Forbidden moment

Writers: Eimi, Paula
Date Posted: 20th April 2010

Characters: Zelanka, Petriv, N'wat
Description: Zelanka catches a glimce of something that shouldn't happen.
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 8, day 23 of Turn 5

The bluerider's hand covered Petriv's where it rest against the stall
rail. It was a familiar touch, and being that they were completely
alone save for the livestock, he felt no hesitation to touch him so
openly. "I thought you were going to come with the tithe train this
time. I looked for you."

"I was supposed to, but something came up that kept me here," Petriv
replied, his fingers entwining with the blueriders. His other hand
rested on runner's neck.

"I thought nothing could keep you from the Weyr," N'wat said with a
teasing smile.

"I wish that was the case," Petriv sighed. He had missed the bluerider.

"Well, since you won't come to me, of course I had to come to you. I
hope you don't mind." N'wat reach his fingers up gently run them
through the holder's hair. "You need a hair cut, you know."

"I should ask my wife to trim it," Petriv said.

The bluerider replied in a soft tone that was only mostly serious.
"Don't talk about your wife. It only depresses me."

"No, I wouldn't want to do that," Petriv said.

"Good. Because there are so many ways I can think of that we can make
each other happy." His thick fingers wrapped around the back of
Petriv's neck and he pulled him close, kissing him with no reserve
whatsoever.

~*~

Petriv had had some indigestion, and Zelanka thought to surprised him by
bringing his tea (from herbs that soothed upset stomach) to him to his
work. He should drink it thrice a day, but knowing her husband, Zelanka
knew he would forget it. She had to ask around, since he wasn't at the
paddock where she expected him to be. One of the stable hands tipped that he
might be at the stable, since his runner had some problems with it's hooves.
Entering the dim building, she spied two figures, wrapped in kiss. They
didn't notice her, so she retreated outside. She stood there a moment,
hesitating.

Part of her was angry. She had stopped over thirty Turns ago, why wasn't
he. And why here, couldn't he limit it to the Weyr? Nobody knew what he did
there, but here, someone might accidentaly walk in. Like her just now. The
other part of her wanted to protect him. They were bound together, with ways
that went beyond love and marrige. They understood each other. Perhaps they
didn't love each other like husband and wife, but the did love each other.
Platonic as it was, it was love.

With resolve, she entered the stable again, this time stamping her foot
loudly and calling. "Yohoo Petriv! Are you here?"

N'wat pulled back right away, very much aware what would happen to
Petriv should anyone see them. Perhaps they had been too rash thinking
they could ever be alone in a Hold. Thankfully, it sounded like whoever
it was hadn't seen anything. Patting the animal's side, the bluerider
tried to avoid suspicion. "You're right, Petriv, this runner would
serve the Weyr well."

"Over here!" Petriv replied to his wife, recongnizing her voice. "It's a
shame to give it up, but it's getting too old for work here," he replied
to N'wat.

"There you are, darling. I brought your tea. I bet you forgot it?"
Zelanka said, her cheery voice ring false to her own ears too.

Petriv winced, either because he was reminded of his tea or the because
he detected the false tone in her voice.. or both.

Darling? N'wat quickly realized just who this woman was. He had heard
of her before, of course. A little part of him resented her, though
Petriv always spoke warmly and highly of her. But she was part of his
cover, part of the lie that forced Petriv to hide who he really was.
Had the bluerider been born in a Hold, he might have suffered the same
fate.

"Who's your friend?" Zelanka asked, fighting hard to keep her tone
neutral.

"Zela, this is N'wat from Weyr, N'wat meet my wife Zelanka," Petriv
introduced them, awkwardness apparent from his manner.

"Ma'am," the bluerider said with a polite bow. She was prettier than he
had imagined. Graceful. He had formed a much coarser picture of her in
his mind.

Zelanka nodded and flashed a smile at him. She turned to her husband.
"Drink this," she ordered and gave him the mug.

"Yes, dear," Petriv replied with resignation. He sipped the drink. "It's
cold," he complained.

"Of course it's cold. I had to look for you with it. If you had come to
drink it in time, it wouldn't be cold," she explained, tad bit gleefully.

"I'm sorry," N'wat jumped in at his friend's defense. "I came in rather
unexpectedly on Weyr business and pulled him away. It was my fault."

** Yes, it certainly was his fault, ** Zelanka thought and she wasn't
thinking of the tea. Outwards, she just waived off his protests with a
friendly smile. Keeping that smile up was strain, but she had lot of
practise.

This was becoming more uncomfortable by the minute. "You know perhaps I
should go..." the bluerider said, giving his friend an apologetic smile.
He really shouldn't have just shown up like that.

"We can return to the...subject some later time," Petriv agreed, as
uncomfortable with the situation as everyone else was. He couldn't keep
wondering if Zelanka had seen something she shouldn't. Of course, he
could only blame himself, getting carried away like that.

"Right, well..." The fact that N'wat wanted to say so much more was
reflected in his eyes as he looked at his lover. "Good day to you both
then."

"My duty to you and yours," Zelanka said politely.

"Safe skies," Petriv said and meant it from bottom of his heart.

N'wat nodded, hesitating just a moment before he turned and walked away.

Zelanka wondered if she should talk about this with her husband, but
they never had, so why would they start now?

Last updated on the May 3rd 2010

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Forbidden moment