No Tug of War

Writers: Miriah, Suzee
Date Posted: 15th January 2020

Characters: Urlene, Briata
Description: Briata comes to speak to Urlene about Y'gel and the baby
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 1, day 3 of Turn 10
Notes: Mentioned: Lorican

Urlene

Briata

"Hello Urlene," Briata said. She'd sat in the waiting room for over an
hour as the apprentice had told her things were busy in the back. "We
should talk." she said mildly.

Urlene looked up from her hides and stilled at the sight of Briata.
Several thoughts flew through her mind before she wrapped herself
firmly in an armor of polite civility. **Y'gel, you should have warned
me. ** Fingers tightened on the hides in an effort to resist going to
her belly and she straightened. "Hello, Briata. I suppose we should.
Would you come to my office, please? Perhaps privacy is in order. "

"Of course," Briata nodded and followed the Master Healer back into
her office. "How are you feeling today," she asked as she took her
seat.

"Quite well, thank you. " Urlene set the hides down and took the seat
beside her desk instead of the one behind it. "I assume you're not
here for any exam or Healercraft questions."

"Of course not," Briata nodded in agreement and tucked her legs under
the chair. "I'm sure you know by now that Y'gel told me about his
feelings and your situation." Briata drew upon her upbringing and
experiences, what there was of it, to remain calm and unemotional. She
herself was a monogamist yet she understood the life of dragonriders
didn't really breed that style and she'd come to accept it as long as
she knew Y'gel's heart was hers. She smiled a bit sadly. "I don't mean
to pry into your private affairs," she said. "but I'm sorry your other
friend had to leave the Weyr though probably not for the reason you
might think."

Urlene sat stiffly and inclined her head, drawing upon every resource
not to allow the churning emotions of discomfort and embarrassment not
to show on her face. "I gathered that when you arrived. I just hadn't
realized Y'gel had already discussed it with you. " When Briata
mentioned Lorican, she took a quick breath, a hand flexing in her
gown's folds over her lap. It seemed that Y'gel had indeed told her
everything. "My private matters may effect your own so I understand
why you want to talk with me. Personally, I would have rather you not
known. It was never my intention to disrupt or damage your
relationship with Y'gel." She wasn't comfortable discussing Lorican
with Briata, whom she'd only met briefly. She hadn't wanted to have
this conversation with Briata at all. "And I'd rather not discuss
Lorican with you, if you don't mind. I am sorry, though, if what
Y'gel and I have done has distressed you. "

"I don't mind," Briata said sympathetically. "I wouldn't want to
discuss Ishek with you either," she added. "But we do need to discuss
Y'gel." She stopped for a moment looking at her hands. "I wouldn't say
I'm distressed by your relationship as much as I'm a little piqued at
Y'gel for not telling me sooner."

Now Urlene realized why Briata seemed so familiar. She remembered the
scandal when the other woman had arrived at the Weyr, but had been so
involved with her own studies that it hadn't paid much attention to
it, though she was sure that her family would have chattered about it
nonstop. . A single brow quirked upwards. "I'm very private. And he
does love you very much. You're holdbred just as I am. That probably
factored into it."

"And I love him very much. But he's a dragonrider and never vowed
exclusivity in the way Holders do when they're married." Which was the
whole reason she'd left and divorced her husband. "Flights don't
count," she shook her head. "Believe me," she half smiled. "Dragons
talk and the amount of casual hookups at the Weyr would astound you.
But I think you're the first person he's been interested in outside of
a casual acquaintance or even outside our relationship. He's still got
a bit of the Hall in him I think. He's a very loyal person." She took
a deep breath. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I still trust
him and if he cares for you, there must be a very good reason. I have
to assume you're a good person too." There was a slight glisten in her
eyes which she tried to blink away.

"I'm sure I wouldn't be surprised. " the response was dry, reflecting
her opinion of riders in general. Urlene saw the moisture in Briata's
eyes and inwardly winced. She'd not meant to hurt the other woman nor
cause her pain. She hadn't wanted to cause any suffering. "I try to
be." She sighed, finally resting her hand on the hidden roundness of
her belly. "And he can care for me without sharing my bed and hurting
you in the process. He's a good man and if I'd known I was able to
bear children, I would have taken precautions to avoid this. But I'm
not sorry for the babe. " She looked down at her cupped hand. "What
are you wanting to happen, Briata?"

"You're the healer so I'm sure you would have." She shook her head.
"Actually I'm not quite sure. I know he loves me and won't leave me.
It's the kind of person he is. Besides, I'm a lot more mature that I
was when I divorced Ishek. The Weyr is... different. I came here
because it was and it's taken me awhile to get to the place where I
can say this. But, most of all I want him to be happy." She looked
earnestly at the other woman. They were both beautiful in very
different ways. It amazed Briata that Y'gel's relationship with the
Master Healer hadn't made her feel any less or that somehow she'd
failed him. "I know he likes and respects you greatly as a healer."
She smiled genuinely, "And, it's good to know he has good taste."

"I would never ask him to." Urlene stated plainly. "A serious long
term romantic relationship with a rider, any rider, isn't an option
for me." The thought of sharing a living space with a dragon made her
blood chill with fear and trepidation. "Y'gel has you and I also
respect him." She answered Briata's smile with a brief one, accepting
the compliment. "Thank you, I could say the same. But it leaves us
both at an impasse." She frowned, striking hey fingers over her belly
in thought. "If the babe is his, we'll all have to adjust. But until
then, I'm not quite sure what you want from me. Will it be just as we
were?"

"Thank you," she nodded very glad they would not be getting into some
kind of tug of war over Y'gel. Of course she also knew the kinds of
things that one craved during pregnancy... "I understand, I felt the
same way when I came here." Her eyes turned upward at a memory. "I'm
far happier here than I ever was as a Lady Warder," she looked
seriously at Urlene. "Then let me just say this much. If your baby is
Y'gel's and you continue to Craft. Which is what I assume you'd wish
to do since you've gotten your Master's knots. I would like to foster
your babe during the times you are working here in the infirmary. That
way it can grow up with it's actual brother."

Urlene wasn't sure she was willing to have Briata foster her babe,
Y'gel's or not. It seemed to her that caring for Y'gel's other child
would be a constant slap in the face for Briata. "I'm not entirely
sure that I'd be comfortable with that, honestly. But I appreciate
the offer. I'll... consider it." She met Briata's gaze. She hadn't
answered the question, but Urlene didn't press it. Wher did this
leave she and Y'gel? And did Y'gel know that Briata would come and
speak to her? Perhaps it would be best to simply be friends with him
to avoid any further issues with Briata.

"'We're all people who are responsible for our own lives. I love
Y'gel, but I don't own him or make decisions for him. Making him or
you unhappy is not going to increase my happiness." She shook her
head. "You may do what you must with no reference to me. I am happy
with what I have of him and that is saying quite a lot. I never
thought I'd have that chance to be really happy. We can be exactly as
we were." She nodded at the other woman hesitation at her offer. "I
understand. but the door is open. You're a healer, I'm a nurturer and
would love to have another baby to cherish." Sincerity shone in her
eyes.

Briata's words gave her a great deal to think about. But still Urlene
hesitated. If Lorican came back, perhaps it would be a moot point, so she just nodded acceptance. "Thank you. "

"Of course," Briata said and stood. Her insides were quivering with
the stress of this meeting. But her training and experience stood her
in good stead and she maintained her control. Whether Y'gel continued
seeing Urlene or not, in an intimate fashion, was beyond her control
and trying to control it would simply push him away. She'd learned
that one the hard way. She wanted to keep Y'gel and keep his
affection. The only way she could do that was by letting him go. If he
stayed it would be because he chose to. She was actually acting in her
own interest by remaining friendly and reasonable. She smiled. She
really did like and respect Urlene. "I sincerely hope your life works
out the way your heart desires," she said and left the room.

Last updated on the January 18th 2020

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No Tug of War