Family

Writers: Bree, Dana
Date Posted: 9th August 2006

Characters: Ailyn, Fielton
Description: Ailyn storms over to the Hall to lecture Fielton about his absence in his children's lives
Location: Vintner Hall
Date: month 12, day 28 of Turn 3

Ailyn

Fielton

Ailyn had always considered herself a calm, even-tempered woman. Sweet, people called her. Considerate...even if she _was_ more opinionated than she ought to be--for a woman. And she'd always thought that she was not one to lose her temper easily. Firon had never truly agreed with her in that respect though.

And perhaps he'd been right not to, for she certainly was feeling herself rising to the edge rather swiftly.

The thought of her late husband brought a pained half-smile to her lips as she marched down the overgrown path to the Vintner Hall. Despite how much she threw herself into helping others settle into the Hold, hoping to fill the gaping hole within, the terrible ache was still there. No matter how hard she tried to ignore it, or make it stop completely by giving everything she had to others whose lives had been ripped apart by the quake, it wouldn't go away. Her efforts, however, would dull it a little, and the dulling helped her get through the days. **All you need is time, Ailyn...** she would tell herself in the dark of night. **You're strong...**

Sometimes she wasn't so sure.

But as the Hall came closer and closer, she knew that right now, she _was_
sure. Jielta and little Miyon needed their father, and she was going to make it very, _very_ clear to him that they did. It was painful to see the expression on the girl's face when she thought Ailyn wasn't looking, or the way she'd croon softly to her baby brother, murmuring that Papa would come to take them home soon.

A fresh wound to the heart, it was.

Hallmaster Fielton hadn't come for them--and it made Ailyn furious. It had been over a month! Probably the longest month of their lives... Did the man not see just how blessed he was to have his family still? Did he not see just how desperate his daughter was to be with him again? How desperately she _needed_ him?

The man had no heart, Ailyn was convinced of it.

"You, there. Can you tell me where I might find Hallmaster Fielton?" Her green eyes flashed as she practically growled out his name, and she sincerely hoped that this man who she'd approached would be helpful. Her tether was so close to snapping...

The man who she'd pinned with her gaze stammered out a few unintelligble words, but was saved from answering when a low voice replied from behind her. "I'm the Hallmaster."

Ailyn turned around, trying her best not to glare up into his face. She wasn't sure if her effort worked. Forcing out what she hoped to be a polite smile, she asked him, "May I have a moment of your time?" Could she truly be blamed for her tone having a bit of an edge to it? "My name is Ailyn.
It's regarding your children..."

His mouth turning down in a faint frown, Fielton stiffled a sigh and turned back to the man standing behind him. "Send out the orders I dictated to you.
Come and find me when you're done."

When the journeyman had hurried off, Fielton turned back and held out an arm, gesturing to the nearly empty room he'd been standing in front of. It held only a rickety table piled in hides and several sturdy but plain looking chairs. His expression was undeniably sarcastic as he gave her a little bow. "Step into my office." It certainly wasn't much of one--and his expression said more clearly than words that if people kept interrupting him, it would remain that way.

Doing her very best to ignore the tone and expression on his face, she swept up her skirts and seated herself. Then she looked up, barely keeping a restraint on her emotions--shards, she'd _never_ been a very subtle woman.
"Your children need you."

"My children are both old enough to realize that I have duties to my Hall,"
Fielton replied, his eyes going hard. "And who, exactly, do you think you are to comment on my family?"

"I'm the woman who has been taking care of them," she replied, her expression matching his. How could his _son_ be old enough to understand when Jielta herself was trying so hard to? "And they need you."

"Them?" Fielton asked, his brows coming together in confusion. "My elder daughter is at Smith Hall, lady."

"I'm talking about your son, Hallmaster. Miyon is his name, is it not?"
It was all she could do to keep from yelling at the man. How could _anyone_
be so heartless as to _forget_ their baby son?

Fielton's eyes hardened. "Perhaps no one has given you the pertinent information then, my lady. If you'd like to take Miyon's father to task for ignoring him, perhaps you could ask my former wife who she was committing adultery with when she conceived him. Everyone in the Vintner Hall knows it wasn't me."

Her blood ran like ice for a startlingly brief moment before she scraped her control back enough to look at him calmly--as if the news hadn't shocked her. "So you would cast Miyon aside even after this tragedy that has struck despair and sorrow into so many hearts? He's just a _baby_, Hallmaster.
Regardless of his parentage, you should not take your past anger out on him. Especially after what has befallen us."

"I cast no one aside," Fielton replied sharply. "He has a foster mother of his own, who is more than capable of caring for him. It's my job to care for _everyone_ in my Hall."

"His foster mother died."

That brought Fielton up short. "Koyla's not dead," he protested, though his eyes betrayed his confusion.

Her jaw worked. "I wouldn't know about anyone named Koyla. But Serifa _is_."

"Oh." Fielton winced, feeling guilt for the first time. Maybe the boy wasn't his, but he should have at least known who was caring for him. "Well, then.
I'm sorry for the inconvenience. And I'll see that he gets a new foster mother."

The tether holding her temper back snapped. Furious, she openly glared at him. "An _inconvenience_? Is _that_ how you see it? And--shard it--I don't mind taking them under my wing. Especially after what has happened.
But they need _you_--their father. I can only do so much. A _fostermother_ can only do so much! We're not family. You are."

The last person who'd spoken to him so had been Badia, and she'd had the benefit of being his wife. Rising to his feet, Fielton braced his hands on the table, hoping it wouldn't collapse. "Are you finished yelling at me?"

**That depends.** She bit the angry words back, and settled for continuing to glare up at him instead. "Are you understanding what I'm telling you?"

He understood well enough to feel mildly guilty. "May I ask you a question?"

A pause. "Yes."

Fielton hesitated for a moment before speaking, hoping his uncertainty wouldn't show. "Would you be willing to see to them while I prepare a place to bring them to the Hall? I'll try--" He corrected himself. "I'll find time to see them. Things are far enough along that I can get away for a few candlemarks. But they're not the only people who don't have their own beds to sleep in, and it is my job to find homes for every last one of those people."

Ailyn felt something inside her ease--but only a little. "I'll continue to look after them." And even though her tone was softer and a lot calmer than it had been but moments before, it was perfectly clear that she wasn't doing this for him, but for the children. She rose gracefully to her feet, and raised her chin to meet his eyes. "I can tell them, then, that I've spoken with you and that you will be coming tomorrow?"

Somewhat subdued, Fielton nodded. "Yes. Of course. When--when would be a good time?"

A faint smile flitted across her lips before it quickly faded. Finally.
"Around noon. Or the candlemark after."

"Then I'll see you tomorrow, Ailyn. And--thank you for seeing to my daughter and her brother."

She glanced up at him sharply, shocked a little by his gratitude, however lacking in eloquent words it may be. It was the slight slip of hesitancy that made it seem more genuine, though, than any fancy talk could have made it. But of course, this didnt mean that she was ready to forgive his terrible lapse in parental judgement... "You're welcome."

Last updated on the August 9th 2006

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Family