Through Thick and Thin

Writers: Aaron, Heather
Date Posted: 18th March 2019

Characters: T'ner, Ayressa
Description: Tener gives a report on his interview with K'sedel, asks Ayressa about what she has coming up, and then...
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 10, day 8 of Turn 9
Notes: Mentioned: K'sedel, Chaysea

Ayressa had chewed her fingernails down to the quick by the time she heard Tener returning from his visit with the Weyrlingmaster. She had tried keeping herself busy by unpacking, but they hadn't brought very much with them so there hadn't been much to do. Then she'd played some with Resser, but now the little tyke was passed out asleep in his crib.

"Well? How did it go?" she asked her husband as he came in.

Tener padded to Ayressa with practiced soft steps so as not to wake Resser and wrapped her in an embrace, smelling her hair. He realized then just how much he was still anxious over the meeting, when his nerves finally melted away on holding her.

"He said I can stay," he said, not wanting to leave her in suspense any longer. "And he was... weird. I can't think of a better way to say it. He thinks this is going to be much harder than we do. This... Us being together. But I don't know why. I can't get my head around it. Dragonriders have families. *He* has one. At least, I'm pretty sure he does..."

Ayressa tilted her head to the side, hair spilling over her shoulder. "I don't understand. Why should this be difficult? I mean, I know you're going to be busy, and if you Impress you'll be away for a while and very busy but.... Does that have to change the way we feel?"

"I think it must be that he's seen others come before us who didn't have a realistic idea of... everything. The rules about the legal bit of the marriage dissolving, how long I'll have to be away working with the dragon," Tener guessed. "He seemed to be especially worried we didn't know about that part. So. That's probably it."

"Marriage is just a piece of paper, I don't understand why there's such a fuss about it being dissolved? It doesn't change anything between us, doesn't it?" Ayressa looked up at him.

"Not a thing," said Tener. "Well... None of the most important things. I think it has to be because I'm not allowed to keep the vow to forsake all others for you. Because I won't be able to forsake the dragon. And I, uh... well, like we talked about before, there might be flights I don't have a say in. But that's all that has to change. Right?"

They had talked about it before. But if it was still weighing on Ayressa, they could talk about it again.

Ayressa shook her head. "No, I hadn't really thought any more about it. I mean, it's something we talked about before coming to the Weyr. I don't expect you to forsake anything for me," she touched her fingers to the side of his face, "just that you come home when you can."

"I will always come home to you," said Tener with conviction, placing his hand over hers. "Where you are, where Resser is, that's home." He squeezed her hand and then leaned in for a kiss.

She smiled into the kiss, glad to hear him say the words, even though she had never doubted him. "Well, what do you think of our quarters here? Not much smaller than what we had at the Hold." Ayressa looked around the weyr.

"I think they're perfect," said Tener, smiling back. He looked around again. He had been worried that he would have trouble falling asleep in the new place, but next to Ayressa, hearing Resser breathing, it was just like home. It was home.

"What's the good word from Headwoman Chaysea?" he asked. "About work for you? Have you decided what you want to do?"

"She's going to give me some different things to do over the next couple of sevendays to see if there's something that seems suited for me. She's going to introduce me tomorrow to a foster mother that will watch Resser during the day." Ayressa didn't like the thought of leaving Resser for so long, but it was no different than living at the Hold and having a nanny or old grandmother watch him

"That sounds perfect," said Tener, rocking back and forth a bit as he held Ayressa, as though they were dancing. "See? We're already on our way. Everything is going to work out great. What are you trying first, did she say?"

"Tomorrow I will be assisting the bakers, which has me a little nervous. I mean, I baked a little with my ma, but who knows what kind of fancy things they do here?" Ayressa's hips swayed with him.

"They'll show you what to do," said Tener, a grin growing on his face as he kissed Ayressa again. He hoped to reassure her. To convince her that everything was going to go well. "I bet you'll know it better than you think."

"Maybe, and if not, then I'll just move on to the next thing," Ayressa said, face tilted up to his. "But there is one thing I definitely know I can do," she hooked her fingers into his belt loops, a gleam entering her eyes.

"Mmm, why don't you show me?" said Tener, gently touching Ayressa's jaw and kissing her softly.

Ayressa glanced toward the crib, noted that Resser was still sound asleep, and then tugged Tener toward their bed. "It would be my pleasure, _husband._"

Last updated on the March 23rd 2019

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Through Thick and Thin