Ruins...

Writers: Nici
Date Posted: 3rd September 2005

Characters: Jaela
Description: Jaela remembers a bit of her past.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 7, day 27 of Turn 3
Notes: Jaela Impressed at Thayan Peak Weyrhold in 1190. In 1195, an earthquake destroyed the Weyrhold, killing her weyrmate, R'vesan. Just 19, she threw herself into the reopening of Dolphin Cove Weyr, then eventually accepted a position as Weywoman Second at Dragonsfall where circumstances
would eventually make her Weyrwoman.

Jaela woke, tossing off the covers of her bed. Her heart seemed to be racing a million miles a second, and her skin was covered in sweat despite the evenings' chill.

She'd dreamt it again.

Crawling out of bed and tossing on a nearby robe, she made her way through her dark weyr to Calyth's heated couch, her toes wriggling against the calm, warm stone worn thin by those that had preceded them both. Calyth, drawn by her rider unsettled thoughts, turned her large head her way.

Jaela buried her own head in the queen's neck, reveling in the spicy scent of her, the warmth.

}:You dreamed again. I saw it...:{
**Yes, I dreamed again, Calyth. Sometimes, I can't help it....the memories..."

}:I wish you didn't have to remember. It makes you sad;{ The sentiment was one Jaela shared as well...

~~*~~

She wriggled her nose and opened her eyes to find a flower being waved under her nose. "R'vesan...I'm trying to relax..."

"I'm letting you, honest!"

"Tickling me with flowers is not letting me relax..."Sitting up, she started to laugh. While she'd been dozing, her weyrmate had decided to cover her in wildflowers from toe to chin. "You're an idiot!"

"Ah, but I'm _your_ idiot!" He laughed, his always sloppy dark hair falling into his eyes as he started to pluck the blooms off of her. "And unfortunately, we've got to get back."

"Hmm...why?" She picked up a flower and tucked it behind his ear. They'd decided to escape after drills and she was loath to move, let alone go _back_. The sun, although fading, was warm and she felt too lazy.

"Because we promised to meet with your wingmates for dinner, among other things...."

She leaned up, her lips _almost_ brushing his. "Can we be late?"

"I think we'll be forgiven," R'vesan whispered just before his lips closed the distance.

~~*~~

Wine-sodden. That was about the only word one could use for their condition.
They didn't much care either, not even after Jaela took a wrong turn and ended up barging into a weyr that was not theirs. The couple they'd interrupted had _not_ been pleased. Completely unrepentant, it had taken R'vesan a quarter candlemark to get her to move after she'd collapsed in laughter.

Dinner with her wingmates had turned into an impromptu party after some of R'vesan's wingmates had joined them. Tomorrow was going to result in a _lot_ of hangovers.

"This hash...._has_ to be ours!" Jaela said, opening the door and peering inside carefully.

"Um...I think the fact that Calyth's just outside might be your firs...first clue..." R'vesan pointed and sure enough, the gold dragon reclined lazily next to Terth, R'vesan's brown dragon.

"Oh...good. I don't think I could sh-stand bein' yelled at again." Jaela and he stumbled into bed, tried valiently to make something happen when both of their bodies were far too inebriated and they ended up kissing until they fell asleep, giggling like idiots.

....only for her to awaken, wondering why the room was moving. She'd been drunk but not quite _that_ drunk!

And the dragons were bellowing, stomping in their agitation.

"R'vesan..." The ground was moving and in the dim early light of dawn, fissures appeared across the stone floor...

}:Jaela!:{ Calyth's mindvoice was a scream, rousing the goldrider to action.
The queen dragon all but shoved her head inside and would have burst through the stone walls that kept her from her rider of she could.

R'vesan leapt from the bed, which had started to slide across the room, dragging her out of it and towards the ledge where both their dragons waited. Jaela ignored the fact that she was dressed in nothing more than underwear and didn't argue as R'vesan all but threw her on Calyth. The ground shook and he fell as Calyth slid across the ledge, Jaela gripping her neck tightly. The golden dragon's wings spread and caught the air.

Chaos. It was the only word to describe it as Jaela opened her eyes and watched helplessly as stone and mortar fell all around, taking most of their ledge with them. R'vesan stumbled towards Terth. He'd just barely reached the brown dragon when the ledge gave way entirely, taking both with them.

Jaela screamed and watched as Calyth started to keen, as her voice joined other voices, mourning not only Terth, but others who lost their lives that day.

Riders. Crafters. Drudges. Weyrfolk.

Gone...buried in the ruins Thayan Peak...

~~*~~

Jaela roughly wiped at the tears that fell unbidden down her cheeks. She liked to fool herself, to believe that she didn't believe in things like love.

The truth was, love hurt. If you loved someone, got comfortable, didn't they just go away? A disaster had taken R'vesan from her and one had taken Jaryd.

Sighing, she curled into Calyth's warmth. "I miss him..."

}: I know...:{ Dragons had the gift of short memory, but she picked up the image of a young brownrider in her mind and closed her whirling eyes, letting her rider seek the comfort she needed.

Even dragons could remember something's....and _someone's_, after all...

Last updated on the September 4th 2005

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