A Visit from Mom

Jazmin visits Zynassa at Ista.

Zynassa - Wednesday, May 09, 2001, 7:55 AM
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You walk west into the living cavern.
Ista Weyr Living Cavern(#1100RJMs$)
The morning sun shines in through the large bowl entrance on the northwestern wall. Early risers are seated here and there at the many tables throughout the room, while the hearths are going full steam readying the Weyr's morning meals. Drudges stream in and out of the entrance to the Lower Caverns entrance to the southwest, bearing either food platters, or cleared plates. To the west, an occasional rider walks in bleary eyed from the entrance to the rest of the lower caverns there.
Several huge tapestries, many of them ancient, are hanging on the stone walls. One particularly glorious one looks to be a study on the finger rock. You also see several 'places' to sit.
Contents:
Jazmin
Linna

Your location's current time: 10:27 on day 11, month 11, Turn 35, of the Tenth Pass. It is a autumn morning.

Jazmin has drained her first glass of juice and is pouring herself a second, a plate of snacks waiting for her on the edge of the serving table.

Zynassa comes out into the caverns, hair still damp from a morning bath. She heads for the serving table and juice, stifling a yawn. "Morning, mother." This said to the brownrider by the table, as though it were a routine thing. Then a blink. "Mother?!"

Jazmin chuckles, "Morning Nassa. Juice?" she offers to pour, holding the pitcher ready.

Zynassa nods, still confused. "Did you have a restday or something?"

Jazmin pours, "Mostly, errands and there werent many of those, so I thought Chaeth and I would thaw for a while."

Zynassa grins, gettign herself some bread and cheese. "Snow already? Oh! Did that clutch hatch? I hadn't heard yet."

Jazmin shakes her head, taking her plate to a table, "Not quite snow yet, but soon, it's shardling cold enough." she nods, "Yeah, there's weyrlings everywhere, as usual."

Zynassa follows, "No snow yet. MMm. I wanted to come up for the first snowfall of the year. And if it hits Bitra, so much the better. I should visit home. How're the twins? And Zaemina?"

Jazmin slides into a seat, "The twins are just like their father, I'm just holding my breath for when the pair of them Impress green on me and start wearing skirts." she shakes her head, "Hard to believe they're fifteen already, I think Joar's got his eye on one of the girls in the kitchen, but it's not like he'll tell /me/." she laughs, "Zaemina's adorable, she's visiting her father right now, so no doubt she's picking up all sorts of bad habits, she's just toddling."

Zynassa grins. "I'll ask him. I was *sure* that one of them, or both, would be searched, but." She shrugs. "Maybe next clutch." She laughs. "Or maybe the'll end up down here at Ista."

Jazmin munches, "That'd be interesting, end up with all the kids at Ista, trying to convince me to move south, hmm?"

Zynassa points out, "Well, it would be better for you and Chaeth than those cold winters."

You see a woman of slightly above average height, with a very muscular athletic build. Her white-blonde hair is cropped very short above her light brown eyes. Looking closer at her, you can see a faded scar diagonally across the width of her right forearm. Her left wrist sports a metal bracelet, fairly tight to her skin, of what looks to be a tunnelsnake. From the lines on her face, she looks to be in her early forties.
She is currently wearing a sky blue tunic tucked loosely into a pair of wher-hide pants. A flight jacket is usually over top of it all, the leather starting to look well worn in spots. A knot signifying her as a Telgar Weyr rider, white and black with a cord of brown running through it, is attached to the shoulder of her jacket, just above a patch showing her as a member of the Dawnslight wing. The other shoulder has padding well worn from firelizard claws. As she turns her head, you can see a flash of green on her neck.

Jazmin shrugs, "I think Istan summers would melt me, fry what little sense I've got left right out."

Zynassa grins and can't help but comment, "Though you've two grandkids down here now. Or will have soon. Yina's a handful. I'm taking her out later with Br'nal and his two."

Jazmin chuckles, "I think Yaz is trying to make me feel old." she nods with a grin, "Yina's a handful, hmm? I'd say it serves him right, but he was a pretty good kid."

Zynassa chuckles. "Maybe it's Tamina's influence. I think they'd get further with her if the nannies didn't insist on dressing her like a little girl. All that floof and ribbons and things. She doesn't like it one bit. Yanks 'em all out soon as their back is turned."

Jazmin laughs, "Does she at least wear clothes now?"

Zynassa grins a bit. "Depends on the clothes. So how're you? And Chaeth?"

Jazmin leans back with her juice, "We're okay. The ankle's sore, I know we're getting snow soon." she laughs, "I feel like an old auntie everytime I say that."

Zynassa shakes her head. "That ankle of yours. You really should take some stress off it. At least snow means you won't be having to fly Fall as often."

Jazmin snorts, "I dont stress it that badly, I keep my boots high enough to support it, what more does the shardling thing want? It's been turns since I broke it, it should be happy by now." she nods, "Relatively quiet time when things freeze."

Zynassa grins a bit. "I think I'll miss the snow forts. Sand ones just aren't the same."

Jazmin grins, "Get your brother to get off his butt and bring you up to Telgar when we get snow, he's got time, he's downgraded his knot."

Christine walks in from the bowl.
Christine has arrived.

Zynassa grins. "I should. He should see the twins and all too. And I'd like to see I'sai again." her tone is offhand. "Met him when I was at the Reaches, back when Yanaleth's clutch was there."

Christine walks in with a towel looped around both shoulders, wet hair freely dripping into it. She bids the room a cheerful, "Good morning. The water's wonderful."

Zynassa looks up from where she's chatting lightly with a woman she rather resembles, and offers to Christine, "It usually is. Has the sun gotten unbearable yet?" Head tilts slightly, perhaps trying to place the girl.

Christine wraps the towel around her hair to dry it off, wringing both. "Close, but not quite." She notices the curious look, smiles a touch apologetically. "I'm Christine - I help out in the nurseries, mostly."

Zynassa ahs. "Then you know my neice Yina. A'zric and Tamina's little girl." She grins a bit and adds, "The five turn old troublemaker that has an exhibitionistic streak. -- I'm Zynassa, by the way. Well met, Christine."

Christine groans goodnaturedly. "Oh, yes. I know her quite well - impossible child! You shoudl see what she can do with dye." But she's laughing. "Well met, Zynassa. Rumours were there were fresh caught spiderclaws?"

Jazmin adds her own introduction, "I'm Jazmin, brown Chaeth's lifemate, down from Telgar to shock the daylights out of my kids and grandkid." she winks to Zynassa.

Zynassa grins at her mother, and then offers to Christine, "I brought some in yesterday, but I've no idea what they're serving for lunch. Restday for me, and I'm making the most of it." Her tone is a trifle apologetic. "But they should be setting out lunch soon. -- You'll stay for lunch, won't you, mother?"

Christine looks from one to the other, noting the family resemblence and nods. "Restdays are wonderful - but so rare. Children always want to play."

Jazmin nods, "I'll stay for lunch as long as it's not those shardling pepper things that Yaz likes so much." she makes a face, "I dont know how on Pern he stomachs those things."

Rebecca walks in from the bowl.
Rebecca has arrived.

Zynassa laughs. "They'll have some, I'm sure. But you don't have to eat them. I don't." She offers an impish grin to her mother, as she settles more comfortably in her chair.

Rebecca wanders in and over to the klah pot, she looks around for someone she recognises and then just goes to a quiet table to relax.

Christine walks over to the bubbling stew pot in the back. "Can I get anyone anything, while I'm over here?"

Zynassa shakes her head at Christine. "I usually just have greens for lunch. But thank you." And this likely explains her rail-thin frame. She gives Rebecca a friendly nod and, peering a moment for her knot offers, "Ista's duties to the Healercraft."

Jazmin eyes her daughter, "Greens? Just greens?"

Christine ladles herself some stew, pausing on the way back to snag a chunk of bread. She echoes Jazmin, "Just greens?"

Zynassa arches her eyebrows at her mother. "Well, maybe a bit of roast wherry if there is any. Why?" She looks to Christina as well, confused.

Christine sets her food down, giving Zynassa a hopeful smile. "You'd be such an example to the littles - can I convince you to start eating lunch with them every other day? Getting them to eat greens is like... like trying to turn the tide around, singlehanded!"

Jazmin drains the last of her juice, "Because there's not much to greens, they need more to go with them for a full meal, besides, you need some curves." she declares.

Zynassa grins at Christine. "Only if they don't throw food." Then she frowns slightly at her mother. "One of the candidates was attempting to do just that last night - give me curves. it involved something that looked rather painful, so I think I'll pass. Besides, you can't race runners if you've got things flopping all over the place." Her tone is a trifle prim.

Jazmin manages not to shudder at the mention of runner racing, it's a near thing. "I'm not saying many curves, just a few." she looks curious, "Painful?"

Christine assures Zynassa, "It washes right out in hot water, if they do. Most things. Berries are a bit harder... But you shoul definitely come."

Zynassa gives Christine a doubtful look, and then elaborates to her mother. "Yeah. Fitted around your waist like so," she indicates with her hands, "And you laced up the back, pulling it tight. Looks to me like they were just squeezing things out at the top and bottom."

Jazmin nods thoughtfully, "Mmm, I should talk to the weavers."

Zynassa shakes her head. "I wouldn't recommend it. I'd imagine you could hardly breathe in that thing."

Christine tears off a piece of bread, sopping it with stew. "The men might like it though. You wearing it."

Jazmin chuckles, "Depending on where it puts the curves, you might not be wearing it for long." she winks.

Zynassa rolls her eyes. "Mo-THER, /really/." She shakes her head. "I've more things to do with my time than entertain men, thankyouverymuch."

Christine turns away to hide her smile, taking a large bite of stew-soaked bread.

Jazmin asks, "Like drool over those hideous beasts?"

Zynassa's tone is patient. Evidently this is a long standing arguement. "They're not hideous beasts." A glance is flashed to Christine, "Honestly, lots more people ride runner than ride dragons."

Christine nods in silent support of this - but she knows better to get involved in such family arguments. She takes another bite of bread.

Jazmin shudders at the thought, "They bite."

Zynassa counters, "Only when provoked. If I thought I had any chance of winning you over, I'd introduce you to Timor. He's *perfect*." She sighs contentedly. What chance have men? She loves runners.

Christine admits, in a low voice, "I think dragons smell better - but runners have definite uses." So much for not getting involved.

Jazmin makes a face, "Breathing provokes the shardling things."

Zynassa says, amused, "Not better than weyrling dragons they don't. Eating red meat all the time makes dragon muck smell far worse, I think." To her mother with a hint of impatience, "Oh, it does not. They just know fear. You just have to be the lead runner, and they'll follow you anywhere. Show them who's boss."

Jazmin nods, "I'll show 'em who's boss when Chaeth has a snack."

Christine says "I'll stick with the children - they may smell, but I never have to worry about dragons eating them."

Zynassa gives her mother a grumpy look. "Runners aren't as good for dragons as bovines." And she she will stoutly maintain, despite any evidence to the contrary.

Christine quickly finishes off her stew. "I've got to return - I hope to see you again, soon?"

Christine walks outside, into the bowl.
Christine has left.

Jazmin changes topic, away from runners, "Have you heard from your father recently?"

Zynassa mms. "I sent him a letter yesterday. Tamina's oldest is fostered up at Benden Hold, and I told her I'd help find a runner breeder up there - she wants to get her one to learn on." See, one can't get away from runners when talking to the girl. "Asked him if he knew any or could send me a list. And we'll go up there as soon as Tamina's cleared to fly."

Jazmin nods thoughtfully, "How far along is she?"

You say "Mm, two months I believe? She's still grounded."

Jazmin nods, "Mmm, she's got a while to wait then."

Zynassa nods. "So have you thought about fostering Zaemina when she gets olde? Will she go to Bitra too?"

Jazmin nods thoughtfully, "She'll end up fostered, I cant keep up with her and Chaeth by myself. Her dad wants her fostered down south."

Zynassa grimaces. "You wouldn't send her down there, would you? We'd never see her at all that way."

Jazmin considers, "She's down there now. Not fair for her dad to never see her either."

Zynassa grumbles. "She has more family up here. And it's a longer trip for more of us to make. I don't mind her visiting extensively, but I was looking foward to showing her Bitra."

Jazmin chuckles, "You can still show her Bitra, regardless of where she's fostered."

One of the stablehands comes at a run, sliding to a stop next to Zynassa. There is a hurried whispered conference, and Nassa sighs. "Mother, I'll be right back. Lunch should be nearly ready. -- Yes, but I'd still rather have her here than down south." She grimaces faintly, and rises, disappearing out into the bowl.

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