A Real Man

Writers: AL, Kaysea
Date Posted: 17th July 2008

Characters: Fog, Eliste
Description: Fog spends some time at the waypoint with Eliste.
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 11, day 10 of Turn 4

Eliste had taken the time while Fog was out and about to work on some of the sewing Reitha had asked her to do. She had been visited by the healer a candlemark before and had been taken off of restrictions completely since she was close enough to her due date. Of course, she hadn't admitted exactly how much she had been walking around. Had she had any hint of problems due to it, the healer wouldn't have had to tell her to go back on bedrest - she would have put herself on it. However, there had been none other than the normal 'practise' contractions that were so common during that stage of the pregnancy.

Fog hadn't wasted the days he had spent at the waypoint, he had been busy on behalf of the family, taking a few candlemarks each day to visit outlying cotholds to see what they had to offer in the way of new goods to transport or trade. He was still close enough to Eliste, that if she went in to labour he wouldn't be far away. A firelizard popping over his head would be an indication that the birth was imminent, and it served to reassure them both that he would make it back to the waypoint in time.

Eliste was on the last edge of the current sheet when the knock came upon the door. "Come in!" She called out, not wanting to stop in the middle of her work to answer. She looked up as Fog entered and immediately a smile shined upon her face. "Hey."

"Hi lady." he smiled, closing the door behind him. "How're you..." he stopped talking when he realised she was busy with the sheet. "Sorry." he whispered, taking a seat on the edge of her bed. he watched her as she worked, still amazed by the fact she wanted to be with him.

"Sorry? For what?" Eliste's gaze moved back to her work, but silently she took pleasure in his closeness. Perhaps it was simply the obsession that came with a new love, but them being apart, even for short periods, even when she knew he would be there again in a few candlemarks made her even more eager to see him again.

"For disturbing you." he smiled at her distraction. "I thought you may like to come for a walk with me this afternoon, the weather is mild and I thought it would be nice?"

"You didn't disturb me." Eliste assured him, her fingers still working at the sheet. "And I would love to walk with you. Is there anywhere in particular you would like to walk?"

"I just thought it would be nice to have a walk down to the river and back?
See who is docked at the moment, I know the Sungazer won't be back for a few days, but there are small boats down there, and I thought maybe we could go for a short ride in one of the skiffs?"

"Certainly." It may have been that Eliste's fingers picked up speed.
Perhaps it was the motivation of the afternoon with him. Or perhaps it was simply imagination. "The riverboat is the only boat I've ever been on."

"Well a short ride in a skiff will give you some more experience, and I can show you how manly I am by rowing you up and down the river." he chuckled.
"I am quite manly, you know."

"Is that so?" Eliste's soft laughter warmed the room for a brief moment.
Finally, her fingers skidded to a halt as she tied off the stitches and then set aside the sheet. "Then I suppose I shall have to let you show me how manly you are."

"Oh?" his eyebrows rose playfully, and he watched as she blushed prettily.
"Oh, I meant... err, rowing." he grinned widely, and reached across to drop a kiss on her forehead.

The red in her face increased at his touch though she took pleasure in it.
She hadn't meant her response that way, but Eliste realised how it had sounded. Not that she didn't _want_ that but...the burning in her face seemed to grow even more intense and Eliste searched for a way to slip her mind off the subject. "So...what have you been doing?"

"The same as yesterday, but with more success." he grinned, helping her to rise from her seat. "I found a new trade for the Sungazer, well - not so much a new trade as a new supplier. Of pots - hand turned pottery."

"Oh?" Eliste smiled, relaxing a little. "So will they be supplying pots then for the Sungazer? Or will the boat be helping in the distribution of them?"

"A little of both as well as trade along the river for us all." he smiled, quite pleased with the way things had gone. He just hoped Lineal would see it the same way, and be assured Fog hadn't been idle while left ashore.

"It sounds like a beneficial situation for both sides." Eliste commented softly, "I'm ready for our walk now, if you like."

"Good! Good!" he pushed himself from the bed, and wrapped his arms around her, "A quick kiss before we leave?" he asked, his voice husky.

"Of course." Eliste wouldn't deny him that. She didn't want to deny him anything, but alas, their situation was still unresolved. She hoped by Faranth that something could be done after the baby was born, and quickly.
she was ready to leave her past behind her and move on with her future.

"MMmm.. You taste good." he smiled down upon her, his tongue slipping out and sliding along his lower lip. "But I couldn't expect anything else from you, could I?" He slipped an arm around her, and guided her towards the door.

Eliste's skin took on more colour and her gaze dropped as she walked beside him. He tasted good to her too, but such a thing was so intimate a detail.
Helvar had never tasted good, never felt good to her. His kiss and touch had always been rough, never gentle, never wanted. Words of intimacy were as rough as his actions and never said in love. But this man...this man cared for her, treated her with respect, was gentle in every word, every action. She wanted this man, wanted him with every fiber of her being.
This was the man she wanted to spend her day with - to spend her life with.

Last updated on the July 21st 2008

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A Real Man