Friend It Is

Writers: AL, Cali
Date Posted: 17th September 2009

Characters: B'lamick, Briata
Description: B'lamick goes to apologise to Briata for the previous day's events.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 4, day 14 of Turn 5
Notes: Mentioned: Tey, Ishek

Briata

Another day, more work to be done. Briata wasn't ungrateful. The Weyr was providing her sanctuary and she was out of an unpleasant situation. A good night's rest helped give her back her energy, though she didn't dare dwell on the events that had taken place the prior day. She had been embarrassed to say the least and only felt even more so when she thought about it. It was best to simply get on with her day and get over it. Briata closed the door behind her and made her way to the dining hall. That was at least one place she could get to without the map.

B'lamick found her before she'd gone more than a few steps away from her quarters. "Briata, glad I caught you." He didn't really know what to say now. He'd felt horrible about how he'd acosted her and knew he wanted to make sure he hadn't ruined their friendship... but how to do that. "Um, can we talk for a minute?"

Briata paused and automatically her face flushed. The events came rushing back and she had to look away before her face turned into flames. "Oh, hello B'lamick. Of course we can." She glanced around but there wasn't really anywhere else appropriate in the hallway.

"I just wanted to make sure that you, that we, were okay." B'lamick started. He nodded politely to a group that passed them then frowned. "Can we talk in your weyr for a minute?"

"Oh, uh, sure." Briata turned right back around and opened her door. She took a breath, but not one big enough for B'lamick to see or hear. She moved inside, then motioned for him to follow her.

Once inside, B'lamick still didn't really know what to say. "So, how's your head?"

"A little sore." Briata admitted and automatically reached up to rub the bump. "But not too bad."

B'lamick gave a lopsided half smile half frown. "Sorry about that. Sorry about all of it actually. I didn't go searching for you or anything, I swear."

Briata offered a small smile in return. "I know. I believe. It was just...so intense. I've never felt that from any dragon before, but I've never been at a weyr with a rising gold before either. Her thoughts were so...carnal."

He frowned as he took in what she'd said, could she really... ** Latarth? Can she hear you?**

}:Yes. She talked to me when the little ones washed me.:{ the bronze replied.

** Why didn't you tell me?** B'lamick asked incredulously.

}:You didn't ask.:{ was his innocent reply.

Huh. No wonder she was affected so strongly. It wasn't just the normal lusting that people new to the Weyr have to learn to ignore, not for her. "I didn't know. It must have been hard. Did you just have her in your head, or did you have the bronzes too?"

Briata blinked. She had commented about her ability and didn't think about it. Why? She was normally so guarded? Probably because she was so open about it with T'vanen and even Zharesti knew. And there was that rumour which was actually true. She had let her guard down. "It wasn't just her, but she was the strongest."

B'lamick nodded though he couldn't quite imagine what it must have been like to have them _all_ in her mind. Latarth was quite enough as far as he was concerned. He was silent a few moments as he thought over her experience, finally having a suggestion to offer. "Next time, when we think a queen will rise, I could take you someplace before. That way you don't have to deal with it. It seems like it would be, uncomfortable, for you to have to stay here."

"Why...thank you B'lamick." The offer was very kind and Briata was taken by surprise. "But wouldn't you want your dragon to chase?"

If it was just a green, B'lamick would say no, but queens were different. For Latarth to become a father, to have his eggs hatch, it would be worth whatever B'lamick had to do. "Well yes, but there's notice with a gold. Usually not much, but sometimes a day or more. We can at least try."

"I thank you for the offer, B'lamick." Getting away from the Weyr did seem like the best idea for Briata didn't really want to go through that again. "I wish I had thought of it before this flight."

"Nobody probably thought to warn you. If you hadn't had such a strong dose, you might have enjoyed it. Alot of people do." He found it more frustrating than anything, but one day he would find someone to share it with. It had almost been with Briata, and _shards_ had it felt good, but that was a line of thinking he didn't want to go down. Her heart was obviously broken by her marriage, and his heart was with Tey- whether she realized it or not.

"Enjoy it?" Shock crossed over Briata's face. "You mean with a person?" She shook her head. "Oh no."

B'lamick felt horrible again for what had happened. She was obviously set in her holder ways, and he respected her for that, but he'd shown her the absolute worst side of of himself. "It could be with a spouse, or a weyrmate. That's the way I'd do it." He tried to explain, "Why do you think I was headed towards the beach?"

"Oh." Briata relaxed visibly at the suggestion. "That would be all right then - spouse or weyrmate. That's different." Weyrmating was the Weyr's version of marriage after all. "You don't have a weyrmate?" She hadn't been around B'lamick enough to know.

B'lamick chuckled. He wasn't much older than her, and if he hadn't impressed he'd be journeyman age by now, an elligible bachelor, so he could understand her confusion. "No, I don't. Here at the Weyr we don't pair up quite as fast or as permanent as at a Hold. It's harder to find someone here that feels just the same as you about each other. People expect different things here."

Briata winced visibly. "Yes, I know." She shook her head. "Love should be forever, not something given only under certain conditions. Adultery, I can understand, that is a breaking of the promise made in love. Much else...no." She probably sounded like a fool to him, or some stuck up hide bound woman. She couldn't help what she felt, though.

"Is that... what happened?" He was probably getting too personal, but then again, they'd almost had sex on her floor, and that was pretty personal too. Still, as soon as he'd asked, he regretted it. "Never mind, you don't have to talk about it. Why don't I escort you to breakfast, I sort of pulled you away and your schedule is probably tighter than mine."

"It's okay." Briata assured him. "I don't mind talking about it. It hurts, but I think talking about it is good. Yes, that is what happened. He broke the vow he made. I couldn't stay after that." The smile she gave him was a faded one, but she finally answered his question. "And an escort to breakfast would be nice, but the company of a friend would be nicer."

It was his whole reason for coming today, to make sure he hadn't ruined their friendship. He couldn't imagine how somebody could _have_ someone as sweet as Briata and then choose to consort with another, but the man was a fool. B'lamick held out his arm as she shut her door when they re-entered the cooridor. "Then a friend it is."

Last updated on the September 21st 2009

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Friend It Is