27.Jan.12, 04:01 AM
D'ren opened his eyes and blinked away his restful dreams, body spent and mind whirling with a mixture of half-quelled emotions. It was late, he noticed, based on the fiery sunset creeping it's way under the hut's door. Katilan evenings were rather bright this time of year. How did it get so late?
The bronzerider rubbed his eyes and tried to focus on his blurry memories of the past few hours. He could remember his fitful mood from before, his strange restlessness. He could remember Ronarth's agitation and unusual pushiness. He could remember...
...Ah, yes. So it wasn't a dream.
D'ren rolled over to look for Tsuen. He smiled modestly, though he could feel his face heating up as he did so. Flights were ugly business. D'ren liked to treat a woman right, not knock her door down and fling himself at her. Messy business indeed, but he couldn't have been happier to be waking up in that bed at that very moment.
Katila needed firm leadership. The Weyr was so fragile, perched in such a precarious situation! It needed stability. While he knew he couldn't expect to hold his office forever, he hoped to have enough time to create something stable and healthy to pass on to a successor, or perhaps juggle with a rival, as so many of the norther Weyrs of old tended to do. Perhaps just as seriously, though, it meant he got to wake up next to Tsuen.
He was admittedly smitten with the woman. She was tough, much tougher than he tended to give women credit for, and he sympathized with her plight. She had to make hard decisions. They were decisions without precedent, decisions that would possibly determine the fate of the world one day. They were also decisions with no obvious right answers...decisions he had come to share in. It was hard not to become attached to someone after turns of bearing the same burdens and facing the same fears. How could he not admire her?
He pulled the sheet up over his chest, hiding his unsightly scars, and gently leaned forward. "Tsuen," he whispered softly. He reached out to Ronarth. The beast was equally spent, curled comfortably outside beside his mate.
It's good that we're all still together D'ren thought warmly.
"Tsuen," he whispered again. "Are you awake? I'm still here." He wondered if she would share his relief.
The bronzerider rubbed his eyes and tried to focus on his blurry memories of the past few hours. He could remember his fitful mood from before, his strange restlessness. He could remember Ronarth's agitation and unusual pushiness. He could remember...
...Ah, yes. So it wasn't a dream.
D'ren rolled over to look for Tsuen. He smiled modestly, though he could feel his face heating up as he did so. Flights were ugly business. D'ren liked to treat a woman right, not knock her door down and fling himself at her. Messy business indeed, but he couldn't have been happier to be waking up in that bed at that very moment.
Katila needed firm leadership. The Weyr was so fragile, perched in such a precarious situation! It needed stability. While he knew he couldn't expect to hold his office forever, he hoped to have enough time to create something stable and healthy to pass on to a successor, or perhaps juggle with a rival, as so many of the norther Weyrs of old tended to do. Perhaps just as seriously, though, it meant he got to wake up next to Tsuen.
He was admittedly smitten with the woman. She was tough, much tougher than he tended to give women credit for, and he sympathized with her plight. She had to make hard decisions. They were decisions without precedent, decisions that would possibly determine the fate of the world one day. They were also decisions with no obvious right answers...decisions he had come to share in. It was hard not to become attached to someone after turns of bearing the same burdens and facing the same fears. How could he not admire her?
He pulled the sheet up over his chest, hiding his unsightly scars, and gently leaned forward. "Tsuen," he whispered softly. He reached out to Ronarth. The beast was equally spent, curled comfortably outside beside his mate.
It's good that we're all still together D'ren thought warmly.
"Tsuen," he whispered again. "Are you awake? I'm still here." He wondered if she would share his relief.