A Quick Question

Writers: Emma, Rochelle
Date Posted: 19th July 2006

Characters: Eleada, K'deren
Description: Eleada aproaches K'deren with a question after drills, and they discuss their children.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 12, day 10 of Turn 3

K'deren

**Let me down by Donneth's rider. I want to ask him something.**
Eleada told her green.

}:Donnneth is a strong flier.:{ Gliorith remarked appreciatively.
Surprised, Eleada carefully checked Gliorith's color as they came in for a landing, then let it slide. It had been over a turn since Gliorith had risen because of her injuries, but it wouldn't happen today.

Eleada slid to the ground, and Gliorith leaped up to join some blues sunning on the rim as she approached K'deren. K'deren... the name was vaguely familiar, and so was the face and dragon. But she couldn't for the life of her remember why. She'd had this problem a lot the last few days as she finally started to settle in.

"Eleada?" He questioned what and who he was seeing for a moment. "I heard you were back."

**Well, at least _he_ remembers me. Now _how_ does he remember me?**
She wondered. Most of the riders who'd been in the weyr seven turns ago had left, but there was still a sizable number there to give her deja vu.
**Old lover, maybe? There were half a million before the twins... Or maybe he was one of C'radan's friends...**

"Yeah." She smiled cheerfully, hiding her confusion. "As of the eighth. First time I've been warm in seven turns."

"I bet," he checked the knots she wore whilst returning the smile.
"You've met M'kel? The Wingleader?" he asked.

She nodded, pulling out the crumpled hides from her thigh pocket.
"Yes, the first day. I just had a quick question on these maneuvers." She snatched at one as it fluttered out of her hand, using the move to hide another glance at his face. She knew that face...

"Let me see," he said reaching for the hides. "This is a variant on a drill that we wanted to try, to cover for having fewer fighting riders at the moment. It requires a little more movement from the greens and blues while bronze and browns provide cover."

She gave up trying to figure out how she knew him as she bent over the hides. If he wasn't upset, it probably didn't matter anyway. She had come to Dolphin Cove for a new start after all. "Yes. My question was here." She tapped a figure near the bottom of the hide. "I'm not sure what I need to be doing. The ink is smudged on this copy."

"Right," he said following where her finger pointed. "That's showing the point at which the wingthird brings the second wave in. You'll be expected to move quickly as the changeover happens, then either drop into the formation, or return to the weyr immediately."

"Hmm." She said studying the diagram carefully. "But... Oh. I see.
That makes sense." She straightened up, and began folding the hide to shove back in her pocket. "Thanks. You thirsty? I was thinking of heading up to the dining hall for some klah. It's on me." She smiled invitingly.

He appreciated the sentiment, even if the weyr did provide for it's residents. "I'm sorry, but I have to get back and see my daughter, she's still a baby, too young to understand if I miss her."

Eleada softened her smile, klah forgotten. "I have three sons, but I always wanted a daughter. How old is she?"

"Almost a turn, and the image of her mother."

"That's always lucky. Is she your only one?"

"No, there are three others running around here. Another girl and two boys." It was instinctive to still count Vonalie's son as his own, something he supposed he would always do.

"Four then." She sighed, her stomach doing a queer jerk and going sour at the thought of trying for a daughter. Uneasily, she moved on. "How old are they? My eldest is ten, and the twins are seven."

"Eleven, seven, five, and one next month."

She raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like some of them might be in the same classes. If they know each other, we could let them have a playdate."
She grimaced. "They may have one already, for all I know. My mother is raising them, and I hadn't seen then for six months before I transferred."

"That must have been hard."

"Yeah." She said guiltily. "They were happy to see me back. But I'm not much of a mother. I mean, I saw them every sevenday until Gliorith was scored, but..." She shrugged.

"Hopefully we can work things to help you see a bit more of them, if that's that you'd like."

She shook her head. "Thanks, but I don't think that will be necessary.
I've been spending most of my free time with them." She paused, then looked at him guiltily. "And I'm keeping you from your daughter.
Sorry."

"Don't worry about it," he said. "Once I get there, she'll just smile at me..."

"And the world will fade away." She finished softly. "Thanks for clearing that up for me. I'll let you go now. Have a good time with them."

"I will, and don't forget that if you have any more questions about drills, you can come and see me or M'kel at any time."

"Of course. I'll see you tomorrow." Eleada said, and started walking toward the dining hall.

Last updated on the July 19th 2006

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A Quick Question