All For a Smile

Writers: Bree, Clancey
Date Posted: 6th September 2006

Characters: J'darin, Maurgen
Description: J'darin asks Maurgen for something special and has to work a little harder than he expected to get her to say yes.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 13, day 12 of Turn 3

J'darin

Dinner was finished, and he had sent Oak with a note for Maurgen - she was becoming a frequent recipient of his fire lizard's notes - that he was coming by for a visit and hoped it was alright.

That was the only downside, he could not communicate instantly with her the way he could with another dragonrider. But still, Oak returned just then chittering happily, with an answer pinned in his talons.

Her simple answer pleased him, and he went out to Hasaarth's couch. The bronze was half asleep, and opened one eye fully at his rider. J'darin laughed at the look on his bronze's face, and shook his head. "Don't worry, beloved. I'm walking to see her."

}:She makes you happy. I would take you to see her any time. :{

Surprised, and pleased, the bronzerider thumped Hasaarth's shoulder affectionately before heading out of his Weyr the on foot way, toward Maurgen's own Weyr.

Maurgen met him at the door with a pencil tucked behind her ear and another shoved through the knot of hair at the back of her head. She seemed to have forgotten that both of them were there, though, as she greeted him with a shy smile. "Come in, please."

"You've been drawing again, hmm?" He said softly, touching the pencil
behind her ear, then turning that into a caress of her cheek. He
followed her in, and tugged on her hand as they got to the small couch and table. Sketchbooks on the table again, and he laughed aloud, wondering if he'd find something interesting this time too. Then he looked up at her. "Sit down with me, Maurgen. I want to ask you something."

Pulling the pencil from behind her ear self-conciously, Maurgen dropped to the seat next to him on the couch. "What is it?"

He chuckled softly. She wasn't nervous around him any more, or so it seemed. He watched her face for signs of being tired of the Weyrleader coming around and bothering her while she was drawing.
"Well, I was wondering... do you have plans for Turn's End?"

"Turn's End?" she asked, chewing on her lower lip for a moment. "I suppose I had planned to do what I always do. See as much as I can and make a few sketches to turn into paintings later."

J'darin nodded, smiling a bit. This wasn't going quite as well as he hoped, but he would still ask her. Perhaps she did want to go with him.

"Maurgen.." he reached for her hand, and held it gently. "I would like you to come to Turn's End with me. Do you think you would like that?"

"Come to--" Her eyes grew a little wider. "You mean _go_ with you? And sit with you and the Weyrwoman?" she asked in a slightly wild sounding voice. Shards, all the people would be _staring_ at her! People always stared at the Weyrleader and Weyrwoman, and being there with him would make her the object of Weyr gossip.

"Yes, I did mean that, but we can sit wherever we like. Traelyn and I will have to do some official things, I think? But beyond that, we can
go quietly off or stay and dance, eat and drink. The point is only
that I would like to spend the evening with you." He paused looking at her for a moment. This wasn't going at all like he'd pictured, but perhaps that was good.

"You certainly do not have to, if you do not wish it." He finished, rather quietly.

How was she supposed to say no to the _Weyrleader_ of all people? In spite of nervousness, Maurgen forced a smile. "Oh, no. It sounds lovely, J'darin, but..." Her cheeks turned red and her smile faded. "I don't have anything to wear that's fancy enough to be with the Weyrleader and Weyrwoman," she admitted.

J'darin peered at her for a moment, then pulled her close in a hug. "Maurgen, if _that_ is all that is holding you back from gracing my arm, we can have you something nice at the very next Market day before Turn's End." He paused, eyes twinkling a bit at her.

"Care to go for a ride on my dragon?"

"You want me to buy a dress?" she asked a little hesitantly. She probably had enough marks for something nice, but not the sort of dress he was probably picturing.

J'darin shook his head at her, looking at her curiously for a moment. She didn't seem too excited to be with him, but maybe he was making her nervous. If that was so, he was about to make her even more nervous.

"No, lovely. _I_ want to buy you a dress. You may pick out whatever you like, and you can bring it home. Would that be alright with you, Maurgen? I would really like to do that for you." He said quietly, a bit earnestly.

"Oh." The Weyrleader wanted to take her to buy a dress. It was so far out of anything she'd ever imagined that she had a hard time believing it was actually happening. But she could hardly say no... not to J'darin. "I would be honored, J'darin. If you're sure you want to, I mean! I can find something on my own if you don't want to... it's not a problem."

J'darin nodded. "I want to do this for you, Maurgen. I enjoy your
company very much, and just wish to make you happy. Will it make you
happy?" He watched her for a moment, wondering if he'd just simply gone too fast for her. "I like you, Maurgen... Me, J'darin. Not the Weyrleader... " He paused ,trying to find the right words, though for what he was not sure. "Would you go to turns end with J'darin, Hasaarth's rider, and let a woodcarver buy you a dress?"

Her sudden smile was brilliant, and she leaned over to kiss his cheek impulsively. "Of course." Who would have been able to say no to something so romantic?

His heart contracted at the sight of that brilliant smile, momentarily stunned into silence. When she kissed his cheek, he pulled her tight against him. "Ahh Maurgen.. I'd do more than buy you a dress for such a smile!"

"Then I'll have to smile more," she said after a moment, pulling back enough to smile up at him. "Thank you, J'darin."

It seemed that the Weyrleader - no, J'darin - was going to be doing a lot more to bring that smile about, or so he vowed to himself right there.

"Please, Maurgen, please do smile." This time, when he kissed her, it was with passion and intent in every press of lip to lip, cradling her smaller frame against his lanky one as if she might disappear at any moment.

Last updated on the September 10th 2006

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All For a Smile