What Are Sisters For?

Writers: Kaysea
Date Posted: 20th August 2007

Characters: Taia, Alaia
Description: Taia discovers a sister she never knew existed.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 5, day 7 of Turn 4

Taking a deeper breath than normal, Taia reached up and knocked lightly on the door. The hallway around here was noisy with the sounds emitted from the family sized weyrs, though she could hear no sounds from behind the doorway, here.

She waited a short time and knocked again - a little louder this time, and before long heard movement from behind the doorway. She waited expectantly, wondering if it would be her father or his new mate who would answer the door.

The door was pulled open and there stood before her a woman who looked no older than herself, may be even younger than Taia's own twenty three turns. Surely this couldn't be her fathers new mate, she looked _young_. Much, much younger than Taia had expected. Why hadn't Tatitem warned her?

"Oh, er, I'm not sure I have the right weyr." she said slowly, glancing up and down the hallway, unsure if she had knocked at the right door after all. "I..I was looking for T'san - or, um, even Deyana?"

"They're not in at the moment, can I help?" the young woman asked.

"Oh! So _you're_ not Deyana?" Taia asked, not aware that her voice had lightened and her face had brightened perceptibly.

"Me? Deyana? Oh Faranth, no!" the other woman gave a small light laugh, "No Deyana is my fathers weyrmate. She's _much_ older than I am." curiosity was written on the young woman's face, "Can I help you?"

"I'm... I'm not sure." Taia said, curious at the other woman's words, "T'san - he's _your_ father?" she asked, which obviously made this other woman her own sister. A sister she'd had no clue about until this very moment - she could feel her face heating up, and knew if the other woman looked closer she would see the realisation on Taia's face.

"Look, can I help you - oh." the other woman took a step back and opened the door a little wider. "I think - I think you should come in and sit down."

Taia had had no idea, her mother had never said anything about any siblings she may, or may not, have had. Was Aislan even aware or T'san's other children, she wondered. Her eyes met that of the other woman and she moved forward into the weyr.

"Please, Taia - take a seat."

Once again she met the other woman's eyes, shock and dismay clouded her face. "You - know my name? But - but how?" As if propelled by some unseen force, Taia moved across to the couch and took a seat, her eyes not leaving that of the other woman.

"You're my sister. I knew this day would come." the other woman moved towards her, and took a seat on the couch less than a hand-span away. "I told father he should let you know about me, but he always said it didn't matter, things would work out. He's a bit - strange - that way."

"But how? Who are you, I'm really at a loss for words." Taia sat and shook her head in disbelief. "I've never heard of you - in fact I came because I found out from Tatitem that father had recently weyrmated again and had another child, I thought there were only me and the baby."

"I'm Alaia, and I was born a few turns after you." she replied. "Look, I'll make us some klah and we can sit and talk. Father and Deyana will be away for most of the day, I'm here to - babysit, I guess you'd call it."

"Klah? Klah would be good." Taia nodded grateful to cling on to some semblance of normality in this totally abnormal setting.

~ ~ ~

"Right, here you are." Alaia poured a little more klah into Taia's mug, watching her sisters face carefully. "So you see, father had no idea about me until a turn ago, and its only been in the last few months that we've actually gotten to know each other." Alaia continued.

"I asked to be posted here to see if I couldn't build up a relationship with this side of my family. And so I've been visiting with dad and Deyana, and now - I have you as well."

"But I still don't understand how you could have been at the Weyr for this past few months and not have looked me up?" Taia shook her head, "I mean..if it had been me.." she didn't finish, still a little lost for words.

"If it had been you - what?" Alaia asked, as smile on her face, "You've lived in the Weyr your whole life and have just a short time ago admitted you know nothing about your parents and any siblings you may have." she tilted her head a little, her eyes not leaving Taia's, "I've just arrived; wanting to get to know my father before I judge whether I want to meet the rest of my family. It's been a slow process, you know."

"I'm sorry. I - it's all been such a shock, a surprise. A nice one, of course." she reached out her hand and clasped Alaia's in her own. "I have a sister, one I can talk to. One who I may have things in common with, it's all so new. So _bright and shiny_ new - and a little confusing new. If you see what I mean."

"I do Taia, I do." Alaia grinned, "You're not telling me anything I haven't thought of myself this last few months. It'll take you a little time to adjust, just as it has for me."

"And how did father take your arrival?"

"Shock, surprise. A few tears as well, which surprised me." Alaia gave her a lopsided smile. "Apparently my mother and he were short and sweet."

"Your mother never tried to find him then?"

"No, my grandfather was disgusted she had fallen to a dragonrider, and wanted to make sure she never saw him again. I was fostered out almost as soon as I was born. So really I never knew my mother, which is why I want to know my father."

"You make me feel ashamed." Taia admitted sadly.

"Ashamed? I don't understand, why?"

"Well I've had mother and father around my whole life, but apart from the odd birthingday get together I rarely see either of them, haven't for a few turns." she shrugged. "I guess I was closer to my foster mother than either of them."

"Well, unlike me, you have a chance to change that. And I'll help - if you like." Alaia smiled brightly. "What are sisters for, eh?"

Last updated on the October 24th 2008

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What Are Sisters For?