Like Her Mother

Writers: Dana, Emma
Date Posted: 21st October 2005

Characters: Traelyn, K'deren
Description: Traelyn meets K'deren
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 8, day 10 of Turn 3

K'deren

"That's it," K'deren had his baby daughter on his knee in the dining
cavern, and was spooning mashed tubers into her mouth. "One more mouthful
Deralie, open wide now." He waved the spoonful around in a pattern,
watching as her eyes followed it, before slipping the small spoon inside.
"Good girl," he said, putting the spoon down and turning his daughter to
face him. "You ate all of that." Gently he wiped her mouth with the
cloth loosely tied around her neck.

The dining cavern was not as full as Traelyn though it would be. **Just
as well,** she thought dryly, grabbing a hot mug of klah. She just stood
at the counter for a moment, surveying the room. A few dragonriders
looked her way, but when she glanced over at them, they quickly turned
their heads and resumed their chatter - but in lower, whispering voices
this time. She knew they were talking about her.

}:Let them talk. They have nothing of importance to say.:{

A small grin grin pulled at her lips at her queen's loving, chiding tone.
**I know, dear heart. I know.** But that didn't mean it made it any less
harder to deal with.

With her head held high, Trae walked past them and made her way to one of
the smaller, corner tables. But before she sat, she caught sight of a man
with a small child in his lap. He was smiling proudly down at her, and
she was staring up at him with huge, innocent eyes. Traelyn found herself
smiling at the sight. Slowly, she approached the man - a brownrider.
"Your little girl has the most gorgeous pair of eyes I've ever seen."

"Thank you," replied K'deren automatically. His eyes glanced over the
woman stood next to them. Her knots told her who she had to be, the new
goldrider who had arrived in such spectacular style. "Please, take a
seat," he said politely.

"Thank you." She slid in across from him and smiled warmly at the little
girl, who had turned those huge eyes on her. "What's her name?" She
glanced at him. "And yours?"

"This is Deralie, she's nearly nine months old," K'deren turned the baby
slightly, so that she could see what was going on. "K'deren, Wingsecond,"
he said by way of introduction.

"It's good to meet you, K'deren. And you, Deralie," she smiled at the
baby. She truly was a sweet-looking girl. She turned her eyes back to
the brownrider. "And I'm Traelyn." **As if he already didn't _know_
that, Trae...**

"Well met," said K'deren, somewhat formally. But the formality was broken
by the babe giggling.

"How old is she?"

"Nine months, and crawling already."

"And no doubt getting into all kinds of mischeif, hmm?"

"I only wish her mother were here to see it," said K'deren, a look of
regret crossing his face. "She, she was in O'dan's wing." That should be
enough to tell anyone what had happened. News, whether good or bad
travelled faster than /between/ among dragonriders and weyrfolk.

Trae's smile faded. "Oh... I'm sorry, K'deren..."

"Don't be," he said after a moment. "Vonalie died doing what she and her
dragon lived for. And Deralie here is the image of her," he stroked the
baby's hair, removing a little mashed tuber from it. "I only have to look
at her to see her mother."

She nodded quietly, her eyes flickering to Deralie. "Her eyes are her
mother's?"

"Yes, and the hair as well." Deralie showed every sign of having Vonalie's
red hair and her eyes had gone green already. They had been the babyish
blue shared by all infants, but green they were now.

"She's beautiful."

"Just like her mother was."

Her smile was gentle, but she kept her soft pity concealed. Traelyn
couldn't even imagine what it must have been like on that day... With so
many dragons and their riders wounded...and dead. Families had been torn
brutally apart by what had happened.

The baby gave a loud yawn, before settling back against her father. Her
eyes began to close, oh so gently as sleep came to take her. "Perhaps I
should take her back to her foster parents."

Traelyn nodded and gave him another, gentle smile. "It was good to meet
you, K'deren."

"And you too, Traelyn."

Last updated on the October 22nd 2005

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Like Her Mother