Innocence

Writers: AL, Cali
Date Posted: 22nd July 2008

Characters: Sorsha, Balisor
Description: Balisor tries to talk to Sorsha after a visit from I'lan.
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 10, day 27 of Turn 4
Notes: Green Bend Sea Hold

Sorsha waved wildly as she watched I'lan and Naath raise into the sky and
wink between. With them gone, it was back to work, so she headed towards
the hold. She saw her father heading her way so she waved and picked up her pace so she could give him a hug before he had to go wherever it was he was en route to.

Balisor embraced his daughter once she drew near, then turned to fall into
step beside her. He smiled down at her, though the light didn't quite reach his eyes. "Er...have a good visit?"

"Yes," Sorsha answered with a grin, "He was curious about what I was doing
out on the rocks when I got hurt so I took him out to look at the fish
traps."

"I see." Balisor reached up to scratch his chin, an indication of his
discomfort on the matter. "You know this...dragonrider well?"

She shrugged and peered up at her much taller father. "I think I'm getting
to, he's very nice. You've talked to him haven't you?" she couldn't
remember if he had, now that she thought about it.

"Not really." Balisor admitted, glancing back in the direction he had seen
the dragonrider go. "Is he...I mean..." How was he supposed to broach this sort of subject with his little girl? "You don't think he's interested in you, do you?"

Sorsha couldn't help the blush that spread across her cheeks. As much as
she may have been daydreaming about it lately, she knew it wasn't a
practical daydream. The fact that her father brought the subject up only
made it more embarrassing. "No father. I don't think so. He's just very
nice. I'm sure there are plenty more interesting people than me at the
Weyr."

"You haven't...uh...I mean...you're still..." Balisor struggled with the
words. He didn't like what his brother had insinuated and he hated to try
and ask his daughter. She was pure, he knew that! Yet there was still that nagging that wouldn't go away.

Her father wasn't making much sense, so Sorsha just looked at him
expectantly. "Still what?"

"Er..." It wasn't going well and Balisor wasn't so sure he wanted to press
the issue. "Never mind." He plodded along beside her for a moment before
speaking again. "We will be having guests in a couple of days."

"Land or sea?" She wasn't exactly wary of guests, but she much preferred
the ones that came over land than the sometimes bawdy fishcrafters who
sometimes stopped in the cove to trade or resupply.

Balisor couldn't stifle a chuckle. "Land. An old friend and his family."
He paused a moment more before adding, "Possibly of the hold where you may
be fostered."

Sorsha grinned, "Really? Who?" This was exciting news, why hadn't he
brought it up earlier?

"Selend and Karai, friends of mine." There was another pause and he finally finished with, "And their son Railen."

She knew the family. They were from the west and raised runners among other things. Railen had always played with her envious older brothers when they had come to visit. While she'd seen Selend two turns ago, she hadn't seen Railen in about five. The only thing she remembered about him was that he once threw manure on her when he was hiding in the stable. "That's great, are they coming to trade too or are you trading me for Railen?" It was perfectly normal to swap children while fostering, but she imagined Railen as too old to foster... but maybe not.

"Er, they're coming to meet you." Balisor admitted. "To...get to know you
per se."

"That's wonderful father," Sorsha said with smile, if they were coming just for her, it was probably already agreed upon. She'd have to make sure she was packed and ready to leave with them should the formal invitation be
made. "I won't disappoint you, I promise."

"I'm sure you won't." Balisor placed an arm on his daughter's shoulders and walked the rest of the way to the hold with her. He knew he shouldn't have listened to his brother. Sorsha was still innocent.

Last updated on the July 24th 2008

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Innocence