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Post by moonchilde on Oct 25, 2012 4:20:28 GMT -5
It's a sad story, and the sort of story Zayin's heard a hundred times from a hundred other holdbred girls. She nods sympathetically. "Riders don't commit to each other like that- your dragon is your first love, really- but no one will judge you for who you bed down with." She takes the brush, and gently starts working the knots out of Aleiph's hair.
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Post by ASTROLOGICAL!! on Oct 25, 2012 4:26:02 GMT -5
"...So I don't need to tie myself to one person forever," she says, and suddenly there's this feeling of freedom.
"...Maybe I could really enjoy the Weyr. Maybe... Maybe it won't be so bad."
Those knots are pretty firmly set. Aleiph hates taking care of her hair. It's difficult to get them loose, and one happens to pull, and she hisses, "Ow." But she doesn't pull away, because she misses being pampered by a friend.
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Post by moonchilde on Oct 25, 2012 4:38:18 GMT -5
"Most people don't," Zayin says. "The creche raises all the children, anyway."
She slows down a little at Aleiph's complaint. "Sorry," and she tries to be more gentle. It's a stubborn knot; eventually she puts the brush aside and works at untangling it with her fingers.
"It's really not bad," she tries to assure her. "I like flights, but if you don't, you never have to be involved in anyone else's. It's just an option, you know? You can be handfasted to one person and give them your heart forever if you want, the weyrs haven't banned it. Well, not if you're a rider, but even so, no one requires you to have a lot of lovers. You can settle down with one person forever if it's what you want. It's just not required."
She lowers her voice. "And neither is having a lot of children." Because that's something some women come to the weyr to escape, the drudgery, the strain of so many births. "Even if your dragon rises and you end up with a man, a quick trip between will ensure you don't end up pregnant. It's not like at holds where you have enormous families- I only have two siblings, because my parents didn't want anymore."
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Post by ASTROLOGICAL!! on Oct 25, 2012 5:05:53 GMT -5
And she won't have to raise children, either, something that's always seemed to restrict her freedom!
"I never wanted kids anyway," she says. "Not since the neighbor died in childbirth. Well, actually, before then. Raising them and taking care of them... I don't want to be tied down, but even in the Craft women are expected to have at least one or two children, preferably more."
It's just-- suddenly this place sounds better and better, even if she's cooped up.
"...I want to show Garnet Hold," says Aleiph suddenly. "I want you to see it. It's beautiful, in its own way. The lay of the land is just... breathtaking."
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Post by moonchilde on Oct 25, 2012 17:53:12 GMT -5
"I never wanted any either," Zayin admits.
And then Aleiph invites her to see her hold. It's a sweet gesture, and Zayin is actually touched. "... that'd be nice. I've never really been to a hold. I mean, I have for gathers, but never just on a normal day."
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Post by ASTROLOGICAL!! on Oct 25, 2012 20:41:11 GMT -5
"It's hard to run during Gathers. Too many people walking about. Though it might have changed with the recent Pass..." She sighs. "I haven't seen home in a long time. But I trust it's not too different. Dragon riders are good at what they do, right?"
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Post by moonchilde on Oct 25, 2012 20:50:36 GMT -5
"I'm sure it's fine. They never let any thread through," this she says with pride. Cat's Paw Weyr does an impressive job of keeping the holds and halls safe, after all. "What are the holds like, on a day to day basis? I assume a lot calmer than weyrs, without all the dragons and fire lizards flying about."
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Post by ASTROLOGICAL!! on Oct 25, 2012 22:21:26 GMT -5
"We do a lot of work to keep the beasts in line," she says. "I used to do a lot of work with my father and we'd train his hounds together. He taught me a lot of things. When I got Searched, I think that was the thing I missed the most. My father was always patient with me, and while he normally sells the pick of the litter, he sent me Bowser a while back, and I've been training him to the best of my abilities since."
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Post by moonchilde on Oct 25, 2012 23:28:43 GMT -5
"I'd love to see it someday," and maybe she'd like to meet Bowser, too, if he's important to Aleiph. "Is Bowser in the kennels? We could stop by if you want." Maybe it'd help, because Zayin's not sure if those are fond memories Aleiph's recounting, or the beginning of homesickness.
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Post by ASTROLOGICAL!! on Oct 26, 2012 1:56:06 GMT -5
"Yeah, let's go." It'll help her keep her mind off of R'lar, that's for sure. "Once you're done with my hair."
She's been ill with homesickness for a while now. The Weyr is nice, but... "I've been working with him for the past week, you know. I think I taught him a new trick."
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Post by moonchilde on Oct 27, 2012 22:42:45 GMT -5
Finally, she manages to get Aleiph's hair straightened out. She carefully strokes the few loose hairs into place. She reluctantly steps back, "All set."
She's curious about this Bowser now. She's never been terribly fond of canines, or felines or any pets besides fire lizards for that matter, but it's clear Aleiph is passionate about her work with them.
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