Maybe Someday

Writers: Dana, Eimi
Date Posted: 12th October 2005

Characters: Ar'lis, Gaiya
Description: Ar'lis shares a personal confession with Gaiya
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 8, day 19 of Turn 3

Ar'lis laughed, grabbing Gaiya and spinning her around to face the huge wave that was suddenly looming over them. "We're gonna have to dive under it!" he yelled over the rushing of the water. "Ready?"

Gaiya nodded and took a big breath, watching the rolling wall coming towards them.

"Okay....now!" he shouted before diving in headfirst. He tumbled beneath the water's surface, carried forward by the wave's force. He hoped she made it through! Spitting out the brime in his mouth, Ar'lis resurfaced, flicking his sandy hair away from his eyes.

Gaiya emerged from the bubbling sea laughing and flicking a strand of hair that had escaped her poneytail out of her eyes. "That was a big one!"
Playfully she pounced on the bronzerider, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and scrambled onto his back. "You thought you could drown me, huh?"

He grasped her legs to keep her steady. "Now just _why_ would I want to do that, sweetheart? It'd be no fun then! And remember that truce we formed oh so long ago? About us not drowning each other?" His fingers danced up her thighs, tickling. "That still holds!"

"All right, I think we'd better make a tickle truce," she laughed as she tried to kick her legs away from his fingers.

"Ouch! That was my _side_, Gaiya!" he grunted, grinning. Then he whirled them around and slowly began to wade his way towards the shore. "You might have to kiss it to make it better..."

She laughed as she allowed herself to be carried back onto dry sand. "Why? I kicked you so it would hurt!"

He slid his hands down her legs, helping her stand upright on the sand, then he turned to face her. "So you wounded me on _purpose_? That makes me sad, love. That makes me very sad."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Gaiya said with a pout, running her fingers lightly along his sides, tickleingly.

He grinned, wrapping his arms around her. "So? Do you want me to feel better or not?"

"No, not really," she chuckled, smiling up at him mischieviously.

Oh, he wouldn't let her get away with that. Ar'lis brought her closer against him and dipped his mouth to hers. He ran his tongue lightly over her lips before deepening the kiss, his fingers slowly running up and down her sides. "You sure?" he asked, his voice a murmur.

Gaiya wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly before pulling back breathlessly. "There. All better?"

"I feel like a new man," he grinned, tucking that errant lock that had escaped her hairtie back behind her ear. Wrapping an arm casually around her waist, he walked them over to their towels.

"Hopefully a happy new man." She spread her towel out over the sand laid back contentedly. "Can you imagine that somewhere on Pern today there is _snow_ falling?"

He chuckled, settling himself beside her. "It's hard to imagine. You've been to the mountains?"

"Yes, once or twice. I haven't been for a long time. I went to the Vintner Hall this winter and it was snowing." She wrinkled her nose at the memory of the rude reception she and An'dr had recieved from the Hallmaster there.

"What's the sour look for?"

Gaiya shrugged. "I just don't think the Vintner Hallmaster was very happy to see Weyrfolk at his Hall."

The bronzerider snorted. "Of all the stories I've heard, that man never seems happy with sharding _anything_." His tone took on a protective edge. "I do hope, for his sake, that he wasn't vicious to you, love."

"No, he made sure to stay just to the right of being blantantly rude," she conceeded. "I cannot believe that man could have a daughter as sweet as Feiyaz!"

"She told you that? Or do you think that's a cover story, hmm?"

"What could she be covering?" Gaiya asked, surprised at the thought.

"Maybe she didn't have a say in the matter? Maybe she _had_ to go back?" He shrugged a shoulder as he proped himself up on an arm, looking down at Gaiya. "I could be wrong."

"No," she replied shaking her head emphatically. "She could not be forced from the Weyr. And I doubt she was tricked like Tiya.""

"But to give up so much freedom...especially for a man who treats her so poorly. Nevermind that he's her father."

Gaiya shrugged. "She didn't ask us to take her away, and she had the chance. She must love him." **Though the Egg knows why...**

The bronzerider snorted before settling back onto the towel. "Sharding holders and hallmasters," he growled. "Not all of them are bad, or so I hear, but _most_ of them are arrogant arses." He folded his arms behind his head and closed his eyes. "But I suppose they think the same thing about us Weyrfolk."

"I suppose so," Gaiya sighed as she closed her eyes against the bright mid-day sun as she let it's rays banish all thought of cold snow and colder receptions.

"So tell me, how's your brother doing, hmm? Catch him practicing running in his free time?" Ar'lis grinned and opened one eye to glance at the young woman beside him.

She smiled proudly. "He will beat you one of these days, bronzerider. You can bet your bronze's beautiful hide he will."

"Oh, I don't doubt it. He and my sons."

She opened one eye and looked at him. "Your sons?"

"Mmm-hmm." He kept his eyes shut. "Surely you don't think that with as often as Zylarth chases his greens, I wouldn't have any weyrbrats of my own running amuck around here, would you?" he asked, amused.

"But..." Gaiya looked at him with both eyes now. "But... you never mention them..."

His eyes flickered open, and he was silent for a moment before saying quietly, "I never see much of them, love."

"Why not?" she asked quietly. He was so good with Hezri! How could he not be an equally attentive father to his own children?

How could he explain it to her when he could hardly explain it to himself? "I saw them when they were young. A lot," he told her quietly.
"But..."

"Is it their mothers?" Gaiya knew that there had been times when sour relationships with birthmothers and fostermothers could at times influence the relationships between fathers and children.

He nodded, closing his eyes again.

Gaiya could not understand other women sometimes. "But you are their _father_, Ar'lis. Surely you have some claim..."

"Boys grow up, love. And when they do, they form prejudices that were laid on them during their youth..."

She reached over for his hand. "How old are they now?"

"Twelve and thirteen."

Gaiya shifted so that she could lay her cheek against his shoulder, sensing his pain and regret. "Are they here at River Bluff?"

He wrapped an arm around her, grateful for her touch. "No... Arilen went to Rising Moons when his mother transferred. He just Impressed a brown there." A faint smile touched his lips. "Or so my resources tell me." He paused. "And Arcen was born at Dragonsfall, and has been there all his life."

Her arm stretched across him to gently sweeze him closer. "When was the last time you saw them?"

"Turns ago, love," he said softly. "I stopped keeping count."

"Maybe there is still hope then," she said as she kissed his shoulder gently. "Why don't you go see them?"

Ar'lis turned his head to gaze at her. The look in his eyes was soft as he trailed a gentle caress down her cheek. "Maybe one day, Gaiya."

She pushed herself up so she could look at him. Gaiya could see a well of feeling in his eyes. As she brought her hand to smooth back his hair she kissed him gently, but invitingly, thanking him for sharing his heart with her, and letting him know that it would be all right.

Last updated on the October 13th 2005

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Maybe Someday