What's Real

Writers: Emma, Suzee
Date Posted: 20th December 2013

Characters: K'deren, Cyradis
Description: K'deren has a nightmare
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 4, day 7 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: N'vanik

K'deren

Cyradis

That feeling, it was unmistakable. And straight away K'deren knew that
Donneth had chased, flown and won. Donneth's sleepy thoughts radiated smug
pleasure. But it wasn't clear just who had ridden the dragon Donneth had
claimed as a mate this time.

The brownrider rolled onto his side, shifting the furs slightly. that it was
a female form was clear, but who.... Then he realised, it was the Weyrwoman.
He gently reached out a hand onto her shoulder...

She woke slowly to the after effects of her lifemate's flight in the
state she knew so well after so many Turns. She felt the touch on her
shoulder and turned her head to see "K'deren?"

She shot up straight in bed. "What the shells?"

"Donneth won," the brownrider stated the obvious, as he studied the woman
next to him. She didn't look impressed to say the least and her expression
seemed to be trying to convey that he was lower than a tunnel snake.

"Oh Faranth take it," she rolled over and slammed her feet on the
floor. "Brown? I can't sharding believe it." Her anger was a palpable
thing in the room.

"There's nothing wrong with my Donneth." Instantly on the defensive the
brownrider sat up, pulling the furs around him. "It was a flight, and he won
fair and square."

"No," she agreed. "There is nothing wrong with Donneth and he won fair
and square." She was going to have serious words with Panitath over
this. "But he's not bronze. Don't you know what that means? It means
no chance of a gold and only just maybe a bronze if we're lucky. Let
alone a smaller clutch!"

"That's not necessarily the case. Donneth has won gold flights before and
sired fine healthy clutches, with bronze dragons among them."

"Yes, but after the fiasco with Meledei and our recent losses, we
can't afford this." She had busily begun to pull on her clothing. "I
need to talk to N'vanik."

"You're just going to leave?" The surprise was evident in his voice. Part of
him had hoped they could talk this through before either one of them made a
public appearance to the rest of the weyr.

She continued to dress and avoided looking at him. While he had the
family connections to pull off the job of Weyrleader it was less
certain, at least from her point of view, that the Weyr could survive
this kind of change in leadership when they were so short on riders.
They were going to be shorter still and now she felt like a failure as
Weyrwoman.

"What is there to say?"

"This has happened for a reason. surely Panitath chose Donneth because she
wanted him."

"Or did she choose him because I want you?" She lifted both hands to
cover her face and scrubbed her hands over her face. This was a
disaster on so many levels. "Well it's done and nothing to do but
though through it." She turned on her heel and moved toward the
curtain on her way to find N'vanik. At the last moment she turned her
teeth set. "I'm sure we'll find a way to work together."

"For the Weyr at least."

"Yes," she spun and ducked out of the room.

~*~

Shocked awake, K'deren sat bolt upright, the furs falling off him and his
weyrmate as he did.

Cyradis mumbled a protest and tried reaching for the furs to recover
her warm cocoon.

It was then that reality hit, it had been a dream, and this lovely woman
lying beside him really was his loving weyrmate and not the cold stranger of
his dream. "Sorry," he said softly, hoping to not disturb her any more than
he already had.

"You alright," she mumbled and put a hand up on his shoulder.

"I think so, just a nightmare," he said slowly.

Pushing herself up on one elbow she tried to see his face in the
almost pitch dark "You don't sound alright," she said concerned.

"Donneth, he won Panitath's flight," he began. "But you, you weren't you. It
was like a stranger was telling me that this couldn't have happened and how
bad it was for the weyr."

"Really?" She mused for a moment. "Well with your background and
family history, I think you'd make a fine Weyrleader even if I am just
a tiny bit prejudiced."

"It was like you didn't want me there at all," K'deren shook his head a
moment as if to clear it. "It felt so real."

"Hey," she said softy then dropping the furs she got on her knees and
straddled his lap. "Hey," she said again as she put her arms around
his neck. "I'll always want you. Let me show you what's real."

Last updated on the January 19th 2014

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