The Way It Was

Writers: Emma, Suzee, Yvonne
Date Posted: 1st August 2013

Characters: K'sedel, Ciara, Tsaera
Description: Faced with an evening with Rhosyn, Ciara daydreams about dinners with the previous Weyrwoman.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 2, day 12 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Rhosyn, Solieira

K'sedel

Ciara

It was time again for her to host one of the periodic dinners with the
Weyrwoman to help her weyrmate get through working with Rhosyn. The
table was set, their daughter was with her foster mother and she only
had to wait for the Weyrleaders to show up.

She sat at the table for a moment and gave a big sigh. It had been far
different when Tsaera had been Weyrwoman. K'sedel hadn't had to deal
with so much drama.

~~~Flashback begins~~~

Ciara went to the door to answer the knock and flung it wide. "That
was prompt," Tsaera said, smiling as she stepped into Ciara?s weyr.
The Weyrwoman handed the greenrider a bottle of wine as she looked
around the room. "No kids tonight?"

"That's what foster parents are for," K'sedel said with a grin. "She
even offered to keep her overnight."

"Too bad for me, but lucky for you. A whole night without someone
waking you up for a glass of water or to scare off bad dreams... I
certainly don't miss that," Tsaera said.

Ciara smiled at the both of them and took the bottle to the sideboard
to open it for their dinner. "And makes time for other things," she
grinned.

"And I'm betting that a long hot bath is on the agenda at some point,"
K'sedel teased.

"Don't tease me," she smiled and brought the bottle back to the table.
"It's good to have a night off once in a while. Did you want one?"
Ciara looked at the Weyrwoman as she held the bottle poised over her
glass.

The Weyrwoman nodded. "Please. I wouldn't have brought it otherwise.
And tell me how you two are doing."

"I'm doing well," she nodded as she began to pour herself a glass.

"Glad to hear it," Tsaera said, looking at K'sedel. "I know it's been
a busy couple of seven days, for all of us."

"Tell me about it," K'sedel said, "I'm just glad of having a few
candlemarks to relax."

Tsaera chose her usual space at the table and sat, crossing her legs
as she reached for her wine. "Me too. Thank you for this, Ciara. It's
a relief not to stare at my office walls for a while."

"Kes?" Ciara held up the bottle for her weyrmate to either take or
allow her to pour. "Oh you're welcome Tsaera," she smiled. "You two
need to hide away on occasion and just relax." It had been hard enough
for her to get K'sedel into the habit of spending a couple of nights a
week at home rather than working into the wee candlemarks of the
morning.

The Weyrwoman snorted. "If I hid away, River Bluff Weyr would implode.
Being available is what Weyrwomen are for. But shells, it was easier
before the Pass started. You?d think after this many turns, though,
I?d be used to the pace of it."

"Tell me about it." K'sedel had pushed his glass forwards to be
filled. "If it isn't drills or Fall, it's the tiny intricate details
of keeping the Wings together."

"Faranth you two," Ciara chided. She poured K'sedel a generous serving
then bent to kiss his temple. "The Weyr won't fall apart if you're
away for a single candlemark. So relax!"

She set the bottle on the table with a chuckle and whipped the covers
off the dishes to reveal what the Headwoman told her was one of
Tseara's favorite dishes.

"Oh Ciara... you've been talking to Solieira again." Tsaera lifted her
glass to toast the greenrider over the banquet. Slow cooked porcine
stuffed with dried fruits, fragrant with spice and smothered in a rich
port sauce, was paired with roasted tubers and barley with fungus.
There were three small bowls of fresh greens and a plate of cheeses
paired with fig jam and crackers studded with black seeds for after
the main course, and a lemon cake with fresh berries and cream for
dessert. "Thank you, to both of you. Although I'm sure that this is
Solieira's revenge for sending my lunch tray back untouched-- I swear,
she's on a mission to turn me into a butterball!"

"I think she wants to get some good food down us all by the look of
things," K'sedel said as he admired the spread. "That meat looks
almost too good to eat." "She is a font of wisdom," the greenrider
grinned at the other two. "Dig in." She lifted her own plate and began
to dish some of the tubers and greens onto her plate.

"I'd listen to my weyrmate, she knows what she is talking about as
well," K'sedel said as he sliced some meat.

"Such respect for your Weryrwoman," Tsaera huffed. She held her plate
out so K'sedel could serve her, then picked up her glass. "To my
lovely host. Thank you, Ciara. It's always a pleasure."

"To you, Ciara," K'sedel echoed as he lifted his own glass.

Ciara snorted and shook her head. "You two!" But she lifted her glass anyway.

~~~Flashback Ends ~~~

She lifted her empty glass from the table and toasted the memory. Then
she heard the knock. "Kes, she's here," she called and went to the
door.

Last updated on the August 9th 2013

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The Way It Was