Hesitant Picnic (1/2)

Writers: Miriah, Suzee
Date Posted: 12th October 2016

Characters: D'hol, Cyradis, Kielya
Description: Kielya arranges a family picnic with both of her hesitant parents.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 8, day 17 of Turn 8

D'hol

Cyradis

Kielya

"Please, Daddy? Please please please?" Large eyes stared up at D'hol
and he could feel himself crumbling under the wide, pleading gaze. He
tried to resist, he really did, but Kielya seemed to realize he was
caving and and ratcheted up the pressure another notch, hugging him
around the waist and staring up at him with a trembling lower lip.
"It's just a picnic and I never get to spend time with just you and
Mom. There's always other kids and babies and it's never just me."

D'hol didn't want to explain to Kielya that he and her mother were on
civil speaking terms but scarely more than that. Especially since he
looked down at her and noticed her eyes were getting shiny with barely
held back tears. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, closing
his eyes. It hadn't been hard to notice that Kielya had been acting
out more than usual and her temper was flaring just like his own.
Shaffit. He took a breath. "Have you asked your mother?"

Kielya sense a potential victory with that sigh and clung a bit harder
to her father. "She said that if you said yes we could do it."

Shaffit. "Alright, alright. I'll go."

"YAY!" Kielya hopped up and down, jostling D'hol as she did. "I'll go
tell mom and we can leave. "

"Wait, right now?" D'hol blinked.

"Yup!" Before he could stop her, she darted back towards the
Weyrwoman's weyr, "Mom! He said yes!"

Cyradis got up from her desk slightly miffed that D'hol had betrayed
her read of his probable response. She'd never hear the end of it from
K'deren. He'd told her repeatedly this could happen. Now she was going
to have to spend a painful afternoon making nice just when she'd
rather hole up with a good book. "Great," she smiled and followed
after her frolicking daughter.

Pleased that she had managed to snag both of her parents for an
afternoon all to herself, Kielya skipped out to D'hol and grinned.
"She's coming." She waited for Cyradis to appear out of the door
before chirping out, "I'll go get the food and stuff from the kitchen.
They said they'd have a basket and everything for me." With a sly look
on her face, she darted away towards the kitchens. "I get to ride
Yumath!" She called back before she disappeared around the corner.

And...she had left them alone. D'hol had caught the sly look and
sighed, finally looking up at Cyradis. A tense moment of silence
reigned before he decided to break it. "She planned all of this, you
know." He looked back in the direction that Kielya and ran off in. "
Does she get the deviousness from you or me?"

"Mmhmm," Cyradis mused. "I figured." She shook her head and kept her
expression pleasant. "She's no slouch in the brains department, but
then neither of us are either so I'd imagine it was both of us."

He knew Cyradis quite well, even after Turns separated, and the forced
pleasant smile on her face told him all he needed to know. He lowered
his voice until he was sure only she could hear him. "It's not going
to kill either one of us, Cyradis." He rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"And we have been neglecting her a bit. Both of us."

So, the guilt card, even though she'd already been feeling guilty
enough. 'She has a foster mother,' leapt to mind but she didn't say
it. That was what they were for after all, to give children their
needed attention when their dragonriding parents couldn't. Instead she
said "fine," and this time there was no pretense at a smile.

"I said both of us." His voice was a little sharp, then he sighed, now
pinching the bridge of his nose. He suddenly felt very tired and far
too old. He was about to suggest they forget the picnic, but then saw
Kielya come running back, a happy smile on her face and lugging a
large basket. He moved to take it from her, his gave immediately going
warm at the happiness evident on his daughter's face. "I'll take
that." He turned back to Cyradis. "You pick the place, if you don't
mind. We'll follow."

"Sure," Cyradis smiled brightly at her daughter. "How about that place
along the river you liked so much last time. Maybe we can even hunt
for firelizard eggs."

After Kielya's immediate agreement, D'hol helped her up onto Yumath
and then strapped them both in. He waited for Cyradis to mount
Panitath and then after her signal, his dragon leapt into the air
after them.

Cyradis gave a clear picture of the place she'd brought Kielya in the
past. It was a little wild and overgrown around the river but right on
the edge there was a nice little green sward that would be perfect for
their picnic. Of course the dragons frightened away any beasties as
they landed. "Hows this," she called.

Kielya nodded enthusiastically as D'hol unstrapped her. She slid off
of Yumath easily and then with impatience, waited until D'hol also
dismounted. She snatched the basket from him and hurried to find just
the right spot to throw a blanket. She found one, spread the blanket
and plopped down with a satisfied smile. "Perfect!"

Yumath settled down beside Panitath, watching the gathering with a
sense of amusement.

Cyradis smiled at Kielya's obvious enjoyment and then turned the same
smile on D'hol. She decided to give this a chance and see if they
could just enjoy their daughter's pleasure in the day. "So what's in
the basket," she asked.

D'hol slowly relaxed as Cyradis smiled; he leaned back a bit, resting
his weight on one arm. He looked over at the basket as Kielya flipped
open the latch. "I got some bubblies, some meat rolls and bread and
cheese." She looked up and a mischievous look flickered on her face as
she reached in and brought out a small bottle. "And some wine for you
guys. I'll have water."

D'hol glanced at Cyradis and then arched a brow. "Looks like one of
your bottles..."

"Oh my," Cyradis chuckled looking at the bottle. "Do you think she has
good taste or are we just lucky?"

"I know you like it." Kielya piped up, already picking out a bubbly
for herself and ignoring the meatrolls. She looked at both of them
expectantly. "Are you guys just gonna sit here and talk about wine?"

Cyradis' eyes glinted humor at D'hol. "Pretty much," she said. "You
going to open it?" She picked up a glass and held it out expectantly.

"As you wish." His lips lifted, he too relaxing a bit more and
allowing himself to really smile and not just fake an expression. He
popped open the bottle and carefully poured Cyradis' glass full, then
his own. He looked down at Kielya and arched a brow, his lips
quivering with the effort not to laugh. "If all she eats is a bubbly,
she's going to your weyr for the evening. Yours is much bigger and
therefore it will be easier for her to run around like a wild flit."

Kielya had had the bubbly almost to her open mouth, preparing to take
a bite,then glanced at her mother.

Cyradis put the glass to her lips and winked at her daughter. It
wouldn't do to encourage her too much but this was a picnic and she
didn't need storms of emotion right now. She sipped the glass. "Meat
roll after the bubbly."

She leaned back on one elbow still smiling. She knew she should be
having a terrible time but instead she was enjoying herself. "I don't
mind," she said to D'hol.

"Good." His eyes sparkled with similar humor as he took a meat roll
and ate it. Unbeknownst to Cyradis, D'hol was having similar thoughts.
Tension was gone from his shoulders and he seemed to be at ease.

"Yes, Mama. Can I go swimming with Yumath and Panitath after we eat?"
Kielya looked a little bit too innocent as she asked, her smile
overtly sweet.

"You know you have to wait half a candle mark before you go into the
water sweeting," she smiled. "I'd hate for you to get a cramp, but
maybe we can search for flit eggs along the water. How does that
sound?" She took another long pull from her glass, feeling the
relaxation begin in her muscles.

"All of us?" Kielya asked hopefully, glancing at D'hol, who arched a brow.

"I don't see why not," he replied, sipping from his own glass. He
glanced at Cyradis, his expression questioning. What was with the
sudden desire for them to do things together?

Cyradis answered with a tiny shake of her head. She had no real clue
why Kielya had suddenly decided she needed both her parents in the
same place at the same time. But it wasn't turning out to be the
nightmare she'd expected so maybe it was a good thing. Or maybe that
was the wine talking. She picked up a piece of fruit from the tray.
"Meatroll Kielya," she reminded the girl.

Kielya obediently picked up the meatroll and nibbled, watching her
parents as they sat across from her. For a little while it was quiet,
then she piped up with a question, almost seeming off hand. "Why don't
you guys like each other?"

Last updated on the December 17th 2016

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Hesitant Picnic (1/2)