Broken Pieces

Writers: Dana, Eimi
Date Posted: 22nd November 2008

Characters: Nialyn, K'lar
Description: K'lar goes to Nia's rooms when he can't find her at the feast
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 12, day 5 of Turn 4

He hadn't seen her the whole Hatching feast. The brownrider had looked
for her, but there had been no sign of her. It was strange considering it
was such a huge event. Even as it moved into the early evening hours he
hadn't seen her, and it started to worry him. K'lar took a plate and
piled it high with food, dodged drunken revelers and made his way through
the crowded corridors to her room.

"Nia," he called after he knocked a second time. "It's K'lar. I brought
you something to eat."

A moment later, the door opened and Nialyn stood there, hair wet, pale
face paler than usual, and her slightly red eyes were shadowed with guilt.
It shamed her to admit that she had forgotten him during the Hatching and
the feast afterward. Just another thing to add to her growing list of
regrets tonight, she thought bitterly. "Hi, K'lar." The smile she gave
him trembled a little.

The brownrider could tell straight off that something had happened. "Nia,
is everything all right?" Concern filled his eyes as he looked at her
pallid cheeks.

Well, she couldn't very well deny it. Just by reading the expression on
his face she knew she must look terrible. Shaking her head she backed up
until he was inside, and then, because she couldn't resist the pull, she
came closer and buried herself against him.

He reached his free arm around her, silently cursing his lame idea to
carry a plate of food with him. "Did something happen? Are you ok?"

"I'm sorry I didn't come find you earlier," she whispered.

"That's all right," he assured her, steering her towards the sofa and a
table he could put the plate down on.

**No, it's not,** she thought, letting him settle her on the cushion
beside him.

He laid his arm across the back of the sofa behind her, reaching to take
her other hand in his. "Now what's going on?"

She hesitated, focusing her gaze on his hand and the way it curled around
hers so protectively. She didn't like talking about Birigundi with him.
It just seemed, well, wrong to talk about a man she'd been with before
with the man she was seeing. Nialyn was sure it had to irritate K'lar on
some level whenever she mentioned Birigundi, especially since he believed
that it was the memories of the Candidate that held her back from taking
the next step in their relationship...though he was too much of a
gentleman to ever admit it to her.

"Whatever it is, you can tell me, Nialyn," he assured her, giving her hand
a gentle squeeze. It pained him to see her looking so fragile and
vulnerable.

"I...saw Birigundi today."

"Oh shards, Nia, I'm sorry," he murmured softly, wrapping his arm around
her shoulders and pulling her close once more. K'lar really wished she
wouldn't see him. He knew he was the father of her child and so would
always be a part of their lives, but it never seemed to end well. Nia
always got hurt and he would do anything if he could protect her from
that.

"He Stood today. And since I didn't bring Lyndi the last time, I figured
I should bring her to see him this time." She glanced up at him
uncertainly. "I'm trying to make more of an effort to do the right thing.
And...he is too." She had to give Biri that much, even though his effort
completely backfired tonight.

If he had done the right thing, the _smart_ thing, Nia never would have
gotten hurt in the first place, K'lar thought, but wisely kept it to
himself. He gently brushed away a tear from the corner of her eye with
his thumb. "You are doing everything you can. No one can fault you, Nia.
No one."

"He does." Try as she might, she couldn't forget that wounded, pained
look in his eyes when she had made her escape from the dance floor. It
confused her that she felt both regret for her choice and anger at him for
expecting her to capitulate to him. And it scared her that for a brief
moment, when she'd swayed in his arms, she had wanted to give in to him.

Faranth's name. Couldn't Birigundi have given it a rest just for one day?
K'lar kissed her forehead softly and rested his cheek against the top of
her head, not caring about her wet hair. She should have been allowed the
chance to enjoy the Hatching like everyone else, not end up crying alone
in her rooms. "Don't worry about him. He made his own bed. You did what
you had to do for you and your daughter."

Bringing his hand up, she gently rubbed her cheek against the back of it.
He was right, of course. She was doing what she had to do for her own
sake--and safety. And things would have turned out fine tonight if
Birigundi hadn't pushed her. Maybe she'd never be able to go beyond the
bounds of polite small talk with him. Maybe it was just too much.

He curled her fingers around her chin and tilted her face up to his.
Don't think about him anymore. I don't want you to cry any more tears
tonight."

She nodded, her smile small and soft, but genuine. Faranth, she was lucky
to have him here with her. "I'm glad you're here, K'lar."

"I'll be here any time you need me, Nia. I promise that." As she looked
up at him with those large, vulnerable eyes, crying out to be held and
loved, he could feel a tightening in his chest. He just wanted to pick up
all those broken pieces and put them back together one by one until those
eyes held nothing but happiness and joy. Shards he wished that for her,
and more than ever he wanted to be the one to bring that peace to her.
Leaning in he kissed her lightly.

The kiss was soft and gentle...exactly what she needed right now. Slowly
she relaxed against him, letting him coax and sooth her.

As they kissed he ran his fingers through her hair, down her back, along
her cheek, asking nothing more than to comfort her with expressions of
affection. Though as her fingers curled into his tunic, those kisses
began to grow a bit bolder, a bit more heated. Slowly, very slowly, they
intensified until finally when they pulled back just a little they were
both a little breathless. "I could stay with you tonight... Not... Not
to do anything you aren't ready to do. I just want to be with you."

Nialyn hesitated, searching his eyes as she thought that over. It would
be nice to have a male presence in her weyr, especially one that made her
feel so secure and protected. But... "Bruith won't mind?" she asked
softly.

"Oh no," he reassured her with a soft smile. "A dragon doesn't have to be
with their lifemate all the time."

"Oh." Her hand slid to his arm. "I'd like it if you stayed, K'lar, but
I'm not...ready for, well...." She couldn't finish the thought--although
her imagination could finish it quite well indeed. Blushing she ducked
her head. He'd already told her he wouldn't do anything, but she had to
repeat it. It had to come from her own lips.

"That's all right." In fact, he liked that they were taking their time,
as excruciating as it was. It was what she needed. "I just want to hold
you."

When a man looked at a girl like that, how could she say no? She smiled
at him. There was no harm in him staying here with her. None at all.
"Okay."

Last updated on the November 23rd 2008

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Broken Pieces