I Want My Mother

Writers: Miriah, Paula
Date Posted: 22nd October 2013

Characters: Bahji, U'das, Bartona
Description: U'das visits Bahji and brings her someone important
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 3, day 9 of Turn 7

U'das had taken a book with him when he went to see Bahji at the
infirmary. He had spent enough times as a patient himself to know how
boring it was...and how important a friendly presence was. The book he
picked up was old one, the one he had read first to his children and
then to his grandchildren. He had red it so many times he could recite
it out of memory, failing sight or not. It was not so subconscious
indication of his feelings towards Bahji. She definitely woke up his
paternal, protective instincts. If he could get his hands on the
person who did this to the little weaver, he would kick him or her
down those stairs!

When he came in, she was sleeping. That didn't bother U'das. You could
sense voices through sleep too. Besides whether or not she knew it, it
was important that he was there. He placed a chair so he wouldn't get a way of the staff treating her
and started reading.

The familiar voice drew her from her sleep and her hand twitched. Her
eyes fluttered at soft tones and then slowly opened, unseeing. Her
voice sounded dry and harsh as she licked her lips. "U'das? Is that
you?"

"Yeah, it's me. How are you doing, little one?" U'das replied. Putting
the book aside he leaned forward and took her hand between his larger,
calloused hands. It was so tiny and frail against his.

Her lower lip trembled and her hand tightened on the bronzerider's.
She hurt, both physically and emotionally, and she was confused as to
why it had happened at all. She gave a shuddering breath and blinked
away the tears that had started to sting in her eyes. She was honest.
"Not too well." She licked her lips again. "I...it sounds funny and
childish, but..." She sniffled a bit as her voice broke. "I've never
wanted my mother more than I do right now."

"It's not funny or childlish at all," U'das said with kind voice and
stroked her hair. Almost like she was a little child. "You think she
would come if someone went to fetch her?"

Bahji pressed against the touch, seeking comfort where ever she could
find it. She was trying with everything not to cry. Not more. She?d
done so much of that that her eyes and cheeks felt raw. "I don't know.
After what happened with my father...what if they hate me?"

"How can anyone hate his child?" U'das said, he couldn't understand
such attitude at all.

"I don't know." Soft sobs suddenly erupted. "I don't get to find out."
She grasped U'das' hand and her voice shook with tears. "I want her,
U'das. I want my mother."

"I'll get her," U'das promised, ** Even if I have to tie her up and
carry her here, kicking and screaming.** "Where does she live?"

"Sun Stone." Her words were muddled through the tears. "Her..her name
is Bartona. Everyone says I look like her." She took deep breaths,
trying to rein in her tears, but she couldn't. "Thank you
U'das...thank you.."

"Anything, sweetheart. I'll be back, with her," U'das said and leaned
to give her a kiss on the forehead.
----

Lightly tanned hands clipped clothing to the line and as Bartona bent
to her basket, she was startled by the sound of running feet. Tucking
a strand of her dark red hair behind her ears, she turned to see one
of her neighbor's children approaching with an excited look on the
little boys face. "There's a bronze rider! He just landed! And..and.."
He stopped panting. "He's looking for you!" The boy was nearly
bouncing on his toes with excitement. "Do you think you can ask him if
I can pet his dragon? Maybe he's Searching too!"

The little woman shushed him, an immediate feeling of unease mingled
with excitement settling in her stomach. She pushed the basket away
and brushed her hands over her skirts, instructing the child to lead
her to the waiting rider. Perhaps Bahji was wanting to come home? But
no...as much as Bartona wanted her daughter closer, the weyr was a far
better place. After she had heard about what had happened when her
husband had been taken with his hair-brained idea of marrying her off
and then to do what he did (he still had a lump on his head from her
skillet when he had admitted what he had done), she had doubted she'd
hear from her daughter any time soon. Her feet quickened until she was
nearly at a run, hiking up her skirts to follow the boy in a rush.

The moment she saw the dragon, she slowed and attempted some semblance
of decorum, only marred by strands of hair that had been displaced
from her run. Her daughter and she were indeed similar in appearance,
though Bahji was pale while her mother had a healthy sun kissed glow
and had darker hair shot through with grey. But the eyes and the mouth
were the same, as well as the delicate seeming bones. Those dark eyes searched and
immediately found the rider.

When U'das got down from Zack's back, his eyes fell on the woman. He
recognized her immediately, so much there was likeness between mother
and daughter. "You're Bartona?" It wasn't really a question. "I need
to talk with you, it's about Bahji," his tone was serious and face
grim.

She immediately paled, her hands clenched her skirts. But instead of
panic, Bartona strode to U?das, her expression taut and serious. "I'm
Bartona." She swallowed and lifted her chin at the much taller man.
"What has happened?"

"She's injured," U'das said and looked around. "We might want to
discuss it in a more private place," he suggested. They had gathered a
quite a crowd of gawkers. Bronzes were a rare sight. Most of the
onlookers were children and Zack was basking in their attention. A
young boy tugged his sleeve. "No, he's not Searching. Sorry, lad but
he's not a Search dragon," U'das told the boy.

She swallowed roughly and her hands twisted in her skirts a little
tighter before she took a deep breath. "Come with me, Bronzerider. You
can tell me what has happened to my child on our way." Her voice was
firm but betrayed her worry as she lightly gripped his arm and steered
him towards her home. "How badly?" She walked quickly, determination
growing with every step.

"Badly. She fell down stairs," U'das said. "I don't know if you knew
she was pregnant...she lost the baby," U'das thought it had to be one
of the worst things that could happen to a woman. His weyrmate had
had miscarriages and he knew how tough recovering from it can be. "She
needs you, she needs you at her side. She has broken bones and she was
nearly killed herself."

There was a hiss of breath through her teeth and Bartona?s eyes
closed. For a moment, it seemed she may have wavered on her feet, but
her spine stiffened and she swallowed. ?My poor darling.? She opened
her eyes and licked her lips, visibly collecting her nerves as she
came to a small home and opened the door, hurriedly inviting the man
in. It was small and it was obvious that the family had little that
wasn?t essential, but it was well kept.

Grabbing a scrap of cloth, Bartona hurriedly scribbled a note and
turned to grab a small satchel off of a hook, moving with precision
through the home to quickly pack. ?Of course she needs me. And of
course I will go, immediately.? Pushing neatly packed clothes into the
satchel, she spun on her heel and then quickly grabbed a small worn
stuffed dragon from the top of a cabinet and carefully placed it on
the top of the satchel. ?I?m ready when you are, Rider.?

U'das nodded with understanding. "Do you have a warm jacket and
mittens or gloves for the ride?" He handed her a spare helmet he often
reserved to passengers.

She paused and blinked; she hadn?t thought of the actual ride. It was
a struggle to keep her face from completely paling at the thought of
rising to heights and then blinking into nothingness. She swallowed
her fear and hurried to a small well-worn wardrobe and pulled out a
jacket, then rummaged until she found a pair of old and ragged gloves.
She pulled them over her fingers, ignoring the patches and small holes
in the palms as she pulled her jacket on before taking the helmet. She
took a deep breath. ?I?m ready. My husband will get my note when he
comes ashore.?

"Good, let's go then," U'das said.

Last updated on the November 2nd 2013

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I Want My Mother