A Guardian Dragonrider

Writers: AL, Heather
Date Posted: 24th January 2015

Characters: Barenziah, Z'lred
Description: Z'lred comes to check on Barenziah.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 10, day 3 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Benani

Barenziah

Moving out of Z'lred's weyr hadn't been too difficult since she had
carried very little with her to the Weyr. Fortunately she did at least
have decent clothes to wear since Z'lred had taken her to a gather to
help supplement her wardrobe. Unable to completely abandon her
Holdbred raising, Barenziah still wore skirts and dresses, only now
they were more suitable for the hot weather of Dolphin Cove.

As soon as possible Barenziah planned on going to visit with the
Weyrhealer and seeing if he would allow her to begin working with the
healers. She had no formal training, of course, but she was willing to
sit in the childrens' classes if necessary in order to learn. She had
to do something to pull her weight, to feel useful again. There wasn't
a day that went by that she didn't think of Zathris, but she always
pushed the thought away just as quickly as it came. After all, she was
sure he had forgotten all about her by now. He still had Benani. Who
did she have?

Barenziah glanced around her small ground-level residence and smiled a
little at Chiffon, who sat at attention, perched on the bedpost of her
small, full-sized bed.

"Yes, I still have you."

Chiffon cheeped in indignation, as if to say, 'who is more important than ME?!'

Barenziah laughed and stroked the gold's head just as a knock came at
her door. Opening the portal, she was momentarily surprised to see
Z'lred standing on the other side. She had assumed she wouldn't see
much of the man once she moved out.

"Hey there." His wide smile spread easily across his face and he
stepped inside as soon as the door open, gently pressing past her.
"Well now, these are your new quarters, eh? Not bad. Settling in all
right?" Z'lred had to admit that he kind of liked having the woman
around. There was the perk of a clean weyr, sure, but just a person
who didn't just leave in the morning had been a nice change. Still,
he could understand her need for independence.

"Yes, I am settling in fine." Barenziah closed the door behind Z'lred.
It was pretty easy to be around the bronzerider, living with him had
almost been like living at home again with her brother, only, Z'lred
was far too flirty for comfort. "Please tell me you haven't destroyed
the clean weyr that I left you already?" She teased.

"Destroyed? My dear, how on Pern could I ever destroy my own home?
Now I will admit it's a bit messier than it was before, but it's not
_destroyed_." Z'lred clicked his tongue and shook his head. "I
couldn't just let you leave without a weyrwarming gift." His hands
had been behind him the entire time and he'd kept his front to her,
turning whenever either moved so she couldn't see his back. At that
moment, however, he revealed a small package clumsily wrapped and
topped with a large bow that had been tied askew. "Just for you."

The redhead's face brightened in surprise, "Z'lred! You shouldn't
have." Barenziah happily snatched the present from the bronzerider and
set it down on the small writing table in her weyr that she had pushed
up beside of the fireplace. Carefully pulling at the ribbon that held
the bow, Barenziah slowly peeled open the brown paper, as if it had
been the most precious wrapping in the world.

"It is beautiful." Barenziah breathed as the paper finally fell away
to reveal a colorful quilt, stitched and embroidered with a scene of
the beach and sparkling ocean waves. Hot tears pressed to her eyes.
The thoughtfulness of Z'lred's gift was beyond measure, and any act of
kindness felt immense to Barenziah.

"You like it?" Z'lred had no talent for such things, but he knew the
ladies on the riverboat were. While he could have gotten a quilt from
someone closer, he'd seen work by one of the riverboat people before
and had really liked it. When he'd gone to her, he picked out one
that had appealed to him and hoped that it would to Barenziah. "Cause
if you don't, that's okay, I mean, I can keep it for myself."

Barenziah shook her head, "I like it, really. Even though it is much
warmer here I am so use to having heavy blankets to sleep with at
Amber Hills that I still find myself missing a good heavy quilt."

"It can get chilly at night, especially during our winters. It's
never_cold_ cold, but cool enough." Z'lred's smile lit up his face,
one that didn't host any sort of game or tried to mask anything,
simply a sincerity that marked his features. "I'm glad you like it.
I had a hard time choosing the one I thought you would like the most."

"Well, you did a fine job." Barenziah took the quilt and spread it
over the back of the stuffed chair that sat near the fireplace.

"Need anything? I can move furniture if there are things you'd rather
have in different places." If nothing else, Z'lred could at least be
useful.

"That's all right, I've already pushed things around into the right
places." Barenziah assured him, running her palms down over her
skirts. There was a brief pause, and a hint of uncertainty in
Barenziah's eyes as she looked back up at him, "You haven't heard from
Zathris have you? You know... How he and Benani are doing?"

"They're doing okay." Z'lred paused and eyed the woman across from
him. Although his smile tended to linger, his features playful, that
faded a little as he pondered whether or not he should tell her. He
finally made his choice and cleared his throat. "He asked about you.
Wanted to know how_you_ were doing."

Barenziah's heart turned a flip in her chest, "He did?" She had
wondered if he ever thought about her, and the knowledge that he had
not completely cast her from his memory was comforting and agonizing
at the same time. How would she ever find anyone that could compare
to what Zathris had awakened in her?

"I guess you can tell him I am fine. Just recently accepted into the
healercraft."

"Really?" Z'lred's eyes lit up at that bit of news. It was a good
sign if she was pursuing that route. "I didn't know you had an
interest. When do you start?"

"At the end of the sevenday." Barenziah smiled. Being able to join the
healercraft was the first ray of hope she'd had in a long time, "I
think it will suit me."

"I think so too. You have a very nice manner about you." And
honestly, Z'lred could see why his brother had been attracted to the
lovely redhead. "So if I have any injuries, I'll just come straight
to you."

Barenziah smiled at the bronzerider, "Well, I will be glad to take
care of you, but I hope there's no need of you to be in the
infirmary."

"Not yet. There is, however, a need for me to be in the dining cavern
- care to join me?" It was time for dinner but a meal was always more
pleasant with pleasant company. Z'lred executed a short bow before
offering his arm to her.

The red-head still hadn't made many friends yet, and dining alone was
something she avoided at all costs. She often ate in her weyr, because
she couldn't always count on inconveniencing Z'lred by eating with
him. "That sounds perfect, Z'lred."

Last updated on the February 11th 2015

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