It's A Date (Part II)
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyrhold
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Elsewhere on Pern
NPC Weyr (NPC)
River Bluff Weyr
Seacraft Hall
Writers: AL, Clancey
Date Posted: 27th November 2008
Characters: R'yin, Kitali
Description: The wonderful embarrassment of a first date. At least for the brownrider.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 12, day 7 of Turn 4
"Yes. I'm obviously no dragonrider, but I've been around enough to
know _some_thing about what dragonriders say regarding their
lifemates." Kitali sensed that there was something he wasn't telling
her, but she wasn't going to pry. After all, she didn't have the
right to know _everything_ even though did want to get to know him
better. "How long ago did you impress?"
Another mist covered his eyes, this one warm and loving as he communed
quietly with his dragon. "I was 17 turns... Aerrath found me at my
very first Hatching." Another moment passed, then his eyes returned
to normal as he looked at her. "Over 20 turns ago, now..." Just then,
Fall appeared from /between/ with a little chirp of greeting. "He
must have heard me thinking of Impressing!"
"It's too bad Beryl isn't here to keep him company." Kitali's gaze
watched Fall with a smile. "But she seemed content to stay with
Lidrin and Talvan this evening." The harper took up a citrus fruit
and rolled it around between her hands. "Did you impress at River
Bluff?"
He called the little blue to him, feeding him a bit of meatroll from
the plate. "He likes to stay with Cirina too. I'm training him to
watch her; look out for her, when I can't." He smiled over at her at
her question. "OH yes, I ran away from home right to the Weyr. While
I was waiting for the eggs to Hatch, I started studying dragonhealing.
I never imagined that I had an actual talent for it... and then...
Aerrath changed everything." He finished simply.
"Gave you a boost, so to speak?" Kitali queried as she reached for
another meatroll and began to nibble on it. "I imagine it must be hard
sometimes, though."
Memory clouded his eyes again as he thought back. "It was very hard, at
first. Hold, sheltered young man... new brown dragonet.... Weyrlife."
His cheeks colored a bit. "I don't know that I've ever actually
adjusted completely!" He smiled at her.
"It seems as if we have something in common." Kitali let her gaze drop
and turned the rest of her meatroll around in her
hands. "Unfortunately, issues with adjustment have caused some
problems of their own."
He gazed at her for a moment, suspecting there was a story like his own in
her downcast eyes. But he would never pry. So, instead, he spoke quietly,
in understanding. "I completely understand, Kitali. I always thought I
would wind up like my parents - deeply in love with one person - the same
person - for turns and turns to come, including having children with the
same woman. But Aerrath changed that for me... and even though you've no
dragon, living here must have changed that for you, too, hmm?"
"You have no idea." Kitali laughed though the sound had no humour to it.
"It's either here or go back North where I can practise my craft freely,
yet...I can't seem to force myself to stay North for too long. I suppose
I've just come to regard this place as my home."
"They do seem like different places to me... but then, I've always called
the South home." He took her hand - rather bravely, for him - and went on,
"I have _some_ idea. If you ever need someone to bemoan adjusting to
Weyrlife with you, I volunteer." A wink.
}:I have to live in a Weyr. Where else would you live?:{ Aerrath asked,
genuinedly confused.
R'yin burst out laughing, and hoped he could drag Kitali into his humor.
They both seemed to need a laugh.
Kitali grinned, knowing that his dragon had said something from the look on
his face. "What?"
He smiled back at her, shaking his head. "Aerrath is confused. He says he
has to live in a Weyr, so how could I live anywhere else? He must have
heard us talking about Holds! Its very funny, sometimes, what they
understand, and what they don't."
"What I find funny," Kitali mused softly, "Is how they seem to understand
some things even when _we_ ourselves do not."
R'yin peered at her with interest. "You almost sound as if you ride a
dragon yourself. Family dragonriders?"
"Former weyrmate." Kitali's mouth twisted into an expression that wasn't
quite a smile. "And I've been in the weyr long enough to get a sense for
things."
R'yin's eyebrow arched with interest. He had an "almost weyrmate" in his
past. "Is he the father of your sons? The former weyrmate I mean..." His
cheeks pinked a bit. "If thats not too nosy?"
"No, it's all right." Kitali sat up straighter and brushed some sand that
had some how made its way on her leg. "M'van is Talvan's father, but not
Lidrin. He was the result of a flight. As for Lidrin, his father was my
husband who was killed not long after his birth."
"M'van? And you lost your husband? I'm sorry Kitali. And here I am,
rushing you out to have dinner." His smile was full of understanding.
"Cirina was the result of a Flight too, but I tried to stay with her mother
for too many turns.... I wanted more than she did." The smile faded to a
wistful memory.
Kitali shook her head. "It's all right, R'yin. I just...had some things I
had to come to terms with and M'van just wasn't very sensitive regarding
them." Well, that wasn't the _only_ reason, but it was a big one. "But you
know...I'm ready to move on."
R'yin reached for her hand and held it gently. "It took me a long time to
be ready to move on from Ciara. It was the hardest thing to understand
about living at the Weyr.... you're sort of forced to move on whether you
want to or not... " He shrugged with a faint smile. "Want to go for a walk
to let our dinner settle?"
"Sure." Kitali allowed him to get up first and then let him help her up.
"A walk sounds lovely." She breathed, turning another smile upon him.
He helped her to her feet and lead her down toward the water, smiling as
they talked and walked slowly, enjoying each other's company.
Last updated on the December 4th 2008