An Awkward Introduction

Writers: Ainsley1, Kaysea
Date Posted: 14th July 2007

Characters: Kateena, Yara
Description: Kateena finally meets Swift's granddaughter but the chance meeting proves a bit awkward for both women.
Location: Dolphin Hall
Date: month 4, day 25 of Turn 4

For days Kateena had been checking out the unfamiliar faces around the Hall, to see if she could pick which of the newcomers were Swifts granddaughter. So far she hadn't had any luck, but she knew it was only a matter of time before they would meet.

She waded out towards the waiting pod, the cool water marking time up her body with each step. There was a small group of apprentices over to her right, and they too appeared to be making their way towards the pod. They couldn't be having a class, it was past the last afternoon class of the day, so Kateena assumed they were just curious to be close to the dolphins. She slapped the water three times in succession, an abbreviated report sequence, and watched as Civi broke away from the pod and made his way towards her.

Seeing the apprentices approach the pod, Yara changed her own direction. She had taken every opportunity to get to know the local dolphins since she had arrived,but decided that today she would leave her new friends to others. Instead she waded towards the other journeywoman who had called her dolphin to report, with a smile and slight wave. There were still so many people she didn't know.

Kateena waved a greeting, as she saw the younger woman making her way through the water towards her. Civi appeared in front of her first, and stood up high in the water, his rostrum touching her nose in his usual greetings; before he fell backwards creating a huge splash, that soaked the dolphineer.

"They are always so anxious for us to be as wet as they are," Yara commented as she watched the dolphin's antics and his partner's fond response.

"I usually don't mind, but the air this morning is a little chillier than usual." Kateena agreed, her hands reaching out and giving Civi a belly rub. "You're new here, aren't you?"

"I am," Yara replied with a nod and a grin, "I just arrived from the Northern Hall. My name's Yara."

"Hel..lo Yara." Kateena's voice faltered as the name triggered her memory.
"I'm... my name is Kateena." This woman was Swift's granddaughter, she couldn't get past that fact in her mind.

Yara's blue-grey eyes widened in surprise as she instantly recognized the name from Boppa's letters. _This_ was the dolphineer. This attractive young woman, not a couple turns older than her oldest sister? She knew it was rude but Yara couldn't help but look the other journeywoman up and down.

When her mind had finally processed the information that this beautiful journeywoman was her grandfather's love interest, Yara embarrassed herself further by allowing a giggle to escape and though she slapped a hand over her mouth, a laugh followed. Her mother would be absolutely appalled at her rudeness, and she struggled to gain control and explain before the journeywoman stormed off in offense.

"I'm so sorry. I just...I hadn't pictured...that is to say...Well, my Boppa, that is my grandfather..Oh, dear! I am very pleased to meet you Kateena, please know my grandfather has written of you with such respect and adoration. I was rather worried over meeting you." Yara knew she had completely botched this introduction and felt bad that she had failed her grandfather in such a way. It mattered not to her, that the woman was turns his junior, in fact she found it rather enchanting, thus her juvenile outburst. She could only hope the other woman didn't take offense.

She didn't know what had come over her, here she was almost forty turns old, and she seemed to have lost all confidence in the face of Swifts family. This young woman was one of his youngest grandchildren and if her reaction was anything to go on, Kateena felt a shiver run through her body, what would the others think?

She felt a flush creeping up her face, the heat from her skin a contrast to the cooler air blowing across the water. "Umm.. I..I don't know what to say, Yara. I had hoped to meet you when your grandf.. when Swift was present, but, thank you," she gave a small self conscious laugh, ".. I think."

"It was really meant to sound better than it came out," Yara tried to explain, horribly embarrassed that she had handled this so badly. "I've been looking forward to meeting you, but at the same time, been worried about what you'd think of me."

"What?" Kateena was shocked at the other woman's confession, "Worried about what _I_ would think of you?" She had to stop herself from nervous laughter, "Umm, I have a confession to make." she smiled self consciously.

"What is it?" Yara queried with a tilt of her head, noting for the first time that Kateena's eyes were colored quite similarly to her own.

"I've been worried - terrified, if I'm honest - about what you would think of me.." Kateena gave the other woman a wide smile.

Yara grinned in return, liking the older journeywoman quite a bit, "Isn't it rather funny how things often have a way of turning out quite better than we sometimes worry they will be?"

"This has certainly been interesting." Kateena agreed, "And not quite as rough as I'd imagined. Though I'm still shaking a little." she admitted, she was feeling very self conscious, "Are all your family as easy going as Swift? It seems to be a family trait."

With a laugh, the younger woman answered, "Well, I'm often told I'm quite like him. My mother and sisters are...not as easy going, but I think my Da is fairly relaxed."

"I hope so, to tell you truthfully, I'm more than a little anxious about meeting him."

"I would be more than happy to introduce you. There is nothing to be anxious over. Da is wonderful."

"He..." she felt her next question catch in her throat, "he's not _here_
as well, is he?"

"At the Hall? Yes, didn't Boppa tell you? Da escorted me down so that he could see me settled and see his own father after all these turns."

"Oh." once again she felt the energy drain out of her, it was one thing meeting Swift's granddaughter, but quite another to meet his son. Though, she considered thoughtfully, if Yara was this easygoing, she must have inherited it through Race from her grandfather. "No..no Swift didn't mention his arrival as well." she smiled weakly.

"Don't worry, he doesn't bite. He'll be very impressed with you, I'm sure."

"I'm not normally this - insecure. I guess I've been more concerned that you would be against _us_ because of the age difference." Kateena explained, her eyes following Civi as he swam back and forth and frolicked with the others in the pod. "Your father may not be as accepting of the situation."

"If I'm honest, it is possible that he will have more concerns that I do,"
she shrugged, "Afterall, I'm young and to me if you love one another then really what does it matter? The fact that you chose my grandfather, when you might have looked to a younger man, says quite a bit to me. Now if my mother were here..." Yara shook her head, "Let's just say that she tends to like things a certain way. Actually, I would think _your_ family would have the greater issues."

"I rarely see my family." Kateena admitted, "My fostermother died a few turns ago. My fosterfather is out there somewhere.." she looked out to the horizon, "though I am expecting a visit from my birth mother any day now, since I wrote her about your gran...Swift." she grinned sheepishly.

Yara grinned back, easily understanding that this might be awkward for the senior journeywoman. "And where is she coming from?"

"They're both at Fort Weyr, mother and father - or at least that's where they were last I heard." she smiled softly, "It's the first time I've thought of the Weyr in a long time, I don't think of it as home though.
My home was Tillek Hold, it's all I've ever known really."

"You were fostered there? Are your parents dragonriders then?" Yara asked with interest.

"Yes, my fosterparents were fisherfolk. And I was fostered out because one of my parents grew up there, I still don't know which one." she laughed softly, "I was never interested enough to know, does that sound terrible?"

Yara shrugged, "No, it sounds like you were secure in who you were and in your life the way it was. Sounds as if your fosterparents did their job."

"My fostermother did, yes." She thought of Gilliya occasionally these days, with happier memories than those she had carried. Gilliya's death had been slow and painful, the tumor inside her finally taking her life.

But in the last turn or so, Kateena had thought less of the painful times and more of the fun, loving times of her childhood, the encouragement Gilliya had given her all her young life. Mixed in among those memories, were the occasional, infrequent visits of her birth mother and father and to an even lesser extent her fosterfather, Uilin.

"But my foster father was rarely there. I honestly don't know him as well as I did my fostermother. He was always away, as most seacrafters tend to be.." she gave a small shrug and glanced back out across the waves.

"My mother used to say that the 'The flight is proved when the eggs are laid but even more so when they crack'. I suppose we all have mixed feelings about the way that we were brought up and the choices our parents, or fosterparents, made or even made _for_ us," here Yara chuckled remembering a few of those from her earlier life. "But if the outcome is good..." the younger journeywoman left that statement hanging with yet another lift of her shoulders as she followed Kateena's gaze out toward the waves.

"Well, I think the best outcome for me was what was chosen for me. Even the dragons had a hand in my life. I wasn't chosen by one of them when I walked the Sands, either."

Yara shook her head in amazement. "It sounds as if you might have seen and done more than many a master, Kateena."

"Oh Shells, no!" Kateena shook her head, "I Stood to please my mother and father, but I wasn't chosen, so they were happy for me to follow my dreams, and look where my dreams lead me?" A wide smile split her face and her eyes shone out, as she looked at the other girl. "Your grandfather -
I couldn't have asked for more."

"He is wonderful. I'm glad that you have found one another," Yara observed. After speaking with the other woman she could easily tell why Boppa was attracted to her.

"Yes he is." Kateena smiled, in return. Her eyes had been locked onto Civi as the two women talked, but now she watched as the dolphin made his way back towards them.

He glided in a slow circle around the two women, one eye fixed on the pair, "Ka-at play now?" he asked, his mouth splitting into a wide smile.

"I'm sorry Civi, I was a little distracted." she glanced across at Yara.
"Would you like to come for a swim with us? We won't be gone for long, I have hide work to finish, but you're welcome to join us for a while. I feel a little guilty, we've been talking when I was supposed to be 'playing'with Civi."

"I'd love to swim with you," Yara replied with a grin. "I think Civi has been more than patient." The journeywoman was happy to have met Kateena, but the tension in the situation was undeniable so a swim would be just what the healer ordered.

Last updated on the July 14th 2007

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An Awkward Introduction