Follows Descent
This vig covers time D'had spent at Telgar Weyr between leaving Xanadu Weyr and returning five turns later.
He sat on the ledge with Siebith nearly every night since. Looking up at the moons and stars, trying not to let the fragmented flashes of memory overwhelm him.
The first time he'd visited the girls after he and Asher split poor Darsce had nearly cried when he had to go even knowing he'd be back soon…
He sat on the Irene beach, leaning back against Siebith, a girl on each knee, an arm around each. "Look up there," he nodded and reached the arm around the younger of the two out to point, pulling her little hand with his. Pointing towards the brightest star in the sky. "See that one, the really bright one?" The blonde nodded. "When you miss me," his voice cracked and he hoped they were still too young to notice. "You look at that sky, you find our star," It was directed at them both but he spoke with his cheek against the younger's ear as he pulled their arms back to wrap his back around her and snuggle them both. "I'll be looking at the same one and thinking of you."
He wondered if she ever still did that. If she ever still thought about him.
The night the twins were born…
He'd clocked Cold Stone's holder and paced until the rug was all but bear outside her room. And then that precious little baby was thrust into his arms. Terrified he'd break her, but he made a promise to himself that he'd protect her - her and her brother. "I trust you, Donn. You'll do fine."
There he'd failed…
Their smiles, their laughter…
"I love you Donn…"
"Daddy, I want to find the candy tree. Umpa said its by the magic waterfall."
"I'm going to be a rider just like you some day Dad. With my own blue."
It was all gone now. Replaced with emptiness.
He found solace in the rhythmic crashing of the waves in his lifemate's mind.
Five turns later Telgar had had the same effect on him it did in his youth. It sobered him. He’d become an older version of the man he hoped his children remembered. A more somber and saddened look to the face that once held a cocky grin and a flirtatious word for any semi-attractive female that crossed his path. More lines around his eyes, more grey in his hair. Once sun-bronzed skin lightened through the Telgarian winters. Shaven and a mostly kept up haircut rather than the rugged mess he'd been before he'd left Xanadu. He'd changed. That's what time does. It changes things and people.
He'd transferred several times before so when the orders came it wasn't a shock. They would handle that just fine. It was the where - Xanadu. That's where they belonged. He and Sie were never meant for the mountains of Telgar, they were meant for beaches and open oceans. But had he changed enough? Or had he already done too much damage? Could the wounds be healed and fences mended?
He’d keep his distance he resolved. Perhaps they wouldn’t notice one more old rider.