Visits and Private Advice

Writers: Heather, Miriah
Date Posted: 19th November 2013

Characters: D'hol, Jeyme, Wylra
Description: D'hol receives a visit from an old friend and Jeyme gets a bit of advice
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 4, day 10 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Cyradis

D'hol

Jeyme

Settled on his couch, Yumath's head lifted sharply before a rumbling
echoed through the weyr. D'hol lifted his head, one brow arched and
put aside the hides that he had brought back from his office. "I'll be
Threaded." He stood and glanced at Jeyme. "We're going to have a visitor
in a few minutes."

Within moments there was a beat of wings and the sharp scratch of
talons on the stone ledge. A aged green, white around the her muzzle
stretched and gave a light rumble towards Yumath, but paused and
peered with interest at Quinneth. The woman riding the green also
looked and there was a low snickering laugh as she tugged off her
riding helmet, revealing a shock of short, nearly white hair and a
face lined with age and hard work. She was slender and still retained
some muscle, but it was clear from the way the green hunkered low to
assist in her dismount that the woman's joints were not as flexible.
There was a pause as the woman turned to the straps, tugged out a
gnarled cane and settled more firmly on her feet. She took a step
forward and cleared her throat. "Stop hiding in there, lad. Get
dressed, move your tight little ass and come greet me like you ought.
I've not seen you in a Turn."

Jeyme's eyebrows flew up, nearly disappearing into her hairline as she
glanced sideways at D'hol to gauge his reaction to the old woman. She
had never heard anyone speak to D'hol so casually, and certainly not
about his "tight little ass"... Although tight and nice it was, Jeyme
would agree. **Is she his... grandmother?** Jeyme wondered wildly.

D'hol pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, but a slight smile
played over his mouth as he strode forward and opened the door between
the ledge and the weyr. "I was already dressed." He looked over at
Jeyme. "You'll have to excuse Wylra, she has always been short on
tact."

There was a snort. "You're one to talk. Besides, I'm too old to worry
about that sort of thing." The older woman limped over to the door,
gave D'hol a tight but brief hug and then hustled past him into the
weyr.

D'hol, his face surprisingly patient, looked to Jeyme. "Jeyme, this is
Wylra, rider of Girlath of Dragonsfall. Wylra this is Jeyme, rider of
Quinneth, my weyrmate."

Pale, slightly bushy eyebrows rose in surprise as Wylra eyed Jeyme
appraisingly."So this is the girl. Well well well..." She tilted her
head and then turned to look at D'hol, her eyes glinting with good
humor. "Finally gotten a taste for the younger ones, eh? I knew it
would happen eventually." She turned back to Jeyme, sizing her up with
relish. "Faranth, she's young enough to be your daughter, lad.
Well...more power to you. Must do your ego all kinds of good, not that
it needed it in the first place." Before he could interject, she cut
him off with a wave of her hand, pointedly ignoring his glower. " So,
young Jeyme, can he at least keep up with you?" Her lips parted in a
gleeful grin. "Never really had the problem, but he is getting up in
age."

D'hol groaned.

The pleasure that Jeyme had felt at hearing D'hol call her his
"weyrmate" was short lived as Wylra drew the parallel between Jeyme
and D'hol's considerable age difference. Even though she was sure that
D'hol was _exactly_ aware of their separation in age, she hated when
people reminded him of it. He could decide at any time that she was
too young.

When the old crone fixed her gaze on Jeyme, the greenrider felt her
lips twitching as she fought a smile over the woman's line of
questioning, "He has kept up so far." She replied, turning amused eyes
on D'hol.

Crossing his arms over his chest, D'hol glared at Wylra. "Are you
finished trying to embarrass me yet?"

Wylra's smile remained, unfazed by D'hol's expression. "Not at all.
It's my job to try to move that stubborn stick you shove up your.."

He interrupted. "Wylra..."

The older woman snickered and looked at Jeyme. "It's always been so
fun to needle the lad. And you might as well stop the glower, D'hol.
It may work for some, but not me." She winked at Jeyme companionably
and then patted D'hol lightly on the shoulder. "Its good to know
though that he still uses what I taught him for some good. Hope you
enjoy it, young Jeyme. I did my best."

D'hol's fingers went to his temples and rubbed slowly, but he shook
his head and didn't even attempt to shut her up. It was apparent that
this banter was common between the pair. "Is there a reason for your
visit?"

"Just a visit. And I heard that you'd taken up with a sweet young
morsel. I wanted to meet the girl that got you to finally weyrmate."
She eyed him. "We need snacks. And wine. And klah. Be a good lad and
go get it for us."

"Now wait just a shaffing moment..." D'hol's brows furrowed deeply
with a frown.

"Shush. Shoo." She waved at him and met his eyes with a even stare.
"You're not too big for me to rap you on the head with this stick."

Muttering darkly, D'hol strode out of the door, slamming it behind him
and Wylra simply rolled her eyes. "Always had a bit of a temper." She
turned to Jeyme, sat on the couch and patted it. "Come sit with me."

Jeyme couldn't help the soft laugh that escaped her as D'hol left the
room, and she went over to sit beside of Wylra, "I have never seen
anyone talk to D'hol the way you do. But then, I am usually the only
one talking to him unless it is Weyr business." She had to admit that
if she really thought about it, she was closer to D'hol than almost
anyone, and had been, even before they were weyrmates.

"There's not many he would allow to do that. He'd verbally rip apart
most who would try." The woman shrugged. "But I've known him since he
was a weyrling. My Girlath was the first that Yumath ever flew." She
nodded her head towards the dragons. "I suppose that I'm allowed a bit
of leeway as far as D'hol is concerned."

She turned to Jeyme and drummed her fingers over her chin. "I wasn't
expecting him to ever weyrmate and there's been quite a few that he's
turned down. Me being one of them. He must care a great deal for you."
She tilted her head to the side. "But I wonder if you can handle
him, girl. And not in bed, I'm sure that you're fine there, else he'd
not have you, but he's not an easy man to care for."

The fact that D'hol had turned down many an offer for a weyrmate made
Jeyme wonder... Why _had_ the man asked her to live with him? Clearly
it wasn't _just_ the baby since he still wanted her here with him even
with the baby gone. Why really had he ever began this relationship
with her in the first place? Oh sure, she had asked him to be with her
before her maiden flight, to help prepare her, but she knew D'hol well
enough by now that if he had been opposed to her he would have had no
objections saying no.

"Well, I think I have handled him well so far, or I wouldn't have
ended up here as his weyrmate." Jeyme pointed out, although she had
really had no hand in that. Had she not become pregnant D'hol might
have never asked her to actually move in with him.

"This is true, but can you keep him?" The woman was blunt. "I know who
else lives here, young Jeyme. And I'm sure that it's in the back of
your mind too. If she crooks a finger, will he come running?" She
sighed and frowned, settling her hands on the top of her cane. "You
don't strike me as a meek young thing, or demure, which is thankful.
But let me give you some advice, one greenrider to another and one who
knows that boy well. " She eyed Jeyme. "Always remember, he may be
intimidating outside of this weyr and he may be used to getting his
own way, but D'hol is just like most other men. He wants to be needed
and wanted." Wylra then smiled. "And he respects strong women. Don't
back down, don't be meek. Stand toe to toe with him. He may be the
boss of his wing and a big, bad bronzerider, but in this weyr, Jeyme,
you are the queen."

"Now that you mention it, I did note that.... Well," Jeyme felt as if
she could really talk to Wylra, since she apparently knew D'hol so
well, so she opened up to the older greenrider, "the only reason why
D'hol asked me here to begin with was because I was pregnant with his
child. That... didn't last long. I miscarried after only a couple of
weeks. When D'hol came back here to find me packing he was the
angriest I have ever seen him. I was so surprised that he was actually
_upset_ over me leaving. I thought it would be what he expected since
he had made it clear that we were _not_ weyrmates.... and now we are."
Jeyme sighed, "He's such a confusing person."

Wylra's expression was one of understanding sympathy. "He is indeed,
but child, if he had not wanted you here, he wouldn't have asked even
with the child. The child just gave him a reason. He's never been one
forthcoming with how he feels; it's very rare for him to be open about
that. If he had not cared, he would have shrugged it off and helped
you pack. That he actually showed you how angry he was should tell you
something. Most only get that cold stare that you've probably seen. He
may never say that he cares to you; but he'll show it. He'll get
jealous, he'll get protective and you'll see his open anger and
laughter. You just have to learn to read the man. Likely, you already
can and don't realize it."

Jeyme smiled at that, she did think she could read him better than
most, after all, his cold stare usually made most people flee, but
usually just made her smile. The concern of Cyradis did circle back to
her, "I have worried about his feelings, that he obviously has, for
the Weyrwoman. I came from the Hold and I have worked very hard on
integrating into the Weyr and _not_ being one of those prudish
greenriders who cries and clings to a man and gives him ultimatums to
make him be exclusive. For one, an ultimatum with D'hol, I do not see
working or being endearing. I have basically just been a quiet
presence. I want to show D'hol that I am here, no matter what, and I
am not going anywhere. Does that mean that if Cyradis told him
tomorrow she wanted him back he wouldn't go? I doubt it, but I am to
afraid to press the issue and drive him away."

"An ultimatum? For D'hol?" Wylra snorted. "No, it would not. I've seen
it happen and the girl was booted out of his bed and out of his weyr
bare-assed." Her lips curled up at the memory, but then grew serious
again. "I've never met this Cyradis personally, but he did come to me
after it ended. I never asked and never pried, but I guessed well
enough what happened." She looked at Jeyme. "You have him now. He's
yours. That presence of yours may have been what drew him and what may
well keep him. For all the emotions that may well be between them,
Jeyme, you have him and that's not something she ever managed."

Jeyme considered that, "I just thought it was Cyradis who didn't want
him. She would have had him if she hadn't chosen her weyrmate wouldn't
she? Not that I am complaining, mind you, I am very glad that for
whatever reason the two of them did not end up weyrmates. She's enough
to compete with as it is."

"Perhaps she would have, but it never happened." Wylra smiled. "And
don't think of her as competition, dear girl. She's the past and you
are what is now." She leaned forward and spoke softly, but her eyes
sparkled. "You have youth and firmness on yourside too. Never discount
that, because trust me, he's not."

Jeyme tossed her head back and laughed, finding that she really did
like this woman, "Trust me, I have been using _that_ to my advantage as
much as possible!" She heard the sound of D'hol's return.

Opening the door, with a small skin of wine and a pot of klah in the other,
D'hol stared suspiciously at the pair of women laughing. "The fact that
you two are bonding is disturbing." He walked in, set the klah and wine
skin on the table and faced them both. "Alright...what is it? What are you
plotting?"

Wylra gave a wide smile and a outright cackle. "Nothing. We were just
discussing the benefits of youth."

D'hol's reply was prompt. "Why discuss something you obviously don't
have?" He arched a brow pointedly and then narrowly dodged a thrown
cane.

Last updated on the January 17th 2014

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Visits and Private Advice