It was a wonderful flight

Writers: Suzee, Anika
Date Posted: 3rd March 2015

Characters: R'taran, Pierka
Description: After the flight
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 11, day 8 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: R'enh, Taine, T'nom, Z'ku

Pierka

When she woke up she had a funny taste in her mouth she couldn't quite
identify. But though she moved her mouth before she opened her eyes
she reached out to Liddith and found her mind glowing with
satisfaction where she lay twined with her mate. She swung her legs
off the bed and sat up.

As the warm body beside him moved away, R'taran mumbled a soft
complaint, working to reorient himself and overcome the contented
lassitude that was inevitable at these times. Quarterioth's mind was
still on the cusp of wakefulness but the tremendous gratification at
the triumphant outcome of Liddith's flight hummed through their bond.
Opening his eyes the brownrider recognized Pierka's petite form on the
edge of the bed, and softly trailed a hand down her back, a delicate
reminder of the passion they'd just shared. She was one of his
younger wingmates and she had been out on maternity leave for a time,
but he honestly did not know much else about her.

Remembering her flight manners she turned and smiled at the brownrider.
"Thank you for the nice flight," she said. "Would you like some
juice?" She stood and walked to the refreshment table to pour one for
herself.

"Some juice would be good, thank you," he answered sitting up enough
to lean against the pillows rather indolently. "And the flight was
_very_ nice. You feel okay don't you?" He asked. Though he had been
told a green wouldn't rise until her rider was physically ready and he
knew it had been a long time since she'd had the baby, he was
relatively ignorant about these things.

Truthfully she was a bit tender but she'd felt that way after each of
her flights. She couldn't really fault him for enthusiasm. "I'm fine,"
she said and poured his glass as well. She went back to sit on the
edge of the bed and hand his to him.

Accepting the drink, R'taran offered a nod, "Thanks." Swallowing down
the liquid, he watched the small blond rider. Generally, he was not
one for small talk after a flight, or any sexual encounter for that
matter, but it occurred to the brownrider that this was a good
opportunity to practice some of R'ehn's suggestions. Given how little
he knew of Pierka there was only one thing he could really think to
comment on. "It was good to see you back in drills. How is your
little one?"

That brought a genuine and tender smile to her face. "He's growing so
fast it's hard to believe. It was very hard to give him to his foster
mother." She sipped her own juice thinking maybe she'd go see him
after she left the flight room. "Thanks for asking."

Though he knew it shouldn't, his estimation of her went up with those
words. That she wanted to keep her baby with her and be a 'proper'
mother impressed him. As soon as the thought crossed his mind, he
mentally kicked himself. That kind of thinking was NOT, "stepping
over the wall," as Taine had put it. Though his brow was furrowed
when he replied, it could well have been interpreted as commiseration
for her plight rather than his own inner conflict. "That must have
been quite difficult, I'm sorry. I'm sure he'll do well, though. Did
you grow up in the Weyr?"

"Oh no," she shook her head. "I'm not really sure actually. I was in a
shipwreck and don't remember my life before I woke up on the beach.
The hold took me in and I kind of fell in love with dolphins so I
joined the hall when I was thirteen and came with them here to the
Hall down the beach. One day a blue dropped out of the sky and his
rider told me I could Stand so I did." She smiled was her life really
as simple as that? Not really but it wasn't that long ago she'd awoken
on that beach.

"Your life story is fit for a Harper's ballad," he said with a smile
thinking how enthralled his youngest sister would be with her tale.
He reached out a hand as if to trace the puckered threadscore down her
back but stopped short of actually touching where it trailed off her
left shoulder. "Even a bit of tragedy, but then I suppose the birth of
your son would be the resounding triumph. If it's to be one most
often sung and requested he will need to grow up to be Weyrleader."

"I would much rather trade the tale for a real family I could at least
remember," she sighed and then smiled again. "But I'm very happy with
Liddith." She shook her head at his final comment. "Well you never
know. His father _is_ a bronzerider."

Her words actually made him stop and think. A family would mean that
much to her...even just a memory of one. Setting that aside to
consider later, he replied to the second comment. "Oh, which one?"

"T'nom," she said without emotion. "Do you know him?"

"Not really," he shook his head. "Rides in Cyclone Wing, his dragon
is young, right?"

"Right," she nodded. "How long have you been here at Dolphin Cove?"

"Six and a half turns. I grew up in a moderate sized Hold in Emerald
Falls territory," R'taran finished his juice and set the glass aside.
"My history is not as interesting as yours, but I do come from a large
family. My younger brother was recently Searched and will stand at
the Hatching."

"Wonderful," she smiled. She really was happy for him and his family.
She put her glass down and reached for her tunic. "How old is he?"

"Just fifteen turns," he replied, stretching his arms above his head
before he scanned the floor for his discarded clothing.

She smiled and pulled her tunic over her head. "I was younger than
that when Liddith found me."

"Really? How old were you?" R'taran asked curiously, thinking of his
youngest sister. He'd spotted his trousers, but did not reach for
them just yet.

"Just turned fourteen," she shrugged and stepped into her trousers.
"We spent extra time in the Weyrling wing. How old were you when you
Impressed?"

"Nineteen," he smiled, "Seems like a lifetime ago." The brownrider
finally rose and stretched, his height and bulk the antithesis to
Pierka's petite form. He wouldn't have minded dallying with the
pretty greenrider, but she was obviously heading out and he should as
well. "Will you go visit your little one now?" His voice was almost
wistful and he wondered if he would ever have a family of his own,
even the unique variety of the Weyr.

"Really," she smiled as she finished getting dressed. "Liddith will be
two soon," she nodded. Truthfully she felt like she wanted a bath and
then some alone time with Z'ku but she didn't want to tell him that.
He'd been kind and far more pleasant than she'd thought he would be.
"Yes," she nodded. "I'll be picking him up from his foster mother for
the evening. But first a bath."

"A soak does sound good," he agreed, grabbing his trousers up off the
floor and pulling them on. Thinking once again of R'ehn's advice, he
supposed he should say something else. His gray eyes sought out her
blue. "Thank you, Pierka, it was a wonderful flight."

She stopped at the door and turned back to smile. "Yes it was, thank you too."

Last updated on the May 12th 2015

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It was a wonderful flight