Get In There
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Devin, Chelle
Date Posted: 15th February 2012
Characters: Z'ku, Qorri
Description: Qorri tells Z'ku he better try again with Meledei.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 6, day 2 of Turn 6
Notes: Mentioned: R'enh, Rhosyn, Meledei, N'vanik, Janani
Z'ku knocked and got permission to enter. "You wanted to see me, Headwoman?"
"Aye bronzerider, come in." She already had a cup of klah sitting
there and she pointed to the pitcher if he wanted some for himself. Qorri had seen Z'ku coming of age and she had dealt with him as a candidate as she had Meledei so he almost felt like a fosterling to her at times all grown up. "So tell me, what have you been doing?"
He shrugged a shoulder. "Just drills and Fall and stuff." He sat down
and took a cup of klah.
"You still talking to Meledei hm?" She had to know. She knew the kid might
have been upset, but sometimes things happened. She'd been pulling for him,
though, shell it all.
There was a sore spot. "Sometimes." He'd done a fairly good job of avoiding
her lately.
She frowned, guessing that was the case. "Sometimes things like this happen. While we may have had different plans, we have to deal with it. And anyway, there will be more flights. Of course most queenriders don't stay with the guys that win the flights anyway. Case in point-Janani and N'vanik aren't...that way."
"But Meledei _likes_ R'enh." It sounded whiny and he shut his mouth.
"What? How do you know that? She's said nothing of the sort to me. Sure they're friendly, but you have to be when you have to stand at hatchings and be nice to people and all that." If he wasn't going to help himself and just give up, Qorri was thinking he was a pretty stupid bronzerider.
"They spend a lot of time together. They go to Gathers and things like
that, and that was _before_ he won her Flight."
"Aye, he was also over at River Bluff in the Weyrwoman's weyr before he won her flight. Think about that." Qorri knew things and she wasn't above
using it to her advantage to beat it into Z'ku's head. "Z'ku, if you really give a shell about Meledei, you better get back in there son. Ignoring her is going to tell her you don't care and then she will start looking somewhere else. And if you hurt her feelings, Faranth help me I will hurt yours ten times worse somehow."
"I don't want to hurt her feelings. I know how much F'gol hurt her.
And that's the problem. I don't know if she's just still heartbroken
from that, or if she really doesn't see me as more than a friend."
Z'ku fiddled with his cup.
"Keep talking and she'll tell you. She probably just needs time and
then when she's ready-knock knock there you are." Qorri hadn't really
mourned her husband so it was hard to understand how Meledei felt
about that.
"I hope you're right." It was hard to be patient when every time he
saw Meledei he wanted to kiss her.
"Z'ku, when am I wrong?" Her eyebrows went up as she dared him to
contradict her.
"I haven't known you to be wrong so far, ma'am." He hoped this
wouldn't be the first time.
"Allright then. Step one-reopen the lines of communication. Step
two-keep them open. Step three-do nice things for her. And if she
asks why, tell her it's to be friendly or that you were thinking of her."
He had to make her think it was her idea.
"What kinds of nice things?" He had a few ideas, but this was a good
chance to get a woman's opinion.
"Gifts are good, helping her with work, sitting with her at meals,
and maybe a a few jokes to keep her mind off things." Qorri always
liked it when she had a few moments to escape from reality.
"I'm not good with jokes, but I can do the rest of it." But would it
get him anywhere?
"Good. I'll let you get to it then. And let me know how it goes." She
definitely wanted to know what was happening. It was nothing against
the older bronzerider-if he was making moves, which she doubted. This
was about making Meledei happy.
He wasn't sure what her interest was, and he didn't know how to ask
without the risk of sounding rude, so he said, "I will."
Going back to the work she had left to do before she kicked off for the
day, the headwoman felt better about things. She'd get Meledei happy
yet if it killed her, even if the girl still hadn't figured out just what she really wanted yet.
Last updated on the February 18th 2012