The Only One

Writers: Dana, Eimi
Date Posted: 22nd June 2009

Characters: K'lar, Nialyn, Birigundi
Description: Nialyn models her new dress for K'lar and can't help but imagine how Biri's reaction would have been different
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 3, day 4 of Turn 5

Birigundi

"She's down," K'lar whispered softly as he gently closed the door behind
him. "You're right, she was out as soon as I pulled the blankets up
around her. And yes, I remembered to keep her arm out of the covers and
made sure it was loose around her feet."

Nialyn looked at him through the reflection in the mirror and smiled.
"Thanks, K'lar," she murmured as she began readjusting the strap of her
new dress. For months--more than she'd like to count, really--she had
needed new clothes and so she had finally broken down and had bought a new
dress. It was a pretty thing, soft blue in color with gentle folds that
accentuated all the right places on her body. Her vanity was pleased,
and she wondered if K'lar would be pleased too.

"What are you up to?" he asked, meeting her eyes in the mirror.

"I got a new dress. See?" She smiled at him, placing her hands against
her sides. "I wanted to try it on."

"A new dress? Really?" he asked with an appreciative smile. "Shards,
that does look lovely on you."

"Thanks." Pleased, she ran her fingers across the front "At first I
wasn't sure how I would feel about this kind of neckline--square instead
of rounded--but it's pretty."

"Are you kidding?" K'lar asked, stepping up behind her to admire her
reflection. "It's _gorgeous_! It suits you perfectly."

It was always so nice to be complimented. "I'm glad you think so."

"I do," he smiled. "It's stunning. _You're_ stunning."

Well...it was nice to complimented up to a point. Nialyn ducked her head,
but more to hide the suddenly annoyed expression in her eyes than to blush
in coy modesty. Shards, what was _wrong_ with her? Wasn't this what she
had wanted? His good opinion of the dress? His approval and admiration?

K'lar completely misinterpreted her sudden change in demeanor as meaning
that she didn't quite believe what he had said. "Well, you are, Nia. I
think you're the most beautiful woman on Pern."

She flicked her fingers, wishing he would stop. She certainly wasn't the
most beautiful woman on Pern. Weyrwomen and Lady Holders usually held
that title. She could settle for being called pretty--or better yet, he
could show her. Words were one thing, but actions.... Sometimes they
spoke louder than words. Biri hadn't been very good with saying how he
felt--he had liked to show her. And that had suited Nialyn just fine.
She'd liked it.

He tried again, thinking that she was just feeling self-concious. "I
mean, just look at you. Your hair, your eyes... Shards, that smile..."
The one he was desperately trying to find. "How could anyone not think
that you are absolutely amazing?"

Forcing a smile, she shrugged a shoulder, hoping he'd drop it. Or...maybe
she could turn his thoughts to something else. "I think I'll wear it next
time we go dancing." Shards, she felt like a real heel. But she was
afraid that if she acknowledged any more of his compliments, he would keep
on going! Glancing down she began to tug at the laces of the bodice.

"Yes, definitely, you should!" K'lar agreed whole heartedly. "I think you
would really turn heads in it."

Faranth, couldn't he just leave it? Couldn't K'lar tell how insincere he
sounded now? Of course, she knew he was being sincere, but too many
compliments didn't flatter. Shards, Birigundi would have stopped after
the first compliment--which probably would have been just her name
murmured in that low voice of his whenever he was delighted, or pleased,
by something she had done. And then maybe he would have placed his hands
on her waist and meet her eyes in the mirror's reflection, letting her
know by his expression just how much he admired her and appreciated her
dressing up for him. "So?" she would ask him, a pale brow raised
playfully--not that she really needed to hear him confirm that he found
her attractive--but she liked to tease him.

His eyes would have traveled up and down her body, taking in all of her as
his fingers tightened around her waist, a pleased little grin pulling at
the corners of his lips. Finally he would turn his head to whisper his
eloquent and well thought out reply as his lips grazed her ear. "I like
it."

And she would smile, heart flipping as he brushed his mouth against her
skin. "How much?" Her voice would be a little breathy, and her hands
would probably come up to lightly grip his forearms.

A hand would slowly travel up her stomach, letting his fingers feel the
fabric of her dress, nuzzling her neck and breathing her in. "Can't you
tell how much?" he'd ask, gently pulling her back against him.

Blushing, she would nod, and then she would turn to rub her cheek against
the top of his head. His dark hair was surprisingly soft and one of her
hands would move to bury itself in it. Her heart would start to pound as
his mouth opened to kiss the tender place on her neck. Shells....

He would have felt the beating of her heart and the quickening of her
breath as the tips of his fingers teasingly traced the squared neckline,
dancing lightly across her skin back and forth as he whispered, "You
really are something, you know that?"

"One of a kind," she would breathe, a grin--and something else--lighting
her eyes.

His fingers would begin pulling at the drawstrings as he brought his lips
closer to hers. "The only one..." he would whisper before kissing her
deeply, with the same longing for her as she was feeling for him that
moment.

A touch on her hand startled Nialyn out of her imaginings and she glanced
at K'lar's reflection in the mirror, cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
She'd been so caught up in her own thoughts that she'd completely missed
what he had said. "What?"

"You looked as if your mind was lost somewhere /between/," the brownrider
said with a gentle smile. "I asked if you wanted to go dancing tomorrow,"
he repeated now that he had her full attention.

Shards, she felt so guilty. Looking into his face and seeing that soft
smile, she silently and viciously berated herself for conjuring that
sharding fantasy of Biritundi. What in Faranth's name was _wrong_ with
her? K'lar loved her and was only saying those things to show how much he
did. She shouldn't have acted the way she had--not with him. He deserved
so much better than that. "Of course," she told him, turning around. To
make it up to him--and to assuage her own guilty conscience--she stood on
tiptoe and kissed him on the lips, shoving the lingering image of
Birigundi to the back of her mind.

Last updated on the July 26th 2009

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The Only One