Comparing Notes (1)

Writers: Jane, Kaysea
Date Posted: 6th February 2008

Characters: Kateena, Renada
Description: Kateena and Renada discuss marriages - one good and one not so good.
Location: Dolphin Hall
Date: month 8, day 12 of Turn 4

"So romantic," Renada said, moving up beside Kateena and having just watched the younger woman's kitchen-hand husband kiss her goodbye. "You two make a very sweet couple, Kateena."

"Oh, er thank you." Kateena gave a slightly embarrassed smile as she turned to the woman. "I sometimes forget where we are, and have to remind myself to be more circumspect."

"Not on my account," the older woman assured her. "My romantic days might be over but I can admire somebody else's."

Kateena laughed softly. "Romance is nice, but its just good, plain love with us." she replied with a soft, dreamy sigh. "I can't get enough of him."

Renada chuckled. "Trust me; that's romantic. Were you supposed to be having breakfast? Come and join me even if you're done. We hardly ever get the time to talk."

"Okay, that sounds good, as long as you don't mind me going into dreamland every time I think about him?" she gave Renada a small fond smile.

"As I said - very sweet. It's a nice way to start your married life -
and long may it continue," the older journeywoman said as they settled down at one of the tables in the large dining hall.

"I hope your words are prophetic." Kateena said, taking a seat and looking down at her plate. "I hope it lasts a long, long time." Her fork hovered over the plate of freshly chopped fruit before she selected an inviting cube of redfruit.

Renada studied her companion, wondering if she herself had ever been as young and beautiful. Perhaps it was just the glow of a woman in love, but Kateena was an extremely lovely woman. "Do you worry about Swift being older than you?" she asked, then wondered if that was tactless.

"Sometimes," she admitted softly. "We're so happy right now, that I worry we may be a little _too_ happy."

"Is there such a thing?"

"I don't know." Kateena shook her head. "But sometimes I wonder that if I am too happy with Swift, something might happen to change it. So I'm making the most of my time with him, as you saw before." She blushed a little in memory of the kiss.

"Nothing wrong with that. His first wife died, didn't she?"

"Yes, a long time ago." Kateena nodded. "He's been alone for so long."
she mused.

"So he probably thinks as you do - that he has to make the most of every day." Renada sighed again, feeling slightly envious of the pair's relationship. It couldn't rightly be called 'young love' but it had many of the hallmarks of that state.

"You're not married anymore?" Kateena asked, trying to remember what she had been told once before. There was something about Renada's husband, now what was it?

"No." Renada chuckled. "Though sometimes I think I might as well be.
I came here to get away from him - and he came here to get away from me.
Sometimes I think we should have done something awful to the Hallmaster for approving both transfers without telling either of us what the other was up to."

"He didn't!" Kateena could help the smile that creased her face, a light was beginning to dawn on her, "Tarehg!? It was Master Tarehg you were married to?" she asked in a more subdued voice.

"Indeed. Everybody's entitled to a mistake in life," Renada said, though her expression was amused. "Tarehg was mine."

"Oh." Kateena didn't know where to look, or how much amusement wouldn't be offensive to the older woman. "I'm sorry, it's - it's just such an unlikely pairing." she finally admitted.

"In hindsight - or perhaps to a more sensible woman it's obvious. I was not so sensible in my younger days." Renada laughed. "At least we parted because that was what we both wanted."

"And you've never wanted to marry again?" Kateena asked, taking another bite of the redfruit on her plate.

"Never found anybody interesting enough to bother with." Renada sighed.
"Lots of good-looking men around the Hall, but looking's fun enough for me these days," she said with half of her cheeky smile hidden behind her mug of klah.

"Oh, really? Such as who?" Kateena hadn't had eyes for anyone, since she first laid eyes on Swift, so the older woman's words perked her interest. She didn't tell Renada she had had the dubious pleasure of making her ex husbands acquaintance. She still couldn't understand how this lovely woman had ended up with such a sour and grouchy man as Tarehg.

Last updated on the February 9th 2008

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Comparing Notes (1)