That's Life

Writers: AL, Chelle
Date Posted: 4th April 2011

Characters: Meledei, Sarban
Description: Sarban and Meledei talk after seeing the Falls.
Location: Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 1, day 4 of Turn 6

The falls had been lovely, their roar loud, but beating a rhythm of their
own that Meledei could not deny the beauty of. She had stayed some time,
just standing and staring, watching the white froth and mist as it rose from the water to cloud the air, the sun glinting and scattering rainbows to play among the droplets. So pretty. She really was sorry to have to leave, but found herself trailing quite behind the others. The young goldrider turned and hurried to catch up, finding herself the last to leave.

Sarban slowed down, thinking it wouldn't be appropriate for Meledei to walk
by herself. As it was the Holders were talking to the Weyrleaders and they
were the odd ones out. "They are pretty, aren't they?"

"Do you come down here often?" Meledei asked, slowing down a little now
that she'd caught up to someone. "They're so pretty, I'd probably be here
as much as I could be if I lived here."

"Aye and I go by fishing on the river a lot. We have the riverboats of
course." Sarban wondered if she had ever been on a boat. The riverboats were the closest he could get to a sailing ship nowadays.

"I've heard about those." Meledei glanced behind her, taking a last look at those falls. She would definitely have to come back. "I'll have to visit those some time." She gave the steward a sidelong look. "So, tell me something about your mom. I have to admit, I admire what you did for her." Yes. She admired that a lot.

"My mother? Well, she came with me here. She was a nice lady. Had four
children including me. She was just a holder through her whole life, but it
was enough." He missed his mother's presence at times, but he had accepted
her passing long ago.

"She died then." Meledei's voice grew softer, empathy coloring her tone.
"I'm sorry. My mother's gone too." Though it had been some time ago,
Meledei remembered. And sometimes she still felt that pang, that hole
that had been left behind. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. She was proud of her life and she was ready." Sarban kept
walking, thinking about why he had decided to stay at Emerald Falls. "Your
mother..but she must have been young."

"Yeah, she was. It was during the earthquake at Thayan Peak." The trail
curled around and then headed up into a decent climb, though not too steep
to make it difficult to talk. "Of course, afterward, Dolphin Cove." She
trailed off, realizing there wasn't much need to go into a history that was pretty much well known. "That was...a while ago." She paused, mouth quirking though it was difficult to tell what emotion spurred it. "Anyway...so you still fish. Do you miss seacrafting or do you like being a Steward better?"

"I miss the water and the freedom, but this has his benefits too. On the
waves, you can't have a family most times without hardly ever seeing them." Sarban considered his present and his possible future.

"Yeah, I can understand that." Meledei couldn't imagine being away from
her loved ones for that long. "Do you have a family?" She asked, head
tilted curiously. "I don't. I...hope I do someday though." Her voice caught, though the note that caught was dissonant. She had thought she'd have a family with _him_. But he had evidently thought otherwise.

"I am courting at the moment, but I'm not married." He smiled, thinking of
Lisadi and what that meant.

"Really? That's good to hear." Yeah, Meledei had been 'courting' at one
point. So much for that. "I wish you both happiness. What's she like?"

"She's a kind, sweet lady. A fostermother here at the Hold." Sarban wondered if Lisadi might want to meet the goldrider.

"Sounds like she'd be a good wife to you." If that's where the courting
headed. Which is where it usually was. "So I've gotten to see the falls, and I've seen a little of the hold. Would you be willing to give me a more thorough tour?" Her gaze turned toward the sky. "Though it will probably have to be on another day with an earlier start. If you're willing, that is."

"Of course, my duty to you and yours, weyrwoman. Forever and always." Sarban would have bowed, had they not been walking.

"Meledei." The young goldrider grinned up at the Steward, eyes twinkling.
"Just call me Meledei."

"I shall try," he offered gamely. "So Meledei, where else have you been?" He had traveled extensively before his life at the Hold.

"All the Weyrs down here. I've been to a few places up North and to all the major holds here, if briefly." Meledei couldn't say she'd spent a large amount of time at any of them. "Mainly when Gathers happen, I go so I'll see a little of the hold. At least how they put on a party! What about you? Where have you been?"

"North and South, to most of the seaholds and some others. I've been to
several of the major Holds in the South for Gathers or business and to some of the crafthalls." Sarban recalled himself as a young man, taking advantage of that time.

"Do you ever want to go back?" Meledei asked, her curiosity about the
Steward unquenched just yet. It was a pleasant conversation and the scenery was nice, the day not too warm or too hot. She didn't mind slowing down to extend the conversation.

"To any of those places?" He scratched his chin, considering. "I've always
had a fondness for Southern Boll, Nerat, and I enjoyed getting to see Jade Harbor Hold here amongst others."

"I've not been to Jade Harbour." The last few Gathers there had conflicted
with something else or Meledei had just decided not to go. "Would you like
to go back sometime? I could take you with me if you want."

"Me? Arriving on a gold dragon? Shells, Meledei, you'll have them all
thinking I've come up in the world," he remarked with a shake of his head. "Or that you might have practiced your Weyr ways on me." He said it good naturedly, but there was a bit of truth to the matter. He didn't want her reputation hurt in any way, especially as a junior rider who might not realize.

Meledei laughed and shook her head. "Trust me, I'm a minority at the Weyr.
I don't go around having sex just to have sex. That's something that's far
too intimate to give to anyone and everyone. No, I prefer to remain
monogamous." Or as monogamous as Elleth would let her be. "But it would just be as friends and we could make that perfectly clear. It's always nicer to go with a friend."

"Well, if you want to go and don't want to go alone. I'll go. I might even
suggest my courting partner as a suitable companion for you. She hasn't...gotten to go to many places." He smiled, thinking of her life before coming to the Hold.

"The more friends, the merrier." Meledei stated agreeably. Of course, she
could always get some friends from the Weyr, but hey, new friends were
always good. Besides, sometimes people didn't care to go to the holds just
to visit unless there was a Gather. She had no such qualms. "Maybe in a
couple of sevendays." She suggested.

"Ever your servant," he gave a mock bow and pulled up as they arrived in
the Hold's courtyard.

"I would prefer friend." Meledei commented with a soft laugh.

"Well friend, I would hate for the rest of them to leave you behind. I have
to get back to running the Hold while the Lord bids you farewell. It's been
nice talking with you though." Sarban smiled and nodded to one of the
holders looking for him.

"Indeed. I'll send you a message or something and we can coordinate a
trip," Meledei suggested, picking up her pace so she could rejoin the others. "It was great talking to you Sarban. I look forward to visiting with you again!"

Last updated on the April 27th 2011

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