((Takes place morning after the flight party))

Sunlight filtered through clouds that scudded across the pale blue mid-morning sky. The greenrider stood listlessly in her new weyr, staring at the carry-alls she has to unpack, her fingers idly picking at the flesh around her fingernails. She brought one hand to her mouth, chewing at an errant hangnail, evaluating the work before her and the lack of will she possessed to accomplish it. Really, there wasnt that much to do, and several times she would pick up one of the sacks and rummage through it, only to return it to its place on the floor... Kalyn sighed and gave up, giving one of the caryalls a sharp kick with her booted foot, before crossing to where her dragon lazily sprawled. The green was soaking up as much of the frugal sun as she could, relishing its warm sweet breath across her skin.
~Are you going to lay there all morning, lazy bones?~

~Mmhmm... murmured Japheth, her head dragging across the stones to rest at her riders feet, her multi-lidded eyes tightly shut. ~ You should do the same.~ ~Too much to do lovely one, and not enough energy to do it. Kalyn gazed out of the window, searching again for the profile of a familiar brown and his rider, and was again disappointed. Japheth had ignored her and givin her cryptic messages every time she had asked Dafyth's location, and Kalyn wondered if maybe he was out on patrol. Hopefully she could find him by tonight or tomorrow.

One large eye opened slowly as the dragon gave her rider a once over. ~You look alert to me. As her eyes began to close again, something caught her attention. The dragon's body stiffened, and the wedge-shaped head whiped around to glare out of the weyr. Kalyn sensed the dragon's increase in pulse, and had but a scarce second to wonder before her dragon was thrusting her head against Kalyn's torso, using her strong legs to propel the rider across the room. "What in the name of Faranth are you doing?!!" ~You smell, rider mine, and I think a bath would cheer you up.~ The dragon pushed her rider into the tub, and the freezing water chilled her to the quick. She came up sputtering, just in time to see the green dragon's tail wisk across the weyr's ledge and into the sky. "Stupid dragon!" The girl shouted, running a hand through her short, sodden hair. ~Go get dressed, something nice. That green tight thing you bought but never wear. Then go get some klah. You'll feel better! I'll be back soon!~

Kalyn slogged out of the water, stripping clothes as she went, and cursing under her breath. She reached into one of her packs, funbling for trousers and a shirt. ~That isnt what i told you to wear!~ "I am not wearing the sharding dress. I am cold, wet, and pissed. Now leave me alone." ~You put on that dress, or I'll come back and you'll experiance round two will the pool!~

The greenrider sighed deeply. It was useless to argue with her dragon when she got like this, and doing anything to provoke her would indeed merit a second dunking. She wormed her way into the sundress, reaching for a pair of sandals to wear with it. She hated this dress: It was too tight, revealing every curve of her body, and the thin straps made her very aware of her own neck and sholders. She touched her collarbones, standing out like fishbones. Blah, she felt gross. She ran a hand through her wet hair touseling it, and trudge down to the lower caverns to fetch some klah. A young girl with the kindest eyes she had ever seen placed the steaming mug in her hands, and Kalyn gratefully took a seat on a stone bench facing the wall. She hoped her posture would be enough to disuade anyone from talking to her, as well as notice the low neckline of this dress. Why had she even bought the dratted thing? Klah-warmth slipped from her head to her toes, and she sighed sleepily. Maybe when she got back to her weyr she would unpack her sheets and just sleep for the rest of the day.

L'most had skipped the party the night before. He'd never expected Dafyth to catch Iolath, not when so many bronzes and their riders wanted to the Weyrleadership. Still, for some reason, Dayth had risen to give chase. Maybe the brown was giving up on Japheth ever returning. L’most was starting to wonder if he’d ever see the green’s rider again.

It’s almost like some Harper’s tale: the lovers who spend a season at most together, to be parted, then reunited and parted once more, all in the romance of the life of a dragonrider.

You think too much, was Dafyth’s only reply.

He’d drawn the dawn watch, another reason to miss the party. He’d found his weyr early, and slept soundly through the night. Now it was nearing noon, and his sweep was long done. Still, he’d swept over a wider area than he needed to, gaining his bearings again and again on the unfamiliar terrain, trying to see it as a Weyrling would. He’d been a Weyrling when he’d learned his marks at Tiazora, and he remembered the older riders who had taught him the tricks of memory. Seeing the location in your mind’s eye, that was the trick, and then making your dragon see it as well. Stifling a yawn, and aware of the growing hunger in his stomach, he decided it was time to tell Dafyth to return to Kharasi Weyr.

L’most, we are needed at Kharasi, in the Lower Caverns. Do we go now?

Wha- Yes, if we are needed, we must go.

We go now.

With the hurried image from his rider, the brown took his rider into the chilling embrace of between.

In the space of a few breath’s time the pair erupted into the air above Kharasi Weyr. L’most craned his head to try to see what green was taking off on her own for the rim, but Dafyth’s aerial tricks forced his rider to look away and see the cliff they were rapidly approaching.

Dafyth, slow down!

The brown ignored his rider, swooping low and fast to land just outside the Lower Caverns.

Go now! the brown commanded, and L’most was already sliding down his dragon’s side before he realized that it was his dragon telling him what to do instead of the other way around.

Dafyth gathered his strength into a massive leap, and took off, heading down the canyon and out of L’most’s sight. Dafyth, where are you-

You’ll see, ridermine, and you’ll understand. Now go inside!

Shaking his head, the brownrider entered the Lower Caverns, the sunlight shining behind him. Barely able to see inside the darker caverns, he made his was slowly towards the large pots where stew was already simmering, reasoning that anyone who needed him would surely be near the food.

Lost in thought, Kalyn took a swig of the steaming klah... And burnt her tongue and throat something fierce. "Shards!" she muttered, and pressed her cool fingertips to her tongue. It felt mildly better, and she sighed wearily. It seemed today was already not going well, and it was only midmorning.

~You want soup.~ "Not now, Japheth, I just burnt the shards out of my tongue." ~You want soup NOW.~ Kalyn was under the distict impression of a girlish giggle there, and decided enough was enough. "Faranth's egg, you ridiculous green, can't you just stay out of my head for five minutes?!!" She knew she was making a scene, but really she was tired and upset. She just wanted to sleep, and shard it all she was just done already! "You are being a bully on an already foul day, and I just need you to be give me a little space!" She turned to go, but her dress snagged on the rough bench. The fabric gave with a sickening rip, and as she turned her arm caught the mug and sent it flying to the floor where it shattered like glass.

Kalyn felt like crying. She knelt on the floor, picking up the shards with precision, fighting off the tears. She waved away a drudge who would have helped her, muttering something lame about how sharp the pieces were. She sighed and stood... And found herself staring into a pair of oh-so dearly familiar eyes, eyes the color of the sky on a stormy day.

~You see, rider-mine, you can be very stupid sometimes.~

The sound of a shattering mug span L’most around. He had ignored the sounds of the frustrated woman, wondering what so important his brown had dragged him back to the weyr for it. The sound of the crashing clay had grabbed his attention and he saw that it was a woman in a green dress, torn now, waving away a drudge and muttering to herself as she began to pick up the pieces. It was a woman who looked very familiar…

She should, ridermine. Go.

Barely needing the prompting of his dragon, L’most crossed back to the woman, Kalyn, his Kalyn, back again. Words rose unbidden in his throat, only to be choked off by a mouth that could not form them. Thoughts flew in his mind, only to be overthrown by the feeling of butterflies that raced through his stomach. It was all he could do to stand there as she stood, his eyes full of the pain there had been for the past few years, but still shining with love for the woman he’d lost. He couldn’t say a thing, but his eyes spoke volumes.

He reached out for her then, cradling her in his arms, ignoring the shattered mug she was holding in her hands. Holding her to him the tears began, as he stroked her head. Then, without a word, he tilted her head upwards and kissed her gently on the lips.

Familiar lips pressed aginst her own, and L'most's familiar smell filled her nostrils. Succumbing to her sensory overload, she sagged gratefully into his arms, mug shards tumbling from her limp hands. It seemed too much; it was all of her expectations and yet still she felt woefully unprepared. Her hands grew a mind of their own, and flew about of the own accord, tracing the outline of his sholders, stroking the span of his chest, snaking across the arms that she had longed for on so many cold nights. Her hands delved through his hair, her fingertips rejoicing in the warmth. She felt as though her body was singing, yet still it was she that broke off the kiss, her entirety protesting.

"Shards, is it you? Shells, it must be... But it can't be, and... Oh, I'm not making any sense, am I?" She burried her head into his shoulder with a sob.

"Shh, shh, it's fine now. It's fine. It's fine. Oh Kalyn." L'most held her head against his shoulder, letting her cry there for a moment. He stroked her hair, wondering where she had been these long Turns. It could wait though, now was now, and L'most knew now was enough.

I'm sure you're very smug about this, the brownrider thought to his dragon. Dafyth never answered.

"Come on now Kalyn, come on. I'll take you back to my weyr, we can talk there, it's not far." His words broke off as he pushed her a few inches back, to look into her eyes. "I love you."

Kalyn felt her heart melt. "I love you too," she said. "I always have!" She leaned up against him with a heavy sigh. A sudden idea spun through her mind. "L'most how did you know I was here...?" Her spine went straight, and her fists balled.

~You sharding, wherry headed, humpbacked green!!! When i get my hands on you....!~

~Don't be too mad, rider-mine. Since you were still packed, you may tell L'most that you are already moved in. As you were busy I took the liberty!~

~I love you, you wretched thing.~

~I know! Everyone does!~

L'most felt Kalyn's spine stiffen and her small hands ball into fists. It was almost like she was accusing him of knowing she was here. But he hadn't known, all that had happened was-

"Dafyth. That dragon's getting a strong talking too very soon. Very soon. And it's probably your Japheth who's got him into it. But I don't blame you."

L'most put his hands on Kalyn's shoulders, then looked back into her eyes. "Well straighten them out, once we've had time to ourselves. But, Kalyn, I've missed you. I've nothing more to do today, come on. Let's go, we'll talk, and I'll help you get over it all."

L'most led Kalyn out of the Lower Caverns, into the light of the Bowl, and finally back to his weyr. And what happened after that is something a little too hot for these pages.

((Stephen, I must reiterate that I love you: That last line is an utter joy! I will post my respose after I finish it at work.))

((I've got the part after this finished already, but i want a snipet from you in here. It breaks it up better. I've got the day off tomorrow (Hah, spelled it right!) so I'll see you on AIM at some point.) And by the way, I know this part sucks, but if you have any suggestions screaming at you let me know and I will edit.)

The weyr was quiet and warm, and small dust motes danced through errant shafts of sunlight. An occasional breeze graced the room, circulating stale air for fresh. The wind was laden with the scents of stone and dragon. Kalyn yawned and stretched, repositioning her head into the hollow of L’most’s shoulder. His left hand was buried in her hair; his right lazily traced cryptic and indecipherable patterns across the canvas of her back. The green rider sighed contentedly, and tipped her head towards his, hoping for a kiss. His response was tender, and she wriggled with ecstasy.

Propping herself on one elbow, she peered down at him, the usually clear depths of her jade eyes clouded with innumerable thoughts. She placed one finger across his lips to quiet him.

“L’most, I feel horribly that I left so abruptly. I love you madly, and I am sorry if for a single moment you believed otherwise. You don’t owe me anything, but I would appreciate it if you would be silent while I explain. It is a… delicate, and painful topic for me, and I think I can only do this once. Okay?”

Grinning past the finger on his lips, L'most simple said, "Does this mean I have to tell you to tell me, or can I not even speak for that?" Scooting backward to sit up straight, L'most looked back at Kalyn.

"Of course I want to hear about it, but if you don't want to tell me, I'll survive. I never doubted you loved me, I just thought I'd lost you somehow. Dafyth wouldn't say anything, so I never knew. Finally I came here to Kharasi, to start over again, alone."

L'most leaned back on the bed's headrest, looking at Kalyn. She was perfect to his eyes, and he hadn't seen her for far too long. Without speaking any more, the brownrider held his dearest in his eyes, knowing that Kalyn was next in his heart only to Dafyth. He wouldn't let her go again easily.

(and crappy shortness and mushness, but oh well, he's not good for much else right now)

She nestled her head back onto his chest, murmuring just loud enough to be heard.

“D’ren, my foster brother that was Searched with me, was assigned Threadfall over Utopia’s Gate Hold, the place we had both grown up. After Threadfall, he stopped in on my mother, his foster parent.

He arrived to find my—our—mother at death’s door. On a visit to the market she was…” Kalyn swallowed the growing knot in her throat. “She was kicked in the head by a half-broken runner beast.” While Kalyn had not been there her mind had recreated that morning’s events a thousand times: The sweltering market place, the rearing runner, her mother’s heart piercing cry as she fell… She shuddered, and felt L’most’s arms reflexively tighten around her, anchoring her to reality.

“D’ren gave me the news, and we obtains permission to go to her. We left immediately, and in my distress I forgot to leave word with either you or Dafyth.

When we arrived she was unconscious, as she had been for the six days following the accident. A quarter turn we nursed her before she woke. I was at her bedside when her eyes drifted open. I moved to speak, but when she looked at me she screamed! Screamed, L'most! She did not know me! I moved to her, and she collapsed, ceasing to breathe. I was told later that her heart had given under the strain. We stayed long enough to bury her beneath her favorite tree, and by the time we came back to the weyr, you were gone.”

Kalyn took a shuddering breath, her eyes filmed by forming tears. “I scared my mother to death, L’most! Can you imagine how that feels? I was the last person she ever saw and she did not KNOW me! My mother died scared and alone, while I, a stranger, simply looked on!” Her voice broke, and she could dam her tears no longer. She dissolved, unable to do anything but share her broken heart with the man she loved.

((and of course its forever and a day before I post. Naturally))

L'most knew there was nothing he could say, that the most he could do was to be with her and hold her in his arms. He hadn't really known Kalyn's mother, and he hadn't kept the closest of ties with his life before Tiazora and now Kharasi. Still, he knew the pain of loss. Far too many riders and dragons were lost every Turn, and not a few had been friends. But that was how life was in a Weyr, and sometimes it is better to not lose the ability to grieve over those lost. Sometimes he thought that the ability to grieve was what made them human.

Finally, as her sobs began to quiet, he began to stroke her hair, murmuring quietly into ears, trying to soothe her, let he know in little ways everything was alright.

((Stephen, I am not going to lie: I cant think of a dratted direction to go with this, and I am good leaving it as is. Let me know.))

I'm fine with that, my creative juices are practically nonexistant recently.