Sinking into a Bog

Writers: Eimi, Paula
Date Posted: 2nd September 2019

Characters: J'nev, Aileyan
Description: J'nev is trying to impress, but Aileyan is feeling guilty...
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 5, day 16 of Turn 9
Notes: Mentions: U'kaiah
Apologies for the backdating!

"You like mashed tubers, don't you?" J'nev asked, pointing to her plate.

"Yes, I do. I wish I had know you're going to offer me dinner, then I
wouldn't have eaten that meatroll after drills," Aileyan replied with
an apologetic smile.

"Yeah, but if I told you, it wouldn't have been a surprise anymore,"
he said with a shrug. "I tried at least."

"Hey, it's the attempt that counts," Aileyan tried to comfort him. She
just wasn't hungry.

He smiled, grateful that she at least acknowledged that he had tried.
Of course, he never seemed to quite succeed with her. Something
always felt off. Today was definitely one of those days. "Is
everything alright?"

"Yes, fine. It was just a tiring day at the drills," Aileyan replied.
"I hate the firestone sack -drills, they are so heavy," she
complained. With her petite physique, she looked like she wouldn't be
able to lift those sacks. Like all riders, she was stronger than she
looked.

"Well, if you're so tired, maybe we should skip dessert and go right
to bed," he said with a suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows.

Inside her head, Aileyan sighed, did everything had to lead to sex?
"Dessert? If it's something sweet, it may be just what I need. To give
me energy. You don't want me to fall asleep in the middle of it, do
you?"

He chuckled and shook his head, completely ignorant of her feelings
and innocent of the possibilities. "Like that could ever happen."
Pushing himself away from the table, he walked over to the shelf where
he had kept a plate covered. "My friend recommended a Master Baker he
knew at Valley Vista Hold. They're cookies flavored with tea. I thought you would appreciate something different for a change."

"Sounds interesting, I'm curious," Aileyan replied. He was obviously
putting in an effort, which was nice and made her feel guilty. She
couldn't keep from thinking that at this point, U'kaiah would be
giving her a massage, or suggesting long soak in his bathpool.
Comparing the two of them was not fair to J'nev. She had promised to
try too, so why couldn't she keep her thoughts away from U'kaiah?
Well, actually, she gave a secret smile when she remember their
"reconciliation", there was good reason why he dominated her thoughts.

J'nev smiled, thinking he had found something to help her perk up a
bit. "Do you want klah to go with this? It might help wake you up a
bit."

"Yes, please," Aileyan replied. She wondered how long she could drag it on.

"So what do you want to do this rest day?" he asked, pouring them each a mug.

"I don't know yet," Aileyan replied. She was furiously thinking if she
could come up with some plan to help avoid J'nev. "My sister's been
asking for us to visit so Ravyan can play with his cousins. If weather
favours, we might go to Amber Hills to see them." There, that should
not interest J'nev.

The bronzerider was not quite ready to meet the family, for certain!
But all was not lost. "Well," he said thoughtfully, "what if the
weather _isn't_ favorable?"

Unfortunately, Aileyan's mind drew blank there. "I don't know," she replied.

"Well, maybe we could go to the beach again," he suggested hopefully.
"Like we did that one time. Ravyan too, if you like."

"We shall see, I rather not commit to anything right now," Aileyan
said, trying to sound neutral. "Do you have more of those cookies?
They are good," she asked in an attempt to switch subject.

"Ah, no. Just the one plate. Sorry." J'nev hadn't known she would
inhale them! "But I'll make you a deal," he said, brightening at the
idea that he had come up with a cunning compromise. "If you and Ravyan
come to the beach with me this rest day, I'll make sure and stop by
Valley Vista and buy a whole dozen for us to share."

That was a tempting offer, the cookies were good. But were they that
good? "I'll think about it," Aileyan replied and gave him a smile.
"I have sweep ride the day before the rest day and you know how cold it can be this time of the Turn ."

"Hmmm, true..." He hummed thoughtfully. "Of course if Ravyan just stays at his foster mother's, you and I could steal away to somewhere warm to heat you back up..."

Aileyan felt like she was sinking into a bog. "Let me check my
schedule first." Although most wingleaders didn't put heavy drills to the
day after sweep duty, letting the riders rest. Yes, she was grasping straws.

"And if we go somewhere, we don't have to worry about Ravyan and his foster brother sneaking in like the other day."

"True," Aileyan had as hard time lying as she had saying "no" directly.

"Of course," he said with a deepening grin and he leaned across the
table, "if you want to heat things up now..." J'nev gave his head a quick nod in the direction of his bed.

"Who doesn't like a bit of heat now and then," Aileyan replied with
a smile that didn't reach her eyes. She was thinking that it was just
best to do it, get it over and done as quickly as possible. It wasn't
all that bad experience although she never took the active role like
with U'kaiah.

But J'nev was none the wiser as he reached for her hand and lead her
to his sleeping area. In his innocent mind, things were really going
well...

Last updated on the September 23rd 2019

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Sinking into a Bog