The Dreaded Inevitable

Writers: Dana, Eimi
Date Posted: 29th July 2008

Characters: B'ram, Traelyn, U'kaiah
Description: Trae's evening with B'ram is interrupted by a most unexpected visitor...
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 11, day 6 of Turn 4

B'ram

Lifting the wineglass to her lips, Traelyn took a sip, savoring the
velvety taste. With a contented sigh, she leaned back against B'ram, who
was propped up against the arm of the sofa, his arm draped across the
back. He shifted, allowing her head to fall back against his shoulder.
His mouth was very close to hers--he smelled like the wine, and no doubt
tasted like it too. When his hand slid down her side to finger the hem of
her tunic, then place itself gently against bare skin, she closed her
eyes, allowing herself to float on sensation.

As his fingers inched higher, he turned to brush his nose against the
sensitive skin of her neck. "Shards, you smell good," he murmured,
breathing her in. B'ram wasn't sure if it was a scented oil or sweetsand
or some other trick women employed to lure men closer, but he had
complimented her on her choice before. Since that night he had noticed
that she chose to use it more often, a fact which made the brownrider feel
more than a little smug. She wanted him to smell it on her. She wanted
him to want her. That made her even more intoxicating than the wine, and
he made sure she knew it from the way his lips began to softly tease and
taste her skin.

She grinned, arching a little. "And you feel good," she murmured back,
feeling much too lazy to open her eyes and look at him.

"I could make you feel even better," he whispered reaching up to finger
the ties to her tunic lightly.

"Mmmm...our favorite pastime," she laughed breathlessly, resting her hands
on his legs.

Really their only pastime when they were together, he thought as he gently
pulled at the ties. They had gotten really good at it. "Turn around."

Setting the empty wineglass down, she shifted languidly, letting him
settle her the way he wanted. Her legs straddled him, skirt riding up,
smooth legs bared. Her braid fell over one shoulder, the end of it
brushing against his throat as she bent her head, resting it against the
curve of his neck. "Good?" she asked softly, nibbling.

"Wonderful," he murmured, reaching up to pull her face to his and giving
her a very thorough kiss. B'ram had had enough of flirting and teasing.
It had served its purpose. Now he just wanted her, and the way she kissed
back left him in little doubt of her opinion on the matter. Neither one
could suffer words for very long. Not with each other. It just wasn't
their way.

Not even bothering with his tunic, her fingers began tugging at the
fastenings of his trousers. He had read her right--enough was enough. A
soft snarl of desire escaped her as she shifted against him, muttering his
name.

As her head fell back his lips traveled down her throat, his hands
beginning to explore her body as she curled her fingers through his hair
and pulled him closer. Closer. Much closer. They were both in the mood
for a wild night.

Her low moan was suddenly, sharply, cut off, and she gasped, eyes flying
open. Her body, which had been so pliant beneath B'ram's palms, had
stiffened. Traelyn pulled back, pulse thudding painfully against her
throat as her emotions went from arousal to panic.

"What? What is it?" he breathed, surprised and more than a little alarmed
at her sudden change.

"He's here!" she whispered fiercely, trying to catch her breath as she
slipped off of him, stumbling on the stone floor a bit as she pulled her
skirts down. Her shaking hands then flew to the laces of her tunic--but
it was too late, she could hear heavy bootsteps in the queen's weyr.
Traelyn whirled around to stare down at B'ram, her dark eyes
stark--shards, he looked a sight. No doubt she did too. Grabbing the
nearest pillow she tossed it to him before turning around to meet U'kaiah
head on, hoping to buy the brownrider a little time.

It took a moment for B'ram to realize what was going on. His eyes met
hers defiantly. That sharding bronzerider was interrupting them? Then
let him see! Let him know of him. Let him know that he had no right to
claim the goldrider any old time he chose. He was not the only man in her
affections and let him sharding well know it! But her eyes were as
pleading as they were commanding. The brownrider sneered rebelliously,
but clutching the pillow to himself, he obeyed.

"She did it, Trae! Thirty eggs!" the oblivious bronzerider cried as he
swept the curtains away with his hands. His face was beaming, his eyes
dancing, and there was a joyous bounce to his step as he walked into weyr,
not even thinking to ask permission to enter. "Thirty of the most perfect
Eggs on Pern!"

Traelyn forced a smile, trying to keep him from coming further into the
room by stepping up to him. **Eggs,** her frantic mind prompted. **The
junior queen must have clutched!** "Oh, U'kaiah...." Her voice trailed
off as she reached out, wrapping her fingers gently around his arm.
Shards and shells, what could she say? Biting her lip, she waited for the
dreaded inevitable.

As excited as the bronzerider was, he was not blind, and far from stupid.
Her disheveled appearance, the half tied tunic and her lack of enthusiasm
at the news were enough to tell him exactly what he had just walked into
the middle of. The flushed man still fighting to catch his breath just
confirmed the whole story in his mind. His fingers covered hers
apologetically. "Oh, shards, Trae, I'm sorry. I forgot how late it was.
I should have asked first."

Yes, he should have. It would have saved the three of them from intense
awkward embarrassment. Traelyn glanced over her shoulder at B'ram, for
once completely at a loss for what to do. Here they were--the two of
them, face to face. It had happened before, months and months ago, but it
was different now. Her relationships with both men were different. She
was different.

"I'm sorry for the rude interruption," U'kaiah said, turning his glance at
the man on the sofa. He was silent a moment as he looked into the green
eyes staring back at him. They held more than just mere frustration at an
evening disturbed. There was outright hate in the man's eyes. The
bronzerider's eyes glanced back at Trae questioningly before turning back
to her guest. The look was gone, replaced by one of passive indifference.

"It's quite all right," B'ram replied with a polite nod to his head. But
his eyes never left the bronzerider's.

U'kaiah's eyes narrowed slightly as he studied his face. He had seen that
man before. Here, in this very room, months ago now, wrapped only in a
towel. He had been using her bathing room, even though he and Trae had
been gone all day, almost as if he had an open invitation. Trae had never
spoken of the man, before or since, but from the way he wrapped his arm so
casually around her, it had been clear that they had been old friends. He
had been very welcoming, even inviting the bronzerider in for a drink and
a chat. His reception now was much different. It was unsettling in a
way.

But really, what could U'kaiah say? He had old friends himself. Turning
his eyes back to Trae's he gave her a small, understanding smile. "I was
so happy, I just couldn't wait to tell you. I'm sorry."

Shards, she needed to throw him a line. Wishing her smile of
congratulations wasn't so forced--or that her cheeks weren't so sharding
flushed--she wrapped her arms around him in a friendly embrace. "Thirty
eggs is a high number you and Kalamath should be proud of!" She decided
to ignore his apology--she couldn't very well excuse it all since B'ram
was right behind her--she knew exactly what he was thinking. And she was
very aware of his piercing gaze on the two of them as she leaned back to
look U'kaiah in the eye.

The bronzerider couldn't help but notice the very "friendly" embrace,
almost as if she didn't want the other man to know just what her
relationship with U'kaiah was, as if she were ashamed of him. Glancing
over at her guest, he could see a slight smile of smug satisfaction tug at
the corners of the man's mouth. He knew who the bronzerider was. But
U'kaiah had a feeling that he didn't want to know any more about him. He
closed his eyes a brief moment as he banished those thoughts. That was
something he would certainly think on later. "Well," he said, leaning
down to give her a very quick and chaste kiss on the top of her head, "you
can see them tomorrow. They won't be going anywhere for a while. I'll
let you both get back to your evening."

Guilt washed over her. "Let me walk you to the ledge?" She had to get
him alone--she couldn't let him leave with this sharding tension between
them.

"Of course," he said with a small, though genuine smile and offered her
his arm.

Traelyn tried to shove away thoughts of B'ram as she slipped her arm
tightly through U'kaiah's, squeezing it against her as they walked out
into the queen's weyr. Once she was sure they were out of earshot of the
brownrider, she slipped her arms around him in a very different kind of
hug.

He wrapped his arms around her and returned the embrace in kind. "Shards,
I'm sorry. I should have thought first. I hope I didn't ruin your
evening."

"It's all right, U'kaiah." It wasn't--not yet. But eventually it would
be. "I really am so proud of you and Kalamath. Thirty eggs even!" Now
that she wasn't under B'ram's scrutiny, she could feel herself relaxing,
responding to him with genuine emotion and affection. "I'm surprised you
could tear him away from the Hatching Grounds to come here."

He smiled and kissed her softly. "He has his queen, and I have mine."
U'kaiah glanced towards the bright slit in the curtain that lead into her
weyr. "You'd better get back."

"I'll come by tomorrow," she murmured, lifting her head to kiss him again.

As she made to turn back, U'kaiah's eyes lifted to the curtain. Her hand
reached up to pull the fabric back, for a spit second revealing the man on
her sofa with the hateful green eyes. In a move that surprised even him,
the bronzerider reached out and caught her hand, pulling her back into the
darkness of the ledge. He was not usually a jealous man, but he caught
her face between his hands and kissed her thoroughly, almost possessively.
She might spend the night with that stranger, but he wanted her to
remember she was _his_ queen.

When he finally released her she was breathless, dark eyes wide with
surprise and desire as she stared up at him. Traelyn knew what he meant
by it, and shards....she liked it. That should have made her feel guilty,
but it didn't.

He took a few steps back towards Kalamath, his eyes not leaving her
darkened form. She could tumble with whoever she wanted tonight, but he
wanted her not to forget that tomorrow, she was his. "I will be waiting
for you."

Last updated on the July 29th 2008

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The Dreaded Inevitable