He's gone

Writers: Paula, Eimi
Date Posted: 6th October 2011

Characters: U'kaiah, Aileyan
Description: U'kaiah tries to console grieving Aileyan.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 4, day 4 of Turn 6
Notes: Follows Too incredible.

Aileyan made it to the shelter of her own weyr before she broke down.
Kjarliheth was left to wait her bath, she didn't even remove her flight
gear. She just collapsed on to her bed and started crying. M'non had
been like uncle, nay like father-figure to her. Since she was a
candidate, he's been her mentor and trusted friend. He had helped her to
unravel the mystery of her birth. He had been there when Aileyan
confronted her mother about her father. She had been there when she was
reunited and then separated again of her biological father. He had
fussed over her when she was pregnant, he had been like grandparent to
Ravyan. How was
she able to live without him?

Her green contacted Kalamath, worried for her rider. U'kaiah had his
post Thread responsibilities as a Wingleader, but he hurried through
them as fast as he could and hurried back to her weyr. Without even
knocking he pushed open her door. "Aileyan? Where are you?"

Aileyan didn't reply, she didn't reply to her lifemates worried
inquiries or to Timor's attempts to catch her attention by tugging her
hair.

}: She's shutting me out, :{ Kjarliheth complained to Kalamath.

"Aileyan?" he asked more gently when he found her spread across her bed.
Laying his hand on her back, he could feel her sobs. He had seen the
greenrider sad and vulnerable before, shedding quiet tears, but never
like this. "Sweetheart, what's wrong?"

"He's gone, dead," she murmured.

"M'non?" The bluerider had died in the Fall that day and he had not
heard of anyone else, though it was possible that she might have heard
news of someone else. U'kaiah supposed it could also be her father. He
didn't exactly seem to be in the best of health.

"Yes! He's my friend," she wailed. "How can I go on without him? He was
first people I got to know when I came here. He looked after me, fussed
over when I was pregnant." She sniffed and hiccuped.

"Oh, shards," U'kaiah murmured softly, understanding now. He knew there
was no real comfort he could offer her except to ride the wave along
with her. Laying down beside her, he wrapped long arms around her.
"I'm so sorry, Aileyan."

Aileyan pressed her face against his chest, clung to his tunic with her
fists and just wailed wordlessly.

"It's all right," he whispered over and over. "It's going to be all
right." U'kaiah covered her cheek, temple, and forehead with soft
kisses as he caressed her hair, arm and back. He knew she most likely
could not feel the sensations, lost in her grief as she was, but he
hoped that she could at least feel his presence, and take comfort from
his intentions.

After a while she just run out of tears, pulling herself back up
straight with some dry sobs.

U'kaiah lifted himself up after her, keeping an arm around her as he
reached up to wipe her tear streaked cheek with the back of his fingers.
There was nothing he could really say to comfort her. They all had
lost very dear friends over the last few Turns. A few came to mind.
One particular petite, though imposing Weyrwoman, Jaela, came to mind,
though she had not been lost in Threadfall. Still, he could understand
all too well her pain in that moment.

Aileyan had never lost someone really close to her before, not someone
she did love deeply. "How do people go on after things like this?" she
asked desperately.

"Well, first you cry. Then you cry some more. You miss them and they
stay close in your thoughts for a while. But you can also take comfort
from the people around you who care for you. You have lost something
special, Aileyan, but you have to remember that you have not lost
everything." He leaned his head against hers as he wrapped his arms
tightly around her once more. "Ravyan and I are still here, and we are
not going anywhere."

"Ravyan...shards, I have to tell him too. He's going to miss uncle M'non
too," she said.

U'kaiah was pretty sure the little boy would not miss him as much as his
mother thought. Kids that age could forget quickly, which was a
blessing as far as the bronzerider was concerned. "Ravyan will be just
fine," he said, rubbing her back. "Don't worry. You'll both move on
from this. You won't forget, but you will continue. I promise."

She leaned back against his chest, taking the comfort he offered. She
mumbled something inaudible but at least she was done crying, for now.

He wasn't sure what it was she had said and he leaned his head down a
little closer. "What was that, sweetheart?"

"People I love always leave me," she said with mournful voice.

}: I don't :{ Kjarliheth interrupted quickly and sent a wave of love to
her rider.

"Most of the people I've loved have left me, too. Most of them don't
mean to." And for some of them, well, they just had to do what was
right for them. "It hurts, I know, but there will always be people who
love you, Aileyan."

She hoped he was right, otherwise she would end up very lonely.

Last updated on the November 6th 2011

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