25.Aug.22, 01:27 AM
His check felt tingly where Mylorah kissed it, surely a side effect of his reduced physical contact in the past week. Seravath didn’t seem to care—she was far more focused on Amagrith’s acceptance of the stick and trying to see if her sister would share and let her chew on the other end or if she’d given up her rights to the stick entirely. Z’kel took the indifferent response as permission to lean just slightly against Mylorah. Nothing untoward—not by Weyr standards, at least, but had she been an unwed, unrelated woman it would be untoward enough in the Holds—just enough to know he was touching another person. Grounding. Z’kel needed it after his father’s visit.
“Oh, you know, little disappointed, but uh, I think he’ll be okay,” Z’kel said, trying to keep his voice light. “He only mentioned my mother. She’s apparently worried about me, but she always worries.” Which was true, but she was almost certainly more worried than usual. And about different things. Who could say what his mother had heard about greenriders, but chances were very low it was anything good. Tazi really didn’t want to think about the sorts of things his mother might be imagining happening to him, so he continued to the rest of Mylorah’s question.
“He didn’t mention anyone else specifically, just that they all send their love and well wishes or whatever. Theri’s probably okay, one of her younger sisters is being fostered with us—er, in Tillek—for a bit, so she has an extra friend around, at least. I’ll send most of them letters in a bit for more details, but I’m not sure I can write that many letters yet. I’m not even sure the Weyrlingmaster would let someone bring me that much paper if I asked.” Z’kel laughed, because the idea of asking V’ra for paper to write letters to his family was hilarious. V’lia would probably help, though, but maybe not for another week or two. And again, Z’kel didn’t think he was up to writing that many letters anyway.
At least Batenkel wouldn’t be expecting a letter. Small mercies from his older brother.
“Oh, you know, little disappointed, but uh, I think he’ll be okay,” Z’kel said, trying to keep his voice light. “He only mentioned my mother. She’s apparently worried about me, but she always worries.” Which was true, but she was almost certainly more worried than usual. And about different things. Who could say what his mother had heard about greenriders, but chances were very low it was anything good. Tazi really didn’t want to think about the sorts of things his mother might be imagining happening to him, so he continued to the rest of Mylorah’s question.
“He didn’t mention anyone else specifically, just that they all send their love and well wishes or whatever. Theri’s probably okay, one of her younger sisters is being fostered with us—er, in Tillek—for a bit, so she has an extra friend around, at least. I’ll send most of them letters in a bit for more details, but I’m not sure I can write that many letters yet. I’m not even sure the Weyrlingmaster would let someone bring me that much paper if I asked.” Z’kel laughed, because the idea of asking V’ra for paper to write letters to his family was hilarious. V’lia would probably help, though, but maybe not for another week or two. And again, Z’kel didn’t think he was up to writing that many letters anyway.
At least Batenkel wouldn’t be expecting a letter. Small mercies from his older brother.