Gettin' Leery With It

Writers: Chelle, Eimi
Date Posted: 12th August 2010

Characters: Parale, Ioven, Haeda, Jikki
Description: They have a meal with some other travelers.
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 10, day 15 of Turn 5

It was midday meal. Syren and Venrys were seated at the childrens' table
and Parale was by Ioven at one of the others set up. Two other travelers
were across from them and they were all picking food from the platter
set in the middle of the table. There was a pitcher of juice since water
was rationed. She reached for some of the cuts of meat, noting the
glance from the man across from her.

"You're from Garnet Valley, aren't you?" he asked, seeming to place her
accent. It was hard to hide and Parale didn't try to.

"I am," she answered simply.

"Where you headed then?" It seemed he was quite overcurious and it
wasn't readily apparent whether the woman with him was his wife or his
sister.

"Sun Stone Seahold," Ioven answered for her. He wanted to be sure the
man knew she was not alone on this journey. One could not be too
cautious with strangers while traveling.

After drinking some juice, the woman nodded. "Oh that's a nice place.
We're stopping there on our way inland." Haeda grabbed a roll and began
to separate it.

Jikki wasn't ready to give up. "Some nice earbobs there. Never seen that
many before really."

Meeting his gaze straight on, Parale put her meat down. "Thank you. I
pierced them myself."

Funny. Ioven had never really noticed. "Where are you going, then?"

"We're on to Fredo Hold," Haeda replied, biting into one of the pieces.

"I've heard of it," Ioven nodded. "Settlers then?"

"I'mma woodcrafter. Gonna work." Jikki was proud of that. After he'd
downed a considering amount of redfruit, he smiled with the juice still
on his lips. "They need strong backs."

Trying very hard to hide her disgust, Parale became engrossed in her
piece of bubbly pie.

"Indeed they do." He wasn't much more impressed with the man. "And you
are traveling together, then?" Ioven directed the question towards the
lady.

"Yeah, easier that way." Haeda didn't seem to care that Jikki was paying
the other woman attention.

Parale, on the other hand, was beginning to tire of his looks. She had
even stooped to leaning far back in her seat since she was sure he was
trying to look down her dress if he could.

Ioven noticed how uncomfortable she was getting. He also didn't like
the way the man was looking at her. His gaze seemed pretty intent on
her. Well, if there was one thing that would distract his attention
away, the smith was sure he knew what it would be. "Then I'm doubly
surprised you're heading to Fredo. So few women there, and they pay so
poorly."

"Women are comin, Holder said so," Jikki answered readily.

Haeda finished her food and began to drink. "They're offering cotholds
to run to the women who will go and marry."

"Well, this one is," Ioven said with an acknowledging smile in her
direction. "But I've seen the Fredo bound coming off the boats in Sun
Stone. It's mostly men. And mostly woodcrafters. They need the strong
backs, all right, but at a very cheap price."

"I'll get my own cothold though, if I can find a lady..." Jikki gave
Parale a smile that featured breath colored with the fish he'd eaten.

**Don't vomit. Don't vomit. Don't vomit** She thought over and over
again.

It was obvious he thought Parale might be that one. Well, that would
not do. "But do you have any idea how much competition you'll be facing
going into Fredo? Ten men for every one woman, at least. You'll have
no trouble of course, miss, but you, sir..." Though the move was
somewhat unpracticed, he put his arm around the woman beside him,
pulling her closer to himself possessively. "Yes, if you can find a
lady of your own, you'd be lucky indeed."

"I'm stronger than most of 'em I bet." Obviously Jikki hadn't really
thought that part out. He didn't misinterpret the gesture though and he
began to pay more attention to his dessert.

Still, Ioven wasn't too happy about the idea of sharing a boat with this
man all the way up to Sun Stone. "You should ask at the Weyr. I bet
you'll find that the real opportunity is at Topaz Sea Hold. They're
rebuilding, you know, and are paying woodcrafters well for their work."

"Aye but then I might be out of a traveling companion." Haeda didn't
like the sound of that.

Ioven shrugged a shoulder. "It was just a suggestion. Take it as you
like. But I'm sure you'd also be more comfortable there. It's a major
trade route rather than the back of /between/. Plenty of young men
being brought in to work. Plenty of work for a respectable young lady
too, I should think."

"Plenty of work. I have a..friend there at the Weyr. She's a crafter."
Parale knew that not all women wanted to be crafters, but there they
could.

"That's... another option." Ioven hardly thought that woman looked like
the type that would enjoy studying, even if she were given the chance.
But it was another option. He didn't object to the idea of her being on
a boat to Sun Stone, just the disagreeable man. At least Parale seemed
to have relaxed a bit. He pulled his hand back from her shoulder so he
could finish his meal. The sooner the better.

She slowly began to drink and eat again, though she was glad it was
quiet. Apparently Haeda had been offended or was too hungry. Jikki got
up and left, nodding a quick goodbye. She was glad of it. "Weather's
nice lately," she offered by way of conversation.

"Ummhmm," Ioven hummed his agreement as he took another bite of his
stew. Now that Jikki was gone, his mind was already drifting off in
its own direction.

Seeing he was hungry, Parale left it alone. She didn't mind eating in
quiet when it didn't happen very often that she could simply think.

Last updated on the August 13th 2010

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Gettin' Leery With It