A Welcome Return

Writers: Ainsley, AL
Date Posted: 26th February 2009

Characters: D'ryne, Shaiya
Description: D'ryne is more than pleasantly surprised at Shaiya's return to the Weyr.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 1, day 23 of Turn 5

Propped up against Quirinyth's warm brown hide, D'ryne watched as the rays of the sun became visible over the rolling hills slowly breaking apart the darkness. With a turn of his head he could see the golden beams reach out to the vast plain. This was his favorite time of day and D'ryne seldom missed a sunrise, though his location for observation varied. The orange tones would briefly light the Weyr, there and then gone, giving way to the brighter light of day. He loved to listen as the Weyr awakened as well. This morning he was at the ground level of the Weyr, though it did not offer the best view of he sunrise, it was closer to the kitchens and he opted for easy access to klah today. Stretching his long limbs, D'ryne gave Quirinyth a fond thump and stood up, ready to head to the dining cavern.

Halfway there, Shaiya spotted him. How long had it been? Too long, but she had left in her grief, to go her own way and find herself in a world that had suddenly changed with the death of her weyrmate. But there was D'ryne, the friend whom she had missed despite the grief she had fought through. She had to leave though, had to re-establish her world. The woman picked up her pace and, when she came up behind the dragonrider, cleared her throat and spoke. "Hello D'ryne."

The brownrider froze, he knew that voice as well as any on Pern, but could it really be her? Slowly, he turned and his eyes rested on her, filling him with both joy and sadness all at once as memory upon memory flooded his mind. He closed the distance and scooped her up into his arms without hesitation. "Shaiya," he said, his voice little more than a whisper. "Faranth, I've missed you." Almost as much as he missed V'ryne he thought.

Shaiya returned the embraced with a tight one of her own. She was reluctant to let go, but she couldn't stand there hugging him forever. "It's wonderful to see you, D'ryne." She pulled back after a long few moments and smiled up to him. "You look good."

"And you are as gorgeous as ever," he replied, thinking it had been far too long and wondering why he had never taken the effort to go and visit her. At first he supposed he had been too absorbed in his grief and focused on fighting Thread. After that, it was hard to say. Perhaps it was too hard face all of the memories, but Faranth it was good to see her.

"And you're as big a liar as ever." Shaiya laughed and gently udged D'ryne in the arm. "Care to have dinner with me? We can catch up."

"Of course! Are you," he paused, almost afraid to ask, "back, then? Or just visiting?"

"I'm...not quite sure yet." Shaiya admitted. "Visiting for now. Possibly returning - I know that's not much of an answer."

"Well, I'll take what I can get. Do I have to wait until dinner to at least find out how you are and how you've been, or can you join me for a cup of klah before I have drills?"

"I suppose I can spare some time. I do need to speak with the headwoman, but I'll wait until you're off at drills." Shaiya wouldn't need _that_ much time anyway. Mostly she wanted to wander, soak in the familiarity the Weyr afforded, remember things - even the painful ones.

"Excellent," he said, slipping an arm around her waist and heading toward the dining cavern. "So how have you been?"

"I've been surviving." That pretty much described the first few months after V'ryne's death... Then, of course, everything had changed. She had been given a reason to continue, but it still had been too painful to return to the Weyr. She knew she wouldn't have been able to handle it - until recently. "You?"

D'ryne gave this some thought before answering. For almost an entire turn his grief and driven him to fighting Thread with a singular intensity. When he was not flying Thread or practicing drills, he was studying Fall charts and archives on Threadfall, trying to determine better and more efficient ways to destroy the menace. With Quirinyth's constant love and support the brownrider had begun to relax back into a more normal life. "I have been doing a bit better everyday."

"That sounds very familiar." One step at a time, one day at a time. Of course, it helped when one had a purpose. If she hadn't had that, Shaiya didn't think she would have made nearly the amount of progress that she had. That wasn't to say it had been easy, especially outside of the Weyr in a world that held a tight, conservative view of women. Of course, having a story helped that as well. "Things going well in general?"

"Yes, I think I would say they are," he replied as they arrived at the dining cavern. D'ryne released his hold on Shaiya so that he could get them some klah, indicating that she should take a seat while he did so. When he returned with two steaming cups, he continued, "The Weyr has had it's setbacks, but I think that we are learning as the Pass progresses."

"Just about the time the Weyrs really will get the hang of it, that's when the Pass will be over." Shaiya mused with a small smile as she took the klah. She sipped at it slowly, enjoying the spices that always made her just relax despite herself. "I'm glad to see you've fared well despite our common Enemy."

D'yrne took a sip of his klah. Fared well. Well enough he supposed, though there were times he might question that. Better than many. "What have you been doing? It's hard for me to imagine you out of the Weyr."

"Working, keeping my head above the water. I managed to procure a place in the kitchens at a moderate sized holding." It hadn't necessarily been the most glamourous of positions, but it had allowed her to have food and shelter. "It was hard for me to imagine as well until it happened."

"Really? That's, that's...I just cannot picture that in my mind, but it sounds like you did what you needed to do. That's good, but not as good as seeing you back here." He wanted to add that she belonged here, but did not want to pressure her.

Shaiya nodded, lowering he gaze and tracing a grain upon the table with her finger. "I'm...considering returning."

"Any way I could sway you in this direction?" he asked, his tone light, but his eyes very serious.

"Well, I suppose 'considering' isn't the correct term." Shaiya smiled a little but still didn't raise her eyes. "I am returning. That's why I've come here, to visit, get reacquainted, find some work."

Watching his old friend, D'yrne thought there was something she was holding back, but he couldn't imagine what it might be. He moved his hand to cover hers, hoping she would look up at him. "I'm glad, Shaiya, more than I can say."

"Are you?" Shaiya _did_ look up and she managed a smile to her old friend and teased lightly, "You might change your mind after I've been back for a while."

"I'm not the one who has to cope with your being up in the middle of the night due to sudden inspiration," D'yrne laughed, remembering his brother's grumbling on the matter.

"This is true." Shaiya laughed softly, but there was little light that made it to her eyes. "I should probably go speak to the Headwoman as well as the resident Master - see if I can pick up where I left off."

"Then I'll see you for dinner," he said, trying to keep the question from his voice. Somehow her presence seemed to fill a hole inside of him that had been empty for a long time. Shaiya was not his brother, far from it, but knowing that she was back in the Weyr gave him a certain peace he had not felt in more than two turns.

Last updated on the February 28th 2009

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A Welcome Return