Who's The Winner?

Writers: Avery, Heather
Date Posted: 23rd March 2019

Characters: D'kere, Talwynn
Description: Talwynn welcomes D'kere home after the stressful Hatching Day.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 10, day 8 of Turn 9
Notes: Mentioned: Chioneth, T'leri

D'kere didn't know if he had ever been so tired. The dragonet's death
at the hatching and then the subsequent grief from the senior Queen
and other dragons had taken its toll on the new dragonets and their
riders. The new emotionally charged bond with a dragonet was always
taxing, even when things went well, but to be exposed to sorrow on
such a large scale had been especially gripping.

The Weyrlingmaster's Second hadn't even gone to the Hatching Feast.
He'd spent his time reassuring new pairs until the dragonet had fallen
asleep so that the rider could go up and see his or her family for a
while. Then he'd gone by and visited with the older Weyrlings to make
sure that they were fine as well, before finally stopping by the
Candidates who had been on the Sands when the dragonet had died, and
when the Candidate had been mauled. They were shaken up, to have such a
tragedy up close, but at least they didn't have the emotional needs of
a new dragonet to contend with.

By the time all of those things had been taken care of, D'kere hadn't
felt like dancing or putting on a nice face for the visiting
dragonriders and holders. He knew that the next morning would come
bright and early and there would be several new mouths to help feed
and many questions to answer.

"Talwynn?" he called for his weyrmate as he entered their weyr. It was
past midnight and the Weyr had grown rather still as visiting dragons
departed and returned visiting guests to their homes.

The greenrider had also had a long day. She'd congratulated T'leri and
helped him with Girath, then spent a bit of time at the Hatching Feast
checking in on the new weyrlings who were out to celebrate their new
lives. She was a rider in the wings now and not a weyrlingstaff
assistant anymore, but that didn't mean she didn't still remember
courtesies from the times she'd worked with them. Besides, she wanted
to help D'kere out, and she thought that keeping an eye on them while
they interacted with families was a good plan.

She'd brought a tray of food from the Feast, things that would keep
well for several candlemarks, and kept it covered. She hadn't seen
D'kere and worried he wouldn't have eaten at all. Then she'd changed
out of her Hatching fineries into a warm sleeping robe and curled up,
half-dozing in candlelight.

She sat up when he called her name. "Here," she said.

"Did I wake you?" he asked as he dropped into the chair beside of the
couch and stretched his legs out, one hand dangling off the arm rest,
which was presently being sniffed by a curious feline.

"Not really. I wanted to wait up for you," she said, reaching over
across the couch to go for his hand.

He waved off the curious sniff's of Vivace, and twined his fingers
with Talwynn's, "It's been a long day."

"It has," she said. She stroked her fingertips against the back of his
hand. "Harder for you than most of the rest of us."

"Hatching days are always busy, but today was never-ending," he said.
"I wouldn't be surprised to be woken up by a Weyrling needing
something in the night." It was part of the job of being on the
Weyrling Staff, but it didn't make it any easier.

"Well, come on into bed soon, then. Get some sleep before it happens."
She tightened her grip. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine," he assured her, returning the squeeze.

"Want to kick your boots off and get into bed? I can take care of you."

"I would like to stretch out," he admitted.

She stood up and stretched, her robe shifting and gaping slightly as
she moved, and then offered to help him up and walk him towards their
bed.

D'kere's eyes automatically followed the shifting of the robe, as if
on instinct, before he took her hand and pulled himself to his feet.
He slid an arm around her shoulders as they walked to their bed, "I
haven't forgotten about that little wager we made, by the way, about
what color Talerin - T'leri - would Impress."

"Is that a way of saying you want to check it and see if you have a
reward?" she said with a cheeky grin.

"Yes, I am too tired now, but I _am_ anxious to know the winner," he winked.

She laughed and helped him settle on the bed. Then she went to the top
of the wardrobe where they'd set the envelope. "Ready to have lost?"
she said, opening the envelope and drawing out the slips.

"Let's hear it," he said with a smug grin of his own.

"Well, I put bronze, so I was wrong," she admits.

D'kere's blue eyes were practically blazing. "That makes me the
winner," he crowed.

She peered down at the scrap of paper in his handwriting. "So you did."

"When I am less tired, I will accept my reward. Until then," he sank
down onto the bed and pulled off his boots.

She took his boots, moved them aside, and smirked at him. "Need help
stripping off the rest of your clothes?"

"I'm afraid if I said yes where that might lead," he chuckled, fingers
reaching for the buttons on his shirt.

"It could lead to you lying on your back while I take care of
everything, if you want."

"In that case," D'kere's eyes looked up to hers as he crooked his
finger for her to join him.

Talwynn undid the belt of her robe so that it fell open, and rolled
her shoulders so it slipped smoothly off them. "In that case..." she
echoed, prowling up alongside the bed to visit.

Last updated on the April 4th 2019

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