Let Her Grieve

Writers: AL, Kaysea
Date Posted: 20th January 2009

Characters: J'gen, Irlani
Description: Irlani talks to J'gen about Calliea.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 13, day 9 of Turn 4

"How is Calliea?" Irlani asked once Gyta was off to bed. She was
certain the previous night had been hard on not only Calliea, but her
father and sister as well. "I'm assuming she's gone back to her Weyr
since she's not here now."

"Yes, she left after the noon meal. A lot calmer than when she
arrived." he smiled softly, "But it was rough going there, and I can't
apologise enough for her behaviour towards you. I don't know what she
was thinking when she slapped you." his face registered his horror as
he replayed the scene in his mind.

"Well, she was over emotional as it was." Irlani shook her head. She
hadn't been in her right mind when she had such losses either. "That
combined with her dislike of me...well. I suppose I shouldn't be
surprised."

"She still owes you an apology, and that will come." He took her hand
and pulled her over to the settle. "Sit, we need to talk."

Irlani allowed him to guide her down and curled up next to him. "It
will come, but don't push it for a while. Like I said, let her
grieve."

"She's too much like her mother, I worry about her." he mused quietly,
almost to himself.

"But she's her own person too." Irlani pointed out, "And she just
needs to grow. GIve her some time, she's young yet."

"That's what everyone said about her mother, but..." he shook his head,
"there's something more too it. She has.... she's too clingy. To me,
to this rider she was with."

"I'm not quite sure I understand what you mean." Irlani's lips turned
downward in a frown.

"You don't think her behaviour is...strange?"

"Her behaviour is something like a few children I have cared for over
the turns." Irlani admitted, drawing her legs up underneath her.
"And to be honest, I've seen worse, though never in an adult, so I
suppose that is rather strange."

"Her mother was like it, as well." J'gen shook his head ruefully.
"That was why I didn't know about Gyta for most of her life. The
girls mother threatened her, and me, and Syrita took off, in the hope
she was saving us both from grief. I have had my worries about
Calliea this last turn or so, because I can see her mother in her."

"Perhaps she should go see a mindhealer." Irlani suggested, though she
had a feeling the greenrider would refuse to do so. "It sounds to me
like she has some things that need to be worked through."

"It may have helped her, but I doubt she would agree. Her mother never
would."

"Well, don't mention it just yet." Irlani didn't think it was a good
time. "The recent loss is too fresh. Let her grieve a bit, then maybe
say something."

"Yeah, you're right." he nodded in agreement. "But for now, she's
calm, and she feels as if she has spent some time with me, once Gyta
went to bed last night, we sat and talked."

"A good talk, I hope?" Irlani queried. She didn't need to know about
what, but she was glad that they had talked. Irlani knew that's what
Calliea had needed and even if the girl hadn't been so hostile, she
wouldn't have wanted to interrupt that.

"A good talk." he confirmed. "Quality time. Something I haven't given her
in a long time - apparently."

"In her mind or truthfully?" Irlani had seen that. Sometimes parents,
especially dragonrider parents, got so caught up with everything else that
their children seemed to take a sideline.

"I suppose in some ways she is right, but its not something I was conscious
of doing. It was more a self preservation tactic I think." he said, looking
a little shamefaced.

"Perhaps you should try to make more time for her, and your other children."
Irlani suggested. "I know Gyta needs a lot of attention, but I'm here now."

"Maybe you're right. I just.... I guess I should make the effort."

"Family is important." Irlani stressed, looking straight at J'gen.
"Sometimes it's easy to forget that when so caught up in things."

"You're right." he nodded. "Thank you..." he said, meeting her eyes and
smiling.

"And why are you thanking me?" Irlani chuckled softly, eyebrows raising.
"I didn't do anything."

"You have done more than you realise, then." he said, his hand sneaking
across her shoulder as he tugged her towards him.

"I have?" Irlani leaned into his embrace and rest her head beneath his
chin. "I don't think so."

"Well I do, and that's all that matters." he said, brushing a kiss against
her forehead. "My daughter will end up thanking you for your commonsense
approach, you know."

"It wasn't easy!" Irlani laughed lightly, though what she spoke was the
truth. "But I suppose I've had some practise in dealing with difficult
people, though usually those people are children, not adults. I suppose she
acts very much like a child, forgive my impertinence."

"No, no..." he shook his head, "you're right. And her mother was the same,
never seemed to grow past the demanding child, stage. Yet, Talliea is so
different - I think you've noticed that too?" he asked, looking her in the
eye.

"You can't expect them to be alike, twins or no." Irlani pointed out with a
soft laugh. "Twins they may be, but they are individuals. In fact, in my
experience I've found that sometimes twins are more different from one
another than other children who aren't twins but are related."

"The girls hold similarities, but... Talliea is nothing like her mother.
Thank Faranth."

"As much as she may be like her mother," Irlani cautioned gently, "Don't
get trapped into treating Calliea like her. There may be a lot of
similarities, but there are certainly differences too. She's her own
person."

"How did you become so wise?" he asked, amazed at her common sense approach
to the situation, and that she seemed to read him like one of the harper
stories. Was he that transparent, he wondered?

That brought about a warm bout of laughter. "My dear, I'm afraid I'm far
from wise. I just observe, that is all."

"Well you appear to be more observant than most." He gave her a wry grin.
"I'm not sure if I should be wholely grateful for that."

"What do you mean?"

"You seem to be able to read me like one of those harpers tales you see
lying around the dining cavern. I don't know if that's a good thing or
not." He gave a half hearted chuckle.

"Perhaps you're just easy to read?" Irlani stated, then added, "That
sounded bad, didn't it?"

He pulled a face and nodded, "It didn't sound too good." Then laughed.

"I certainly say odd things for someone supposedly so wise." Irlani stated
with a grin. "I suppose I shall have to work on that."

"Mmmm..." He smiled down at her, and brushed her lips with his.

"Would you be trying to tell me something?" Irlani asked softly as she
pulled away, her smile teasing.

"I'm trying to be diplomatic." He said, holding up his hands in surrender.

"I see. Well, stop trying." Irlani crawled into his lap and encircled his
neck with her arms. "And start doing."

He didn't need any further prompting as his arms encircled her again, and
his lips met hers.

Last updated on the January 24th 2009

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Let Her Grieve