Pegged

Writers: Eimi, Shelly
Date Posted: 29th August 2006

Characters: Corvera, U'kaiah
Description: Corvera tries to get a handle on an infamous bronzerider
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 13, day 20 of Turn 3

"Excuse me for intruding, Weyrwoman, but I was asked to deliver the report on the weyrling's progress to you, as you requested." U'kaiah held the file out for her to take, pushing down the urge to look around the room and see just how much it had changed since it had been Jaela's office.

"Thank you..." Corvera said absently; her full attention was on the hide in front of her, although she reached for the report he offered her.
"Anything in particular I should... note?" Her eyes were still focused downward.

"Nothing in particular I can think of at the moment," he said as his eyes perused the shelf behind her. It hadn't been there before. It had been on the corner. He remembered it clearly. That was where she had thrown that hide... "Unless you have any questions."

"No... that should be... fine." She sighed and finally looked up and nearly gasped. "Oh! U'kaiah! I'm so sorry!" It was almost enough to make her blush with embarrassment. "I didn't realize it was you!"

"It makes a difference?" the bronzerider asked with an amused chuckle.

"It makes a big difference! While I'd have no problem treating some weyrling staff flunky like that, you certainly have more experience in this weyr than half its residents and I should respect that. I'm sorry."

"No need to apologize." After all, he wasn't in the Weyrlingstaff ranks for his expertise. "Anyway, I was asked to drop this file off to you personally and discuss any questions you might have. But you seem rather busy, so perhaps now is not a good time."

"Now is a fine time, U'kaiah. I could use a break anyway." She shrugged and leaned back in her chair to emphasize her desire for him to stay.
"Please, stay."

"All right. As my Weyrwoman commands," he said with a slight smile to show he was just kidding. U'kaiah took a seat across from hers, his eyes drifting down to her desk, noticing how very different her system of organization was. Shaking his head to clear it of memories he smiled slightly. "Has my son been hiding under your desk much?"

"Actually, no!" She was more than a little bit sad about that. "I've missed him breaking up my day a bit. You should bring him by or at least encourage him - what are little boys if they aren't mischievous?"

"If they _aren't_ mischievous? I have no idea," the bronzerider chuckled. "I never found that spot. I don't even know where _men_ go when they're not mischievous."

"Well where do they go when they are?" Her tone held a few implications.

It almost sounded like flirting. "All manner of interesting places, I suspect. I suppose it depends on how creative they are."

"Like boy, like man." The Weyrwoman sighed. "You never grow up even if you grow old."

"No," U'kaiah said thoughtfully, looking around the Weyrwoman's office and remembering the one who occupied it before. "We grow up a little sometimes."

The comment and the look on his face made Corvera realize what he must have been thinking. "Would you like to get some klah with me? I'll need some more before too much longer..." She offered to get him out of the office that probably reminded him so much of Jaela.

"I think I'd like that," he nodded. "And maybe steal a cookie or two?"

She waved a hand as she got up. "You can steal a cookie - I'll stick to a fruit tart today. I swear, the pastries in this place are going to make a fat woman of me before Turn's End!"

"They haven't seemed to have an effect so far," the bronzerider smiled.
A fruit tart and a cookie wouldn't be bad...

"Thank you for noticing." Had he been looking? She snuck a look or two as they started down the hall; Corvera still had no idea who he really was and hadn't gotten a handle on him - just what was she doing with him?

She was as great as mystery to him as he was to her, though for completely different reasons. He had noticed her figure, her gold, her handling of the Weyr and the way his son seemed to be able to charm her the same as he charmed all the goldriders he knew. But other than that, he hadn't even bothered to try to get a handle on her. "So, how is your new Second working out?" he asked, trying to make conversation to break the silence.

"She's starting to work out really well, actually." Now that both women were actually starting to work with one another, they were actually beginning to build a relationship. "I think she'll be great for they Weyr. How are the Weyrlings?"

"Enjoying their new found freedom," U'kaiah said giving her a knowing smile. They had both been there before, after all.

Corvera remembered those days with great fondness - some of her best times, young and carefree; she almost betrayed her thoughts and laughed.
"Those were interesting days, to say the least. Are they all staying out of trouble?"

"As well as any of us did," the bronzerider chuckled. He knew he had made his fair share of mischief as soon as he was let free. A whirlwind of bottled up adolescent lust was unleashed on the Weyr that day. Yes, he had a lot of fun and his fair share of trouble earning his reputation. "I used to be the kind of bronzerider every female was warned about, you know."

"You think you're aren't still?" She laughed blatantly.

"Why, what have you heard?" U'kaiah was curious what people said about him. Especially after all that had happened. "Truly, I'm curious."

Corvera was very aware that his eyes were upon her. "It's not like anyone has _said_ anything per say, but there are rumors..." She enjoyed teasing him with ambiguity.

That sounded rather vague... "Like?"

"... Like you're the most charming rider on the Southern Continent and that you frequently use that to your advantage."

The bronzerider snorted. "Ah yes. I'm just so charming women are knocking down my door."

Corvera rolled her eyes. "Oh please, U'kaiah. I already know about you and your reputation. Don't try and deny it. It might not be completely true but it has to be based on something real."

A small, wry smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "I suppose it was based on _something_ real. But, I don't want you to think I would bed any willing woman who crossed my path. It was more than that."

"I wasn't under the impression that you were some sort of playboy; don't worry. You don't exactly seem like that kind of guy."

"Well, to be fair, I guess I can't say I didn't earn some of my reputation at one time. But there's always more to it than meets the eye." The Weyrwoman crossed her arms as she walked. "There sure is." The comment was somewhat veiled, but she meant it to be. "So tell me about the real U'kaiah."

"The _real_ U'kaiah?" That was a rather broad categorization. "What part of him?"

"The part that always makes things harder than they have to be." She said simply.

The bronzerider snorted quietly. "If we all have a part like that in us, we're the last ones to know where it is."

"You don't have to be so defensive and tough all the time."

"Now, see, there's more than meets the eye," he chuckled. "I didn't realize I came across as tough and defensive. At least, I don't _feel_
tough or defensive."

It was the Weyrwoman's turn to laugh. "See? You're doing it even now.
It's almost endearing!"

"Well, see then," he shrugged, "you have me pegged. I guess there's no more you need to know about me."

"You're far from pegged. Other than that little detail, I'm lost." She admitted, although the more she got to know him the more she wanted to know. Corvera couldn't say if she was interested or not, but she was definitely intrigued.

Last updated on the August 30th 2006

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