Some Place Safe

Writers: Eimi, Suzee
Date Posted: 4th April 2011
Series: It takes Time to Love

Characters: Tavia, U'kaiah, Kaiafel
Description: U'kaiah and Tavia ride out the third hurricane together
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 1, day 8 of Turn 6
Notes: Followed by: Am I Right?

Tavia

U'kaiah breathed on the spoon and pressed it to his nose, letting the
condensation stick it to his skin. Releasing it slowly, he held his
hands out to prove he was not holding it to his face.

"I can do it too!" Kaiafel assured him, breathing onto his own spoon and
setting it onto his nose. It fell to the table with a klank, but
undaunted, he picked it back up and followed the same process. "I can
do it, I can do it."

His father smiled at his determination, but he quickly pulled the spoon
off his own nose when a rider with Dolphin Cove knots stopped by his
table. "Wingleader U'kaiah?" the rider asked.

"Yes, that's me," he said with as much dignity as he could muster.

"A message from Dolphin Cove, sir," the rider said as she set a folded
note on the table and continued on with her work.

It was from Tavia. Intrigued, U'kaiah picked it up and read it softly
to himself. "U there have been some bad storms and another hurricane is
coming. Its difficult for me but I think it would be so much easier if
you were here."

A small smile pulled at the corners of his lips. It made him feel
rather pleased that she would think that he could be a comfort to her.
The spoon all but forgotten until Kaiafel cried out triumphantly, "See!
I told you I can do it!"

~*~

Tavia had packed things away again and claimed a lower weyr with
internal access to the lower caverns. Sawauth was on the heights
watching just in case U'kaiah and Kalamath were able to join them.

She just couldn't bring herself to impose again on Vandor after what
had happened the first storm. He was a good friend and she worked with
him every day. The were still a little off balance and she just
couldn't make it worse.

She paced the room feeling the storm gathering about them again. The
anxiety was rising and she knew it was only going to get worse before
it got better. She hoped against hope that U'kaiah could come. He
loved storms. He'd told her that and somehow it had to help, had to
make it better for her.

**Be careful,** U'kaiah warned Kalamath as they broke through from
/between/. The wind was already starting, and it could be dangerous to
fly with winds like this. **Just land next to Sawauth and let me off
there. I don't want you flying any more than you have to.**

The bronze agreed and gave the green a bugle to announce his arrival.
}:We are here!:{

}:Yours should go down those stairs three levels mine will be
waiting:{ said Sawauth then she added. :}Follow me to the safe place,
we go inside:{ and she showed Kalamath a picture of the place where
there were many dragons in safety from the harsh winds.

The message from Sawauth that U'kaiah had come almost brought Tavia to
tears. She flung open her door and started up the steps to meet him.

U'kaiah took the steps at a leisurely pace, not knowing the urgency the
greenrider was feeling in that moment. He was rather surprised when he
turned the corner on one of the landings and nearly smacked straight
into her. "Whoa! Where are you going?" he asked with a chuckle as he
reached out to grab her arms before she bolled them both over. "I was
on my way down to meet you."

Tavia almost ran into him when he caught her. She threw her arms
around him "Thank you" she said burying her face into his shirt. Then
she let go and looked up "This way," she said and turned to go back
down the stairs.

He took her hand and allowed her to lead him down the stairs. "Sorry I
couldn't give you a message back. The messenger left before I could
catch her."

"Don't worry, I'm just very glad you're here!" she squeezed his hand.
Finally at her door she pushed inside then turned into his arms
letting out a big sigh.

U'kaiah wrapped his arms around her, a little surprised at just how
frightened she was acting. "It's all right, Tavia," he murmured as he
rubbed her back soothingly. "Nothing can get you here."

"Sorry," she said. "I've always had this problem even when I was
little. My da used to hold me until I'd go to sleep. Just the sound of
his voice made the storm seem less threatening."

"Well, it's a little early for sleep, but you know, I do love the sound
of my own voice," he teased, leaning back enough to look her in the
face. "I'll tell you what. I remembered the place that makes me the
happiest in the world. Do you want to see it?"

She smiled up at him "Of course!"

"Can you guess where it is?" he asked, taking her hand and leading her
back out the door, wondering if she could already surmise what it might
be.

"You're not going to make me go out in that storm are you?" she said
pulling back and digging her heels in.

"No." U'kaiah turned to face her, taking both hands. "I would not do
that to you, Tavia. It's actually deeper into the Weyr. One of the
safest places, in fact."

"Ok," she said and ceased resisting to follow him willingly and with a
smile.

Even though he had never lived in Dolphin Cove, he knew the way well.
He had traveled it many a time when he had visited Trae, and he was able
to make light conversation as he lead her through the twists and turns,
finally stopping outside the Records Room door. "Here we are."

She looked at him a little puzzled. "The records room?" She'd become a
bit familiar with it recently working as she had with Janani.

"Yes." U'kaiah stood a little straighter and wore a rather proud smile.
"I'm a journeyman archivist. _That's_ something you didn't know about
me, I bet."

"Really?" she asked amazed. Her smile broadened. "I knew you were a
harper but I didn't realize you'd progressed that far. It's
wonderful!" She shook her head. "It's a mystery to me how these things
are organized. Maybe I should call you when I have to put something
away," she said teasingly.

His face turned a little serious. "Actually, yes, you should ask an
archivist to reshelve your materials when you're done with them." He
pushed open the door. "Let's find something to read, shall we?"

She smiled at his serious turn. "Yes lets," she said.

"What kind of stories do you like?" he asked as he followed her into the
massive room.

"I like stories about the sea," she said. "I know really funny since I
don't handle storms well. But it's different when you read it and when
it's real outside your door."

"Fictional stories or real accounts?" he asked, taking her hand and
already leading her towards a set of shelves.

"Fiction," she didn't really know where he was going with all of this
but it was fun.

"Exploration? Adventure? Shipwreck? Pirates? Romance?" he listed
off, turning down an aisle and beginning to scan the shelves.

"Hmmm so many possibilities. Pirates," she chose finally.

"How about... Pirates, with a little bit of romance?" He wiggled his
eyebrows suggestively as he hooked the spine of a book with his finger
and pulled it out.

She giggled and hugged him "Sure. Sounds great."

He bent down to give her a sound kiss. "Good. That way I don't have to
think of something to talk about the entire storm."

As his lips took hers she could think of other ways he wouldn't have
to think about talking but that would come later she was sure.

Last updated on the April 27th 2011

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Some Place Safe