Xanadu Weyr - Coastal Road
This coastal road runs parallel with the edge of beach that stretches endlessly beside the Caspian Lake. From coast to inland the dunes of the beach grow smaller and smaller until they eventually peter out into nothing but small moguls in the sand. The path is eventually seen to be blocked by a river that reaches the lake just south of the point where the road turns west and crosses a grassy meadow towards a sturdy wooden bridge that can be seen in the distance.
It's after midnight in Xanadu Weyr, the area is blanketed in a thick layer of fog. Save for the occasional wave lapping the shore or the drip from condensation collected on leaves the night is silent, still. Through the grey murk walks one sleepless junior with a lot on her mind, apparently, for she is out walking the coastal road in the damp. It's the safest place to walk without getting lost, for though the visibility is near zero for human eyes, the surface of the road keeps her from wandering off course into the forest. Still dressed in a loose shift-type dress to keep cool in the warmth of summer, Thea doesn't seem to mind the damp cool of this night, nor the fact that the linen is absorbing the moisture from the air.
It really is an unusual time for anyone to be up and about especially given the current conditions of the weather. It would seem, however, that the junior weyrwoman is not the only one about as a dark shadow sweeps overhead. The quiet sound of nearly silently gliding dragon wings passing above before the creature lands not too far off, almost invisible in the fog.
It is felt, perhaps rather than heard. A presence overhead - did she imagine that? Thea looks upwards but sees nothing. A swirl of fog over there not so far off. It could be just wind-stirred, yes? She blinks, squints, but no. Still… Not uneasy, not afraid, but wanting to know, she calls softly, "Who is there?" Might not be loud enough to hear, for she doesn't wish to awaken anyone. After a moment, she shrugs and continues on. Must have imagined it.
A confused sort of minute passes in which D'had turns a glance in the direction of that voice after he dismounts. Was that…? Or simply his imagination. Certainly it must have been. But still he replies with question of his own, "Hello?" Quiet as the first for the very same reasons.
Thea pivots on one foot at the answer to face the direction of the voice, "D'had?" Sounds are muffled so it might be anyone, really. She steps back that way, but once off the road she's lost her bearings and walks off who knows where. Her hands are outstretched to ward off low-hanging tree branches. Likely easy to know where she is by the crackling of twigs underfoot and her mutters of confusion.
D'had truly wasn't expecting a response so that sound has him spinning around to face the direction it seems to have come from. Even less than he expected a response did he expect it to be his name, however lost to the fog the voice may have been. "Ta…" He stops there, shaking his head as if it might clear the fog. No, certainly he's hearing things.
Ah! A voice. Thea changes course for it. She nears, but it's is impossible to see clearly, so she almost stumbles into Siebith. Her hands pat the blue - at least she's assuming it is he since she knows the voice of the man who spoke. "Hey Siebith, how's my hero tonight, huh?" There's a pause before she calls once more, "D'had?"
Siebith rumbles a greeting, nosing the hand. That would be an affirmative that it is indeed the blue in question. ".. Yeah ..?" D'had replies, question still hanging onto his voice as he edges around Siebith, pausing when he's able to see the figure of her form. "Tell me I'm dreaming.."
Thea's lips curve in amusement at that. "No…" Wait, wait. She'll go along. Her voice is light, playful, "Well yeah. This is a dream. Enjoy it while you can." She moves towards the Weyrsecond, "How've you been?" There's a laugh in her voice, "I've missed you…"
Both breath and heartbeat have quickened since the first sound of that voice, and now there's certainly no sign of slowly. Certainly the thick fog is playing with his head. That and the late hour. How has he been? "I've.. I've missed you too." D'had replies, reaching a hand towards her. He stays where he is, but reaches, almost certain he'll touch only air.
Thea takes the final steps to him as she laughs softly, "Have you? It's been so long, hasn't it?" She's being facetious. Wasn't it just this morning in the office? But those words are not spoken as she places one hand lightly on his chest. "You were gone a long time." Meaning all day. She's come from the hot springs for her walk, so her hair is still wet, the light scent of jasmine-soap is carried by the mist eddying around them.
Funny how when darkness and fog veil the world things can be so easily misconstrued. "More than you know," D'had replies, his voice catching. As she steps closer his own outstretched hand falls back to his side, heart racing, breathing heavy as his eyes fall closed as he breaths in that faint scent.
Thea is still smiling, but the thudding under her palm, his breathing and the way his voice catches has her peering at him in concern. "Are you… okay?" Her other hand lifts to touch his cheek. "Not feverish?" Maybe he's drunk again? She leans in to sniff.
"I just… You're… I'm dreaming. … Right?" D'had's words are quiet, the thick air swallowing them up before they travel very far beyond the two of them, or three if you're wanting to count Siebith. Tired perhaps, but certainly not drunk.
Thea smells no fumes, so leans back, her head tilts in puzzlement. He's playing, she decides, so she laughs again, "Yes, dreaming. You dream of me often, don't you?" Her voice changes subtly, a hint of disquiet in her tone, "It's better than a nightmare. I have a lot of those."
"Nightmares are just bad dreams," D'had replies, "But the good ones are better." With that he'll agree. There's a long pause the before he asks, "And this is just another then…" He sighs, vitals however remain raised. "Can .." he starts, reaching out a hand to brush against her cheek, the movement hesitant as if under the thought that she might well disappear but a second before his fingers touch her skin.
"Just another?" Thea's bewilderment is fleeting. she's thinking on her feet here. "Not just another. This one is special." Humor ripples in the words as she continues, "I am really here." Riiight. Really here in his dream. That makes sense, right? "Can..?" Hmm, this one seems to stump her. His hand lifting towards her cheek is a clue? "Of course!" She leans towards his hand, offering her cheek, trying and not quite able not to giggle.
D'had's hand trembles as it reaches her cheek, gently caressing, fingers sweeping behind her ear to run through damp locks and finally rest against the side of her neck. "You're cold?" it comes out a mixture of statement and question.
What to answer to this? The tremble in his fingers on her cheek has Thea concerned once more. His hand on her neck should answer his question - her skin should feel as it always does. "Do I seem cold to you?" She's beginning to wonder about this game. "No I-" She peers closely at his face, "What is wrong?"
D'had shakes his head, a slight movement only. "No," he replies, "No," the repeat quieter, "Just damp I suppose." Which would make sense given her recent trip to the baths in combination with the weather. There's a pause and he shakes his head again, "You're here," he concludes with a sense of contentment to the words.
"Yeeees." Thea draws out the word, "I'm here." They've been over this already. "Yes my hair is wet." Said as if that fact should be obvious. Worried now, she steps close, her arms slide around him, "Are you all right?" Uncertainty laces her voice now.
"Just … Didn't expect to see you here," D'had replies. Alright remains to be seen. Almost convinced she'll remain he reaches out with the other hand to slide and arm around her waist and pull her closer, eyes closed as he breaths in the light scent of perfumed soap that clings to her. "I missed you," he adds, a sad smile in the words.
"I wanted to walk on the road tonight. It's hard to see." Thea explains, "I was-" That pull closer interrupts her train of thought but then he is talking so she doesn't finish. His sad smile has her blinking in renewed concern. "Yes, you told me that." Her arms tighten. Not knowing what else to say, she repeats, "I am here."
D'had holds her close, perhaps a touch tighter even than she might find comfortable. "Tailea.." he breaths the name quietly as he rest his chin over her shoulder. "I.. I have to wake up now…" Its a pained thought, leaving.
Thea winces at the hold, but the name he speaks has her blinking confusion. He’s not being mischievous, apparently. She eyes Siebith over his shoulder, but the blue doesn’t seem upset.. Maybe he's sleep walking? Surely he is sleep-walking! She’s heard you don’t wake them. So she does what her da did with Tharen in times past. "Not yet…" She whispers, “Not yet, please?” She turns in his arms, attempts to guide him towards the door to his weyrbarn.
D'had seems reluctant to let her go, but he doesn't resist when she tries to turn and lead. "I don't want to…" he whispers, the thought finishing moment later even as she leads him through the fog. "I need to."
Xanadu Weyr - Siebith's Weyrbarn
The space over all is well lacking in decor. There's the standard kitchenette, table and chairs, couch and that sharding other table and well.. that's about it other than the ladder like stairs that lead to a curtained off loft over the human sized living portion. There is however, a feminine touch found in a vase of flowers on the table.
"You will," Thea whispers back as she opens the door and steps inside the darkened weyrbarn. Her arms are still around him as she moves him across the room and towards his couch, "But not just yet." She navigates carefully around that low table, avoiding having him bump it. Once beside the couch, she hesitates, unsure just how to go about this. After a moment, she simply sits in the middle, gently tugging him down with her if he will come. Get them to lie down her da always said. So she shifts to lie there, keeping her arms around him. "Shhhh. Shh." It always worked with Tharen.
D'had falls easily into place beside her with that tug. "Forgive me?" he asks quietly, content enough with laying down beside her. "You'd like her…" Though if some other commentary were supposed to come after that its lost in the silence of the night.
"You know I always do." The words are whispered somewhere near his ear and seem appropriate for all that Thea is unsure what he's talking about. Anything to soothe his mind, help him back to sleep. Tharen never made any sense either and her da went along. Like her? She nods, her cheek moves beside his, "I'm sure I would," is all she says to that in as soft a voice as she can. Her hands gently move on his back, in a lulling back to sleep sort of way.
"I…" D'had beings, his voice barely even a whisper, but there's no more to come as eyes drift closed once more.
And so Thea waits for him to relax and his breathing to become deep and regular. She mustn't awaken him when she eases herself away. But it has been a long, long day for this junior and a restless Seryth beside that incubator has taken all her mental strength to soothe. Her eyes grow heavy, close slowly and before she can slip away she too, falls asleep with her arms wrapped around the troubled Weyrsecond.
Continued in "I've Got You Now"