Stew with an egg

Writers: Eimi, Suzee
Date Posted: 4th April 2011
Series: It takes Time to Love

Characters: Tavia, U'kaiah
Description: U'kaiah brings the promised gift
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 1, day 19 of Turn 6

Tavia

U'kaiah carefully cradled the warm ceramic jar next to his body as he
moved in from the ledge. "Tavia? I've got something for you!" he
called before pulling back the curtain.

A squeal sounded from around the corner soon followed by Taivia though
she didn't really fling herself at him. She saw what he carried and
stopped in time. "Oh U'kaiah!"

"Yes, I've got it. Now, before you can think of nothing else but your
pretty new friend, can a man have a kiss and a cold drink?" he asked,
batting his lashes pitifully.

Still grinning she said "Of course" and leaned in to give him the
kiss. Then she patted the jar wondering what her new little friend
would turn out to be. She held the curtain aside so he could come in.
Then moved around him to get the bottle and pour him a glass of his
favorite whisky. She'd begun keeping it on hand for his visits.

While she was occupied U'kaiah set the little jar down by the curtain
and took a seat. "Shards, what a day. And it's not even half over
yet!" For him, at least.

She moved around behind his chair and began rubbing his neck. "What's
been going on?"

"Oh, just the usual wing stuff, I guess. Spring's here, so the tactics
change a bit with the weather, but we have some young riders who have to
get the hang of it. Some are taking longer than others." U'kaiah had
taken quite a bit of pleasure in correcting J'nev on more than one
occasion. "They'll get it, but it takes constant repetition, and some
of the older riders are getting sick of going over it again, which makes
them sloppy and... it's a continuous cycle."

"The young ones just have to drill more at first until they get it."
But she didn't need to tell _him_ that. She dropped a kiss on the top
of his head. She went to the side board and opened a dish. "Remember
when I told you I could cook?" she asked. She ladled stew into a bowl
then brought it over and set it in front of him with a spoon. "I've
been practicing."

His eyes grew a little wider as the smell hit him, reminding him that he
was on his lunch break and really should eat something. But this was an
unexpected treat! "Thank you," he grinned, taking her hand and pulling
her down for a kiss. "Did you have some already?"

"I did!" she smiled and took a seat across the table from him sticking
to her juice. "Do you have to go back right away?"

"I've got about a candlemark." He picked up the spoon and took a bite
of the stew, humming and nodding with approval as he chewed. She
certainly knew how to cook! "This is amazing! You made this?"

She nodded, glad he was enjoying it. Her eyes slid to the jar by the
curtain then back to watch him shovel the food into his mouth. "I used
to hang around my da in the kitchens. He is a baker but the other
cooks would let me watch and stir and all that fun stuff. They taught
me the basics, the rest is taste and the right ingredients."

"Did your Da teach you how to make bubblies? If he did, Kaiafel will
love you forever." U'kaiah grinned as he remembered the image of his
son's downcast face after the Headwoman caught him stealing bubblies
from her kitchen.

She smiled, "I do but that will require revealing my skills in the
kitchens you know." She gave him a meaningful look. "I think he'll
have to earn those." A though occurred to her "Have you told him he's
going to be a brother yet?"

"No, not yet. I want to wait until..." Well, she was a healer, she had
to know the risks in the first term of pregnancy even better than he
did. "I didn't want to get his hopes up and have something happen soon
after. I want to make sure we get over the most... problem prone
stage."

She nodded knowing exactly what he meant. "Well you tell him when the
time is right then."

"I was thinking we could tell him together. Maybe at that picnic we've
been talking about. But you're soon not going to have much time for
cooking..." he said, casting an eye in the direction of the egg safe in
it's jar.

She grinned and clapped popping out of her chair and ran over to the
curtain to pick the jar up and bring it to the table. She pushed his
empty bowl away put it in front of him. She wormed her way into his
lap. She put her arms around his neck "Shame you only have a
candlemark," she sighed and gave him a long slow kiss.

"For sure," he murmured, wrapping his arms around her middle. "But
don't pretend it's me you're excited to see. Go ahead. Open the jar."

"Ok, not _only_ you." She smiled, turned in his lap and took hold of
the lid. She would remember this moment for the rest of her life as
she pulled it off to find... "Gold?"

U'kaiah peered around her to look into the pot. "Huh. So it is."

She carefully closed the jar and turned to put her arms around his
neck and hug him tight. She had never even dared to hope for a flit
egg until he'd said he was going to give her one. But never in her
life did she expect it to be _gold!_

Her eyes were misted with tears as she let go and turned back to open
up again. Sure enough the egg inside still glinted gold. "How long, do
you think?"

"Five to seven days, from what I was told. Not long. Are you sure
you're ready for this?" he asked, a little grin pulling at his lips as
he looked up at her. "Your little friend is going to be quite
demanding. There's still time to exchange her for another..."

"On _no_!" she said putting her arms around the container
protectively. "Very funny!"

He wrapped his arms tighter around her, chin resting on her shoulder.
"So I did good, huh?"

She smiled and leaned back against him. "Yes you did very good." She
reached her hand back to caress the side of his face. "Very good."

Last updated on the April 27th 2011

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Stew with an egg