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Writers: AL, Anaria
Date Posted: 13th April 2011

Characters: Meledei, Tiernan
Description: Meledei and Tiernan meet, and share a meal
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 1, day 16 of Turn 6

Meledei squeezed through the crowds. The docks were busy, but that
was probably because a couple of new ships had come in. One of them
was supposed to have a friend of her father's, so she had gone with
him. However, once her father and Goritel got into a conversation
that was just of no interest to her, she indicated an intention to
walk around and see what there was to see and would join them for
dinner. Not that she never went to the docks, she just didn't visit
them as often since she had access to dragons before Impression, and
access to her own dragon afterward. She didn't need to go on a ship
somewhere.

But the crowd was getting a bit thick for her liking and while she had
her knots, when it was this full and Meledei was jostled. She needed
to find some place to breathe! She liked people, but it was getting
to be a bit much. The first space she got and first chance she had,
the girl darted through the hole...and found herself on the gangplank
of a ship. Well, not quite what she had in mind, but it left her with
a little more room than before!

Tiernan heard footsteps from below where he stood at the helm, so he
peaked down below. He cocked his head at an angle when he realized
they had a visitor, and a female one at that. Quickly taking note of
her shoulder knots, he shouted out a greeting, "Ahoy there, Goldrider.
Haven't you been told that women are bad luck on ships?" Despite his
words, there was a charm in his voice and a bit of laughter in his
eyes that suggested that he wasn't seriously upset with the woman.
Grabbing ahold of a rope, he swung down to be closer to where she
stood. "And I cannot make you walk the plank very well if it's
attached to a dock!"

Meledei turned, lifting a hand to shade her eyes from the sun and she
smiled. "Ahoy Captain. I think you're a bit superstitious. What
nonsense. If anything, we're _good_ luck on a ship. When he got
closer, the hand dropped and Meledei laughed. "Sorry, but you were a
port in a storm, so to speak!"

Initially taking her literally, Tiernan looked up, but the day was
still quite lovely. "What storm is it that you're trying to avoid,
m'dear?" Tiernan said, the charm continuing. "Is it a particular
person that's bothering you? I can take care of him if that's the
case." He winked conspiratorially.

"Nae, just that storm." Meledei jabbed her thumb over her shoulder
toward the crowd still milling heavily about. "I could barely breathe
in there. Decided to seek shelter while I was still afloat!"

"Aye, THAT storm. That is why I'm still on the boat!" Tiernan said.
"My crew wants to rush off and see the sights as soon as we dock. I,
on the other hand, prefer to stay onboard unless it's possible for me
to sneak off to some secluded beach. Want to come aboard, I'll show
you to the mess, we've got a sharding fantastic cook aboard."

"Sure. Why not." Meledei didn't really have anything else to do. So
she turned and made her way up the gangplank and hopped onto the deck
of the ship. "My name's Meledei, by the way. Rider of gold Elleth."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Meledei," Tiernan greeted warmly. "I'm
Captain Tiernan, this is the Seawing," he said, gesturing to the ship
he stood on as he lead her to the ship's mess. "So what brought you
down to the docks today, official business?"

"Not really. My father had a friend coming in and I just accompanied
him. But they started talking about woodcrafting stuff and I just
didn't feel like pitching in. Not that I know _that_ much about it."
Just a little hear and there, not even as much as an apprentice,
really. "So I said I was going to wander and meet them later. I just
didn't expect to nearly suffocate!"

The goldrider crossed over to teh side of the ship, peering down at
all the people below. "Seawing? How long have you had her?"

"Just shy of two years," He answered with pride. "I got her when I was
promoted to Mastery. I was a Navigator on a ship like this before my
promotion. So were you a woodcrafter at some point?" He asked
curiously. "I can't say that I know a lot about the craft, so you
don't have to worry about me boring you there. I know just enough to
patch my ship!"

"No, actually. My father was a woodcrafter. I was a beastcrafter,
but he's taught me a little." Meledei explained as she leaned against
the rail. "I mainly stuck to just carving. I'm pretty good at it for
someone who's not a woodcrafter." She grinned. "I know enough to get
into trouble and probably not enough to get myself _out_ of trouble.
So you're a Master Seacrafter, huh? I guess that means you move
around a lot."

Tiernan nodded. "Yes, we're one of the faster vessels in the
Seacraft's fleet, so we go all over the place. Every port on the
Southern Continent, and some of the Northern Ports as well," he said,
sitting down at a table. He poured himself a quick glass of wine - a
rather good Northern vintage that he'd been given as a gift from a
Vintner. He poured one for Meledei as well, pushing it across the
table to her with a smile. "Are you hungry, I think we have a good
herdbeast stew on hand?"

Meledei accepted the glass and lifted in it a small salute of thanks
before taking a sip. Not bad. Not bad at all. At the offer of food,
she turned the glass in her hands and nodded. "Sure, I wouldn't mind
lunch. I haven't eaten yet." She'd been far too busy trying to push
her way through the crowds. "If it's not any trouble."

"Cookie, think we can get two stews, some crusty bread, and whatever
fruits are on hand?" Tiernan asked to the older man behind the bar of
the mess. he had only one eye, and his face was heavily scarred. He
nodded quickly, moving off to get the requested food. "We managed to
pick up some herbs and spices while up north, things you don't often
see down here," he explained. "The perks of traveling around a lot,
although I have to remind myself of that when we're making the trip
back down south and the only food we have is fish."

"I'm sure that must get old." Meledei wondered if she'd like
traveling on a ship. Probably not. She enjoyed the freedom that
having a dragon afforded, but she also liked being able to stay home
when she wanted. "Do you ever get tired of it?" She asked, finger
tapping lightly against her glass.

"Sometimes, when it's late at night, my only companion is my
firelizard Squirt, and I long for the companionship of a woman. I
dunno how my Da did it, marrying a woman and raising a family while
being out at sea as well. But then there are those mornings when the
water is calm, and Rukbat is rising over the water, dolphins are
jumping, and the sky is more beautiful than anything you could ever
imagine... that makes up for it." The cook brought out two trays then,
filled with piping hot stew, crusty bread, and some of the citron's
they'd procured from Jade Harbour.

"Why don't you have a family?" Meledei asked, an eyebrow quirking up.
"Maybe there's a woman who would be willing to stay on the ship with
you." She wasn't sure if that was feasible, but if you really loved
someone, why not?

Tiernan shook his head quickly from side to side, genuine fear showing
in his expression. "No can do. Women are bad luck. Whenever I've been
on a ship with a woman, it's ended up sinking - or everything but.
It's fine when we're at port, but not off at sea. Besides, this ship
is a few dragonlengths long, I'd never get away from her! No
relationship could survive that sort of confinement." He didn't add
that the rough life of being a sailor did things to a woman's body
that he didn't precisely consider attractive.

"Bah, bad luck. Superstition with really no foundation. I think you
just have bad timing. I've been on ships before and they never sank on
me." Meledei wrinkled her nose and shook her head. "So do you think
you'll ever have a family then? Or do you just not want one?"

"M'dear, I am a Seacrafter, son of a Seacrafter, son of a Seacrafter,
probably all the way back to the Ancient's time," he explained. "When
you have the sea in your blood to this extent, superstition is
natural. You have too much time to sit and think, and to draw
connections, and to assume one thing leads to a completely unrelated
outcome." He pondered her other question for a moment. "As for the
family, that's something that I've been wondering about recently
myself. If I was in the Hold, I'd have a wife and several children by
now. I'm not sure how I feel about that. What about you? Got a
weyrmate or any kids?"

Meledei's gaze dropped and she stared at the wine that sat in her half
full cup. "No." She stated, her tone off, pain lacing it even though
there was only that single word. She had been burned, and badly so.
The goldrider lifted her glass and took a long pull from her wine.

Tiernan felt bad for asking at that moment, and he lightly placed one
of his hands over hers. "I'm sorry to hear that. If you ride gold,
you're obviously a strong, intelligent woman, who deserves a man
who'll appreciate her. And you're pretty as well, I can't imagine that
you'll have a hard time finding someone worthy."

Meledei lifted her gaze and smiled a little. "I am huh? I think
you're just trying to make me feel better." She had to admit,
compliments did some times help. And she had good friends who were
very supportive, Z'ku and Tanom especially. "Eh, I shouldn't let it
bother me." But it still did.

"Bah, I have no use in tossing out meaningless compliments. How often
do you come down to the docks? The chances of me ever seeing you again
are sadly pretty low. But I do know the sound of a woman scorned, and
I know that no matter how smart or confident a woman is, it can hurt,"
he said softly.

"I honestly don't come down here that often." Meledei admitted after
finishing off her wine. "But I haven't really had a _reason_ to come
down here either." But having a friend to visit, that would be a good
reason. "Why, you going to invite me to come visit you again?" She
asked with a grin.

"Well, you are such pleasurable company, I would certainly entertain
you again," Tiernan said, winking. "Perhaps one time when we'll be
docked here more than a few candlemarks we can take the Seawing for a
quick ride, would you like that? It's not as good as flying, I admit,
but still fun."

"Yes, it is." Meledei agreed. It wasn't ever going to be as
enjoyable as flying with her dragon, but it was different, very
different, and enjoyable in its own right. "And that sounds nice.
Very nice actually." Her face lit up with a smile. "It's a date then.
You should tell me your schedule."

"I end up around here about once every month and half, give or take a
sevenday. I have a firelizard, how about a sevenday before my next
visit, I'll send you a message, and we can plan out a good time?"
Tiernan offered.

"Sure." Meledei nodded, her smile brightening. She enjoyed being
with people and always liked making new friends. And now she had a
Captain as a friend. She had to admit, her friends were an eclectic
bunch. "I look forward to it."

Last updated on the April 27th 2011

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