Taking Your Measure

Writers: Chelle, Mirren
Date Posted: 2nd December 2015

Characters: Jaffra, Werenn
Description: Werenn comes for her measurements.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 3, day 6 of Turn 8
Notes: Mentioned: E'rae
Notes: Follows New Threads

Werenn quietly entered the room, her eyes looking around curiously. She had
never been in a place like this. She had never needed to. Everything she had
ever had had come from stores. Her father was a bluerider, after all,
without
rank. And her Aunt had never been a seamstress of any sort. Her feet made
a shuffling noise before she came to a stop and then she heard someone
rummaging in the back. Not wanting to be rude, she waited patiently, knowing
she was a little early for the appointment.

Jaffra was carrying a roll of fabric and didn't notice the girl at first.
She put the
roll down on her work table and turned around to find scissors. Only then
did she
noticed her customer.

"Oh. Have you been standing there long?" she asked.

"No not really. I was early..so.." Werenn watched the woman for a time.
Living in Weyrs, she was used to female crafters and didn't see them as a
novelty like some did. She knew very well that could be a career she chose
for herself. Unless she wanted to be a rider like her father or something
else.
Leith was great, but sometimes Werenn wondered if it might be better for her
not to be flying Threadfall.

"Ah. Well then, I'll get my measuring tape and we can get to work." Jaffra
didn't see any point wasting time on chatting. She walked to another table,
picked up the tape and a notepad and walked back to where the girl was
waiting.

"Raise your arms please. I'll start with your chest measurement."

Werenn followed instructions, though she was mentally comparing Jaffra up
against her new fostermother. The weaver was different than her aunt and her
new fostermother. She seemed more confident and authoritative. The young
girl
wondered if most female crafters were that way. She didn't see herself as
ever
being that way so maybe crafting wasn't for her.

Jaffra measured and wrote the number down. "Ok, put your arms down and I'll
measure those." At least the kid wasn't making a fuss. Some were just
downright
annoying.

She put her arms out and nodded. "How long have you been here?" Werenn
didn't often get the chance to talk to other women so this was an
opportunity
she wouldn't pass up.

"Since I was little," Jaffra replied. "Littler than you. Were you born
here?" She didn't usually ask about people's lives, but she was curious
for some reason.

"Hmm no. I was born at River Bluff. We came here when Da transferred." She
hadn't really understood what had happened to cause that but had accepted
it since riders moved around sometimes. "Have you ever left the Weyr?"

"Not recently." Jaffra only left her workroom when she had to.

"But before? Where did you go?" Werenn had never been anywhere but River
Bluff
and Dolphin Cove so her impending journey had her a bit nervous. Still, it
was necessary
so she didn't fight it. And part of her was a little curious.

"Well I was born at a hold, but I don't remember it." Jaffra shrugged. "All
right, I need to
measure your leg. Can you hold the tape to your inner thigh, as high up as
you can." There
was no way the weaver was touching a child there.

"My Da was too." Werenn took the tape and tried her best to hold it, moving
just a bit to get
better purchase and waiting patiently. This was a bit exciting, being
measured for new clothes.

"I'm going to hold the other end to your ankle. If it feels funny, tell me,
all right?" Jaffra might
not be the most sensitive person in the world, but she believed firmly in
having respect for one's
own body.

"MM okay." Werenn was almost old enough to start pulling her weight in the
Weyr and choosing
her future but she was still a girl. Nothing much bothered her-her worries
were simple.

Jaffra measured quickly and removed the tape. "All right, good." She
straightened up and wrote
down the measurement. "That's all then."

"Really? How long will it take?" That told her how long it would be till she
was going. And she was
trying to be optimistic about it, really, but it was daunting to leave a
place one knew for a place one
didn't.

"About a sevenday." Jaffra didn't ask where she was going; it was none of
her business.

"Oh okay then. I'll tell Da. Thanks!" She looked around to make sure she
hadn't brought anything with
her. Deciding that she hadn't, she looked back to Jaffra before leaving.
"Have a great day, okay?"

"Yes, yes, you too." Jaffra turned back to other work.

Last updated on the December 10th 2015

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Taking Your Measure