Much For a Peaceful Evening

Writers: Ainsley1, Marie, Vix
Date Posted: 25th May 2007

Characters: Vanea, Binea, Neata
Description: Vanea's daughters propose new directions for their lives.
Location: Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 4, day 1 of Turn 4

Three sevendays ago Vanea had accepted appointment to the position of Headwoman of Emerald Falls Hold.
Before that day, she had taken on many of the duties associated with that role, but she had not realized how much more was involved - how much more time, how much more energy, how much more of herself. Though she had always treasured the times she spent with her family, now more than ever she looked forward to returning home, to her rooms, to her children.

She opened the door and entered the sitting room. Her mother was in the usual place, rocking back and forth in the wooden chair near the door. "Good evening, Mum.
How was your day?"

The woman turned to stare at Vanea, frowning. "What are you doing here? I told your mother that you were spending too much time here. Go home."

Vanea sighed and turned away. "Yes, Mum, I'll do that in a little while." It was obviously not one of Neana's better days, so the less said to her the better.

Binea hurried from her room eager to greet her mother.
"How was your day, Momma?" she asked as she gave Vanea a hug.

The Headwoman returned the hug enthusiastically. "Much like any other day. But tell me about yours. What did you do today?" Vanea had determined that she would not show any favoritism to her daughters and had left it to one of her assistants to assign Binea and Neata their duties. Besides - it was so much more enjoyable to hear their accounts than to assume she knew what they had done.

"I worked in the laundry," Binea answered and made a face that left no doubt that it was not her favorite task. Still she did not like to disappoint her mother so she tried to always come away with something good from her day. "I learned how to sort so that the colors don't run together, and some ways to remove difficult stains without wearing the fabric overly much from scrubbing."

"The laundry can be boring," her mother stated sympathetically, "but necessary. Sometimes. . ."

The door burst open and an obviously excited Neata entered, cheeks aglow. "You'll never guess what Eventyr's just told me!"

Vanea forced a smile, something that was difficult when that young man's name was mentioned. "Good evening, Neata. Did you have a good day?"

"Yes, mother, very good, wonderful in fact!" the girl of sixteen turns answered. "Eventyr is going to file a claim for one of the abandoned Holds! Isn't that wonderful! What could be more exciting that working to prove a claim to your very own Hold?"

Binea rolled her eyes, her sister seemed to be speaking of this Eventyr often lately. "I can think of a few things," she muttered. "Though definitely not laundry," she added a little bit louder with a wink for her mother.

Taking a deep breath, Vanea first responded to the younger daughter. "No, that's definitely not the most exciting." And now the older. "That does sound exciting." This time her smile was more genuine
- perhaps this new plan of Eventyr's would keep him away from her daughter. "Those who take advantage of the Lord Holder's offer will need to work hard to prove themselves, but if they succeed, the rewards will be well worth the trouble."

Neata knew her mother would not be receptive to her next idea, indeed Eventyr had not, but she just had to bring it up, "You know, the Lord Holder said that it was preferable if the young man placing the claim was married."

"No." The answer came immediately and emphatically.
"Let him prove himself on his own. Until he's proven his worth, I don't even want him to consider you in that way."

"HE DOESN'T!" Neata returned heatedly, although she had never spoken so to her mother. "I thought he did, but when I spoke of it," here there was a sniff but the girl bravely evaded the tears that threatened, "He talked about how I was young and the extreme difficulties of proving a Hold. He said once he proved it, then he could consider such things as marriage. He thinks I'm weak! Or a child!"

Binea stood wide eyed, looking from her sister to her mother and wondering what would happen next. She had never seen her sister react in such a way and was rather curious. This only reminded her of the conversation she herself had been wanting to have with her mother. She wondered if tonight would be the night for many difficult revelations.

"You're not a child, but you're too young to marry,"
stated Vanea, struggling to keep her own voice calm.
"I know - others are married at your age, but I'd prefer for you to look around and take your time. Why rush into adulthood and responsibilities? Experience a little bit of life first."

"That's the same advice I gave you." Neana's voice slid into the conversation, lucid rather than in her usual mumble. "Oh, you waited a while, but you started to feel the pressure, noting that all of your friends had wed and that you were the only one without a child."

Vanea sighed, wondering why her mother had chosen this particular moment to utter something that made sense.

Neata had a smile for her grandmother, not that the woman's input was likely to impact her mother's decision in anyway, but somehow she felt supported. "But to be part of building a brand new Hold would be experiencing life. I _want_ to be part of that. I _want_ to know that all of my hard work and efforts are going to something truly worthwhile. I _want_,"
and here a tear did fall despite Neata's best efforts, "To do that with Eventyr."

"No matter how worthwhile it would seem, it would also tie you down - at a very young age - to Eventyr. You don't know him well enough to go running off to do this and you'd eliminate many other chances you might have in life."

As Vanea took a breath to continue, Neana once again broke in. "Just like you did."

The Headwoman turned to her mother. "I was eighteen when I married Turbin. Neata is only fifteen Turns.
Besides that, Turbin was very forward-thinking and acknowledged that I had a brain and wasn't just someone to bear children."

"Sixteen," Binea stated, then when everyone's attention was on her she added with a shrug, "She's now sixteen turns."

"Yes, I AM, and Eventyr and I have talked about many different things, Momma. He actually said I would make a good craft apprentice because of some of the questions I ask. He does see me for more than someone to bear children! But I guess it's a pointless discussion anyhow as he already said he doesn't want me to go with him!" Neata's frustration was evident, and she was not sure with whom she was more peeved.

"I thought maybe you would see my side, Momma. Women have a great deal to contribute. I don't want to just work in the kitchens all my life. I want to do something important, like you have, but in my own way. If I were a man I would put in my own claim for a Hold."

Vanea nodded, pausing before she spoke, trying to carefully word her reply to her daughter. "I do see your side, Neata, and I support you in seeking something better for yourself. I simply want you to wait and be sure of the course you take. I've seen too many girls. . . young women who have married early and then found that their husbands are not quite what they expected. Take your time and see if he's the right one - especially if he's not completely sure or if he's not seeing you the way you think he should."

Neata sighed. "I really care for Eventyr, and it seems we want the same things, but since the two of you seem of one mind about waiting, I suppose that is indeed what I will do."

At this concession, Vanea breathed a sigh of relief.
Perhaps now they could have a quiet evening without confrontation.

Thinking that a subject change might not be such a bad thing, Binea decided now was as good a time as any to share what she had been thinking. "Well, at least you have a plan, Neata, something to look forward to. I should like to have such a plan as well. The Lord Holder did announce that girls were now allowed to go into a craft, if their families said it was okay," she stated.

**So much for a peaceful evening.** The Headwoman forced a smile. "He did say that, Binea dear, but there were conditions to it. It had to be a craft that accepted female crafters and none here at Emerald Falls do so."

"But others do, right? And many start into a craft at
12 turns, don't they?"

"_Some_ do," Vanea replied hesitantly. "But that's usually at Weyrs or. . . other places. If you look around, you won't find female crafters here. It's just not done."

Neata recognized what her sister was getting at and suspected her mother did as well, and was just hoping to evade the discussion. It was difficult to think of her baby sister being old enough to be considering such things, but she was. She wondered if the girl would have the resolve to continue pushing the issue.

"Momma, I really want to look at a craft, even if it means I can't stay right here. I liked my harper classes a lot, but since then," Binea did not know how to explain to her mother that she was bored. Not just that she did not like the work around the Hold but that her mind was bored, and longed for more learning. "Well, I-I-I just want to do something different."

"I really don't know whether that's a good idea, Binea." Vanea draped an arm across her daughter's shoulders. "Even if the Hall is one that accepts apprentices, there are those who would consider you to be out-of-line for crafting. Think of how difficult that would be."

"Your father and I wanted to apprentice you to a craft but you didn't have that type of opportunity." Neana had turned to regard Vanea and her daughters solemnly.
"Why deny her?"

Vanea felt as if she were dealing with three youngsters rather than two. "Mum, I don't want to deny her anything. I just want her to think it through thoroughly."

"Oh, I will, Momma, I don't mean to leave right now. I just want for you to think about it." Binea pulled a small scrap of paper from her pocket. Knowing that her mother was meticulous with details she had been carrying this list in case she had the opportunity to bring it up.

"I have made a list of the crafts that I think I might like. Then I have a column for positives and a column for negatives. Here I have a column for if female crafters are accepted or not. I have to find this out because I don't know yet," Binea was very excited and this showed in her voice as she explained her work to her mother. "Then I have a column for distance from Emerald Falls. And see this column is for notes. Like what you said about people thinking me "out of line," if I should decide to do this. We can think about it can't we? And look into the different crafts?"

"A list?" The Headwoman sank into the nearest chair, realizing that this was not simply a passing idea for her daughter. "You've. . . how long have you been thinking of this?"

"Well, I have been thinking about, well, about doing _something_ for a long time, but it was right after the Lord Holder's speech that I made this list. We can think about it can't we?"

"I think Gram's right, Momma, Binea should have a chance at her dream. It won't hurt to think about it," Neata offered in support of her sister's appeal.

Vanea sighed, wondering where she had lost control of her life and wishing that her husband were still here to help her through these decisions. "Yes, we can think about it - and discuss it some other time." She rose to her feet. "It never hurts to consider a new idea, does it Mum?"

Neana looked up at her daughter, eyes narrowing to focus on her. "Didn't I tell you to go home? All of you - go back to your own homes and let my family in peace."

"Everything back to normal," murmured Vanea, though as she glanced at her daughters, she knew that nothing would be quite the same.

Last updated on the May 25th 2007

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Much For a Peaceful Evening