How Long? (2/2)

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

Characters: Traelyn, U'kaiah
Description: Traelyn tentatively brings up a subject she has never discussed with U'kaiah before
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 11, day 9 of Turn 4

U'kaiah stripped off his riding gear and headed straight for the bathing
pool. Despite the cold temperatures, he still tended to sweat underneath
all that wherhide during drills. He gave his skin a quick scrub and a
dip. Nyith was still on their ledge, so he knew Trae was around
somewhere. As he got out of the pool he realized he hadn't any fresh
clothes. Instead he wrapped a towel around himself and padded out across
the cool stone, small wisps of steam rising from his skin as he went.

"Trae?" he called softly as he entered the sleeping rooms. The
bronzerider could barely make out the outline of her shape in the dim
light. She was still asleep. Shards, he must have really worn her out,
he thought as a smug smile tugged at his lips. He perched on the side of
the bed and reached a finger to lightly pull down the covers, exposing a
tanned shoulder that shone almost golden in the darkness around them.
Leaning down he kissed it softly.

"Mmmm...." Rolling over, she blinked sleepily up at him before stretching
languidly. "Hey."

"Hey you," he smiled, pulling the covers all the way back. "Drills
finished. Move over." Pulling off the towel he slid into the bed behind
her and quickly pulled the covers back over them before all the heat could
escape.

She hissed as his cold feet brushed against her calves before she
imperiously pushed them down the bed with her own toes. "I'd suggest
wearing socks but it'd be rather unsexy, wouldn't it?" she grinned, speech
still slurred a little from sleep.

U'kaiah chuckled softly as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her
back against his body. "The rest of me is warm and sexy."

Her smile was wicked. "Especially a particular part." Here hands covered
his as she turned her head to brush her lips against his chin.

"I do have a rather manly chin," he agreed teasingly, thinking of several
parts of hers he found sexy.

Traelyn snorted.

"Oh, you laugh," he grinned, rubbing his chin with a days worth of stubble
against the sensitive skin of her neck, tickling.

She shivered, giggling rather girlishly as she squirmed. His chuckle
rumbled against her back and she let him tighten his hold. Shards, she
felt so relaxed, so comfortable, so sure of herself.... They were both
silent for a moment as she gathered enough to courage to finally bring up
something that she'd been wanting to talk to him about for a long time
now. Even before B'ram had planted that seed of doubt in her mind.
"U'kaiah?"

"Hmm?" he hummed, resting his chin on her shoulder, his eyes drifting
closed with a content sigh.

She closed her eyes. "Have you ever given any thought to transferring?"

U'kaiah's eyes flew open in surprise. "Transferring?"

Nodding, she gazed down at the sheets beneath her. "When we're together,
I can't help but wonder what it would be like to _always_ be
together....every day."

"That would be nice," he agreed softly, reaching up to trace his fingers
down her arm, wondering how he could say this. "But... I can't, Trae.
I'm needed here. I can't just leave my wing with Thread falling."

His gentle caress didn't take the sting from his answer. "Dragonsfall has
many competent bronzeriders who could lead the Wing." And if he was at
Dolphin Cove, there wasn't a doubt in her mind that he'd rise to the ranks
in record time. He didn't need her to pull strings. It would be
completely on his own merit.

"My riders know me. They're used to me. They depend on me. I can't just
leave them at the start of a Pass." He kissed her shoulder almost
apologetically, guiltily. Of course she couldn't come to Dragonsfall.
Weyrwomen couldn't transfer. But he couldn't just abandon his home, his
friends, his son. "Besides, D'wrayt won't be Weyrleader forever. They
will need experienced bronzes to lead. I can't just leave everything I've
worked for. Not in a Pass. No matter how much I want to."

An inkling of the fear she had pushed back during their lovemaking began
to trickle back into her consciousness. "Kalamath would have just as
great a chance in flying Nyith as any Dolphin Cove bronze." Maybe even a
greater one, but she wouldn't say that.

He knew he was probably hurting her, and he hated that. His arms
tightened around her, silently willing her to understand. The fact that
he would have a slight advantage at Dolphin Cove didn't escape him. He
wanted to earn his knots by what he did in the sky, not in a bed.
"Dolphin Cove already has a Weyrleader."

"It could change," she whispered, body stiff in his arms.

"Hey," he said, reaching up to turn her face towards him. "I love you,
Trae, and that won't change."

Doubt--and something else--flitted across her face as she searched his
eyes. Then she lowered her gaze, hand encircling his wrist.

If Thread hadn't been falling maybe things could have been different, but
the Pass had changed all of their lives. His duty was to his Weyr, his
home, just as hers was to Dolphin Cove. He caressed her cheek with his
fingers and kissed her softly, silently begging her to understand.

She never should have brought it up. She should have known she'd be
setting herself up for bitter disappointment--for the pain she now felt.
But, even so, she had thought...... Well, it didn't matter what she'd
thought, or hoped. He had harbored his ambitions long before he had met
her. And even though his gentle caresses and soft kisses were meant to
reassure her, to persuade her, she couldn't help but feel the fear that
she'd sought to banish. **How long, U'kaiah?** she thought as she
threaded her fingers through his hair, trailing her lips along his
jawline, teeth softly teasing the flesh below his earlobe--avoiding his
gaze. **How long?**

Last updated on the July 29th 2008

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How Long? (2/2)