Anything You Miss...?

Writers: Eimi, Emma
Date Posted: 18th September 2005

Characters: Demalia, Birigundi
Description: Demalia takes time to visit Birigundi at his mother's tavern
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 8, day 10 of Turn 3

Birigundi

It did feel slightly warmer, thought Demalia. The worst of the winter seemed to have past at last, and while not warm, there was a definite fresher feel to the air.

}:Where are we going today?:{ asked Tapheth.

**The Runner Station, the one near Amethyst Cliff Hold, with Birigundi.**

Birigundi had just stepped out from behind the shed with an arm-load of wood when the green appeared in the sky above. He wondered just who that could be as he walked towards the tavern door. After all, he wasn't expected back at DFW for another day or two.

That was a welcome sight, thought Demalia as she guided Tapheth down.
She'd missed the tall candidate in the few days he had been away. More than she would probably admit to him at the moment. Perhaps it was just as well he hadn't impressed....

Birigundi set the wood to the side of the door and took off his weyrhide gloves while he waited for the green to land. He couldn't be sure yet, but he thought it must be Demalia on Tapheth! He smiled and waved as they approached.

"Hello!" she called out as Tapheth landed. She gave him a cheery wave before sliding down. "We thought we'd come and see you."

"Well, welcome! Come on in and get warm! Ma has some stew heating as we speak." Birigundi hadn't expected to see anyone from the Weyr after he had been dropped off at home. Over the last couple turns he had barely darkened the door. After the last Hatching he decided that he needed some time away from the Weyr, to get away from it all for a while. But he was pleased to see Demalia had thought of him.

"I hope she won't mind me dropping in like this, but I had some free time." She gave him a smile. "It is good to see you," she said.

"Are you kidding? You're all she's been talking about the last couple days," he laughed as he opened the door for her.

"Me? I wasn't aware I'd made that big an impression on her."

He smiled as the warm air washed over them. "Of course you would!
Sweet and pretty... what mother wouldn't be impressed."

"The one who wants a Lord's daughter for her son, not a greenrider," she teased gently. But she had heard him say sweet and pretty.

"Have much experience with that, do you?" he asked curiously.

"No," she said as she stepped inside, "I was just joking." But she did know what some thought of greenriders. Those who were ignorant of the Weyr and the life there seemed to think that it was one long orgy there.

He nudged her teasingly as he said, "Well, mine is a pretty humble family. We would never try to aspire to that level. Not that it would matter in the Weyr anyway!"

"Demalia!" A cry came up from the kitchen and the sound of running feet could be heard as Birigundi's mother popped out a doorway, wiping her hands on her apron. "What are you doing here? Did you come to see Biri? When did you arrive?"

"A few minutes ago," she said answering the last question first. "I had some free time, and I thought Tapheth and I could come over. With her, nowhere is far away."

Ma beamed. "How nice! Are you hungry? We have stew warming over the stove, and beer or wine to warm you."

"I am hungry, now you mention it." The smell of the stew was rather tantalising, homey almost.

"I'll grab you both a bowl. Please, sit down by the fire." She pulled out a chair for the greenrider before skipping off back towards the kitchen.

"See, she likes you," the young man said as he watched his mother go.

"I like her too," was the reply as she studied Birigundi for a moment.
"You're a lot like her as well."

"It's the nose and the smile. It gives it away everytime."

"Ahh, but on you," she began. "It suits you," she said finally, feeling like she should have said a little more, but not wanting to lose a friend.

Birigundi could tell that there was something more she wanted to say, but before he could ask his mother returned with two steaming bowls of stew and a plate of freshly baked whole grain bread.

"Here we go! Now I don't mean to brag, but my bread is famous in this area!" She proudly set the meal in front of them and took a seat herself. "Eat up, you must be starving."

"This looks fantastic!" exclaimed Demalia. And it did, really. Quite a huge bowl of a lovely fragrant smelling stew, and it didn't last long at all.

"Well Biri, you found a girl who can eat!" his mother proclaimed proudly. "So many girls just pick at food to look all dainty and such.
I always thought it was a waste of good food."

"Dragonrider's need their strength, Ma. A dainty dragonrider wouldn't get too far in Thread I should imagine." Birigundi looked at Demalia out of the corner of his eye. Obviously his mother didn't think this was a "friendly" visit. He wondered what Demalia thought.

"I really was hungry," said the girl. And she worked hard as well, so it wasn't as though she were like a holders daughter. Dragoncare alone saw to that.

Ma smiled. "Well, I was just about to bake some more bread if you're hungry." The woman's eyes began to spark with mischief. "While I do that, Biri, why don't you take Demalia and walk her down the track a pace. It's a beautiful day and you can fetch us some more kindling along the way."

The hint was obvious. His mother had plenty of kindling next to the fire, the stove, piled up outside. Birigundi turned amused eyes towards Demalia. "It's up to you."

"Why not?" she said. "If your mother doesn't need any other help."

"Oh, not at all. Why not go ahead." The woman turned back towards the kitchen, a perfectly smug grin on her face.

"Shall we?" Birigundi asked as he got to his feet. He smiled almost apologetically.

"Yes." Demalia got to her feet as well. "After you."

They walked back out into the bright, crisp sunshine. He breathed deeply of the smell of trees, smoke and dirt. It was not the first time that he noticed just how differnet the smell was from that of the Weyr.
"So what do you think? Pretty humble, eh?"

"Its beautiful." She looked around her again, "I'm not used to seeing so much green, and the trees, not like this."

"Besides my mother, trees are what I miss most about home," he said as he offered her his arm.

She took it, enjoying the feeling of being a little closer to him.
"Anything you miss about the Weyr?"

"Oh, there are a few things," he said with a teasing grin. "But it's not like I'm staying here long. I'm just here for a few days to see everyone and spend time with Ma. She's really missed having me around."

"Is it just things you miss?" she asked, half hoping he'd say that there were people he missed too, and her of course.

He looked at her curiously. "What do you mean?"

"People perhaps," she said, keeping her tone light.

"Oh, sure, many people. Well, no, I guess not yet," he said with a shrug. "I mean, it's too soon to really miss anyone or to be missed."
Birigundi smiled at the greenrider. "I think that's why I was so surprised to see you here."

"A nice surpise I hope," she said after a moment.

He squeezed her arm. "Of course. I like seeing you, Demalia."

"And I like seeing you too."

"Oh, were you so bored in the Weyr? Surely you have your hands so full of weyrlings you barely have time to be bored." What with the new batch of hatchlings, Birigundi wondered where she had found enough time to visit him, let alone her other friends!

She laughed. "I'm playing hookey," she said. "I had a message to take to the Weyrlingmaster at Dolphin Cove."

"Well, if you're looking for a place to hide there's no one better than here," he chuckled as he let go of her arm and began picking up small sticks that could be used as kindling for his mother. "I'm glad you thought of it."

"I'm glad I was welcome here."

"You'll always be welcomed here." Birigundi assured her as he handed her a small pile of sticks. "In fact, what are you doing next rest day?"

"Nothing," she said, hugging the sticks close for a moment. "Nothing at all yet." "I'm going to need a ride back to the Weyr..." he shrugged. "I was going to send Leaf with a message to someone to come and get me, but if you're free and if you want to..."

"Of course I can, send Leaf to me when you are ready."

"Great," Birigundi stood up with his bundle of sticks. "Just be sure you have time for a nice big dinner. Ma will insist. She loves you, you know."

"I like her too, so I'll make sure I come hungry."

Last updated on the September 19th 2005

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