Pining Days

Writers: Bree, Eimi
Date Posted: 30th November 2006

Characters: O'dan, Y'sani, Karaleigh
Description: O'dan comes across Y'sani and Karaleigh enjoying Turn's End, and doesn't find it terribly funny.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 13, day 29 of Turn 3

"Oh shards," Karaleigh grinned, still trying to regain her breath. "You're going to wear me out completely if you keep this up!"

"Well, I certainly don't want to wear you out _completely_," Y'sani replied with a grin, steering them off the dance floor and in the direction of an empty seat. "At least, not so early in the evening." "I wouldn't want you to expend all your energy either." She leaned over and placed a suggestive kiss on the side of his neck. Karaleigh usually wasn't so public with her affections, but whether it was the wine, the dancing, the occasion or the man, she just couldn't quite bring herself to care.

Y'sani chuckled as he slid onto the bench and pulled Karaleigh onto his lap. "The day a little light dancing expends all of _my_ energy will be a sad day indeed."

Hopefully it was late enough all her students were abed. She really didn't want to hear them giggling and teetering about seeing her in the Weyrlingmaster's lap at Turns End. "I know I would be terribly disappointed," she said, absently playing with the ties to his tunic. The harper decided she didn't care if the whole Weyr saw her. It was Turns End for Faranth's sake! It was excuse enough to let go a little.

The Weyrlingmaster seemed unconcerned with giggling weyrlings, even though there were plenty of them. He kept one arm snugly around Karaleigh and braced the other on the table behind him. "I think I've got a few good turns left in me before you have to worry about it. I'm not _that_ old, you know." Though the fact that he'd been wooing girls before Karaleigh had been born had not escaped him. "Hmmm. How old _are_ you?" Karaleigh was pretty sure she didn't even know. She was _very_ sure it didn't matter. He could be eighty or eighteen for all she cared. As long as he made her feel this way he was the perfect age for her.

Y'sani sent a pair of giggling green weyrlings running with his best terrifying Weyrlingmaster glare before glancing back up at Karaleigh.
"I'll be forty-eight in a few months." "Yes, then I'd say I have _quite_ a few turns before I have to worry, Y'sani." She grinned as her fingers slid up his nicely muscled chest and down over his shoulders, leaning in even closer. "But you will let me know if you start feeling heart palpitations, won't you?"

"Absolutely not," he replied, giving her a teasing grin as his hand caressed her lower back. "I'd be far too afraid that you might stop whatever it is you were doing to cause them."

"Even if it'd kill ya?" she asked, nipping at his lower lip. Shards, it was so fun to let go like this!

"Mmmmm." The hint of mischief in his eyes was the only warning. His arm tightened around her waist again and he tilted her back until she was balanced precariously on his leg, and then leaned down to kiss her.

The gesture brought a laughing catcall from the weyrlings Y'sani had so recently chased off, and a startled exclamation from a passing bronzerider. O'dan nearly lost his crutches out from under him when he saw his shy, reserved little harper friend being so enthusiastically kissed. "_Karaleigh?!_"

The sound of her name said so accusingly in that familiar voice startled her so she slipped not only away from Y'sani's lips, but out of his lap as well. "Shards, O'dan! You surprised me!" And not very happily either, she mused as she rubbed at the hip that had landed on the cold stone floor. She was sure her face was as bright at the Red Star.

Y'sani scooped Karaleigh back up and tucked her back into his lap, a little more snugly this time. "You surprised both of us," he replied dryly, giving the former Weyrleader a lazy grin. "You must have a very important message, though, if you couldn't even wait for us to come up for air."

O'dan positively bristled as he watched Y'sani slide a possessive arm around Karaleigh. His already bruised ego felt tender as he shifted his eyes to the harper's. "Well, beautiful, it's been such a long time since you visited my weyr, I was surprised to see you were still here."

"You haven't invited me, O'dan," she said with a tolerant roll of her eyes. Despite the fact that he had scared her half to death, she was happy to see him. He was right, it had been too long. "Besides, how was I to know you weren't alone? But I'm glad you're here now! Have you met Y'sani yet?"

Y'sani's eyes were amused as he met O'dan's icy glare. "I don't believe we've been introduced. I'd shake your hand, but it looks like we both have our arms full." O'dan's eyebrows went up as he gave Karaleigh a slightly betrayed look.
"So I see. You seem to have stolen my favorite lady away."

"Oh, come now O'dan, don't be so dramatic. You had _many_ favorite ladies," Karaleigh smiled, not completely unaware that her friend seemed a little hurt. She hoped it was because she hadn't been to see her and not because... Well, it wasn't as if she was ever really his. "And you know where my weyr is too, you know."

"I haven't forgotten. Maybe I'll swing around in the next few days for a visit." A stealthy look at Y'sani disappointed O'dan... the sharding man was still sitting there with his hands all over Karaleigh and his eyes full of amused arrogance. Apparently he wasn't in the least bit worried at the idea of O'dan being in Karaleigh's weyr. "You should. Oh hey, how is Dantial? I haven't seen him in forever." He and Karaleigh had been good friends.

"Getting ready to move back out," O'dan replied, pulling his eyes back to Karaleigh. Maybe just ignoring Y'sani was the correct way to deal with the man. He grinned at Karaleigh suggestively. "I'll have my weyr all to myself again, darling. Just like old times."

Karaleigh rolled her eyes in amused exasperation. "Old times, as in the times when you chased me around and never seemed to be able to catch me?
I didn't realize those time ever ended, O'dan."

O'dan sighed and decided to give in gracefully. For now. He could go home and plot his revenge on the Weyrlingmaster for somehow managing to catch his uncatchable lady. "Cruel as always, love. I don't know why I spent so much time pining over you."

"I would be sad to know your pining days are done," Karaleigh said with a soft smile, reaching out to squeeze his arm. "I promise, I'll come visit you soon."

Y'sani finally decided to rejoin the conversation. "I'll make sure she keeps her promise. But if you don't mind too much, I'd like to steal her away for another dance." O'dan's smile was poisonous. "Of course not. Have a good evening, both of you. And I'll see you soon, Karaleigh." With that he wrapped his battered ego around him and maneuvered slowly away, hating his crutches more than he had in a long, long time.

Last updated on the December 1st 2006

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