Broken Promises and Apologies

Writers: Miriah, Yvonne
Date Posted: 29th May 2019

Characters: Lanniya, F'lin
Description: F'lin goes to see Lanniya to apologize for missing Anaeryth's flight
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 10, day 24 of Turn 9
Notes: Mentioned: R'enh, K'ale, Saibra, Teseada

Lanniya

T had been too late to go to Dragonsfall Weyr after Threadfall, so F'lin waited until the next day before making the trip /between/ to see Lanniya-- but not without a stop first. He came out from /between/ over Dragonsfall Weyr with a large, canvas-wrapped package cradled in his arms and lifted an elbow in greeting to acknowledge the Watchdragon at the Star Stones as Seneth began to search to Anaeryth.

Anaeryth lifted her head at the arrival of Seneth, then pointedly turned her back on the bronze, piqued by his lack of appearance during her Flight. She huffed softly, flicking her tail. Her rider, nearly hip deep in the water as she scrubbed the gold hide felt the annoyance, guessed its source and looked up. She offered a smile, then waded out of the water to wave Seneth to land nearby.

Seneth rumbled in abashment as he landed. He dipped his head low in supplication in an attempt to appease the gold. F'lin quickly unbelted himself from his straps and slid off the bronze's side, careful to keep from jostling his bundle too much. "Hi, Lanniya."

"Hi." She glanced at the bundle, tilted her head and then peered up at him. "I heard you were busy yesterday. I'm sorry, F'lin. I didn't know she was about to rise. She wasn't supposed to yet and she didn't even glow until yesterday morning."

Anaeryth on the other hand was not quite so forgiving of the bronze behind her. She huffed again, turning her head away and refused to look at him, shifting in the water.

"These are for you." He plonked the bundle in her arms and pulled off the canvas to reveal a huge multicoloured bouquet of different types of flowers. They looked as if they'd survived the cold of /between/ relatively intact. He grinned, a bit sheepishly. "I'm really sorry, Lanniya. I wanted to be there, but it was the middle of Threadfall. I couldn't."

"Oh, F'lin... they're beautiful." She took the bundle, and buried her nose in the blooms. "Thank you." She stepped forward and brushed her lips across his. "You didn't have to bring me anything. I understand."

He exhaled, relieved. "Oh thank Faranth. I really, really wanted to be here... but the Weyr and my Wing comes first. Even when I'd rather they didn't."

Behind them, Seneth took a chance and crept a little closer to the aggravated Anaeryth. He made a crooning sound deep in his chest. }:You called, but there was Thread. I fought it.:{

"Of course they do. I just know how much you wanted to win her next flight. You deserved to win it." Her lips curled upwards. "You do after all, put up with me on occasion."

The young queen looked away, but did finally glance at the bronze. }: I'm still upset. I might have chosen you, if you could catch me.:{

}:I would catch you,:{ the bronze said confidently. He flexed his wings to show Anaeryth how big they were.

His rider felt like flexing too. Instead he put his hands behind his back and squelched the remaining little tendril of jealousy and disappointment he felt. A dragonman shouldn't feel envy when he wasn't even in the race. "So who-- ah, who won the flight?"

"R'enh and Mnoranth won. They're drilling along the mountains right now otherwise Anaeryth would probably be with him right now." She admitted, then glanced up at him. "I hope you don't think you've wasted your time with me. "

Anaeryth eyed Seneth, then stepped out of the water, flicking her wings. }:Maybe. I'm very fast.:{

}:Yes, you are,:{ Seneth replied flatteringly.

Behind him, his rider stepped forward to tuck Lanniya's hair behind he ears and lean down to kiss her, heedless of the flowers. "Why on Pern," he asked between kisses, "would you think that I've wasted my time?"

His kisses reassured her inward doubts, just a little. "Because you've been spending time with me, but Seneth didn't get to chase and try to win. It's what you wanted, isn't it?"

"Well, yes. But those are two separate things." F'lin took the flowers from Lanniya's hands so that he could pull her into a hug. He hadn't picked a giant bouquet and transported it half ways around the continent just so that he could break all the stems. "I _like_ spending time with you. I like _you_. I look forward to when we get to spend time together. You're my friend and-- more. I don't want to stop spending time together just because someone else won Anaeryth's flight, because that's going to happen. It's just the way it is. But you're right, I do want Seneth to win a gold flight some day and I would love it if the first time he catches gold it was Anaeryth. Because it's going to be the most fecking exciting thing that's ever happened to Seneth and me and I'd prefer to make an idiot of myself gushing over eggs like a dimglow Candidate with someone I like and who I don't have to pretend to be serious with."

Her eyes immediately softened at his words and the hug that was returned was snug as she buried her face in his shoulder. "Maybe next time you'll be able to make it. Besides, if you go to the new place they're building that Weyr, you'll be closer too." She giggled at the image of him around eggs that Seneth had sired. She could see him doing exactly that and hoped she'd get to see it some day. "Well, I hope you'll at least miss me a bit when Anaeryth gets too egg bound to
/between/."

"Is that an invitation to come visit?" F'lin asked hopefully.

Her lips curled up in a grin. "I'd never mind a visit, but K'ale might have issue with anything more than a visit while you're both here. He doesn't mind while I'm there, but here...well...I'd have to talk to him and see if he'd object." She paused, tilting her head. "Have you met each other at all?"

He nodded. "We've met, briefly." Lanniya's rules were fair, but that didn't mean he was a little disappointed. She was weyrmated and K'ale would be her first thought. "Maybe a better idea is that if you're free, get Anaeryth to contact Seneth and if I'm free too I'll come by. I'll just have to miss you while you're grounded."

She didn't _want_ to give up their time together. She enjoyed it. But they did do more than just share a bed; they were friends too. "I'd still want you to come and visit me. We don't have to share a bed all the time." She took her flowers back, held them in her arms, and grinned impishly up at him. "Even though I really like that part too."

"Then we'll both have to suffer," F'lin said. "But I promise you that if we can come, we'll come. I want to see Anaeryth's eggs."

"I don't think we'll be suffering." Her grin widened. "I'm sure there's other ladies that will be happy to keep you busy when I'm not there. But you better come to see her eggs, F'lin. Otherwise, next time, I might use teeth."

The bronzerider waggled his eyebrows at her to get her to laugh. "Maybe I like a hint of teeth."

Lanniya's cheeks flamed and her mouth gaped open before she burst out laughing. "I'll remember that." She lifted up on her toes and brushed her lips quickly over his, "Oh, F'lin, you always make me laugh."

"So we're good?" he asked.

"Of course we are. Especially with these." She grinned, hugging the flowers to her. "You want me to show you around?"

He'd been to Dragonsfall before, but never for long, and he'd never seen it through Lanniya's eyes. "Sure. But you should get the flowers into water, first. I'd be sad if they wilted."

"So would I. Let me get them into water. Come on, silly man. I'll put them in a vase and then I'll show you around. At least it's not freezing today and you won't need to bundle up."

"Define freezing," he said dryly. The wind off the lake was raising goosebumps, even though he was wearing his flight jacket.

"This? This is nice weather." She replied, walking towards the inner caverns. "Why do you think I'm in trousers now? I can only wear my dresses when I visit you, now." She led him through the caverns, pointing out directions as she went. "Saibra's down that way and Teseada's the other way. We're all kind of together here, but when Anaeyrth clutches, I'll have to move to the temporary quarters by the hatching grounds."

The electric lights were nice. They looked a more natural than the lights at Dolphin Cove, although the light they cast was harsh compared to glows or candles. Every time he came, F'lin was also impressed with the smooth, regular walls and straight hallways. "What are the temporary quarters like?" he asked.

"I've not used them here. Only at Dolphins Cove. They're probably about the same. You're really there just to stay close to your gold. Last time, she didn't want me away from her at all. I pity Mnoranth. She's not going to want him out if sight the moment those eggs are laid. You should have seen her with Aughashyth. He had to cater to her every little desire to keep her happy. " They came to her own weyr and she paused, debating. "Can you wait out here for just a minute?"

"Sure." F'lin stuck his hands into his pockets and leaned against the wall as Lanniya darted inside. He craned his neck to catch a glimpse behind the door, but couldn't see more than the edge of a table and what looked like a coat rack near the door.

Hurriedly, Lanniya placed the flowers intro a large vase with some water. She paused to smell them again, smiled and rushed back out to see F'lin. Tucking her hand in his arm, she smiled up at him, her gaze warm and affectionate. "Ready?"

"Absolutely. What's next on the tour?" he asked.

"The Hatching Sands, I think." She tugged him after her, a smile lighting her face.

Last updated on the June 3rd 2019

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Broken Promises and Apologies