"Late Night Visit"

Writers: Heather, Suzee
Date Posted: 20th July 2014

Characters: R'enh, Chaysea
Description: R'enh stops by Chaysea's office for a late-night chat
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 7, day 28 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: L'pin

R'enh

R'enh had been working on his hides for hours with recent transfers
and new Weyrlings coming there was just so much work to do. But he'd
finally reached a stopping point and pushed them away before standing
to stretch he was dressed only in shorts as he walked toward the
dining hall to see if there was anything he could pick up to take to
his room.

He saw the Headwoman hard at work and leaned against the door.
"Another late night?"

Chaysea looked up and smiled when she recognized the Weyrsecond, "I
would say this is about the usual time for me. What are you doing up?"
With no weyrmate or children, she had nothing waiting for her but a
dark bedroom.

"Hidework," he said as if it were a bad word. "I should remember to do
it during the day then I could sleep at night. Got anything to eat in
there?"

"I have a few bubblies left. You are welcome to them." Chaysea
offered, sliding the plate across her desk.

"Just one," he said with a smile. He took a bite and his eyes rolled
back in appreciation. "Yumm," he sighed as he chewed. Then he looked
at Chaysea with serious eyes. She was a beautiful and desirable woman
and he began to wonder what exactly had brought her to the Weyr. He
found that beyond the teasing lighthearted nature of their previous
contact. And even though he'd stood in front of her naked, they hadn't
actually talked.

"So why did you come to the Weyr Chaysea?"

Chaysea felt that the question was loaded so gave him the condensed
version, "I did not like my life at the Hall and I saw no improvements
for my future. When I heard that the Headwoman had resigned I knew I
at least had to try and see if I could come here."

"But didn't I see you with a healer from Amber Hills? Surely you could
find another husband rather than exposing yourself to the Hold's
censure by associating so closely with dragonriders?" His question
came from a genuine concern over her future though he didn't exactly
know why he cared.

A flash of ire rarely seen came to the woman's eyes at the mention of
the healer she had been with, "That healer was my brother, the very
same who disowned me for choosing the Weyr over the Hall and
apparently bringing disgrace to the entire family and ruining whatever
prospects for a future they might have had."

Chaysea rolled her eyes and leaned back in her chair to look up at the
Weyrsecond, "At twenty-five I was married to a man of seventy-three.
Fortunately I was reprieved of my servitude when he died. What in
the shell would make you think I would want to hop back into bondage
again?"

She waved her hand at the rhetorical question, "Oh I know, a woman is
suppose to cling to marriage like some sort of lifeboat in a stormy
sea. Not me, I always had different dreams than that."

"Hey," he said holding up his hands. "I only asked a question about
your reasons for coming here, _I_ certainly wasn't condemning you."
His mouth widened with a smile though his eyes were still serious.

"I didn't know," he said with his hands open on the table. The subject
was obviously a sore one for her. "And I'm sorry your family feels
that way about your decision. If I'm prying and you don't want to
answer, then feel free to tell me to butt out." How did he tell her
that he felt compelled to get to know her and it wasn't just her body
that interested him. She was so very different from women in the weyr
as stimulating as they might be. There was a depth to her that was
different and he wanted to know why.

"Perhaps a Hold woman is supposed to cling to marriage but you are no
longer a Hold woman Chaysea."

The corner's of the Headwoman's mouth twitched upward, "I am sorry, I
didn't mean to come off so strongly. It wasn't necessarily aimed at
you. To be honest, R'enh," besides L'pin he was probably one of the
only dragonriders she would call by name, "I don't think I was ever
really a 'Hold woman', I always had bigger dreams than that. I wanted
so badly to be a healer but I apparently lacked the correct anatomy to
be in the craft so I watched my brother become a healer instead."

Chaysea's voice softened, "It is really hard watching someone else
live your dream while you stand on the sidelines."

"I can only imagine," he said softly. "You could learn now though."

"Don't you think it's a little late for that?" Chaysea asked.

"No," he said reaching for her hand. "I don't think it's ever too late."

She smiled a little at that and squeezed his hand, "Well, to be
honest, I have really liked being the Headwoman here. It is kind of
like being a healer in the way that I have so many peoples' needs to
take care of, and I like that. Taking care of people."

"That's good," he smiled. "But you know, there are lots of crafters in
the Weyr. I'm sure there is someone willing to teach you. Besides, we
always need extra hands in the infirmary after 'fall. You could still
have your dream."

"Maybe," she agreed, "but I haven't been finding a lot of free time
lately." When Chaysea wasn't actively working as the Headwoman she was
learning more about the Weyr or Weyr etiquette. It worked a lot
differently than the Vintner Hall had.

"I think you need a night out," he grinned. "You should have a rest
day same as everyone else at the Weyr Headwoman. There's a gather near
Igen next week, Mnoranth and I would be happy to escort you."

It had been a long time since Chaysea had been to a Gather and the
chance to travel was too good to pass up, "I will have to take you up
on that offer."

"Excellent," he grinned and stood. "I'll be ready to go first thing on
restday. Do you remember the way to my Weyr?" He knew perfectly well
she would but used the question to remind her of their previous
activity in said weyr. Not for any nefarious reason but just because
she was very cute when she blushed.

"Of course I don't remember," Chaysea grinned a little and then tapped
the large paper on her desk, "but I do have the weyr diagrams so I am
sure I will be able to get there no problem."

He clutched his chest in mock pain. "You cut me to the quick madam,"
he grinned back at her and then winked before taking his leave.

Last updated on the July 28th 2014

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"Late Night Visit"