17.Jan.21, 11:48 AM
Iliyith greeted the visitors warmly, always happy to see her mate. Flatterer… she responded, though she nuzzled the bronze affectionately and invited him to settle down beside her for a cuddle. Helyna rolled her eyes but smiled all the same as she heard the joking greeting, heading out to greet the pair, Vondlyn dashing ahead. She lingered in the door, watching fondly as N’mor scooped the little boy up. It pleased her how well he handled being a father, and she regretted sometimes that she hadn’t told him sooner.
“Hello, N’mor. The last two days have been absolutely awful; simply terrible. I have no idea how I’ve managed,” she joked, a teasing smile on her lips. “Come on in.” She gestured for them to make themselves at home, settling into one of the armchairs and retrieving her glass of juice. Vondlyn was engrossed in asking dozens of questions, and showing off his newest toy once he squirmed free of the grasp, too excited to be held for long.
Helyna waited for a lull, used to the excited energy, then said, “we’ve been settling in well, but today Von decided he wanted new pillows for his new room, so he helped me this morning. He helped transfer the stuffing,” she added with a super serious expression and a wink for the boy. “Certainly the best assistant I’ve had since I left the Hall”
As Vondlyn began to ignore the group in favor of playing, she figured now was as good a time as any to bring up her idea. “N’mor, you know I moved here to Benden so that you and Z’rin could see Vondlyn more often. But I also moved here for a fresh start; a chance to get off on the right foot for my own ambitions.” She flashed him a wry smile. “Something not easily served by my gold being so particular about who catches her, regardless of being at the same Weyr or any other circumstances.”
“I have an idea which I think might benefit both of our ambitions. I obviously like women more than you do,” she teased lightly, “but that could hold me back as a goldrider in any sort of leadership role. And I think you’d agree that you face a similar predicament?” Her eyes darted to Z’rin, then back over to N’mor. “I had an arrangement with Vondlyn’s namesake. In the Hall our preferences were even more taboo, so we married to throw off rumors. Considering how dead set Iliyith is on having Rhezalth as a mate, the illusion might be simpler this time.”
“Hello, N’mor. The last two days have been absolutely awful; simply terrible. I have no idea how I’ve managed,” she joked, a teasing smile on her lips. “Come on in.” She gestured for them to make themselves at home, settling into one of the armchairs and retrieving her glass of juice. Vondlyn was engrossed in asking dozens of questions, and showing off his newest toy once he squirmed free of the grasp, too excited to be held for long.
Helyna waited for a lull, used to the excited energy, then said, “we’ve been settling in well, but today Von decided he wanted new pillows for his new room, so he helped me this morning. He helped transfer the stuffing,” she added with a super serious expression and a wink for the boy. “Certainly the best assistant I’ve had since I left the Hall”
As Vondlyn began to ignore the group in favor of playing, she figured now was as good a time as any to bring up her idea. “N’mor, you know I moved here to Benden so that you and Z’rin could see Vondlyn more often. But I also moved here for a fresh start; a chance to get off on the right foot for my own ambitions.” She flashed him a wry smile. “Something not easily served by my gold being so particular about who catches her, regardless of being at the same Weyr or any other circumstances.”
“I have an idea which I think might benefit both of our ambitions. I obviously like women more than you do,” she teased lightly, “but that could hold me back as a goldrider in any sort of leadership role. And I think you’d agree that you face a similar predicament?” Her eyes darted to Z’rin, then back over to N’mor. “I had an arrangement with Vondlyn’s namesake. In the Hall our preferences were even more taboo, so we married to throw off rumors. Considering how dead set Iliyith is on having Rhezalth as a mate, the illusion might be simpler this time.”