn't mentioned a
friend at the Weyr before. "Is she a dragonrider?"

"Ah no. She's a crafter. She..was mated to one, but he em..well you
know. Threadfall.." Parale sighed, wishing she could be there for
Briata, but knowing she couldn't be at the Weyr. She'd lost her own
father and remembered that pain.

"Oh." Ioven wasn't exactly sure what to say to that. He had never
known anyone at the Weyr, except maybe the sons or daughters of someone
who had been Searched, but he never really gave that life much thought
except in passing. "Well... We'll have a couple days at the Weyr before
our ship leaves, so you'll be able to enjoy the beach there. It's quite
nice."

"Oh? Well then maybe I ought to try and get a message to her?" Parale
had never thought of that.

"I think we'll be traveling about as fast as any message would, unless
we find someone with a firelizard willing to take the message." If he
had known she had friends there, he certainly would have given her
notice. "Does she like surprises?"

"She has a firelizard." Parale frowned. She had never really surprised
Briata in the past so she was unsure about that. "Someone on the boat
has to have one right? Elsewise what would they do in an emergency?"

"That is a strong possibility, but I don't know how they feel about
renting out their flit to run messages." Or how much they would charge
for it. "But we can check on that in the morning."

"In the morning...aye, I think it is time for bed." She yawned again,
knowing she would wake early since it was her nature.

"Syren sometimes wakes in the middle of the night and might try to get
into bed with you. She was pretty worn out last night, but with the rocking and the boat and all..." Venrys used to do the same thing but had grown out of that. His youngest would too, he was sure, but he really didn't want her wandering around a boat half asleep. "If you don't want her in bed with you, please show her down to my room."

She shrugged. "It's fine." Getting up, she grabbed her mug. "I'm just
glad they don't get seasick. Wouldn't that be a mess?"

"As long as the water's calm," Ioven nodded, though he wasn't holding
his breath. Who knew what kind of weather they'd be running into once
they got out on the open ocean. "Good night, Parale."

Last updated on the August 4th 2010

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Oh What a Night