A Cup of Klah

Writers: Ainsley1, Eimi
Date Posted: 28th June 2007

Characters: Jilynn, Penryn
Description: Penryn brings Jilynn a cup of klah to congratulate her on her promotion
Location: Garnet Valley Hold
Date: month 4, day 21 of Turn 4
Notes: Mentioned: Ishek, Thalia, Miralani, Ryalane
Notes: This should actually follow a post where Jilynn is promoted to
Headwoman, but that one has been held up due to an LIA so this one is
posting first.

Penryn knocked on the new Headwoman's office door with his free hand and
opened it at her summons. He figured it was about time he congratulated
her on her promotion, and he could think of no better way than with a good
stiff drink. "Good afternoon, Jilynn. Would you care for a cup of klah?
I had your girls brew it up special for you."

"Ah, Penryn, you must be able to read a woman's mind," Jilynn looked up
from stacks of reports she was making her way through. "If we weren't both
married I think I might just have to kiss you."

He blushed slightly at that. Penryn was unaccustomed to being teased
about being a married man. "Well, I knew _I_ for one needed the klah.
Bryalen still isn't sleeping through the nights yet."

Jilynn noted the mild flush to the man's normally intense countenance but
chose to ignore it and focus on his words as she chuckled, "I wouldn't
expect him to be, though I suppose there are some that lucky. I don't
have such an excellent excuse. Had I known what a backlog I had
inherited, I might just have took off running when Ishek proposed this,"
here she waved her arms to include the office, the reports, and
everything else. Actually, she had been in her element trying to put
things to right, but there was no denying that it was challenging.

"Luckily no one expects you to put it to order right away." Penryn poured
them each a mug. "Lady Thalia and Lady Miralani have done their best to
keep things running smoothly and have made considerable
progress. At least we now know what we actually _have_ as versus what the
records say is there." No one had even guessed at the shady dealings the
former Headwoman had been involved in. Murder was just the capstone.

"When I think -" Jilynn started hotly and then cut herself short with a
shake of her head, "But there is no point in lamentations. Better to
focus energy on the job at hand. Lady Thalia and Lady Miralani have done
amazingly well." Jilynn accepted the klah and inhaled deeply before
taking a sip and closing her eyes as the warm liquid trickled down her
throat. This was just what she needed.

Penryn couldn't help but spare a thought for their former Lady Holder.
After the death of her husband she had tried to make herself of use to the
Hold by taking on some of the Headwoman's duties. What would she do
now?... "Well, I can think of no one better qualified, Jilynn."

Shaking her head Jilynn chuckled, "I'm not so sure of that, Penryn. And
what's to become of my kitchen?" she asked in mock exasperation. "Now I
have to replace myself and I am afraid I'm going to be far too
particular."

"I think the Hold would thank you for your particularness," Penryn smiled.
A good and organized cook was a necessity in any Hold. "And what does
your husband say to your change of work?"

"He's supportive, as always. It just so happened that I married the most
understanding man on Pern, so he's been tolerant of a few late nights."

Penryn smiled, though there was a touch of sadness in it, envying the fact
that they had been married so long, and still seemed so in love. He had
always supposed he and Jaika would be that way. Now he wondered, as much
as he enjoyed having another person to come home to, whether or not he and
Ryalane would ever learn to love each other like that. They were still
so... formal. Of course it was only right. Her husband was not yet a
full turn gone. But it brought up uncomfortable longings that he had
tried desperately to let go of after his marriage, and memories of a soft,
spontaneous kiss...

Noting the man's somewhat melancholy response, Jilynn wondered, not for
the first time, about his marriage. Hardly naive, Jilynn knew that a
great many marriages occurred for reasons other than love. Adding a baby
to the situation so soon must be extremely taxing. "And how are you
holding up? You've had one change after another in short order."

"I'm used to long nights, luckily," Penryn replied, this time with a more
genuine smile. "It's nice having a baby around. I always wanted to have
children."

"You'll make a good father," Jilynn stated giving the steward a nod and
taking another drink of her klah. "Children definitely add something to
your life. They are a wonder every day and then before you know it they
are gone and making their own way."

"Children still take a few Turns to grow up, don't they?" he asked
teasingly as before taking another healthy swig of the fortifying drink.
Shards, where would he be without klah!

The attractive woman gave a negative shake of her head, "It takes no
longer than the blink of an eye," she laughed. "So how is Ryalane?"

"She's doing well," Penryn nodded, though his face grew a little more
serious. "I think the birth took a lot out of her. She's been... quiet of
late. But I'm sure she'll recover soon enough."

"Speaking from experience, it can take some time to get back to normal
after having a baby. I'm sure she'll be doing better soon. I will make a
point to get over to see her again sometime this sevenday."

"She would like the visit, I'm sure," Penryn nodded. It would be good for
her to see more people. It worried him that she seemed so...withdrawn...
"Perhaps when the baby is older we should have you and your husband over
to dinner some night."

"We should definitely do that. Greaydon would enjoy it as much as myself.
Despite his sometimes frightening appearance, he's as gentle as can be
with the little ones and loves babies. Besides he always enjoys the
opportunity to bend the ear of the Steward with all of his beasty
stories."

Penryn chuckled softly. "I don't mind trade talk, as long as he can stand
listening to my projected crop yields."

"And I can coo over your little one while the two of you talk so that will
suit me just fine." Actually, Jilynn was as interested in discussing Hold
matters as they were, but Penryn knew her well enough to know that.
Taking another swallow of the klah, she gave the Steward a wide smile,
"Ah, that really is good. I might even make it through these last hides."

"Well, don't worry, there's plenty more where that came from," Penryn
assured her as he reached for the pot to top off her mug. "Unfortunately,
there's plenty more hidework as well."

"You know, it isn't my favorite part of the job, but I'll let you in on a
secret," she leaned just a bit closer and whispered "I don't really mind
it all that much. It gives me a chance to sit down once in awhile."

Penryn smiled. "I'd rather be out in the fields than stuck behind a desk.
I'd let you do my hidework anytime you feel the need to take a seat for a
couple candlemarks."

"Oh, no, I would much _prefer_ to be out and about the Hold. You can just
do your own hidework, young man," she answered using her best mother
voice, though Penryn was only five turns her junior and most people would
guess that she was _his_ junior.

"Well," Penryn said, raising his mug, "here's to escaping from hidework."

Jilynn lifted her own mug of klah in salute, "And to klah for when we can't
escape it."

Last updated on the July 19th 2007

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A Cup of Klah