"Swimming Lessons"

Writers: Avery, Heather
Date Posted: 4th June 2014

Characters: Chaysea, L'pin
Description: L'pin gives the modest Headwoman some swimming lessons.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 7, day 7 of Turn 7

Chaysea had asked L'pin to teach her to swim, well, he had offered
really, the first time they had met, and now she was taking him up on
that offer. What good was a Headwoman at a Weyr called Dolphin _COVE_
when she couldn't even swim?

The problem with swimming was that you could not do it fully clothed
in a conservative full-length skirt, pettycoats and long-sleeved
blouse. No, it would require an actual swimsuit, the likes of which
made Chaysea blush full red. She had seen what some women swimmed in
and she was convinced that there was not enough material there to even
polish a vase with... So she had enlisted the Weyrwoman Second's help
and come up with a "modest" one-piece bathing suit. It still showed
far too much leg and clevage, Chaysea felt, but what other choice did
she have?

Over the swimsuit she wore a robe, which she did _not_ plan on taking
off until they were in the water. She was trusting L'pin to take her
somewhere private along the beach to learn to swim. After all, she
didn't want everyone to see her flailing about, and in a SWIMSUIT no
less.

Teaching Candidates to swim was a task he'd been doing for Turns, so
L'pin was feeling confident in his abilities. The nice thing about
being holder-bred and hall-raised was understanding how others felt,
so in deference to Chaysea's modesty, he was wearing long swim shorts
and a shirt, sandals for the walk. He'd even shaved fully. He'd also
gotten towels and snacks from a caverns worker.

"Looking forward to this? It's nice weather out and the dolphins say
no storms," he greeted her.

Chaysea smiled, "Well, I am looking forward to this about as much as
anyone looks forward to drowning." The fact that she was evening going
with a man to learn to swim spoke of how comfortable she was already
with L'pin. It was a big step for the Headwoman.

"You won't drown. I haven't drowned a Candidate yet. And there's
shipfish and dolphins to save you," he said reassuringly.

The fact that there were others out there to save her _just in case_
wasn't very reassuring to Chaysea, but she walked beside of L'pin
anyway, trying to ease the flutters in her stomach, "Thanks again for
volunteering to help."

"It's not a problem," he demurred. "Before coming here, had you ever
spent time by the sea? Or perhaps by a lake?"

"Sort of. Amber Hills is near the mouth of a river that lets into the
Sea of Azov. I just never had a reason to go swimming." As a young
lady in training she'd had no need, and then once her parents had
married her off to her aged and ailing husband she'd spent all of her
time caring for him until he died.

"That's better than nothing. I once knew a boy who'd come from a mine
that only had tiny springs and nearly fainted when he saw the sea."

Chaysea's eyes widened a bit, "Oh dear, I imagine that would be
something of a shock when coming into contact with that much moving
water all at once."

"I imagine I'd have the same response to the desert." Of course, as a
dragonrider, he'd seen a lot of different places, different climates.
"It's amazing how varied Pern is."

As they neared the edge of the water Chaysea drew to a stop and a
visible shudder ran down her spine, "Well, here we are."

He settled the basket with towels and snacks down onto the sand and
gestured towards the water. "After you, m'lady. Remember, we don't
have to go in any farther than you're comfortable with." If she wanted
to stay at knee-depth, he could work with that.

With the faintist hint of shyness, Chaysea untied the belt of her robe
and let the garment flutter to the sand beside of the towels, "At
least it is a good warm day." She said before she walked down to the
water's edge. The darkened, wet sand there was soft and velvety
beneath her feet, and she smiled as the water gently pulled the sand
from under her feet. One could not deny the beauty of the ocean, even
if it was a bit terrifying.

**You can do this Chaysea.** She gave herself a pep-talk, the same
kind she had given herself before she had walked down the isle on her
wedding day. Deciding that she just needed to get right in and get it
over with, Chaysea strode into the water, her teeth on edge as the
cold water splashed up at her.

"Oooohhhh." She breathed out, her teeth chattering as she went in
waist-deep where she was in no danger of being tossed around by the
breaking waves.

L'pin kept an eye on her as he pulled off his broader over-shirt and
started for the water himself. It was cooler than he expected, but not
nearly as cold as mountain or even river-water. She seemed to be doing
okay and she didn't look too afraid of the water if she was going out
that deep. He nodded with approval that she was keeping her balance
and out of the way of the waves, which could be dangerous to the
unprepared.

"How do you feel?" he called as he waded out to her.

"Cold!" She called back, but there was a smile on her face as she ran
her hands through the water, spreading her fingers to enjoy the way it
moved. There was something calming about being in the ebbing water
that she hadn't expected, and the beautiful way it rippled beneath the
sun was unparallel to anything else she had ever seen.

"You'll get used to it." In truth, it was affecting him as well, but
better to put on a stoic face. He headed a bit past her to get more
immersed and turned so he could see her and the shore. Then he bent
his knees and slowly lowered himself to get more immersed in it.
"Geting better."

Chaysea rubbed her hands up her arms, "Allright, Teacher, I guess I am
as ready as I will ever be." She smiled a bit.

He dropped to his knees in the water so it was up to his chest. "Watch
how I move my arms, here," he said. "This is a basic stroke, easy
enough to learn."

Watching L'pin's movements, Chaysea mimicked them dutifully, although
she felt a bit silly. She had seen people swim before though and knew
that this was what they did. The hard part would be when her feet had
to leave the bottom of the squishy ocean floor, "Okay, what next?"

"Do you want to move a bit far out and practice keeping your head
above water? You'll find it's fun," he reassured.

"Possibly drowning... Yeah, that sounds like a lot of fun." Chaysea
replied back with a sarcastic grin, even she made to move out further
even as she spoke, "I am counting on you, dragonrider." She warned
teasingly.

"You'll be fine. Floating is kind of nice, did you ever do that in the
local lake? Your body naturally stays at the top of the water, and
your arms can keep your head up." He stepped back and let himself go,
gently paddling his arms to stay afloat.

Chaysea's brow furrowed in concentration, "You mean... You just lay on
your back and... Agh!" She made to lay on her back just as L'pin had,
but she had sank immediately, the salty water washing over her face

He quickly swam forward and put his hand between her shoulders to help
support her head. "Sorry for the liberty," he apologized immediately.
"I can stay here while you get used to it, if it's not too improper."

"By all means," Chaysea said, "I would rather be improper
than ingest any more water." She smiled.

"Tell me when you're starting to feel more comfortable. I'll keep your
head above water, you focus on your arms and legs." And he'd try to
think pure thoughts.

Chaysea took a deep calming breath, telling herself to relax as she
leaned back into the water again. **Float, float, float.** She chanted
as she let her arms and legs out by her sides, trusting that L'pin
wouldn't let her head sink beneath the water.

"There you go," he said when it looked like she was beginning to get
it. "A bit more relaxing now?" He was treating her as carefully and
sympathetically as he would any of his young charges, a protective
streak showing through.

She tried to make her tense muscles relax, and after a moment, she
began to feel more apart of the constantly ebbing motion of the water.
It really was kind of relaxing when you weren't worrying about
drowning. Chaysea smiled up at L'pin, "Yes, it is!'

"Good, this is what it should be like. Now, when you're ready..."

Last updated on the June 13th 2014

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"Swimming Lessons"