Moody Goldrider

Writers: AL, Ames
Date Posted: 26th June 2013

Characters: Meledei, T'nom
Description: Meledei confides to T'nom her troubles with R'enh
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 1, day 7 of Turn 7

T'nom

Meledei bobbed above the surface and inhaled deeply. She'd been under
water for some time, a little exercise she did to help improve her
breath control. It was also distracting. Too much had been on her mind
lately and her mood had certainly not been the best. Events at the
Turn's celebration certainly hadn't helped matters at all. Elleth was
getting more and more proddy and to be honest, it seemed to affect
Meledei more than it did the gold, and she hated that. Sometimes she
felt like she just didn't have enough control over herself and it
bothered her.

She made her way to the shore of the lake and plopped down on the
ground. She drew her knees up and let her arms dangle over them. The sun
beat down and she squinted against it's light as her gaze turned toward
some of the others who had come to swim and enjoy the warm day.
She didn't really feel like joining them though she knew several -
another side effect of Elleth, she supposed.

T'nom was part of that group. He'd made more friends after pushing himself
to get to know others. That and all the dancing he'd done with the women
at the last hatching to fulfill his bet to Z'ku, had made him more popular
with the girls. It had opened him up to some of them as well. They'd been
tossing a ball around for some time, when he and a few others had decided
to take a break.

Swimming to shore, T'nom waded up on the sand with two others besides him.
"That was fun," he remarked to them both. The male, patted him on the back
and nodded his head as he darted off towards his own things. The female
placed her hand on T'nom's shoulder and smiled before she, too, darted
off. That was when T'nom spotted a figure he recognized just down the
beach.

Skin still glistening with water and the golden rays of the sun, T'nom
jogged up the beach towards where Meledei was sitting.

"Hey there, what are you doing here all alone?" He plopped down on the
sand beside her, pushing his damp hair out of his eyes.

Meledei shrugged. "Just took a swim. Little distraction." And
distractions were certainly very useful these days. Meledei had more on
her mind than she really wanted. Normally it might have not
bothered her so much, but lately things bothered her more than usual.

T'nom frowned. He hadn't spent as much time with her lately. She'd been
busy, and he'd been off making new friends. This seemed like a change in
her mood. Something was bothering her.

"What's wrong, Dei?"

"Nothing. I'm fine." Meledei wasn't sure she really wanted to talk about
it. She'd already talked to Qorri and she wasn't really the type to
gossip.

T'nom frowned. He_knew_ something was bothering her, but she clearly

wasn't talking about it. They'd always been pretty open about things in
the past, he was a bit disappointed she was being so closed off.

"I don't believe you, but if you'd rather not talk about it now,
that's alright. Why don't you come swim in the water with me for a bit,
then maybe you'll want to talk?" He raised a hand and indicated the clear,
beautiful water ahead of them. He wanted to make her feel better, but he
wasn't sure exactly how at the moment.

"I was just out swimming. I don't want to go back out." She was
grumpy. She'd had highs and lows since the argument with R'ehn, but Meledei
was definitely in one of her low moments. She was particularly annoyed
that day. Everything annoyed her. Breakfast had annoyed her! "I'm
fine."

He frowned at her response. Sure, he hadn't spent nearly as much time
with her of late, but_this_, well this attitude was far different

than what he was used to. Had Meledei always been so testy? He thought
back for a moment. **No, not always,** he thought.

"Okay, well, um," T'nom was at a total loss for words. He honestly
didn't know how to handle this grumpy Meledei. He considered just
leaving, but that would seem very rude. So instead he let the silence
settle over them for a time.

Meledei hated it. There was tension there and she knew it was her
fault. She growled to herself and then sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm not
very good company lately."

"It's alright Dei," T'nom replied. "I can leave you alone if you'd
rather?" He stated the last as a question, uncertain exactly what she
wanted at the moment. He wasn't sure she knew either.

Meledei shifted, then shook her head. "No." Her moods had been
crazy. Most of it was due to Elleth, but not all of it. That wasn't
any reason to take it out on T'nom, though. "No. Actually, I could
use a friend."

His face broke into a smile. "Good. I was worried you were angry with
me there for awhile, Dei." T'nom moved a bit closer to her and allowed
himself to stretch out on the sand. Resting his head on his arm, he
looked to her. "You know I will_always_ be here for you if you need

it." He took his free hand and reached up to pat her hand as he spoke.
She'd already said she didn't want to discuss things, so he didn't
press the matter again. He simply stayed there, beside her, to offer
support if she needed it.

"I know." Meledei lay back to stretch out beside him. "I appreciate
it. It's just...ugh, I hate it when Elleth is about to rise. My
emotions are crazy and this thing with R'enh is making it worse."

Elleth was rising soon? T'nom hadn't really realized that was
happening. **Taldeth can finally give chase,** he thought to himself
as he ran his hands through the sand. He knew she was having trouble
with the older bronzerider who'd won her previous Flight, but he
didn't know all the details.

"What all_is_ going on between you and R'enh?" The question had a

double purpose, but she wouldn't know that.

"I teased him, he took it the wrong way and when I tried to apologise,
he dismissed me like I was nothing." Meledei sighed heavily, then
related the events in more detail. It helped talking to him and
Qorri, but she didn't want rumours going around, at least more than
what other people had started. She knew she could trust those two,
though. "Just don't say anything to anyone. There are enough tongues
wagging as it is."

"I wouldn't tell anyone, and you know it," he replied to her last
comment first. Running his hands over the sand, he mulled over what
she'd shared with him. "Perhaps he just needs time? Maybe he's dealing
with something of his own and doesn't feel comfortable sharing it with
you?" He posed his thoughts as questions. He didn't interact much with
R'enh, so he couldn't speak for the man, but what he's seen was a good
rider, and one whom Meledei had seemed drawn to for some time. He
hadn't been blind to their interactions, and everyone knew he'd won
her last Flight.

"People don't always see eye to eye in the Weyr, as we've both learned
over the Turns. Maybe he's just not sure what his _own_ feelings for
you are. Some riders get edgy if they start getting _too_ close to
someone." He wasn't sure that was the issue, but it gave him a chance
to pry a bit about just how _close_ she and R'enh had been.

"I know you wouldn't." And she did, but Meledei felt it should be
said anyway. "Maybe. But he was fine until I made that comment and
even when I apologise he pushed me away, even used my rank against me.
"And I never expected to get along with everybody all of the time."
She shrugged. "I don't think so. We are...were just good friends.
But I guess that's not the case anymore." And it seemed like such a
stupid thing for him to be mad over, especially after she apologised.

T'nom frowned. He reached his hand up and patted Meledei's hand.
"It'll be alright, Dei, however it works out. If you want to mend the
rift, keep talking to him. Or if you'd rather, just give him some
space and maybe he'll come to you?" T'nom wasn't really sure. He hated
seeing her so upset and wished he could do something more to make her
feel better.

"Well, he did, but that didn't go so well either." And, of course,
her emotional state was heightened thanks to Elleth's impending rise.
"On Turn's end." That spurred an explanation of events that had
occured that night. "Which is why I never came back to dance with
you." She explained. "Sorry about that."

"I did wonder about that, but I didn't press," **In fact I found a
rather welcoming partner that night,** he mused silently. Meledei had
been much more quiet and reserved that at times it had felt as though
they were drifting apart. He knew his own feelings for her were still
there, but they _had_ changed some. For so long she'd been the focus
of _all_ his attentions, now he felt as though he'd branched out,
explored new parts of himself. He even carried himself with more
confidence.

"We can all be a bit fickle sometimes," he added, still not sure how
else to help her other than to listen. T'nom rolled over onto his
back, placed his hands behind his head and stared up at the sky. It
felt so good to be lying there with the sun warming his skin.

"Yeah, I know. But that seemed more than just fickle." Meledei lay
down beside T'nom upon her back and stared at the sky. "It just hurt,
you know?"

"I know," he replied. He knew what it felt like to feel something for
someone and not have it returned. He wasn't mistaking the fact that
she had feelings for R'enh even if she wouldn't admit them. **It
wouldn't bother her so much unless she really cared about him,** he
mused.

"So, what else can you do about it? I can see it's bothering you a lot,
Dei, and I think unless you get some kind of resolution, you're not
going to be happy."

"Yeah, well, he doesn't see to want a resolution." Meledei wrinkled
her nose. "I guess I'll just wait a while. See what happens."

"I'm sorry I can't be more help," he replied, "but I honestly don't
know what to suggest. I think girls are supposed to be better at those
kinds of things. I mean, when we get angry we either get into a fist
fight or some other way of showing off, and then typical move on." He
shrugged his shoulders from where he was lying on the sand. **Girls
think on things too much,** he thought to himself, though he knew he'd
been dwelling on certain thoughts for quite some time, but he told
himself that was different.

"See that's just it. Guys are different. And I know that. I've had
lots of guy friends and girl friends, but they're always different.
Guys, they insult each other as compliments. I mean, teasing with
insults happens all the time. I've done it with my guy friends, but
R'enh literally turns on me when I do it with him...and then ignores
my apology." Meledei growled. "Enough. I'm whining and I guess I
just need to move on. You want to go swimming?"

He was relieved when she suggested swimming. He had no idea what to
tell her about R'enh and to be honest, he was tired of hearing about
the other bronzerider. Even if Meledei wouldn't admit it, T'nom sensed
there were much deeper feelings there for her or she wouldn't be
fretting over it so much.

"Swimming sounds like the perfect solution. Race you to the water?" He
was already up and grinning at her, just waiting for her to
acknowledge his challenge before he took off.

Last updated on the July 1st 2013

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Moody Goldrider