"Matters of Mating"

Log Date:
	7/8/02

Log Cast:
	Shelbor, Coralfire, Torgan (emitted by Coralfire)

Log Intro:
	It's been some moons now since the joint camp of Vraeyan and Olbar humans 
and the small scattering of elves keeping company with them have set off 
eastward on the long trek to reach the Olbar tribe's village. The journey's been 
an uneasy one, for none in the camp have been certain that the monsters that 
attacked them on the beach by the Vastdeep Water will not return... and there 
are hardly any in the camp, either, who are pleased about the prospect of having 
to travel past Blue Mountain. 
	But for at least one person in the camp, there are more personal reasons 
for uneasiness--because two different men, Shelbor of the Olbar and Torgan of 
the Vraeyans, have asked Coralfire to become their mate. And the young human 
woman who's been raised by elves and who is as a result often awkward among her 
own kind is deeply torn between them.....

----------
Yellow is sniffing around the camp, studying things in proper canine fashion, 
when he comes upon Coral's feet. The puffs of air from his nostrils are tickling 
a bit.

Coralfire usually has her tent somewhere away from the main camp and this is no 
exception. Though she seems to be reappearing more and more, much to Torgan's 
delight. The Seafarer's eyes follow her around as she moves, enjoying the sight, 
even as Coral bends to scritch at Yellow's head. "Hello, puppy," she greets in 
Olbar. "I can't imagine you missed me, with all these friends to feed you."

Yellow knows there's more to life than food and skritches. Yellow just plain 
likes Coral.

Well, isn't that sweet? Truth be told, Coral likes Yellow too. He's a friendly 
dog, doesn't ask for much from her, other than scritches and food, really. 
What's not to like, really? Torgan chuckles as he watches, his eyes warming, and 
then he gets to his feet, glad that he chose just then to take a rest break. 
"Coralfire," he greets gently, his deep voice rumbling as he walks over to hold 
his hand out towards Yellow as well. "Tis glad to see you, I am. I was wondering 
if you had forsaken the lot o' us." Coral blinks and then she chuckles softly. 
"Hello, Torgan. No, nothing like that at all. I just had some thinking to do." 
She does glance around, after meeting Torgan's warm gaze, because she knows that 
where Yellow is, Shelbor is usually not far.

Shelbor is actually almost on the other side of the camp, stitching some 
leathers together to make a new rain cape. He's occasionally looking over at 
Coral, Torgan and Yellow.

Yellow sniffs Torgan's hand, tail wagging.

Torgan pets the dog in a friendly fashion, attention almost all on Coralfire. 
Who doesn't seem to notice his attention any more than she does anyone else's. 
"Thinkin, is it? And have you come to a conclusion?" he asks, a hopeful look to 
his face. Coralfire blinks and then shakes her head. "Not really. I just - I 
never expected - I don't know what to say." She glances up at Torgan and then 
back down at Yellow for a moment. And she actually blushes. "Maybe both you and 
Shelbor should hear this?"

Yellow hears "Shelbor" and turns to look for him. Catching a familiar scent 
carried on the breeze, he heads for the human, tail wagging and head out.

Coralfire watches where the dog goes, with a sober expression on her face. "Come 
on, let's go get this over with." Torgan isn't impressed by what she says, a 
little worried if the truth be known. Get this over with? That doesn't sound 
good, does it?

Shelbor looks up as Yellow approaches, then starts as he sees the two humans 
also on the way. What now?

Yellow arrives, gets a perfunctory pat, and lays down beside Shelbor. Naturally, 
right on the next skin he planned to add...

Coralfire keeps going until she's in front of Shelbor, and then she crouches 
down. Torgan follows suit. "Hello, Shelbor," he says, first. "I'm not knowin' 
what Coralfire has in her craw, but she seems to be wantin' to talk to the both 
o' us." Coralfire nods, a slight smile crossing her face, though it fades 
quickly. "I've been thinking about the questions you both asked me," she says 
softly.

Shelbor looks at the duo dubiously. "Good day. Can I do something for you?"

Shelbor hears Coralfire's words and gets an odd twinge in his gut.

Coralfire doesn't smile again, she just sighs. Torgan stirs uneasily, and offers 
an encouraging smile to Coralfire. "Go on then," he says gently, trying to help 
her talk, no matter how nervous he might be inside. Coral flashes him a smile. 
"You're both such good friends," she says softly. "I want to thank you for that. 
And then - Shelbor, you said you want me to be your mate. Torgan asked if I 
thought I wanted anyone to be my mate." Well, now you both know what each asked. 
If there's any surprise to it.

Shelbor nods cautiously, feeling he's not going to like what comes next.

Torgan crinkles his eyes and he nods. "Aye, lass. And it seems ye've come to a 
conclusion then?" Encouraging, that's what he's doing. Coralfire looks over at 
him and takes her courage into her own hands. "Well, the answer is ... I just, 
yes, I think I would like someone to be my mate. But I don't know how to go 
about it, and I don't know who I want to be my mate." There. Can she get any 
plainer than that?

Shelbor is mildly boggled by this bald admission. He's not sure whether to be 
encouraged or angry or what. "Have you spoken to anyone else - besides Xhosa - 
about this? I'm sure your elf mother could help at least some, with advice. Even 
Xhosa. I really don't think a man - human or elf - would be the right choice to 
ask." Shelbor is obviously trying to find something constructive to say but not 
having much luck.

Well now, and who else would she be talking to about it? Why not those who are 
encouraging her most? Torgan actually chuckles. See, that's not so bad as he was 
expecting. At Shelbor's words, he crinkles his eyes again. "Sure and if you want 
to talk to some women, you go right ahead, lass. But if you want to talk to me, 
I'll listen." That gets Coralfire to smile slightly, which Torgan notices. Very 
observant, he is. "Thank you. Both of you. I'm sorry, Shelbor. I've thought and 
I've thought and I can't say yes, just yet. But I also don't want to say no."

Shelbor nods, cautiously. Does she genuinely mean to offer some hope, or is she 
just trying soften the blow?

The biggest problem you see is that Coralfire truly does not know. Torgan 
however arches a brow and then he nods. "It looks like we've a bit of a 
competition on our hands then. G'luck, Shelbor." he offers his hand to shake as 
well, good natured about it. It's not that he doesn't want to win, but that he 
wants Coralfire to be happy. He'll do his best to make her that way, and that's 
the end of it. 

Coralfire blinks at him though, not quite understanding where he's coming from. 
"Competition?"

"Aye, lass. But don't ye fret none. We'll take good care o'ye." Whichever one 
wins, right?

Shelbor stares at the hand for a moment, then realizes the offer appears 
genuine. He shakes.

Shelbor then shakes his head at the subsequent words. "I don't see this as a 
contest, Coralfire. I see this as something important in your life, and will 
abide with your decision, whatever it is."

Coralfire is now quite confused. More than just a little. She looks over at 
Torgan and then back to Shelbor, and then repeats. "You two want me to choose 
between you?" she asks, now almost appalled by the thought. "Oh, High Ones. I 
think I must be going crazier than Xhosa." She gets to her feet, and Torgan 
rises almost as quickly, but then he changes his mind, and doesn't reach for 
Coral. "Lass - " he starts, and then he shrugs a bit. Ah well, likely that 
wasn't the cleverest of things to say, but it's good to have it out in the open. 
"If you want to talk, I will listen. Even if you're wishing to talk about young 
Shelbor here." Coralfire takes a step backwards. "No, don't run, lass," Torgan 
says, reaching a hand out towards her soothingly. "You know we'll neither one of 
us harm you."

Shelbor says "Some people - elves and humans - take more than one mate." In 
spite of his words, though, you have a clear impression that Shelbor wouldn't 
like to share. "You know that. So it's not so much deciding between us as 
deciding what you want.""

Coralfire actually stops at that. "Do they take more than one mate?" Ah, a 
theoretical question, Coral can handle those. "Back at Olbar Village. Are there 
actually some who take more than one mate? I didn't think there was." She takes 
a step closer again, and then glances at Torgan, who's looking relieved that she 
didn't run. "What do I do now?" she asks. Torgan chuckles softly. "Whatever you 
wish, Coralfire. Whatever you wish."

Shelbor sighs. How to explain the differences between different types of family 
arrangements? Or the rules and how and when they are ignored? "That might 
actually be something Xhosa could answer better than I can."

Yellow snores softly.

Coralfire starts to nod her head. Alright, she'll have to ask Xhosa, won't she? 
Torgan shakes his head. "I canna tell you about the Olbar. But in my own land, 
there's nae too many who don't chose a single mate. Like the Capt'n and Tianna, 
ye ken. That's how most mean to be. And that's what I'd thought to find. Though 
I'll no be turning you down, Coralfire. Not if you're willing tae give me even a 
share of you. Tis a new world for us here." Though he too really would rather 
not share.

Shelbor is actually a bit relieved at this announcement. Far better to put this 
off on Xhosa than to stammer confusedly himself. "Well, we Olbar do normally 
have a only a pair in matings."

Coralfire looks over at Shelbor. But didn't he just say ... "You know you are 
both making my head hurt. I think I shall go find Xhosa or Tianna or someone 
sensible," she says after a moment. WEll, really! Between the both of you, she's 
more confused than she started out. And how's that going to fix things. "Torgan, 
you're not serious, are you?" He just smiles, eyes crinkling. "I'd not lie to 
you, Coralfire." She sighs, and then she shakes her head. "Have they all gone 
mad, Yellow?" she asks, then smiles at the dog, before she glances up. "I will 
talk to the both of you later. Take care." And with that, Coralfire turns to 
walk away.

Yellow snorts awake as his name is called. He looks up at Coral and wags.

Shelbor sighs as he watches her go, but remains convinced that trying to 
pressure or rush her would only make matters worse.

Torgan watches Coralfire leaving as well. "Now, don't you suppose that went 
rather well?" he asks, perhaps rhetorically. "I should be going back to get some 
work done, before the captain blisters me ears. Nice talking to ye, lad." He 
sketches a salute of sorts and then heads off back to whatever it is he was 
doing earlier.

Shelbor looks at Torgan strangely, wondering if he's been in the sun too long. 
"No. I don't think that went well. She is a confused woman who needs help, not 
men competing for her."

Shelbor realizes he spoke too late and too softly. Ah, well, better to avoid 
argument. He's not in a safe mood, just now.

[End log.]