Awkward Reunion

Writers: HeatherH, Rochelle
Date Posted: 24th January 2007

Characters: Eleada, N'kalen
Description: Gliorith's minor threadscore leads to a very awkward reunion for her rider.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 1, day 3 of Turn 4

}:I'm fine.:{ Gliorith told her rider, sighing in relief as the numbweed cooled the scoring on her tail.

Eleada shook her head, adrenaline still humming in her ears. Shards! It had been too close to a repeat of her big scoring... only this time they had missed the main clump by a fingerswidth. They were lucky she'd only caught the tiny strand, but still. "No." She said firmly. "I want someone to look at it. Just in case."

N'kalen rushed over to the dragon that had just landed. "Where is she scored?" he asked without preamble.

"Her tail." She said promptly, not really looking at the man. **Hold still for him, love. I just want him to check.**

N'kalen quickly examined the injured dragon and found only a very minor threadscore. He applied a little more numbweed and turned to the rider. "It is only..." his voice trailed off as he realized who he was speaking to. Eleada. He never dreamed he would be so close to her again. He tried to find his voice again and failed.

Eleada froze when his voice trailed off, wondering what might possibly be wrong with Gliorith that he had only just seen. Then she realized that he was looking at her. It was unnerving, and she frowned at him. He looked vaguely familiar, the line of his face against the cliffside behind him echoing... Shards!

"N...N'kalen?" She said quietly, her voice nowhere near as steady as she wanted it to be. Shards, shards, shards!

He did not believe it was her. 'Ada, after all this time. "Ah, hello, 'Ada..." His voice trailed off as he did not know what else to say.
She had been his world before, and now....what?

"It's... been a while." She said vaguely, aware that something should be said. But N'kalen was about the last person she'd ever expected to see again. "I didn't realize..." She trailed off, not certain what she should be saying. Shardit!

"It has been...turns. Um, how...how have you been?"

"I've... survived." She said awkwardly. "Fighting, mostly. Like everyone."
She added with a grimace and a faint gesture toward the nasty scarring marring Gliorith's hide beside them. "You?"

"I'm a rider, now. I Impressed blue Myanth. And a journeyman dragonhealer..." N'kalen glanced at her face then looked away. He was swamped with memories, and wasn't sure how to feel.

"I remember." She said quietly. She'd been in the stands for that hatching
-as an excuse to spend time with her infant sons, despite being stationed at High Reaches by then. "Congratulations on the promotion. The weyrs need every dragonhealer they can get."

"Thank you...You ah...seem to be doing well. Gliorith seems to have a few old threadscores that have healed well..."

Faranth! How awkward could this conversation get...? It wasn't the first time she'd encountered an old lover, so why was she acting like a smacked weyrling? "Yes. I hope you and Myanth have been luckier than we have."

N'kalen was not enjoying this conversation. Shards, he never thought he would see her again! "We have been very lucky. Just a couple of minor scores, nothing major."

"That's good." She said automatically, fishing for a way to end the conversation. Shards, but she still remembered their breakup seven turns ago... but then it had been a singularly nasty one. "So, uh, the score on her tail is going to be fine...?"

N'kalen abruptly was startled out of his memories. "Ah. Yes. The usual procedure, numbweed, keep an eye on it. I am sure you know what to watch for."

"Yes. I do." She said lightly, desperately trying to hide her turbulent emotions. "I'll see you later, then."

"Ah, yeah. Come by the dragon infirmary if you need salve or anything else."

Last updated on the January 29th 2007

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Awkward Reunion