Double Take

Writers: Iluva, Shawna
Date Posted: 17th April 2026

Characters: Cirina, A'radess
Description: Caprina’s story comes to an end
Location: Barrier Lake Weyr
Date: month 13, day 28 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: Aydhara

A'radess

It had been easy enough to avoid A’radess the first sevenday, when Cirina was spending all of her time either taking care of Saejith, or napping (with Saejith) while she tried to get used to the time change. Well, there’d been the one time she had to hide under a table in the Dining Hall, but Aydhara had almost stopped teasing her about that.

It had lulled her into a false sense of security, so much so that she had failed to come up with any kind of plan for what to do if she simply rounded a corner and practically ran into him. So, she simply froze, staring wide eyed at him, halted in mid-step.

“Sorry, I--” A’radess did a double take, his conversation with Tarvanneth cutting off abruptly as he caught his bearings, looking more than a little surprised himself.

After a beat, however, his expression brightened. “Caprina.” He smiled and, not wanting to impede traffic, took a half-step to the side of the corridor. But-- not away. “Faranth, I was wondering when I’d get to see you again, and then-- well, congratulations!” A’radess might have hoped it would be before now, but the rigours of training and the demands of a new dragonet weren't something easily forgotten. He straightened his shoulders slightly as he glanced at her knots. They rather suited her.

“Ohno. Ohno.” Cirina only realized she was saying that out loud when the second repetition was louder than the first. “We. Uh.” She briefly considered whether or not she could play dumb and convince A’radess that Aydhara was in fact friends with two identical red heads who were never in the same room at the same time.

Even if A’radess were dumb enough to believe it (he was so pretty, how smart could he be?), she didn’t think Aydhara would back her up on that. “I uh. May have lied. When we met.”

That she did not seem happy to see him did not go unnoticed, and if it weren’t for the fact they had seen enough of each other and A'radess knew they’d enjoyed themselves, he might’ve started to worry a little more than he did.

“Lied?” He echoed after a long pause.

He hadn’t been able to coax many details from Aydhara about her; he wondered now if it was something that went beyond the secrecy of female friendships. Possibilities bloomed quickly. Perhaps she'd had a boyfriend all along. Or had met someone. Perhaps a husband. Look at her. She was gorgeous. In hindsight, it might have been a bit foolish to think (hope) she wouldn't meet and get entangled with someone else whilst out on circuit, or elsewhere.

Still, A’radess cocked his head slightly, intrigued. “Lied about what?”

“Well, uh, my name is actually Cirina and you should probably know that before well, anyone tries to talk to me around you.” She wasn't usually the blushing type, but her cheeks were flushed as red as her hair. “This,” she gestured at her shoulder knots, “was a surprise.” There was a little weight off her shoulders at this, at least. Surely the other lies didn't matter as much as that big, awkward falsehood.

“Ci… rina?” The foreignness of it felt clunky in his mouth. He glanced at her knots again. Then shook his head. “But. Wait, hang on-- Aydhara's always called you Caprina, even when you weren't here.” His face might have reddened slightly, as well, as that was the name he'd used at least once while they were in the throes of passion. “Did you lie to her, too?”

In a completely serious tone, Cirina said, “Aydhara is a very good friend and wingwoman. I am very lucky to have her.” His reaction set Cirina’s heart racing with nerves, and she rushed to say, “Anyway. I thought you should know before um. Before that got awkward.”

A’radess couldn't suppress an uncomfortable chuckle. Oh, it was awkward, all right. The potential Turn’s End plans he’d mentioned to his sister fizzled at the edges of his mind; the memories of the bonfire last turn blurred by alcohol, and it was becoming more and more difficult to hold any coherent picture of what was true and what might be invention. Tarvanneth’s curiosity danced in now as well, who for his part just wanted to know when she would be coming up to visit, but A’radess didn't know how to respond to him or to ‘Cirina’ yet.

“I don't believe this…” He ran a hand through his hair and cast a short glance around them, confusion shading firmly into embarrassment. “So… what, it was just some joke between the two of you?” He managed evenly, though he made an exasperated gesture. “I guess you wouldn't have said anything if it wasn't for--” and a brow arched sharply at her shoulder, the accusation trailing off before it quite landed.

“Well, uh… In my defense, when I lied about my name it was because I hadn’t ever planned to talk to you again. I… I messed that part up.” It really was his fault, really. If he’d been duller, she wouldn’t have wanted to talk to him again. “Then, there wasn’t really a right time. And this isn’t that either, but here we are. It seemed like a fun idea the first time. I could be someone more exciting.”

That stilled the discomfort, the tight knot of emotion loosening. “Capri-- erm, Cirina,” he said with quiet seriousness and just a hint of his smile returning, “You are one of the most exciting people I've met and I barely know anything about you. Honestly, Aydhara's a great wingwoman.” Just a few casual liaisons, a flight Tarvanneth had almost won, and then Aynia-- so hot and cold he decided it best to let her be and focus more on Wingdrills than his wingmates in that way. But someone he'd actually looked forward to seeing?

“Oh, no, I assure you, I’m very boring,” Cirina said earnestly.

“Phew. Okay.” A'radess’ smile tugged wider. “I'll admit, for a minute there, I was expecting something worse. Maybe a husband somewhere and, I don't know, a whole circuit's worth of children to get back to.” He chuckled, more humor than edge to it now. Then, paused with a sheepishness that was almost boyish. “Oh, Faranth. Do you? Because that's a lot of surprises for one afternoon. I'm glad to see you, seriously, whatever the circumstances. I'd just like to know who I'm actually talking to.” }:Saejith,:{ Tarvanneth supplied helpfully, at the back of his mind. A'radess exhaled. “So, _Ci_rina. Saejith's rider now.”

“Oh no,” Cirina said hurriedly, “No husband. Definitely no children. I uh. I do have a firelizard.” She winced, having once shot down his suggestion that getting one would be a good way to keep in touch. Her eyes unfocused a bit, and then Digger appeared from //between// in the middle of them. Based on the inexplicably chiding tone to the squawks, the little brown had opinions about something as he settled down in Cirina’s arms. “Just me, Digger, and Saejith. Really, Saejith is the most interesting thing about me, and I’m pretty sure he only picked me because Rath had already claimed Aydhara. He denies it, but I’m not so sure.”

“Digger, huh.” A’radess’ eyebrows rose, then settled, at both the disclosure and the sudden appearance. Though seeing as she was getting an earful from the little brown already and had a baby dragon waiting in the barracks, he’d let that go. For now.

“What's got you worked up, hm?” he said in a soft, low voice to the firelizard, not touching, just acknowledging. Dark-hided, well-oiled, fully-grown. Then, to Cirina, “I wouldn’t hesitate to take your dragon’s word on that. He chose you and he knows you. Whichever you that is.” The small smile that followed had _just_ enough in it to suggest he meant more than one thing by that. He gave a short, unhurried nod then and half-turned to go. “I’m sure we’ll be seeing each other around, Saejith’s rider.”

Digger squawked a few more times before Cirina finally reached up and put her hand in front of his face, as if he’d forget his anger if he couldn’t see A’radess. He did quiet, scurrying up her arm to wrap himself around her neck.

“We could, um. Maybe get lunch sometime?” Cirina was embarrassed at the hopefulness in her voice, “I mean, if you wanted to. I’m afraid I don’t actually have exciting stories about remote circuits. I stole some of those from a friend.”

A'radess’ green eyes lingered on her face longer than was strictly casual. His hands had already found the collar of his riding jacket as he turned back, pressing it down where it had ridden up-- a small, telling gesture of him working something over privately.

“Lunch,” he said, finally. “The real stories this time. And the borrowed ones too, if you like. But I don’t want to be looking for the difference.” He paused, but meant it when he said: “Send word through Saejith. I'll find the time.”

“Oh, yes, I supposed I should be using Saejith more than Digger for things like that,” the brown jerked his head to look at her like he’d understood that. “I will. Soon. So. Bye.” Cirina hesitated then for a moment, like she wanted to do or say something else, then turned and fled. Slowly. (Mostly)

“Bye.” A'radess watched her go, relieved and somewhat amused. He stood there longer than necessary before the mystified part started to catch up.

Later, when the fuller weight of the moment settled into his bones, he'd notice the way his ribs hurt a little and his head wouldn't stop spinning, and he'd wonder what else she and Aydhara might have lied about. He wanted to believe that this was it.

He wanted to trust that she must have felt like a nobody before, the way he had before Tarvanneth, and that it was just a harmless thrill that had got the better of her. It was more the length of the lie rather than what it hid that really bothered him. But even if it had been spun under force of circumstance, not so much personal conviction, A’radess found he couldn't completely write her off. She was still adorable. The real question was whether he was willing to trust her, even somewhat.

He wanted to.

Last updated on the May 1st 2026

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Double Take