Crisis and Cookies

Writers: Devin, Shawna
Date Posted: 22nd November 2025

Characters: Zariah, K'mai
Description: Zariah catches K'mai moping
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 12, day 15 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: I'serin, N'vanik, Sybana, M'thos, E'kavas

K'mai

K'mai pushed food around on his plate. He'd rather be having lunch with I'serin, but after _that_ he didn't know if the bronzerider wanted to see him. Maybe I'serin just needed some time to handle his emotions. Hopefully. He _had_ said he would see K'mai later. How long would that be?

"Do I need to use my 'mom' voice and tell you you're supposed to be eating your lunch, not playing with it?" Zariah said teasingly as she flopped down across from him. "Let me guess- you got put on backwater sweeps or even more backwater watch rotations for causing a ruckus at the hatching?"

"Night watch," K'mai said quietly.

"Oh, could be worse," Zariah said, taking a moment to rearrange the sandwich she'd assembled from fresh bread and roast. "How long?"

"A sevenday. I know it could be worse. A lot worse." K'mai didn't really care about the punishment. He cared about the tension it had caused. He cared about the way I'serin's expression had closed off.

"So, you know it could have been worse if you weren't the Weyrleader's favorite, so why so glum? You're ruining a perfectly good lunch. My sister would whack you with a mixing spoon if she saw it," Zariah joked.

"I'm not the --" K'mai took a breath. "I put him in a difficult position and it wasn't a fun conversation."

"I can imagine. It'll blow over, though, it always does," she said. "You're just lucky it wasn't a relative of our new gold rider. That could have really caused a scene."

"I would hope they'd have the sense not to call a Weyrleader depraved," K'mai said darkly.

Zariah frowned, and it was clear she wasn't aware of the specifics of the story, "Why would anyone call I'serin depraved? He's far too stuffy to be depraved."

K'mai held back on arguing that I'serin wasn't stuffy. "Not him, N'vanik. For kissing Z'kim." But those holders _would_ have said all those terrible things about I'serin if they knew he was sleeping with K'mai.

"That does make more sense, N'vanik has been making a spectacle of himself. Do you think it's a midlife crisis?. But I don't think N'vanik needed you to defend his honor," Zariah pointed out.

That got a small laugh out of K'mai. "No, he doesn't. My emotions got the better of me and it just sort of happened. I wasn't really thinking." For a brief moment, it had been terribly satisfying to see the shock on the holder's face, to watch the wine dripping off him and staining his tunic.

"Holders say stupid things all the time, what got you so riled this time? If I had a mark for every one who thought that they had a unique and clever insult about greenriders, I'd be a lot richer," Zariah finally finished fiddling with her sandwich and started eating.

Well, he couldn't very well explain _that_, could he? "I--I don't know." K'mai poked at his food again.

"You lie as well as my son," Zariah said dryly. "He's eleven."

A faint smile flickered across K'mai's face. She was right about that, but he had to protect I'serin. "I like N'vanik. I've heard all the insults, too, and it doesn't bother me much when they're saying it about me, but sometimes it's harder to laugh off when they're being mean about someone else."

"Yes. It's a lot harder when someone is insulting someone you care about, but still, was it worth a sevenday of night watch? You're not going to have much time for... evening recreation," Zariah pointed out.

K'mai brightened a little. "Oh, I've been on night watch plenty of times and know how to adjust my schedule. I just need to have my fun before or after my shift."

"Well then it sounds like you must not have any problems at all, so you should stop moping," Zariah pointed towards his food, "And eat your food instead of playing with it."

He wished he could talk about it, how the surge in anger had been more than a little frightening. How he felt so protective of I'serin. How uncomfortable the conversation with his lover and Weyrleader had been. And how crushing it had felt when I'serin had refused to hug him. K'mai pushed all that down. "You really are a mom."

"Only when I have to be. There's a reason I sent my children to my sister and her partner," the teasing air to Zariah's tone made it a joke. "Whatever is bothering you, dwelling on it probably won't help. Surely you can find someone you can talk to about it."

There wasn't anyone he could talk to about-- "Oh! I can." M'thos, or N'vanik -- well, no. A Weyrleader was too busy to listen to his woes, even if it was kind of about him. Maybe Z'kim, though. "Speaking of kids, how's Raleri doing?"

"Good, talk to them." Zariah was easily directed to a less private topic, "She's doing wonderful. Very busy catching up to the other apprentices," she smiled proudly. "Never has time to talk. I think I'm going to get her a firelizard. Then I can be sad she's not writing, too."

K'mai chuckled. "She's at that age, but at least you have a good excuse to visit her every time you pick up your book dragon deliveries."

"You laugh now, but yours will be there one day and it won't be so funny," Zariah mock threatened. "How is your daughter?"

"Growing like a weed," K'mai said with a proud smile. "I think she'll be tall, like her mom. Well, I guess she could get the height from me, too."

Zariah laughed, "Yeah, she's at that age where it seems like they can't wear the same outfit twice, they're growing so fast. You should bring her over some time. We'll make cookies. I miss those ages; I didn't spend enough time with mine when they were little and cute." After a moment, she shook her head, as if to physically shake off the wistful expression.

"It's hard, especially with the Pass. And I have a busy social life and I know I'm missing out on time with her, but I _do_ try." His smile was wistful, too. "Uetia and I take her for a family outing once a month or so. But cookies, yes. That sounds fun."

"It is hard," Zariah agreed, "but it's worth it when we can make it work. Just let me know when you want to do it so I can beg some supplies off the kitchen. E'kavas and Kevia might like a baking day too." Under the table, she kicked his shins lightly and teased, "And cookies make great presents for people you care about."

A little smile curved K'mai's lips. "I'll wait to bribe the Weyrleader until _after_ my punishment is over."

Last updated on the November 28th 2025

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