Feeling Shy After Bathing

Writers: Ames, Suzee
Date Posted: 9th April 2011

Characters: K'ale, Cardella
Description: K'ale tries to comfort Cardella after the slightly upsetting bath experience
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 1, day 21 of Turn 6
Notes: Follows "Good Grief"

K'ale

Cardella

K'ale could tell Cardella was upset by the way she was walking. He
hated to see her that way and thinking he'd contributed to her
discomfort made it worse. To him bathing with a group of other people
was as natural as could be. But then he was raised in the Weyr. She
wasn't.

"I'm sorry for being such a block head Della," he said as they left
the baths. "I didn't think."

She'd been walking quickly, her hands folded in front of her, her head
bent down to hide the blush she couldn't quite remove. When K'ale
spoke, she glanced up sharply. "It's not your fault." The she sighed,
"I've tried so hard to bathe when I didn't think others will be
around, but I know I'm going to have to get used to this. It's just
harder than I thought it would be."

He caught her arm. "I wouldn't do anything to hurt you, not on
purpose. I hope you know that."

She looked up at him, "I know that," she said with a smile. "I just
wish I didn't _still_ feel this way. I know I have to get over it, but
I just don't know _how_."

"I'm sure I can't possibly understand what has been like for you." He
thought a moment. "Those blue riders were more interested in G'wen
than you ya know." Then his eyes opened wide "And we totally abandoned
him!"

How could she tell him it wasn't _just_ the blueriders that had
reminded her how little she knew about men? She couldn't. That's all
there was to it. At his words about G'wen she looked up rather
startled. "I really hadn't noticed. Oh, no. Maybe we should go back. I
was so worried about me that I forgot about G'wen."

He grabbed her hand and started back toward the bathing room. "Yes, we
should make sure he's ok."

She tried to pull her hand free. "Maybe you should go. I mean, we both
don't _have_ to go do we?" She might want to get more comfortable with
things but that did not mean she wanted to go back into that bathing
chamber right now!

He let go. "Sorry," he said. "you don't have to go, I'll just have a
peek to make sure he's ok." He kicked himself for trying to hustle her
back into the room.

She felt bad for not going with him, but she just couldn't bring
herself to go back in there right now.

K'ale peeked into the bath and saw G'wen sitting next to one of the
blue riders looking relaxed and they were laughing so he didn't feel
so bad and went right back to where he'd left Cardella. "He's fine,
having a good old time." he said with a smile.

He put his arm around her somehow it just felt right. "I'm hungry, how
about you?"

Still feeling a bit uncertain, the thought of food immediately perked
her up. Food was almost like a comfort for her. Not so much the eating
of it, just the being around it. Nothing could make her feel better,
though, than sinking her hands into a mound of fresh dough. Knowing
that was likely not going to happen, Cardella would settle for a nice
meal.

"Yes, me too." She gave him a smile, glad to know that she wouldn't
have to repeat that particular bathing experience quite yet.

Last updated on the April 27th 2011

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Feeling Shy After Bathing