What Are You Doing Here?

Writers: AL, Anaria
Date Posted: 14th April 2011

Characters: Meledei, Tiernan
Description: Meledei and Tiernan run into each other again!
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 1, day 21 of Turn 6

Meledei sat upon one of the docks, feet dangling into the water,
redfruit in hand. The warmth of the sun beat down upon her, but she
didn't mind. She was used to warm climates and lots of exposure to
sunlight. She tanned deeply during the hottest parts of the turn and
even sported a light tan during the winter season thanks to Dolphin
Cove's warmth. There were boats coming in, but this particular dock
was too small for the bigger ships, smaller two or three passenger
rowboats tied there for those who might wish to go out and try their
luck or just to get away. A tiny island was not too far from the main
port and sometimes the fishing was good there. At least, that's what
she had been told. Meledei hadn't actually gone there to see if it
was true.

The goldrider bit into the redfruit, a little juice dribbling over her
chin. Her hand shot up, trying to catch it before it drizzled on her
tunic. It was a very pleasant day indeed. And it was nice to get
away for a while. She had thought about asking Z'ku or Tanom, but had
decided that she'd just go on her own this time. And maybe think
about something she could do with one of them later.

Tiernan had left the Seawing to get a bite for lunch, and had ended up
wandering around somewhat aimlessly. Topaz Sea Hold had changed
drastically since he'd visited with his father as a child - the result
of a particularly violent storm that washed much of it away. But turns
had passed and rebuilding had begun, and despite the fact it wasn't
quite where it used to be, it was starting to resemble it's previous
self somewhat.

Tiernan didn't have a destination in mind as he headed off towards the
smaller docks, a far off look in his eyes. At this time of the
afternoon, most of the smaller boats were off catching fish, or just
on pleasure cruises, so there weren't too many people milling about.
He started to turn away when he saw a woman seated at one of the
docks, until he recognized her and walked over. "Good afternoon,
goldrider. Fancy meeting you out this away!" He called.

Meledei literally did a double take when she heard a voice that had
only recently become familiar. "Tiernan!" She cried, her voice
muffled by the redfruit in her mouth and she quickly lifted her hand
to keep form spitting out any of her food. She chewed more quickly
and swallowed, then laughed. "Well hello! What are you doing here?"

"I'm delivering some goods from the Weaver Hall here," he explained,
his smile brightening as the goldrider has recognized him. "Where's
Elleth?" He asked curiously, looking about for signs of the gold
dragon. He figured that she would be rather hard to hide.

"She's a bit outside the Hold. It's kind of hard to land her too
close and I don't want to scare the animals." Runners in particular.
That would not do well for Hold - Weyr relations. "How are you
doing?" she asked, motioning to a spot beside her in case he decided
to join her.

Tiernan sat down next to the goldrider, quickly kicking off his boots
so he could dip his feet into the water. "I've been doing pretty well.
We're on a pretty tight timetable right now, but the winds have been
favorable, the seas haven't been too rough. Overall the best I can ask
for. How about you? Not overworked, I hope?"

"Nah, just taking advantage of a rest day." And trying not to feel
guilty about leaving her friends behind. Maybe she _should_ have
asked some of them. They probably would have enjoyed the trip.
Meledei shifted a little in her seat, then tossed the core of the
redfruit out into the water. "Pretty tight? I guess that means you
don't have much time here either, huh?"

"We're actually here for four days. A few of my crew have family here
so we were going to make it a three day stop, but Thread on the 24th
is awfully close to our course, so I think we'll leave here the
morning of the 25th just to be safe. It's not worth getting a head
start if we're caught out for Threadfall," Tiernan explained. "I wager
today's a rest day for you?"

"It is, yes." Meledei nodded and let her feet sway back and forth in
the water. She leaned forward, watching the ripples that were a
result of her motion. "So just enjoying it. Thought I'd get out of
the Weyr for a while. You know, a nice change of pace."

"Ah, I can appreciate that. I've been stuck on that ship with those
fools for nearly a sevenday now. I was quite happy to turn a few of
the apprentices back to their mothers, that's for certain! So how long
ago did you Impress?" He asked. She didn't look that old, so he
figured she couldn't have been a goldrider for very long.

"It's been just over a turn now!" It didn't seem like it had been
that long. Shards, how time could fly! And yet, Meledei couldn't
imagine her life without Elleth. Sometimes it was hard to remember
that she hadn't been a dragonrider all her life! "Seems like such a
short time ago...and sometimes like forever ago."

"Wow, so you are still quite new to the whole thing!" Tiernan said,
but his grin was charming to avoid offending the goldrider. "I
couldn't tell, to be honest, you carry yourself very well. My first
turn as a Master I felt like everyone was scrutinizing me, waiting for
me to make a mistake."

"Well, my father's a dragonrider and he's helped immensely." Meledei
had been better prepared than most candidates and especially most
Weyrlings thanks to him. He'd made sure she did things like help him
wash his dragon and she'd made friends with people who had impressed
before her and she'd helped them with their dragons as well. "I'm
still not comfortable with the whole politics thing but I guess that
will come in time."

"Politics is the side of rank that no one ever really likes. Although
you should count yourself lucky that no one can ever take your dragon
away, and so long as you have her, you will always have influence,"
Tiernan said. "I admit, it's nice to be far removed from the large
majority of my craft's politics."

"Oh yes, I count myself _very_ lucky for that!" Meledei had to admit,
that was one nice thing about her position. There were certain things
that couldn't be taken away from her. "I guess going from place to
place and never being somewhere too long does help. I don't think I
could do that, though."

"It does make some things easier. People who count themselves as your
friends are generally genuine, as the fakers wouldn't bother trying to
stay up to date with you when you were frequently a long distance
away. You get to experience a lot of exotic people, places and things,
try new foods, hear gossip from all over. I do admit, it would be nice
to have... someone special... in my life," Tiernan said.

"Seems like it would be hard to have that with that kind of life,
though." Meledei honestly felt sorry for the man. She could
understand the desire for someone special. She'd had that - once.
And now it was gone. "Especially since you have that superstition
about women on boats."

"I don't think that the sort of woman that would want to be on a boat
is the sort of woman I'd want, though," he admitted. "Yes, I do like
strong, independent women, unlike the variety that I normally find at
the Holds. But I want a woman who knows when to shuck the pants and
tunics, put on a nice Gather dress and have a dance with me. I guess
I've always wanted a woman who had a busy enough life that even if we
only got a sevenday together a month, it wouldn't bother her quite as
much. Shards, maybe even a dragonrider who could visit me on
occasion." Tiernan was surprised at how open he was being to the girl,
who he barely knew, but something about Meledei made him open up.

Meledei didn't know what to say. The two hadn't known each other
long, and yet she couldn't help that maybe he meant her. Did he? She
hoped not. She honestly wasn't sure if she could have a relationship
like that right now. "Are you...propositioning me?" She asked
softly, turning her eyes to the water and forcing them to stay there.

"No, I'm not propositioning you. I barely know you, and I have a
feeling that you've been through a bad time with a man as of recent.
I'd certainly not wish to push you. I do like talking to you though,"
he confessed. "And I wouldn't be opposed to getting to know you better
- in a strictly platonic sense."

He had hit it right on the mark. She _had_ had a bad time with a man
as of recent. Meledei didn't need a relationship like that right now.
She still needed more time to heal. It had only been a couple of
months as it was. Her smile returned and she nodded. "I would like
that very much too."

"Fair enough! So, would you like to speak about what happened, or is
it still too close to the heart for you to wish to discuss?" Tiernan
asked. He'd poured his feelings out to her, he may as well give her
the same opportunity.

Meledei sighed. "It's a long story." But Tiernan had been very
forthcoming with her. Why shouldn't she do the same? "There
was...this guy. I loved him." Still loved him which was why she was
still so very hurt. "I even wanted him to be my Weyrmate. But
then...he slept around on me." That was the short version. "So now
we're not together anymore."

Tiernan draped an arm loosely over Meledei's shoulders, sensing that
she was still hurting. "It's hard when someone you love hurts you," he
said softly. "But it generally means that person wasn't for you in the
first place. The man you're meant to be with is the one who'll never
hurt you."

"Yeah. I guess you're right." But Meledei had been so _sure_. She
let go of a sigh and allowed her feet to dangle listlessly in the
water. At least she had friends. And she had made a new one! That
definitely helped.

Last updated on the April 28th 2011

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