Almost Time

Writers: AL, Cali
Date Posted: 27th January 2010

Characters: Ri'len, Sorsha
Description: The two talk about Roseth's upcoming flight.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 7, day 11 of Turn 5

Ri'len pulled off his shirt and settled into the loose pair of breeches he slept in. He cast a glance toward Sorsha who was also preparing for bed. While tension had eased a bit over the last sevenday, it was still there. It hadn't eased enough to make things comfortable, to where they would look each other in the eye when they talked. The topic of what had happened had been carefully avoided since that one time when they had discussed the matter. Ri'len wanted to talk about it, not because he wanted to relive the event but because he knew things still weren't completely resolved. The problem was, he knew if he tried, Sorsha would react badly. So he was just going to have to give her time...again.

"I was thinking about staying up for a bit and studying, do you mind?" Sorsha asked as she finished undoing the braid she usually wore during the day.

"I don't mind." Ri'len lowered himself onto the bed. He had thought about sleeping on a settle or even on the floor, much like he had when she had been so frightened once they were allowed to be intimate. He wasn't sure if that would make things worse though, so he didn't. Instead, the two both huddled in their respective corners. They hadn't been intimate at all save for a few fleeting kisses. Ri'len hated it when he wasn't able to at least hold his wife.

She knew he _did_ mind. She'd tried, some, but every time he had his hands on her, every time they kissed, she always thought of that mystery girl. He said he didn't remember who she was, but in some ways that was worse, now she'll never know who stole the kisses that were rightfully hers. "I'm going to take Roseth down for a bath in the morning. Do you want to come?"

"Sure." Ri'len lay on his back and tucked his hands behind his head. He glanced over at his wife and pondered what to say next. "She's doing okay?" Well, he tried anyway.

Sorsha nodded, glancing over at the curtain, knowing that her lifemate was curled up on the ledge with Monilath. "Just fine. She's annoyed that she can't fight thread like the rest of you though. I think her first Blooding next sevenday will help that."

"She's been annoyed a lot the last day or so." Ri'len pointed out with a frown. That thought brought another one to his mind. Roseth tended to be a moody dragon, but in the last day at least she'd be more so, more snappish. Monilath had taken it all in stride, and Ri'len suddenly realized what that possibly could mean. "Hm."

"What?" Sorsha asked. If Ri'len wanted to talk about something, she wished he'd just get it out.

Ri'len inclined his head slightly in the direction of the ledge. "Roseth."

"Roseth..." Sorsha drew it out, waiting for Ri'len to get to his point.

"Think she might rise soon?"

Sorsha looked over in the direction of the sleeping dragons. "Probably, alot of the other greens have, so it'll happen eventually."

Ri'len raised his eyebrows. "Sooner rather than later."

"Do you think? Sorsha came over to the bed and sat down besides Ri'len, unconsciously looking for comfort. "She feels okay to me, but I don't really know what she's supposed to _feel_ like before she rises."

"She's been grouchy." Sorsha had been too, more so than usual. Ri'len wasn't about to say that, though. "Monilath has commented on it." That said something right there.

She reached out and found Ri'len's hand, his gentle squeeze, reassuring her as she felt her nerves start to rise. She'd known this was coming, but had always put it out of her mind, refusing to think about what would happen. She was running out of time though, she needed to think about it, needed to prepare herself _and_ Ri'len for what would happen.

Ri'len slowly let his arm slid around her shoulders and held her. It was coming. He didn't want it to, but it was inevitable. This was part of becoming a dragonrider, a part of having a dragon - of having a female dragon. She would rise and they had no control. Monilath would try, though. He would try...and Ri'len could only hope his dragon caught her.

"You know the way it's been... the way I've been." she corrected, "It didn't mean I loved you any less. I do. I love you even more than when we were married."

"I love you more today, then yesterday." Ri'len responded and his face relaxed into a smile. "But not as much as tomorrow." He leaned over and kissed the top of her head. "I made a vow, to love you no matter what. I'm glad you're willing to do the same. I'm lucky."

"I want it to be you, Railen." she whispered, burrowing her head into his chest. "Will you forgive me if it's not?"

"Forgive you?" Ri'len took hold of Sorsha's arms and held her away from him so he could look straight at her. "You know it's not our decision. I want it to be me too, but how can I blame you if it's not? You have no control over it."

Sorsha nodded, they'd told each other this time and time again, but would it hold once it had actually happened? "What about you? If Monilath loses and I'm not here..."

"I'm going to go jump in the lake." That should cool him off. Ri'len didn't want to risk another encounter. A flight was one thing, outside of a flight was another. "And try harder to discourage him from chasing."

She gave a weak chuckle. "It's a good thing we're not at a cold weather Weyr then."

If they had been, then maybe the situation with that other girl wouldn't have happened. Ri'len didn't say that though. "Yes." He stated with a gentle kiss upon her cheek. "Yes it is."

"Ri'len," Sorsha looked at Ri'len, resolution in her eyes. "I don't want there to be any barrier between us, I don't want there to be anything but love between us when Roseth rises. I don't want her to be confused as to who I want to win."

Ri'len cupped Sorsha's face with his hands, his thumbs trailing along the sides. "I don't want there to be anything between us either." It tore at him when they were odds and every day felt worse than the last.

"Then let's put this past us." Sorsha said, kissing Ri'len passionately. "Make love to me, and spoil me rotten with your affection, and show our dragons just how much we belong together."

Ri'lens face relaxed into a smile and he gathered Sorsha into his arms. He didn't bother to speak. Instead, he carried Sorsha to their bed, his mouth running over hers and proceed to show both her and their dragons exactly how much he loved her.

Last updated on the January 31st 2010

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