Great-grandmother Was a Harper

Writers: AL, Laura-Lee
Date Posted: 8th August 2008

Characters: Neata, Ardele
Description: Neata confides to her friend about her troubles and a solution is offered.
Location: Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 11, day 1 of Turn 4

"I'm going to go insane, I just know it!" Neata collapsed at her friend's side, heaving a dramatic sigh and eyes rolling upward. She lifted her hands to the sky, then let them fall in her lap and hung her head. "Oh Ardele, I'm so tired of being my grandmother's baby sitter or just wasting away my days in the kitchen."

Ardele tched at her and put down her hairbrush. "You always complain but what can you do about it?" She sighed and sent a look of frustration at Neata. "Unless you plan to ask the next harper you see to spirit you away to the Hall, you might as well accept and try to make the best of it." She picked up the brush and set back to work on her hair.

Neata picked at the skirt of her dress though there was no lint upon it. "Well...actually...I did talk to K'san, one of the riders who has watch duty here. He said...he said he'd take me, if I could get way."

Ardele let out a small gasp of surprise. "You wouldn't! Actually just run off like that?" She put the brush back down and sat on Neata's bed next to her. "You're seriously thinking about it, aren't you?"

"Yes." Neata nodded, her expression setting into grim determination. "My mother won't be convinced. Did you know my great grandmother was a harper? But even that won't convince her to let me go! There's just one problem." Another sigh broke forth, "My grandmother. She's not herself ...well, my mother does need help with her sometimes."

Ardele sighed heavily. "Then what can you do? Is there no-one else who could mind her?"

"Well, my sister and I take turns with Mom, but if I left it would just be the two of them." Neata rested her elbow upon her thigh and stuck her chin in her hand. "I know they'd hate me if I left, even more so if I left them to tend to Grandma alone."

"Would your own mother really hate you for making a future for yourself?" Ardele was sceptical. She knew her parents might've been mad at her for something but that they'd never hate her. "This _is_ your life. She's got to understand that, sooner or later," she looked hopefully at Neata, "right?"

"You would think so, but to her, girls aren't good for anything except for kitchens, laundry, marriage, and having babies." Neata wrinkled her nose. Of course, those sentiments weren't unusual, but they annoyed her none-the-less. "Everything that's considered 'women's work'. Girl's don't become harpers!" Her eyes widened and she leaned closer to her friend. "You would think that she'd be more understanding since _her_ grandmother crafted."

"How did she do it?" Ardele was whispering now. "Did _she_ run away?"

"No." Neata shook her head. "Evidently it wasn't uncommon for women to craft before the plague. It was only after it happened that women stopped crafting and were kept from doing so just so they could have babies."

"But, harpers can have babies, too." Ardele looked confused. She was thinking, hard. Neata was the only person who made her think so much. Isn't that what harpers do, she asked herself.

"Hey! That gives me an idea!" Ardele leaned into Neata conspiratorially. "Your mother wouldn't object if you were leaving to get married, right? So, maybe you could find a Harper who'll marry you and then you could join the craft as a wife! That way you're doing what your mom wants but your husband will allow what she would not!"

Neata patted her friend upon the shoulder. "Nice thought, Ardele, but I really would rather marry someone I at least know halfway instead of a stranger." The young woman shook her head. "No. I need to find a way to leave, but no matter what choices I take, my mom and sister are still left to care for my grandmother. I want to get on with my life, but at the same time, I do love my grandmother and I don't want them to have to shoulder all of her care." For no matter how much she complained about it, Neata would never truly deny her grandmother.

Now Ardele was beginning to pout. "Well, I just can't think of any other way so you'll have to come up with one without me then." She decided it was time to change the subject. "Speaking of finding a mate, did you see your dragonrider friend today? He's not an eyesore! Hmmm, I wonder if he needs a partner..." Now she was teasing.

"Ardele..." Neata rolled her eyes and shook her head, not even going to that subject. "If I could find someone to help Mom with Grandma, it might be okay."

"Well if that's all it needs, then I'll do it. I'll help your mom with your grandmother." Ardele was determined to help her friend. "You're the only friend I have, Neata. You've been there for me ever since I lost my family... I'd do anything to help you be happy. Besides, I don't even remember my Grandma, it might be nice to have one again."

"Are you sure, Ardele?" Neata had to admit, she was trying to finagle her friend into saying that, but she had a stab of guilt. "I don't want you to do it if you don't want to. And Grandma...she's not always lucid and coherent. Her mind strays away."

"I'm not going anywhere, Neata. I _like_ it here; this is the best home I ever had!" Ardele sighed heavily. "I just want a home and a family and I can find that here, but you," She wagged a finger at her friend. "You have talent! You have a chance to be more. I wouldn't stop you from doing that for all the eggs of Pern!"

Ardele took Neata's hand. "Come, let's go talk to your mother."

It was a long shot, but even if she had the slightest chance, it was worth a try, right? Neata needed to get away. She loved Ardele and her family, but she needed to live her own life. With a smile, Neata squeezed Ardele's hand gently and stood. "All right. Let's see what she thinks." And hope that she would agree.

Last updated on the August 25th 2008

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Great-grandmother Was a Harper