Tense -- Minerva Weyr: Dining Hall

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Date Posted: 14:56:42 03/02/02 Sat
Author: Willmina & W'menel
Subject: Tense

With nobody else to eavesdrop, the Weyrwoman and brownrider joined in the dining hall that evening. Clearly W'menel seemed to wish he could be elsewhere but curiosity over what the Weyrwoman had to say and the fact he was the only other real resident of the Weyr thus far obligated him to join her.

W'menel looked down at his herdbeast stew and took another long drink of his wine. The cheery Willmina of before was now replaced by a curt, almost cold, woman he little recognized and certainly didn't want to irritate.
Despite that, he looked up at her finally.
"What have I done?"

Willmina looked up from her stew. At least he had courage to ask. She knew he would. Not even Lerath could have told him for Shetanth had stayed as quiet as her rider.
She swallowed her food and cleared her throat.
"It is not anything that you have done here, W'menel. You have proved to be a good member of this Weyr, so far. It is what you have thus far not told me that I am concerned with."

"You spoke to H'north, I know." W'menel found himself growing angry at the damned brownrider. He was always starting something. However, most of it was always fact, not fancy.

"Normally it is not my policy to interfere in the private lives of my riders unless it is or would be posing a problem to their ability to function in this Weyr. H'north has advised me of something and I wish to know if you are willing to do something about it before it becomes a further matter here at Minerva."

"He told you about Arialna?"

"He informed me that she is with child." Willmina said cooly. "Very likely it is of your issue."

The news suprised W'menel.
"I hadn't heard."

"Hadn't heard? Or didn't care to know?"

The statement hit W'menel like hearing his former bedmate was possibly with his child. He wanted to retort but found he couldn't. He just sat, stone-faced.

Willmina sat back and regarded him for many moments before speaking.
"Minerva Weyr was NOT created to house those that would flee from or shun their duties, good or ill. As your Weyrwoman I would expect you to take care of this matter without my further involvment in it. I'll not have my Weyr become the gutter of PERN and butt of jokes for housing them. I do NOT harbor such types willingly or knowingly, W'menel."

"You wish me to leave?"
W'menel's tone was bristly.

"If I wished that, you and Lerath would have been gone already. No, I wish you to remember your duty as a possible father of that woman's child and to provide for its welfare. Whether you send it to be raised elsewhere or the woman and child come to live at Minerva Hold, I wish you to act like a good parent and be concerned for its fate."

W'menel found the strength to look at her.
"I will need to be gone for a few days to take care of the matter."

Willmina nodded.
"You have a home here, W'menel. If Arialna would wish to live at Minerva Hold, she may do so. I believe there are some caretakers there at last report."

"I don't know if she would. Her mother, Demora, is.."

"Not exactly about to let go? no, I'd expect she'd want her to stay at Telgar until the child is born."

"Haven't you ever done ANYTHING you regretted!!"
W'menel lashed out.

"If and when I did, I always faced the matter. I never ran from it." Willmina's eyes flashed but she kept her voice low and even in the face of W'menel's anger. "You are tired and now have much on your mind. I will leave you to think over what you need to do. Before you depart, please let me know. Whether by dragon or in-person is your choice."
Willmina stood up calmly and again left W'menel sitting alone to think over things.

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