Needing to Talk

Writers: Avery, Miriah
Date Posted: 19th February 2014

Characters: Riveenata, Bahji
Description: Riveenata and Bahji catch up and commiserate
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 5, day 27 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: E'rae

Finally...her last check up. Bahji walked into the infirmary. She was
out of the sling, she only had minor aches and pains and she was ready
to get that section of her past over with. It was long since time, she
decided. Lifting her chin, she found her chair and settled in it.

"Bahji," Riven greeted. It was nice to see someone she recognized, and
whose injuries were of a non-fatal type. Her face was drawn with not
enough sleep and too much worry, but she still mustered up a weak
smile even though she knew the holder couldn't see it directly.
"You're looking better today."

There was a moment before Bahji responded, her brow furrowed at the
sound of the voice. "I am feeling better. " Concern laced her words.
"But you sound very strained."

Riven hadn't realized how perceptive the other woman was. "It's been a
long few days," she admitted. "I see you're free of the sling, how
does it make you feel?"

"Good. I only ache everyone once in a while now. I want to get it
behind me and move on." She tilted her head. "Are you sure you're
okay?"

It was maybe a little unprofessional to vent while she was supposed to
be comforting, but Riven liked talking to Bahji. "I lost a friend last
week. We were in Candidate classes together for four Turns."

There was instant sympathy on Bahji's face and she rose, offering a
hand. "I'm so sorry. No wonder you sound out of sorts. Is there
anything I can do?"

Riven took the hand and squeezed it. "If you're free for lunch
sometime, maybe I could tell you a funny story or two - I think I'd
rather remember him that way." Laughing and joking, the way he'd
always been.

"Of course. Today, if you need to. " Bahji returned the squeeze. "And
it sounds like you need a break."

" Today would be nice, if you're free. And I've thought about one,"
she admitted. Maybe _too_ much. She realized she was still holding the
other woman's hand and let it drop. "Anywhere specific I need to look
at, or is this the last general checkup?"

"I'm free." Bahji offered immediately and let her hand fall to the
side. "This is the last general one, actually. Then it's back to
normal completely."

"Are you excited about that?" she asked as she began looking at Bahji
with a healer's eye. "And can you move your arm for me and show range
of motion?"

"Very much." She lifted her arm and moved it in a slow circle from the
shoulder and then the elbow. "It feels a little tight, but I guess
that's from it being in the sling for so long."

"That's quite possible. I can schedule you for a massage in a few
days, if it persists."

Bahji's brows lifted. "A massage?" She shook her head. "No, I'll be
okay. I'll just exercise it." She rotated her shoulder and shook it
just a little. "So do you think I'll be okay?"

"It's looking good, if you're able to do everything you need to
without any help you didn't need before." She hesitated before asking
the next question. "Where are you staying now?"

She understood the hesitation and replied softly. "I'm staying at my
quarters in the weavercraft hall."

A slight wince, wondering how bad Bahji was feeling. "Are you okay with
that?"

"I kind of have to be." She took a deep breath, but didn't manage to
hide her sigh. "I think it's for the best. I'm trying to fit into Weyr
life and..." She wondered if she should be even bringing this up;
E'rae was a private man. But she did need to talk to another woman
about it. "...but he wants a hold woman. I don't want to be that any
more. I don't think I can be. " She tucked a piece of hair behind her
ear. "But he's never told me about any expectations or anything, so I
don't know what to think. I figured that it's time just to figure me
out. Just for me."

"I'm sorry E'rae's wants and yours aren't getting along, though. I
thought you two were happy."

She was used to being a mentor, so she added, "Taking time for
yourself is never a bad thing, and if there's anything I can ever do
to help you adjust to weyrlife, let me know."

Bahji tugged at her ear a little. "Well, maybe you can. Don't most
dragonriders have multiple lovers? And its okay? It's not thought of
as a bad thing, right?"

"At a Hold, nearly every woman winds up married and expected to be
faithful, right? I wouldn't say weyrmating is uncommon at a Weyr, but
it's probably not even half. Part of that is because of dragon's
needs, and part of it is just because we're more relaxed about who you
can feel and show affection for. Even non-riders can have multiple
people they're involved with. It doesn't mean we're magically
jealousy-free, but we're willing to entertain notions and not just
break up over one occurrence."

Bahji nodded slowly, accepting that. "So why would E'rae not want me
to flight moth for him?"

Oh. Interesting. "It can sometimes be hard to wind up with exactly who
you were there waiting for," Riven started delicately. "Especially in
a gold flight. He might be worried for your safety, about how someone
would handle you who might not know who you are. Has he ever come to
you after the flight, not at the cots?"

"I know that." She sighed. "I knew the risks. I wanted to show him
that I was alright." She rubbed her arms and shook her head slowly.
"No. He always took care of things at the cots. He always has treated
me very gently."

"Hmm. Maybe he sees life with you and life responding to his dragon as
separate. But that's not fair to you, if you want to be involved."

"But we're really not even involved that way." Bahji replied. "We're
not weyrmated, and I don't live with him. I'm sure he has other people
he shares a bed with. " She threw up her hands. "I'm sure he doesn't
get upset at the flightmoths that he has otherwise." She huffed and
then shook her head. "I don't know. I think maybe that he's just tired
of me."

"If he is, he's a fool," Riven said with a hint of heat in her tone.
"You're a great person, and if he doesn't see it, or he isn't happy,
that's his fault."

Bahji took a deep breath. "It's not as important as what you're going
through, though." She shook off her own thoughts. "When do you have a
break?"

"Everything's important to somebody." Riven looked around for a
timepiece. "Two candle marks from now."

"How about I meet you at the dining cavern then and we can take some
time to relax and talk without worrying about any injuries or
schedules?"

"Sounds good to me."

Last updated on the March 7th 2014

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Needing to Talk