Know the Truth Pt 3

Writers: Heather, Suzee
Date Posted: 3rd August 2016

Characters: R'enh, Saibra
Description: R'enh and Saibra see each other for the first time since his Threadfall accident and her miscarriage.
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 6, day 21 of Turn 8
Notes: Mentioned: Aishara, Cyradis, K'reyel; Pt 3 of 3

R'enh

Saibra

The beach at night was one of Saibra's favorite things. Moonlit water
bubbled and gushed up over the white sand, and tonight there was a
bright array of stars overhead. Leaving her shoes by Chioneth's side,
Saibra walked barefoot across the sand to where R'enh already stood.
This was the same beach where she had first asked him to have a child with her.

"How is your shoulder?" she asked.

"Getting better," he said. "Lots of therapy, and I hate it," he
smiled. He paused a moment then reached out to touch her shoulder.
"I've missed you."

"I've missed you too." She doubted that a day had passed that she had
not thought about the bronzerider.

"Sooo..." he drew out the word. "Why didn't you come?"

"I did, the day you were injured, as soon as Chioneth received word."
Saibra remembered the panic she'd felt, and then the indecision that
had caused her to pause for a moment, before she'd jumped to
Chioneth's neckridge and flown to Dolphin Cove.

"Oh," he said. "I don't remember was I awake? They never told me you
came." He was confused by the information because he'd never heard
that any Weyrwoman but his own had come to check on him. "I was out for
awhile after the fall."

"I was only here for a moment. It was nighttime here by the time I
found out at Dragonsfall." Saibra looked out at the ocean, able to see
the distance silhouette of a ship as it sliced through the reflection
of the moons on the water. "You were awake when I arrived but Aishara
was with you. You didn't need me intruding."

"She sat with me for hours," he said shaking his head. The memories
were still fuzzy since he'd been so drugged up with fellis while that
helped him heal it was still a blur. "And I thought you hadn't come. I
wish I'd seen you."

Saibra shook her head, "You and Aishara were having a tender moment.
It made me realize that my presence wasn't necessary."

**Aishara?** He looked at her puzzled. He didn't know quite what to
make of that information. "I'm not sure what to say Saibra. I'd
thought we were more than that. What we had was deeper than... Oh
shardit!" He turned away and began to pace. Aishara was important to
him in so many ways. She was a friend and confidant that didn't demand
anything more of him than he could give her yet _she'd_ been there for
him and Saibra, the woman he loved, hadn't.

"Of course it was," he said and spread his hands. "But you never came back."

"I couldn't come back. Not immediately, anyway." Saibra said, her eyes
still on the ocean as she licked her lips, preparing herself for what
she had to admit. "I was going to tell you that day, I was waiting for
you to get back from Threadfall... I was pregnant."

For a moment he froze not quite certain he'd heard her correctly.
"Wait what? Was?" He took a step toward her. The first soaring joy
came crashing down to lie broken on the beach. "You're not now?"

"No," her voice caught. "the trip to and from Dolphin Cove caused me
to miscarry."

Another two strides and he was at her back with his arms around her
and mouth by her ear. "Oh Saibra, I'm so sorry," he breathed. "Are you
alright?"

She turned and buried her face in his chest, "I'm so sorry," she said
in a broken sob, "you risked your life so.. so we could... and I...
It's my fault."

"Not your fault," he denied and held her against him. "I pushed too
hard, my fall was all my own fault and none of yours. You couldn't
have known. Oh sweetheart," he said and smoothed her hair. "We lost
our baby." His heart wept with her.

"I didn't know how to tell you so I just stayed away." Saibra
admitted, leaning against him. This was what she had needed from the
beginning, to be able to grieve with R'enh.

He couldn't help the tears that welled up in his own eyes as he held
her. "I'm so sorry Saibra."

She said nothing, just soaking in the comfort that he gave. It made
her feel slightly better that he wasn't angry at her, which had been
one of her fears.

He held her a moment longer then pulled back slightly to put his hands
on her shoulders. Peering in the dim light he tried to see her eyes.
"And how are you doing now Saibra. Are you alright?"

She reached up and wiped tears away, "I am getting better. It's been hard."

He murmured a comforting sound. He couldn't just keep saying he was
sorry even if those were the words he automatically thought. So
instead he asked a question. "Do you want to try again?"

"I want," she hesitated, coming to the crux of what had really made
her hesitate to see R'enh again, "I want to be the only one, R'enh."
She looked up at him.

He couldn't tell himself her need was unexpected though the timing was
a little difficult for him. He'd just been told they'd achieved their
mutual goal only to be robbed by their own choices, and was still
trying to wrap his mind and emotions around it.

If he was honest with himself Aishara's care of him during his
convalescence had been nothing short of spectacular. He cared about
her and how her feelings would be affected though she would understand. She always did.. But there was one very simple truth: he loved Saibra.

He half smiled down at her knowing she was already practicing monogamy
unless she'd found solace with her brownrider. Flights didn't count
for either of them but he couldn't joke about that and truthfully in
didn't matter to him what her Weyrleader might want. "I love you," he
said simply. "So yes, you'll be the only one."

His response made her smile. She had been worried what he would think about her request. "I love you too, R'enh." And she did, she loved him unlike anyone else since K'fel.

Last updated on the August 13th 2016

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Know the Truth Pt 3