Skeletons in Closets

Writers: Heather
Date Posted: 9th December 2020
Series: This is How a Heart Breaks

Characters: H'riv, Gyllie
Description: Gyllie gets to know more about H'riv
Location: Barrier Lake Weyr
Date: month 7, day 20 of Turn 10
Notes: Mentioned: Thayde, Enamra (not by name), Jalodwyn (not by name)

"Wait, your brother is the Hallmaster at the Dolphin Hall?" Gyllie asked around the mouthful of meatroll she had just bitten into.

H'riv raised his eyebrows as if he were some important dignitary, "Yep."

The redhead laughed. "So I'm sleeping with a minorly famous person's brother?"

"That's right. Now, don't you feel important?" The brownrider flourished his hand and gave a half bow, even though they were both seated on the ground together on a bluff overlooking Barrier Lake.

"So important." Gyllie winked and then her eyes brightened. "Is that the brother you were talking about? The one who you were having to help with a situation regarding his wife and his mistress?"

H'riv was surprised at how sharply Gyllie recalled what he had said in passing to her on the day they had met. "That's him. She's not really his mistress, though. Everyone makes mistakes."

Gyllie turned her head to look out at the lake, looking thoughtful. "Yes, mistakes." And just like that her spunky mood returned as she looked back at H'riv. "So you still love and respect your brother? Even though he wasn't faithful to his wife?"

"Of course. He's family." H'riv said it as though that settled the matter.

"What about you? Surely your family must have some skeletons in their closet?" H'riv asked, curious to know about her, even as he admired the way the wind played through her red hair.

Gyllie laughed and chucked a bit of meatroll at H'riv. "My family is perfectly spotless. They're boring. I want to hear more about your family. Tell me about your other siblings. Are they all as scandalous as the Hallmaster?"

H'riv laughed, dodging the bit of thrown food. "No, he's the most scandalous, but he's also the youngest brother, the babies of the family tend to be that way." Drawing his knees up, H'riv propped his elbows on them. "I have several siblings.

"First there is Thavyos, he is the eldest, and he's a seacrafter, just like my father. If a copy of my dad could have been made, it's Thavyos, they look and sound alike, even. Then there is Ayvid, we don't get to see him often, he's a sailor and gone all the time. I'm the third oldest and I was the first to really break family tradition by not doing something that involved the sea."

Gyllie, who was resting her chin on her knees, smiled. "Oh, a rebel."

"Yeah, well, next came Thayde, the Hallmaster, he's the last of the boys. He took after my mother, being a dolphincrafter. After Thayde is my sister Aydramine, she was a little more like me, not as interested in crafting or staying around the Hall, so she went to the Weyr. She Impressed a green."

"A greenrider," Gyllie's eyes had a dreamy little expression. "That must be amazing. To be able to go from living in the Hall to having the freedom of a greenrider."

H'riv smiled. "Yeah, Aydramine was always insanely independent, so it fits her perfectly." He plucked a blade of grass and rolled it between his fingers. "That leaves the youngest, Thayrisa, she's seventeen, and right now she's in the dolphincraft, but I could easily see her heading to the Weyr at some point. Being the baby of the family she has an independent streak a dragonlength wide."

All of that freedom sounded wonderful to Gyllie. "And would you say your family is close?"

"Very," H'riv answered. "We still gather together, as many as are available, for family birthingdays and events."

Gyllie marveled at that, wondering how they managed to do it.

"What about you? Do you have any siblings?" H'riv asked.

"Enough about family," Gyllie growled playfully, launching herself at the brownrider like a feline. "I have other plans for you, besides talking, H'riv."

Catching the woman in his arms and pulling her down onto the blanket, H'riv kissed her, thinking he hadn't met someone who sparked his interest as much in Turns.

"Yes, ma'am," he murmured against her lips. "Do you want to move this back to my weyr?" he offered.

"No," she said, her deft hands making fast work of his belt and the laces of his breeches.

H'riv laughed, although he could not ignore the reaction of his body. "It's freezing up here."

"We don't have to take off _all_ of our clothes." Gyllie said with a smile and a roll of her eyes as she lifted her dress and straddled his hips. "Besides, we'll warm up quickly," she promised, her hair falling in a curtain around them as she bent and kissed him again.

The brownrider couldn't argue with that logic, not when desire was already pumping through his veins as his hands curled around her hips.

Last updated on the December 14th 2020

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Skeletons in Closets