Time Away And All That

Writers: Cali, Paula
Date Posted: 13th April 2008

Characters: Trellyn, Ednan
Description: Trellyn returns to the Hall and runs into the reason she left.
Location: Dolphin Hall
Date: month 9, day 25 of Turn 4

Trellyn hefted a large canvas bag filled with her clothes and swim gear over her shoulder as she waved goodbye to the ship crew that had transported her safely from her five month stay at Topaz Sea Hold. As she stepped off the ship dock, she headed for one of the float docks to to make sure her dolphin partner Kibb wasn't overly exhausted by the travel before she went to check in at the Hall.

She saw a group swimming in the shallows and though she couldn't tell who they were from that distance, she waved, the exhilaration of being home making her feel a bit giddy. Kibb was waiting for her and she could tell by his antics in the water she didn't even need to ask his condition. "Glad to be home then?"

"Home good, friends good." Kibb squeed and head bobbed excitedly.
"They miss me, they happy." He rose up on his tail and then disappeared under the water to join his friends and probably tell of his many adventures and human things they found during their salvage duties at Topaz.

Ednan thanked the dolphin who had pulled him to the shore. His muscles ached pleasantly after the hard diving exercises. He pulled himself up to the dock and started removing his gear. When he got up, his goggles fogged over and he couldn't see a thing.

"Need help?" Trellyn asked, hoping she sounded neutral. She'd spent the last five months trying to put her feelings for the apprentice behind her, and here was a chance to prove it.

Ednan pulled the goggles off. "Trellyn," he said, and his voice showed his mixed feelings. She had been away for a long time, she had left without saying him anything, yet he had missed her, but life had also gone on.

"Hi Ednan." she said with a smile. Was he mad at her or just tired after his swim? Either way, it was good to see him. "Need help with your gear?"

"No, thanks, I can manage. Besides, you seem to have enough on your own," he nodded towards her canvas bag. Then he blurted out: " Where were you?"

She blushed despite herself, embarrassed once more that she had run off like a holder girl without telling him. "I went to Topaz, they were in need of some salvage specialists."

"Right," Ednan said. He was quiet for a moment, staring at the sea.
"And you just didn't thought about saying anything to me before disappearing from my life." He sounded bitter. It had hurt.

"Well, it just happened so fast. Master Mosler said there was an opening if I wanted it and there happened to be a ship heading that way leaving in the morning..." she tried to explain. In reality, she had spent most of her last night tossing and turning trying to decide how to tell Ednan she was leaving. First she had thought a note, but that had been too impersonal; then she was going to find him and tell him, but them alone together at night had only ever lead to inappropriate things so that was out of the question; and in the end she hadn't done anything, probably the most cowardly and worst of her options.

"How long does it to write a short message? And the Runners carry letters from Hold to hall," Ednan asked.

Well, he'd got her there. "Look, I'm sorry okay." she confessed with a sigh. "I just thought that a clean break would do us good you know?
Time away and all that." **So I could get over you**

"It hurt," Ednan said silently, his voice barely above whisper.

Why did he have to be like that. "I was hoping it wouldn't anymore, that you'd understand." If he just understood that it's so much better for them both if they're not together... or _wanting_ to be together.

"Forget and move on?" he asked sharply. Oh, if it only were that easy.

"Please don't be like this," she pleaded, "You know we can't be together here at the Hall, why torture ourselves even trying?"

"I don't know," Ednan said helplessly. He knew this was not a good thing and that he should stay away from her. Especially since he already had his heart broken once. "I know we better avoid each other.
Don't mind me, just leave me alone. I'll get over it," he said.

**Don't bet on it** she thought to herself as she nodded solemnly and walked away. She had thought with those months apart that _she_ would get over him too. She'd told herself time and time again that she had moved on, but after seeing him again, she knew she was a liar.

Last updated on the April 17th 2008

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Time Away And All That