Lamentations

Writers: Heather, Miriah
Date Posted: 2nd September 2021
Series: The Hallmaster's Ladies

Characters: Enamra, Thayde
Description: Thayde visits Enamra at the Weyr
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 9, day 3 of Turn 10

Enamra

Thayde

Thayde was up early, mostly because he couldn't sleep, and partly
because of his excitement. Today was a day that he could visit Enamra
at the Weyr. He had refrained the entire first fortnight or so from
going because he worried that if he went he would ask her to come back
with him. Being a Candidate and experiencing life away from the Hall,
and from him, was an experience that Enamra deserved, and he didn't
want to ruin that for her.

Although he could have asked for a transport, the Hallmaster decided
to walk the distance to the Weyr instead, letting the exercise clear
his mind and calm the pounding of his heart. The visit was one that
was filled with excitement and also trepidation. To see her again was
what he wanted more than anything, but there was also the lurking fear
that he might see her and realize that she loved living at the Weyr.
Perhaps she didn't miss him as much as he missed her.

As the Hallmaster walked through the Weyrbowl, a familiar firelizard
greeted him. "Bolo," the corners of his mouth lifted a little as the
brown landed on his shoulder.

The brown firelizard chirruped at the greeting and slid his cheek
along Thayde's, all the while chattering excitedly at his arrival as
though Thayde could perfectly understand everything he was saying.
With his tail wrapped firmly around Thayde's neck, he half-bounced on
his shoulder and turned his head towards the Candidate barracks.

A slim figure burst out of the doors, looked around, spotted him and
began hurrying towards him, a bright smile on her face. Her hair was
down, rippling down her back and like many Candidates, she wore snug
breeches, a fitted tunic and soft boots. "Thayde!" She waved, then
rushed forward, near tackling him as she embraced her husband.

"Enamra," he smiled as he caught his slip of a wife, nose buried in
her hair as he inhaled deeply. She smelled like new smells, of leather
and oil, but there was also still that bit of Enamra that was uniquely
her own. Setting her down on her feet, he took her by the shoulders
and held her at arms length so he could really look at her. "Look at
you," his eyes traced the pants she wore, and then back up at her
face, "you look like a Candidate, alright."

She blushed a little as his eyes found her trousers. "I hope you don't
mind, but they're awfully comfortable. They're a bit tight sometimes,
but no one seems to mind here. Everyone wears them and I can't wear
skirts doing the chores." She peered up at him, smile bright. "I've
missed you so much! Are my sisters okay? Is my brother alright? Have
you been eating like you should?"

Thayde thought his wife looked good enough to eat in the revealing
breeches, his only problem was the idea of other men seeing her this
way. After all, he'd heard plenty of how weyrmen could be.

"Your siblings are well. They would love it if you could find some
sort of souvenir to send to them." He reached up and smoothed a
tendril of her hair away from her face. "I've been eating nightly
meals in the Dining Hall," he promised.

"I'll do that of course." She beamed up at him brightly, glad he
didn't mind the breeches too much, though his eyes seemed to linger on
them even more. "And I'm glad you're eating well. Jylanya is a
wonderful cook. I haven't cooked once since I got here, not really.
It's kind of like being a drudge again, in a way, with the chores and
such, but the classes are really good too. I even think my reading has
gotten better!" She tucked her arm in his, leading him further into
the Weyrbowl. "Everyone is really nice. It's better than I expected."

On one hand, Thayde was happy to see Enamra happy, on the other hand,
seeing how well she was adapting to the Weyr and hearing how well
things were going for her was like a dagger in the heart. What would
make her want to come back to the Hall when she had all of this fun,
freeing things that she could do at the Weyr?

"Oh yeah? What are you learning in class right now?" he asked.

"Maps and weather. And I've got to do classes about how to live in the
Weyr if I Impress." Her cheeks pinkened just a little as she glanced
at him. "It's much different than I thought it would be. The women and
men bathe together here in a single bathing chamber.
It's...different."

Thayde's lips flattened as he imagined his wife being naked around a
host of other men at bathtime. He'd known that was the reality of
Weyrlife, though, from the things he'd heard his dragonrider siblings
say. "That is different," he agreed. "What else is different?"

Enamra paused, tilting her head and nibbling at her lower lip as she
considered what to say. "People seem to be happier. They're not mean
to me. I mean, no one looks or talks bad about me because I don't read
well. They treat me like I'm just like everyone else."

He thought about the way Enamra had been treated by different people
around the Dolphin Hall and his heart sank even further. Why on Pern
would she give up the Weyr to return to the Hall?

"That's wonderful," he said, straining to put the proper enthusiasm in
his voice.

"It is." She agreed brightly, warmed at the thought of being
completely accepted. "Some people are really surprised that I'm
married. Especially other Candidates, so sometimes I have to be
different, but that's okay too. The Candidates my age get kinda..."
She paused, thrust out her lower lip, then lowered her voice.
"uhm...you know. Improper."

Thayde's eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean 'improper'?"

She flushed a little. "Well, not with me. Not after I explained about
our marriage. But they're very open about things. Private things. Even
some of the girls talk about the riders they've been with or want to
be with, that sort of thing. And some of the boys are..." She paused,
flushing even more brightly. "Well, they like other boys."

"Ah," Thayde, having dragonrider siblings, was not a stranger to men
being with men, or even women with women, but it wasn't something that
they saw often at a small location like the Dolphin Hall. "Yes, that
is a little different than the Hall, isn't it?"

"Are you looking forward to the Hatching?" he asked.

With one arm sliding around Thayde's waist, Enamra didn't answer right
away. "I'm nervous," she finally admitted, then spoke quietly. "I kind
of want it, but then again, I kind of don't."

"I understand." Thayer said, because he truly did. What was not to be
desired when one looked at the freedom of the Weyr and the majesty of
its dragons?

"Are you coming to the Hatching?" She looked up at him, her grip
around his waist tightening just a little. "I understand if you don't
want to, but I'd really like it if you came. Just in case."

"Of course I'll be there," he squeezed her against his side
affectionately. "I might be married to the next Moreta or something."

That brought a little giggle and a blush. "That's silly. I can't
hear dragons like that and she was a hero. I'm nothing like that!" She
looked around at the Weyrbowl and then sighed. "It is nice here, but
I do miss home."

"Midnight swims without you are not the same," the Hallmaster lamented.

Enamra flushed brighter and for a moment thought to ask if he'd been
enjoying them with Jalodwyn before she caught herself. **He
promised.** Instead, she looked up at him through her lashes. "Well,
we could go to the beach _now_."

A genuine smirk, like the sneaky grin of a little boy, crossed the
Hallmaster's face. "I thought such things were forbidden for
Candidates?"

She loved that look on his face! With a hint of her own mischief, she
shook her head. "No...only for Junior Weyrlings. Some candidates are
encouraged to... take long swims like that. Besides, this is my rest
day. "

"Let's go swim then, I'd hate for your swimming muscles to get out
practice," he winked.

Tugging his hand, she grinned as they moved away to the shoreline.

Last updated on the October 1st 2021

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