Skillful Hands

Writers: Estelle, Heather
Date Posted: 26th October 2019

Characters: H'riv, Ashela
Description: H'riv gets more than he bargained for when fixing the lights in Ashela's weyr
Location: Barrier Lake Weyr
Date: month 13, day 10 of Turn 9

Ashela

Ashela stood in the doorway of her new weyr and flicked at the switch
that was supposed to control the lighting. Off, the lights went out as
expected, leaving the interior dim and shadowy as the evening drew in.
On, and a warm light filled the room - but only for a moment. A faint
buzzing sound came from somewhere, and the light wavered, then died. A
few seconds passed, and then they blinked into life again.

The goldrider tapped her nails irritably on the switch. This was
intolerable. She'd have to send for glows if it went on much longer.
Were the other junior weyrwomen's weyrs like this, or was it bad luck -
or had she been singled out?

}:Uuketh's rider comes.:{ Aglayath was drowsing in her couch. The
flickering lights were an annoyance to her, too, and she was rather more
eager and less haughty about welcoming the brown onto her ledge than
usual. }:His rider understands these lights. He will fix them.:{

**At last.** Ashela switched the light off, summoned her best winning
smile and crossed the main room, trailing a hand lightly over her gold's
soft hide as she passed on her way out to the ledge. "Brownrider? Have
you come to my aid?"

H'riv loved his work as a technician, but he had not anticipated how he
would be called upon during all candlemarks of the day, and night, to
troubleshoot problems. He handled it rather good-naturedly since his
duties had introduced him to most of the people living at the Weyrhold.

"Lady Goldrider," he addressed her, since they had not been formally
introduced. "I have indeed come to your aid. I'm H'riv, that's Uuketh,"
he said gesturing over his shoulder to the brown.

"Ashela, rider of Aglayath, and I'm so glad to hear it. Please come in,
H'riv, and mind your way in the dark. I'd switch on the lights, but..."
She smiled. "That's what you're here to do." Leading the way through the
weyr, she demonstrated the problem. "It's been doing this ever since I
got back this afternoon."

H'riv set down the bag of tools he had brought with him and cocked his
head to the side to listen as the light switch was flicked off and on.
His eyes narrowed just a smidge as he made some initial guesses as to
what the problem could be. "What Weyr are you hailing from, Ashela?" He
asked as he grabbed a couple of tools from his bag and opened the
electricity panel near the light switch.

"I came from Dream's End, though I've only been there a few Turns.
Aglayath was hatched at Rising Moons." Ashela perched on the arm of the
couch to watch him work. "And you? No, let me guess. Dolphin Cove? It
seems most of the riders here are from there or Dragonsfall."

The brownrider barked out a laugh. "No, I'm not, but I could see why you
think that. I have started to wonder if there are any bronzeriders left
at Dolphin Cove." H'riv said as he unscrewed the plate that covered the
wires. "I'm from Vista Point."

"I see." Ashela leaned against the wall, idly stretching out her long
legs and contemplating the relative merits of playing at distracting the
brownrider and letting him fix the lighting first. For now, she decided,
the latter was more important. "And what brings you to Barrier Lake?
Your craft?"

H'riv did not hesitate to cast an admiring glance at the shapely legs of
the goldrider. "Yes, my craft. There wasn't much need of my electrician
skills at Vista Point since they've been established for so long. What
about you?" He asked, glancing back at her. "Is it the possibility of
being Senior Weyrwoman that brings you to Barrier Lake or something else?"

Ashela laughed. It was a relief not to have to meekly pretend otherwise.
"I won't deny it's one of the attractions of the new Weyrhold for a
goldrider. The Weyrwoman at Dream's End offered me the chance to
transfer and I accepted. I'd like to lead, but..." She gave an elegant
shrug of her shoulders. "The dragons decide."

"That is true." H'riv said as he fixed a connection that had not been
secured correctly. He flicked the switch up and down to test the light
and was satisfied when everything worked as it should. "There we go,
milady, you should be able to rely on your lights now." The tall
brownrider closed his tool bag and slid the strap over his shoulder.
"Will you stay if Aglayath doesn't rise first?"

"I haven't thought that far," she admitted. "I suppose it would be a
decision for whoever does become Weyrwoman. It'd be a shame to leave,
though, I do rather like it here. So I'm hoping for the best." Ashela
paused, considering, then pushed herself up from the couch. "Where are
my manners? You've restored my light to me and I haven't even so much as
offered you a drink. What can I get you - klah? Something stronger? Or
are you on duty?"

H'riv grinned a little and deposited his bag back onto the floor. "Klah
is fine, and no, I wasn't on duty. But when I hear a goldrider needs
assistance, I don't hesitate," he winked.

"Well, I can't fault the service here at the Weyrhold." Ashela glanced
teasingly over her shoulder as she went over to the hearth to fetch the
klah jug. She brought it over to the low table by the couch and poured
out two mugs. "Though I do hope I've not interrupted your evening.
There's not some poor girl waiting patiently for you in your weyr, is
there?"

H'riv chuckled as he took a seat and the offered mug of klah. "No, the
only thing I left in my weyr was some wiring diagrams. You are much more
interesting than those."

"I should hope so," Ashela said in mock affront, leaning back on the
couch and crossing her legs. She blew gently on the hot klah, mischief
in her eyes as she looked at him over the mug. "But I'm not sure I
believe you've nothing but hidework in your weyr. A good-looking,
talented brownrider like you? Surely not."

"What can I say?" he grinned, showing the dimple in his left cheek,
knowing the effect that it usually had on women. "I've been working too
much to have anyone over, really."

"That's a shame. There's an old adage, you know, about all work and no
play..." She really ought to be concentrating on winning the support of
the bronzeriders, but there was something irresistible about that smile
of his, and didn't she deserve a little fun after all the efforts of the
past few days? "Perhaps it's time someone tempted you away from your
wires and switches."

"If that someone is a goldrider from Dreams End then I would say it will
take very little tempting to distract me." H'riv's eyes raked over her
more boldly than before.

"Isn't that lucky?" Ashela replaced her klah mug on the table and leaned
across, resting a hand lightly on his knee with a knowing smile of her
own. "There just so happens to be one of those, right here, and she's
not too bad at being a temptation. Don't you think?"

"I would say she's a temptation I can't resist," H'riv answered cupping
her chin in his hand and kissing her softly.

She closed her eyes, letting her hand slide up to his chest as she
enjoyed the pleasurable sensations of his lips on hers. "Mmm. You're not
so bad a temptation yourself, Brownrider H'riv."

H'riv smiled against her lips. "Why don't I show you what else I can do
with my hands?"

"Now that sounds like a plan." Her voice dropping low and sultry, she
swung one leg across him so that she was sitting in his lap. "I expect
they're very clever hands. Very skillful..."

H'riv's 'very skillful' hands slipped under the goldrider's shirt and
across the velvety soft skin which was hidden beneath. He was very glad
he had been the technician on duty....

Last updated on the December 18th 2019

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Skillful Hands