For Old Time's Sake

Writers: Dana, Eimi
Date Posted: 25th February 2006

Characters: Traelyn, R'hoos
Description: A visiting bronzerider asks the Weyrwoman for a dance...
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 10, day 8 of Turn 3

The excellent results of the Hatching had certainly lifted everyone's spirits: the whole Weyr seemed to be alight with a new kind of hope. Dolphin Cove was beginning to at last truly come out of its devestation, and though it would yet take time - days, months, even Turns for a full recovery - a new start had been made, and that start had cracked their shells today and were now curled around their human lifemates, sleeping, bellies full of their first meal.

A new generation of dragons and their riders to eventually fill in the gaps in the Wings.

}:My hatchlings,:{ came Nyith's golden thought. }:Mine and Hasaarth's.:{
**Yes, my love. And they all have your strength.** Traelyn smiled as she gazed out at the huge cavern, watching as men and women feasted, danced and sang. The Weyr seemed to always ring with music now since the Harper Hall had arrived. Weyrbrats ran amuck underfoot, stealing goodies as they went, and the reprimands that were shouted their way were half-hearted.
Either the adults were too inebriated, or were just in too good of a mood to care. Perhaps both possibilities were true.

A low whisper was placed in the woman's ear as she looked out over the scene. "May I offer you my congratulations on a fine Hatching, Weyrwoman?"

She turned, her dark eyes widening in unmasked surprise as they met his.
She recognized him. Oh yes...she remembered him. Her shock was soon after replaced by a dazzling smile. "You may, bronzerider. And I thank you."

"R'hoos," he reminded her with a grin of his own. "We... met... on that island a couple months ago." He figured he wouldn't need to remind her that they didn't just _talk_...

"Yes, I remember. You were...quite good at playing waterball. I remember that, too."

The bronzerider nodded. "And you were very good at distracting me."

A brow rose. "You mean with our little game of keep away, of course." Her tone suggested that she knew he meant anything but.

"Oh, yes, of course," he nodded solemnly, though his eyes sparkled with their shared memory of what came _after_ the keep away.

She grinned at him. "Though I have feeling that you must love women, I find it hard to believe that you came all this way just to flirt with me, R'hoos. What brings you to Dolphin Cove's Hatching?"

"My younger brother was Searched out of the Weaver Hall." He shrugged but smiled. "He didn't Impress this time. Guess that means I have to come back next time too."

"I'm sorry to hear that he didn't Impress... How old is he?"

"You know, I'm not sure," the bronzerider said with chuckle. "After all, this is only the fifth time in our lives we've ever met. Our father tends to travel a bit. I have brothers and sisters scattered across Pern. But I would guess around fifteen or sixteen."

"Then he has plenty of time left to Stand," she smiled, her expression turning thoughtfully distant as her thoughts traveled back to when she'd been a young, white-robed Candidate. "When I was his age, I didn't Impress either."

"Really? I Impressed at fourteen." He crossed his arms across his chest as he leaned lazily against the wall. "Then what were you doing at his age?"

She looked away, refusing to let any of her memories resurface fully. No.
Tonight was not the time for that. "At his age? I was learning how to flirt with persistant boyos." When she turned her dark gaze back to him, it was glinting rather impishly.

"What a coincidence!" he cried. "I was just such a boy when I was his age."

"I have no doubt," she laughed, shaking her head. Just then, the harpers began to enthusiastically play a new song. A song she recognized. She'd danced to it many times before. Traelyn gave him a sidelong look as a brief silence stretched, and she grinned. "Do I have to be the one to ask you to dance, bronzerider?"

"Well, you _are_ the one with all the practice flirting, and I am rather shy..."

"Really? I honestly couldn't tell... Especially since I remember you weren't exactly what I'd call _shy_ down at the cove..." She rose to her feet and came to stand before him.

He shrugged a shoulder, grinning as he took in the sight of her so close in that beautiful dress. "What can I say? Your charms worked on me that time."

She raised a brow, her head tilting slightly to the side. "And are they working this time?"

"I'm trying to resist," he said with a slight pout. "My Weyrleaders would kill me if I had to Time it back to make drills." His lips soon curled into an impish grin. "Of course, I wouldn't want to discourage you from making it hard on me."

"Of course you wouldn't." She took a step closer and slid a hand in-between his crossed arms, trying to pry one away. "Come on. Just one dance and you won't be late."

"No, no," he protested, even as he took her hand in his. "I can't be tempted... Oh, ok. I can see there is no resisting you."

Traelyn gave him another dazzling smile. "Luckily for you, this dance isn't very long at all."

"What, did you pick the shortest song on purpose just to get rid of me faster?" he asked as he wrapped his hand around her waist and whirled her onto the dance floor.

"No. _You_ said you had drills to head home to, remember?" Her hands slid up his arms to lightly grasp his shoulders - and, unbidden, the memory of what his shoulders felt like when they'd been bare came to her, and she briefly shut her eyes to clear it.

"And that is the absolute truth," he nodded, his fingers lightly flexing agaist her hip. He remembered how she had felt in just a swimming suit, withouth the layers of thick cloth between them. "But I do have a _few_
more minutes to spare."

"I just don't want you to...get into trouble," she said, dipping under his arm before whirling quickly around to be in front of him again.

"I'm dancing with you, Lady," he grinned, wrapping his fingers back around her waist and pulling him close enough to whisper in her ear. "I'd say I'm already in trouble."

"Oh? How's dancing with me trouble, exactly?" she whispered back, her lips just brushing against his skin. Shards...they were close.

"Because what I want to do with you might not be appropriate in front of your Weyrleader," he whispered back, his lips grazing her ear. "Sometimes they can be sensitive about that kind of thing."

Traelyn pulled back just enough to stare at him. "And who says I'd _let_
you do those...inappropriate things, hmm?"

He grinned, not at all phased. "Because of the way you kissed me on that island."

"Arrogant persumptions will get you into a lot of trouble, R'hoos."

"Perhaps," he shrugged. "But I like your kind of trouble." The bronzerider dipped her slowly as the song came to an end. "Besides, I could use the practice. I learned things when I was my brother's age too, you know."

"A charming and rather persistant bronzerider like you? I wouldn't doubt it," she grinned, enjoying the banter.

"Well, our dance is done," he said as he pulled her back up onto her feet.
"It's time for me to go back to Vista Point. Could I ask you to do me the honor of walking me to the Weyr door?"

"Of course." She slipped her arm through his as they began to meander through the throng towards the other side of the room.

"I'm truly sad that I can't stay for the rest of the festivities," he said, slipping his fingers into hers as they reached the darker corridors.
As they side-stepped an amorous couple he leaned down to whisper to her, "Yes, _truly_ sad to go..."

Her eyes flickered knowingly up into his. "You'll just have to come back next Hatching...and maybe you won't have drills following soon after."

"Or perhaps I can come visit my brother some rest day." It was more of a question than a statement. "Would you allow me to visit you _Weyr_
someday?" He made sure the word weyr could be taken in both contexts.

Lightly she slid her fingers from his. "Perhaps." Her smile was slow.

"Hmmm. Well, who knows when that will be." The bronzerider grinned down at the Weyrwoman, more than humor shining in his eyes. "Lady Traelyn, would you allow me to kiss you? For old times sake?"

She laughed, returning his grin. "For old times sake, hmm?" Shards, he reminded her of Birigundi in some ways. That scoundrel of a Candidate would probably end up behaving somewhat like this incorrigable bronzerider within the Turns to come. "You may, R'hoos...but just a peck."

"Just a peck, huh?" he ask as he leaned closer.

She just smiled at him.

"Are you _sure_?" the bronzerider whispered, his lips so close that they brushed against hers.

"I guess that depends on how you define 'peck', bronzerider," she whispered back.

His eyebrows raised and his lips spread into a wide grin. He was never one to shy away from a challenge. "This is true..." His lips grazed along her jaw and then from her ear to her collar bone, down to the dip where her collar bones met and up her windpipe until he found the perfect place to gently press his lips for a quick peck.

The look in her eyes was slightly hazy when they opened to meet his, but at the same time, there was a flicker of amusement there as well.

R'hoos held her eyes a moment as he smiled down at her. It was obvious from the light in them that he would love any excuse not to go. Finally he whispered, "Well, until next time then, Lady Traelyn?"

A slow smile curved her lips. "Til next time, R'hoos." And she wondered if there would truly be a next time. Perhaps...

Last updated on the February 25th 2006

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For Old Time's Sake