Small Celebration

Writers: AL, Suzee
Date Posted: 30th November 2011

Characters: Y'gel, Briata
Description: It's the Lady's birthday.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 4, day 23 of Turn 6

Y'gel

Briata

Y'gel had his weyr cleaned that day and all the laundry done.
Everything was fresh and clean. He took a deep breath as he stood in
the open maw of Aughashyth's entrance and watched the sun decline into
late afternoon.

His plans had all come together for the evening and he'd even devised
a little bit of entertainment for later in the evening. A knock came
at his door and he called "Come in," as he strode into his living
area. The doors opened to admit more drudges with the evening meal
for two. He had even gone to the expense of candles on the table
rather than the more common glows in place of the electric lights.

"Thank you, thank you," he said as they set up. The table looked
beautiful and the sideboard held flowers and presents. Yes multiple
presents.

Soon the drudges were gone and the wine was chilling in snow he and
Aug had brought down from the mountains earlier in the day. Now all he
had to do was wait.

He didn't have to wait long. Despite the awkwardness of everything,
Briata did still care for Y'gel. Things had eased a little over the
last few sevendays, but she would still blush if she dwelt upon things
too long. When he invited her, she did hesitate. But Jewel wouldn't
rise again for some time and none of the gold dragons were due to rise
any time particularly soon. Green flights were easily ignored now.
She would be safe from that sort of thing happening again, so she
agreed and, at the appointed time, knocked upon his door.

He stepped to the door and pulled it open. He greeted her with a smile
and stepped aside to let her into the room. "Come on in," he said.

Briata ducked her head a little as she slipped through. It still took
a bit of preparation to look him in the eye. "You wanted to see me?"
She asked, her voice soft, then she came to a sudden halt as she saw
the table with the wine and candles. "Oh!"

"Happy Birthday Briata," he said softly closing the door behind her.
He didn't make an effort to touch her as much as he wanted to. She was
still acting like she'd run at the slightest advance and he certainly
didn't want that. He liked her and knew there was a possibility of
more if they could get through this awkwardness.

He moved around her and pulled her chair back and held it for her.
"Dinner?"

"Y'gel..." Briata took in the scene, then slowly made her way over to
the table and lowered into the proffered chair. "This...this is so
sweet." She hadn't forgotten her birthday, but she hadn't realised
Y'gel had known.

"You deserve it," he smiled. He didn't say he'd nosed around to see if
anyone had any plans for her first. He took his own seat and added.
"How's Jewel."

"Sleeping. She's been sleeping a lot more lately." And chittering
after Briata when ever the girl left without her gold - but she
couldn't stay in her room all the time! "And a bigger appetite, but
she's fine."

"Thats good," he said. Then he picked up the bottle of wine. "Would
you like some," he asked holding it up.

"Yes, please." Briata's hands glided over her skirts, smoothing them
out, then raised to rest upon the table. She watched Y'gel as he
poured her a glass then accepted it with a soft word of thanks. "How
did you know?"

"I went looking." He smiled at her. "Rhosyn keeps very good records."
He didn't mention Zharesti or any of the Weyrwomen before her who
might have contributed to the census data that they kept updating.

He lifted his own glass and took only a sip. He didn't want the
slightest bit of fogginess in his thinking tonight. "Would you like
your presents now or after dinner?"

"Presents?" The very fact that he'd done this had been more than
enough, but Briata certainly hadn't expected a gift - or more than
one! "You...got me presents?"

"Yes," he chuckled "Couldn't help myself."

"Y'gel...you didn't have to." Briata was taken aback. She didn't even
know when Y'gel's birthday was, hadn't thought about asking - but there
he was, making sure that someone celebrated her own. Oh her family had
remembered, and they had sent gifts, but of all those in the Weyr,
Y'gel was the only one who had done something more than wish her a
happy day. "But...but thank you."

He stood to pick up a smallish box and handed it to her. "Here is the
first one." Inside were a pair of lovely bone combs for her hair.
Beautifully carved he'd only imagined what they'd look like in the
dark mass of her beautiful hair.

"Oh, Y'gel, they're lovely!" The milkiness of the material made the
combs look as if they had more texture, but they were smooth to the
touch. "You didn't have to do this."

He chuckled with a wink "You said that already. I know I didn't have
to, but I wanted to." He reached for a rather largish box. His trip
to the Emerald Falls Gather had produced a wealth of trims. Some of
them were simple cording others more ornate but he knew she could use
them to create something beautiful. Besides, he received marks from
grateful riders all the time and didn't have much need to spend them
so he'd gotten a little lavish but that was what marks were for after
all.

The last one was filled with a rainbow of threads in many different
colors. He couldn't fathom how she'd use them but he'd seen her gazing
at them longingly and had gone to the seller after she'd left and
ordered one of everything.

"Oh Y'gel!" What could she say? Briata fingered the the thread.
What embroidery she could do with this! Oh she would have a grand time
creating with these. "Oh Y'gel it's too much...I...I can't thank you
enough." She would have to make him something. It was the least she
could do.

He glowed a little with pride that he'd at least made her happy a
little. She deserved it if anyone did. "Oh you're very welcome my
dear. More wine?" He held up the bottle.

Last updated on the January 16th 2012

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