Real Sun (1/2)

Writers: Emma, Eimi
Date Posted: 3rd August 2005

Characters: Birigundi, Demalia
Description: Demalia takes Birigundi for a ride to a special place
Location: Elsewhere on Pern, Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 7, day 7 of Turn 3
Notes: 1/2

Birigundi

Birigundi felt a little silly putting on his swimming clothes in the candidate barracks that day. He ignored the curious looks and all but ran down to where Demalia had promised to meet him. The candidate had been assured that the eggs would not be hatching quite yet and had been granted permission to leave the Weyr with his greenrider friend.

Checking the straps one last time, Demalia smiled as he approached.

}:Those straps are just fine,:{ Tapheth told her.

**I know, but I keep telling the weyrlings they have to check everytime, I have to set them a good example.** She patted Tapheth's hide lovingly. **You'd not have it any other way.**

"Good morning Demalia, Tapheth." He smiled at each lady in turn. "Am I late?"

"Not at all," she said returning his smile. "You just need to put this on," she passed him a spare, heavy riding jacket. "/Between/ can be a bit cold, even through winter clothing."

"All right." He quickly slipped it on. "How do I look? Do I look like a dragonrider?"

She studied his figure for a moment, "I can see it you know, a helmet as well, and a bronze dragon following you around."

"Bronze, huh?" He at least had the cocky grin down. "Might as well dream big. But a brown can catch a green as well as a bronze."

"Or a blue," she teased as she mounted her green.

He made a face as he looked up at her, but it quickly turned into a smile. "Or maybe I should just find a green. That way I will always get caught by someone."

"I don't think you are a greenrider," she said as she reached a hand down to help him astride the dragon.

"Well, if I did impress a green, it would be a bigger shock to me than it would you I think." He smiled as he swung up and started fastening the straps around himself. The candidate was getting good at it after so long in the Weyr.

"Are they comfortable?" she asked as she checked them herself. "We don't want any slip ups on the way."

"I'm comfortable." Birigundi reassured the greenrider as he slipped his arms around her waist. "Ready when you are."

"Let's go then," she said to him, and Tapheth, who gently lifted off the ground and into the air. She began to make slow lazy circles as she gained height. "Ready to go /between/?" she called back to Birigundi.

"Whenever you're ready!" He called back and tightened his grip on the young woman in front of him.

**Take us to that beach, the one by River Bluff, ** she told the green as she created the picture in her head.

Recieving the image, Tapheth took them swiftly through the nothingness of /between/, soon emerging into sunlight and warmth.

Birigundi grinned when he saw the beach below them. It had been a long time since he had felt warm sand between his toes and he was looking forward to that most of all. "It's beautiful!" he called up to the girl in front of him.

"It certainly is, and warm too," she turned slightly, glancing over her shoulder at her companion. "Nice enough for a swim as well."

He smiled as he called back "A swim? With a real sun? Not glow baskets? This is a rare winter treat!"

"Real sun here," she said as she unclipped the straps so they could both get down. "And plenty of it today by the looks of things," the sky above them was virtually cloudless, and those that were there were thin and whispy, unlikely to block out the sun for long.

"You know, this is the first time I have ever been so warm in winter."
Birigundi slid down the green's back and began stripping off his riding jacket. "I guess that's one of the perks of having a dragon who can take you anywhere on Pern in an instant."

"A perk you'll find comes with hard work," she grinned.

"Oh, and running for hours on end isn't hard work?" Birigundi asked, his tone teasing. He pulled his tunic over his head and gazed out at the water longingly.

"Then you'll enjoy weyrling training," she teased. Those strength and endurance sessions.....

"Oh, I don't know. Being a candidate isn't so bad, actually. I wouldn't mind being a candidate another Hatching." Though Birigundi knew his friend was only teasing him, he didn't like all the talk about _when_ he would Impress. He wouldn't allow himself to think about when it would happen, or even _if_ it would happen. It would just lead to disappointment later...

"How about that swim?" suggested Demalia, changing the subject.

"So you're finally getting the hint? I thought my stripping would have told you I was in the mood for at _least_ a swim," he said with a teasing poke at her side.

"Just a swim?" she teased as her riding clothes began to join the the little pile on the sand. She sat down and began to unlace her boots, "I thought we were her to catch some sun as well."

"Well, yeah, that's _one_ other thing we could do." He gave her a mischivous grin before taking a few steps out of the shadow of her dragon. He had forgotten how good the warm sun felt!

"Only one?" she teased again as her boots came off, quickly followed by the rest of her clothing. She dashed into the water quickly. "Oooh!
That's cold, but good."

"All right then, you convinced me. I'm coming in!" He ran into the water after her. "Ah, it is cold, but still a lot warmer than the weather at Dragonsfall!"

"Anywhere is warmer than there," she said, ducking under to get her hair wet.

"I'm used to all weather. You have to be as a runner. But I have to say, I loved my runs to the warmer climates best." He drew water up his chest with his cupped hands, trying to get accustomed to the temperature gradually.

"I can imagine," she said, before striking out in a sure stroke.

Last updated on the August 31st 2005

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Real Sun (1/2)