it's a... [muze/v'than]

[tovaana]

[2762] 10th Pass, 7th Turn, Early 2nd Month
V'than & Muze gain a sibling

Muze :: Green Rylath

A girl. Muze held the bundle gingerly, her hips rocking almost subconsciously as she gazed into the quiet little infant’s face. Any time she thought too much about the baby being a girl, she could feel emotion push at her brown eyes… but perhaps it was about that time of month, because if she thought about how adorable she was, or how tiny she was, or how sweet she smelled – anything seemed to trigger emotions that she fought to push down. She kissed her forehead softly and started to walk around the room and then out of the room – her mother was sleeping. Exhausted. Muze had done well at ignoring her father, who had only been there to welcome them, and then was off doing whatever he did for the hold fishing community.

“Is it my turn yet?” There was light amusement in her brother’s voice and she felt her arms coil around the baby a little firmer, protectively. She looked up at V’than cautiously. Even after presenting her with her precious spitter, Muze didn’t trust V’than like she used to… she wondered if he had always been more like their father than she had been willing to see.

“No.” She mouthed, not wanting to stir the bundle.

“Ah, come on, Muze. Just for a couple of minutes.”

Her bottom lip jutted out in a pout, though serious stubbornness settled behind her sad face. V’than didn’t move, even after ignoring him for a few long moments, and finally decided she would relinquish her hold.

After the awkward transition had been made, Muze mouthed – “only for a couple of minutes.” V’than rolled his eyes and walked away, his eyes settling on the infant with eyes that only saw the baby.

Muze clenched and unclenched her hands, her arms sore after caring for the baby most of the day, but they also felt empty now. It was the first time since becoming a dragonrider that she regretted leaving home. As much as the town loved her mother, no one would take care of her like Muze would… and Muze couldn’t. She had a duty. Her lips pursed and she let out a noise of frustration as she whirled around and headed outside.

Of her luck, she almost literally ran into her father as she opened the door.

“Muze.” He greeted and she stood there, blank faced, not responding. “Right… could I have a moment?”

“No.” Muze stated, even if he was being strangely polite, and started to try and get around the bulk of her father, but he stepped in her way, fury blazing behind his gaze, but with practice kept it at bay.

“Just… a moment.”

She looked at him. “There, you’ve had your moment.” She tried to skirt around the other way and he grabbed her wrist firmly and she jerked it away (or tried to). “Let go! I am not yours anymore.”

Something in his gaze softened and she dared wonder if that was regret when he let go- flexing his own hand into a tight fist. He exhaled and sighed at the same time. “You will… always be mine.” He said in a gruff voice, his eyes dancing around her feet in a way they had never done. She looked at him with her face still distorted in disgust and anger – Rylath was skittering around in her mind in a panic for her rider, but Muze eased her mind quickly. ‘I’m okay Rylath, it’s okay.’ But her face said otherwise.

“Look… we’ve never…seen eye to eye. I just wish you hadn’t taken Vavithan with you-“

“I didn’t take V’than anywhere, he chose to come. Insisted.” She interrupted him and she could see a fire flicker behind his gaze, though not as strongly. Why was he trying so hard to keep cordial?

He neither acknowledged or denied Muze’s correction, instead he continued. “I don’t want you taking this little girl away from us either. It would break your mother’s heart.”

“No, it would hurt your pride.” It felt so good not to just say what she wanted in front of her father, though his words stirred a little guilt from theidea of hurting her mother. He looked up at her, a snarl threatening his face, but she was surprised (again) when he hid it down and he shook his head at her, disappointed.

“You don’t know your mother as well as I do, despite what you may think. I heard you say something about coming on your day off every seven-day? Well, don’t. I don’t want you salting her mind with ideas of riding dragons and leaving her family behind. You may come once a month to visit, but I don’t want you talking about dragons to her, I don’t want your dragons near her.”

Muze felt her face get hot and hotter the longer he went on, her fists curling. Her father seemed to be trying to be a better father, but his control antics weren’t any better. “You. Can’t. Tell. Me. What. To. Do.” She punched each word out, almost spitting at the end. “You can’t keep me away from her.” She shook her head and raced back inside and out of breath stopped in front of V’than when she found him. He looked at her wild gaze and held the baby away from her.

She glared at him. “Give me, my sister.” She growled in low tones and V’than’s face carved away with concern. It took a moment, but finally her brother gave away (as he was interested in staying on Muze’s good side). She held the baby gingerly as ever, but hurried back into her mother’s room where she cried quietly over her sister in a corner of the room.

“I’m so sorry. I’m so so sorry I left you to him. I can’t be here to protect you.” She whispered in hoarse tones. One thing was for sure, there was no force in Pern that would keep her away from her sister.