Do You Fit

Writers: Chelle, Yvonne
Date Posted: 14th June 2014

Characters: Rhosyn, Tsaera
Description: They talk about the future and what to do.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 6, day 17 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Reeva, Briata, Y'gel, Cyradis, N'vanik, Lenala, Hygalia, U'das,
H'vack

Tsaera waited a few days before going to pay her respects to Rhosyn. It was
exhausting enough to be a new mother and visit with your actual friends and
family without having acquaintances fight for your time too. She had
Tabanirth bespeak Orlaith in the evening, just as the sky was turning rosy
pink and the air was soft and still. Once she'd received the okay that
Rhosyn was awake and up for company she made her way to her old weyr and
knocked at the door. "Rhosyn?"

"Come in." She was sitting in her favorite oversized chair and the infant
was in her lap, resting against her chest. Rhosyn was quiet and the reason
was soon apparent. Nisheyl was sleeping and her mother was listening to her
heartbeat and her small breathing. She didn't seem worried about waking her
up, though, since her voice was normal pitch. Still sore in some respects,
though she was getting over it, she was only in a long, shapeless white
gown. Her bare feet were curled under her.

Tsaera smiled at the pair of them as she crossed the room, but her eyes were
drawn to the baby. They were always so perfect when they were new.
"Congratulations."

"Thanks. We survived." It was unclear if Rhosyn was joking or if she really
meant that she didn't know if she would make it through. "Reeva says a few
sevendays and I'll be good to go. She will be with her new fosterparents by
then." Her hand supported the child's head and she kept her close,
unconsciously protecting her from any new threat. "How are things going?"

"Just fine. The Wing knows its business and flies well," Tsaera said as she
settled herself in the chair opposite Rhosyn's. "Although I rather suspect
that they'll be happy to have you back."

"Oh why's that?" She found herself curious-both about how the wing was doing
and how Tsaera herself was doing. Was the old goldrider going to stay?
Rhosyn had to admit it, She was ready to get back to work. She wanted to
drown herself in hides and drills and everything else to make her forget
about how lonely she felt while pregnant. She wanted to be around people and
other dragons again. It was also confirmation that she had done the right
thing by coming to River Bluff.

The older goldrider hid her smile-- Rhosyn could be transparent at times.
"Just a feeling I get. Change is always hard on the Wings. But-- before I
forget, I brought you something. Both of you." She pulled a small, wrapped
box from the pocket of her tunic and held it out to Rhosyn.

That did surprise the Weyrwoman and she found herself adjusting to take it
with her free hand. When she opened it, she wondered at it. "That's very
thoughtful of you." Fiddling, it took her a bit to get it around Nisheyl,
but she managed. She would worry about her own later when she had two free
hands.

"I had amber necklaces for all my children, and their foster mothers swore
by them when it was time for teething," Tsaera said. "I got the bracelet for
you because if your experience was anything like mine, most of the presents
you get are for your baby when you did all the work."

**Of course. She had children and they were fostered.** Rhosyn knew she
wasn't the only Weyrwoman in history to be in this situation. Still, Tsaera
was okay so it had to be the right thing to do. "How did you do that? I
mean..with them and their fostermothers? Briata and Y'gel seem to think I'll
be bothering them all the time."

"Oh, I'm sure I bothered mine." Tsaera smiled at the memory. "But they
expect that. And I wasn't Lady Weyrholder then... and there wasn't Thread.
But when it's your child, you can't really stay away."

Thread falling certainly changed things in many ways. It made Orlaith so
much more valuable, along with her rider. To Rhosyn she was without price,
but she had to admit that an Interval was different. "Hmmm...I don't know.
I'm content to see her from time to time I think. I mean, I'm not a
mother-not like that." She had never really had that instinct and it still
wasn't there. She had carried the child for N'vanik's sake, never her own.
And that had even backfired on her. She'd been lonelier during pregnancy
than she ever had. "What would you say are the main differences between your
River Bluff and what it is now?"

"The Weyr's still the same, it's just the people in it who changed... and
even then, they change only superficially." The older goldrider shrugged.
The Weyr was its own entity, and had gone on long before she'd ever
Impressed. It would continue to go on long after she'd died, and after
Rhosyn had died. "What do you think are the biggest changes since you became
Weyrwoman?"

"We have a new Weyrlingmaster. And there's U'das stepping down." Thinking
about the answer to that question, Rhosyn had to admit she hadn't exactly
shook things up policy wise after what Zharesti had done. "Lenala's done a
lot better. Mainly, though, people have just had to get used to me being the
way I am. I mean...I...I'm not like you, Cyradis, even Hygalia. Actually
Lenala has more public polish than I ever will." It wasn't something she was
ashamed of, but it wasn't something she was proud of either.

"I'm not entirely sure what you mean by polish, although I'm flattered you
think I have it." Where had she got that idea from? Tsaera had never had
much time for navel gazing, although it seemed that River Bluff's new
Weyrwoman had found the time now that her baby didn't let her sleep. And
she was right about one thing-- Rhosyn _did_ force people to adapt to her,
and from what she'd seen the woman made very little effort to adapt to
anyone else. Perhaps a little navel gazing would be good for her in the long
run. "I was a Miner before I Impressed. If there's any Craft that comes up
lacking in the social graces, it's them."

"I wasn't anything before I Impressed. And I wasn't anything after. Not
until I came here." That was telling. Rhosyn didn't know if anyone had ever
told Tsaera what Vista Point had been for her. Weyrwomen spoke, sure, but
not about everything. So even if Tsaera had known her old leader, it didn't
mean that she knew how she did things. Lenala knew, though. That was one
reason why Rhosyn was comfortable around the other rider. She didn't have to
explain herself.

For a moment Tsaera was silent, weighing what she wanted to say against what
Rhosyn might want to hear. You were only, ever yourself. "Then I'm glad that
you're making a life for yourself here," she said finally.

"I'm just glad that she'll have better than I had." Indeed that was one
reason why Rhosyn wanted Nisheyl to be at River Bluff and not Dolphin Cove.
She could ensure that her daughter was treated as she should be. "Oh,
another change since I came...more parties." At that, she smiled.

Tsaera cocked an eyebrow, her lips twitching as she bit back a smile. "So
you think."

"Well apparently Zharesti didn't have any. So I know I'm right." She sighed,
glad she didn't have to meet that woman. From all accounts she was strange
and unusual. "Tsaera, are you going to stay?" She had to ask the question,
especially when it would only be a matter of sevendays when she would be
flying again.

She wasn't expecting that question quite so soon, so Tsaera tossed it back
to Rhosyn. "What do you think is best?"

"I'll be honest. During this time I haven't really interacted with you much.
You stayed with the Wing and I stayed on the ground. So I'm not exactly sure
that we will be able to work with each other. Lenala and I can manage. We
can and we have. It's not ideal, but we can until an egg is laid. However,
there is enough work for someone to do naturally. I'm just unsure of how you
would fit. Would you keep flying or...?" Rhosyn didn't care if Tabanirth
couldn't breed. If she could fly and Tsaera could hold a flamethrower, she'd
put her in the air. If she wouldn't fly, then she was of less use to her,
especially during a Pass.

To stay at River Bluff... Tsaera hesitated, then slowly shook her head. The
Weyr had a new Weyrwoman, and there was no point staying when a clean break was
better for everyone. If it had been Zharesti, she would have been much more
tempted. "I've retired. It's been a pleasure leading the Queen's Wing again, but I
think it's better if I return to my northern Weyr."

Digesting that and knowing that once again, she would go back to how it was
before, Rhosyn tried her best not to show her relief. After all, Tsaera
could have been a help. Still, apparently she didn't think she fit in here either.
"Very well. We can perhaps arrange it sometime in month 7."

"When do you think you'll be fit to take up the entirety of your duties?"
Tsaera asked.

"According to Reeva, probably the end of the month to be safe." That was
easy enough and it would give her time to adjust to the differences in her body and get
back to the swing of things.

"Then I'll send word North that I'll be returning a sevenday or so later.
Just enough time to help with the changeover and to pack," Tsaera clarified. "The Wing
missed you. The whole Weyr will be happy to see you in the skies again."

That was an interesting thing for her to say. "Just let me know and we'll
make sure you have plenty of help in getting your things back." Hazel eyes
watched the older woman, regarding her for a moment. **Will this be me in a few
decades?** "And thank you, for everything."

Tsaera smiled, briefly. "I do my duty. As do we all."

Last updated on the June 15th 2014

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Do You Fit