Aftermath(R'niaan)

[summerrain]

75.08.21, morning

She was walking along, holding a small box in her arms. The child was barely eight Turns. She knew the dangers. But it was the middle of the day. No one would dare strike her now.

She made the delivery and made her way back home. She stopped by a small alley when she saw a Flitter pass by above, and suddenly there was something around her waist. The thing, a strap of leather, tightened as she fell backwards. Then the world around her went dark. She tried to scream, but something was pressed against her mouth. She tried to scream again, but it was too quiet to hear. She felt her hands get bound, as well as her ankles. Then she was put into something. She didn't bother fighting any more. Almost no one came through this area unless they lived there. No one would notice her. She began to feel light-headed as she felt movement. But her heart was racing. Where would she end up? What was going on? Why her?

It was a man. She'd heard his voice. He dropped her and unbound her hands and feet. He removed the cloths from her eyes and mouth. One of the other children-for there were a good number of others- tried to escape. The man showed her just what happened to children who tried to escape. He whipped the other child, then turned to her. He whipped her too, and his voice rang in her ears.

"This is what happens to bad children who do not do as I say."

Yuki woke up with a soft scream. She sat up, tears running down her face. That had been the most terrifying moment of her life... The moment when she had been kidnapped. She looked next to her, at the other form on he bed. It was the WeyrlingMaster, the man she'd gotten into an argument with just a month ago. But he had won the Flight the night before. Would he be able to understand...?

[shapeshifter]

R'niaan nearly fell out of bed from the sound of Yuki's scream, "Whaa..what..who's ther-...what's wrong?" He said as he snapped awake, his head turning rapidly until his eyes landed on Yuki's form. He grabbed her around her bare waist and pulled her over into his lap, pulling the furs up around them more. It was very cool in his weyr, almost too cool for him.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly, gazing into her teared eyes. He wasn't sure where his soft side was coming from...it was a mystery to even him. Maybe it was just the tears! Yeah, it's the tears...

He wrapped his arms around her, just in case she tried to wiggle free, "I mean, I know I can't be the best looking thing first thing in the morning...but is it bad enough to make you cry?" He chuckled, hoping to bring a smile to her face.

[summerrain]

Yuki was surprised by his sudden gentility. Perhaps she could tell him...

"Nightmare..." she told him softly. "They happen every now and again, especially after something serious like what happened to Chiara... The LifeWings still won't let him wake yet..." She wanted to tell him, to confide in someone... But that didn't work out too well last time. She had been hesitant during the Flight too.

Ayleneth opened one eye, swirling with worry for Hers. She hadn't known the woman to tell anyone, besides the TigerRider at Rainbow Mists, who was currently watching the little one that Yuki called Yura. Ayleneth knew that it would be Hers' choice.

Yuki felt strangely safe in his arms. Strange... But she didn't question it. She simply let him hold her as she cried.

[shapeshifter]

R'niaan was hoping her crying would stop but sadly it didn't. The only thing he knew to do was hold her. He pulled her to his chest as tight as he could, before shifting her and laying her down on her back. He faced her by laying on his side and propping himself up on his elbow. R'niaan placed his hand on her stomach and said, "Hey, while I have you here..." He trailed off as Bamath awoke and chimed in,

You should make things better...we can't keep Weyr jumping you know.

I know...you big brute.

"I am sorry for how I acted at the Sands but the other girl was right and traditions are not to be broken. It would be like breaking wings and leaving during Threadfall if one of your wingmates was hit. It just doesn't happen and is intolerable. Your brother was another concern...he did need treatment and I was harsh, but you'll have to understand I'm just a man. I'm hard to love, I don't ever make it easy." He grinned at her and slowly kissed her lips, through the tears and all. "I guess I'm shocking you now at this point, huh? Well, I do tend to have that affect on people."

[summerrain]

Yuki rolled onto her side, watching him. She wiped her face with one hand, and was about to speak when he kissed her. She took a moment to recover, but then spoke.

"I'm sorry too," she told him. "I just don't like seeing anyone be forced into something... Laying hands on another is something I strongly oppose. But for good reason..." She sat up and pulled her knees to her chest. "You're not from here, so you wouldn't know... But..." She took a breath, deciding to trust him. She spoke the same words she had almost two Turns ago...

"You have to promise not to tell anyone," she said. "Others aren't supposed to know about it besides The Lord Holder, Hedara, and Sanshe... And the people involved of course." She wouldn't tell him until he promised. She hadn't told anyone else without them promising they wouldn't tell unless he situation demanded it. No one was really supposed to know... But she just couldn't keep hiding it from all of Pern. It was too much...

[shapeshifter]

"Yuki, I won't say anything to anyone...I promise. You should be able to realize Bamath and I are more solitary...creatures...than you'd expect." He replied. He put his face in his hand that was propping him up on the bed. He used his right hand and arm to pull her to him, so that her knees were in his chest.

"I promise to you, I will be your confidant." He gave his charming, but softer smile to her and his eyes seemed much softer than their normal almost hardened look. He was such a hard ass sometimes he was even shocking himself. What was it about this girl's nature that hit him so hard?

[summerrain]

Yuki relaxed, moving her legs so she and R'niaan were closer together. Was she just doing this because she was lonely...? No. His sweeter side, it... Attracted her.

"When I was little, there was a man at Icy Caverns Hold who was kidnapping the Holdborn children," she began softly, hesitantly. "I was eight Turns old when... When he took me as well... I saw some of my best friends tortured and beaten... And a few of them would've died if the Riders hadn't found us when they did..." Her body was shaking from the fear that still lingered in her heart. "It took Turns for me to return to a semblance of normality, but the nightmares have plagued me ever since... That's why I left Ice Stone four Turns ago. Too many painful memories within the walls of the Hold..." She clung to him, almost like a little kid.

"We were sworn to secrecy when the man escaped... No one was to know... If they knew, it would only cause unneeded hysteria," she added. That was what The Lord Holder had told her when it happened. "If they knew, they would fight... And there's no guarantee the man is still alive now." Or so she said. But the idea that the possibility still existed was enough to scare her.

[shapeshifter]

R'niaan was shocked and appalled for a moment, "Well, I have secrets of my own...which most aren't really secrets." He looked at her and pulled her to him as tight as he could and kissed her harder this time.

"Those secrets...well...it was a Flight and a Queen had risen. Bamath and I were more....power hungry back then, and we wanted to become the Weyrleader pair. Needless to say, a Bronze got in his way when he went to grab the Queen. We left a Rider dragonless that day." He sighed and lowered his eyes, "Not our proudest moment; he shouldn't have gotten in Bamath's way."

He reflected on all the times he and Bamath had to Weyr hope thanks to R'niaan's mouth and actions, not forgetting Bamath's mishap. He looked into Yuki's eyes and said, "But we vowed to change as much as we could after we got over that incident. It hasn't been easy, I'm just hoping to find a strong woman to make me change." He chuckled and began to run his hand up and down her side, "Either way, no matter what happens between us...I will never let anything else like that happen to you again."

[summerrain]

Yuki me his gaze. "Flights are not always kind to the participants," she whispered.

She smiled slightly. That was a promise of protection. "I am older now, and not so vulnerable," she insisted. "And now I have Ayleneth. And... My little girl... Yura, she's still at Rainbow Mists." Yuki looked down again, letting her forehead touch R'niaan's chest. "She's only a Turn, and I don't want her getting caught up in all the strain between the Weyr and the Hold..."

She didn't want to leave his arms. They were warm and comforting... Safe. Strange... This man, who she'd argued with not even a month ago, was comforting her, becoming a source of courage for her. Though, in the back of her mind, those words lingered.

Most riders to their separate ways after a Flight.

She was hesitant, and her heart still ached for the man who said those words... But she couldn't cling to the past forever. Maybe it was time for her to move on...

[shapeshifter]

R'niaan loved the feeling of having this woman in his arms. She was unfamiliar to him still, even after their night of banter. Her soft skin against his own wind rough, Rukabat tanned skin felt almost unreal.

He sighed and said, "Well you may be older with a dragon, but nothing beats the feeling of a man's safe arms." He chuckled and then his eyes got wide.

"You...you have a kid?" He then felt a tinge of excitement, "Would you find me a soft hearted whimp if I told you kids hold a soft spot with me?" He chuckled again and said, "Well, when she hits two, maybe three, years old they are more fun but quite the terrors. Well, that's at least what I've been told."

He didn't want her to leave, no...no time soon.

[summerrain]

This feeling... It was different than what she'd felt with D'gan...

"Perhaps you could come with me to visit her?" Yuki asked, hearing the interest in his voice. She smiled at him, her bright green eyes meeting his. "I'm not going to return to her soon, not while my brother is still so injured, but maybe... Maybe one day I'll bring her here with me..." But she remembered his words again. He wanted Yuki to leave her daughter with him. To leave Yura at Rainbow Mists... But... Would she be able to...?

"Yura is a lovely child... I'm just... I want to see her grow, but I don't want to subject her to the tense relations between Ice Stone and Icy Caverns..." The conflict in her heart was audible in her voice, visible in her eyes. A sudden idea struck her.

"Perhaps you would come with me to Rainbow Mists for Orikaeth's Hatching?" she asked R'niaan suddenly. "It would be a good time for you to meet Yura." Then she remembered. D'gan would also be there. She wasn't ready to see him again. But... Would she ever be?

[shapeshifter]

"You realize we can visit for a day, today if you'd like. Between doesn't take long, I'm sure Bamath wouldn't mind the warmth. I haven't seen Rainbow Mists in ages." He shrugged and said, "Either way, we might as well get to know each other since you're going to have to deal with me being around."

He then paused, "But I can wait till the Hatching if you'd like...sounds almost like you just asked me for a date." He looked at her with his green eyes slightly narrows and a half grin gracing his face, all in a joking manner. "You know, we do eventually have to crawl out from under these furs...but I'm not quite feeling it yet."

Meee~ either.

[summerrain]

Yuki hadn't realized it until he spoke, and his words caused her to blush lightly. She hadn't even really asked D'gan on a date... Wasn't this a more natural progression?

She wasn't ready to get up yet either. She hadn't felt so relaxed in quite a long while. It was nice. A feeling she didn't want to end. But another question was brought to mind.

"Does this make us friends?" Yuki asked quietly. She wanted to be sure. She didn't make the same mistake as last time. She could already feel the growing attraction for this man who held her in his arms... But what did it really mean?

[shapeshifter]

R'niaan gave her a serious look and said, "No, I hate you. I have spent all morning being nice and affectionate just because..." and he started grinning, "Friends, of course. I mean what happened before now was from high running emotions. But, please don't ever disrespect me or my Assistant again. She does have rank over Candidates like I do." He sighed and said, "But enough of that! Seriously, I feel as though things will work out."

He was as close as he could get to her by this point, so he flipped her over so her back was against his chest and he pulled her into his arms, "I like holding you like this, you slept so beautifully last night."

[summerrain]

"She had no rank at the time," Yuki said, her voice hardening. "At the time she was nothing but an overenthusiastic MoonlightRider fresh from Graduation..." She sighed softly. "I'll do my best. She just... She just got on my nerves, that's all... And I still think something is wrong with letting that traitor Garna Stand in the first place... Like I said at the Hatching, she attacked the Rainbow Mists Weyrleader and almost struck a Queenling. I don't feel... Right, knowing she's running free..."

He hugged her from behind, and she blushed again when he basically said he'd been watching her sleep. She placed one hand on his and closed her eyes for a moment. But she was still nervous... Last time had caused her so much pain... But... She sighed softly. It was time to move on. To embrace the future. He hadn't truly wanted her, so he would have no say when she showed up next in the arms of another.

Ayleneth turned toward Bamath and bumped him gently with her nose. Her eyes swirled blue-green. She too was much more relaxed than she'd been in a long time. This was a good thing. For the both of them.