Blue Skies Ahead

Writers: Yvonne
Date Posted: 27th December 2016

Characters: Alina, Elana
Description: Alina takes her twin sister to the beach, and they talk about love and their futures.
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 9, day 6 of Turn 8
Notes: Mentioned: Zathris, Saidrene, J'ackt

Alina

Imarith burst from /between/ into brilliant sunshine and air heavy with salt. Elana tightened her grip around her twin's middle as the green dragon banked to show off the view; brilliant blue skies above dark blue seas. To the south were a chain of small islands with brilliant white sand beaches, each topped with a handful of hardy trees. "This is so beautiful!" Elana had to shout to be heard over the wind. "This is really where Lord Zathris was found?"

"Not exactly here, but somewhere like it. I came here when we were searching." Alina pointed down at the water. "See where the water gets lighter in colour? That's a reef."

Her sister leaned out over Imarith's side and squealed when she spotted fish beneath the waves. Soon enough they arrived at the closest of the islands and Imarith landed on the beach. Alina slid down her flank and turned to help her sister dismount. Elana staggered a bit in the sand, then turned to the water and shaded her eyes. "This is amazing. I can't believe no one is here. You're sure we're alone?"

Alina grinned. "Quite. I don't think that even fishermen stop here, and if they did we'd see their boats."

Her twin grinned back, then bent to pull off her boots as Alina did the same. They both wriggled their toes into the hot sand, then Elana skipped toward the waterline with her skirts in her hands, looking more like a child than a woman with nearly eighteen turns under her belt. "Think we'll see a fish? I want to see an ocean fish!"

Alina hurried after her, but Elana had waded into the water, hiking her skirts up well above her knees to avoid getting the fabric wet. The greenrider paused, then mentally shrugged and pulled off her pants and weyrhide jacket before following her twin. Her tunic covered the rest well enough for her sister's Holdish sensibilities. "See anything yet?"

"No." Elana stared intently into the water. The two girls looked until the sun became too much and the wait became so boring Elana pushed her sister over into the waves. Alina promptly pushed her sister over as well, and they splashed in the shallows for a bit until crawling out and hanging their wet things over some bushes to dry. Alina pulled a small blanket from Imairth's straps and spread it out in the shade of the green dragon's wings. "There." She sat down and tipped her head back and closed her eyes. "I think this is the best I've felt in months. I'm so glad you're here."

"Mmm. Here, yes." Elana sighed. "Father still hasn't said anything about fostering me at Emerald Falls."

"What?" Alina sat up and brushed sand from the palms of her hands. "I don't understand. We're almost eighteen - he _has_ to let you go for your birthingday present. Emerald Falls Hold is the only place to find a good husband. There is no one to marry around our cothold."

"Don't you think I know that?" There was a long pause. Elana nibbled her lip as she stared out over the ocean. "Terious made an offer."

"Wait, Terious from two cotholds south? You can't be serious." Alina wrinkled her nose at the thought. "He's nearly fifty if he's a day, and he's already got five children."

"Yeah, but I guess now that Llanie is dead, I guess he's looking for someone to keep the cot for him."

"_Father_ can't be serious."

Elana shrugged. "He hasn't told Terious no, either."

"That's not right," Alina muttered. "You can't marry him."

"But if Father says yes, what can I do?"

"You can call me." Alina turned to her twin and twined her fingers with Elana's. "I'll fly you away to the Weyr. Father won't have any say in it."

Elana sighed. "But I don't want to live at the Weyr. How would I find a good husband there?"

"A Weyr husband is better than moldy old Terious. You could marry a Crafter, or meet someone from a Hold at a Hatching. There are good men there."

Elana looked up sharply. "Then how come _you're_ not married?"

That stung, especially given what had happened not that long ago. Alina looked down at her hands and debated confiding in Elana. It was dumb that she even had to think about it. They'd been so close for so long, but her Impression had changed everything and made their relationship far more complicated than it ever should have been. But the need to tell _someone_ was too strong. Back at the Weyr, she hadn't even confided in Saidrene... but with Saidrene, it was even more complex than it was with Elana, especially where J'ackt was concerned. "I... made a huge mistake."

"What happened?" Elana sounded surprisingly gentle.

"I..." Her eyes stung and Alina rubbed at them before she could cry. Why was she even crying?! "Can I tell you something, and you promise not to tell anyone? Or laugh?" When Elana nodded, Alina took a deep breath. "You remember... J'ackt?"

"That awful Holdless boy?" Elana's eyes grew wide. "Oh. Oh Alina... you _didn't_. Please tell me you didn't even _think_ it!"

"He's a bronzerider now," she said quietly, as if it could change his past. "He and I... he's not some monster, Elana. He gets angry and gets into fights, but he's..."

"He _attacked_ someone at the Weyr." Elana shook her head, her eyes hard. "He stabbed that guard. There was even a song about it. And who knows what he did when he was living in the wild."

"I know! I know." Alina sighed. "He's also been... he's always been there for me. Even if I didn't want him to be, and even if I didn't want him to even be friends with me. The first time we had a real conversation, he actually dumped a pile of dirty laundry over my head." She wrinkled her nose at the memory. "We had laundry duty together."

"He's not a good person," Elana said softly. "I met him at that Gather, remember? He was rude and awful."

Alina shrugged helplessly. "I know. I know these things and yet... every time I see him, or speak with him, I feel..." The right words were too hard to say. She shook her head. "He's kissed me. And I don't regret it." She looked up at her sister. "A few months ago he asked... if he could court me. Properly. And I laughed because I didn't think he was serious, only he was and I don't think he's ever said something like that to anyone. I was so _stupid_. And he won't speak to me now."

There was a long pause. Elana was frowning slightly, but hadn't given up Alina's hand. Once, Alina would have known what Elana was thinking. Now she had no clue. It was a lonely feeling. "Maybe... maybe that's for the best," Elana said finally.

Tears stung Alina's eyes again. "Then why do I feel like I made the biggest mistake of my life?"

"I don't think you have. He's trouble. You even said that there were good men at the Weyr. I'm sure you can find one of them."

"But I don't _want_ any of them." Alina knew she sounded petulant. Elana was right-- J'ackt was no good for her. Except she didn't care. Tomorrow she might die in Thread, or he might. He made her heart leap when he looked at her, and the memories of their time alone together were her best - but now also her most painful. "I-- I care about him. I know it's not sensible, but I do. Only I messed up."

Elana sighed and turned to look at the sea. "All I know is that he's no good for you. He's no good for _anyone_."

"Then why do I feel like he's the only man in all of Pern?" Alina asked.

"Too many Harper novels?"

That surprised a little laugh out of Alina. "Oh come on..."

"Seriously! Think about it: you, a naive young greenrider--"

"I am not!"

"Him, Holdless scum turned bronzerider. Next he'll commit another crime and you'll run away together, only you'll end up being ravished by his old gang in the woods and left to rot-- or worse, pregnant!"

Alina shoved her twin over, and Elana sat up again, laughing. "Come on, it's exactly like that!" Elana said.

"Is not. I'm being _serious_. I screwed up, Elana," Alina said softly. "I think I..."

"Don't even say it." Elana took Alina's hands in her own and leaned forward until their foreheads touched. "Trust me. Things work out for the best in the end."

Maybe they did, but right now it all felt hopeless. She had lost J'ackt forever just as she realized that she really did care about him, and Elana would end up marrying some moldy old farm hand who wanted someone to care for his children instead of someone to love. Alina closed her eyes as Imairth gently nudged her back with her nose to let her know that no matter what happened, she _was_ loved. She had her dragon, and she had her twin... and right there on the beach, for a moment, it was enough.

Last updated on the December 28th 2016

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Blue Skies Ahead