Xanadu Weyr - Siebith's Weyrbarn
Covered in rough, weathered wood, aged by the weather and the sun, the irregular grayed clapboards outside of this weyrbarn lend the place has a rustic, masculine charm. White shutters and window boxes overflowing with brightly-hued tangles of flowers on the lower windows and flowering vines twine about the supports for the porch overhang add a feminine touch, softening the stark stone steps leading to it.
The worn stone floor of Siebith's area is just inside the large sliding door. The living area of the weyrbarn has an open, airy layout gives the utilitarian, bachelor-like plain white-washed walls and simple hardwood floors a sense of wide open spaces. A sturdy mahogany-toned table with chairs that somehow manage to match despite their variety accent the earthy, wooden tones of the kitchenette. The same dark reddish hues are in the door at the far side of the barn, as well as in the low-slung coffee table in front of the plush, worn couch. Dusky sea-blue rugs are scattered here and there. Dark golden curtains hang on either side of the many windows and partition off the loft up above, led to by a black wrought iron set of ladder-like stairs. Lilies arranged in glass vases on the tables provide a crisp of white counterpoint to the dark wood tones.
A new addition, the bedroom has walls of the same plain white, but the floors are made of newer wood, still shiny with polish. A four-poster bed of the same red mahogany takes up the most of one wall of the small space, a blue-and-cream linen coverlet spread on the wide mattress. A set of wooden bureaus take up the bulk of the wall opposite while another wall has been painted upon in the very center with a seascape mural, its crisp blue waters and sandy shores. The final wall is graced by a feminine-looking writing desk stacked with papers and bedecked with knick-knacks. Over the bed, a set of stained-glass windows allows golden-brown light mingled with white whorls and blue haze to shine into the room with the rising of the sun, though both panes are able to be unlocked and swung wide to accept lake breezes.
It's dark, pitch black dark in the wee hours of the morning when Thea returns to the Weyrbarn straight from the hot springs . That she didn't stay all night with the winner of Seryth's flight would be obvious come morning, but that is for the housekeepers to notice when they check the guest weyr over at the edge of the forest by the feeding pens. The junior eases the door open, lets herself in. Thankfully no longer proddy as she was at sunset last night, she's got her equilibrium back and thus she's not staggering and reeling about as she enters and is able to quietly feel her way as she crosses the living area towards the bedroom.
Dark spreads across the whole of the weyrbarn as well. No lights inside or out are lit and the whole place is far too quiet given the recent additions to the family. They could just be sleeping that well, but no, they were left with the nannies when Thea went off on that dragon induced twist of life. Far be it from D'had to keep them all night on his own. She'll not find him in the bedroom however, in fact its a good few minutes after her arrival that the door opens again to let enter a rather drunken Weyrsecond.
And Thea has found that bed empty, having patted it to see where he's at prior to slipping in so she won't wake him. Surprise turns to consternation as she quickly makes her way to those hammock slings on the wall out in the living area. Hands quickly sweep around inside, finding them empty and she's no longer moving carefully, no. She's on her way towards the door, with footsteps far too fast for zero visibility, and is at that door just as it opens, running smack into him. She steadies herself, hands against his chest, blinking up at him, "Donn where-? What-?" The fumes about him are noticed next and her voice sharpens, "Where are the twins?"
D'had is likely nearly as surprised to be run into as she is to run into him at just that moment. He doesn't say anything right off, managing to keep his balance somehow as she steadies herself against him. It takes a moment for her words to process, a few seconds more for her tone to seep in. "They're fine," he grumbles, a hand lifting to her shoulder to turn her out of his way as he proceeds towards his beloved couch.
It's fortunate it's too dark for him to see the mix of emotions that wash across her face at his brief answer and rejection. She swallows it for the moment, following him, reaching for an arm to stop him if she can, "WHERE, are they?" Her question is urgent; she must know now. "Donn, please!"
D'had waves a hand, trying to rid her from him. At least from clinging to him before he drops into place on the couch. That is as far as he goes however. "With the nanny," he replies flippantly, unconcerned and very clearly annoyed with her sense of urgency in the matter.
He manages to throw her off his arm and Thea takes a few steps back. Oh, his tone is noted and she inhales sharply, but she relaxes just a bit of that urgency. "Thank you." She says quietly, numbly standing there for a moment before approaching him again. "Donn, let me sit by you?" She breathes the question quietly and waits.
"Go to bed," D'had states, his tone sharper than the directive would require. Dark eyes glare at a space on the floor, unseen between them in the still darkened space.
Thea flinches as though stung at that tone. She stands there in the dark trying to slow her breathing down as the pain slowly turns to anger. "No," she replies firmly, her chin lifting. Other than that, she says nothing more. Just stands there.
D'had's eyes remain fixed on that space in the blackness between them. Silence remains for a good while, though the time is likely shorter than it feels to be before he stands. Walking, or slightly stumbling given his drunken state, towards her and backing her towards the wall he believes shouldn't be so very far behind her.
"Donn what-?" This as he begins walking her backwards. Given his tone and current state, she's not going to stand there to be walked over, so yes, she backs up. But it's not the wall that's behind her, it's the low table that's usually in front of the couch. Amazingly, he didn't bang his shins on it tonight, must be partly why he's unaware of it's existence at the moment? She's forgotten it's there as well until she backs up into it and flips over it in the dark, falling to the floor heavily on her back with a loud thump.
He didn't, did he. Amazing, and yes perhaps that's why he didn't think of it. The sound of her tumble meets D'had's ears even if it doesn't quite register completely He's dropping back to the couch soon enough though, without so much as the offer of a hand or an 'are you okay'. "I hate this," he mutters, head dropping so that his forehead hits the arm with an audible sound.
Thea isn't hurt. At least not physically. For a long moment she just lies there stunned. His words are clearly heard in the darkness and she closes her eyes, exhales slowly, a decision made. She rolls to her side with a small groan and a mutter of annoyance. She pushes herself to her feet with the aid of that small table. To his comment she says not a word. Instead she stands there once again, but only for a moment. Perhaps he's never heard her voice sound the way it does tonight. It is remote. "So sorry to mess your life up like this. It won't happen again." She leaves him to his pity party and moves towards the bedroom where drawers are being jerked open and then slammed closed as she scoops clothes out willy nilly and tosses them on the bed. Packing.
D'had says nothing, leaving his face resting on the arm of the furniture. That is until he catches the sound of those drawers. Then he's making his way after her. Damn him for always saying the wrong thing at the worst possible time. "Babe?" The single word an attempt to figure where she is from the doorway without use of lighting beyond what finds its way through the windows.
Thea ignores him, for there is no reply coming from her. The room is still pitch black being that it's predawn. He likely can hear her harsh, far too-rapid breathing as she moves around the room. Those drawers continue to open and shut while she throws the contents in a growing heap upon the bed.
D'had follows the sound best he can. When he finds her hands clasp one on each side, over her elbows to keep her from pushing him away (hopefully at least). Leaning in he presses a rough kiss to her lips, or if she turns away from it then it lands where it may. "I hate," he tries to explain, resignation in his voice, "knowing its coming and being jealous of him," whoever he might have been, "Being with you." He's trying, really he is, but being shitfaced doesn't make it exactly easy.
When fingers curve around her arms, Thea does try to do just that, but finds herself unable bend them. "Donn, I'm l-" His lips find hers in the dark, hers move, but her words are effectively silenced and he is tasting her tears with that kiss. For a moment she remains stiff, but after a while all the defiance drains out of her, leaving her limp. When he pulls away and talks, she allows her head to fall against his chest with a small thump. "I know, Donn." She draws a long breath, "I hate-" But she can't finish for her throat closes up, the movement of her trying to stifle her tears can be felt if he's still holding her elbows.
She drops her head to him and instinctively D'had's hands shift from her sides, arms wrapping around her loose yet protective if not a touch possessive. "Don't go," he says, the words almost more of a request - pleading her not to even as he tries to turn her back to the bed as if to lead her there now that she's already in his arms.
It's really only a few steps back to that bed and Thea's really too distressed to care where he's going with her. "You don't want me here." She's not sounding too awful sure though. "I'm wrecking your life-" Her lips close firmly on those words as she swallows the rest of what she was going to say. He's drunk; she knows it. And you don't reason with drunk people.
D'had shakes his head, brushing lips to hers as he tries to lay her back. "No," he replies to the first and second together. "You're perfect." But in at least one thing she is right, you don't reason with drunk people. "Perfect and beautiful and here." With him, right now which might be the main point of what he's trying to get across as leaning makes him unsteady once again.
Thea's eyes slide closed, "I'm not perfect," she protests after his lips brush hers, not fighting him as he pushes her back. The back of her knees contact the edge of that mattress and she flumps back onto the bed or rather that pile of clothes on the bed, some of which slip off onto the floor. "I am here." She can't argue with that. "I came back to you. But you're so angry with me." He is an indistinct shadow in the darkness above her. Maybe not a good time to reason with him but there is another option. Maybe he will talk to her? "Why, Donn?"
"You are," D'had replies, lips brushing hers again as he leans over her, a good few more of those clothes finding a home on the floor. As for angry… "'cause you go," the reply tinged with meaning outside the words. Not so much angry with her as he is with himself for being so.
Thea's damp hair spills across the bed, it's cold, but she pays it no attention, instead she stares up in the dark at where his face is, her arms lifting to enfold him even as his lips touch hers once again. "Why do you think I am here? And not there?" His answer draws a cry from her, a plea laced with deep feeling, "Then stop me! You know you could. Take me away on Siebith!" His tone draws a wince from her, some of that self-directed anger noticed and she draws a breath, "I'm… sorry." The words are as full of sorrow as any he's likely ever heard pass her lips. Then, "It's not fair, is it?" The question is asked to both of them - he for his bond, she for hers and the lack of choice and control that goes along with it.
"Maybe I will. Next time.." D'had replies gruffly, one corner of his lips twitching in a subtle smirk of a smile for her. If only he knew better when Seryth was about to rise, not that he couldn't take her away sooner but… "Not your fault," he attempts to sound reassuring after the sorrow of her voice.
Thea continues to reach for him, if he will allow it, her hands resting lightly on his shoulders as he leans over her. Though how long he's going to remain there in his current state, she couldn't predict. His gruff reply elicits a startled blink in the darkness. He actually would do that? "You can tell when I'm proddy… I can't always," she muses. Reassurances of his slide off though, after the earlier events. "But you are angry, angry and you didn't want me here." Shock trembles in her tone.
Likely he's not going to stay there very long. In fact its almost a wonder he's managed to stay upright this long. "Want you here," D'had replies, words slurring, "Just…" didn't want her there. Wherever there was, and with him. Whoever he was. But that part is left up to her to understand when he finally passes out.
That pause. It has Thea repeating, "Just?" One moment she's listening and trying to understand and the next? The next moment there is D'had collapsing on top of her and she lets out a little breath of surprise, that particular exhale aided by the man's weight. "Donn?" She shakes his shoulders gently with her hands, but he's not responding. It takes a moment or two to roll him to his side and off of her and then she just lies there for a long stretch of time as the grey light of dawn begins to show in the windows and she can finally see his face. She takes it in, all of it. The tired lines about his eyes, the unhappy line of his lips remain, even in sleep. She murmurs softly, "I'm sorry," and leans to brush her lips ever so gently on his. There are tears in her eyes as she lifts her head. And when he wakes? Those clothes are gone, the hammock slings are gone, Thea and the babies are gone as well, leaving the weyrbarn silent… and empty.