A Lifetime's Worth of Turns

Writers: Bree, Eimi
Date Posted: 16th July 2006

Characters: Miryene, Jio
Description: Miryene and Jio may be settling in to their new home and life, but it's clear that Miryene isn't quite ready to be Jio's wife in more than name.
Location: Vintner Hall
Date: month 12, day 26 of Turn 3

"I think Mio's finally asleep," Miryene whispered as she sat back down on the edge of the bed, reaching to pick up the brush that she'd set down when her son had started crying. Jio smiled as he watched her methodically run the brush through her hair. "I think he's sleeping longer now."

"I hope so." Miryene's voice sounded weary, but it didn't stop her from smiling in the direction of the cradle. "I admit, I'm getting pretty tired."

"Come over here," Jio said, patting the spot in front of him. "I'll give you a shoulder rub."

Miryene covered her slight hesitation by standing and bringing the brush back to her small desk. She picked up a hair tie and brought it with her back to the bed, pulling her hair over her shoulder so she could braid it.
Even though she slept next to Jio every night, she almost always felt most awkward when they were both awake. She knew Jio hardly expected her to move on from her old life overnight, but it didn't stop her from feeling as if she was denying him something he had every right to expect.

Jio was trying to make things as comfortable for her as possible. After all, they were going to be married for a very long time. Still, they both had to get accustomed to the idea that they were married, and that it was not wrong to be physically close to each other. He was trying to ease her into it carefully, knowing how she had been hurt before, knowing she was still recovering from the birth of her son... _their_ son, he had to remind himself, since she had assured him, he was Mio's father now. He smiled at her reassuringly when she turned to walk back towards the bed. She settled carefully on the bed next to him, pulling the bulk of her hair over her shoulder so she could work it into a braid. "Thank you."

Jio gently began kneading the muscles of her shoulders. "You seem to be very tense this evening," he commented as he applied gentle pressure with his thumbs. "I think I'm just tired," she replied, trying to relax under his gentle touch. "I can't remember the last time I got a real night's sleep..."

"Why don't you let me wake up with Mio tonight?" Jio suggested. "You can sleep and I'll take care of the baby."

She gave a tired chuckle. "I think that it would just make both of you frustrated if you tried to feed him, Jio."

Jio snorted. "You might be right there. Well, at least let me get up with you. I could keep you company."

"But that will just make _both_ of us tired in the morning." And though she had her hands full most days, Jio had been working so hard with the rest of the Vintners to get their new home ready.

"I wake up when you do half the time anyway," he admitted. "It wouldn't kill me to actually get out of bed and sit with you once in a while. If you would like."

She smiled at the offer, thinking that it was so strange that the one man she'd married from necessity instead of love was the one who was most thoughtful of her. "It might be nice."

"Then I will." He leaned forward to kiss the back of her head lightly and then paused. For Faranth's sake, they _were_ married, and it wasn't as if he would be demanding anything of her, but it wouldn't be so wrong for him to remind her that his feelings for her were more than companionable. In a spit second decision he turned his head to kiss her neck softly, just a small kiss, just to see what she would do.

Miryene stilled under his hands, her body tensing for a moment before she relaxed again with obvious effort. "Jio?" she whispered, her voice uncertain. He sat back and began rubbing her shoulders. "It won't be long now before Mio will start sleeping through the night and then you'll feel better," the journeyman said cheerfully. He wouldn't ask any more of her than that, and he didn't want to make things uncomfortable between them. "I probably will feel better," she replied, hearing the other meaning in their words. Once she was recovered from the birth, it would only be her own emotions that kept her from fulfilling the wifely duties that Jio was so careful never to push her about. Her affection for her first husband had been mutual love built over turns. Secret longing and forbidden passion had fueled her relationship with Jhonnel before things had turned so wrong. For Jio she felt fondness and honest gratefulness. But she still couldn't see him as her husband, no matter how hard she tried.

"Of course, it won't be long before he'll be crawling around, and then walking and running. I guess that will be a different kind of tiredness, won't it." By then they would be in their new home. _Their_ new home. And perhaps with a new home, they could have a new beginning too...

Miryene finished braiding her hair, tying off the ends before turning to smile at Jio. "I think we have a lot of tired turns ahead of us."

"Yes, we do. A lifetime's worth," he smiled, giving her shoulders a small squeeze.

Last updated on the July 17th 2006

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

A Lifetime's Worth of Turns