Everything Stays the Same

Writers: AL, Elyriel
Date Posted: 21st January 2009

Characters: Meledei, T'marek
Description: T'marek congratulates Meledei on Impressing Elleth.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 13, day 23 of Turn 4

Meledei was feeling very welcomed and congratulated. The end of the hatching feast was nigh. It was late and a lot of people had already left to crawl into their beds and sleep the next morning. How early would she have to get up? Probably quite early because Elleth was going to need food. What was the schedule? Meledei couldn't bring it to mind just that moment. She was too happy and too tired at the same time. Perhaps it was time for her to retire as well. The girl turned to head out but didn't even get to take a step. Before her stood a man, a brownrider by his nights. She hadn't seen him before. At least, she didn't _think_ she had seen him before.

Standing as stiffly formal as anyone could, T'marek looked down at the young woman who'd just impressed. He'd put off this duty, telling himself he'd skip it altogether. But a gentle prodding from his lifemate made him realize that as duty bound as he was, he simply couldn't. "Congratulations." He said tersely, a slight bob of his head.

"Thank you." Meledei's smile didn't dim, even at the staccato greeting the man gave her. "I'm...sorry. I don't know your name." She felt like she should, but to be honest, Meledei felt like she should know _every_one's name and that was just nigh impossible.

"T'marek, brown Iriketh's rider." He replied, features still stonily still. "I expect you'll not hear it often. Nor should you have heard it much in the past."

"Oh?" How was she supposed to take that? Meledei wasn't sure. The man didn't seem to give himself much credit. She smiled at him, her gaze holding his. "Well met, T'marek, brown Iriketh's rider. I'm Meledei, rider to gold Elleth...who at the moment is snoring away in the barracks. Are you from here? Or rather, Thayan?"

A short nod was his reply, indefinable eyes meeting the young woman's. To be that young again. He would do some things very differently. "Yes, I've been here for more turns than you've been alive."

"Perhaps you know my father." Meledei suggested. She had seen him toward the beginning of the hatching. He had given her a hug, congratulated her, then left her to the crowds. It wasn't because he didn't care, simply because he knew she was going to be bombarded by people. They would probably have a more meaningful conversation the next day. "D'mal."

Her father. Shells, he really was that old. "Yes, I know D'mal." T'marek replied. "I wasn't aware you were his daughter, however." Which just showed how reclusive he'd become.

Meledei wondered if he had known her mother. That was not a question she was about to ask, however. The man stood there. He seemed so...uncertain in a way. Uncomfortable. Was it because she was a goldrider? Or was there more to it. "T'marek you say?" She asked softly, rolling the name upon her tongue. "I think...I think I _have_ heard of you before, now that I think of it."

"Your father and I are in the same wing, it's possible he has mentioned me from time to time." Although whether the other brownrider had said anything good was anyone's guess.

"Yes, I think he has." Meledei turned to see if she could find her father, but he was gone, possibly to bed. "I remember him mentioning a great maneuver someone did during a recent Threadfall. I believe it was you he mentioned.

Uncomfortable with anything that even hinted at a compliment, T'marek shrugged. "It's amazing what one will do to protect their dragon's hide." Was all he said in reply, neither admitting nor denying that it could have been him her father had been speaking of.

Was that all it was? Meledei smiled. "Well, he spoke rather highly of what you do. I agree with you, though. I mean, through my father I got a hint of what it was like. But now...now..." Her eyes glazed over as if she were talking to her lifemate. Elleth was actually asleep, but mentally, Meledei caressed her dragon. "Now I know that I was nowhere even close...I had no idea at all."

The stony features softened. T'marek remembered what that was like. Being newly impressed and the sheer joy of it all. "You'll find there are many things that are changed even though everything around you stays the same." The brownrider said, realizing he was starting to wax philosophical.

"What sort of things?" Meledei's gaze cleared and she focused back on the brownrider. "Tell me, please." He was opening up to her. It seemed a good thing. He was so reserved and she was afraid it was because of her new status. She didn't want people to be that way around her.

Shrugging, the brownrider cleared his throat. "The way you view the people around you. The way you view each day. You wake up in the morning and feel your lifemate's touch and know you're never going to be alone again..." Realizing he was talking too much, he immediately stopped. "Things like that." T'marek said, reverting back to his silent self.

"It's a wonderful knowledge." Meledei's words were punctuated with a satisfied sigh. "It's nice to not be alone, to know someone is always going to be there, no matter what."

"That it is." T'marek said with a nod. "Well... I won't keep you any longer, I'm sure Elleth will be needing you soon. I just wanted to add my congratulations."

"Thank you T'marek." Meledei gave him another smile. "I look forward to flying with you." Maybe not in the same wing, but they were all part of the same team. Some day, they would fly in the same sky.

The brownrider gave a short, terse nod. "And I you." He replied. "Fair skies, Meledei." He said formally, turning and heading in the opposite direction. There, that duty was done. Now he could return to his weyr while those who were eager to continue the celebration did so.

Last updated on the January 22nd 2009

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Everything Stays the Same