Dance the Candlemarks Away

Writers: Avery, Suzee
Date Posted: 3rd October 2014

Characters: R'enh, Kapera
Description: Kapera feels like company, so she reaches out to R'enh.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 9, day 5 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Meledei, Cyradis/Panitath

R'enh

Kapera

**Riyanth, ask what R'enh is doing tonight,** Kapera thought as she saw
Hurricane come in.

Riyanth had been watching the wing drill, assessing the bronzes in an
appreciative manner. }:Mnoranth, fine flyer, what does your rider have
planned?:{

Covered with char from the drill, R'enh could feel Mnoranth's pleasure
at attention from the gold. **Drop me and then dive into the lake to
wash off the char after you tell her we'd be delighted to spend some
time with her's this evening. Ask her if hers likes red or white."

}:White, thank you. And you flew _very_ well today.:{ the gold complimented.

}:Thank you lovely Riyanth,:{ the bronze said with no little pride.

R'enh's hair was still wet when he finally showed up with the wine at
Kapera's door. Mnoranth hadn't wasted any time beginning to court the
gold once he'd rinsed his hide in the lake. He knocked lightly on the
door.

"Come in," she called. She'd taken the liberty of getting dainties sent up
and set out and she gave a smile to the bronzerider. "How was drills?"

He smiled at the goldrider as he came through the door and offered her
the bottle. "More where that came from he said." He scanned the neat
room and returned his eyes to Kapera quickly. She was truly a lovely
woman. "They were pretty much as we expected. We had a couple of the
senior weyrlings flying with us today so they were learning. Mnoranth
is fairly patient with them while they're working up. How was your
day?"

She stretched and gave him a broad smile when he came in. "Glad to
hear the weyrlings are good. I heard this clutch had been small,
wasn't it? At least Panitath's was sizeable." And she hoped her own
would be.

"Yes," he said with a short nod. "The clutch sire was very young." He
shrugged. It was no news but Elleth was still young herself and he
didn't want Meledei to bear any more consequences for that particular
flight. "But Mnoranth sired Elleth's prior clutch and it was pretty
respectable. Besides, we have several fine weyrlings from this
clutch." He walked further into the room then nodded toward the
bottle. "I can open that if you'd like."

"Please," she said, hoping to smooth over the awkward moment she'd
accidentally caused. "So you've won a gold already. He must be very
proud."

R'enh smiled and took the bottle over to a nearby table to open. "More
than one actually and yes, he's very proud and ambitious." Mnoranth
was busy charming the queen while his rider began to pour the wine
into glasses. He didn't hide the missing little finger on his hand nor
the scaring along his forearm. Of course the matching scarring on his
thigh wasn't visible under his clothing.

She wanted to inquire, but hesitated instead, remembering how prickly she
was about being asked. "Have you had much time for your jewelry lately?"

"I find time here and there. It's fairly easy to leave and come back
to. Not like other smithing that requires a hot forge." He picked up
the glasses and handed her one. "It's relaxing when I'm trying to wind
down in the evening. Though glows don't provide the best light." He
lifted his glass to her. "To our newest weyrwoman, may you find joy
here at Dolphin Cove."

She raised the glass he handed her and smiled, pleased by the toast.
"Thank you very much. I believe I will."

After her sip, she thought it really was good wine. "Are you looking
forward to possibly getting electric light one day?"

"Oh yes," he smiled and held a chair for her before seating himself at
the table twisted in his chair so he was facing her. "So, you're
liking it here so far?"

"I love the weather," she told him with a smile. "It's such a beautiful
Weyr, the nicest I've ever been to. And full of interesting people."

"And it will be even better when Cyradis' improvements are finally in
place." He picked up a piece of fruit from the tray and sucked the
luscious flesh into his mouth with a slurp. "So," he smiled genially.
"Anyone in particular you're interested in?"

Of course he was interested in Kapera, she was one of the most
beautiful women he'd ever seen. Yet he could also see a vulnerability
that seemed to lurk right under the surface. He didn't want to come
across as predatory in any way but he be a darned fool not to be
attracted her. That vulnerability in itself was enough for him to want
to reach out and protect her.

It was a legitimate question for him to ask, and she found herself
intrigued that he'd even thought of it. There were many riders who would
have just fallen straight into bed with her without wondering if there
were others - and why not? She was a free woman, she could make her own
decisions about who to fall in bed with. And men who actually wanted to be
there with her were high on the list.

"Define interested," she said with a glint of a smile, "but I think the
handsome bronzerider across the table counts."

He smiled with pleasure at her words though his thoughts went to
Chaysea and the beginning of feeling's he'd invested there only to
find they weren't returned nor were they likely to be. It had probably
made him just a little more introspective in recent weeks. Perhaps it
had been the hope of a relationship like his parents that made him see
the Headwoman differently than other women. But that was water under
the bridge now.

"Well I could give you the Harper definition but I really just wanted
to know you a little better without overstepping." **or investing
feelings if your heart lies elsewhere.** "I'm sure you've been told
many times how beautiful you are Kapera."

She smiled back at him with a little more warmth in it. "Yes," she
admitted, seeing no reason to deny it. "Though not recently, and it is
always lovely to hear it again when it's meant."

Vain statement, but she was a goldrider and did have some of their airs.

Strains of music floated in from the Weyrbowl where some people were
playing and others laughing in the evening coolness. "Do you dance,"
he asked with a smile.

"I do. Is this an invitation, good sir?"

"It is," he smiled and plucked the glass from her fingers. Standing he
pulled her into his arms and then into a quick 'dip.' He smiled into
her eyes as he held her there for a moment. Then lifted her up and
spun her out. Pulling her back into a locked frame he guided her into
some simple steps to gauge her abilities. His early age dance
instructor had once said that good dance was 'a vertical expression of
a horizontal wish.' R'enh was very good at both as many women could
attest.

She sighed in pleasure at the display of his skill. She'd learned some
dance in preparation for marriage, and more dance when she Impressed to a
gold. It was one of the activities she enjoyed fully, and she knew that he
was skilled.

"Do you want to stay up here in private?" Less space, but less chance for
others to butt in.

He was finding she was fairly good at dancing and he smiled as he
tried swinging behind her and leading her with just her finger tips.
He then folded her arms across her body and bent his head near her ear
as his own arms covered hers in a close embrace. They swayed there for
a moment. "I find privacy to be quite pleasurable my lady."

"Then let's stay right here and dance the candlemark away." In
whichever variant of dance he'd prefer.

He dropped a soft kiss on her cheek then tuned her to face him again.
This time when the music ended, he dipped her as he had when they
started but this time his hand and knee supported her while he placed
a warm kiss on her lips.

Kapera knew she'd thought about impartiality, but she was lonely and
craving tonight, and her desires overrode her thoughts. She returned the
kiss with a greater ardor, signaling her willingness to go as far as he
wanted.

Her willingness communicated itself to him and when he righted her he
picked her up and continued kissing her as he walked toward her
sleeping room.

~~~

R'enh looked down at the top of the love tousled head on his shoulder
with a smile. He dropped a kiss on the top of her head. "That was
incredible," he said warmly.

"You must have quite the reputation," she returned, letting her head rest
against his shoulder.

"For what? Dancing?" He grinned into the dim light.

"I bet you're always busy at hatching and Gathers."

"At times," he said. His fingers ran lightly up her arm. "Like you are
I'm sure." She was beautiful and a goldrider he could imagine it would
be hard to get a moment alone with her at any hatching. He hadn't
responded to her call with any thought of ending up with her in the
dark but now that he was here he had to admit it had been an extreme
pleasure.

"I do love the toss dances," she said. "Still, I'll make sure to save
you several."

"That would be very nice," he said picking up her hand and kissing her
knuckles. "I'd be happy to toss you anytime you wish." he grinned with
double meaning. "You have talent Kapera," he said after a moment.
"Should Mnoranth win your next flight, we'll practice and make certain
your next hatching dance impresses the socks off of everyone."

Kapera was beginning to feel a kinship with him. She had noticed his
scars and wondered about them, but there had never been a good time to
ask and he was far too distracting in other ways. What kind of stories
did he have to tell about them - did he have any painful weights in
his past?

She felt herself blush a little when he made the chivalrous gesture.
"We'll have to dance like that regardless of who wins."

"You are a very sensible woman Kapera," he said and rolled over her
again. Lowering his head to hers he softly kissed her again and moved
a knee to nudge her legs apart. "and inspiring."

Last updated on the November 16th 2014

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Dance the Candlemarks Away