One Day Closer

Writers: Dana, Eimi
Date Posted: 23rd October 2005

Characters: Larken, Ojisan (ONPC)
Description: Ojisan catches his wife above deck and in a rare moment alone
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 8, day 17 of Turn 3

As he stepped above deck Ojisan could see a young woman leaning against
the prow of the ship, her hair whipping behind her in the cool morning
breeze, her body sillouetted against the sunrise. His breath caught in
his chest as he watched her, arms wrapped around herself for warmth. He
ducked quickly back down the stairs and quietly pulled the blanket from
his cot. The last thing he wanted was to see his young wife fall sick
just before they reached their new home. She was still absorbed in her
thoughts as he wrapped the blanket around her. "And what wakes you up
at this hour, my love?"

She smiled and leaned back against him, turning her head slightly to
glance at him out of the corner of her eye. "Maybe the same thing that
wakes you?"

"We should be arriving within the next couple days," he said as he
glanced around the deck. Not a soul in sight, save for the occassion
seaman on watch, and they stayed away from this part of the ship. The
harper allowed himself the luxury of wrapping his arms around his wife's
waist. It was highly improper behavior for public, he knew, but he had
been fighting the urge to touch her ever since they boarded the boats.
"Soon we'll be together again," he breathed into her beautiful dark
brown hair, his eyes following hers along the horizon.

A bit surprised, but grateful for his embrace, one hand moved to lightly
touch his affectionately as she kept her eyes focused out on the sea.
It would be so nice to finally walk without having to stay constantly
concious about her balance, or eat without fear of getting sick, or
sleep in a bed that wouldn't tilt so much during the night... "Have you
ever been to a Weyr before?" she asked softly.

"A few times. Usually playing for some special event. I think I even
played at a Turn Over celebration there. It's very different from a
Hall or a Hold." Ojisan couldn't wait to be allowed to sleep in the
same bed as his wife, to eat together alone in their own apartments.
That's what he had missed most - time alone with Larken.

"Are the dragons as magnificent as they say?" Larken had never seen one
close up before. She'd seen them from a distance a few times, and the
sight of them had taken her breath away. She remembered that she had
been with Ojisan and her father one of those rare times. Larken had
only been six Turns, and she remembered that she had gasped and clapped
her hands in delight at the sight of them, and had sprinted ahead of the
older men. Her hair had come loose from its pins and she had spread her
arms wide, as if she could catch a draft and take to the skies. Larken
smiled at the memory, recalling the look on Ojisan's face when he and
her father had caught up to her.

He squeezed her closer, rocking her in time with the swaying of the
ship. "They are more magnificent than they say. Especially when you
fly on one. I think that will be one of the first things we'll do. I'll
find a rider who can give us a ride. Would you like that, my love?"

"Oh, I _would_, Ojisan," she replied, the excitement in her voice very
apparent. Turning her head, she lightly brushed her lips against his
cheek.

He turned his lips towards her and kissed her gently. How he had missed
Larken! He had spent so many turns alone after his wife died. Ojisan
had never dreamed that he could love and hunger after a woman the same
as he had for her - until Larken grew up to be such a beautiful and
exciting woman. Now, in his mind, all they needed was children of their
own to make his new life complete.

She returned his kiss just as gently, suddenly wishing that they weren't
in the public's view. She found herself wishing that they could be
alone as she shifted slightly in his arms, moving a little closer.

The harper gave another quick glance around the deck before looking down
into her beautiful blue eyes reflecting the sun's first rays. "Shards,
but you are the most beautiful creature I have even seen in all my
days." He leaned down to kiss her again, this time more passionately as
he tightened his arms around her. How he wished they were already
there!

Larken's hands came up to rest on his chest, her fingers tightening
slightly on his tunic, the movement hidden from common glance by the
folds of the blanket. When their kiss finally broke, she moved to
nestle her head briefly between the curve of his neck and shoulder
before glancing up into his eyes, giving him a soft, knowing smile.

Ojisan's sensitive ears could hear movement on the stairway and, after a
quick kiss to her forehead, released her and moved to her side, making
sure to wrap her arm into his. "I'm sorry I have been so busy lately,
my love."

"There's no need for an apology, Ojisan... I understand. Things'll be
like this for a while, I know, but they'll settle down eventually..."

"Only a few more days, love," he quickly assured her. "Once we arrive,
we'll have time to be together. But as for now, we have to keep the
apprentices busy with practices and lessons. But certainly you haven't
been bored with all these ladies around you."

Perhaps just a little. There truly wasn't much to do on board with the
rest of the harper ladies in her circle, save for sewing or whispering
about the latest gossip. Oh, some of the women would talk about the
Weyr and how different it was going to be living there and how exciting
it would be, but they were very few, and none of them shared Larken's
extent of enthusiasm. But looking into her husband's eyes, she knew she
couldn't tell him that. So she smiled at him instead to reassure him.
"Certainly not. It's been nice to chat with them."

"And think how much fun you will have making our new living quarters
feel like home. Oh, I know it won't be same as when we had our own cot
just the two of us, but certainly you will enjoy unpacking and
rearranging things the way you like it."

"Of course... And there is so much to unpack." She turned her eyes out
to the sea again. "The Hallmaster will give us a few days to settle in
the Weyr, won't he? Before you have to run off and start teaching
again?"

"Perhaps, but that doesn't mean I won't be busy, I'm afraid. There will
be a celebration after we arrive and the ensembles need to practice new
music. With us scattered among the boats it has made group work
impossible." He regreted having to spend _more_ time seperated from his
lovely young wife, but it could not be avoided. An instrumentalist must
play. "But I trust you to get things in order. I would just get in
your way anyway."

"You couldn't be in the way, Ojisan," she told him softly, looking at
him.

"That makes me happy to hear you say that, Larken," he beamed, his eyes
full of love and tenderness. Not a day passed when he didn't wonder at
just how lucky a man he was. How could he be so happy in his second
marriage? It was more than he could have hoped. He was old enough to
be her father. In fact, his son was turns older than she. And yet she
agreed to marry him willingly and had made him feel like a love-struck
boy again ever since.

Larken smiled at him, her fingers brushing against his affectionately.
"I'm glad that I make you happy..." After all, that was a wife's first
priority, wasn't it? To make her husband happy? But Larken did truly
care for him.

He intertwined his fingers with hers. "You do make me happy. I truely
love you, wife."

"I love you too," Larken murmured.

Ojisan looked out at the sea in front of them with a smile as bright as
the sun that had now cleared the horizon. Another day had started, and
brought them one more day closer to their final destination.

Last updated on the October 23rd 2005

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One Day Closer