A Lovely Evening

Writers: Leigh M-F., Avery
Date Posted: 1st November 2017

Characters: Nohria, Corran
Description: Corran spends Turnover Evening with Nohria.
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 13, day 29 of Turn 8

It wasn't her Gather-best dress; it was older and somewhat less
fashionable, but the rich burgundy shade hadn't faded, and the cut was
so very flattering and comfortable. So Nohria donned it proudly and let
her hair fall free again, and sent Malin go find his flittering friends
while she went to meet Corran.

Corran had worn casual clothes for the meal with his family, but gotten
dressed up to go down to the Gather square where the Turn's End
festivities were being held. His brother had preferred to stay home with
the family rather than drink and dance with strangers he didn't know.
Corran could respect that, but he had hopes to see Nohria.

He was wearing dark brown breeches and a tunic of a deep emerald green.
His mother had embroidered a scrollwork pattern on the neck and the ends
of the sleves in a soft grey thread that could pass for silver when the
lights glinted right on it. On his left shoulder he wore a leather patch
for Warden to perch on without clawing his tunic. Bur Warden had already
/betweened/ off, hopefully not to steal any food.

As he entered the Gather square, he scanned around for her.

"Corran!" Nohria waved to him and picked up her skirt to pass through
the crowd. "You look very dashing tonight." She gave him a quick peck on
the cheek and a bright smile. "How is your family?"

"It was a very good Turnover dinner. My brother came over on his own
dragon, though I don't think he was supposed to," the guard admitted.

"I won't tell if you won't," Nohria joked, but the accompanying smile
was somber. She'd heard of the damage to River Bluff; who hadn't by now?
It just felt worse, even though she wasn't involved, because her lover
was related to the former Weyrleader. "In all seriousness, are they
doing all right?"

"K'ran had a broken collarbone and his dragon's hind limbs were damaged
in some way. Looked okay to me, but I know bones can break or something
under the surface," he said. "I've broken my collarbone before, so I
could sympathize with him."

"I hope they both have a complete recovery, and soon," the drudge said
with complete sincerity, and waited a few minutes before asking, "What
would you like to do first?"

"I've had a meal, but I could split a bubbly pie and buy you a drink.
Wine, cider, whatever you'd prefer," he said. "After that I was thinking
some dancing, but I like fuel first."

"I wouldn't mind both, and that bubbly sounds like a lovely idea." She
had room for some treats in her gullet. Nohria hooked her arm through
Corran's and pressed close, taking a few moments to appreciate the
situation.

They headed towards the food stands. Corran enjoyed having his arm and
Nohria's linked as they walked. She didn't always seem interested in
public affection from him, and he was determined to enjoy this while he
could.

Once they got to the header of the line, he purchased a bubbly pie and
two cups of cider and handed her one. "So what's your hope for next Turn?"

"That the bandits stop this nonsense," Nohria said after a moment of
hastily scrambling for a feasible answer. "Someone's going to get hurt
at this rate. If they go away, everything will be much better. What
about you?"

"I want me and my family to survive another Turn without anyone being
hurt or dying. That feels a little more selfish now," Corran said,
impressed she was thinking in such broad hopes.

"It's not selfish to want your loved ones to do well," Nohria argued,
and had an appreciative swallow of the cider. "Mm, lovely. And anyway, I
don't think it's selfish to want yourself to do well either. Your wishes
aren't causing other people harm, so it's all right."

"Really, in the end I just want myself and my family comfortable and
well," he said. "It just seems like doing so is failing at my job.
Guards should look at the big picture of Hold safety and all."

"But you do. If you expect yourself to do it all the time, though,
you'll make yourself crazy. You're only human, Corran; it's okay to
accept your limitations."

"Limitations exist to be overcome," he said, but he took her point -
some discussions were too serious for Turnover.

"How are you liking your new job, by the way?"

"It's much more fulfilling than endless cleaning," Nohria replied. "I'm
hoping soon I can phase out the drudgery entirely." She knew much of the
Hold's layout now; enough that she could still scatter propaganda at
will even if she stopped the maddening cleanup work.

"That's amazing for you," he said with genuine happiness. Nohria
deserved better then that.

"Thank you," Nohria said modestly, well pleased, and drank more of her
cider until the mug was half full. "Oh, that does hit the spot. Pass the
bubbly here, would you?" She'd have half now that it had cooled some,
and then Corran could have the rest before it lost all warmth.

He obligingly handed it over to her to eat, and continued sipping at his
own cider. "The Vintner Hall is doing truly amazing work. It makes me
wish I'd considered it as a craft sometimes."

"Why? All the alcohol you could drink?" the herbalist teased once she
had taken her half of the bubbly. "Or just the chance to experiment with
creating something?"

"The second one," he said. "There's a difference between creating
something, protecting it, and destroying it. I thought protecting would
be good enough for me, but maybe I just want to create something and
know I'm leaving something behind."

That was something about the guard she never would have guessed. It made
Nohria love him more, but also wonder how long that sentiment might have
been gnawing on him. "I can understand that. Have you considered asking
your parents about their crafts? Maybe they could teach you how to make
something."

"I could give it a shot," he agreed. "Amber Hills is the right kind of
climate to learn to knit something. Not like the warm Weyrs my brother
is at."

"Whatever you decide, I'll support you," his lover promised. "I want to
see you happy."

"You say that until you see the ugliest sweater in the territory. Though
a sweater is too ambitious to start with. Maybe a scarf," he pondered.

"A scarf would be a very good place to start," Nohria stated with a nod.
"Next could come some hats; I've heard they can be fairly easy. I hope
you have fun with it." She smiled up at him. "Are you ready to try
dancing, or would you like to walk around some?"

"I'd love to dance. I was thinking we could spend a candlemark at it and
then..." Corran reached into his pocket and pulled out a key, hoping the
invitation wasn't too forward. Spending a night tumbling together on
Turn's End might be different to her than a random night, and he did
know she wanted this to be casual and not courting. Even if in his own
heart he was falling. "If you'd like to go away for the night..."

The herbalist gave him a sulty look through her lashes. "Indeed I
would," she purred.

Last updated on the November 2nd 2017

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A Lovely Evening