A Problem of a Different Kind

Writers: Kaysea, Rochelle
Date Posted: 19th August 2007

Characters: Tatitem, Susha, Turoar
Description: Tatitem is horrified to see Susha go out on a 'date' with Turoar
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 5, day 6 of Turn 4

He patted his hair down again as he stood outside the weyr. His nerves
had set his whole body to trembling as he reached up and knocked twice on
the door, very quietly - almost as though he didn't want anyone to hear.

Tatitem looked up from her darning with a sigh. Some emergency
probably, needing the Headwoman's attention. She wasn't expecting anyone.
Setting her darning aside, she crossed over to the door, and pulled it
open without preamble. "Yes?"

*Oh Shards!* He could feel his knees giving way under him at Tatitem's
appearance. He had been hoping Susha would come to the door, but instead
her mother. "Oh, erm...." he tried to gather his thoughts, but found he
couldn't string more than a word or two together. "Err, Susha, is she
here, Headwoman?"

Tatitem blinked, and when the person standing outside her door didn't
change, blinked again. "Turoar?" She asked in surprise -and a little
annoyance. "Why do you want to see Susha?"

Behind her, there was a faint squeal of dismay. Susha had emerged from the
bedroom, and was trying to figure out how to get her fostermother away
from the door -and to approve of her leaving.

"I err..." a deep red flush rose from his chest and covered his face in an
instant. "We err... Candidate lessons... Erm, we had to discuss some
things from the lessons." the idea came to him in a rush and he
desperately wished he could drag the words back, but it was too late.

"Candidate lessons." Tatitem repeated doubtfully. Susha had been standing
since she was old enough to do so, and Turoar had already seen at least
one hatching.

"Yes." Susha seized on the explanation, knowing that Tatitem wouldn't
believe them, but hoping she could at least keep her fostermother
reasonable. She knew, after a few stray comments, that her mother was not
at all fond of Turoar and his friend. "Since we're slightly older
candidates, we have the option of going to River Bluff for the Hatching."
She reminded Tati. "We were talking earlier about whether we wanted to go,
and decided to finish the conversation after chores."

"Y-yes, that's right." Turoar nodded his head emphatically. "Decisions to
be made, Ma'am." He looked past Tatitem for a moment, meeting Susha's eyes
and hoping she could read the grateful look he was sending her. "I
promise we won't be gone long, Ma'am." he finished, his attention back to
Tatitem. His palms were sweaty and he rubbed them vigorously down the
sides of his trousers, guilt shook him from head to foot.

Tatitem stared hard at the boy outside her door. He looked ready to run
and hide. Turoar. A near perpetual thorn in her side, and there to get
Susha. She knew better. They weren't going to be discussing candidate
duties. "I see." She said sceptically, looking between Susha and Turoar.
"And where do you intend to have this conversation?"

"Down by the lake-" Turoar replied.

"You know, the spot where M'nex likes to bathe Djorth." Susha added
hastily, hoping fervently that her fosterbrother wouldn't actually be
there but far more willing to let him overhear any conversations with
Turoar than her fostermother.

"I see." Tatitem repeated, staring hard at Turoar. "Talking about lessons
requires long walks around the lake with handy blueriders. Things have
changed since Titase and M'nex were Standing."

She had the satisfaction of seeing the two teenagers squirm, and let the
awkward silence draw out for a few moments. She didn't like Turoar, the
wherry-brained drunk, although he had been attempting to clean up his act
in the last month. And she didn't like the idea of Susha with him at all.
Faranth alone knew what the two of them would be doing.

"We won't be long, I swear, Ma'am." Turoar was beginning to wish they
hadn't arranged for him to collect Susha from her weyr, but he thought he
was doing the right thing - being up front; maybe he should have waited a
little longer, he could see the distrust in Tatitem's eyes, and was having
trouble meeting her penetrating gaze.

"It's just for a candlemark or so, Mum. And we'll be by the lake." Suhsa
added earnestly, hoping that the visibility of the spot would sway
Tatitem. She didn't want to have to sneak around the Headwoman! "Honestly,
we won't get in any trouble. We're just talking."

That she doubted. But... Tatitem didn't really have a choice. Susha was
more than old enough to make most of her own decisions, and wise enough in
the ways of the weyr not get in trouble -and well known enough for trouble
not to happen to her unless she wanted it to. It didn't change the fact
that Susha was her baby, and the only one still left at home, but she had
no real way of stopping Susha. Especially if they really were just going
for a walk. She didn't want to encourage Susha to do things she shouldn't
just to defy her!

"Very well." Tatitem said grudgingly, moving back from the door to allow
Susha to exit. "But if you aren't back before bed, I'm sending Thief to
find you." She warned.

"Thank you Mum!" Susha exclaimed, giving her fostermother a quick hug
before sliding swiftly out the door. She'd half suspected that Tatitem
would send Thief with her! "I'll be back."

"Goodbye Ma'am." Turoar nodded in Tatitem's direction before reaching out
a hand to Susha. "Wow! I didn't realise how hard that was gonna be." he
said, as the door was closed firmly after them. "See! She really does
hate me."

"Mum doesn't _hate_ you!" Susha exclaimed pulling him down the hall away
from the weyr. "She just doesn't like you that much."

"Doesn't like me at all." he muttered, as he fell into step beside her.
"So, are we really going down to the lake?" he asked, enjoying the feel of
her hand in his; for once not feeling his hand become damp with nerves.

"If you want to we can." Susha grinned. "Mum will probably be sending her
flit to find me in about half a candlemark, but as long as we're not at a
party and somewhere with other people around, we won't get into trouble."

"Okay, to the lake it is then." Turoar smiled back, giving her hand a
gentle squeeze. "I don't want to get further into Tatitem's bad books."
he grinned, "So - best behaviour." he gave her a wink as they made their
way out into the Weyrbowl.

Susha laughed. "Best behavior." She agreed.

Last updated on the September 2nd 2007

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A Problem of a Different Kind