Like A Diamond

Writers: Avery, Heather
Date Posted: 24th November 2015

Characters: Chaysea, L'pin
Description: The couple have a quiet moment on the beach.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 3, day 12 of Turn 8

It was a lovely restday, and L'pin had told Chaneth repeatedly to only
respond to disaster calls from the weyrling dragonets. **True disasters,**
he'd added. He wanted a day of peace and separation from his duties, a
time to appreciate life and pursue his Headwoman as he'd been intending
for so long.

}:You should be flying her. You need this,:{ Chaneth observed. The blue
had not liked his rider's dark period. He had been chasing greens because
he wanted to and because he thought it would please his rider, but he
hadn't won any. His rider winning his own flight would still give the blue
satisfaction.

**Thank you for the praise,** the bluerider thought with amusement.

He knocked on Chaysea's door

Chaysea opened the door with a smile. She wore a light cotton dress that
hid the bathing suit she wore underneath, a bathing suit that only L'pin
had been privy to since the holdbred Headwoman still wasn't extremely
comfortable swimming out in front of everyone. A canvas bag hung from her
shoulder filled with two towels and some lotion to help protect her fairer
skin from the sun.

"I'm all set." She patted the bag.

She was radiant, and he leaned in and kissed her cheek. "Do you want to
walk down a ways, or get a quick lift from Chaneth?" he asked her.

"A walk sounds nice." She had surrended her keys to her Assistant for the
day so that she would not have to worry about anything but enjoying the
sand and sun.

"It's a beautiful day for one," he agreed, taking her hand as they started
to walk.

For a few minutes he was content to be quiet, but curiosity surfaced.
"What do you think of the kitchen improvements?"

"I am loving them, to be honest. I was doubtful that it would be worth all
of the trouble of cooking out in the Weyrbowl, but it's nice." Chaysea
would not want to have to go through the stress of moving the kitchens
again, but the benefits of electricity were certainly worth it.

"That was certainly an experience to witness," he agreed. "I hear
eventually they'll do individual weyrs, but I'll be happy enough to get
more public improvements done. I'm sure the refrigeration must give you
ideas."

"Being able to store food longer certainly gives the cooks more options for
what they can provide at meal time." Chaysea squinted as they came out of
the shade of the Weyr and into the full light of the sun. The powdery sand
was nearly blinding in the sun, and the blue water sparkled as they walked
down to the water's edge.

"It's beautiful here. Sometimes I think I miss Rising Moons, and then I
see the sea in the summer," L'pin mused. "It makes me want to walk along
forever and see the whole continent by foot."

Chaysea was quiet for a moment before saying, "I never miss Amber Hills. My
family there was nearly unbareable," she thought of Chupsin and the way he
had berated her for going to the Weyr, "and it snowed too much. I really
cant imagine ever leaving Dolphin Cove."

"I miss snow as an occasional event for watching, but to live in for a
whole winter sounds awful. I'm happy that you're happy here, though." What
if she'd been miserable?

"It was a hard transition at first, trying to get use to the different
lifestyle here, and then picking up so many duties." Even though she had
been Headwoman at the Vintner Hall before coming to Dolphin Cove, the sheer
quantity of people needing things was much greater at the Weyr.

"And how has it been overall? Either the duties, or the lifestyle? I know
the latter took me some time to get used to." He'd welcomed the changes,
but also feared them.

"I love the duties now. It might sound strange but I do enjoy being
busy and working hard and then feeling as if I have accomplished
something. The lifestyle is a little harder, I enjoy the variety
Weyrlife brings but I don't necessarily want to give up all of my
upbringing and behave like the other weyr women."

"That makes sense. You're a traditionalist. Not that that's a bad
thing... I'd say in many ways, I'm one as well." In fact, he rather
thought it took courage to not change completely.

When they arrived at a spot of beach where there weren't so many
people, Chaysea dropped her bag from her shoulder and spread out the
blanket where they could sit. "Water looks warm."

"I hope so, I'd like to get a chance to swim. Bathing Chaneth in the
weyrlake isn't quite the same as a good swim." He peeled off his shirt
and pants. To be mindful of Chaysea's sensibilities, he was keeping on
a pair of shorts. He didn't want to shock her by swimming naked - he'd
save that for more privacy.

Chaysea was getting quite comfortable with the sight of L'pin in less
clothing, and she found that she even liked it. Not to mention she
didn't quite shade her eyes as much any more when she passed by the
Weyrlake where the dragonriders bathed their lifemates. It didn't hurt
to look a little did it?

Pulling off her sandals, Chaysea untied the sides of her dress and
then lifted it over her head and placed it beside of the blanket. The
one piece she wore was conservative compared to what others wore on
the beach, but it still showed far more leg and back than Chaysea ever
revealed to anyone else. "What? Being swamped by a dirty dragon isn't
the same as swimming?" she teased.

"Absolutely it isn't," he said. "And by the way, you look lovely."

Chaysea's white teeth flashed as she smiled at L'pin, "Thank you. You
are looking," she let her eyes do a slow sweep, "very nice yourself."

He was vain enough to appreciate her look and her smile. Stepping
closer to her, he gave her a kiss. "We'll be the nicest pair of this
part of the beach."

The kiss made her happy. More and more she found that she yearned for
L'pin to be affectionate with her-- it was a new feeling, something
that she'd never wished for with anyone else.

In one rushed breath Chaysea suddenly said,
"Lastoneingivestheotherabackmassage!" The Headwoman then pushed off
from L'pin and streaked toward the water.

He took off across the sand after her, but he was not as fleet as foot
on the sand, and the moments he had spent detangling her words had
cost him. He stretched out his hand to catch her as she arrived at the
water, but overbalanced and fell into the surf face first.

Chaysea squealed in laughter as the splash from L'pin's fall washed
over her. As she moved out into waist deep water, she braced her hands
on her hips triumphantly and when L'pin surfaced she proudly
announced, "And that makes me the winner."

"Looks like it," he agreed, shaking his head like a wet canine. Water
splattered everywhere. "You can collect later."

"Oh, I won't forget." She promised.

He struck out deep enough that he could float on his back, then looked
up at the sky. Warm water, blue sky, sun shining...It felt like
paradise. Like there was nothing but him and Chaysea in the world.

"This is a wonderful place to be," he declared.

Chaysea smiled as she watched him. She couldn't remember seeing him
ever look so relaxed before. "It is. I wish every day could be like
today."

"Me too. This feels like an ordinary day. Do you ever wish you weren't
Headwoman and were just Chaysea again?"

The brunette considered the question for a moment before replying
honestly, "No. I don't have family or children, without my job... I
wouldn't have anything."

"So even when it's challenging, it's of worth to you?" That was respectable.

Chaysea combed her fingers through the water as she spoke, "I think I
like it _more_ when it is challenging. Dealing with a challenge and
coming out on the other side makes me feel as though I have
accomplished something worth while. I like that. It gives me purpose."

"And the recent upheavals must make it difficult enough to give you
that feeling," he guessed. She had done great work with the
disruption.

"Yes, something like that." Chaysea blushed a little. "Is that weird?"

"I don't think so. It means that pressure brings out the best in you.
Like how rocks become diamonds."

The Headwoman grinned and pushed her hand through the water, sending a
splash in L'pin's direction, "What does that make you then?"

"Well if the Weyr's various crises are the rocks that are compressing
you, then I'm...you know, this is maybe a ridiculous metaphor," he
admitted.

"Maybe you are right." Chaysea giggled. "But you know, I think I would
like to start collecting on that bet now."

"And where would you like to collect, my lady? There's a blanket to
keep you off the sand, or we have weyrs."

"The beach is fine." Warm sand, the sound of the waves and the warm sun
while getting a massage? What could be better?

Last updated on the November 27th 2015

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Like A Diamond