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Writers: Suzee, Yvonne
Date Posted: 1st December 2013

Characters: Tavia, Harki
Description: Harki pays Tavia a visit
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 4, day 2 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: U'kaiah, Aileyan

Tavia

Harki adjusted her cuffs as she stepped out of the bathing cavern, her wet hair roughly combed back from her face with fingers wrinkly from the hot water. She paused, looking down the hall toward her weyr, reluctant to make the journey. There were still a few candlemarks before she'd be tired enough to sleep and spending them alone wasn't appealing. She'd had enough of that at Rising Moons Weyr, waiting for B'lac.

B'lac. It had been ages since she'd thought of him, but she still felt a pang. It had been hardest at first, when she was still new at the Weyr and hadn't known anyone. B'lac hadn't wanted to spend every evening with her-to be fair, she hadn't wanted to spend every evening with him-but when he wasn't around it had meant she'd been at loose ends.

Her thoughts traveled to the Weyr's newest greenrider and she wondered if U'kaiah was keeping her company or if he was off doing Wingleader things, or with his other woman. Maybe Tavia would want company, and maybe if she was with U'kaiah they wouldn't mind if she dropped by. Pleased, she turned and headed down the hall to rap on Tavia's door.

Kaiavin had just fallen asleep and she'd put him into his little bed. Tavia stretched and headed for a cup of Klah and the latest story book U'kaiah had brought her. She'd just put her feet up when the knock came. She wasn't expecting to see the bronzerider tonight so she was a little puzzled as to who it could be. But opening the door she smiled. "Harki," she stepped back and swept her hand to the side. "Come on in."

"Thanks!" Harki entered, looking around for U'kaiah. "Am I interrupting? I had nothing to do this evening, so I thought I'd come check to see how you're doing."

"Naw," Tavia smiled at the other greenrider. "He has something else to do tonight. Glad you decided to visit,' she said. "I just put Kaiavin down and was expecting a quiet evening but this is much better. Would you like anything to drink?"

"Sure." Harki let Tavia shepherd her into a chair. "You look like you're settling in. You've unpacked _way_ more than I have."

Tavia just laughed and waved a hand negligently , "Oh I had help." She went to her sideboard and retrieved another cup for Harki. "Sorry I don't have anything stronger here tonight."

"That's fine. I'm impressed you have anything at all," Harki said as she accepted the cup. The pottery was warm between her palms. "So, how have things been? I mean, besides the whole moving in part. Do you still like Dragonsfall or are you itching to get back to Dolphin Cove yet?"

"Cold," she grinned and curled up in the corner of her couch with her hand wrapped around her warm mug.. She was used to the beautiful weather at Dolphin Cove, while here it was almost always overcast and colder than she was used to even in winter. She knew it was going to take her a bit to acclimatize but that didn't make her shiver any less. "But I like it here so far and I need to give it a proper chance to grow on me."

Harki grinned. "Just wait until winter hits and you're drilling in snowfall."

"Don't make me hit you," she scowled in friendly humor. Of course she knew how to bundle up for Fall and the cold of /between/ but that didn't help her day to day, the ambient temperature at Dragonsfall was so much lower than her body was used to. "At least I'm warm at night when U'kaiah is here. He's a sharding braizier."

"That's true. Especially if he's been drinking!" And it was something she missed, now that he had two real relationships to keep him warm at night. "I swear, his feet are made of firestone."

Tavia laughed. "But that's a _good_ thing for me." Tavia wasn't a possessive person. She loved U'kaiah deeply but she was raised in the Weyr she knew the realities, especially for bronze riders. She didn't expect him to forego pleasures with others of his friends. Nor did she expect he thought she was monogamous. So, it came as no shock to her system that Harki had experience of U'kaiah in her furs. "I think we need something stronger than this."

Harki shrugged. "If you want. I'm happy with klah, but if you have something to go _into_ the klah I won't complain."

Tavia winked and unfolded from her next to pad across the room and pull a small flask from her cabinet. "You won't need much," she smiled and put a splash into her own cup before handing it to Harki.

Harki inhaled appreciatively. "What is that? It smells... spicy. I don't know."

"And a little tart," she grinned back. "A parting gift from Cyradis. She makes it herself. Nice huh?" Tavia took an appreciative sip. "It's a little better in tea actually."

"Hobnobbing with the Weyrwoman?" Harki arched her eyebrows. "Impressive. I don't think a goldrider has ever bothered to say more than, "out of my way!" to me."

"Oh no," Tavia waved a hand in denial. "But I was in her Wing and she just gave me a gift when I moved to Dragonsfall."

Harki smiled as she sipped at her klah. "Oh sure. It means nothing when people with knots give you things."

Tavia chuckled. "Meh," she said. "Knots are overrated." Though she had received some rather nice gifts from their mutual friend the Wingleader, so Harki's comment wasn't entirely without merit. That brought to mind Glory and U'kaiah's unfortunate encounter with a protective baby gold flit.

"Did you ever hear about how U'kaiah lost that notch in his ear?"

Harki shook her head.

Tavia chuckled though she figured U'kaiah probably still didn't think it was funny. "Not long after Glory hatched, he came by to surprise me after a lost flight. He was rather... intense." She bit her lips for a moment. "Glory thought he was attacking me and attacked his back and bit his ear." She shook her head. "We don't mention it." She wrinkled her nose and whispered the last part.

The other greenrider grinned. Poor U'kaiah! "Ha! A dose of humility goes a long way every now and again."

"Yes, well don't let _him_ hear you say that," she chuckled.

"It'd probably do him good." Harki hesitated, wanting to ask but knowing it probably wasn't a good idea. She asked anyway. "He's treating you good, though, right? Not disappearing into his work or anything? Because I can chew him out for you if he is."

"No need," Tavia smiled. She found she rather liked Harki. "We give each other the space we need. I think that's part of what makes it work. Of course I'm closer now so that makes it easier." She shrugged and took another drink. "It was more difficult when I was at Dolphin Cove. The time difference was a killer.

"Though I did have more freedom there to indulge in other interests," Here the other riders were beginning to figure out that she was a 'friendly' person and not exclusive with U'kaiah. Neither of them had ever asked or promised that to the other. Truthfully, she preferred it that way. There was no doubt that she loved him but she didn't begrudge his other interests and expected he felt the same about her.

Harki shrugged. "There is that. I felt the same way when I went to Rising Moons."

"How long were you there? At Rising Moons?"

"Too long." Harki wrinkled her nose as she sipped her klah. "I won't be doing that again. Chasing after a man like that... it'll work out better for you, I'm sure, since it's U'kaiah and he's not a _complete_ ass, but honestly? It wasn't worth it."

"I'm sorry," Tavia said. She knew the feeling and probably how Harki was going to act now. She'd been there herself with L'rak. "Well then," she shook her head. "Just play with men and send them back to their weyrs when you get tired of their company."

Harki laughed. "Have you met Rorela? You two think alike."

"Don't think I've had the pleasure," she smiled back. "I can always use more friends."

Last updated on the January 25th 2014

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