Shot Down in Flames

Writers: Avery, Heather
Date Posted: 13th October 2020

Characters: K'lvin, Riveenata
Description: K'lvin asks Riveenata a question, and she gives him an unexpected answer.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 2, day 10 of Turn 10
Notes: Mentioned: Bahji

}:We're here,:{ Xmrenth called to Savith as he angled down toward her
familiar weyrledge.

There had been an extra little bounce in K'lvin's step all day at
Barrier Lake as he anticipated his trip to Dolphin Cove. Now that
Veneena's baby had been delivered, he fully expected Riveenata to agree
and come with him to Barrier Lake soon. Today he hoped to receive a
confirmation from the greenrider that she would join him at the
Weyrhold, not just as another greenrider, but as his weyrmate.

After Bahji's death, K'lvin had not anticipated ever asking a woman to
be his weyrmate again. Her death and losing her had nearly broken him of
all romantic ties or commitments. There was something about Riveenata
though, her lively spirit, the way she made him laugh, the way she
challenged him.... He didn't want to lose that or be without her if he
could help it.

"You are looking beautiful, as always, Savith," K'lvin said when he
passed by the green in her weyrcouch.

Savith arched her neck and preened in approval. }:Your rider knows
well,:{ she told Xmrenth, shifting aside to make room.

Riveenata came out of her room and smiled when she saw K'lvin. She was
wearing a loose and flowing dress to deal with the heat and her hair was
pinned up atop her head, leaving her neck bare. "How are you and Xmrenth?"

"You look beautiful," he said, arms going around her waist, lips to her
neck. "And good enough to eat."

She turned her neck up in offering, rubbed her cheek against his
affectionately. "That's not an answer," she teased, "but thank you for
the compliment."

"Mhm, you smell good, too." Shells, he missed her. "I'm fine. Xmrenth is
good, I think he likes it now that I'm back to do doing something more
regularly."

"What _are_ you doing now? There's no weyrlings and the clutch isn't
laid yet, so are you spending time with candidates?"

"There are a few candidates there, family of the crafters and
dragonriders already there. Mostly we're putting finishing touches on
the Candidate and Weyrling Barracks and classrooms. I'm also looking for
Weyrlingstaff." He reached up to twirl a stray tendril of her hair near
her neck around his finger.

"Sounds like you are busy. Got enough searchriders?"

"Not by half," he said with a shake of his head. "All of the dragonriders that came initially were all craft-oriented and so many of them are still needed for those tasks."

"I haven't been doing on Search here since Santhiath's clutch is done."

"Barrier Lake could use an experienced Searchrider...." K'lvin trailed off.

"Tempting me away from the new baby again?" she asked. "Speaking of, you should meet her."

"I would love to," he said. "I"m an expert on daughters." K'lvin glanced around her weyr. "I know we talked about you coming to Barrier Lake after the baby was born but I feel like I haven't made my intentions clear." He looked into her eyes. "I don't want you to come to Barrier Lake to be a searchrider, or just so that we can be in the same place, I want you to come to Barrier Lake to be my weyrmate."

"Your..." She stepped back from him in surprise. That's not what she'd expected at all. She should have loved it, right? So why did she feel a little rattled? "It wasn't clear. No."

K'lvin's head tilted a bit. "Is that a 'no' you don't want to?"

"It changes the equation a little, is all. It feels like not too long ago we were starting over dating. And now suddenly you're very serious."

"Hmm." K'lvin had not anticipated this reaction. He had thought they were on the same page, but maybe not. Perhaps going to Barrier Lake had been a mistake.

"Doesn't it feel a little fast to you?" she pressed. "When you backed away from me and then said we should start over, and I want to. I like you, K'lvin, and what we're building. But weyrmating is a lot, and so is leaving my family, and I just need some time to make this decision."

"Of course." He said, although his mood was much more subdued than before. He had really felt as though she wanted him to ask her to weyrmate the last time he had been there, when he'd mentioned her coming to Barrier Lake.

"Come on, why don't we go meet my niece and you'll see how nice my family is, okay?" she suggested

"Oh boy, am I going to get funny looks because I'm your parents age?" he said, his humor returning.

She waved a hand in the air. "It'll be fine," she said.

"I'll remember that when someone points out the fine lines around my eyes." K'lvin said, linking fingers with her as they left her weyr. He had been weyrmated to Bahji, who had been close to Riveenata in age, so it wasn't the first time he would meet parents who might not be overly thrilled that their daughter was dating someone twice her age.

Last updated on the October 27th 2020

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Shot Down in Flames