Growing Boys

Writers: AL, Noli
Date Posted: 16th June 2013

Characters: Briata, Sefanya, Arnave, Brigel
Description: Briata and Sefanya spend a pleasant afternoon visiting with their children.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 1, day 15 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Y'gel; mentor approved

Briata

Sefayna hummed happily to herself as she walked, buoyed by the good weather and by the prospect of visiting Briata and little Brigel. Sefayna loved children, especially babies, and made it a point to visit as many of the weyrborn as possible. Of course, she rarely had time-- as a foster mother, she was most often surrounded by a pack of children in her own right. But today she had only Arnave, and the two of them were
making the rounds.

She paused outside of the door leading toY?gel?s weyr, listening for any sound of life inside. She worried about disturbing the baby; Faranth knows that she was well acquainted with thetrials of woken youngsters, and she did not want to cause Briata any trouble. Tapping ever so lightly, she hazarded a call. ?Briata? Are you in, dear??

It took a moment, but the door was opened. Briata smiled and motioned for the foster mother and her child to come inside. "Hello Sefanya, this is a pleasant surprise." Brigel was, of course, with her, strapped to her thanks to a cloth which she wound around him and her and secured with a knot. He was awake but quiet and his eyes shifted to take in the newcomers.

Arnave immediately rushed to Briata and immediately started trying to converse with him in that language only little ones know. Sefanya watched, smiling. She admired Brigel; he seemed to be growing so quickly! She felt a brief pang of longing. She had more children than she knew what to do with sometimes, but there was something about infants that gave Sefanya a hunger for more.

"Arnave, mind your manners! Come, stand by me and give baby Brigel room to breathe." She laughed at the pained look her son gave her as he dutifully returned to her side. "Pleasant day, Briata. Such clear skies. And how are the two of you today?"

Briata laughed and shook her head, It's all right." The baby twisted his head and made a small noise in the direction of the older child. "It's all right, Sefanya. Come sit down. Would you like some tea?"

"I'd love some, thank you." Sefanya gratefully settled into the proffered seat and stretched. She settled Arnave on the floor beside her and handed him a toy to keep him company: a Weyrleader, wooden but with real clothing, exquisitely detailed and proudly bearing the knots of his rank. The toy had been a made by her late husband Artur and was originally a gift for Natur. Now, though, Natur had no time for such pasttimes.

"So, tell me, Briata. How are you? And how it that big growing boy?"

"We're both doing well, thank you." Briata stood and moved over to a teapot that had already been filled with hot water. "They just brought this up from the kitchens, so you have good timing." She took a couple of mugs from the sideboard and some tea she kept on hand, then poured each of them a cup. "What about you and your little one? Oh, I have some cheese and fruit if he'd like anything."

Sefanya laughed. "He'd eat you out of your weyr if you let him. Sometimes I think this boy is half dragnet." She ruffled her son's head affectionately. At eight Turns, it was true that Arnave had an appetite that rivaled a hatchling's.

She noted that the firelizards had disappeared, off on their own mission, no doubt. She winked at Briata. "Torr seems to have taken quite the liking to little Jewel. Are you going to be ready when she rises? From the looks of it, it won't be long."

"Boys are like that and it will only get worse as he gets older." Brigel was Briata's first child but she'd had plenty of experience
around other children thanks to her time in her home hold. She pulled out a block of cheese and sliced off a thick piece, then offered that along with a redfruit. "Here you go." Once the child took those, Briata
placed some more cheese and fruit on the tray along with the tea then brought it over to the small table. "Sweetener?"

She accepted, and the two women spent a few candlemarks chatting pleasantly about their lives and their children. Sefanya asked Briata about her recent weyrmating, and spoke of the Harper's meetings she was
having regarding her daughter Sialla. Arnave abandoned his toy several
times in favor of the baby, especially when he realized that he could get a reaction from Brigel by making funny faces in his direction. It was an altogether pleasant time, and when she reluctantly prepared to
go, Sefanya caught herself wishing that she had more time for such visits. She moved in to hug Briata goodbye.

"Thank you, dear. We had a perfectly lovely time."

"Please feel free to visit any time. I'm sure I'll be getting a foster child sooner or later. I'm sure I'll need Arnave's help." She winked at the little boy.

Arnave blushed at the attention, suddenly very interested in the clothing on his toy Weyrleader. Sefanya herded him out of the weyr, promising to return soon and waving a final farewell. The last thing she saw before rounding the corner was the happy sight of Briata and her baby, the picture of contentment and motherly love. She smiled to herself, and she and her son began the
winding path back to their own apartments, and the rest of their waiting family.

Last updated on the June 22nd 2013

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Growing Boys