Try, Try Again

Writers: Halyonix, Yvonne
Date Posted: 30th April 2025

Characters: V'dryn, Ketlyn
Description: Ketlyn has a confession to make, so Varinth makes it for her.
Location: Barrier Lake Weyr
Date: month 3, day 16 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: N'kayden

Ketlyn wasn't ready to talk about what had happened with N'kayden so she buried herself in her classes and working with Varinth, and even volunteered at the forge to hammer out some nails on her rest day. An expanding Weyr always needed more nails.

By the fifth day of avoiding everyone, her dinner tray shook between her tired hands as she sat beside V'dryn in the Dining Hall. "Hi."

He looked up with a surprised but delighted light to his eyes. "There you are! I was beginning to wonder if I would ever see you outside of class ever again," he teased lightly.

She winced. **I didn't think I was so obvious!**

}:Your problem is that people like you and then they talk about you,:{ Varinth informed her smugly. }:I talk about you all the time!:{

**Yes, but you're my dragon-- you're _supposed_ to! Oh no-- does that mean everyone knows about me and N'kayden!?**

}:I don't know. I will ask Zhomoth!:{

**NO! Don't you dare!** Ketlyn said in horror, just as she realized that she'd left her conversation with V'dryn hanging and that he was waiting patiently for a reply. "Oh, ah... I just felt like I was... falling behind?"

"With studying?" V'dryn queried. "I could have helped you with that if you wanted. I don't mind."

"Um." Ketlyn felt herself flush and was grateful for skin dark enough to hide it. Probably. V'dryn would have probably been a better option than N'kayden, but oh Faranth what if it was like that _every_ time!? "Howwasyourday?" she forced out with a squeak, hoping to change the subject.

He shot her a quizzical look but answered, "I have been learning some of the logistics of the inventorying systems used here at the Weyr and seeing what I can do to make it a bit more efficient. Well, it's not a full project like I'm used to, but it feels good to finally have the time to work on other things besides just our weyrling training."

"Oh." She searched for something to say to keep V'dryn from asking any more questions, but what sort of questions were you supposed to ask about inventorying?! "Um. How's that going?"

"I would enjoy it more if I was in charge of it, I think," he admitted. "As it stands, I feel only half involved and it sits weird with me." He shrugged and smiled. "I'm used to being the go-to person for such things. It's not easy to sit back and let someone else do it."

}:Mine wants to talk to yours about mating flights,:{ Varinth told Zhomoth.

Ketlyn choked on her bite of bread and started to cough.

V'dryn's gaze immediately sharpened. "Are you alright?"

}: Oh? :{ Zhomoth replied to Varinth. }: Well, I don't think he's very knowledgeable about flying but I think he knows about mating. Why? Does your rider want to have a mating flight? :{

}:She had one and didn't like it and now she is worried that yours knows but also does not want to ask,:{ Varinth said matter-of-factly, this time not letting Ketlyn overhear. Some things were better kept between dragons. }:I think this is all very silly.:{

Meanwhile Ketlyn was waving off V'dryn's concern and reaching for her water glass at the same time. She took a long swallow, coughed again, then managed to say, "I'm fine!"

}: I've discovered that our riders do very silly things sometimes, :{ Zhomoth remarked to Varinth.

V'dryn was skeptical. "Are you sure? You've...honestly, Ketlyn, you've seemed a bit off today. Lately."

"No!" Ketlyn stared at him in horror, then crumpled. "Oh Faranth... if I tell you something will you promise to keep it a secret?"

Thinking that it was something dire, that something had happened to her family, V'dryn covered her hand with his. "Of course."

She stared at his hand, thoughts suddenly scattered to the wind. Way, way into the wind. "Um."

}:Oh, just talk to him. You talk to him all the time,:{ Varinth said, clearly exasperated. }:Or I will tell Zhomoth to tell him for you. Would you like that?:{

**No!** Ketlyn removed her hand under the pretext of trying to tame some of the curls that had sprung loose from her braid and were now doing their best to give her a frizzy halo. "Um. Well... N'kayden asked me to... um, about mating flights. So I said yes because we need to do that before graduation and I felt back saying no, except..."

V'dryn had a feeling he knew where this was going. His heart sank a little. "Except?" he prompted.

Ketlyn covered her face with her hands. "Faranth's Egg, V'dryn. It was so _bad_. I can't even describe how bad it was to you."

The bluerider bit the inside of his cheek. Part of him was humored by the fact that N'kayden, who had bragged so much during class, was actually _bad_ at sex. Part of him wished that Ketlyn had approached him first instead. And part of him was glad that she was telling him now because...maybe he had a chance?

"Well," he said evenly, "I can't say that my first time was any better. I think that sex is a rite of passage in a few ways. Pleasure, intimacy, embarrassment..." He paused the pick at a bite of food. He met her gaze as he said, "But if you'd like to practice more, I promise that I won't make it the latter."

"I--" Was he asking her to sleep with him!? She hurriedly looked at her full plate as she felt a flush creep up her neck. Hopefully he wouldn't notice. **V'dryn is-- what if I-- what if _he_--** She suddenly wished for an earthquake like River Bluff's to crack the floor open and swallow her into the bowels of the earth. It would be preferable to this. **Shells, I shouldn't have said anything!**

}:Tell your rider he will go to mine's weyr tonight,:{ Varinth cut in.

Ketlyn gasped. "Varinth!" She clapped her hands over her mouth.

"What did she-- oh..." V'dryn answered. A slight flush appeared on his cheeks. "Our dragons are far more straightforward about such things than we are," he chuckled nervously. He cleared his throat and then put his hand on Ketlyn's arm. "It's up to you. You don't have to if you don't want."

His hand felt very hot against her skin, or maybe it was her that was burning up. **I hate you,** she told her dragon, who gave her a smug, slow blink in return. V'dryn was still waiting for an answer. She took a deep breath. "Why don't you come over, and we can just... talk." Except she wasn't sure if she wanted to _just_ talk, but the alternative was too embarrassing to approach directly.

Talking was always a good start. "I'll bring over dessert," he offered. And a bottle of wine as well. Just something to take off the edge. "Tonight? Or tomorrow?"

"Tonight." Prolonging this was _not_ an option.

His hand brushed against hers. "Tonight. After sundown. I'll be there," he promised with a soft smile.

Her breath caught. "All right then. See you then." And she'd have all day to worry what would come next.

Last updated on the May 1st 2025

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Try, Try Again