==== January 25, 2014
==== Jithan, Nevelyn
==== Jithan makes Nevelyn the happiest woman in the world!

Who Jithan, Nevelyn
What Jithan makes Nevelyn the happiest woman in the world!
When It is the sixty-ninth day of Spring and 91 degrees.
Where Jithan's Office, SW

jithan.jpg babybump.JPG


Jithan's Office
This is a fairly simple office, though it is somewhat expansive by necessity. Much space is taken up by a desk and a large sand table, and the walls are hung with various instruments, along with a little bit of artwork, mostly pencil sketches of various subjects. One seems to have been given a place of honor, though, depicting a man, woman, and child on a particular rocky prominence not to far from the Weyr. The walls have been painted a deep Harper blue, and the floor is covered in a thick rug in which black, green, and deep blue dominate. A couple straight-backed wooden chairs are set up in front of the desk for visitors, and one wall is taken by a comfortable looking leather couch. A couple of stools are tucked off into one corner, likely for people that prefer a higher seat while playing their instrument of choice. A doorway behind the desk has a curtain drawn across it, presumably leading to the occupant's sleeping quarters.


It's the end of another day of slogging through the lessons for the kids, and Jithan has retreated to the sanctity of his office. He loves being a Harper, loves teaching, he really does but… It can be tiresome! He sits behind his desk, for once not grading papers! Sheets of music are spread out on the desk, and he strums a gitar, pausing now and then, and leaning forward to make a notation on the music in front of him. The heat of Spring has his office door open, along with the window in the bedroom, so the papers are weighted down in the corners with small rocks.

Waddle- waddle, waddle-waddle. It’s all Nevelyn seems to do these days. Picking the various children up and setting them on her hip as she’d done before is growing increasingly harder. Heck keeping up with the little ones is dang near impossible. Thus far she’s managed, though it does leave her rather sore all over come the end of the evening. She shuffle-waddles her way through Jithan’s open office door and smiles fondly when she spots him at his desk. “Evening love,” she makes as straight of a line as she can in the direction of the couch and all but falls onto the cushions. She notes the gitar and music with a quirk of her brow, “Working on music lessons?”

Jithan looks up and grins at Nevelyn, chuckling. "Something like that anyways," he says, pushing back and rolling his chair over towards the couch, bringing the gitar with him. Once he's close enough, he leans over and sets the instrument on the cushions beside Nevelyn, then rolls towards her feet. Hands spread, he points one finger down at said feet. "Foot rub?"

Nevelyn is used to coming home and finding him grading papers or working on lessons for the following day. Such is a Harper’s life she’s figured out. She looks over when he sits the gitar down on the cushion. Reaching over to caress the instrument with a fingertip. Did he mention a foot rub? Her attention strays back to her love and she giggles. “I’d adore one,” she tells him honestly. Slipping her foot out of her sandal she slides it into his lap with a sigh. “Your child decided today would be a good day to count my ribs. All the moving about while chasing unruly children wore me out totally.” She reaches up and unpins her hair to allow her head to rest comfortably against the back of the couch. “I took a bath and ventured home this evening. I’ll stop and read to them tomorrow.”

Jithan wraps his hands around her foot, long fingers holding surprising strength as he digs into the sole of her foot, kneading the flesh. Chuckling a little, he looks up at her with an arched brow. "Which of my children, love? The one that's already here, or the one that's coming along?" Because hey, he does claim them both. When he sees her caressing the gitar, he smiles softly. "I do love the gitar. It's just so… expressive. Happiness, sadness, loss, joy… All there, in that little bundle of wood and gut. Maybe we should find a good story-song. I could come play while you told them the story. Might be something different for them, eh?"

A long low moan escapes Nevelyn as he works on her foot. “The baby,” she informs him with a wink and smile. “Nevach has been far too busy of late to do more than hug me of a morning and scamper off.” She adores him for teasing her so. That he loves Nevach as he would his own son means more to her than he’ll ever know. “I enjoy the sounds that you can draw from it,” she agrees with a glance at the gitar. Her eyes light up at the idea of a story-song. “That is a lovely idea. I bet the children would simply adore that!” It sometimes seems to her that the Head Nanny is around solely because she lost a bet in life. For all the attention she actually pays the children. “I’m always trying to find new things to keep them engaged and learning.” Mama-Lyn That’s her.

Jithan continues rubbing away, rather liking the fact that he can make her feel that good. Thumbs start just below her heel and dig in, sliding up towards the ball of her foot, forcing the tension out. "Eh, he's finally got kids his age around, and a safe place to play. He'll get used to it eventually and come back to wanting to spend more time with us." When she talks about why she likes the gitar, he just chuckles. "That's generally the point of an instrument, love. Once I finish up with your feet, I'll play you the song on I was working on, hmm? I want to see what you think before I play it for anyone else."

Nevelyn melts into the cushions and grins at Jithan. “He’s been off with the Weavers of late actually. One of the women has agreed to help him learn to sew. And he’s been working on a quilt for the baby.” Such a proud big brother. “He sees her after morning lessons and stays until lunch. After that I believe a few of his friends have created a fort of sorts down on the docks.” He’s a rather busy child. Which puts Nevelyn’s mind at ease a lot of the time. “I’d love to hear what you’ve written,” she agrees with mild surprise.

Jithan arches an eyebrow at news of this fort, chuckling. "He has now, has he? Well, I suppose if they were able to find an empty space down there, there's no harm in it." When she says that she'd like to hear the song, he grins, then looks down at her foot. "I'm almost down with this one. You want to hear it now, or after I finish the other one?" Yes, he's teasing, just a little.

“A couple of the crew from the ships gave them some old crates,” Nevelyn admits with a shrug of her shoulder. “Leo is never far from them. So I don’t worry too awful much.” She affects a frown of contemplation when he asks if she’d like to hear the song now. “Well…” she drawls the word out in a tone of indecision. “I suppose that my curiosity has the better of me. Why don’t you play it now?” She reclaims her foot and toes off her other shoe. With a bit of wiggling she resituates herself on the sofa. Slightly less comfortable so she’s unlikely to fall asleep.

Jithan grins and watches raptly as she adjusts her position, then leans over a picks up the gitar and situates himself in his own chair, getting comfortable with the instrument. The first cords are slow, though intricately woven together, and the tune builds speed quickly. After a minute, his voice joins the gitar, telling the story of a woman washed up on foreign shores, a little lost, a little alone, and a little scared. The second verse quickly follows, telling of a traveling man, and the spot he ends up calling home. There's a brief refrain, and then the third verse comes, telling of how they met and grew together. The story leads into the forth verse, with their handfasting, and ends with an open question about what comes next. Once the song ends and the last notes have faded away, Jithan sets the instrument back on the couch and slips out of the chair, going down on one knee and pulling a small wood box out of his pocket. "Nevelyn, will you marry me?"

Nevelyn smiles happily and watches Jithan get comfortable himself. She curls her hands around her belly when he begins the song. Content to listen to his new creation. The song itself is vastly familiar at first and has her smiling joyfully. Her head rocks smoothly from side to side in time with the flow of the tune. He’s written such a lovely song and she adores him for it. The light in her eyes speaking that fact clearly. Still the fourth verse finds her looking rather surprised as she watches him finish the song and set the gitar next to her once more. Curiosity glinting in her expression even as he kneels and pulls out the wooden box. Will she?..? Did she hear him correctly? She looks from the box to his face a couple of times before her eyes well up with tears. “Yes, Jithan. Of /course/ I’ll marry you!”

The second time her eyes leave his face, he follows them down to the still-closed box. "Oh shard it all!" he exclaims, coloring fiercely as he fumbles to get the box open. Once he finally does, he turns it so that she can see the ring inside, just as she agrees to his proposal. It's a simple gold band, studded with small diamonds inset into the gold. "Of course?" he asks, but then he's moving, overcome with the need to touch her, his lips finding hers for a tender, loving kiss.

Nevelyn can’t help but giggle at his blush and fumbling. Mildly curious what he’s all upset about. Isn’t this how it’s supposed to be done? Then again all she has are the stories she’s read to go on. And those are more written as accounts than anything truly detailed. Once he reveals that a ring is nestled inside the box she smiles happily and reaches up to catch a stray tear on her cheek. “I love you,” she tells him in response to his question. Shifting toward him as best she can, baby bump ya know, she meets his lips with a joyful murmur. Kissing him back with all the love in her heart.

Giggling? Yeah, that doesn't make it any better! Once she's smiling, though, Jithan grins back, and envelopes her in his arms, a feat made all the more interesting with said bump. He doesn't complain about it in the least, though, since he did after all put it there! Finally breaking the kiss, his hands find hers, and then he singles out her ring finger and slips the ring onto it, chuckling. "I'm sorry this took so long, love," he says, splaying a hand across her stomach and then nodding towards the ring. "I hadn't really planned on the baby, and it took a while to get the ring made."

Nevelyn is completely unaware of why he’d be embarrassed in the first place. So yes! She giggled at him. He’s cute when he blushes like that. But once the kissing had begun she’d forgotten all about him even being embarrassed in the first place. Loving him taking priority in her mind. When he breaks the kiss she is left to sigh softly. Not unhappily. Far from it actually, as she’s never been happier. “The baby I knew would come eventually,” she admits a little shyly. “This though,” she wiggles the finger he placed the ring on, “I hadn’t expected at all.”

Jithan knows none of this! That doesn't stop him, though, from settling onto the couch beside her after moving the gitar, and pulling her into the crook of his arm. "I don't know why not, Neve. You're a wonderful woman, you're having my child, and I love the one you brought with you like he's my own. Of course I want to 'fast you." He pauses a moment, then laughs, shaking his head. "Shards, I even asked Renalde if it was going to be a problem." Leaning over, he kisses the top of her head. "You like the ring, I hope? It was a huge pain to measure your finger right while you were sleeping."

Nevelyn scoots to make plenty of room for him when he lifts the gitar out of his way. Pulling her feet up onto the cushion next to her once he’s settled. Leaning lightly against his side. “I’ve never seen a handfasting before,” she admits with a light shrug. She has no clue how to go about one, so she’ll have to visit the library or ask one of the women. “You asked Renalde? Why ever for?” What problem could it cause after all? She’s already living with him and bearing his child. Then again given her past she can see how it could have caused vast amounts of trouble for him and grows quiet for a moment. “I love the ring,” she assures him and holds her hand to admire it. “I am curious how you measured my finger while I slept..” That had to be some feat as light as she sleeps. She chuckles softly and smiles at him, “I love you.”

Jithan chuckles a little, shrugging. "It's really up to you how it goes. Typically in the Hall we'd have a private ceremony for friends and family, exchange rings and vows in front of them, then have a public party afterwards for the rest of the Hall. I honestly don't know how they do things here either." He pauses for a moment, then chuckles. "I'm going to have to write the hall and see about getting a Master sent down here. I think I outrank all the Harpers here. I went to Renalde because he's the Headman… We all work for him, after all, and he has to approve things like this." He looks at her, then chuckles a little. "I wrapped a string around your finger, and measured the length where the end touched. Wasn't that hard."

"I suppose we should find out how things are done here," Nevelyn says softly. "I haven't got any family. And I somehow doubt that Mama would be able to come. So if you have family we could wait for them to arrive." Much easier to send a dragon after someone when it's known where they are she supposes. She chuckles softly and nods her head, "I think you might outrank them actually. I hadn't thought about it." She chuckles and nods her understanding of his asking Renalde. "I suppose that's true. Though I hardly asked permission to have the baby." Not that she'd exactly planned that out though. "A string huh? You're clever."

Jithan chuckles softly, leaning over and kissing her again. "Not much family to speak of. Just one aunt I'd like to bring down here, and a couple of friends from the Hall. If you want, you could send Leo after your ma, find out where she was, and I could talk a rider into going to getting her. She might just want to see you and Nevach again." When she talks about Renalde's permission, he chuckles. "I think he's ignoring that. He can't stop a baby from showing up, but he can stop the parents from getting hitched. Headmen love their power trips, you know." Well, she probably doesn't but hey. "Well, I couldn't exactly take you over to the Smith's and have you try on rings without ruining the surprise, could I?"

Nevelyn tilts her head to meet his kiss. Smiling happily when he breaks it to talk about family. “Then you should send word to your Aunt and friends. See when they might be available.” She shrugs her shoulders when he mentions sending Leo after her Mother. “I may write her and tell her about it. But unless they are in port soon. A ‘rider wouldn’t be able to fetch her.” A dragon has to be able to land after all. And the deck of a merchant ship is crammed with crap. “He probably figures that it’ll just add to my workload anyhow. So why care.” She giggles at that and pats her belly. “Ouch!” Shifting, she puts a hand over the side of her stomach where she’s been kicked. “I suppose you could have,” she tells him with a shrug. “I wouldn’t have had a clue what it was for. It never crossed my mind that a woman like me was worth handfasting.”

Jithan laughs a little, pulling her close. "Love, I'm almost 44 Turns old, and I've never once been this… smitten with a woman. If I send word in advance, we'd have half the Hall down here just wanting to see if the rumors of my impending marriage are true. We'll pick a date, and I'll let them know a couple of days beforehand. I'll call in some favors and get some riders to ferry them down and back." He pauses, chuckling. "I just remembered, one of the riders I was friends with at Fort Weyr is a Wingleader now. There's a favor to call in, see?" When she exclaims, he looks concerned, his hand going to rest atop hers. "Active little thing, eh? That's good, right?" At that last, he just glares at her for a moment, then sighs. "Nevelyn… You're a wonderful woman. I wish you'd quit saying things like that. I can't imagine not wanting to 'fast you."

Nevelyn’s eyes go wide at the thought of so many people showing up to a simple gathering. “Oh dear,” she breathes. “I’m not at all sure that would go over well at all.” She isn’t even sure where to hold the ceremony. “You seem to have it all figured out.” She tilts her head and kisses his jaw, “So I’ll let you worry about that bit of it.” The moment his hand rests on top of her she slips her own hand out of the way. Pressing his palm against her belly so he can feel the rippling movement. “If it would take a nap that would be nice,” she admits ruefully. “I’ve been feeling this quite a bit today.” She assumes it’s a good thing. Nevach was a milder pregnancy in that regard. “I’m happy you feel that way,” she tells him with a happy sigh. “I love you Jithan.”

Jithan tries very hard to not laugh at the expression on her face, and succeeds for once! Why he's not able to control himself around her like he can with everyone else shouldn't be a mystery to anyone, though. "I love you too, Nevelyn. And you don't really want it taking a nap now, do you? It'll keep you up all night if it takes a nap now." He spreads his hand wider across her belly, wanting to feel his child more. "Of course I feel that way, love. Why wouldn't it? It's the truth."

Nevelyn sees his expression of amusement and chuckles softly. Used to him making fun of her by now. “I can’t hardly sleep anymore these days anyhow.” So it wouldn’t much matter. “After a while it feels like I’m getting bruised when it kicks the same spot several times.” She knows that it’s just irritating something in there though. Sliding his hand a little further toward the front he catches a steady thump of a fist of foot against his fingers. “I’m giving birth to a fighter,” she decides with a shake of her head. “I dunno. It’s wonderful that you do feel that way is all.”

Jithan isn't making fun! Just being amused is all! "You poor thing. You said that Nevach wasn't this active? I wonder what the difference is." He frowns a little as she mentions bruising, but when she moves his hand and feels the hitting, he can't help but grin widely. "Hard to believe it's already that strong. I hope they're not too much of a trouble maker." He pauses, just enjoying the closeness for a while before he looks back up at her face. "So, when do you want to have the ceremony? Before the baby gets here, or after?"

“No. He wasn’t,” Nevelyn admits with a short shake of her head. “Every baby is different though. I haven’t been sick near as much this time as I was with him.” She looks at him incredulously for a moment before erupting in laughter. “Have you /met/ our son?! This one will no doubt be a complete terror!” She says this like she’s looking forward to it. Scary woman! “I think after would probably be best. It takes time to get things arranged and I do /not/ want to go into labor on that of all days.” Better to have the screaming part over with.

Jithan huhs, shrugging. Far be it from him to know much about this, it was never really a concern of his prior. He laughs right along with her, though, knowing exactly what set her off. "Our son is a wonderful boy who's living his life to the fullest, and is going to be a great guide for our new child," he answers, gently patting her swollen belly for emphasis. "After it is, then. You talk to the women and find out what the customs around here are, and I'll ask the men, then we can get together and decide exactly what we want to do," he says with a wink.

Nevelyn looks dubiously at Jithan and then shaking her head. She proves to be teasing him though when she suddenly smiles and giggles. “Both children will be a joy I’m sure. Though I don’t kid myself that being mother to two children will be a challenge.” She chuckles softly, “I manage to keep up with a cavern full of them though. So what’s one more, eh?” She snuggles against his side and lays her head on his shoulder. “That sounds like a good plan. Since I haven’t ever seen one before.”

Jithan gives her a squeeze, pulling her close against him. "Nevach's already a joy, and you're right, this one will be too. At least you'll have Nevach and the other nannies to help you during the day, and I'll be here for you at night. I'm sure we'll manage." When she mentions that she's never been to a handfasting before, his brow screws up for a moment, and then relaxes as he thinks it through. "Of course, you haven't. Shards, you don't even know what you've agreed to." He's quiet again, then chuckles ruefully. "I'll understand if you want to wait until there's one down here too see, or until we can go North and see one."

Nevelyn settles comfortably beside him. “That he is,” she admits with a chuckle, “though sometimes I swear he’s giving me gray hair before my time.” She worries so over her young son. “I’ve been busy planning for his turn-day in a couple of months.” Already about to turn eight and acts like a teenager some days. “I know what I’ve agreed to,” she shifts to peer at Jithan. “I’ve read a book or two you know.” She’s just never seen one in person. “Though I have no idea how they’d be handled here in the Weyr.” That would be the variable. “I’ll find a woman or two to discuss it with. And see what I can do about finding some help with it.”

Jithan rather adores the feeling of her curled up beside him like that. "That's what boys, and tomboys, do, love. They love going on adventures and have fun. His Turnday is coming up, isn't it? Hmmmm, what've you got planned so far? I was going to give him a fishing hat, think he'd like that?" Jithan chuckles a little, shrugging. "I've officiated a few dozen of them. Honestly, I don't think a Weyr is much different in terms of the ceremony itself, they just happen less frequently. I'd imagine that the reception afterwards is a bit different, though."

Nevelyn giggles softly in agreement and nods her head. “That is entirely true. I was quite the pain at his age.” Always into something she shouldn’t be. “In two short moons I’m afraid he’ll be eight.” She smiles and it reflects in the happy tone of her voice. “He’d most likely love a fishing hat. I haven’t decided on what to get for him as of yet.” She’s still figuring that part out. “I spoke with the Cook about it though and I’ve been assured that I can pick up a special sweet redfruit bubblie for his dessert that evening.” She muses aloud, “I’ve seen a canine or two roaming about. But I haven’t figured out if their mongrels or belong to someone. Do folk keep them down this far?” When he tells her that he’s officiated several of them she grunts. “Then you should be able to help me figure out how to set one up. That will make things go smoother.”

"I just can't imagine you being a pain, love," he says with a grin on his face. "Eight's a good age for a boy. Girls are still icky, and the world is your playground. No real responsibility, and you can have all the fun you can find." Is that jealousy of his son? Maybe just a little bit. "Both love, mongrels and pets. The Herders have a couple of big dogs, maybe they'll have some puppies or know where we can get one." He grins at her, chuckling. "I can help smooth things out, yes, but where's the fun in that? Everything I've seen says that it's supposed to drive you crazy."

“Oh I had my moments when I was a young girl.” Nevelyn shrugs a shoulder and laughs lightly. “He does seem to have an aversion to girls in skirts. But the little Dana I’m afraid has her eye on him.” One of these days it’ll probably develop into a problem. Of that she has little doubt. “Thankfully we’re Turns away yet from it being an issue.” She delights at the thought of finding him a pet. “It would be good for him to have a pet of some sort I think. He’s the right age to learn the responsibility and joy of it.” She sighs softly, perhaps hopefully. Then his final statement reaches her ears and she grunts in amusement. “Are you certain you want me going crazy in the final months of my pregnancy? Because I’m already making you climb the walls with my constant cleaning and rearranging of things.” She’s twice accidentally hidden things from him already.

Jithan just smirks a little, teasing with his grin. "Oh, I've no doubt that she does. Our son's a fine young man, he'll be beating the ladies off with a stick before much longer." Well, maybe another seven Turns or so. "Unless one of them apprentices, I don't think it'll be an issue at all. Who knows, though, she might just get distracted. Love, in all seriousness I'm going to do everything I can to smooth this out for you. I understand your … compulsion of late, but no, I don't want to do anything that might make it worse." At least she didn't hide his gitar, or find the song he was working on.

“Perhaps I should give him a stick for his Turnday and sign him up for lessons with the Guards,” Nevelyn teases. “Can’t hurt to start him learning early, eh?” She giggles at the thought. Sobering when he assures her that he’s trying. “I know that you’re attempting to make this process easier for me. And I appreciate it.” She pats his leg lightly with a soft hand. “I near drove the Captain insane on board the ship with Nevach. He got to the point that I wasn’t allowed out of my room aside from meals for a little while.” She laughs at the memory. “Well if you fail to help me and the women around here do flowery bits like the ones in the books.. you’re likely to come home to flowers packed to the ceiling.” Is that a threat or a promise? Likely a little of both.

Jithan smirks at the idea, then just outright laughs. "Oh Faranth, that'd be a sight. I'm sure that the guards would love it almost as much as he would," he says with a grin. "Of course I am, love. It's my wedding too, after all. Happy wife, happy life, right?" He says with a chuckle. "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm about wore out. You wanna go to bed, and we can tell Nevach the news at breakfast tomorrow? Assuming we can convince him to sit with us, of course." Because he's got friends that he'd rather sit with now, after all.

Nevelyn laughs right along with him. “It would be rather amusing wouldn’t it?” Her laughter fades to chuckles before she sighs happily. “I can’t say I’ve ever heard that saying before. But I like the sound of it.” She wiggles herself against the cushions in preparation of pushing to her feet. “Bed sounds like a lovely idea.” It couldn’t be because she feels like she’s been over stretched today at all. “I’m sure if we tell him we have news we’ll keep his attention for a few minutes. Long enough for him to investigate that I’m still pregnant.” She giggles at the thought as she rocks on the sofa and ‘oofs’ to her feet. Waiting for him to join her before turning to waddle into their bedroom.

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