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.
This has been, by far one of the stranger evenings seen in the weyrbarn - and it has seen a few! It is silent at last after that storm of tears from Thea earlier, the voices of the twins as they were prepared for bed have faded to sleepy murmurings from their pallets; they are almost asleep. The lights have been dimmed and a sense of peace has descended upon the dwelling of Thea and D'had.
D'had slipped in as quietly as he could after his chat with the weyrwoman. It’s as those sound from the twins assure him that they're at least very nearly asleep if not already that he moves from his place on the couch to check in on them. He leaves a kiss on the forehead of each before checking the bedroom. With lights out he moves in, changes in silence and slides in beside Thea.
He's been gone for awhile and by now Thea knows where he has gone, thanks to Kilaueth's directive to Seryth and doesn't expect him back for awhile. Resigned to this, or perhaps exhausted by the long flying they did earlier, or maybe by the more than month-long strain of worrying about D'had overdoing, she has gotten ready for bed and curled up, asleep before the twins, although it is a fitful restless sort of repose with eyelashes sticky from more frustrated tears. Movement in the bed awakes her, however and she uncurls with a "Mmm?"
"Shhh…" is D'had's quiet reply to that mmm. Hand reaches to lightly pull dark locks back behind her ear as he leans to leave a kiss on her temple. "Go back to sleep," he whispers, wraping an arm gently and protectively around her waist.
The scent of jasmine rises from Thea's hair when he kisses her temple. He is back! This awareness brings Thea from barely awake to groggy, eyes fluttering open. Her sleepy, "What time is it?" is quietly asked. It could have been hours as far as she's concerned. There's no pulling away or stiffening or back turned towards him - that's just not her way. Her voice is without heat but contains quiet resignation mingled with resentment in that statement of fact, when she says, "You went to Niva."
"Time to sleep," D'had replies, trying to avoid any argument, if only for tonight. She says it anyway, brings up the Weyrwoman and the fact that he went to her. "You weren't listening to me," he replies, his voice quiet and tired. Its just a simple explanation as to why.
There's no argument coming from Thea tonight, she's half-asleep, still exhausted and can hear the fatigue in his voice as well. "You weren't listening to me, either," she informs him equally resigned. He says time to sleep and she knows he means it. He's walked off on her already twice tonight. She rolls over and curls on her side and there is silence from Thea after that. Although whether she is asleep is another matter.
"I won't loose you too," D'had replies gently. He lets her move and turn when she does, but he shifts over beside her when she does, staying close. "Sleep well."
Late Afternoon - Next Day
Thea allows D'had his sleep - she's not completely heartless, upset though she is. She's awake most of the night, if not all of it, slipping out of bed before dawn and heading to the office, taking the twins to the nannies so D'had can have a prolonged quiet. At the Weyr all day and in the office, quiet if anyone else is around, it is late afternoon before she gets a break. Rather than take it in the caverns, she heads to the weyrbarn to curl up on the couch. She'll have a few hours before needing to pick up the twins.
D'had slept, but not well. Thea was already gone when he rolled out of bed and he took the morning to sort some things at the weyr, though not in the office. He remains at the weyrbarn and is there when the message comes from Kilaueth that Seryth isn't the only one grounded. Angry, yes, but he's not about to argue with the Weyrwoman or her gold about that. Not now at any rate. He takes it for what it is. He knows his limits, yes, but he also knows he's been pushing his them lately. So it is that when Thea returns in the afternoon he's just returning to the main living area of the weyrbarn from the bedroom. Somewhere along the line he's bathed, given the state of his hair - not too long before that nap he just finished.
Thea's entrance into the weyrbarn is quieter than her usual. There's no sparkle to her at all today. Pale, subdued and tired with more than lack of sleep, her glance takes in the fact that he's cared for himself and slept recently, the stress lines about her eyes relax a little when she notes that. He is here rather than the tavern, a fact that brings no small relief. Still quiet, and she just can't bring herself to smile, although she does nod, meeting his eyes if he looks her way to show she's not ignoring him as she makes her way to the couch, kicks off her shoes and curls up on one end of it.
"How," D'had starts, annoyance rising in just that one word. He shakes his head, leaving it lay before he even truly starts. "Lets just call it even. Hmm?" And skip the argument. He crosses the room as he talks, hand brushing her cheek to tuck a stray strand of her dark locks behind her ear as he comes up to her. "What's wrong?"
Thea winces at that sharp tone. Yes, she was expecting this, her normally clear-eyed gaze is darkened as she watches him walk towards her, sees his head-shake. Her mouth opens to answer and it seems he's closing the door to clear anything up with those words. "I didn't ask her to do it," she says dully, dropping her head away from his fingers to rest it on the arm of the couch. Her answer to the question is a tired sigh, "What isn't wrong these days?"
D'had drops to the couch, aiming to pull her over beside him as he reaches for her hand on the way. "Didn't say ya did," he replies. A sigh escaping with the slight nod he gives. "So I was thinkin'…" he starts after a second. He's had plenty of time to think today. "Bout a vacation." Now?
Thea is easily pulled over, unresisting, but not about to make that move on her own. His question has her lifting her head to stare at him in disbelief her eyes wide with hurt. Not pleased, read it written all over her face. "You asked her to ground me. I can't help you search. And now you want to send me away." Her hands clench tightly in her lap and she drops her head to stare at them again. This is worse than she'd expected.
D'had shakes his head, "No," he replies, clearly puzzled by why she might think he was trying to send her away. He stretches an arm to reach around her shoulders. "Meant both of us. Together," he tries to clear that up.
Okay that clears up one thing only to have Thea's brow cloud with another thought. His arm around her shoulder does much to reassure her he still cares, but a vacation at a time like this?! There must be only one explanation: "You… you think I've lost it, don't you? You think I can't handle the stress. It's because of what I said about timing, isn't it? You think I'm crazy." Under his arm, her shoulders tense and she can't lift her head to look at him.
D'had shakes his head. "No, no…" How can she not be understanding the idea. "Not at all." This was supposed to be the easy solution! "You don't have to go. Thought ya might want to. I can go alone if ya'd rather that."
Thea couldn't be more confused, it seems. Raising her head to look him in the eye, she asks in a low voice, "You mean that? Because Niva…" She shrugs slightly, then blurts, "How can you think of going away to enjoy yourself while your family is missing?" It might be that she thinks he's finally cracked himself.
D'had shakes his head again. No. That's not it either. "Didn't say I'd enjoy myself," though there's a slight bit of teasing in that comment as well. "But maybe you're right. I should take a break. Let someone else help." So maybe he has cracked?
Thea's weak smile is a pale reflection of her normal one, "I don't think she'll let us leave her eyesight." Then her expression sobers and she lifts a hand to rest in on his chest; an attempt to gain his attention, "I want them found, Donn. But I don't want you dying in the process. You need to know something…" Her fingers pluck absently at his shirt and her eyes drop to button level. This is not going to be easy.
D'had nods. Right. She does have a point there though. "Promise though, no between until we're cleared." Vacation yes, but he apparently hadn't been planning on going on dragonback. But that trailing off she's doing does catch his attention as does the hand she lays on his chest. His hands reach to clasp it as he ducks his head, trying to catch a glimpse of her face. He doesn't push, but waits for her to go on.
With her eyes still fastened on that button, Thea flicks a glance at him, giving him a funny sort of look, "Seryth couldn't go Between if she wanted to. Kilaueth inhibits." Her lashes lower as her eyes drop back to that button. "I… told you I'd gone Between times before. And that's true, I did." She takes a deep breath, "But I had no intention of doing it again. I almost got time-lost the first time." He should, has every right to question that.
"I meant me," D'had clarifies though the same restriction most certainly applies to him. A frown comes to his face as she continues though. "I'm glad you didn't…" he replies first. But there are still questions that come from that knowledge. "When?" being the foremost.
Again with the funny look from Thea, "Siebith couldn't defy her either." And she doesn't expect he'd try getting around her directive any other way from the look on her face. But then, she's still getting to know him. His question has her calculating the time, "About five turns ago, right after Seryth's first clutch. It was an accident, Donn. I was trying to get back to the Weyr before…" She shrugs, "I was panicked and didn't know I'd done it until it happened."
D'had releases her hand with one of his, reaching around her shoulders to pull her close again. His chin rests on her shoulder. "Its okay," he replies, though it should be clear enough to her that the thought of it having happened - what could have happened - is unsettling to him. "What happened?" She was panicked. Why?
It's funny how these things come to light; he might otherwise never have known why he had to sit guard over her while she was proddy a few turns ago. There’s a sigh as she's pulled to him, Thea lifts her eyes to read the expression on his face until she's too close to see it, then she drops her forehead to his shoulder with a tired thump in the reply, "We all had to leave the Weyr during Avaeth's flight, so I went to visit Ysa in Ista. It didn't go well. I was upset about that. I didn't want Niva to know I'd gone."
D'had ahs, nodding a bit as she explains. "Glad you made it alright that time," he says quietly, his head still on her shoulder. "Don't worry about it so much. Hmm?" Everything is okay now. No need to stress over the past. Right?
"I'm not," Thea assures, but she has more: "All I could think about was getting back before she did. I got back the morning -before- Avaeth's flight, but didn't know that at first. She shudders, "I was so confused. It took me several tries to get back to the right time." She leans back a little to see him better, "It's why I'd never try it again. When I said last night I would do it… well… that wasn't really the truth."
D'had very nearly chuckles for her admittance that it was a lie, but manages not to let the sound of his amusement in that matter escape. A hand on her back rubs gently, trying to sooth her at that shudder. "It’s alright. Ya scared me though, wasn't no way for me ta know you weren't serious." Particularly since he'd been pushing himself so hard that everything was pure black and white.
"No it's not alright." Thea's voice is sharp although she hasn't caught any of his amusement. "I meant to scare you, Donn. And I don't like it that I wasn't truthful with you." Her hands push gently on his chest so she can rear back and meet his eyes. "It's not my way to be less than honest. But you left me no choice, even if it was a bad one."
"I said," D'had protests, but that's all the further into it he gets before she's pushing back and he's left staring at her confused. "I know it's not.." he replies, still clearly confused. "But no choice?"
Thea remains hopeful that in light of the past events of the last 24 hours he gets this when she leans in to rest her forehead against his to look him deep in the eyes, "What you were doing was every bit as dangerous as what you were afraid I was going to do. But you wouldn't listen to me about getting help." Her sea green eyes are pleading for him to admit it as she adds, "I didn't mean for Niva to ground you, though."
"Have help…" D'had notes, though perhaps he should have told her that sooner. Not that it didn't keep him from pushing the limits. "I'm sorry babe," he apologizes with a sigh. "It'll work out." Of that he's still trying to be confident. "Maybe its for the best…"
This is news to her! Thea blinks, the tips of her lashes brushing his. "You…have…help." Her eyes close and she exhales his name with weary patience, "Donnnnn!" Said like she canNOT believe he didn't tell her. When they open again, there's at least a little bit of a sparkle back, subdued laughter. "I think we deserve each other." If she hadn't talked to him and just tried the jump remains unsaid. Instead she asks, "Are you seriously considering getting away to rest?"
D'had chuckles, amusement is how be deals after all. Its a smile, that subtle smirk of his, that meets her when she opens her eyes again. "Was thinkin' bout a vacation. Yeah.."
It could have been far less than funny that the man doesn't tell her things. One day it's liable to end up with far more serious consequences for Thea since she's - what was the word he'd used with Niva? 'Crazy'? "So, who do you have helping you?" She's curious. Prompting him to share his thoughts with a mock-glare, "Yes? And how's this vacation supposed to happen with us grounded?"
"I'm workin' on that," D'had replies about that help. As for vaction.. "We've got that boat.." he points out, "Still haven't had a chance to really take 'er out. What you think?" When she moves D'had turns to rest his forehead on his hand, elbow propped on the arm of the couch. "I don't know," he reply with a sigh. He's really not sure if the Weyrwoman will agree to it or not. "Can't hurt ta ask her though. Can it?" He shakes his head, lifting dark eyes to her. "And I'm sorry. If I worried you."
Thea nods, accepting this. Yes, this is probably what has occupied a great deal of today's time for him after Kilaueth's directive. His mention of the boat has her cocking her head, "We haven't, have we?" Considering this, she answers, "I think… it might be something productive." It couldn't hurt to sail in the direction they were searching…
Which was exactly his thought. Searching disguised as vacation. If Thea wants to think of it simply as vacation all the better. The only hold up is talking the Weyrwoman into it and given his reputation with her… well that might be the most difficult part. "Good," he replies, lifting his head and quirking one of those smiles her way. "Then you can talk to her about it tomorrow.
Thea will do her best to see he relaxes! Whether she sees through it, she doesn't say. Her smile is there right up until he says she can talk to Niva. "Me?!" It comes out as a squeak. "She's so mad at me right now, there's no way! She'll say no out of hand!" There has to be a better way. "Can't you… get her drunk or something?"
D'had chuckles, flat out. No ifs, ands or buts about it, that question he finds full of amusement. "You want me to talk to -her-?" As if she doesn't already know the relationship between him and the Senior Weyrwoman. Their meetings rarely go well. "Just try. If it doesn't work then I'll talk to her."
Thea knows how things are between the Weyrsecond and the Weyrwoman. She works in the same office he does, sees the fireworks regularly. "Alright." Said in a 'here-I-go-to-my-doom' sort of way along with a shrug. "Better have some of D'son's best handy." Because he'll be talking to her when Thea comes back with enough records to keep her busy copying for the rest of her life.
"We'll work it out," D'had replies, shifting to meet her again. Stealing a kiss as he catches her about the waist. "We'll work it out."
Thea returns his kiss warmly, lifting her arms to twine about his neck. It's been a difficult two days at the end of a difficult month. "I know we will, Donn. And we'll find them. Somehow." They just have to talk Niva into their crazy plan. What could go wrong with that? Oughta be a snap.