Something in Return

Writers: Jane
Date Posted: 8th March 2007

Characters: R'haran
Description: R'haran searches for a foster-mother for his children and finds Sevilla.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 2, day 10 of Turn 4

Foster-mothers all had foster-children, or children of their own already and the headwoman doubted any of them would have room to take on five more, not all together. Perhaps if they were separated?

They wouldn't be, R'haran thought. Not while he was responsible for them.

But they couldn't go on as they were, the five children in his wide bed and him sleeping on the floor. And he couldn't keep taking time off to look after them. Early this evening Thread would fall and he had other responsibilities - ones that remained more important than anything else.

And so he was accosting women at breakfast, trying to find ones who had been mothers and now their children were of on their own had returned to general lower caverns work. Not foster-mothers on some list of the headwoman's, but perhaps women who would be happy to take on a whole new family for him.

"If you can't find anybody else, R'haran," the blonde woman said cautiously. "But only for a little while until you can. I _like_
working with others nowadays. Adults to talk to, people to socialise with. But if you're desperate ... All right?"

The greenrider nodded. It was one of a handful of similar responses he'd received and while it made him feel a little easier that there was some short-term solution, he had been hoping for more than that.

"Rider R'haran?" Sevilla asked unsure as she came up on to the man.
She thought she had matched the name to the face, but wasn't quite sure.

"Yes. Sevilla, isn't it?" R'haran said, fairly sure he had the name right. "How can I help you?"

She gave a small smile, "I believe it is _I_ who can help you. Are you still looking for someone to care for five youngsters?"

"Yes. Yes, I am. _All_ five?" he had to ask. So many people had been willing to take some, but not the entire family.

"Hmmm" she mused. She had heard about them being dropped into his lap as it were, and it was very noble of him to want to keep them together.
"Yes, all five. I have two boys of my own so I would normally only be looking for two or three, but from what I understand only two of yours will really need caring for, the others are older."

"Arwey and Tibby are little. Five and two. And Sahna has been doing a lot of the looking after for them all, recently. She's ten. Very responsible." He stepped away from the table where they had an attentive audience. "Shall we sit down and discuss this properly?"

Sevilla nodded and followed out of earshot. "And I of course would want to meet them before deciding anything."

"Of course." He knew the headwoman would review any fostering arrangement to make sure it was working out for all concerned, but still he added his own condition. "And if you could take them, we can check in a sevenday or two that things are suiting everybody." He indicated an empty chair at a deserted table. "How old are your boys?"

"Ten and Eleven Turns" she said proudly, "My oldest will be apprenticing with the Technicians in a few months when he turns twelve."

Sevilla seated herself and after R'haran was seated as well she got down to the heart of it. "I'll tell you this now before we get too far into discussions, I'm not doing this purely out of the goodness of my heart. Five children is alot to take on, and I want something in return."

"Oh? What would that be?" he asked, a little worried by her statement.
If she thought five were a lot, then no amount of recompense could make them fewer.

"You take them back on restdays." she said and added in a firm tone, "Every restday, not just when you don't have other places to go or when you aren't nursing a hangover, but every restday. I'd like some private family time with my boys while I still have them and when they don't have to share me with others."

"Oh." R'haran felt his expression lighten into a wide smile. "I _want_ to have time with them. If I'm to be their guardian, I'm going to do it properly." He tried to think of circumstances that might make it impossible for him to comply with her condition. "Evie -

Evielenth. She still rises, after a fashion. And Threadfall on restdays - I have to work with the weyrlings then. You understand that? But otherwise every restday, I'll have them."

Sevilla gave him a smile. This might just work out then. Of course they always _say_ they want to spend time with them... but so often dragonriders tend to abandon their offspring all together. "Your duty comes first of course. Perhaps on those occasions we can work out where you take them for an evening instead."

"Of course. Would you like to meet them? Tonight? They're camped out in my rooms right now." Which wasn't working but he didn't want to involve the headwoman who was another with an inclination to separate the five of them. "Evie's minding them."

It wasn't the first time a dragon had ended up keeping an eye on a weyrbrat or two, so she just gave a nod and smiled. "I can meet them now if you wish. Probably the sooner the better with the situation you're in."

R'haran got to his feet. "The weyr has access," foot access he meant, but there was no need to specify it since all weyrs had dragon access.

She would hope so, what with children in the room. "Lead the way then."

Last updated on the March 10th 2007

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Something in Return