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 Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2017 2:13 pm
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In reality, Lestenna reminded herself, that she'd only been in his company two, just under three months. A minor amount of time, in the grand scheme of things. But apparently long enough to form habits, and for her body to accept his presence enough that the last tendays' lack of it had caused just as much upset and distress as him being there had caused at the start. The bed had never felt overlarge, felt empty, before, had it? No. It had been a calming place, entirely hers, and she had relished being able to stretch and sprawl, to give herself that rare freedom away from rigid postures and business-like atmosphere. It had been awkward when he had moved in, necessitated by Uridith's request for Takarath to stay by her side. Her freedom had been stolen away, though it was a worthy sacrifice to make in her opinion. Sharing space, sharing meals. Sharing long hours digging through records and the slowly more and more comfortable conversations about everything from stockpiled goods to weather patterns and guesses on which candidates might impress, and what to.
She'd been, she thought, glad to see the back of him after all was said and done. Her home was her own again, and she could relish in the quiet and space. No more distractions or talk while she as working, and nothing to bump into when she rolled over in the night. It was wonderful.
For perhaps two days. She'd slept better than she could remember. She'd gotten everything she meant to do done on time, or early. She'd been able to sit back in her chair with a mug of klah and breathe.
And then the third night she caught herself asking the empty air a question, and being surprised not to hear him answer it.
And the fourth night she'd brought up two trays of dinner without thinking, and had to send a weyrbrat running with the second to spare herself the embarrassment.
The fifth night had been fine, but the sixth night she'd woken up half-startled when she'd reached out unconsciously and found the bed cold.
By the end of the tenday, Uridith had finally goaded her into summoning the bronzerider back to her weyr. She had missed Takarath's company, she offered, and they could talk over distances, where she and V'kenti could not. It was not so strange a thing, was it? Dragons paired. Runnerbeasts paired. Even wherries paired, for a time. Why did Lestenna think that she was not a person, not meant to find someone to share with? The slowly darkening rings under her eyes that betrayed clearly her lost sleep and concerns were only one sign. What if, by ignoring this, she made a mistake of some kind? She had been perhaps less efficient when the man had lived with her, but the quality of her work had surely begun to teeter and fall now that he was gone too. Would she recover without him if she bore it out long enough? Or was calling him back the only remedy for her woes?
A small, pale green firelizard snapped into the air above V'kenti, wherever he was within the weyr; Limpet had made herself quite familiar with the man over the months, and now she crooned, happy to see him as she curled down to perch upon a shoulder. Tied to one leg was a bit of parchment, a note in a now-familiar hand:
"At your convenience. My weyr. -L"
Nilah44 I wasn't sure what time to set this at, so I went with a bit after the hatching, when V'kenti would have been expected to have left Lestenna's company...and then about a tenday passed and this is more or less her asking him to come back?
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Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2017 6:48 am
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It had all been planned out ahead of time so when the time came, V'Kenti knew what needed to be done and did so without hesitation. That was his job, was it not? It was what he had told Lestenna one of the first times they spoke and he still believed it even at this point in time. It was easy to go back to his old routine for the bronze rider, he perhaps spent more time reading than he ever did before. He read so much, in fact, a few books had been read multiple times. There was nothing else required of him so why not? Every once in awhile, he'd ask Takarath how Uridith and Lestenna were doing. He'd always answer.
Still, he had more free time than he had in months and his weyr felt almost small and claustrophobic to him after sharing Lestenna's. Because of this, he found small excuses to get out of his weyr, which before he would have been just fine within its small confines but he got to the point where he could only reread so many books. V'Kenti found himself sitting outside on nice days and watching the weyrlings with their lessons. Every once in awhile, a weyrling wouldn't quite hit their mark which would cause some error either humorous or not. What V'Kenti enjoyed seeing was that particular weyrling learning from their mistake. He did not envy V’mel one bit, that job wasn't for him, but he was glad for the man and with Takarath’s clutch was able to appreciate it.
It was while watching the weyrlings that he heard the familiar pop of something coming from between. Looking towards the source, he noticed the pale green firelizard of Lestenna, Limpet. She landed on his shoulders and settled with a croon which earned her a small smile from V'Kenti. ”Limpet.” He acknowledged her and ran a hand down her spine before untying the small note attached. There was no hesitation when he stood and threw himself up onto Takarath’s back. ”Let's go see what Lestenna needs.” He allowed Limpet to stay on his shoulder if she wished as they made their way up to Uridith’s ledge. Taka called ahead, In which they did. The pair landed and V'Kenti jumped off and gave Taka a pat, allowing him to go see his Uridith. Takarath did so promptly and be entwined his neck around hers lovingly. V'Kenti approached the gold rider and quickly noticed the circles under her eyes. The man's brow furrowed in worry but he still gave Les a smile and respectful nod. ”Are you well, Lestenna?” He asked outright. |
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Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2017 1:54 pm
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Lestenna felt a rare surge of guilt at how Uridith seemed to physically brighten as soon as Takarath relayed his intent to approach. The moment they touched she was all but pressed to him, a wing extending to tuck over his back and hold him close. No, even if she hadn't been considering it for her own sake, clearly her gold had moved beyond professionally interested, beyond friendly with the bronze. She never would have admitted to the depths of her need for the bronze, but even Lestenna could recognize love when she saw it. The fact that she could feel it as well, pouring off the gold enough to nearly spark tears, despite the fact that she'd only been away from Takarath's a day or two, as they'd met up in the bowl recently...no. This was the choice before her. The right one, and the one that would yield the best results. For her gold. For herself.
It was a rare moment of weakness for Lestenna, and her posture betrayed that as she turned to face V'kenti. Or rather, his feet. A beat later she'd looked up, locked eyes, but it was not a motion to be missed. Nor was the way her hands slid briefly together before she wrapped her arms around behind her back, forcing herself into a more professional, reserved position. "Unfortunately not as well as anticipated," she replied, curt, but honest. Already things felt more...normal...with the man just near her. In their space. Apparently at some point it had become their space in her mind, not hers alone. A fine line had cut up between her brows, a familiar sign she was turning over an idea or a thought in her mind before speaking it aloud. There really was nothing to do but move past it though, was there? Her work would suffer, and so would she.
She just hadn't anticipated that any of the love between the gold and bronze pairs would come...from herself.
Across the weyr, at the sensation of the last of her rider's resistance slipping away, Uridith gave a musical trill, butting the flat of her wedge-shaped head against Takarath's. And about time, really, my love. You've been denying yourself too long. The gold's words were almost teasing in her head, but it was the push she found she needed. "We've both found ourselves...missing you. And Takarath." Of course, that didn't make the woman any more sweet-tongued. Or less rigidly formal. "It's been...irritating, almost, to turn to ask for your opinion or assistance, and find empty space there in your stead. Perhaps," She took a step closer, refusing to look away. Even if he rejected the offer, she'd see it done correctly. There was no other way. "We would both be able to return to our normal level of efficiency if you and Takarath were to...resume our previous arrangement."
And then, a moment later and almost too quiet to be heard, in a voice much more fitting of the unsure young woman she was under the hard, stony exterior, "...And the bed's gone a bit too cold without you."
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Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2017 3:42 pm
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Takarath let out a breath as Uridith literally took him under her wing almost as if he had been holding it since the last time they met. A wave of contentment flowed through him and in turn, V'Kenti. He might have smiled a bit if it weren't for the grim face in front of him that had him so worried. That worry was only increased tenfold as he noticed the lapse in her almost always professional being and when she began to speak. And then she had her thinking face which caused his brow to furrow more, not that he thought it was possible, and the corners of his mouth turned down. Something was definitely off. His mind went to thinking, all the weyrlings were doing well, he'd been keeping up on that. The Weyr was doing well if their projected earnings and bills played out as they had thought at their last count. He couldn't think of anything that could possibly be bothering her.
He wouldn't have thought of it either. His eyes went wide for a moment as he processed what she had to say. Blinking for another moment at her until her little confession which turned his frown into a small smile. A nod agreed for him before he spoke. “My weyr never seemed so small, nor have I reread the same book so many times. I haven't gotten out of my weyr as much as I have during this….break?” V'Kenti sighed and ran a hand through his already disheveled looking hair. “I don't or now at what point our,” he paused to include Takarath who rumbled happily in agreement, “loyalties expanded to include two more. Even so…” He paused for a moment as if choosing his words. “I wouldn't have to default to my loyalties to agree.” It was more than he'd really ever told anyone, it was more than her ever felt for someone before but there had been no reason before to think of such things. Perhaps now there were.
Takarath closed his eyes happily as he leaned his head into Uridith’s. Things had fallen into place quite well. Takarath told Uri, referencing a conversation from the past, one of their very first for that matter.
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Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2017 1:11 pm
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Uridith had nearly wrapped herself entirely around Takarath in the time it'd taken Lestenna to make her small confession. Her world was much simpler than such things as records and logbooks and projected spending and earning and all those things she knew her Lestenna was involved with. She had missed her bronze. Now he was back. What else was there to be considered? Her rider's happiness...but that seemed on the way to coming about already, wasn't it? And who would have guessed it would be so easy? In truth my love, I'd all but forgotten...I suppose that's for the best. They might not have appreciated it if we pushed them together. As it seems, all we had to do was stand aside—together. Hmm? One rich blue-green eye twirled as she looked from him to the human half of themselves. She had her bronze, her rider had a potential mate, and her children were strong and thriving once more. She was wholly and fully sated with life in that moment.
Lestenna had been fully ready to be rejected. To resume her stalwart, single charge towards the success and betterment of the weyr. To put this folly, these foolish emotions behind her and look towards the future. Of course, then V'kenti went and said yes. Or at least, he said he'd been feeling enough of the same things that it might as well be a yes. It dawned on her that she'd been so simply...happy to see the man that she'd totally missed his somewhat ragged look. Maybe he'd not been sleeping well either? She pointedly, intentionally, reached out to pat and smooth his hair into place. The movement was tender, if somewhat awkward—this sort of thing was what...couples...did, wasn't it? It seemed the thing to do.
"I agree. I'm afraid Uridith had to help me figure it out somewhat though. Ever since Ierne, since before the weyrhold fell, even...we've, or I've, felt alone. Isolated. Frustrated over the state of things, and helpless against it because I was alone. I expected at High Reaches to find like-minded folk, and an avenue to affect the changes I felt were needed...but I didn't anticipate something...more? More than allies." She was still painfully new to the revelation of her feelings for the man beside her. He was not her first love, but certainly the first requited one, and aside from opting to bare her feelings honestly to him, the rest was mere theory, and she was as awkward with it as a young apprentice would be handling the tools of his trade for the first time.
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Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2017 12:37 pm
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'Home.' That was a concept that hadn't quite fit with Lestenna for a long time. Even in Ierne, it hadn't felt like home. Not near the end. High Reaches was her home base, but aside from having her respect, it could be anywhere, really. If Benden had been where the wings had stayed strong, that's where she'd be, not here. For so long she'd only had attachment, devotion to Uridith. Now though...and to think that he felt that sort of thing for her... "The best is all anyone could ask. That and your patience," She admitted, ears reddening at the acknowledgement that she would probably put her foot in it more than once along the way. But she wanted to try, and the wanting was the biggest part, for her.
Across the weyr Uridith dropped her head to nuzzle it against Takarath's, blue eyes flicking shut both pairs of lids with a sigh. Utter peace, that's what this felt like to her. Neither of their wings had drills today...She would just keep him here beside her until she decided she was done feeling their breath mingle. A few weeks, perhaps. She had to be the luckiest gold in all of High Reaches to have him all for her own. And for him to have a rider so exactly her own's type.
"I...had a key made." Lestenna was admitting, and released V'kenti long enough to reach into a pocket. Takarath could just fly them up onto the ledge, of course, but the door into the main of the weyr did lock. And she pulled out the metal twist that could undo it, hesitating just a half moment before offering it up. This was it then. Going back wouldn't be nearly as easy. But...hopefully it'd not be required. "It makes sense for you to have it. So you can come and go as you like, for drills or meetings." He might just be a wing rider, but he was up and coming. She had no doubt that sooner or later, she and Uridith wouldn't be the only ones to think V'kenti and his bronze were very, very important.
Nilah44 So if you're amenable, we could start a new RP for them after V'kenti gets promoted? Not that this one needs to stop, but I realized the title sort of fits this scene, not both of them. XD
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