Seeking Comfort

Writers: Ainsley, AL
Date Posted: 8th February 2009

Characters: Edele, Loki
Description: After getting into trouble, Loki seeks solace in Edele's galley.
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 1, day 7 of Turn 5
Notes: Silver Sails

Loki entered the galley with an undeniably dejected look on his face, falling into a seat with a heavy sigh. So unhappy was the lad after his conversation with the First Mate, that he forgot that he was going to avoid the ship's cook for a bit to escape questions about the bruise that was currently swelling around his eye. Lately it seemed whenever he was sad or in need of comfort or reassurance he sought out Edele's company. He didn't even remember his mother and his aunt had been less than affectionate so Edele's was the first feminine care he had ever experienced, even if she did fuss too much by his way of thinking. "I'm confined to the ship," he mumbled with a pout that made him appear turns younger.

"What?" Edele turned around, then started at the sight of the young boy. She moved forward and cupped his chin with her hand, forcing him to look at her so she could examine him better. Indeed, there was a mark forming over his eye, swelling causing it to look as if it were trying to close. "What happened? Who gave you this?"

Shards! He forgot all about his eye. "I, uh, fell," he stated quietly, then deciding there was really no point in deception now, continued, "While 'nuther fella an' I was in a tussle, thet is." Really his eye was the _least_ of his worries right now and they hadn't even been at port for a full day.

"A tussle? What sort of tussle? Why were you two fighting?" Edele's frown made it clear that she didn't approve of the fighting, especially not with another crewmember.

Loki sighed heavily, he had just known Edele would make a fuss. "I went out ta deliver a message fer the Bo'sun this mornin' an' after thet I was out 'n about fer awhile. Had a misunderstandin' with a boy I run inta. He 'as bit older'n me," the orphan gave a shrug. "It really weren't thet big a deal, Edele," huge blue eyes looked up at her from beneath dark lashes, pleading for her not to be upset with him, "An' I already got in plenty of trouble from the First Mate."

Ah, so it wasn't a crewmember. That was good. Not that him getting into a scuffle with anyone could be termed 'good'. "What sort of misunderstanding? Why did you argue?" Edele let her hand drop, but continued to gaze down at the boy..

"I talked his little sister inta takin' me back behind tha shop inta their kitchen ta see sumthin' an' thet set 'im off."

"And what," Edele asked almost cautiously, "What were you going to show her?"

"No, no! I wasn't showin' _her_. She was showin' _me_ the fire lizard eggs on their hearth," Loki corrected the cook. He doubted she had heard the stories of his other mishaps involving firelizard eggs so he was not as reticent to offer the information to Edele as he had been with Jerroll.

Edele couldn't help but smile. Oh the things that had gone through her head! Perhaps Jerroll was having a rather sordid effect upon her. "Why would her brother have a problem with that?"

Loki's brow furrowed and he lifted his shoulders. "Don't rightly know, 'cept maybe cuz I'm a stranger an' all," he answered, though he knew good and well that was not the extent of it.

"You're not being very forthright with me." Edele crossed her arms over her breast and stared down at the boy. "What did you do? Loki, you didn't try to take one did you?"

"NO Shardit!" the boy swore, forgetting to whom he was speaking. "Why does _everyone_ keep askin' me thet?"

"Then why was he so upset? Did you say something to him?" Edele drew up a chair and motioned for Loki to sit down before taking one up for herself.

"No, but I've noticed, 'specially when I was on my own, thet people tend ta think tha worst of strangers," he stated as he sat down again. Of course in his case that suspicion had always been well founded. He was a thief after all. Still even when he hadn't been thieving, people seldom wanted a street urchin hanging around.

"It seems odd to me that he would send you away simply for looking at the eggs." Edele crossed her legs, then leaned over to peer at the young man. "Are you sure you didn't do anything to provoke him?"

"I'm sure." And for once, this really was the truth. He might of thought it but whether because he didn't have the opportunity or because he couldn't stand to break that little girl's heart, he hadn't actually done anything...this time. "It's jest thet yer a real nice lady, Edele."

"Well, thank you for the compliment," Edele smiled a little, "But I'm not quite sure what that has to do with anything."

"Thet's why ya think it's odd fer 'im ta act thet way. You probably ain't never jest _not_ liked someone fer no good reason, or cuz they was different, or jest cuz ya was havin' a bad day," Loki explained.

"No." Edele agreed, "I haven't. You're right about that. I honestly don't understand why someone would be like that.."

"Beats me, but thet's the truth of it so far as I kin see," the young boy answered. "Ah, you don't happen ta 'ave a bit of a snack do ya?" he asked hoping to change the subject. His morning had taken alot out of him and his eye was beginning to hurt more. Actually, if he could have a bite to eat and a bit of a nap he wondered if things might not seem better overall, despite his being confined to the ship for the rest of their stay.

Edele stood and moved over to the pantry. She took out a board upon which sat some bread and took out a block of cheese. She cut off a slice of each and handed them to the boy. "Here you go. Now go run along. I'm going to have to start on dinner soon."

"Thanks, Edele. Ya really are tha nicest lady thet I've ever known," he said with a genuine smile that was reflected in his deep blue eyes.

"Bah. Off with you now." Edele shooed the boy out of the galley and went to put away the bread and cheese. She had to admit, she felt sorry for the boy. She knew he wanted a firelizard and it wouldn't have surprised her if he really _had_ tried to take an egg. Well, maybe she would talk to Jerroll about it. For the moment, it was time to work on dinner.

Last updated on the February 16th 2009

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Seeking Comfort