Firsts

Writers: Yvonne, Heather
Date Posted: 17th April 2025

Characters: K'lvin, Teigan, Thiseta
Description: Teigan and Thiseta invite K'lvin over for dinner. This is the first time that Thiseta has met her weyrmate's brother.
Location: Barrier Lake Weyr
Date: month 5, day 4 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: Saibra, Tsaeara, Galgaith

Teigan

"Have you found the corkscrew yet?" Thiseta smoothed back a lock of brown hair and slipped the final pin into the neat bun at the nape of her neck. Her reflection in the mirror looked a bit tense, but that was to be expected: they were entertaining in their new weyr for the first time, _and_ she was going to meet her weyrmate's brother for the first time.

Too many firsts, and not enough corkscrews.

“I did.” Teigan’s voice called through the weyr. Next, footsteps sounded from the living area to their bedroom. “It was nestled safely in a pair of my socks for transport. Priorities.” He winked as he leaned in and pressed a kiss to her neck. “Mhmm, you smell amazing.”

"I'm not wearing any perfume today. Maybe it's a herb in the sweetsand here?" Thiseta leaned into his touch. "Do you think your brother will like it?"

“I think if he’s sniffing your neck I’ll punch him in the throat,” he replied, flashing her a toothy smile in the mirror.

"Makes for an interesting dinner party...?" The goldrider sighed in mock defeat as she fastened the necklace that Teigan had given her around her neck. "Ah well. I suppose I'll save that for you later. And-- oh, Imbeth says that Xmrenth is on the ledge."

}:Not for long,:{ Imbeth said. }:This is _my_ ledge.:{

Xmrenth landed while also somehow bowing his head to Imbeth. }:You look incredibly lovely this evening,:{ the bronze said, laying the charm on thickly.

Imbeth very deliberately stared at the horizon and pretended that she hadn't heard him.

**Cut that out,** K’lvin said, thumping his lifemate’s flank. **The last thing I need is for you to somehow catch Imbeth. Sleeping with my brother’s weyrmate could really make things awkward.**

}:But she’s so lovely. I would like to catch her.:{ Xmrenth complained.

K’lvin sighed. He vowed to force Xmrenth out of the Weyr when Imbeth looked close to rising.

“Hello the weyr,” he called as he entered with a newly plotted plant tucked under his arm.

"Come in!" Thiseta stepped out of their bedroom and smiled at the man standing at the entrance. He was tall and broad and looked enough like her weyrmate that she would have picked them out as brothers in a crowd. Her gaze went immediately to the potted plant. Apparently her weyrmate had been talking about her. "K'lvin. Welcome! It's so nice to finally meet you."

"Thiseta, the pleasure is mine," K'lvin said, popping a cordial kiss to her cheek. "Teigan told me of the fate of your plants from Windswept. I thought you might like something new and lively. It's local to the Barrier Lake area," he said, handing her the plant.

"Thank you!" She took a moment to pick over its heart-shaped leaves and examine how they branched from the main stem. It smelled vaguely sweet. "I don't know this one. Does it flower?"

K'lvin studied the plant.

Teigan interjected, "He doesn't know anything about flowers."

The Weyrlingmaster glanced at his brother and then looked back at Thiseta with a wink. "He's right. I have no idea, but you can let me know."

The two brothers embraced, complete with back slapping, and then stepped apart. "Come in, sit down," Teigan said, gesturing to their living area.

Thiseta took a moment to add the new plant to her little collection of half-dead greenery she'd lugged from Windswept Islands before joining the others. She grabbed the bottle of wine on the way and handed it to Teigan as she sat down. "I ought to thank you for helping me persuade Teigan to move, whether you knew it or not. How long have you been at Barrier Lake for?"

"I came over once the Hatching Cavern was finished," K'lvin answered. "So pretty close to the beginning."

"You like it as good as River Bluff or Dragonsfall?" Teigan asked.

"Nowhere will ever be River Bluff," K'lvin answered truthfully, "but I appreciate this climate a lot more than Dragonsfall's."

Thiseta shivered dramatically. "No thank you. I don't know how Saibra does it, or how on Pern she convinced Tsaera of all people to join her out there. We were all surprised when we heard."

K'lvin's mouth tipped into a fond smile. He had only good memories of his former River Bluff Weyrwoman. "It's no secret Tsaera doesn't love the cold. I imagine Dragonsfall must have been in a bind for her to agree. Oh," his eyebrows jumped up, "were you two at the Dragonsfall hatching? Did you _see_ that gold dragonet, Galgaith I think she's called?"

Teigan shook his head. "No, why?"

"She's..." his hands raised to indicate size, "quite large and... Unfortunately ugly.'

"Oh no!" Thiseta covered her mouth as she laughed. "Poor Saibra! I really should plan a visit... would that be too nosy? It might be too nosy."

"Oh, go, Saibra loves nosiness." K'lvin's eyebrow arched. "Besides, it would give Teigan an opportunity to introduce you to our parents."

Teigan shot a look at his brother. "That was a low blow."

"Wait-- your parents are at Dragonsfall Weyr? Why didn't you tell me this?" Thiseta asked, turning to Teigan. "You always said they were hard to get to!"

"The cold and damp would be bad for your lungs," Teigan said simply.

The air between them grew tense. Thiseta turned back to K'lvin with a brittle smile. "We'll see, I suppose. So, tell me how you came to be here at Barrier Lake. And Weyrlingmaster, too."

Teigan remained wisely silent as K'lvin answered, acting as if the atmosphere hadn't changed. "Oh, I was at Dolphin Cove, spending my life as a retired loaf on the beach. I had a heart attack when River Bluff fell. Wasn't sure if I would be able to return to real active duty for a long time. As I began recovering, the position for Weyrlingmaster came open here and so I moved. Dolphin Cove never really felt like home anyway. Barrier Lake feels _more_ like River Bluff." Although still not the same.

"How so? Wasn't Dolphin Cove Weyr's weather more like River Bluff's?" Thiseta asked.

“Kind of,” K’lvin shrugged, “but the people are not the same. Nor the leadership. K’ran was my Weyrleader. He came here to be Lord Weyrholder, so I came, too.”

"Are you happy here?" The question slipped out before Thiseta could contain it. K'lvin looked too much like his brother, and it was harder to keep her guard up.

No one had asked him that before. “Yeah,” he smiled slowly, “I am.” And it was the first time in a long time that K’lvin felt as if he had a home.

"I'm glad to hear it." She glanced at Teigan, then reached across the couch to squeeze his hand. Even if she was angry with him, love was stronger. "I hope we will be happy here too."

Teigan returned the squeeze. “I am counting on it.”

Last updated on the April 25th 2025

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Firsts