Enhanced Fantasy

Writers: Dana
Date Posted: 21st November 2008

Characters: Traelyn
Description: Traelyn goes to the Hatching at Dragonsfall
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 12, day 5 of Turn 4

Traelyn watched as U'kaiah made his way, slowly, towards her. Shards, how
many more people milling about were going to stop him in his tracks in
order to congratulate him? Granted, it was always an auspicious moment
when a bronze flew a gold, and when the clutch of that union hatched, but
wasn't this just a _little_ over the top? It wasn't as if Kalamath had
flown the senior queen and U'kaiah was the new Weyrleader. Perhaps then
those individuals would have a reason for tripping him up just to shake
his hand. Although, she thought with a slight tightening of her jaw, he
didn't seem to mind so much. Just like he hadn't earlier, down on the
Sands.

As soon as Nyith had told her that Dragonsfall's Hatching had begun,
Traelyn had raced from her office to her weyr to change out of her casual
clothes into something much more appropriate for a woman of her status.
The gown she'd chosen to wear was deep blue in color--not Harper blue, but
was rather a richer, darker shade, with golden stitching around the
scooped neck and bodice. It was exquisitely made, with its silken pleats
and folds falling to her feet, and yet practical and sturdy enough to wear
for travel. She hadn't had much time to do her hair, so she'd run a brush
through the heavy mass and had swept up the sides in pretty little combs
she'd gotten as a gift. She'd managed to glance quickly at her reflection
in the mirror as she'd rushed passed towards Nyith's weyr, and her vanity
had been quite pleased. Yes, she'd decided to wear it because it was
certainly appropriate attire for a visiting Weyrwoman, but she'd be lying
to herself if she hadn't admitted that she wore it especially for U'kaiah.
She wasn't there to outshine Dragonsfall's Weyrwoman Second, but she did
want to catch U'kaiah's attention--to remind him that despite everything,
she was there.

Even though her vanity was pleased, it wasn't enough to overshadow the
guilt she felt. She could remember the last time they'd seen one another
all too vividly: her stiff civility and fury, his resentment and
resignation; the look on his face when he'd risen from the table, stopping
at her chair to lean down so he could caress her cheek and gently kiss her
forehead; the way his voice sounded when he had murmured a quiet goodbye
before going to her bedroom to gather his things--to look at a bed that
usually bore the obvious signs of their lovemaking, but hadn't. The
memory was enough to make the guilt she felt even heavier-and that was
enough to make her angry...to know that she feared his reaction to her
once their eyes would meet. What she wore was only a superficial way in
getting his attention. It wouldn't really matter to him, she knew. He
might appreciate her effort--he was a man, after all--but he would be too
busy searching her eyes to seriously care, and it was the expression in
his that she couldn't predict. She hated this feeling of insecurity, and
the only way she could hide it was to wear the familiar mask of haughty
pride.

So with her mask in place and doing her best to steel herself against her
anxiety, she had settled herself on Nyith's neck and gave her the signal
to follow N'vanik and Loseth.

Traelyn had to admit that walking on Dragonsfall's soil on the arm of a
former Dragonsfall bronzerider had made her feel rather good. Of course,
she hadn't been able to tell what N'vanik had been thinking--his face
seemed to be as closed off as hers was--but she'd felt rather smug,
especially when she felt eyes on them, heard the murmurs, or when people
actually came up to them. She and N'vanik had shared a look or two, but
it was obvious as they sat down in their designated seats that he was far
more interested in what was going on around him than he was in her. She
knew she shouldn't blame him for it. After all, his daughter was
Standing, but she wasn't perfect and the way he'd ignored her hurt. But
she'd kept her head held high and proud, and had exchanged polite
pleasantries with the person sitting on her other side. But when the man
she'd been speaking to suddenly turned his attention to the Sands, she
knew who had entered.

U'kaiah had looked exactly how she'd pictured he would. It was obvious he
was very proud of himself and of the girl on his arm, the young goldrider
Teseada. It was very easy to imagine that the woman on his arm was Kapera
instead, and that shook her. He so looked the part of Weyrleader, and the
respect on many of the spectators' faces only enhanced the fantasy. The
people of Dolphin Cove wouldn't have looked at him like that. U'kaiah had
been right: the people here knew him; he had a hard-earned reputation here
that he could never have gained at Dolphin Cove, not matter how much she
wanted to deny it.

That made her angry all over again--to know that on some level U'kaiah had
been right. But as the eggs began to rock harder and the humming of the
dragons increased in volume and tempo, she'd done her best to shove those
feeling away. There was no place for anger on a Hatching day, and so
she'd focused her attention instead on the rocking eggs. She had breathed
a sigh of relief along with the rest of the spectators when a bronze was
the first color to hatch...and had then made the mistake of looking over
to see what U'kaiah's reaction was. The joy that had suffused his face
was enough to take her breath away. Her heart soared for him, and for a
moment, all of those dark emotions had been wiped clean away from her.
These were Kalamath's brood, and in a way, U'kaiah's as well. The feeling
was nothing new to her because she had Nyith, who mated every Turn and
produced large clutches, but it was certainly new to him. Not every
bronzerider could experience this. But when one was lucky enough to, it
was his finest moment. Shards, she wanted to go down there to him, to
grip his hand, to let him know by touching him that she understood exactly
how he felt. Wasn't it glorious? she wanted to ask with a meaningful
caress. Wasn't it the most beautiful experience? But when she saw his
hand grip Teseada's instead, Traelyn was knocked abruptly back into
reality. She was ashamed to feel that sharp stab of jealousy as those
callused fingers drew the girl's hand closer to his body. Faranth, she
and U'kaiah could have shared this experience together. They could have
had this, if only...

Traelyn had shaken herself from those thoughts, feeling guilty for
thinking that way since she was sitting right next to N'vanik, whose gaze
was riveted on the scene unfolding before him. But she couldn't really
forget what she'd seen. The rest of the Hatching went by in a blur of
vibrant colors and cacophony, human and dragon voices melding together to
create an eerie yet oddly beautiful sound. When it was over, she was
half-aware of N'vanik squeezing her arm before bolting down the stairs.
His daughter hadn't Impressed. He had to speak to her. She understood
his need to see her--her own father had comforted her many times before
she finally came away from the Sands with her arm thrown triumphantly over
Nyith's golden neck, an awed and loving smile on her face. But in
excusing himself from her company, Traelyn had to face the crowds alone.

It hadn't been easy. Of course, she played the role that was expected of
a Weyrwoman of Pern. She exchanged pleasantries with the people
surrounding her, agreeing with all of them that, yes, this had been a fine
Hatching, and yes, Kalamath and U'kaiah should be very proud for siring
three bronzes on a young queen, and yes, all the hatchlings looked quite
healthy and vibrant and proportionate, and yes, U'kaiah and Teseada
certainly did their Weyr proud.

She was standing last in a line of Holders and Weyrleaders who wanted to
personally congratulate Teseada and U'kaiah. His smile flashed with good
humor as he made his way down the line, and his responses seemed to charm
the women and make the men smile in return. He hadn't noticed her yet,
but she kept her head held high, watching, waiting. Her eyes were only
for him. The knot in her stomach writhed painfully. What would his
reaction to her be? What on Pern could she say? How could she make sense
of these conflicting emotions whirling in her? She had to gather her
wits. There was plenty of time to be with him alone later. Right now,
she had to make the right impression--an impression that proclaimed that
despite everything she was here, and that she proud of him, and that,
eventually, she wanted to be alone with him.

Ah, finally! His eyes flickered to hers--but didn't stay long enough for
them to communicate silently. Someone else had stolen his attention away.
Frustrated, she kept her poise in spite of the feeling that she'd been
slapped. Her pride smarted, but she'd be damned if she let him see just
how much she was shaken by his indifference. When their eyes met again,
she couldn't keep a pale brow from raising just slightly.

Last updated on the November 23rd 2008

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