Unexpected Company

Writers: Rylie, Rebecca
Date Posted: 13th February 2006

Characters: Tavia, Ny'n
Description: Tavia and Ny'n get aquainted
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 10, day 10 of Turn 3

Tavia

It was still some candlemarks before sunset when Ny'n and Damarith arrived at a favorite inlet cove. The brownrider was surprised by the presence of a greenrider in one of his favorite coves and immediately decided to leave.

}:Please can't we stay? I like Sawauth and she likes browns.:{ Though he had been in the mood to play his gitar in solitude, Ny'n decided that this might just be the opportunity he had been seeking.
**Perhaps they wish to be alone.**

}:Sawauth says she would like company.:{
**And what of Tavia?** It was with some difficulty that Ny'n recalled the name. They had been weyrlings at the same time, though she and Sawauth were just a bit older, but Ny'n had not been one to pay much attention to the female weyrlings. }:Damarith and his are here. He's going to swim with me an you can talk to his.:{ Sawauth told Tavia.

The greenrider smiled waiting for the brown to join them. She was pretty sure this wasn't what N'yn had in mind but you really couldn't argue with a creature as large and stuborn as a dragon.

Once Damarith landed, Ny'n gave his brown lifemate an affectionate slap and dismounted. He approached Tavia, guitar in hand, with a smile, "Hope we haven't intruded." "Not at all, Sawuath likes it here, she says that way she doesn't have share any handsome browns who come along." Tavia grinned as her green came wading in to meet the brown. "How have you been?"

The brownrider eased his lean frame into the sand and settled his gitar in his lap. "Considering everything that has taken place in the last turn, I'm actually doing quite well. A damn site better than many, I guess. Things sure have changed in the last turns, though," he said contemplatively. "And you? How have you been, amidst all this turmoil, Tavia?" "Well as I can. I am just gratful Sawauth and I came out of this whole mess in one peice, so many of us didn't." She studied the brownrider for a moment. "Is everything alright with you N'yn? The brownrider flushed a bit, wondering if she was asking simply because he was talking to her, something he would not have done a mere sevenday or two ago. "Yes, I'm okay, thanks for asking," he stated studying his feet and then looking back up at the other rider, "I suppose recent events have had me contemplating many things, but I'm fine."

"Anything you would like to talk about? The last couple of months have had everyone on edge for while and sometimes talking helps." Tavia couldn't help asking. Too many turns as a healer.

Ny'n swallowed hard and a bead of sweat actually broke out on his brow. He wasn't sure if he could ever remember being less comfortable in a conversation, "Ah, not really. Just thinking about my childhood, life in the weyr, my current life. You, know just general introspection." He looked out into the water and watched his lifemate play with the green dragon in the water. This helped him to relax, and even brought the barest of smiles to his lips. "Well if you change your mind..." she offered. "It never gets old does it? Watching them?"

"No it doesn't. Sometimes I think if thread scorched all of Pern, I'd be okay if only I still had Damarith," Ny'n said softly and then felt embarrassed and ducked his head. Shells! She would probably think he was saying that it we be okay if all of Pern were scorched! "I feel the same way, don't know any rider who doesn't."

Ny'n was relieved that she had not misunderstood his sentiment. Tavia didn't appear to be as tempermental as some of the women he had encountered. He idly strummed a chord on his gitar. "We haven't spoken much before. Were you searched or raised in the weyr?"

"I'm weyrbred. My mother is a weaver and my father a cook. I'm the first dragonrider in the family."

"They must have been proud, did you stand many times?" Ny'n questioned further, looking up into her pale green eyes. "I stood three turns, trained for a while."

Ny'n nodded, playing another two chords. "And now you are healer as well as dragonrider. Were there other healers in your family?"

"No, I found I liked being around the infirmary, unless I needed to be there." She laughed.

Ny'n chuckled as well. "Mind if I play a song?"

"Not at all, I don't have much talent but I enjoy listening."

Ny'n played a Dragonrider ballad that Tavia was sure to recognize. The final notes seemed to hover in the clear evening air. Ny'n noticed that the dragons were now out of the water and resting comfortably in the sands.

"Beautiful Ny'n. That was one of my favorites growing up. It's not one I hear much anymore." She smiled with delight.

"No the popularity of various songs seems to ebb and flow like the tides but I have always liked that one as well. Do you have any other favorites? Growing up with a harper father, I know quite a few."

Tavia named a few othe songs. "Your father is a harper? Aren't you?"

"That would be the other reason that I know so many," Ny'n chuckled. "Though these days I find less time for harpering," he said, playing the opening chords to one of the songs that she had named. When he finished the song he continued, "I imagine that you are kept particularly busy these days, with fighting thread and your craft being in such high demand."

"Not too busy, the healers are careful with our schedules. I fly first half and work second. It gives Sawuath some time to rest and I accomplish something."

Ny'n cocked his head letting his bluegray eyes linger on Tavia's green ones. "You are a greater asset than most, able to serve Pern in two of the most important ways. Your family has reason to be very proud." "They are, but I am not the only one. Even those without healer training help when we need them."

Ny'n smiled. "Your are very modest Tavia," he said before starting another ballad, by chance a love song this time. Tavia only smiled. What others considered modesty she considered the truth. It's what made the whole thing with X'moar so confusing. There was no question he was sincere but it still confused her.

Ny'n wondered what Tavia was thinking. She smiled, but he had the feelin she was thinking of something else. "Is all well with you, Tavia?"
he asked concerned that perhaps his comments or song had brought up an unpleasant memory. "I probly sound like a weyrling saying this, but it's a bluerider. He's a lot younger than I am but has apparently fallen for me. I like him but I'm a little confused as to why he's interested in me. I haven't had a lot of that, outside of flights, attention from men is not something I'm used too."

"Well, Tavia, this is the first time we have really spoken much, but you are easy to be with. You are not overly demanding and you seem very genuine. Though I can hardly speak for this bluerider, I would guess that he finds this quite attractive. If he's younger, I am sure that he can appreciate this all the more. Please don't think ill of me for saying this but some of those boistrous, flamboyant young greenriders can be rather annoying. Not to say that they are all like that," Ny'n quickly amended, thinking of one searchrider in particular who was not. Tavia smiled. "So you're saying he likes me because I'm boring?" she teased. Ny'n turned a bit red with her teasing, "No, I'm saying he likes you because you have substance. And don't you dare try to turn that one around on me."

"Why not? It would be so easy. There are so many ways that statement can be taken," she laughed.

"Because, I am not used to talking to women, and you will scare me away,"
Ny'n said in mock dismay. "Well I don't want to do that, Sawuath would never forgive me. She's very fond of browns."

Ny'n just smiled thinking that he was rather glad that Damarith had talked him into stopping.

Last updated on the February 13th 2006

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Unexpected Company