Saying Goodbye

Writers: Bree, Dana
Date Posted: 4th August 2006

Characters: R'alt, Isaline
Description: R'alt and Isaline spend a few moments in the stables, saying goodbye to their runners.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 12, day 3 of Turn 3

R'alt breathed in deeply the familiar smells of the stables as he walked down the aisle; the hay, the oil for the tack, the leather, and the unique, musky scent of the runners. A sad sort of smile touched his lips as he turned the corner. It would be a long time before he would be back here -
if he would come back at all. It was hard to say what would happen Turns down the line from now.

Hearing quiet sniffling coming from the around the next corner, brown weyrling suddenly paused. He was on the mares' side of the stables -
where Opal was kept. Silently he moved until he could see who it was.

Isaline.

It seems that he wasn't the only one here who was saying good-bye.

"Isie?" he asked softly, coming closer.

She scrubbed at her face quickly, turning to face R'alt with a fake smile.
"Hello."

He didn't smile back - not quite. It was more a slight twitch of the lips.
The expression in his eyes, however, was understanding as he leaned against the wooden panelling of the empty stall next to Opal's. "I've known you for Turns, Isie," R'alt told her gently. "You don't need to pretend with me."

"I know, but it's silly..." She gave another sniff, scrubbing at her cheeks with her sleeve, the other hand smoothing over Opal's neck. "She'll still be here. She just... won't be mine."

"I know." R'alt reached out and rubbed his palm against the muzzle Opal thrust his way. The mare seemed to be delighted with all the attention she was suddenly getting. "It's gonna be hard, Isie. And it's gonna be hard for me too, knowing that someone else will have Storm."

Watching R'alt smooth his hand over Opal's nose made Isaline's eyes fill again, and she turned and buried her face in R'alt's shoulder with another sob. "I have to stop crying before Thanatath wakes up!"

Awkwardly, he wrapped a strong arm around her, gently pulling her in. A crying Isaline was _not_ something he was used to. Not at all. Shards -
what could he do? "Hey now, Isie... It's all right."

"I'm sorry," she muttered, sneaking a hand up to wipe at her eyes again.
"It's so silly. It's just a runner. I don't even need her... I have a _dragon_ now."

"Mmm. And _she_ won't nip you when you tack her up, or 'accidentally' step on your foot when you're washing her."

Isaline sniffled again and pulled back. "No, she won't, I suppose." Wiping her cheeks with the edge of her sleeve, she gave R'alt a serious look. "Don't tell anyone that I was crying, R'alt. Please."

A dark brose rose. "And why would I go around telling people you were crying? I don't think I've tended to make a habit of doing that, have I?"

"You like to tease," she replied, wrinkling her nose at him. "I don't want R'mer to find out I skipped lunch because I was down here sniffling over a runner."

"Sweetheart, I don't think R'mer would react the way you think he would," he replied dryly. Teasing her would probably be the last thing on the bronze weyrling's mind if he found out she was down here "sniffling over a runner".
But _this_ brown weyrling couldn't begrudge her of her own pride.

Her face broke out in a grin. "Too bad he can't react the way I _wish_ he would anymore!"

"And what way would that be, Isie, hmm?"

Isaline snorted. "Like _you_ need directions. I saw you all over at the last party before we Impressed."

A dark brow rose again, and he grinned at her. "And I saw _you_ at that party too." Shards, he hadn't been expecting her to sharding act like the way she _had_...

"Oh?" Isaline asked innocently, giving him her widest eyes. "Was I misbehaving?" She only _hoped_ he'd noticed... not that she didn't like R'mer, but it was fun to make R'alt's eyes get that funny look.

He grinned at her wide eyes and shook his head. "Depends on how you'd define 'misbehaving'."

Isaline laughed. "I hope what I was doing wasn't misbehaving, because I'm ready to do a whole lot more of it..." She gave a sudden sigh. "Though not for a few months. Not that I've got the energy to have the time anyway...
sometimes I think I'd do anything to sleep another half candlemark in the mornings!"

"Me too," he sighed mournfully. "But gone are the days of leisure--at least for a little while! It'll be easier, I think, when our dragons are grown.
Well, some things will be easier, anyway."

"Some things," she agreed, glancing upward almost unconciously. Shivering, she changed the subject back. "But the best part will be having my own weyr!
I can fill it full of handsome men, too."

He looked at her sidelong. "No doubt ones who have rather large libidos, hmm?" It was...well, it was weird talking to her like this. R'alt tilted his head, studying her thoughtfully. Maybe not weird. Different.

"Mmmm... like R'mer." She winked at R'alt. "Your friend learns _fast_, you know..."

"Well good for him," he replied dryly.

Isaline grinned. "You sound _so_ excited."

"Find me a girl who's as willing as R'mer, and maybe _then_ I'll get even _more_ excited."

R'alt had never seemed to notice that a _very_ willing girl had been under his nose for turns, but Isaline was mostly over it. Mostly. Still, she couldn't help rolling her eyes as she turned to lead them from the stables.
"You find more than enough girls on your own. _You_ don't need any help."

Grinning at her reaction, the brown weyrling looped an arm around her shoulders. "It does my ego good to hear you say that, sweetheart. Now come on, let's grab some late lunch."

Last updated on the August 4th 2006

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Saying Goodbye