Arrangements

Writers: Eimi, Paula
Date Posted: 8th July 2017

Characters: Uetia, Yanley, Kaiafel, Felke, Sabia
Description: Uetia arrives to Dragonsfall and Yanley does arrangements to get a fostermother to her baby.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 13, day 1 of Turn 8

Yanley

Kaiafel shifted Kaiavin higher on his shoulder so he could comfortably open the door. The little one was so exhausted after a morning of running around, he was well and truly out, but even so, Kaiafel kept his voice a little low. "Hi. Are you Uetia?"

"Hello, yes, I'm Uetia. This is Sabia," Uetia replied with a smile that showed exhaustion. Whole her life had been destroyed by tsunami and the earthquake, she had just transfered to new Weyr, her shoulder was broken and it hurt and Sabia, being carried in the crook of her uninjured arm, was kicking and screaming.

"You should have let me carry her," Yanley said to the greenrider.

"She's overwhelmed with all these rapid changes in our life. I doupt she would agree to let you, a stranger, to carry her."

Kaiafel just looked between the two adults for a moment, noticing he was being ignored in their little conversation. "Uh... Come in. I'll get Ma." He stood aside so they could pass and waved towards the sofa in the living area.

"Thank you, Kaiafel," Yanley always had a warm smile for everyone, especially the weyrbrats. "I haven't seen you at the kitchen for awhile."

"I'm helping take care of the family. You know, since my Da's away," Kaiafel said with a very grown-up nod to his head. "Please sit down and I will get my Ma and put my brother to bed."

"Thank you," Yanley replied. Uetia nodded at him. She was relieved to sit down and Sabia calmed down too.

Kaiafel disappeared into a back room, and after only a brief moment, his mother, Felke emerged with a warm smile and another little boy's hand in hers. "Sorry to make you wait. We had a little food spillage at lunch."

"That sounds familiar. How you're been, Felke? Thank you for doing this. Felke, this is Uetia, rider of green Sirjath from Riverbluff. Uetia, meet Felke, a fostermother," Yanley handled the introductions.

"I'm pleased to meet you," the tall, blond greenrider replied. "This noisy little girl is Sabia." Surrounded by new people, Sabia pressed her face against her mother's shoulder. She did give curious peek at the other children.

"Well met, Uetia," Felke nodded as she slipped into a chair close to the greenrider. "Welcome to Dragonsfall. I wish it had been under better circumstances."

Kaiafel came back into the room after putting Kaiavin down for his nap. The boy was very curious about the greenrider. He had heard little snippets of things that had happened at her Weyr, but he could not imagine such a scene, or so such a violent shaking of the earth. Nothing in his experience could he relate to it. This made her and all attached to it of particular interest to him. He sat quietly on the arm of his mother's chair.

Felke handled the rest of the introductions. "This is Kaiafel, my son. Ravyan there is his step-brother, and the young one who is sleeping is Kaiavin, their brother by a different mother."

"Nice to meet you," Uetia said as general greeting to all of the children. "We are all been thru a lot and are bit worse for wear."

"What happened to your shoulder?" Kaiafel asked. His mother laid a hand on his knee, and he instantly understood that it might not have been an appropriate question. "Sorry," he mumbled.

"It got hit by a big rock. If it had hit my head, I would be dead," Uetia replied to him. She saw no reason not to tell him.

His eyes grew large. "Whoa..." He had a sudden, deep respect for the greenrider. It was the most impressive injury he had ever heard of outside of Threadfall.

"And so this is your daughter," Felke said, returning the conversation back to the relevant point. "How old is she?"

"Eleven, nearly twelve months old. She's recently learned to walk but she doesn't talk yet," Uetia replied. "She is usually very sweet but energetic. She does know how to demand attention."

"Well, I'm sure she'd get plenty of that here with three brothers running around." And Felke knew she could count on her son to be protective and affectionate towards her. He had taken to being 'the big brother' like a natural. "Though she might have to learn to hold her own. Do you have any brothers?"

"Six. My mother died when I was young and I grow up as a only female in household. I got really good at defending myself and to find their tender spots," Uetia said and cocked her eyebrows. She was not worried about Sabia holding her own.

Kaiafel's brow furrowed slightly as he tried to understand what she meant by 'tender spots'. "Like tickling?"

His mother merely covered her mouth with her hand and looked away.

"Not exactly," Uetia said, trying to hide her amusement. "You'll find out one day."

"Uetia," Felke said, turning the conversation once more to the topic at hand before her inquisitive son _really_ started asking questions, "what kind of an arrangement are you looking for for your daughter? How involved in her life do you see yourself as being?"

"I like being a mother to her, but I'm also a dragonrider. I keep her with me as much I can. Right now.." she nodded towards her injured shoulder. "Have you tried to tend a baby with only one good arm? It's almost impossible." She hated being helpless and it could be heard from her voice.

"Thankfully, I have not. But I do know how difficult it can be with _both_ arms." Felke smiled sympathetically. "So for now, you of course would be welcome to spend time with her here where I can assist you until your arm mends. But what do you see for the future?"

"Future?" Uetia gave her blank stare. "Right now I can't think past time. I need to pick up the pieces and heal first, before I can give it any thought." She once had it all figured out: all they way to the Wingthird, maybe baby or two along the way somewhere.

One of Yanley's flits returned, bringing her a message. She read it. "Excuse me, I'm needed elswhere. I you two seem to get a long, so I let you hammer out details. Just let me know what you agreed on." The sudden influx of people from Riverbluff did keep her busy.

"Thank you, Yanley, for coming," Felke said with a smile and then gave Kaiafel a nod of her head. Catching the silent request, he walked the Headwoman to the door while she and Ueta continued their discussion. It seemed the greenrider had misunderstood her, as was only natural after such a traumatic event, so she clarified gently, "I mean, for example, Kaiavin stays with me most nights, but does stay with his mother when she is able. Ravyan, on the other hand, stays with me only during the day and returns to his mother in the evening. What arrangements would you like to have for a foster mother in the future, when you are recovered?"

"I'm sorry, I'm not at my sharpest right now," Uetia replied.

"Thank you for doing this, Felke," Yanley said before she disappeared out of the door.

"I would like to keep Sabia with my during nights and my off-duty days," Uetia replied to Felke's earlier question. "Unless I have mating flight or want, ermh, a date," she remembered that there were kids present.

"That is certainly possible, as long as your Wingleader agrees." Felke knew Aileyan had received special permission for her arrangement. Dragonriders, after all, were not meant to have normal families. "Do you have any questions for me?"

"Yes, there's that," Uetia said. "I don't even know which wing I'll end up being. I mean, untill I'm completely healed, I'm in Queen's wing. I don't think that will be my permanent position."

"Don't worry," Felke said, reaching a hand out to touch the greenriders knee gently. "These are things that will sort themselves out in time. You don't need to know all the answers right now. You're here, you're safe, you and your daughter will be taken care of, and there are plenty of people around to make sure that everything will be ok."

"Thank you," Uetia said, sincerely touched by her kindness.

Last updated on the July 21st 2017

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Arrangements