An Evening Together

Writers: Dana, Eimi
Date Posted: 19th June 2006

Characters: Traelyn, U'kaiah
Description: After her run-in with Birigundi, Traelyn sees U'kaiah and learns about the fight he had with a certain brownrider.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 12, day 4 of Turn 3

"U'kaiah?" Traelyn called, stepping into his weyr.

"In here," U'kaiah's voice responded from the sleeping area.

"Well, well...aren't you organized," she laughed, watching him as he hung his crisp laundry back up in his closet.

"Neat and tidy, actually," he said smugly as he hung up another tunic.
"I have to be. My weyr's too small for me _and_ my laundry."

"It could very well be possible that you have more clothes than me!" she told him, peering into his closet that mostly consisted of tunics.

"Well, I have to stay beautiful," U'kaiah chuckled as he reached for a pair of trousers. "How was your day?"

"Oh, fine." She withheld a sigh, thinking about the angry Candidate she'd just left in her wake. Shrugging it off--what could she really do about it?--Traelyn smiled and came closer, pressed her cheek against his shoulder briefly, companionably. "And yours?"

"Not bad," he said, trying to not to use the shoulder she leaned against as he hung the last few pairs on the bar. "Just been cleaning up to make room for you in my weyr. I have a bottle of wine chilled, and dinner should be here shortly. A perfectly quiet evening just the two of us."

"Sounds wonderful," she sighed wistfully. "Is the wine white or red?"

"White of course," the bronzerider replied snobbishly. "Red wines are usually served _room_ temperature, thank you very much."

Snorting at his tone, she snaked an arm around him and gave him a light, affectionate squeeze. "And those certainly aren't for us, are they?" she chuckled, glancing up at him.

He winced slightly at the pressure. "Careful there, love. Those ribs are still a bit sore sometimes."

She let her arm drop. "How come? The weyrlings?"

"No, just a foolish brownrider who doesn't know when to leave the past behind him," U'kaiah said with a thoughtful frown. He hung the last pair of trousers in place and turned to face her, forcing a small smile. "It's nothing to worry about. He won't bother me anymore, I'm sure."

She gazed back at him, wondering if she should let it lie. But, shards...
"Is that all you're going to tell me?" she asked quietly.

He opened his mouth to say something to change the subject, to shrug it off and leave it there. But when he saw the concern in her eyes, he reminded himself who he was talking to. U'kaiah had no secrets from Trae.
"His name is J'klin," he finally said, taking her hand and leading her towards the bed. Perching himself on the edge of it, he continued.
"He and I were friends a long time ago, but it all fell apart over a woman he was in love with. He accused me of trying to steal her away from him. Now he's in love with a friend of mine. Well, she was a friend of mine until he told her to stop seeing me. But I guess it was too late.
He got drunk, accused me of trying to steal her away as well, and then let his anger get the better of him."

J'klin... J'klin... Where had she heard that name before? "You know...I think I've met him before. When I first came here, he introduced himself to me. Shards, U'kaiah...." Slowly she moved to sit beside him, frowning. "Sounds like he has a serious insecurity problem...to be accusing you of things and then telling his woman not to even _see_ you...
And then fighting you!" Traelyn hoped that he hadn't gotten into any more trouble with D'wrayt over yet _another_ fight...

"_Fighting_ me isn't exactly how I would put it," U'kaiah scowled. "More like pummeling me. I wasn't about to fight back and risk losing Cyan forever. I just had to stand there and protect myself as best I could."

Her jaw began to tighten. What _was_ it with sharding brownriders? "Did D'wrayt have to step in at all, U'kaiah?"

"Not for me. I didn't fight back. It might have effected his opinion of my readiness to take over Cyan again, but I don't know for sure," he sighed. Shards, he just wished he knew _when_... Looking over at her he saw how tense she looked. He reached up a finger to lightly stroke the tightened muscles. "Oh, now Trae, it wasn't as bad as all that. I'm fine."

She glanced up into his eyes. "But it bothers you."

"You can't protect me from everything that bothers me anymore than I can protect you, love," he murmured softly, reaching his arm around her and pulling her close. "But its good to know you would care enough to try."

Traelyn rubbed her cheek against his shoulder, eyes cast downwards to their clasped hand. "The same goes for you, you know," she replied, her voice just as soft.

"Yes," he replied gently. "But you don't _tell_ me what's bothering you. I really wish you would."

She shook her head, cheek slipping down to rest against his chest. "I don't want to dredge it up."

His arm cradled her head as his fingers slipped through her hair. "Is it really so painful to talk about? Even with me?"

**Especially with you...** She couldn't even imagine what he'd think of her if he knew what she'd done and was doing... "With everyone," she murmured, wishing for a way they could drop this. It hadn't been her intention to bring them both down.

"It's not good to hide everything inside like that, Trae. Eventually it all has to come out." Of course, he knew he had been as guilty as she in the past. Perhaps in the present as well...

"It's hard," she whispered. "I'd rather just...forget."

U'kaiah sigh as he leaned down to kiss the top of her head softly. He wished she would just _say_ it and get it over with. But he wouldn't force her. "All right then, love." He gently lifted her chin until their eyes met. They were silent a moment, both searching the other's eyes before the bronzerider lightly kissed her forehead. There were so many questions in both their gazes, but he knew there would be no answers today. "Come on then. Let's see if we can't help you forget your troubles for a while."

"And yours." She brushed the tips of her fingers against his sore ribs--hardly touching. "The bottle of chilled white is calling to us, I think...demanding us to drink of its delicious bounty...."

"Are you sure you're not a harper?" he asked eyeing her suspiciously.
Grinning he raised them both to their feet. "Then come along, my lovely Weyrwoman, and let us drink bountifully together."

Last updated on the June 19th 2006

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An Evening Together