Working Too Hard

Writers: Eimi, Dana
Date Posted: 20th December 2006

Characters: Larken, Ojisan
Description: Larken tries to put a certain brownrider out of her mind...with little success
Location: Harper Hall
Date: month 1, day 9 of Turn 4

Usually when Larken settled down to sew, the stitching put her mind at ease. It was something she could do without having to really _think_
about what she was doing--the needle had a mind of its own, and she let it move as it would. She always sewed her best when her thoughts were calm...when she let herself drift serenely away from all her cares.

But today her thoughts just couldn't settle down. A certain blonde, hazel-eyed brownrider kept jumping into her mind's eye and distracting her. The expression on his face when he'd slipped behind her in line that afternoon, the way the corners of his lips twitched in amusement as he "de-veggied" her soup, the way his hand had tightened around hers under the table...

Shard it! Frustrated, she shoved the needle through the hole. She wasn't supposed to be _thinking_ about him! **It's over, Larken. It's over. You should have made that clear to him. You shouldn't have sat next to him--alone!** But it had felt so good to be with him...to touch him and to talk with him. To laugh with him.

Shaking her head, she tightened the thread, straining to hear sounds from the bathing chamber where Ojisan was. She hoped he would come out soon. She needed to be distracted from these sharding memories!

A quarter candlemark later, her husband finally came out from behind the curtain, his sleeping shirt clinging to his damp skin, running a towel through his hair. "Well now, love. Still at work?"

Leaning back against the back of the sofa, Larken smiled up at him, relieved. "Yes. But maybe I'll put it aside in a while."

"You should take some time to relax, my dear. You have been working too hard lately." He sank into the cushion beside her.

Busying herself with detangling her threads, she looked away, not wanting him to see her expression. "I haven't been working hard," she replied, tone forcibly light. But he wouldn't be able to tell.

He covered her hands with his own, stopping her work. "But you have, Larken. When was the last time you went out just for a walk? Or gone to visit your friends? It can't be good for you to work like this."

"Everyone's been busy lately." Which wasn't _quite_ a lie... Again, she thought of M'tone. No doubt he would be busy tonight. She wondered what he would be doing. Then she swallowed thickly as her imagination went down a road that should probably be less traveled. Maybe she shouldn't want to know. Shoving away the inklings of jealousy, Larken placed her hand over his, tilting her head up so she could look at him, expression empty of her conflicting emotions. "Truly, Ojisan. I don't mind working.
It isn't strenuous."

"I just want to make sure you're happy. All this work you've been doing, it's not wearing you down, is it? I don't mind waiting a day for my favorite shirt to be mended if you would like to read a book." It touched him that she was being so attentive, but he didn't want that thoughtfulness to turn into resentment. He had been married before and knew some of the pitfalls that could befall even the most loving couples.

It would be better if she didn't fight him on this. Why waste the energy?
He wouldn't understand that she needed to keep busy so that she wouldn't do anything....rash. "Then I'll read a book," she smiled, leaning in close to kiss him gently on the cheek.

"You have always been so good to me, wife. I just want to take care of you." He wanted her to know it was no admonition of her that lead him to reject to the offered thoughtfulness, but rather true concern for her well being.

Larken cuddled close, nuzzling his shoulder. "I know."

"I'll tell you what. Tomorrow, why don't you and I go down to the dining hall for dinner? We can get you out of this room for a while."

"I'd like that." But what if they saw M'tone? Shells...she hoped they didn't see him. It would just be too soon.

"It's settled then." He leaned down to kiss her forehead softy. "I'll come home early from the practice rooms and we can beat the rush."

Larken smiled up at him. "Sounds wonderful." If they beat the rush, then surely they wouldn't run into him!

Last updated on the January 1st 2007

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Working Too Hard