Troubled Turnday Thoughts
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Xanadu Weyr – Beach

The unerring range of subdued white rises and falls in a multitude of sandy dunes, creating an endless amount of tiny valleys constantly demolished and rebuilt by the frequent arrival or departure of a dragon. Smoothing out as it slopes gently to the edge of the deep blue water, the sand darkens and a shell here and there stands out for children to collect. The beach itself is set along a low cliff - the height lessoning as one heads eastwards, blocking a portion of the beach from direct access.

The wide wide stretch of water opens up to the east, the far distant shore way beyond the horizon and the beach curves ever so slowly round to east and west, distant arms of land embracing the wind-ruffled Caspian Lake. East leads up to the mouth of the Rubicon River, where the protecting cliff is merely an arms length higher then the sand, and beyond that, a winding road leading out of Xanadu's territory. Westwards, the beach narrows as the cliff swings out, leaving a path wide enough for dragons in single file before cutting in to the sheltered cove designated the Weyrling Beach. However, cut in the cliff face to the north are a variety of rough, wide staircases, providing access to the clearing and to the meadow.


With D'had's family still at the weyr recovering from their ordeal and Thea having been out from her few days of enforced rest at the infirmary by now for a full seven, things have settled back to near normalcy. She's been taking the prescribed medicine the healers have given her, able to go back to the office and finally caught up with her paperwork. Tonight evening colors the sky and she's left the office, her steps having taken her down to the beach where, shoes in hand, she's meandered down the beach and around the bend out of sight of the docks where the Vega Run is moored, out of sight of the Weyr proper to a large tumble of boulders. Her skirts haven't prevented her from taking a seat on one, legs drawn up to rest her chin upon her knees while she presumably watches the sunset over the lake.

Normalcy in a fashion at least. She might just be wandering out to the shore, but D'had has been there for sometime already. Aboard the Vega Run he's been checking on some of he repairs that have been made. Not that his own family isn't more than capable of it, but if they're to be setting sail again soon he's wanting to know everything is right. Coming up onto the deck of the ship he spots that figure on the boulders and a smile touches his lips. He watches for a moment before disembarking and heading off in her direction

He's likely seen her walk by, not that she was looking at the ship or noticing tonight. Perhaps he's high up in the rigging to see beyond that curve in the shore that Thea has made sure she's gotten herself out of sight beyond where beach-goers would normally wander, far enough that the sounds of ship repairs or weyr sounds wouldn't intrude. It's here that she allows the mask to slip and the track of her thoughts to show on her face, where there's no one to see, to question.

It’s that solitude that she's found so far off the beaten path that has D'had curious as to why. That of course means he's following. Coming up behind her and her perch there on the rock he speaks up, "Nice night in'it."

Thea is startled enough to jump slightly, not having been warned via Seryth that he's following, although whether the blue has shared the fact with the queen could be anyone's guess. D'had's behind her, so she tilts her head back to see him up there, her ice-green eyes darkened with her own thoughts. As if she might disagree with him, "It's…" Then gives in, "Yeah." The answer is uncharacteristically brief, a little flat, the tone is unenthusiastic rather than piqued. And since her neck is at an awkward angle, she drops her head forward once more to eye the riot of color across the horizon. "Sit with me?" And her hand pats the rock beside her.

"Yeah," D'had both answers and agrees with those few short words, moving down to sit beside her. "Happy turnday," he offers sliding an arm across her shoulders. Of course it'd be surprising if he wasn't reminded of it more than once by his mother, or if it were written on his hand. "Thought you'd be home with the twins by now…"

Thea is gracious enough not to turn to have a peek at his hand, taking the offering as is at face value with a slight smile and a murmured, "Thanks," as she snuggles into his side and her head finds his shoulder. As for being home by now, her answer is awhile in coming, "I couldn't yet. Not tonight." He can't see her face with her head on his shoulder, but she quietly notes, "I don't know if you'd realized my tendency to slip away by myself on my turnday for a bit, have you? That's why I was up walking in the night back on the island the night the wave hit, you know."

"Never really thought bout it," D'had admits in reply, resting his cheek against the top of her head. Noticed perhaps, but not spent too much time wondering why. "Everyone needs time to themselves…" he adds gently. "Can meet ya up there later if you just wanna sit…"

Thea unfolds her legs, her arms releasing them so she can allow them to hang over the edge of the rock and swing idly. "No, stay, please? Just…" The hand on the side he's on reaches across him, seeking his, palm up in silent echo of her entreaty. She allows silence to stretch for several minutes as the colors fade from the sky. "We shared a turnday. He's- would have been? twenty five turns old today," she finally says lowly with a jut of her chin in the distance where the lights of Black Rock Hold are beginning to wink on to be seen faintly in the far distance across the lake.

D'had's hand slides into hers when she reaches for it. He's not going anywhere just now unless she wants him to, and since she doesn't, he's not. "Course," he agrees, turning his head slightly to press a kiss to the top of hers before laying it back. When she speaks again, his reply is a simple "Who?" confusion coloring the word.

"I'm sorry," Thea gives his hand a squeeze, then laces her fingers though his, snuggles her head a little more deeply into the spot between his shoulder and neck when his lips touch her hair. "My missing Kav. I rarely think of him anymore. With my turnday- we were the same age. Exactly to the hour. Unfortunately it's a bit of a reminder."

"Oh babe," D'had starts with a sigh. "I ain't gonna blame you none for thinkin' bout him time ta time." She knows well enough that he thinks about Tailea from time to time. Its only fair. "But I'm sorry its got you down on your day."

Thea lifts her head then to look him directly in the eye, "I wouldn't wish him back, Donn." A sweet smile just for him curves her lips, "The turns with you have been wonderful really. I couldn't ask for better, you know." And she leans to touch his lips with hers tenderly assuring him that it is so. When she draws back, she returns her head to his shoulder. As he had once explained the reason for taking her back to that island… "Building new, happy memories helps. Just- something happened recently to bring him to mind. You should know about it. Because I'm not sure what to do."

D'had catches that kiss, that smirk of a smile of his showing for the moment between it and her head returning to his shoulder. "It does," he agrees of creating those memories, but, "What happened?" he goes on to ask, quiet and curious as to what could have her so upset about it.

"That bad thunderstorm a few sevens back?" He'd remember that because no one would have stayed up in the Vega Run's rigging or topmast during all the lightening. "I was out in the meadow with the twins. We took cover under a group of trees. A young stablehand was there with a little runner. Cute thing. The twins, well, they went nuts with delight when they saw it. I know it's the first one they've ever seen." Under his arm her shoulders tense with her unease, "Amelia, the handler offered to give them riding lessons."

D'had nods once, "Yeah.." He remembers that storm well enough to know what she's referring to. "I'm glad ya weren't stuck out in it.." Not that under a tree isn't, but its better than the middle of the meadow. He leaves off though, letting her finish her story, but even then he's still confused. "And what's that got ta do with him?"

"Remember when I asked you how you could go back to the place where Tailea…?" Thea swallows hard, continuing, "I've never- could never make myself visit the stables with the twins to show them the runners because I was there when one of them nearly killed him." Though her teeth and with emotions tightly controlled, "Sharding thing went berserk, kicked down a stall door which hit him in the head hard enough that he was out for three days." D'had would know how head injuries can be. She takes several breaths before she can manage, "He was never the same after. I am almost sure that his wandering off like he did after the hatching he didn't impress at had something to do with the head injury. It was full winter. He went without his coat. Sometimes I think he's-" She just lets the thought lie. It just goes without saying.

D'had ahhs silently, nodding understanding. "Don't think I knew about that," he admits as she relates the story of what happened that time in the stables. "But now ya have me an' the twins and.. babe he left on his own. He knew what he was doin' different or not."

Thea presses herself more closely into her weyrmate's side, drawing on his strength. As for why she didn't relate this story sooner, "I- remember how hard it was for you to tell me about Tailea? How Sie helped? I just… couldn't." More matter-of-factly she adds, "And yes, he did leave on his own." She releases his hand, half-turns so she can slip both arms around him, "I do have you and them. I don't ever want to lose any of you! But the point is, that runner was spooked by Morlanol- M'nol now. The boy had never been around runners - a thirteen turn old! He flailed about, yelled when he saw the thing." And lest he doesn't connect the dots, "I can only keep the twins away from runners so long."

And now it’s all starting to make sense as the story told is finally brought back to how it relates to what occurred the other day. "Well then," D'had starts, "maybe you shouldn't keep them away from 'em…" A thought, a suggestion, a bit of both.

Thea winces. "But… you don't ride them? Can't you forbid them when they're older?" Her arms tighten about his waist without thought, perhaps a little too tightly with her increasing tension. "You're authoritative enough to keep me in line." It's a weak laugh from the junior that follows this attempt at a serious plea couched in humor.

D'had chuckles, arms wrapping comfortingly around her. "And would you have listened to your father if he'd told you not to do something?" He knows Thaden, he knows her. His guess is she's too stubborn. "I don't cause I don't like 'em, but that's me. Know plentya folks who do."

"I'd have done the opposite," Thea admits with a wry smirk. "But you're nothing like him!" There's absolute certainty in her tone as she goes on, "They'll respect you. They adore you. You see how they light up when you enter the room? And glue themselves to you? That never happened with Tharen and I- we always sort of feared Thadan." Her father's name is said with distaste before mention of her beastcrafting brother has her muttering with a slight frown, "Come to think of it, I have no idea how he can stand to work around those sharding things." But then, curious, "Why don't -you- like them?" He knows why she doesn't.

D'had just shakes his head, chuckling again. "Yeah, well they're still only two. Wait til they're thirteen." Yeah, not something he wants to think about right now, so back to runners. "I just don't. Dunno why, guess I never got used ta 'em. Maybe somethin' ta do with bein' on the ship all the time."

His explanation of why he doesn't care for runners is accepted without question although there's a sound of disagreement in Thea's throat as she points out, "Nash adores you too. Did at thirteen, too. You build on a foundation of love and thirteen for them will be a piece of…" a little twinkle up at him complete with a sly grin, "cupcake."

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