If Only Life Was So Simple

Writers: Eimi, Roxanne
Date Posted: 3rd August 2006

Characters: D'wrayt, U'kaiah
Description: D'wrayt drops in to check on his former Wingleader, U'kaiah
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 12, day 25 of Turn 3

Since there were no drills scheduled until the afternoon and the paperwork had all been caught up enough that he could finish it later, the Weyrleader had nothing pressing to do. He was sitting in his weyr after a long soak in his bathing pool trying to decided what he would spend the morning doing. Finally D'wrayt decided to check up on the weyrlings and see how they were growing.

}:You just want to talk to Kalamath's rider, don't you?:{ Treadoryth interjected from his spot on the ledge of their weyr.

**That's not the _only_ reason I want to see the weyrlings.** D'wrayt replied.

}:So you do want to see him.:{
**Yes.**

}:I shall tell Kalamath that you are coming then.:{
**Allright, you do that.** D'wrayt replied with a soft chuckle. He decided to take the long way and walk to the weyrbowl instead of begging a ride from his rather contented bronze. Treadoryth looked so comfortable lazing in the morning light that he didn't really want to bother him.

Kalamath dutifully passed the message along to his rider.
}:Treadoryth's rider is coming down to talk to you:{
**To me?** Shards, U'kaiah hated how nervous those words made him. He couldn't help but think back to the time when he was a weyrling and D'wrayt his Weyrlingmaster. Though he had graduated into the wings, fought Thread, even lead his own wing, he couldn't help but feel like the errant weyrling. The bronzerider knew just how deeply he had disappointed the Weyrleader fighting N'vanik, and now he just hoped he had proved himself worthy of at least rejoining a fighting wing since then...

D'wrayt watched the weyrlings drilling for a moment and then hurried over to where U'kaiah was at. He had to suppress the urge to bark a few corrections out to the lead pairs. He did hear the dragons telling their riders that the Weyrleader was watching and smiled to himself. He would always be part Weyrlingmaster from all the turns he had spent in the position. "Good morning U'kaiah. Can I speak with you for a moment?" he asked the bronzerider as he approached.

"Of course, Weyrleader. What's on your mind?" the bronzerider nodded, turning his attention towards the Weyrleader and hoping he at least sounded more comfortable than he felt.

"I was wondering if you had any room left on the waterball team. Knara suggested that I should play as it would be good for the Weyrleader to be seen doing something fun." he asked deciding to start with the easiest question.

"Ah," U'kaiah said, smiling and visibly relaxing a bit. "Of course we have space for you. Anyone and everyone is welcome, even a Weyrleader,"
he added, at ease enough to even throw in a tease.

"Wonderful, I can tell my well meaning hatchling to back off. Have you been able to find yourself again? I know Cyan will welcome their Wingleader as soon as he's able and ready to come back."

U'kaiah's first gut reaction was a resounding 'yes'. Shards, it was all he wanted - to be Wingleader again. And yet, if he were honest with himself, he would have to admit he was still unsure of so many things...
What if he really _wasn't_ ready? Could he really endanger his wingriders over his own silly pride? "I... I think I am getting there.
But there are still a few things I need to figure out."

"Take your time. It's good to know you're not rushing yourself as it shows that you care for your wingriders. If you need anything, you know where to find me."

"Yes, I know," the younger man nodded. "Thank you, D'wrayt. I appreciate that you've never given up on me." Faranth knows, U'kaiah had given him enough reasons to over the turns.

"You're quite welcome. Everyone has times where they lose themselves. I thought I wasn't going to get over losing the girls' mother and spent many a nights drunk and grieving. Becoming Weyrleader was the best thing that happened to me as it forced me to put my pain aside and think of something greater than the loss I felt. You'll be back before you know it." D'wrayt replied his mind drifting back to that first flight where he awoke to find himself in bed with Jaela. She had been the true source of his inspiration to deal with his pain by not drinking alone in his weyr every night.

"I hope so," U'kaiah nodded, giving the Weyrleader a half smile. He hoped wherever he was, he'd find himself soon.

"Tell me what you think of this current batch of senior weyrlings."
D'wrayt asked deciding it was time to change the subject and he needed to start thinking about wing placements. The easiest placement was that of Teseada and her lovely gold Onnyth, but the rest would take time and the input of his ranking staff.

"There are a lot of promising Weyrlings, especially among the greens."
The bronzerider was also happy to change topics. Work was so much easier to discuss than personal life at the moment. "There are a couple I think would fit nicely into Cyan. Of course, you get first pick." And J'nus was still wingleader of Cyan...

"I wouldn't take the ones you think might fit well in Cyan, unless they would be better served in Azure. Any bronzes that might be future wingseconds?"

"Perhaps, though I rather have my eye on one of the brownriders, C'bul.
He'd make a fine wingsecond someday I'd wager. He's a little reserved right now, but he get's that fire in his eye sometimes. You know the one I mean," U'kaiah said with a knowing grin.

"That look that means trouble and mischief?"

"Uh huh. And with a little channeling, I think he would make you a very fine rider." And there was no better teacher than D'wrayt. After all, he had done the same for U'kaiah.

"That's easy enough to do. Have you talked to Knara lately?" he replied curious to find out what U'kaiah knew if anything about what might be bothering his daughter. She seemed to be rather upset about something, but he wasn't sure what that might be. He normally didn't pry into their lives, but she just wasn't herself when he talked to her last.

"Uh... Well, we have lunch from time to time. And went down to the beach and we've had waterball practice." Shards, U'kaiah hoped that he didn't feel uncomfortable with his daughter's seeing him from time to time after his demotion.

"Has she mentioned anything that might be bothering her? She seemed not herself the other day when I talked with her." he asked glad that his middle daughter had a life outside of her dragonriding duties.

"She didn't mention anything to me," U'kaiah said, running through their last meeting in his head. No, no mention of anything particularly bothering her. She was smiling, but then again, she seemed to smile a lot around him, he'd noticed. "I could ask though, if you'd like."

"That's alright. I'll just wait it out. She'll talk to me if she feels the need to. I'm still having to remember that she isn't my little girl anymore and I can't fix everything that goes wrong in her life like I used to."

U'kaiah nodded his understanding. If only life was so simple...

Last updated on the August 3rd 2006

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If Only Life Was So Simple