Birthingday Surprise

Writers: Kaysea
Date Posted: 11th June 2007

Characters: Treya
Description: Treya makes a visit to the Smith Hall to ask a favour of an old friend.
Location: Smith Hall (NPC)
Date: month 4, day 11 of Turn 4

}:You want to go where?:{ Cenith's surprise couldn't be overlooked by her rider.
}:Why on Pern, there, of all places?:{

**It's a secret and I'm not about to tell you, you'll have to wait and see.**
Treya pulled on her riding jacket, and tucked her hair into her flying cap, the
blonde curls wrapped fetchingly around the leather to frame her face nicely.
**Come on, I want to be back before the noon meal, otherwise _he'll_ want to
know where I've been as well.**

Cenith didn't need to wonder who her rider was talking about, they had hardly
been separated during the past few days, and the dragon wondered why today was
so special.

}:And if Uitgaandth asks?:{

**Just tell him I'm running errands.** Treya replied shortly. The pair arrived
out on the weyrledge together and with a quick look in the direction of C'pouk's
weyr, Treya mounted Cenith and settled herself into the shoulder ridge and
strapped herself in.

It didn't take them long to appear over the Smithcraft Hall but it took Treya a
moment to catch her breath as she felt her heart begin to beat a little faster.
This really was a little too close to home for her, and she knew Cenith was
aware of the feelings she was experiencing.

}:You know you could have asked one of the crafters at the Weyr:{ Cenith
intoned warningly as she spiralled down to land in the field beside the Hall.
}:Whatever you're here for, one of the Weyrcrafters could have helped...:{

**And then there was the chance of someone spoiling the surprise.** she replied
quietly. As soon as Cenith had landed, Treya slipped down to the ground, and
felt her legs wobble a little. The wobble wasn't from flying, she had been
doing that for too many years to be like a newly flying weyrling finding her
flight legs. This was nerves, she knew - she could feel the flutterbies batting
around inside her, as she looked up at the Hall.

**I'll try not to be too long, I have to find someone and I'm not sure just
where he'll be right now.** She gave Cenith a patted on her foreleg, **And
don't worry about me, I'll be fine, I promise.**

}:If you so much as jump, I'll be above you:{ the green replied warningly.

Treya walked quickly and with purpose towards the metalshop where Breaton used
to spend most of each day, hoping she would find the senior journeyman there.
She stood on tiptoe and peered through the small glass windows which ran along
the side of the building just above shoulder height. She could see a few
journeymen seated, heads bent as they worked at the tables, and looked for the
give-away stance of Breaton as he worked.

Sharp, almost jerking movement were the signature of a deeply engrossed Breaton
as he worked the metal in front of him. He was unmistakeable and easily
distinguished from the other workers, especially to any who knew him well, and
Treya did. It had been her job turns ago to bring the hard-working journeyman
his meals, when he forgot to drag himself off to the dining hall.

Even wearing his goggles, to shield his eyes from the small metal filings, he
was noticeable, not for his looks but for his familiar habit of jerky, sometimes
avian type movements.

And there he was! Treya was almost jubilant as she hastily made her way towards
the entrance to the building. Few heads turned her way as she made her way
along the rows towards the table where Breaton sat. In her flying gear and head
wear she was unrecognisable as the kitchen worker she had been a little less
than seven turns ago.

She walked up to his table, and watched the economy of movement as Breaton
worked on a small locket in his big rough hands. Seeing the size of his
fingers, it would be hard to imagine someone so large, and clumsy looking, could
complete such delicate work.

He must have sensed a shadow looming over him, because she had only been there a
few short breaths when he lifted his head and peered at her through the awkward
looking glasses he wore. He laid the locket back on the small piece of felt and
pushed back the glasses from his face to look more closely at the rider standing
next to him. Puzzlement clouded his eyes briefly.

"Treya?!" his exclamation rang out, "Fair crack of the shell! It's you isn't
it?" He stood and grasped her shoulders with both hands, pulling her close and
kissing her soundly on both cheeks. "What - what are you doing here?" he asked,
pushing her out a arms length and looking at her closely, from the top of her
head to the tip of her stout boots.

"It's good to see you as well, Brea." she smiled warmly up at the smith, who was
taller than her by a good head and shoulders, when he stood straight. Breaton
was the closest she had come to a sibling in her life, and the only man she had
never felt comfortable flirting with, between them it had just never worked.

"I've...I've come to ask a favour, and I have marks to spare, too." she grinned,
her hand reaching down and jingling the bag she had tied around her neck,
nestled inside her jacket.

"Treya, you'll have to have plenty now.." he grinned widely, his eyes glancing
down to his shoulder knots.

"_Master_ Breaton?" her jaw dropped in surprise. "When did that happen?" she
asked, pleased but hurt she hadn't been here to cheer him on, when he had walked
to the top table.

"Oh.. a few turns ago now." he paused, his eyes glazing for a moment as he tried
to remember just when he had been promoted. "Must've been about two turns after
you left. You know I had been about to sit my Mastery before you left. Taking
things slow and steady and making sure I did everything to a 'T'."

"I knew you were striving for it, I didn't ... I'm sorry I wasn't here. If I'd
known..."

"No Treya, I know if you had known you would have tried to be here, but I was so
pleased for you and didn't want to bring you back just for..me." he looked into
her eyes, his own misting slightly, "We heard that you had Impressed and we
cheered you on the day we heard the eggs had cracked. But - now, what did you
want me for?"

She was still stunned to see his Master knots at his shoulder, things had moved
on since she left, the apprentices she had known would now be journeymen, some
not even here at the Hall but off on their assignments. "Umm...what did I..
Oh! Yes! Silver." she smiled, thoughts of C'pouk always drew a smile across her
lips whenever she thought of the brownrider.

"Silver?" Breaton's brow creased, perplexed.

"I would like you to fashion a necklet for me. Well, not for me..." she felt a
blush rising to her face. "A friend, it's his birthingday and I'd like..
something for him to wear, something to remind him of me, wherever he goes."

"Oh no Treya, not ... again?" he had witnessed her heartache too many times, and
had hoped she would have found someone to settle down with long before this.
Someone who would love her for her, and not for the trophy he would have on his
arm for a day or so.

"No, no no." she held up her hands in appeasement. "No, this is different.
C'pouk is - different." How could she explain to Breaton the feelings she had
for C'pouk when he had witnessed her imagined feelings for other so many times
in the few short turns she had been at the Hall.

"How?" he asked baldly.

"Well, for a start, he's still around." she answered straight back. "It's been
two sevendays, or thereabouts. And you know my relationships don't usually last
more than a day or two.." she grinned, her eyes bright, surely he would see how
good she was feeling. "Please Breaton, believe me, this one _is_ different."

"Okay, say I believe you. So what do you want me to make him? This wonderful
man who has stayed with you longer than a sevenday." he wanted to believe her,
but he had seen her hurt too many times in the past to believe this one could
actually be _the_ one.

"Okay, I have a drawing here.." she pulled out a slip of hide, worn soft from
the folding and unfolding she had done, adding bits here and making alterations
there, until the hide was worn and the design complete. Together the pair bent
their heads and she showed him the object she hoped C'pouk would accept as a
token of her affection.

Last updated on the June 22nd 2007

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Birthingday Surprise