Sharding Man

Writers: Dana, Eimi
Date Posted: 6th September 2005

Characters: U'kaiah, Traelyn
Description: U'kaiah wakes up and finds Trae sitting by him
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 7, day 19 of Turn 3
Notes: Follows "Stretched Too Thin"

There were sounds. They were gentle stirrings really. There was a bit of light drifting in under his eyelids. U'kaiah tried to find the energy to open them a little wider. He knew he had been sleeping, but he didn't know how long. An candlemark? A day? The bronzerider couldn't tell.

}:U'kaiah?:{ a gentle voice asked quietly. }:U'kaiah, I hear you. Can you hear me?:{ "Kalamath?" he whispered.

At the whisper, Traelyn's eyes snapped up to his face just as Nyith told her very softly, }:He is awake, Trae.:{ She leaned closer to him, propping one forearm on the bed. "U'kaiah?"

"Uh huh," he grunted, swallowing hard. The bronzerider turned his head towards the voice slowly, eyes still half-closed.

She laid a hand gently over his arm. "Ssh... If it hurts, don't," she murmured quietly, feeling an unexpected burning in her eyes. Blinking -
hard - she caressed her thumb slowly over his skin.

"Not... not hurting," the bronzerider whispered hoarsly, his vocal chords as sluggish as his brain at that moment. He opened his lids a little wider, trying to focus on the face the familiar voice was coming from.

Despite everything, a small grin pulled at her lips. A tolerant grin. A relieved grin. A brief grin. "You're a bad liar." Her hand moved to lightly cup his cheek.

"No," he said, gently shaking his head. "Not hurting, just... so tired." His eyes began to focus on Trae's face. "You don't look so good."

Traelyn stared at him. "Oh... You _sharding_ man!" she breathed, her eyes burning even more now than before.

"Trae? Are you all right, love?" Really worry clouded his eyes as he tried to roll over onto his side.

Struggling to keep her emotions at bay, she tried to smile reassuringly at him. But that smile didn't quite reach her eyes. "You took five Turns of my life away with that stunt you pulled," she told him quietly, her tease half-hearted. She squeezed his hand gently.

He gave up trying to roll on his side, and instead just sqeezed her hand back. It was easier and less draining. "Stunt? What stunt?" he asked as his eyes drifted closed again. His mind was searching for the last thing he remembered. He had been in Jaela's office and she was in a bad mood. Last thing he could remember was a chair and the floor, and something soft and gentle... He strained to remember more, but the effort was just too much.

She looked at him. "Your collapsing stunt." Then her voice grew softer. "The last Fall... It took too much out of you..." **And I _knew_ it would. I shouldn't've let you fly that Fall...**

"The Fall?" The bronzerider nodded. Yes, now he remembered how tired he was, the trouble he had with the riding straps, Kalamath's color...
"Kalamath!" He tried to lift himself from the bed. "Kalamath needs to eat! He is not a good color! He must eat and rest!"

}: Be still U'kaiah. I am all right. :{ U'kaiah fell back to the bed, exhausted from the effort. "Trae, help me up. I have to get to Kalamath," he whispered.

"Ssh..." she soothed and gently stroked his hair back. "You're not going _anywhere_ right now. Kalamath's fine. Nyith has been looking after him, and you know how no bronze can disobey a queen's orders."

}: Listen to her, rider. I am fine. :{ his bronze crooned soothingly.

U'kaiah didn't sound convinced. "Have you seen him, Trae? He was not a good color..."

"Yes, U'kaiah, I've seen him. He's doing _much_ better and his color has improved." She gazed down at him. "Now be still."

The bronzerider was silent a moment as his dragon continued to reassure and encourage him. }: I was tired and worried, but everything is ok now. Now I can rest easily. Now you can rest too. You must rest, U'kaiah.:{ "Rest. I must rest," U'kaiah repeated in a quiet whisper, his eyes already feeling heavy. He turned to look at the goldrider, his concern switching from his dragon to his friend. "How long have you been here?"

She hesitated. "For a while."

"Oh Trae," he groaned softly. U'kaiah wished he had to strength to do more than just squeeze her hand, but at that moment it was enough of an exertion. "Love, you need to rest too. Have you eaten?"

She shook her head. "I haven't been very hungry..."

"Please, Trae," he whispered imploringly, "I'll be all right now. Go sleep. Go eat. Go see N'vanik."

Again, she hesitated, looking at him. Then she nodded. "I'll send in the healers before I leave." Trae leaned closer and pressed her lips to his cheek.

He gave her hand a firm squeeze has he tilted his head towards her lips.
As his forehead touched hers he whispered, "Thank you for being here, Trae."

Last updated on the September 6th 2005

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Sharding Man