-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Blanket Statements Date: November 23, 2003 Place: Lysseth and Kassima's Weyr Game: PernMUSH Copyright Info: The World of Pern is copyright(c) to Anne McCaffrey l967. The Dragonriders of Pern(r) is a registered copyright. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kassi's Note: With Kaisan newly born, and Kassi laid up in her weyr with him until she's had a chance to recover, some of Kassi's friends are taking the opportunity to pay them a visit. Merielan's the visitor in this instance, and she comes bearing a sweet gift for the baby, fodder for discussion, and a most kind offer of assistance. :) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Log: Dragon> Lysseth senses that Alerith's mind gently touches yours with warm red-wine tones << My Merielan and I wish to visit your lifemate's new hatchling. May we? >> Lysseth> Alerith senses that Lysseth's thoughts are half-distracted, and it takes a moment for the facets of her mindscape to sparkle acknowledgment. When they do, though, the answer is an amiable affirmative: << Mine says that you and yours are welcome to come. >> Alerith backwings for a landing. Lysseth is taking shameless advantage of her ownership of this weyr to stay inside, away from the hail, and so the ledge is empty; there's a rumbled greeting from beyond the entrance curtain however to confirm that everyone's at home. Alerith rumbles a greeting to Lysseth, folding his wings with a special little fillip. "Lysseth doesn't want to twine tails--so give it up.." Meri mutters, slipping off her brown with an affectionate pat to soften her words a bit. A rummage about in the saddlebags produces a brown-paper wrapped package, and with a final nod towards the green and an "Evenin' Lysseth." Having dispersed with the formalities, Meri heads intowards the weyr. Merielan carefully dismounts from Alerith's long neck. Lysseth can't see the fillip from inside the weyr, but chances are pretty high she'd be amused by it. The dragon is curled up on her couch inside, amongst her collection of dark, plush furs, nigh radiating pleasure at being dry and warm. Kassi's in similar straits, sitting up in bed and propped by pillows, her hair loosely braided and daily togs exchanged for her favorite black velvet robe. A plate with the remains of dinner is on the table next to her, but far more importantly, a swaddled bundle is held in her arms, and she's murmuring something to it when Meri comes in. At that point, she looks up to flash the brownrider a tired grin. "Heyla, Meri--did you make the Hatching at Ista?" "'Evenin' Kassi...baby.." Meri murmurs in a soft-sort of voice, suitable for new-baby ears. Her eyes are wide and fixed on that little swaddled face. It takes a few steps, but eventually Meri's standing by the side of the bed, grinning down at said swaddled bundle. "Hello to you little one." Meri coos down to the baby in that same sort of soft voice. Having paid her respects as it were, Meri shakes her head "No--no, I didn't get a chance to go and watch. I had to get some hidework done--of have my hide taken off and tanned." She clasps her package to her chest, standing there and grinning down at the baby. "So cute..." "His name is Kaisan," Kassi supplies, sounding amused. A couple of days have taken most of the rasp out of her own voice; she also speaks quietly, though not as quietly. "And he isn't asleep, so don't worry about talking... this child is so loud that if'n he hasn't deafened *himself* by now, we probably can't manage the feat." Her tone is loving, unsurprisingly, and she sits up a bit more, adjusting the swaddled baby in her arms so that Meri can better see. He's awake, but his eyes are more closed than open, the fuzzy blue of them barely visible in his ruddy face. "I'm sure he'd say heyla back if'n he were capable... and thankee. Methinks he's absolutely gorgeous, but what else could one expect? Pity about missing out. It seemed t'be a good Hatching--Taralyth and Is were there; Tear relayed the action to Lyss so we could see after a fashion." "Kaisan." Meri repeats in reverent tones, still in that soft tone of voice. Apparently Meri isn't really aware of the tone of her voice. The dopey eyes and smile might tip one off as to her state of 'baby adoration' that she appears to have entered into. "He is gorgeous," is agreed upon amiably "some babies aren't, but one tells their parents that they are. But really, he is quite lovely." Having pulled her foot out of her mouth by the slimmest of margins, Meri proffers the package she's carrying to Kassi and then casts about for a chair to plop into. "Mind if I sit?" She asks, indicating a chair "And I hope you like it--or well that Kaisan likes it. It's really for him." [Editor's Note: The desc of Meri's present follows. :) ] --- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Message 56 Date Received: Sun Nov 23 20:56:32 2003 From: Merielan To: Kassima Subject: Present! ============================================================================== A quilt knit of yarn in shades of red, white and black. The whole blanket has a slightly 'hairy' look, a by-product of the type of yarn used, but it always gives the blanket a nice, comfy, warm look. The whole thing is put together of square patches each knit in one solid color. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ --- The weyr is more bereft of chairs than not, but several overturned wooden boxes of dubious age are strewn about, with green cushions thoughtfully placed atop them. "Pull up a box," Kassi agrees, nodding towards the collection. "And you aren't about t'be hearing me disagree with you. He looks more like Is than Kiss did as a bairn, methinks, but--" and her voice shades triumphant here, "Kai already has *hair*." She's careful about disengaging one arm to accept the package, her expression curious as she sets it in her lap to open it one-handed. "Oh!" she says, delighted, as the quilt is revealed. "Meri, how lovely! And in Benden and Telgar colors! Kai will surely like it; he's the son of two people with decent taste, so he must have inherited some--" Of course, Kai can't yet give much proof of this. His eyes do open a little wider, and perhaps even briefly manage to focus, but soon enough he's back to trying to either wiggle his way out of the blanket he's in or burrow in deeper; it's hard to tell which. "Did you make this yourself?" Merielan pulls up one of the scattered boxes, shifting a bit until she's comfortably situated. "He does look quite a bit like Is. Same nose and eyes--maybe the mouth too? It's a bit hard to tell when he's all squinched up like that." She nods, seeming to understand about the importance of hair. "He does have quite a little cap of hair there. Both my children were bald as eggs when they were first born. They looked -much- better once they'd grown a bit of fluff to cover their domes." She looks a bit nervous as Kassi opens the package, clasping her hands in her lap and fidgeting. "Oh is it? In the colors? I didn't even think..." She admits, voice growing a bit warmer, as a flush starts to warm her cheeks. "Oh, I'm so glad you like it Kassi.." She grins, relaxing from her slightly tense, expectant posture. "Oh..yes, I did. I was making K'nan's turn-day present--a knitted scarf--and I thought I'd knock off a blanket for your babe at the same time." Kassima studies her son for a moment. "Nay the same eyes *yet*--they're shaped like mine; which color they'll have I don't know. Kiss has his color exactly. All m'sons have green eyes, so a shade of blue would be a change. But the nose methinks you're right about; and the chin, and mayhaps the mouth, insofar as I can tell. Which," she admits, grinning at the brownrider, "is difficult. But he looks at least as much like Is as Khari looked like Jhor, and *she* grew up t'be his female spit and image, so who knows? Kiss was the only one of mine born bald. I still don't know why. Relieved 'twas that Kaisan came with hair included." But batteries *not* included! "I do like it, Meri." Her fingers trace lightly over the quilt's surface. "It should come in wonderful handy, since we're into winter now. Poor kitling, t'have his first season be a Telgar winter. 'Tis beautiful work." Merielan turns a nice berry shade of red with pleasure. She brushes a hand over her flushed face--pleased out of all porportion at the compliment. "I really am glad. And especially so that you'll use it. I wanted to give you something -useful-, pretty, but useful. I know full how well how difficult it can be during the first weeks after a babe is born. I thought it'd come in handy to have an extra warm blanket about." She sighs once, happily, clearly relieved that the whole gift-giving has gone so well. Returning to the earlier topic she picks up the thread of conversation once more "I remember looking at Erika and wondering how on earth she was my daughter. As a baby she looked so much like K'nan--and now--she looks so much like me it's uncanny. Kiere on the other hand, he looked like T'kar when he was born and still looks like his twin. Absolute spitting image." "It probably will," Kassima agrees, "and I'd tuck him in it now, only he keeps trying t'get out of *this* one. Will you realize that warmth is a *good* thing?" she mock-chastises the baby, with deep affection. "What, you want t'wiggle away into the *hail*? Crazy child. Crazy already." Kaisan just gives another fruitless wriggle, and his mother tucks the swaddling that much tighter around him. "Someday he'll get a clue. Thankee, Meri, from both of us." Then, "Some of m'children, I couldn't tell *what* they'd look like. Really, I guess that goes for all of 'em. They all surprise me one way or another. There's nay a one who's my exact double or their father's exact double, but some of 'em come close." "Crazy already indeed." Meri chuckles, watching the wriggling bundle with a fond smile of her own. "I'd say his parentage is just showing up early on is all." The fond smile is transferred towards Kassi and a wink added in for good measure. Meri shifts a bit on her box, drawing one leg up, and cocking her chin on her knee, arms looped lazily about her leg. From this position Meri regards mother and baby with a musing air about her. "It's interesting--babies, human ones I mean, usually look at least a -bit- like their parents. Dragons though--I don't think Alerith looks a whit like Taralyth. Does Lysseth look anything like her dam or sire?" Kassima makes a face at Meri, but it's an amused face. "He's a madman's son," she settles for cheerfully agreeing. "But a good sort of madman, so 'tis all right. *Lysseth*? Shells, nay--a'course nay in color, they were gold and bronze, but nay even in build or any other way. Nor like any of her clutchmates, really, come to that. She's completely and uniquely herself. Methinks 'tis more often the case than nay, though there's a theory that red-bronze runs in the full Benden bronze line." "I think I have too much time on my hands--despite mounds of hidework." Meri mutters, more to herself then to Kassi or the babe. With a little shake she returns to reality and the conversation at hand. Meri usually remembers her conversational skills, there's only the occasional lapse. "Is is indeed a madman." Meri agrees with a grin "But he's a goodhearted madman, damn fine Weyrlingmaster too, for what that counts for.." A pause, and a nod with a little chuckle as Kassi answers her query "Well yes, clearly not in color. But perhaps a strain of color? As you say with the Benden bronzes." A shrug "Though sometimes--I do think that Alerith -thinks- a bit like -I'sai- at times. But I'm not really sure where Taralyth would enter into that...maybe familarity breeds--similar thought patterns?" Yup, most defintely too much time on Meri's hands. Kassima lies back a bit more against the pillows, gently turning Kaisan about until his cheek is resting on her chest, the better to let her pat gently at his back and try to coax him into less wriggling and more sleep. Not that it works right away, but she's persistant. "Naturally," she agrees without pause or qualm. "A fitting successor t'Ursa and Maylia, and I'm sure he'd be flattered t'hear you confirm it. Lysseth doesn't share even a strain of color with Dyinath or Valenth as best I remember. It's been a time since I've seen either one, but I really don't think so. Like I'sai?" One of her brows pops up. "That's curious. I'm nay sure *Taralyth* thinks precisely like I'sai. They're more alike than some pairs, but going by what Lysseth says 'twould nay necessarily call them mental twins. It could just be a genuine quirk of Alerith's." "Alerith's got many a quirk.." Meri agrees with a slight chuckle. "But then, I think most of them do. Don't know that I've ever met a completely 'normal' dragon." A shrug and a nod "I don't quite know how Taralyth thinks. Alerith doesn't speak of him much, so I don't have much of a sense of him." A quirked grin "Not that I have all that much sense of I'sai--despite knowing him for many a turn." A serious nod at the mention of I'sai being a worthy succesor "Indeed, more then worthy. Brynn and I--well--we found him -interesting-, but still very much a good Weyrlingmaster." "What's 'normal,' anyway?" Kassi asks, more rhetorically than not. "I'm nay sure there are any dragons alike enough for aught t'be 'normal'--save the whole wanting t'kill Thread thing. They all seem pretty big on that." Lysseth gives a sleepy rumble from her couch. You sing it, sister. "If'n there's a dragon Lyss speaks to more than any other, 'tis Taralyth. She's fond of him. But I've never spoken with him directly, so what I know is mostly secondhand. He had a good survival rate in his Weyrlings, and that group turned out some excellent pairs. That's almost all that's needed t'make him an excellent Weyrlingmaster, aye? Mind, that the Weyrlings don't seem t'have come away with a deep and abiding hatred of him probably doesn't hurt any." "Well--no, it's not just the survival rate.." Meri muses, cocking her head to the side. "..it was just entirely different working wtih Maylia and then working later on with Is. They were both good--just in different ways. May was much stricter then Is was, and Is was--well--Is." An amused grin curls Meri's lips up as she nods in agreement "Well makes sense that Lysseth would be fond of Taralyth. You and I'sai spend quite a bit of time together." A pause "Though that theory doesn't really hold water--T'kar and I were weyrmates and Alerith and Fasolth didn't like each other one whit." A shrug, and a sigh as Meri stretches and stands, inclining her head towards the curtain. "I must be off Kassi--there's hidework still to be done. I just wanted to come by and meet your newest spawn--make sure you were still in one piece and all." Kassima agrees, "More than one way t'be getting the job done--like Wingleadering, I like t'think. M'teh and I or Karanaya and I might nay be identical in leading styles, but we all have strong Wings regardless... ah, now, Lyss's fondness of Taralyth almost predates mine of Is. He's been her favorite male since the first time he caught her; she might be fond of him regardless. That's one thing Alerith and Fasolth couldn't have: there was just nay way," she teases, "that they could be mates, unless there was something neither of them was telling us. Mayhaps they'd have gotten along better if they could have. Anyway! A'course, Meri, I understand. I appreciate the visit and the lovely gift more than I can say. As for one piece...." She gives a rueful grin. "It *felt* like 'twas being torn in two or more at the time, but I seem t'still be intact. Amazingly enough." Merielan laughs at the description of Alerith and Fasolth hiding something of -that- nature and magnitude. "Well--perhaps it was that. He certaintly seems to be quite fond of Veyath. But he was fond from the start--and even more so after he caught her--" Her expression grows a bit serious at Kassi's last and she nods seriously "Yes, I remember -that- particular feeling all too well." A sigh and an affectionate smile "Well, rest and feel better Kassi. If you want a babysitter--when Kaisan's a bit older of course--I'm usually available." With that Meri waves and heads off, back to her weyr and the hidework with her name written all over it. Merielan disappears upwards in the suddenly brown sky of Alerith's back. Alerith spreads his wings and leaps from Lysseth's ledge.