06.Apr.22, 01:23 PM
A hand covered light blue eyes as she looked up toward the flag as it snapped in a sudden wind. Wisps of brown hair slid across her pale skin. She got lost for a moment in the way the flag moved before her mother's voice startled her out of her uncharacteristic daydream.
"Mae." The first time didn't get her attention. "Maerihn!"
The young woman made a sound and finally looked away from the flag. "Hm? Sorry mother, what were you saying?"
"I was saying you can't just wait around for your father to make you an apprentice. You're skilled. He knows that. You know that. Everyone knows it."
Maerihn heard it in her mother's voice. "But…"
"But." Her mother sighed. "But you're a woman."
Frustration colored the snap of the shirt as she got out the worst of the wrinkles b fore she hung it on the line. "So I've been told."
Both women continued to hang laundry, the pile on the basket shrinking. "It isn't fair but it is how it is. If you'd just stay and learn my craft!"
"No." The tone in Maerihn's voice brooked no argument. "I don't want to be a midwife." Another sigh came from the other side of the clothes that swayed in the wind. The wet of the clothes and the cool wind made her hands sting. It was sunny enough to dry clothes but cold enough that Maerihn, when all the clothes hung, stuck her hands in her armpits to warm them.
Her mother picked up the empty basket and ducked beneath the line to stand in front of her. "If being a miner is what you want, while I don't understand it, you need to talk to another master. You can't expect your father to…"
"To what? Recognize that I am better than most of his apprentices? That a man with my skills and age could probably walk the tables to be a journeyman? How can I…" At the look in her mother's eyes, the anger left her suddenly. "I'm sorry mother. You're right. If father promoted me, no one would take it seriously."
Putting the basket on her hip, the olde woman dug some small marks from her pouch. "Go get yourself something to eat and just…think about it."
Maerihn indulged the check her mom leaned toward her with a kiss. It was a tactic her mother used since she was old enough to run to the stalls by herself; pass her some small marks and send her off for something sweet.
Watching her mother move back into the hold, she rubbed a hand over her face. Maerihn felt the hair that escaped her braid. She dismissed the thought of fixing it as she made her way to the stalls.
With a sweet roll and klah in hand, she sat at an empty table and began to contemplate the future. Her mother was right. She was almost twenty. She couldn't just follow her father around, assisting him for the rest of her life. Mid thought, a dragon appeared from between. Everything else left her head.
"Mae." The first time didn't get her attention. "Maerihn!"
The young woman made a sound and finally looked away from the flag. "Hm? Sorry mother, what were you saying?"
"I was saying you can't just wait around for your father to make you an apprentice. You're skilled. He knows that. You know that. Everyone knows it."
Maerihn heard it in her mother's voice. "But…"
"But." Her mother sighed. "But you're a woman."
Frustration colored the snap of the shirt as she got out the worst of the wrinkles b fore she hung it on the line. "So I've been told."
Both women continued to hang laundry, the pile on the basket shrinking. "It isn't fair but it is how it is. If you'd just stay and learn my craft!"
"No." The tone in Maerihn's voice brooked no argument. "I don't want to be a midwife." Another sigh came from the other side of the clothes that swayed in the wind. The wet of the clothes and the cool wind made her hands sting. It was sunny enough to dry clothes but cold enough that Maerihn, when all the clothes hung, stuck her hands in her armpits to warm them.
Her mother picked up the empty basket and ducked beneath the line to stand in front of her. "If being a miner is what you want, while I don't understand it, you need to talk to another master. You can't expect your father to…"
"To what? Recognize that I am better than most of his apprentices? That a man with my skills and age could probably walk the tables to be a journeyman? How can I…" At the look in her mother's eyes, the anger left her suddenly. "I'm sorry mother. You're right. If father promoted me, no one would take it seriously."
Putting the basket on her hip, the olde woman dug some small marks from her pouch. "Go get yourself something to eat and just…think about it."
Maerihn indulged the check her mom leaned toward her with a kiss. It was a tactic her mother used since she was old enough to run to the stalls by herself; pass her some small marks and send her off for something sweet.
Watching her mother move back into the hold, she rubbed a hand over her face. Maerihn felt the hair that escaped her braid. She dismissed the thought of fixing it as she made her way to the stalls.
With a sweet roll and klah in hand, she sat at an empty table and began to contemplate the future. Her mother was right. She was almost twenty. She couldn't just follow her father around, assisting him for the rest of her life. Mid thought, a dragon appeared from between. Everything else left her head.