Needle and the sharp tongue

[Gennadiya Lyosha]

Gennadiya Lyosha

Needle and the sharp tongue
Cyrus 27 721

The Lysorian woman was exactly on time to her appointment. She stood before a slightly run down house in the earth quarter. Her sapphire blue eyes were a bit sad as she looked at the place. She was well aware that the place had once been the handsomest house on of the neighborhood as even now echos of that were still visible. It’s occupant was an elderly lady who if she hadn’t outlived her children had at least been in better health then them. Genna nicked on the door and waited. Genna was there because the woman was said to a excellent seamstress and able to teach anyone to sew. The door flew open and a older woman stood straight in the door way.

“Aren’t you a little old to be finally learning how to sew.” The woman asked bluntly eyeing her up and down. “Well at least you know how to be on time.”

She was also said to have a rather unpleasant tongue.

Genna smiled at the woman her eyes dancing in amusement. “Yes, I chose to waist my youth and now I am paying the price and you to learn it now.” She said with a tilt of her head. The older woman’s eyes narrowed and then she nodded her head.

“Come on in then we are both busy women.” The older woman said. Genna had arranged these sewing lessons with now that she had a adopted child to take care of. The older woman’s name was Drelia and these lessons were one of her primary form of income. The healer in Genna watched the woman walk and quickly determined that the lady suffered from serious back problems.

Soon Genna found herself sitting in the front room in a chair opposite the older woman. “For anyone who want to sew they will need a sewing kit.” She then processed to explain the different parts. Including needles, threads, scissors and such. The platinum healer chuckled as the woman held up the thimble. “ It annoying for new sewers but what is even more annoying is when you ruin a piece you are stitching because you stab your self and bleed on it. I hope you aren’t like one of those girls who is convinced she is convinced is some acrobatic needle genius.” The older woman said as she moved on to the next part as Genna smiled and nodded her head. “Threading the needle. It takes time and it takes practice. Most young girls want to give up after only ten minutes.”

Genna raised and eyebrow and processed to thread the needle. This ability to thread the needle was something she had done for arcs as a surgeon. Genna was very good at sewing people up but that was very different from making clothing and certainly from embroidery. Drelia looked very surprised and voiced it. “I see you are full of surprises.” The woman said tartly.

“Ma’am, I am a healer. I learned how to stich up a wound when I first started.” Genna said adjusting the thread while she spoke. “Though at that time it did take me forever to thread my first needle.” The older woman looked mollified and slightly interested. “Though I haven’t really learned how to sew clothing and such.”

“Well that will make this lesson go faster though less amusing.” The older woman said, and then began to talk with her about the different kinds of threads and then talked about the different types of cloth. Genna titled her head and listened as the lessons continued. The older woman had Genna test different types of materials and had her do a basic stick on each to see how the behaved. The healer found herself falling back on the stitch she used in her medical work. “I see what you mean when you say you’re a healer. You sew like one.”

“How would you like me to sew then.” Genna asked calmly. The old woman was actually a good teacher for the healer, but she didn’t really appreciate being criticized for using the only knowledge she had. The older woman looked at her and then waved a hand.

“We will get to that next time. I am just saying you sew like a healer, its better then sewing like a ninny.” The older woman continued on with her lesson. Other’s especially the young might not see what the point was, but Genna could see that the point was that the tools you used as just as important as ones skills. As Genna practice sew scraps together she could feel how different it was when one sewed two pieces of cotton together verses sewing two pieces of silk together. Her stitch itself did funny things since human flesh behaved completely different from any type of cloth.

After the appointed time Drelia looked at her and said. “So I hope at your age you could see the point of that exercises.” Genna looked at the older woman and kept a straight face.

“You have to choose the correct tools for the correct material.” Genna answer with a summing up.

“Oh Concise as well as smart.” The older woman’s eyes twinkled. “Exactly my dear. To many girls these days are so busy daydreaming that they let it just pass by them.” She shook her head. “Now in my day, no we kept our mind on our work.”

“Who taught you to sew?” Genna asked as she slowly packed up her needle, thimble and other tools.

“Well my mother of course.” Came the snap. “Just like your mother should have taught you.”

“My mother died of influence when I was a little girl.” Genna replied feeling the need to defend her mother.

“Well.” There was a pause of guilt, “That’s understandable then. One can’t expect a father to know everything a girl should be taught. They just don’t have room for all the skills needed to really keep this world running.” The woman waved her hand. “I tell you it would quickly come to a halt with no food coming out of the kitchen and no cloths to fight off the cold. Not to mention hide how ugly some of us are.”

Genna quietly just listen as the older woman began talking about when her mother taught her how to sew. The woman was a master at her craft, but Genna could also tell that the woman was very lonely.

[Gennadiya Lyosha]

Gennadiya Lyosha

Needle and the sharp tongue

Genna had come back several times her lessons with Drelia. One this particular trial Genna was once again on time and was waiting at the door. With her though was Lilabelle, and she was their on special invite from the old woman. Over the weeks, Genna had gone over the different types of stitches needed to used with the different types of materials. Drelia kept her working on the scraps to practice her stitching so as not to ruin perfectly good materials. “If your unsure of something practice on scraps. They ain’t good for nothing else.”

This particular trial they were moving on to actually learning how to make clothing and so the older woman had insisted on Genna bringing the person for who she would be making her project for. So Genna had brough her adopted daughter Lillabelle. The young girls stood fairly still as they waited. The young healer wished that the child would fidget more and would behave more like a five arch child, but no she had grown up in the dungeon’s of Rhaum and any such behavior had been beat out of her. The girl’s new mother though let the girl be. She took the tactic of just not scolding the little girl the few times her curiosity prompted her to act like a child. The girl was at the age where other parents actually started trying to get there children to be less fidgety. So Genna one this subject just stuck to neutral ground.

As was always the case the door flew open almost as soon as Genna knocked. The older woman was there still. Her expression was still one of sarcasm. The adored of Ymiden noticed that the woman’s eyes seemed to become brighter as she saw the young healer. Genna was honestly enjoying her lesson’s and honestly enjoyed the older woman’s constant commentary on the worlds failings. The woman seemed to enjoy Genna’s visits and just how she listened.

“Is this the girl we are making a dress for?” she asked to Lillabelle. Genna raised and eyebrow but didn’t say anything as the young girl froze with surprise at being talked to. The young woman actually approved of the action, but was still surprised, so many adults just ignored children or talked over them.

“Go ahead and answer the woman.” Genna said kindly. Lillabelle nodded her head and said.

“A new dress would be nice.” She looked up at Genna and spoke. “I never had a new dress until mama brought, we out of that screaming place.” The Lysorian woman found herself suddenly struck by that comment, and felt her tears misting over. She smiled down at the little girl.

“Oh well then let’s help your mama make you something special.” The older woman said, with a catch in her voice and a questioning look in her eyes. The woman led them back to her main sitting room. “Okay so most people when they think of needle work just think of sewing two pieces of cloth together or putting fancy patterns on the cloth. Well unless you want to just sew squares together, which for quilts is very useful, but not so for dress. You have to learn how to cut the cloth into pieces and to the right shape.” The older woman was ready for them and had a couple patterns and mostly finished dress of each waiting. She put a kind hand on Lillabelle shoulder and motioned her into the room. “Now young lady, what dress do you like best.”

Genna watched kind of touched by the normally cranky older woman’s gentle approach to the Lysorian’s woman’s daughter. The girl looked back at her and Genna smiled and gave her an encouraging motion forward to make what ever selection she wanted. The little girl then pointed to one that had a high wait line but had fine lace along the edges, and easily could make a girl feel like she was wearing a princess dress.

“Excellent choice.” She then pulled out a tap measure and began to measure the young girl before saying “Well I want you to go straight down that hall, and you will find a table a room at the end of it with cookies, just don’t tell your mother how many you eat.” She gave the young girl a serious look with a twinkle in her eyes. “There are dolls and other toys in that room. Play with anything you like in that room.” Lillabelle’s eyes lit up and she looked questioningly back and Genna who ones again nodded her head and smiled.

“Have fun dear.” She said. And like that the quiet girl was out of the room and down the hall. Genna smiled as she watched her go. She then turned and Drelia was already pulling out the necessary pattern for the girls choice.

The two woman settled into teaching and learning. Genna was taugh how to use the patterns and how to make adjustments for size. “Don’t worry too much about it now. We can always alter when were done, and as you practice you will get a better grasp on where it would be best to make alterations based on who you are making it for.”

After laying out the pattern Drelia allowed Genna to cut the pattern out, saying it was an important skill to master and one that she now relegated to others. Her intelligent eyes watched the young woman. “I have been meaning to ask. Are you the Gennadiya, who fought in the war?” she said looking down the hall where they could see Lillabelle playing.

Genna was focused on the cutting so slowly answered. “I volunteered as a medic during the siege.” She paused as she moved around a particular corner. “I fought when it was necessary.”

“Deary the cut doesn’t have to be exact just close.” Drelia corrected. Genna became a bit less precises in her cutting. “Is it true that the Flameborn master captured whole villages and tortured them.”

Genna paused at that point and looked up at the older woman, the sapphire blue eyes haunted. “Those who made the flameborn did indeed capture people and animals and tortured them.” Genna said politely but crisply. “I am sorry but it isn’t a subject I dwell on.”

“Please don’t share the details. I just wondered about your daughter.” The older woman asked.

The young healer looked back at her work. “Yes.” Genna said and the two became quiet as they focused on the task at hand.

By the end of the lesson Genna had the pattern cut out. “Well deary that was decent work.” Genna was aware that was high praise coming from this old woman. “Also don’t tax your sitters next time and just bring that little girl with you.” She said as they walked towards the exit. Genna glanced over at the woman but just nodded. When she had originally signed up there had been a very pointed note about not bringing children.

[Gennadiya Lyosha]

Gennadiya Lyosha

Needle and the sharp tongue

It had been a couple more weeks since they had trimmed the pattern out. Genna had spent the time stitching the various pieces together. The first few seams she had ended up having to redo as they weren’t up to her instructors standards, but slowly the dress had come together. Drelia tongue was still as sharp as ever but Genna felt its direct effects less and less.

Currently they were sitting in the room as Genna finished the last of the alterations they had to make to fit Lillabella. The shy girl was loudly laughing in the room down the hall with one of the Drelia’s great granddaughters. Genna felt the needle click against the thimble, again, as she worked. While the dress was finishing the young healer wasn’t about to deceive herself. It turned out as well as it did because she was working with a expert Seamstress, not because of her own skill. Genna was proud of the work she had done, but the fancy parts of the dress, were thanks to Drelia, but Genna was comfortable leaving this lesson with some basic abilities in needlecraft that she could work to get done.

“Well missy.” Came the older woman’s voice. “Its looks like you can pay attention and learn something.”

“Well I had an excellent teacher. Thank you for your help.” Genna said. The older woman waved a hand dismissively at Genna.

“I taught you how to sew, you had to deal with a crabby old woman and her complaints.” Genna smiled a bit. “I know I can be difficult, but you took it in stride, but never pretended I was different then I was. I value that.”

“Well. The lessons might be over but I hope that I can still come by.” Genna said honestly.

“You better young lady.” The older woman said. “My Ursela needs an excuse to visit her great grandmother, and if your daughter wasn’t here I wouldn’t see that child so much.”

Genna laughed. Meeting this woman had been good for all of them. Genna finished the last stitch and then tied it off. Genna stood up and held the dress up for the older woman to see. She looked it over and then said. “It ain’t my dress.” Genna laughed again.

“Lillabelle.” Genna called once she had stopped laughing. Her daughter called that she was coming and then raced down the hall and came almost barreling into the room. Genne’s eyes lit up with love and pleasure at the sight of the little girl who was becoming so important to her life. “What do you think?”

The girl was quiet but stepped forward and ran a hand over the soft dress her eyes almost worshipful as she admire this gift for her. Genna had given her plenty of things, but the child understood in her own way that this had been made specifically for her and that it was a more valuable gift. The Lysorian woman watched the girl as she admired it and then looked up.

“Can I wear it?”

“Yes,” Genna said. The two stepped out of the room and in a short time returned and Genna watched as the happy child began to swirl the skirt of her dress flaring out. She danced around the room for a while and soon her new friend was dancing along with her. The two adult woman watched feeling the happiness that only happy children can produce.

While the girls danced Drelia stood up and said. “Stay right there. I will be back.” Genna nodded but watched the woman with a confused and amused smile. Soon the older woman can back and handed Genna a small box. “I want you to have those. They were my fathers, but I never found any use for them, and I feel.” She paused. “That you would put them to better use.”

Genna took the box and slowly opened the box. Inside was a set of ear jewelry. They were beautiful crafted and Genna looked up and shook her head. “I can’t take these. They are way to valuable.”

“They are valuable but there beauty is only a small part of there value. These when worn together will allow you to understand anyone.” The woman gave her a meaningful look. “Given your work you need them more then my ungrateful granddaughter. She would just use them to show off how rich she is. You will use it to help others.”

Genna closed the box and smiled at the older woman. “Thank you for everything.”

“Now just you remember we are having a quilting circles in a couple trials. And why you sewing is ver basic we still need another set of ha day.” She said as she turned away from the subject and moved on. Leaving Genna just shaking her head.

[Jackalope]

Experience: +10 xp

Knowledge:

Skill:

Needlecraft x 5
Socialization x 1

You can’t request all knowledges in the same skill!

Skillplay: Appropriate to level

Loot: Earpiece of Understanding (signature item previously approved)

Injuries/Overstepping: None.

Magic Experience?: None.

Renown: None.

Comments:

I found Genna’s wish to make a dress for her daughter so endearing! In spite of being WT 7 and having no prior skill in needlecraft. Her compassion and desire to make her adopted daughter happy really come through.
Overall, I enjoyed this thread. That said, I would request that in the future you edit a bit more carefully; there were a *lot* of typos and misspellings, enough to be distracting.

Anyway, enjoy your rewards. As I noted, you can’t request all six knowledges in needlecraft (note that it’s “needlecraft” in the skills section, not “needlework”), so I made one of the knowledges Socialization, since Genna interacted with the old lady so well. I didn’t award any renown, but Genna has made a friend!