A Caring Touch

Writers: Dana, Eimi
Date Posted: 5th April 2006

Characters: Traelyn, U'kaiah
Description: After her night with B'ram, Trae seeks comfort in another man's arms
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 11, day 11 of Turn 3

The pale, rosy light of dawn was just beginning to color the sky above
Dolphin Cove when Traelyn wearily gave Nyith the signal to go /between/ to
Dragonsfall.

The abrupt shock of the blackness and absolute chill of /between/ sapped
her of all warmth, numbing her to the bone - and Traelyn wished that it
would sharding numb her feelings as well. She squeezed her eyes shut, her
hands tightening on the harness - but she couldn't feel it, couldn't feel
her dragon beneath her. Couldn't feel anything except her bitter
confusion, and sorrow.

}:I am with you, Traelyn. I am with you,:{ Nyith told her lovingly, over
and over as they hung in the nothingness. }:I am with you.:{

Traelyn's eyes snapped open as they burst from /between/ above
Dragonsfall, and she glanced up at the night stars as her queen bugled a
soft greeting to the watchdragon, slowly spiraling down to meet the sheer
cliff faces of the Weyr. She didn't have to tell Nyith to land on his
ledge. The queen knew exactly where to go - exactly who her rider needed
in this moment.

Traelyn whispered soft greetings to the sleepy bronze before hesitantly
edging into U'kaiah's weyr.

But he wasn't there.

He wasn't anywhere.

Traelyn stared numbly down at his bed, seemingly untouched since the night
before. The thick furs were roughly straightened, and his pillow still
bore the faint imprint of his head.

Where was he?

She closed her eyes tightly against the sudden stinging, trying to ward
off the sense of emptiness as she folded her arms firmly across her chest.

**I should just leave,** she thought as her eyes slowly fluttered open
again. **He's not here.** But Traelyn couldn't bring herself to step
outside his room. Shivering slightly, she moved closer until her thighs
lightly brushed against the edge of the bed. **I should go.** Her
fingers reached out to trace the curve of the pillow. **I should...**

~*~*~

Shards, U'kaiah missed having his own bathing chambers. He half wondered
if they had given him this weyr on purpose, just to remind him of all the
perks he had lost with his stupidity. Or maybe it was to give him
incentive to get it all back... Either way he had been relegated to
sharing the communal bathing pool again, if not some willing rider's pool.

But tonight he wasn't in the mood of company. He just wanted to curl up
in his bed. His much _smaller_ than he had grown accustomed to bed. Yet,
as he rounded the corner of his sleeping chambers he stopped. It looked
as if someone had beat him to it.

He pulled his sleeping trousers up warily before approaching. It was
obviously a woman. The long golden hair in fact looked rather familiar.
But he couldn't be sure unless. Her face was partially buried in the
pillow she had wrapped her arms around. He sat down on the edge of the
bed and looked down at the woman, breathing softly and deeply. Gently, he
tried to smooth the hair back so he could see her face. But he didn't
have to. He knew who it was. He knew by her small fingers, by her long
golden hair, by the rhythm of her breathing. It was Trae.

She shifted in her sleep, a part of her consciousness feeling the tilt as
he moved slightly onto the bed, sensing that someone was close. But then,
as the movements ceased, Traelyn was lost to her dreams again, her fingers
tightening around the seams of the pillow she clutched to her.

}:Nyith says hers is upset. Even in her dreams.:{

**I can see that,** his rider replied as he noticed her furrowed brow. He
wondered what it was she was dreaming about.

}:She needs you.:{

U'kaiah carefully turned his body so that he could sit on the bed facing
her with his legs crossed in front of him. He shouldn't wake her. Not if
her dreams were upsetting. If he woke her she would remember the dreams
too clearly, and if as Nyith said they were upsetting to her, then perhaps
it was best they were not remembered.

He sighed as he stretched out along the bed carefully, his chest close
enough to her arm that he could feel her heat, and his head propped up on
his hand. The bronzerider wished there was something he could do for her.
He softly laid his hand on her shoulder. Leaning over her, and hoping
she could hear him in her dreams, he gently whispered, "I'm here now,
Trae. I'm here, and everything will be all right now."

His voice pierced through the thick fog of her dream, slowly clearing a
path through the heavy mist for her. And she took it, following it
straight up, higher and higher - and out.

Her eyes flew open, her breathing hitching just slightly as she took in
the unfamiliar surroundings. But as Nyith's soft croon filled her mind,
Traelyn slowly came back to herself, and her dark eyes came back to focus
on the man in front of her. She whispered his name.

"Sorry," he said quietly, smiling at her apologetically. "I wasn't
_trying_ to wake you. But I have to admit, I was getting rather jealous
about all the attention you seem to be paying to my pillow."

She glanced down, and her cheeks reddened just a little as she slowly
loosened her hold on it. "Maybe if I put the pillow in its place, you'll
feel better?"

He fingered the corner of the pillow uncertainly. "Well, I was wondering
if it might make you feel better if there was a body there in its place."

"I think it might."

Before it wouldn't have even been a question. Affection had been so easy
and natural between them. But since the night he had nearly crossed the
line, he almost didn't trust himself. It was a great relief for him to
know that she still felt she could trust him. He took the pillow from her
and put it back in its place. Pulling the covers back, he slipped in next
to her and curled an arm under her head.

Traelyn moved in close, rubbing her cheek against his arm before nestling
against him, the tip of her nose brushing his shoulder. He smelled like
sweetsand, and it felt as though he'd just scrubbed at his skin - it felt
so smooth. She closed her eyes, unable to deny the sudden emotions
welling within her. "I take it you were down in the bathing pools?"

"Yep. I'm back to compulsive communal bathing," the bronzerider said,
trying to keep his tone light. He couldn't help but notice the light was
missing from her deep grey eyes.

"Mmm... Those can be...quite adventurous sometimes." She, too, tried her
best to keep her tone light - even trying for a bit of teasing. But it
was hard. And she couldn't even guess what U'kaiah thought of her...
Coming to find her far from Dolphin Cove, curled up and asleep on his bed?
Her eyes flickered to his. A part of her was relieved that he didn't ask
why. But if he did...she didn't know what she could tell him - if she
could tell him anything at all.

U'kaiah could see the hesitation as they were both asking questions and
searching for answers in each other's eyes. "If all you want from me
right now is a warm body to lie next to, it's yours. I wish you would
tell me what's hurting you so much, Trae. But I would never demand it of
you."

**I can't.** "You're more than that to me, U'kaiah," she whispered.

**And you mean so much to me, too...** The bronzerider thought silently.
He kissed her forehead softly and rubbed his chin softly against her
skin, silently willing her to open up to him.

Her eyes closed, taking comfort in their tender, easy affection; in his
caring touch. B'ram had succeeded in taking many things from her, and had
succeeded in making her forget. And remember. Shards, how she
remembered... But he couldn't take _this_ from her. He couldn't make her
forget this. Not ever.

Last updated on the April 7th 2006

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

A Caring Touch