Come here, pretty girl

Writers: Eimi, Suzee
Date Posted: 25th August 2011
Series: It takes Time to Love

Characters: Tavia, U'kaiah
Description: Tavia tests out Glory's message carrying ability
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 3, day 3 of Turn 6

Tavia

Glory fluttered around her head where she sat with Sawauth in the
outer weyr. She pictured Kalamath as the little gold flit seemed to
like the big bronze that visited them so frequently. Then she formed
a picture of the star stones at Dragosfall and then U'kaiah. The
pictures she got back confirmed that Glory knew who she meant for her
to find.

She had practiced this with Vandor and with her friend Ranari. In both
cases the little gold had arrived repeatedly in the right place. Now
she was going to try for U'kaiah.

The note she'd written was simple and short. "Hi, thinking of you.
Tavia" She sent the command and Glory disappeared.

~*~

}:The little golden one is here,:{ Kalamath informed his lifemate as the
flit fluttered around his giant head.

It took a moment for U'kaiah to understand just what the bronze meant.
Tavia's little Glory! It had to be! Setting his charts aside he made
his way out to the ledge. It was her! And there seemed to be something
attached to her leg. He reached out an arm. "Come here, pretty girl.
Come on and show me what you have."

Glory just perched herself on the top of the bronze's head and proceeded
to chatter away as if delivering a message herself.

"What's she saying?" U'kaiah asked trying to reach up for her, only to
have her move furter up along the neck and away from his outstretched
fingers.

}:How should I know?:{ Kalamath snorted. }:But I think she likes me
more than you.:{

"Well, tell her to get down. I need to see what's on her leg." He made
another vain attempt to reach up to her, but she was far enough away by
now that she could just watch him with detatched interest. Though the
bronze faithfully tried to convey the image of her going to U'kaiah, it
was answered only by a yawn as she curled her tail and made herself
comfortable.

"Sharddit," the Wingleader grumbled, realizing he was going to have to
change tactic if he wanted to see what the message said.

He knew one of his neighbors had a canine he was always passing treats
to. Flits and canines probably liked the same things, he reasoned,
knocking on the door and explaining his problem. Armed with a pocket
full of jerky he retraced his steps to the ledge only to find her
sleeping soundly in the exact same spot. That wouldn't do.

"Can you get her to move?" U'kaiah asked wen calling her name hadn't
seemed to rouse the little sleeper.

}:Actually, I was just about to fly up to the ledge. The sun is warm
and Hisakith is looking very pretty today.:{

"No! Don't go yet!" U'kaiah pleaded, knowing that if he left, Glory was
liable to follow, and then where would he be? "Shake your head around
or something."

Giving a snort of annoyance at having his plans thwarted, Kalamath gave
his great head a mighty shake, dislodging the little gold with a chirp
of protest, followed by a tirade to convey to the bronze her
displeasure.

"Glory!" U'kaiah called, trying to pry her attention away. "Glory!" he
called louder, waving a treat in the air over his head, but she was not
through with Kalamath just yet. Finally in an act of desperation, he
tossed a piece right up onto Kalamath's head, hoping the movement might
catch her attention.

}:Was that necessary?:{ Kalamath grumbled, feeling embarrassed enough
being chastized so vehemently by a creature a hundredth his own massive
size, but to now serve as her dinner plate just seemed a bit much to
ask. At least Hisakith hadn't been witness to all this!

U'kaiah apologized with a scratch to his eyeridge as the flit took the
bait and ended her lecture for the sake of something far more
interesting. Food!

"More! Here's more!" the Wingleader assured her once that little bit
was gone. This time as he held the treat out for her, she lighted down
to Kalamath's nose with a chirp, allowing the human near if only for the
sake of more tasty goodness. As she daintily ripped the piece of jerky
apart, U'kaiah carefully pulled the note from her leg and read it.
Almost disappointingly short after the ordeal he had just been through,
but the knowledge that she thought of him even when he wasn't there
brought a smile to his lips. Setting another piece on Kalamath's snout,
he turned to find a pencil with an order, "Don't let her leave whatever
you do."

Again, the bronze's only reply was a displeased snort.

Grabbing up his pencil, he used the same scrap of hide to scribble a
reply. "I think I'll need to get into the habit of keeping treats
around for Glory. Won't be long before she's a proper messenger!" He
paused, unsure of what to say in next. Should he tell her how often he
thought of her? That he would find himself throughout the day wondering
what she was doing? That every swollen belly that strolled passed him
made him long to run his hands over hers? That as he made the schedule,
he found himself mentally calculating what time his work would end in
Dolphin Cove time? Chewing his lip, he knew Glory would probably get
restless and if he didn't hurry she might decide to return to her
mistress without a reply.

~*~

Glory burst into the air with a titter and swoop around her head.
Tavia giggled as the little gold broadcast her happiness at completing
her task. There were images that could only be the big bronze head of
Kalamath.

She leaned against Sawauth's side reaching for the little gold. "Come
here Gory," she called. She was rewarded with a warble and her little
companion landing on her shoulder. "Hmm, guess he didn't get a chance
to write me back?" She stroked the tiny eyeridges of the head that
kept butting into her jaw. "You're such a good girl," she praised.

Glory crooned happily with her person. Tavia mindlessly stroked her
little queen while she lifted her face to the afternoon sun that
streamed into the mouth of the weyr. It was one of the best things
about the angle of this particular weyr. She got the late afternoon
sun and a cool breeze in the evenings.

The warm rays that warmed her face were suddenly blocked out with a rush
of wind off of bronze wings. "Is there room on that ledge for us?"
U'kaiah called as Kalamath hovered in front of her ledge, waiting for
space and permission to land.

Her eyes popped open "U'kiah!" She grinned and pushed up off of
Sawauth's leg a little awkwardly. Glory was disturbed from her drowse
and gave Tavia a scold before she found a perch on the green's head.

"Come on in!" She backed out of the way to watch the bronze and his
rider as they settled. She reached out to the bronze head. "It's very
good to see you too Kalamath. You're looking very handsome today."

Though the bronze had complained the whole way about being pulled away
from his chance to flirt with the beautiful Hisakith, as soon as he
settled next to Suwath, his mood changed completely, rumbling his
pleasure at Tavia's touch. He reached his tail out to loop around the
greens even as his rider slipped down and reached for her lifemate's
hand. U'kaiah greeted her with a grin. "I got your message."

She felt Sawauths flush of pleasure that matched her own and reached
out for the father of her child. "So the test was successful then,"
she grinned and pulled him toward the inner weyr. She'd begun to
realize how much she missed him every day they were apart. Tavia
turned to put her arms around his neck. "I'm glad you came."

U'kaiah could feel the swelling of her stomach between them, and a hand
automatically reached down to touch it as the wrapped around her waist.
Could it have grown even bigger in the days they had been apart? "I
can't stay long. I still have drills. I just wanted to deliver my
reply to your message."

"And I'm so very glad you did," she said. Then her smile turned into a
cute pout. "But not so glad you have to leave so soon." Just then the
baby gave a nice kick under his hand. "Ohh, it must know you're
here!"

"Maybe it really does recognize my voice," he grinned, having felt the
movement distinctly under his palm. "Or are you somehow doing that in
the hopes that it might keep me here a little longer?" His eyes narrowed
suspiciously. "I'm half tempted to tear the clothes off of you to make
sure, but then I _know_ you'd get your way and I'd be terribly late."

She wasn't going to say 'I told you so' but her answering smile said
it all. "All is going according to plan," she said. "But if you'll
note, both my arms are around your neck, so I couldn't possibly fight
off your advances."

Smiling, he rested his forehead against hers, his fingers caressing
lightly up and down her back. "I would have hoped my advances were
welcomed. No fighting required."

"Oh if I remember correctly there was a time before this," she
caressed the small notch in his ear. "When it seemed like you might
enjoy that kind of thing." She squeezed closer to show she was only
playing. "Or am I wrong?"

He shrugged shoulder, finally able to make light of that fiasco. "I
have to be in the right mood I guess." U'kaiah sighed, leaning hid head
towards her caress. "Faranth I wished I could stay." If only he was
just a wing rider... An extra sweepride would be worth spending an extra
candlemark with Tavia. "I really can't, no matter how I'm tempted."

She sighed knowing the truth. He was a Wingleader and a very dedicated
one. "I know," she said and caressed his face with soft fingers. "I'm
glad you came." She gave him a soft kiss. "Now go."

He returned her kiss equally soft, but full of longing for more. "I
just wanted to make sure you knew that I'm thinking of you, too." It
really was getting harder each time to say good-bye. As much as she was
only a dragons-thought away, the burden of travel was all on him and he
never knew when he would be free to steal over again.

She clung to him for a moment in mute acknowledgement of his words.
"Oh U'kaiah," she breathed. Now she really knew what the Harpers meant
with their ballad of Parting. It really was 'sweet sorrow.'

After things finished with Trae, U'kaiah could never have imagined he
would be right back in the same place again so soon - long, drawn out
goodbyes with the heart-wrentching knowledge that it would be days, even
sevendays before they might meet again. At least this time he had
Aileyan to go home to, but especially with the pregnancy, it seemed he
missed so much every moment he was away from Tavia. How much harder
would it be when they actually had a child? If someone had told him
that day he literally ran into the greenrider again in the Commons Room
that within months they would be in this place...

Giving her one more soft kiss he whispered, "Now I really have to go."
Though everything inside screamed for him to stay just a while longer.
The thought of Timing it back flittered through his mind, but even the
idea of it sent a shiver of foreboding down his spine. No. Not after
the last time. "Write me again soon?"

"I will, I promise." she couldn't hide the tiny shake in her voice and
she unwound her arms from his neck. When she stepped back her hand
slid down his arm to squeeze his wrist before she let go. Then she
pasted on a smile and added. "I'll see you soon ok," with a quick nod.

"Yeah, I'll be back before you have a chance to miss me," he said with a
wink and a good try at a saucy smile as his fingers slipped along hers.
Already the Wingleader was mentally calculating just when that might be.

Last updated on the September 2nd 2011

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