Sleeping Arrangments

Writers: Heather, Miriah
Date Posted: 10th December 2019
Series: The Hallmaster's New Wife

Characters: Thayde, Jalodwyn
Description: The sleeping arrangements on the ship go awry.
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 13, day 20 of Turn 9
Notes: Mentioned: Enamra
Notes: Backdated due to Heather's LOA/LIA

Thayde

She watched him as he slept, eyes following the rise and fall of his
chest with every movement. Jalodwyn felt the sting of tears once again
before she blinked them away. It wasn't fair. It simply wasn't fair.
She'd loved him since they were young and for a while, she thought
that it would become more. And when she'd come to him again, he'd
welcomed her, smiled and embraced her. She'd had such hopes at that
moment, only to feel them crash around her after renewing a connection
that they'd had before. It wasn't fair that suddenly there was someone
else. A drudge of all people! A lowly, awful drudge! Why, when she and
he had so much more in common?

She bit her lip and rose quietly, sitting up even as she watched him.
She knew he felt bound to this wife of his, but how bound could he
really be if he'd been so willing to bed her? Maybe it was just for
show, for the crew. Maybe if... She slipped over to his bunk and with
a hopeful sigh, carefully slipped under the blanket with him and
pressed against his side, taking care not to wake him. She _missed_
him so much! Carefully and lightly, she began to caress him, knowing
from past experience what he liked and how.

Thayde was enjoying the best dream he'd had since arriving on board.
This one featured Enamra all wet and slippery from the bath, which was
one of his favorite ways to make love to her. The velvety feel of her
skin beneath his fingers was so real that he could almost pretend it
wasn't a dream.

His response pleased her and with a sigh of delight, Jalodwyn
slipped her hand beneath his underclothes to find him. Her murmur was
soft, "That's it, Thayde. I'm here for you. Come to me. "

The voice, which was decidedly _not_ Enamra's, jarred Thayde from his
sleep and for one disorienting moment he could not think of where he
was or why he had woken up. Dark room. Bed. A warm feminine body
beside him. At first he could have easily thought he was lying in bed
with Enamra had home, but the telltale rocking of the ship made his
fuzzy brain quickly clear.

"Jalodwyn?" The realization came to him like a bolt of lightning.
Sitting up he grabbed her by the shoulder and pushed her away at arms
length.

She squeaked and tumbled off of his bunk, falling flat on her back
with a grunt. "Shaffit!" Jalodwyn rubbed the back of her head,
staring up at Thayde. "You didn't have to push me! You were moaning
and I was just helping you!"

"I was having a dream," he spat in exasperation. "I do not need nor
want your 'help'. I thought I made that evidently clear the last time
we talked." Thayde was just glad that she had spoken and he had woken
up when he had.

"What is wrong _ with you, Thayde?" Jalodwyn sat up, rising to her
knees to peer up at him. "Why are you treating me like this? You were
fine with fecking me when _you_ needed it. I didn't come on to you or
seduce you! You wanted it, Faranth, you were really eager about it!
You used to care how I felt!"

"I wasn't fine with it, it was a mistake, I told you that. I had been
sleeping beside of my wife for sevendays without any sexual
satisfaction- my choice, not hers. When I went down to the beach I had
no idea that you would be there and I let my desire, which my wife had
created, get the better of me." Thayde explained, hating how weak it
made him sound.

"So you just decided to use me. I was supposed to be your friend. And
now, because _you_ used me, you're angry at me! I didn't do anything
wrong except want you!" She got up, eyes filling with tears. "I love
you. You know that. I loved you before you decided to marry some
stupid drudge out of some misplaced sense of honor. Where was your
honor when you were inside me, huh?"

"I didn't use you, you very clearly offered yourself. I didn't force
you, so don't try to pin it all on me." Thayde pointed out hotly. "If
you loved me so much where were you all those Turns I spent alone and
single, hm? You only decide to express your feelings once I've
married? I don't buy that. I am married, quite happily, and I will not
break my vows again."

"And you can't pin it all on me, either! You could have pushed me
away." She wiped at suddenly teary eyes. "I did tell you. You just
didn't pay attention. I was telling you all the time." She got up and
went to her own bunk. "I hate you. I'm going to make sure our child
hates you too."

"I don't care what you do as long as you leave me out of it," Thayde
said as he pulled on his clothes with motions jerky from frustration.
"As for 'our child' are you even really pregnant? And how would I know
that it is even mine?"

"I am! Not that you care. And I haven't slept with anyone since you."
She laid down, her back to him and began to softly weep. "I hate you,
Thayde. I hope you and your _wife_," she spat out the word, "are
miserable."

"I made you no promises that night or any night, Jalodwyn." Thayde
said buttoning his shirt, feeling irritation rather than guilt at her
weeping.

"But you have a responsibility to me and this child now and I'm going
to make sure your wife knows about it. And the Hallmaster." Jalodwyn
shot back.

"You can tell Endarin whatever you wish, as for Enamra, don't worry
about it. I have no secrets with my wife." Thayde returned before
leaving the cabin and snapping the door shut loudly behind him.

Curling up into a ball, Jalodwyn finally gave into complete tears,
burying her face in her pillow.

Last updated on the December 18th 2019

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Sleeping Arrangments