Stargazing

Writers: Heather, AL
Date Posted: 2nd October 2013
Series: The Unwanted Sister

Characters: Coran, Relea
Description: Relea shows Coran the constellations, while he shows her his heart.
Location: Green Valley Hold
Date: month 3, day 18 of Turn 7
Notes: @Green Valley

Relea

Coran exhaled a slow breath as he pushed away from his desk. He had
been in the infirmary all day treating people with the same symptoms-
fever, chills, and a runny nose. It looked as though they might have a
small outbreak. Needing some fresh air, the healer draped his coat
over his arm and walked out to the garden courtyard where he and Reven
had sat on more than one occasion and learned Relea's hand signals.

The cool night air felt wonderful, and he released a sigh as he shoved
his hands into his pockets and glanced up at the star filled sky.

He had company. A young woman, familiar to him by that point, emerged
from the other side of the stone wall that separated two sections of
the garden. Relea had come out to enjoy the night and the expanse of
twinkling lights above. She paused when she saw a form and then
smiled when she recognised him before she signed, "Hello."

Coran smiled when he made out Relea's form in the darkness. A few
torches in the garden were all of the illumination that they had, and
it was just enough light for the healer to make out the woman's sign
language. "Hey you, what are you doing out here?" He asked.

"Looking." Relea made the sign, then motioned to the stars. "It's
beautiful." She added. It was indeed, on Pern and above. "What
about you?" It was hard to see, so Relea moved closer to have a better
view in the dim light.

"Just getting some fresh air. It was a long day in the infirmary." He
told her as he glanced back up at the sky, "I like to come here when I
need some peace." Coran admitted.

"Did something bad happen?" Relea had to imagine that it was
difficult as a healer. He probably dealt with illnesses he could not
cure and tend to people he could not save.

Coran gave a wan smile, "Nothing more than usual." He assured her, and
then his eyes took in her short sleeves and the thin material of her
dress, "Would you like my jacket?" He asked, extending the article of
clothing toward her.

Relea shook her head. It was getting chilly, but she was all right
for the moment. "You should keep it, but thank you." She paused,
then pointed at a set of stars before she signed again. "Do you see
that picture? Or any pictures? There are so many pictures the stars
make."

The healer tilted his head back, it had been Turns since he had looked
for pictures in the stars, probably not since he and Reven had been
children. "Show me."

Relea turned and moved over to a grassy area, then lay down upon it.
It was far easier to gaze up at the stars in such a manner than it was
to crick one's neck tilting her head upward. She waited for Coran to
join her, then pointed up and drew lines from one star to another.
Then she signed, "The Big Wherry. Can you see it?"

Coran smiled fondly at Relea as he watched her stretch out on the
ground to look at the stars. When she motioned him over he followed
and sat beside of her. Reclining back on his elbows, he tilted his
head back and watched as she pointed out the first constellation. He
was really far more interested in studying the woman's face in the
moonlight than in looking at stars.

His gaze upon her was not interpreted in the manner he might have
expected. Relea thought he couldn't see what she did, so she moved to
another cluster of stars, then signed, "What about that one? A dragon
breathing fire?" A dragon made of silver, a creature that did not
exist, but immortalized by the fancy of the stars.

The man's lips quirked up, fighting a smile as the woman moved on to
show him another constellation. He would gladly play dumb if only to
spend more time with her. Leaning closer to the woman, he frowned and
squinted, making out as though it was hard for him to follow the
pointing over her finger, "Where?" He signed.

Relea reached over and gently guided his hand. She folded down the
unnecessary fingers which left his pointer standing alone. Using it,
she traced a picture in the sky. It took some imagination, but not a
lot to see the picture she had formed with the glittering markers.

The woman's simple touch sent warm tingles up Coran's arm as he nodded
that he could see the picture in the stars. He turned his head
marginally, once again studying her face.

"Over there is the dolphin pod." Relea released his hand long enough
to 'speak' to him, then took it back to trace more paths through the
stars. A small quiver ran through her. It was getting chillier as the
night grew older and the ground made it even cooler.

Coran smiled at the constellation, but he had something more pressing
than stars on his mind. Reaching out, he took one of Relea's hands, a
sign that he wanted her to watch what he had to say next, "Relea, I
asked your brother for his permission to formally court you." Ever
since Leaton had given his blessing, Coran had been working on a way
to let Relea know his intentions.

It didn't come as much of a surprise. Reven had mentioned his brother as
a possible match for her. Relea smiled a little and nodded. So their
courtship would officially begin. The question was, how would it end?
The others had not been quite successful - but Coran seemed different.
Another shiver passed through her as the warmth of his hand gave contrast
to the chill that had settled over the night. And yet, she didn't quite
want to go inside just yet.

Coran released her hand, only to capture her chin between his fingers
and tilt her face up toward his. The healer pressed a soft, unassuming
kiss to the woman's lips.

_That_, however, did come as a surprise. Despite the declaration that
they would be officially courting, she hadn't expected the tender
gesture to be rendered quite so soon. Not that she was complaining.
On the contrary, it was quite pleasant, the sweetness of the caress by
his lips against her own. She shivered again, but that time, Relea
was uncertain if it was from the chill or from his touch.

Releasing Relea from the kiss, Coran's lips were turned up into a
smile as he tenderly stroked a strand of hair away from her face,
"Come on, I'll walk you back to your room."

If she had been asked, Relea would have expressed a desire to stay.
Despite that, she acquiesced to his suggestion. The coolness of the
evening had been unexpected and she hadn't quite been prepared for it.
Her smile returned and she allowed her arm to slip through Coran's
while her eyes moved to the side, as if gazing upon some flash of
movement she might have spied. In truth, it was to delicately hide
the blush that had spread upon her cheeks, though surely the moonlight
paled it with its touch.

Last updated on the March 26th 2014

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