What Almost Was

Writers: Heather, Suzee
Date Posted: 14th December 2015

Characters: R'enh, Saibra
Description: Saibra checks on R'enh after Chioneth's flight.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 3, day 9 of Turn 8
Notes: Mentioned: K'reyel, G'nir, N'vanik, J'ackt
*Follows "Fast and Furious 2/2"

R'enh

Saibra

By the time she left the bathing pools with K'reyel, Saibra wasn't
sure if R'enh would be in her weyr or not. Chioneth was still so
wrapped up with Erdenth that Saibra couldn't get a word in edge-wise
with her to see if Mnoranth was still at Dragonsfall. Saibra couldn't
shake the guilt she felt over R'enh not winning. It was true that she
had very little say over what happened in mating flights, especially
for the Weyrleadership, but she had specifically asked for him to be
there. She wanted to catch him before he left, just to make sure that
everything between them was okay.

"R'enh?" She called into her weyr as she hurried inside. Even though
she was sure he'd probably taken off with a flight moth afterwards,
her weyr was the only common place she could think of that he might
return to.

"Here," he said getting up from the couch and turning a glow. He ached
for what had almost been. Mnoranth had been so close when K'reyel's
bronze and dropped down to catch Chioneth. He smiled though the smile
didn't quite fill his eyes. "Are you alright?" That was his first
concern.

"Yes, I'm fine." She assured him, relieved that he hadn't left. With
all of the time she'd been spending with R'enh lately, Saibra had
really thought that it might give him and Mnoranth an edge over the
other competitors. "I'm sorry Mnoranth didn't win."

"Me too," he said and put his arms around her. "G'nir was not a happy
man. Are you happy with the result other than that it wasn't me, of
course." He grinned mostly to cover the disappointment and project the
air of detachment he'd always cultivated.

Saibra leaned into R'enh's solid, familiar touch, "Yes, other than
you, K'reyel would probably be my next choice, oddly enough. He's a
level-headed family man that can actually have a conversation with me
without leaving me trying to guess what's going on in his head the
entire time." She supposed that she didn't have anything too personal
against G'nir, they just had not gelled well together as a team. From
the conversation she'd had with K'reyel while they were bathing, she
felt like they would be a much better fit as Weyrleader and Weyrwoman.

"Good," he said, and as he held her his hand rubbed up and down her
back. "I would hate to think you had to work with someone difficult."

"Thanks for waiting. I was afraid you would already be gone back to
Dolphin Cove." She wouldn't have blamed him if he had left immediately
after the flight.

"Mnoranth needs a little time to recover," the corner of his mouth
lifted. "Queen flights are hard on everyone." He himself had been
eased back to consciousness by a very helpful moth but he'd left
immediately. Though not without thanking her politely. "We tried," he
shrugged.

"I did too." By spending as much time as possible with R'enh and
making sure that he was there when Chioneth rose, Saibra had done
everything within her power to give him and Mnoranth an advantage over
the other riders but Chioneth had a mind of her own.

"Yes," he chuckled and shook his head. "That's what I meant," his
finger pointed back and forth between them. "We tried." He took a deep
breath. "Ah well," he smoothed some strands of hair behind her ear.
"Are you hungry?"

Saibra smiled at her misunderstanding as R'enh explained. "I can have
food brought up." she offered. She knew that the Weyr would be abuzz
over the change in Weyrleader and she wasn't quite ready to face
people and their questions just yet.

"Good idea," he nodded. "And wine," he added as he pulled away from
her. "I'm going to need it."

~*~

"How is Saidrene doing? She's had her first flight hasn't she?" Saibra
asked R'enh as they sipped wine and ate the food that had been brought
up by a drudge. Even though it was her own daughter they spoke so
little that Saibra never really knew what was going on with Saidrene,
and she thought the teenager preferred it that way.

"She's doing quite well," he said and nodded at the flight comment.
"She did and it went just about the way you'd expect," he couldn't
help the little smirk.

Saibra arched an eyebrow, "It did?"

As much as it might seem everyone didn't know everyone elses business,
a Weyr was a small place and very little was secret. "Zith won. I
think that's what she wanted. So..." he let his voice trail off.

J'ackt had won? Saibra wasn't surprised, not with the history bewteen
J'ackt and Saidrene. "Oh, I don't know, I believe she still has a
rather large crush on N'vanik." What young greenrider didn't?

R'enh shrugged, N'vanik was his very best friend and there was no
doubt the man never lacked for company if he wanted it. But then the
same could be said of himself. "I'm rather glad you like me best," he
smiled.

Saibra's teeth flashed into a smile, "That's true. Do you like me best?"

A sly smile curved his lips, "I don't know...," he started and
prepared for the elbow in the ribs that he was sure would follow.

Skipping the elbow altogether, Saibra grabbed the man by the ear
instead. "What was that, bronzerider?" she growled playfully.

"Owww," he grimaced in mock pain. "Yes, yes of course goldrider."

"Mmhmm, I shall remember that the next time Chioneth and I are looking
for company on the beach." She turned her hold on his ear into a
caress.

Last updated on the December 14th 2015

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

What Almost Was