Dancing the evening away

Writers: AL, Suzee
Date Posted: 18th July 2011

Characters: Y'gel, Briata
Description: An evening in the Dining Hall
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 2, day 21 of Turn 6

Y'gel

Briata

Music was no stranger to the dining hall for the harpers played every
evening. There was even a small area for people to dance if they so
desired, and often did. Sometimes it got quite crowded, bodies almost
huddling together upon it. That evening it was sparse. That was, to
say, empty. Though the music was lively, no one had taken it upon
themselves to partake of the privilege, though perhaps some would make
their way up there eventually.

Briata always enjoyed the music. She had a fair voice - not harper
quality, but well enough to sing on key, and she enjoyed dancing.
That night, however, no one had come up and asked her to do so and she
just wasn't the sort to request a dance with a man. So instead, she
simply sat back, watched, and listened, even though she had already
finished her meal.

The evening was a little slower than normal and the normal dancing
wasn't as active as it normally was. He liked to watch though he
rarely participated. Even Briata who normally had no end of partners
was just sitting and enjoying the music. When a slower tune came on
Y'gel rose and crossed the room to where she sat. "I'm not as good as
your regular partners but I hate to see you sitting everything out,"
he said as he extended his hand.

"Hm?" Briata's mind had been wondering, but Y'gel's words shook her
out of it, though it took a moment for her to process them in her
distraction. "Oh, hello Y'gel." She straightened, a smile forming for
the bronzerider. She looked at his hand, then to him and let her own
slip into his grasp. "I'm sure you're a lovely dancer."

"Well I've more enthusiasm than technique." He chuckled as she rose to
join him. She probably didn't realize he'd seen her sweep around the
floor at the hatching. She'd been truly stunning that night.

"Enthusiasm can count for a lot." Briata allowed the man to guide her
over to the floor and then drew gracefully into his embrace. "Alas, I
did not get the opportunity to dance with you at the hatching feast at
Dolphin Cove."

His eyes twinkled down into her upturned face. "You were quite busy
with partners enough as I recall."

"Yes. It was so good to dance again." Briata hadn't danced in a long
time. Hadn't _felt_ like dancing in a long time. It had been the most
enjoyable night in recent memory - and she had to be careful lest she
start dwelling on her sorrow again. "Did you enjoy yourself?"

"I had a good time," he chuckled. "But it looked to me that you were
having quite the time. J'lor sure seemed quite proud to be your
escort." He didn't need to reiterate how lovely her dress had become
her.

"He was very nice to escort me to the hatching feast." And it was nice
to have been asked rather than have to ask someone to take her. Briata
smiled a little. "You seemed to do well with the Weyrwoman."

"He's a nice young man, good head on his shoulders." Y'gel tended to
form his own opinion's of young riders and more often then not he was
proven right. "I was the proper escort," he smiled. He hadn't been
given an opening for more. But then looking in the mirror he realized
he wasn't as handsome as he once was. At least not enough to tempt
their lovely Weyrwoman. He knew he was no N'vanik either and from
what he saw, that was where her interests lay at the moment. He only
hoped the Dolphin Cove Weyrleader truly appreciated his good fortune.

He pulled his thoughts back and vowed to himself to just enjoy the
lovely woman in his arms.

"What's on your mind?" Briata couldn't help but notice the flash of
distance that came into his eyes. It wasn't the same sort that fell
over the features of dragonriders when they talked to their lifemates.
No, this was more to do with memories, perhaps.

He smiled. "Ever wish for something you can't have?"

"Yes." Briata didn't have to think about that. Didn't have to think
about _what_ she wanted that she couldn't have. "I have. Many
times." Particularly recently.

He saw the sadness darken her eyes again and kicked himself for posing
that silly question in such a manner. "Sorry," he said. "Let's talk
about something else."

"No. It's all right." Briata's lips flickered with a smile as she
continued to follow his movements with ease and grace. "Go ahead and
say what you were going to say."

"It's nothing really, I just thought..." did she really want to know
about his amorous thoughts concerning the Weyrwoman. "We'll you know,
bronzeriders dream." He smiled a little sheepishly. "But it turned out
all she wanted from me was an escort."

"You care for her?" Briata queried. She hadn't thought about Y'gel's
love life. To be honest, she didn't really give much thought to
anyone's - and tried not to think of her own for it only reminded her
of what she had lost.

He didn't quite know how to say what he wanted to say. He hadn't been
a complete recluse since his weyrmates death almost six turns prior. But
what he had done were flights or friendships with some of the lower
caverns women, nothing serious. "Not really," he started. "It was more
the thought of a possibility of caring again for someone."

"Have you considered talking to her?" Briata asked, her voice soft.
"Seeing if she might be interested?"

He smiled "No. It was pretty obvious where her interests lay and it
isn't me." He thought a moment "I think it's more that I'm finally
feeling ready to care about someone again. So, I'm open to it. It's
taken me long enough." He smiled softly. "I loved my Liranet very
much."

"Tell me about her?" She had known that he had a weyrmate, but there
was very little else. "What was she like?"

He smiled gently into her upturned and eager face. "Gelira is a lot
like her mother. Sweet, caring, never had a bad word. Or maybe I'm
just remembering the parts I want to remember?" He reached for a
strand of her hair. "Her hair was the color of yours. Not so long of
course but beautiful nonetheless."

"How long were you together?" They'd both lost something. A love that
had filled them. Hers had been so fleeting, they had at least been
together long enough to have a child. Shards, Briata wished she had a
child - wished she had something left of B'lamick. A piece of him.

"Eleven turns," he said softly. "It wasn't long enough." By then the
music had finally ended and he stepped back to follow her back to her
seat. "Thank you for the dance."

"It never is." Much longer than her own, but Briata could understand
his pain. She smiled, though there was sadness more than joy in the
expression. "Thank _you_, Y'gel. It was a pleasure."

Last updated on the August 3rd 2011

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Dancing the evening away