Memories and Laughter

Writers: Clancey, Suzee
Date Posted: 31st July 2014

Characters: Tavia, N'klar
Description: What: Reminiscences of U'kaiah
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 7, day 16 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: U'kaiah

Tavia

N'klar

He had spied her at dinner several evenings. She usually sat alone,
or not with too many folks. He knew she was a new transfer, and he
knew she was one of U'kaiah's ladies. Tavia, her name came to him,
based on all his conversations with his friend prior to Tavia moving
here from Dolphin Cove.

With the recent news, he expected her to want some company. As one
of U'kaiah's best friends - he would so sorely miss him - he felt it
was his duty to help out with the hearts the bronzerider had left
behind.

He did not understand how his friend could have left when he had not
just one but two lovely women with children, too, here at Dragonsfall.
He knew, of course, that being Weyrleader meant alot to U'kaiah.
But he had always wanted to be Weyrleader here, here at Dragonsfall.

Tonight he felt like company too, so he asked Julerith to seek out her
Sawauth and ask if she felt like company. Would she? He would if he
was her, but he was not her.

**Tell her I'll bring my best wine offering, love. **

Tavia had been thinking about going down to the lunchroom for dinner
but she didn't feel much like eating with the crowd in the huge
cavern. She just wanted to be alone, or did she?

U'kaiah was gone with not much more than a few hours notice and
goodbye that left her angry and confused and more than a little bit
depressed.

Then the call came and Sawauth didn't even consult her but answered in
the affirmative before telling her she was going to have a visitor.
}:He'll bring good drinking:{

After a little while - he gave her time to clean up or dress or what
have you - N'klar and Julerith arrived on their ledge with a little
bag over the bluerider's shoulder. "Tavia, my dear greenrider, I
have brought the best wine you'll ever drink. And perhaps.. the best
company you'll ever have." He called as he stepped off his blue.

Julerith said to Sawauth, }:He means me. I'm excellent company. And
you are lovely. :{

**You flirt, knock it off! We aren't here to romance, but to be friendly!**

}:I am being friendly. Go be friendly.:{

Tavia hadn't had to do much pickup as her weyr was normally clean if a
little cluttered. Kaiavin was with his foster mother and she tossed on
a bulky sweater against the chill before walking out to the ledge to
meet the incoming rider.

"Hi," she smiled noting the little bag over his shoulder. She chuckled
and turned to watch Sawauth preening for the admiring blue. "It
doesn't take much to get her started," she smiled at N'klar. "So what
brings you," she asked as she turned to lead him back into her cozy
living area.

"Hi lovely lady. I am bound by total promises and the oath of best
drinking buddies to look after U'kaiah's women for him. It says so
in the contract we signed as drinking buddies that 'in the event he is
unable to perform..' " N'klar paused, his grin turning into a leer,
but it was obviously just a joke. "...Ahem.. N'klar must step up and
fill in where needed." He took the wine off his shoulder and
followed her into her weyr.

"It is my professional Vintner opinion that you, my fine lady, are in
need of a drink." He bowed from the waist. His joking manner faded to
seriousness for a moment and he said quietly, "I"m going to miss him
too."

She'd been ramping up to send the bluerider off but the last comment
made her turn and sit heavily in the chair. "I don't know if I'm mad
or sad or," she lifted her hands helplessly. "What was he thinking?"

N'klar followed her, but paused looking around for glasses. "I'll
pour for you." He pulled a nice white out of his bag, one with a hint
of sweetness, but still dry. He found some sitting on a table and
poured two very full glasses before joining her. He sat down on the
sofa and peered at her for a moment before answering her.

"I'm guessing you're a little of both, love. " He considered what he
knew about U'kaiah. "I have no idea what he was thinking, Tavia. As
long as I've known him, all he's ever wanted was to be Weyrleader.
But of _this_ Weyr. Not another one...." His head shook as he
considered what might have caused that to change.

"He will have a very good chance of winning the Weyrleadership at the
new Weyr. Genith will want to choose a bronze she knows when its
time. Maybe he got tired of waiting for G'nir to lose ? I cannot
imagine anything else that would drive him away from you and Aileyan,
and his children. I can think of nothing more important to him than
his family, love. It must have been something else, another
reason.... " He raised his glass to her, lips twitching in a smile.
"Thats why I'm here, Tavia. I want to help you... if I can." He
took a sip then raised his glass again. "Here's to him!"

"It's what he always wanted," she nodded as N'lar spoke. She was glad
that Kaiavin had gone with him though she just couldn't go to yet
another Weyr. In fact, she'd been thinking about transferring back to
Dolphin Cove again. She had to admit that she love the weather there
but here she had other things like electricity. "I appreciate that she
smiled softly back. "To U'kaiah," she said and lifted her glass then
took a sip.

"How did you first meet him," she asked.

He grinned, drained his glass in one gulp.

"We knew each other from when I was here before, and became casual
friends when I transferred back here to be close to my family. " But
then...well, we wound up drunk together one night, and we were fast
friends every since that night. Neither of us remembered exactly
what led to the drunk together, except it was some excellent vintages.
Just like this one." He poured another glass.

"In fact, there was one night in particular...." He proceeded to tell
her the story about when he, U'kaiah, and Traelyn had wound up in bed
together, but with no type of sexual relations happening.

Tavia was almost rolling on the floor laughing by the time he'd
finished the story. Knowing U'kaiah as well as she did she could only
imagine how he must have felt in the situation. "Thank you for that,"
she said and reached out her now empty glass for a refill.

He filled her glass quickly, his own laughter still bouncing between
them. It had been a most hilarious morning, waking up with his two
best friends, and knowing that none of them had 'gotten lucky'.
"You are most welcome, my dear. Its just another service that I am
willing to provide for you. I'm happy to make you laugh, make you
smile, test my best wines on you. I can even be talked into
babysitting on occasion. " Despite the flush of wine creeping up his
ruddy skin, he could hold his own for the most part. Unless he set
_out_ to get drunk. Then, it could be spectacular to see.

"We can make new memories to help with longing for the old." His face
was serious for a moment. "I just want to help, and to be honest, I
need some help of my own. He was..is... one of my very best
friends."

"Yeah," she said and took a long pull from her glass. "This really is
good stuff," she said and began to realize she was a little more tipsy
than she'd realized. She leaned her head back and put a hand over her
eyes. "Whoah," she said as the room seemed to tilt. "I am sorry," she
shook her head but that just made it worse. "How many have I had?"

N'klar grinned as his own version of 'healer medicine' took effect on
Tavia. "I only bring the best. This, if we are to be friends, you
must learn quickly." He winked at her, though in his state it
appeared slightly off-center.

When she shook her head, he said teasingly, "Easy, beautiful. You know
its never polite to ask how many! If you have to ask, you have not
had enough." this, by the bluerider's standards, was perfectly clear
logic.

"Have another and then we'll see if we can count, hmm?" He would stay
all night if needed. They would regret it in the morning, but their
hearts might be lighter tonight.

She smiled and finished off her glass. Setting it on the table next to
her "I think I'm pleasantly tipsy already," she said. "You have no
idea what drinking does to me." Then she turned and looked at him with
a grin. "Or maybe you do and you're just a bad man?" but she said it
with a lilt in her voice that was teasing rather than accusatory.

N'klar grinned broadly. "Then my work is done." He looked sorrowful
as she put her glass down, but raised his anyway. "I'll have another
anyway." He winked at her when she turned toward him. "Ahh... my
dearest greenrider... I am a very very good man. " He arched his
eyebrows that said clearly what he meant by 'good'. "I'm shocked to
the heart that you would think so ill of me! I am the very soul of a
wonderful friend and drinking partner. Mostly drinking partner."

He rested his free hand on her arm companionably, without pressure.
"If I ever decided to ... take advantage.... I would want you to be
sober ..." His voice was serious a moment, then back to teasing.
"After all, I wouldn't want you to mistake me for the bronzeboy we
both miss in the throes of passion." Another wink followed, showing
he was definitely teasing now.

"Never happen," she smiled. Tavia had begun to think she could settle
down with just one man and yet again found her heart hurt in the
process. She was determined more than ever to keep things light and
fun and not involve her heart in her decisions. He looked nothing like
U'kaiah and that was fine in her book. Not only that but he was fun
with no expectations than some mutual softening of their loss.

She kissed him.

Like any good friend, and man with blood running through his veins,
N'klar responded without thinking. He melted against her, pulling
her in against his chest. He shifted his position and set his wine
down with his hand before tangling it up in her hair. He liked boys
too, but of late, he had been rather cooped up. Tavia presented an
interesting re-entry into his bed-hopping ways. Never settle down,
never stop having fun - that was his motto. If he had known what
Tavia was thinking, he would have only confirmed to her that he was
not in for the heart. But he _was_ in it for the friendship. He
wouldn't trade his friends for anything, except Julerith.

His face flushed from more than wine, he took a breath and said, "That
is one way to get me to stop drinking." His hands slipped down her
back to her waist and he leaned in to kiss her again.

He was definitely going to stay all night.

Last updated on the August 7th 2014

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