The Love of My Life

Writers: Anaria
Date Posted: 3rd April 2011

Characters: Tiernan
Description: Tiernan's Introduction - Tiernan prepares to head off to sea.
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 1, day 10 of Turn 6

Tiernan wandered around aimlessly, his gaze not really focusing on any
one or any thing that he came across. He was scheduled to be at Jade
Harbour for the next few candlemarks. They were picking up a load of
citrus fruit that would eventually be transferred off to a river boat
for delivery to Emerald Falls. While there were several members of his
crew that were happy to be on land again, Tiernan was not one of them.
Raised at a Sea Hold with a Seacrafter father, Tiernan had his own
dinghy before most boys his age could read and write. For him, the sea
was the only place he considered home, and he grew a touch itchy
whenever he was at port.

He was more than attractive enough to spend some time with one of Jade
Harbour's more open minded ladies, but on this particular day, that
didn't hold any appeal for him. Squirt, his blue firelizard, flew
about in circles above his head, thrilled by the sights and sounds of
the Harbour.

Leaving the main docks, he found his way to the beach, and sat down in
the white sands there. Jade Harbour was quite well known for both it's
brilliant beaches and the jade color of the water, and even the
skeptical Tiernan had to admit that it was beautiful. Squirt stretched
himself out on the sands, wings spread wide, his sea blue hide
gleaming brightly from Rukbat's light. Tiernan kicked off his boots,
glad to be alone for once.

At present, his ship had around 20 crew mates, and on their longer
voyages to the Northern Continent, he could spend nearly a month
trapped in a small ship with them. He was confident that his First
mate could handle getting their ship loaded with provisions for their
trip, and it was nice to be able to relax.

Scrunching his toes in the sand, he wondered what his father was up
to. The last he'd heard, the large trade vessel that he commanded was
primarily staying up North, with few jaunts down to the Southern
continent. While they'd never been close, Tiernan respected his father
tremendously for helping him get his start in the Seacraft.
Unfortunately, it seemed like the more he progressed in the craft, the
less he saw his family.

His mother understood - she had to after being espoused to a
Seacrafter for most of her life - but despite her pride for Tiernan
had not truly wanted him to follow in his father's footsteps. She had
hoped that he'd been more interested in ship design, a specialty that
would allow him to spend most of his time in a Hold, and more
importantly would allow him to have a family of his own.

Squirt chirped curiously when Tiernan thought of family, as the little
blue seemed convinced that he was a person sometimes. Tiernan reached
down and gave his firelizard a comforting pat. Truly, he would not
have been surprised to find a child of his at a Sea Hold somewhere, as
he hadn't been very discriminate with his passions in the past. There
was only so long a man could be at sea without wanting someone to
share his bed once he returned to port.

After a candlemark or so of relaxing on the beach, Tiernan headed back
to the docks. Without a word, he nodded to his crew, still busily
packing cargo onto their vessel. He navigated quickly to the Captain's
Chambers, where he had reports waiting from his first mate,
cartographer, and the Harbourmaster of Jade Harbour. Scanning them
quickly, he made certain that there was no issue with their plotted
course, and compared that versus the Threadfall schedules for the
areas they'd be sailing through. He then checked the hides from the
Quartermaster, ensuring that they had sufficient supplies to get them
to their destination. Finally, he glanced over the Boatswain's notes
regarding the seaworthiness of the ship. Satisfied that everything was
in order, he placed one of the hides with their course marked out on
it into a small tube, and affixed it to Squirt's leg for delivery to
the Harbourmaster.

All preparations having been made, Tiernan headed back above deck. A
smile crossed his weather-lined face as he strode onto the deck. He
inhaled deeply, enjoying the smell of the sea, the wind through his
blond hair, and the warmth of the sun on his face. It as moments like
these when he realized that he hadn't made the wrong decision. As much
as he might want someone else in his life, and as much as his mother
wanted grandchildren, the sea was his home.

As the crew members pulled the anchor up, and removed the ropes tying
the ship to the dock, Tiernan winked at his First Mate, and gestured
for them to get underway.

Last updated on the April 27th 2011

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The Love of My Life