A Seamstress of Some Regard

Writers: Bree, Nici
Date Posted: 5th August 2005

Characters: Badia, Miryene
Description: Badia visits Miryene for her first sewing lesson, and Miryene invites her to visit more often.
Location: Vintner Hall
Date: month 7, day 8 of Turn 3

Miryene had decided against the advice of practically everyone that sitting in her chair by the fireplace was close enough to bedrest. Had Jhonnel been paying more attention it was likely he would have fetched the Healer by now to give her a lecture, but Jhonnel had been spending almost no time in their cot and the rare times he was at home he was almost always drunk.

For a while she'd been able to pretend otherwise, but it was growing more and more difficult to dismiss the fact that the only time she saw her husband sober was when he woke up in the morning.

Now, however, Jhonnel was safely away doing whatever it was he did all day, and Miryene had agreed to play hostess to the Hallmaster's new wife. The note she'd been sent had been brief and slightly confusing--Miryene knew she was a fair hand with a needle, but why she'd been picked to give lessons in sewing to Badia when there were perfectly adept seamstresses to be found was something of a mystery.

In the end she'd decided that Fielton, ever resourceful, had simply found a way to make her useful even while under healer's orders to stay off her feet. She didn't mind teaching the girl to sew, so she'd arranged with Cinale to have refreshments brought and bundled herself into the chair by the fire with her sewing kit and a few basic projects. When Badia was settled across from her, she gave the girl a tired but friendly smile. "I hear you've an interest in learning a little more about sewing?"

Something made her trust the other woman enough to be honest. "Well, not really. But it annoys me that I've tried and failed at it thus far."

"Ahhh..." Miryene nodded knowingly, smoothing the blanket over her legs before reaching into the basket next to her. "It's certainly not for everyone... and it's certainly not something I'd want to try to learn on my own. I think I can teach you enough to get by..."

Badia laughed. "That would be a big improvement, trust me. Thus far, all I've managed to do is poke my fingers and my husband is _not_ amused by it."

"I can imagine not," Miryene replied, trying to hide a smile at the thought. She handed Badia the small sewing kit she'd used to teach Jielta and Fieayz before picking up her own. "Since you got to poking your finger, I'm assuming you can thread the needle. Start with that, and we'll work on some basic techniques."

Badia nodded and then, with seemingly exaggerated concentration (although she needed everyone ounce of said concentration), she got the needle threaded and held it aloft triumphantly. "There!"

Hiding another smile, Miryene nodded. "Excellent. We'll just start with a basic straight stitch... all it takes is a little practice."

Badia nodded. "Although, I have lots of practice...in pricking my fingers! It would be nice to actually advance in something other than pain..."

"There's something to help with that, actually..." Miryene pulled a carefully cared for wooden thimble out of her basket and handed it to Badia. "With the woodcraft hall so close, it's not hard to get these... though your husband might be willing to get you one of the fancier ones. It will save your fingers a good deal of pain."

Badia sighed gustily. "A thimble! I should have thought of that!"

"Keep that one," Miryene suggested with a smile. "I have a spare... and I don't poke my fingers as much as I used to in any case. I think you'll find that once you don't have to worry so much about that, sewing will come easier."

"Shards, I hope so..." Badia watched Miryene carefully, again following her example of straight stitching with painful slowness. Knowing she'd not end up bleeding made her relax more, and in turn, it wasn't long before she held up lenght of cloth with a very zig-zaggy straight stitch. "Well, not as _straight_ as I'd like..." Badia suppressed the desire to giggle. It still looked better than Lindria's attempt on that poor cushion they'd taken to Argena!

"That will come in time," Miryene assured her. "You can use the weave of the cloth as a guide, but that can be difficult even with corse weaves. Taking your time is the most important thing in the beginning."

Badia sighed and bent over to try another row. "Skies about knows I've got lot of _that_," she muttered. They must all think her rather useless. She was very young and while Fielton obviously spoiled her, she brought nothing of _value_ to the Hall--and she felt she should have for some reason. Even Lady Lindria, who had wed for an alliance of goods and trade and found happiness, with her only expectations being to bear strong potential heirs for her husband and to learn how to stand at her husband's side when he was Lord, had some _purpose_. Badia was just the Hallmaster's pretty wife. She always thought marriage meant she'd...be something different. It was so hard to put into words, however and Fielton never seemed to want to listen!

"I know how you feel," Miryene replied, her voice sounding unusally subdued. She hesitated for a moment before continuing. "If you get bored during the day, I'd always welcome you here... I don't mind helping you with the sewing and I've been terribly lonely while stuck here."

Badia bit her lip. The poor woman was bedridden and here she was moping because all her husband wanted to do was have marital relations and show her off. Now she felt selfish. "I'd love to visit you and keep you company. Certainly I could do with the sewing advice and I'm lonely sometimes as well."

"I'll look forward to your visits then," Miryene replied, taking the cloth from Badia and handing her a new one. "Now try again on that while I take the stitches out of this."

Badia smiled. "Yes, ma'am! I'm glad my husband suggested I come to you, although I suspect you were a bit surprised that he thought you a seamstress of some great regard..."

Miryene couldn't help but laugh. "I admit, it's not something I've ever considered myself to be... I taught his girls some of the basics, but I imagine the Hallmaster can't easily tell the difference between someone who sews well enough and a true seamstress."

"And Faranth forbid he actually _ask_!" Badia said, joining in on the laughter. She finally put her hand to her mouth. "Oh dear...that's hardly a respectful way to talk about my husband, now is it?"

"Oh, I think there are things that can be said among ladies while sewing that couldn't be spoken elsewhere," Miryene replied with a wink. "I promise I'll never tell anyone."

"I certainly hope so, because while I adore my husband, I certainly know his faults well enough to tell anyone what they are....as long as they don't tell _him_ I know about them!"

"All husbands have faults." And that was something Miryene was learning much to her regret. She'd always imagined life with Jhonnel would be wonderful and comfortable and romantic--everything that she'd missed in her first marriage after her inability to have children had started to cause problems. Miryene was starting to think romance was something that didn't actually exist.

"Everyone has faults," Badia replied. "Otherwise, the world would be a very boring place..." She looked up from her sewing. "Are you all right, Miryene?"

"Of course," Miryene replied, her smile in place once again. "Let's see how you've done with your next row now..." If there was one thing Miryene didn't want to do, it was discuss _her_ husband's faults with anyone.

Last updated on the August 16th 2005

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A Seamstress of Some Regard