This Weyr, This Time, This Pass

Writers: Clancey, Dana
Date Posted: 18th April 2006

Characters: Traelyn, J'darin
Description: Traelyn and J'darin have a meeting of the minds after the horrendous performance of the Weyr on the day after the Hatching.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 10, day 9 of Turn 3

J'darin

Traelyn sat down wearily on the sofa, slowly bringing her damp hair over her shoulder before starting to pat it with a dry towel. The hot soak in the bathing pool had done wonders for her aching body.
Shards...Threadfall the day after the Hatching... It was rather cruel.

}:We flew well, you and I, Trae.:{ Nyith told her sleepily from her stone couch.

Traelyn smiled at that. **We did, my love.** Especially considering the fact that she hadn't gotten much sleep last night... But at least she hadn't been hung over. A slight frown creased her brow at the thought. Traelyn had a feeling that some of the casualities today had to do with hung-over riders...

Thank Faranth that most of those casualities hadn't been...terrible. But they were bad enough.

Shaking herself from those thoughts - for now - her eyes wandered to the table in front of her, and the smile was back. Shards and shells...that painting was so beautiful. Her eyes lovingly took in the detailing, the vivid colors... She'd have to find the perfect place for it here in her weyr.

Perhaps over the mantle?

~*~

Bone weary, but refreshed from his bath, J'darin thought of the morning,
the day, and looked out into the night sky. He had promised Traelyn a
talk tonight, and they did need to talk after all the scorings that had happened.

And other things.

Smiling, he dressed in a loose tunic and trousers, and asked his sleepy bronze to make the request through Nyith. Were they ready for visitors?

They were, and Nyith relayed the message back to her mate. Traelyn debated whether she should slip out of her robe and into some clothes or not... Then she thought about making that seemingly long trek to her bedroom to get to the clothes, and decided against the idea. She just couldn't summon the energy.

J'darin would understand...

She did, however, summon enough energy to grab a couple glasses and a bottle of wine out of the cabinet, and she'd just popped the cork when she heard him knock.

"Come in," she called, relaxing back against the couch again.

J'darin slipped into her Weyr with the happy, tired sigh of a man coming home. His eyes widened a bit as he saw her state of dress, or rather undress. His smile broadened. "Well, good evening lovely Weyrwoman. How are you holding up?"

She smiled at him as he approached. "I'm hanging in there, J'darin. And you?"

His smile faltered for a moment. "We had too many Scorings today to
please me, my Lady goldrider." He joined her on the couch, an arm sliding around her and pulling her close, while the other relieved her of one of her glasses.

"I know." Her expression darkened a little before she took a sip from her own glass. "I have a feeling most of the 'scorings had to do with the fact that our clutch hatched yesterday..."

"I'm sure of it, Traelyn. I will have to have speak firmly to the Wingleaders tomorrow." He took a deep breath and leaned back, half closing his eyes. "If they were not hung over, they were short of sleep..." One hand played along the back of her neck while the other busied himself with drinking.

**Like us?** But they hadn't gotten 'scored. Resting her head against the cushion, she let it roll slowly to one side, guiding his fingers around, and she studied him as he brought the rim of the glass to his
lips
again. "When you say you'll speak to the Wingleaders, you mean we will? I want to be there."

J'darin paused, looking at her for a moment. This was touchy ground for them. "You are one of my Wingleaders, Traelyn. So yes, you will have to be there. But the Wings are my responsibility, so I will do the talking. But you need to be there for lots of reasons - first and foremost being that you are a Wingleader too. I would imagine we are both feeling the same over this day's work, anyway, yes?"

He waited, watching her with wary eyes. She was either going to be angry at him, or she would understand what he meant.

Traelyn searched his face for a moment, wondering if he had known that she'd meant she wanted to be there not just as a Wingleader but as the Weyrwoman and had deliberately ignored it, or if he truly hadn't realized that was what she'd meant. Another moment of silence passed. Then, she let it drop with a soundless sigh. She really didn't want to argue tonight. "Yes, I imagine we do." Traelyn turned her head to take another sip of her wine.

He sighed softly, feeling her distance herself from him with that turn of her head. This was one area where they would never see eye to eye. What was so wrong with the split of duties? "Traelyn..." He frowned, shaking his head. What to say? "Traelyn, you'll be there as the Weyrwoman too, but it is for me to talk to them. We each have different areas of responsibility in leading the Weyr, and this is mine."

"Yes, I know. And normally, J'darin, I don't usually disagree."
**Usually.** She turned her dark eyes back to him. "But this time it's different. Riders were 'scored - and most of those 'scorings weren't because of lapses in wing formations. Nyith's clutch hatched yesterday, and since we both are taking that into account, I feel it's my responsiblity to speak with you as the Weyrwoman - as the rider of the gold whose clutch hatched."

J'darin considered this for a moment. A long moment.

"Very well, Traelyn. You have a point. As long as you take no Wingleaders to task for lapses in Wing formations, you may say what you wish. You are the Weyrwoman and you should remind them you are." He smiled faintly.

"Agreed?"

She inclined her head. "Agreed." Something in her relaxed then, and she shifted into a more comfortable position, bringing one leg up, her heel resting on the edge of the sofa.

J'darin watched her for a moment, then moved closer to her on the couch, tossing an arm behind her shoulders and pulling her close. Softly, he said, "Perhaps there is hope for us, after all."

Traelyn rested her head on his shoulder. "I think so," she murmured, turning to brush her lips against him.

He turned his head so her lips met with his and pulled her into his lap. "Shall we continue to celebrate? Despite the injuries, we met Thread and have a beautiful new group of Weyrlings."

"We do." She smiled down into his face. "Hasaarth's first."

He almost felt.. odd.. about inviting her to bed after their near argument, and so instead, he just settled her more comfortably, leaning back against her sofa. "I'm so proud of him, Traelyn. He never caught a Gold his entire life.. and then to win this particular Flight. I am so glad he did."

Traelyn nestled against him. "He was meant to."

The nestling awakened his body like nothing else had so far and the kiss he leaned up to give her told the story as easily as if he'd said it out loud. The oddness faded into the sometimes fiery passion that anger and turmoil and the innate troubles of leading this Weyr, at this time, in this Pass, and being chosen the way they'd been, stirred in the two of them.

It was good to meet Thread, sire hatchlings, and survive to do it all again.

Last updated on the April 26th 2006

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This Weyr, This Time, This Pass