Sun, surf, and worries?(Calling M'kel)

[Skye]

Skye looked out over the gently rolling waves, leaning back against Calith's hide. She was lost in thought for a long moment then shook her head, turning her attention back to setting up the picnic she had planned. She had packed a large basket which now set on the blanket she had spread out in the shade of the tree line, well away from the high tide mark on the shore. She was wearing a pair of cut off breeches, cut very short and a form fitting, sleeveless under shirt, the weather was quite warm today. Her auburn hair was up in a sloppy ponytail.

She sighed to herself and walked to the water's edge, standing there as she allowed the gentle surf to was over her bare feet, a small smile touching her lips as she watched the ebb and flow of the water. Calith watched her rider through a half closed eye, her wings spread out slightly as she soaked up the bright sunlight. Careful you do not burn mine, you know how easily the sun does that to you,[/color] she told her rider, but knew that was the last thing on her mind.

Skye turned to look at her green and laughed softly. I'll come back into the shade in a moment Calith, I'm just enjoying the water as I think, she assured her green before turning her attention back to the water.

Despite her calm appearance she was deeply trouble. Not that she would let that show, no, she couldn't let that show, not yet anyway. She sighed again and moved out into the water until the waves were brushing up against her knees. The water was so clear here that she could see little fish darting around, shying away from her presence in the water. She held a hand over her eyes to shield them from the sun as she looked further out into the water, wondering if their were any dolphins around, not that she would know what to do if one showed up.

She shook her head and turned to walk out of the water and back up to where the blanket was. She settled down on the edge of the blanket, not wishing to get it wet and sandy with her legs. She dug her toes into the said and wrapped her arms around her knees as she looked up at the sky.

Calith closed her eyes and rumbled her contentment at the warmth of the sun as she settled more comfortably on the sand. She was content with her riders silence and was a comforting presence in the back of Skye's mind even as she began to doze.

Skye rested her cheek against her knees and closed her eyes as well, no use in worrying about something she didn't know the outcome of, thats why she was waiting here to have a picnic anyway. She let herself relax in the cooler shade in the tree line, smiling as she listened to the gentle brush of the waves against the white sands, almost sounding like a soft, soothing lullaby.

[M'kel]

((M'kel is so gangsta! And read Tirenth's speech in a British accent...it's nigh impossible to write distinctively, lol))


M'kel had a swagger in his step, as he strode through his weyr to where his riding harness hung on pegs pounded into the stone wall. He had good reason to swagger, after all. Skye had invited him out for the day to their 'favourite cove', and M'kel certainly wasn't one to turn her down. Since they were partners for Sweepriding, their schedules matched quite conveniently, and he was usually free on the days she was. Although various Weyr duties did tend to keep him busy, the bronzerider always made time for an escape to a sunny beach for a couple of candlemarks. Or, if he so fancied, maybe even a few days...

Tirenth rumbled, amused, and held still as M'kel began looping the harness around the dragon. They had both been pleased to receive the invitation, and M'kel had remarked on how very much he was coming to like the Flitter Mail Service. Although Calith could easily have bespoken Tirenth, it was more...fun this way.

I am certainly looking forward to seeing Calith again this day, Tirenth commented, as his rider began doing up the straps on the harness.

"That ain't no surprise," M'kel drawled, slapping Tirenth affectionately on the shoulder. "No bronze in da house enjoys good company more dan ya, dawg."

And if I were to comment on my rider... Tirenth began teasingly, eyes whirling green as he looked back over his shoulder.

"Yo, I'm aware o' my rep. I'm fly wit dat," M'kel retorted. He grinned broadly, turning to a looking glass hung on his wall for a second. He smoothed back his blonde hair, freshly washed this morning, and studied the tunic he'd chosen for the day. It was green, his favourite colour (another thing he and Tirenth had in common), and expertly left unbuttoned at the top.

"A'ight, I'm ready. Let's blow dis joint." M'kel strode over to Tirenth, who proffered a leg, and swung easily into place on the bronze's back. Instantly, the dragon leapt from his weyr ledge and disappeared between. M'kel regretted the unbuttoning of his tunic instantly, feeling the cold of between like a million needle-point teeth against his chest, but then the darkness vanished and Rukbat was beating down on them once more.

"Now dat's more like it," M'kel commented, as Tirenth circled downward towards the white, sandy beach. Calith looked like an emerald gem below, calling the pair downward, and M'kel leaned over Tirenth's side to try and catch sight of Skye.

Finally, Tirenth settled, raising only a small cloud of sand with his beating wings, and M'kel slid down from his dragon's back. He noticed the towel spread out beckoningly instantly and veered in that direction, his most charming smile already in place.

"Yo, ma home-girl. My, my, you are lookin' fine today!" he crowed, dropping down onto the blanket beside her. M'kel spread his legs out on the sand, leaned back on his palms, and turned to regard the greenrider. "I know I been waitin' a long time to hang like dis again," he murmured, smiling disarmingly.

Tirenth, meanwhile, had moved closer to Calith, settling heavily into the sand beside her and reaching out to nuzzle her neck in greeting. Your invitation for today was too kind. And you are looking as lovely as ever, I must say.

[Skye]

Calith fairly preened under the compliment the bronze paid her and returned his nuzzle with one of her own as she shifted closer to him in the warm sand. Ye are too kind to a simple green my dear bronze. You honor me with thy attention and thy company,[/color] she all but purred to him.

Skye watched her green for a long moment before she turned her attention to M'kel. She looked up at him demurely from under her long lashes, a small smile hovering near the corners of her mouth as she bowed her head just slightly. "Ah, M'kel thou words are like the sweetest nectar to mine ears and heart," she said sweetly as she shifted slightly to tuck one leg under her so that she could face him, a hand reaching out to rest lightly on his chest, so easily accessible since his shirt was unbuttoned.

She licked her lips slowly to keep from biting her bottom lip and give away her nervousness. There were things she needed to speak to the bronze rider about, but she couldn't do it just yet, she didn't want to spoil this chance they had to be alone after such a while that they hadn't been able to.

"I must say ye are looked positively handsome today as well m'lord," she said softly, leaning closer to him. "I am sure ye are also hungry! I have brought us a feast fit for a Teran king. Roast wherry, tubers with just enough spice, freshly baked bread, and of course, a still hot redberry pie for dessert. Or, if ye like, ye could have the pie first so that it doesn't get cold," she said as she reluctantly moved her hand away from the warm skin of his chest to bring the basket closer. She opened it and tilted it so that he could look inside, the delectable scent of the meal inside tickling her nose.

"And of course I brought a nice wine to wash everything down with," she said with a bright, alluring smile as she looked up at him from under her lashes again.

[M'kel]

Tirenth scuffed at the sand a bit, burrowing himself just that little bit deeper to encompass more of his sides in the searing warmth, and his eyes whirled light blue with pleasure. He, too, leaned a little closer to Calith, rumbling happily in response to her greeting. The honour is all mine, Lady Calith. Any bronze wouldst be lucky to have thee at his side, even if it be only for an afternoon. He was laying on the charm, no doubt about it. It had taken his ego some time to recover after the lovely Calith had not chosen him in her Flight, but Tirenth was ever-hopeful that next time he may fare better.

M'kel's face was upturned to Rukbat's light, soaking it all in, when he felt Skye's hand laid upon his chest. The bronzerider looked down at the pale fingers resting there, before turning to regard the greenrider herself. He was quite pleased that the unbuttoning trick he'd pulled with the tunic had caught her eye already, and even more pleased to hear her compliment. His smile only broadened at her mention of food, and M'kel immediately shifted, pulling his legs into a crossed position and facing Skye fully. That the greenrider was a little ill at ease barely registered to the bronzerider and was easily brushed off as anticipation, rather than anxiousness.

"Thou knowst me too well, dear Skye. I am simply ravenous. And redberry pie…" his eyes had gone wide with excitement over that tidbit of news, "…thou art too, too devious for words. Twas one of the few reasons I did not mind ol' Penna being around…I hath certainly missed those pies!" Tirenth gave a mental roll of his eyes. Food was definitely one of the easiest ways to M'kel's heart!

"As to the order of eating…I can delay mine satisfaction for a time. We can start with the meal and finish with a delectable dessert." M'kel winked at that, grinning now. He had no subtlety. "After all, such a wait will only allow our anticipation to grow…"

[Skye]

Calith allowed her eyes to close as she rumbled in contentment, her head resting lightly against Tirenth's neck now and her tail brushing against his in a lazy, teasing manner. She was still a bit from rising, but she had a very likely candidate in mind to allow the honor of catching her.

Skye glanced briefly at the two dragons settled in the warm sands, a smile touching her lips as she watched them. She turned her attention back to M'kel as the bronze rider began to speak. She smiled brightly and laughed softly at his, none to subtle words.

She shifted again to sit on her knees so that she could more easily pull the meal from the large basket. She set two plates between then with a loaf of fresh bread, still soft and warm from the heart. The she pulled out a bowl of roast wherry and a bowl of seasoned tubers, then two cups.

She smiled up at M'kel as she pulled the last item from the basket, a cool bottle of fine, red wine to go with their meal. "I know the cups are not wine glasses, but I did not think that it would truly matter in the long run," she said with a soft laugh, handing the bottle to him to open since it was still sealed. She had gone through a lot of trouble to 'borrow' that from the chilled storage in the kitchens.

She sat back on her heels and tilted her head, the end of her ponytail falling forward over her right shoulder, the ends of her hair brushing into the vee opening of her shirt. "Doest this meal pass approval my dear bronze rider?" she asked softly, nearly purring as she leaned closer to him. After all, distracting him was her plan right now, she would get to the point much later. She felt Calith's gentle support. The green knew her rider's worry and had agreed not to let anything slip to the bronze whose company she was enjoying.

[M'kel]

Tirenth had settled down quite comfortably now, leaning into Calith and resting his neck lightly across her back, closing his multiple lids for a snooze. The bronze dragon was utterly at ease, and Rukbat was so blessedly warm. Calith's company was both comforting and enjoyable, and the bronze didn't mind spending a lazy soak in the sun with her in the slightest. Perhaps he would entice her into a swim later, but for the moment, the bronze was content to lie there and enjoy himself.

His rider, on the other hand, was sitting up straighter as Skye began to pull delectable treat after delectable treat from her wonderful little basket. M'kel picked up his plate eagerly, ready to load it full of every morsel he could fit on it, when the wine bottle was thrust into his hands. Although his excitement dimmed slightly with the delay to his meal, it quickly came soaring back as he noted the vintage. "Excellent choice!" he murmured, casting her a sly gaze. Then, the bronzerider gave the cork an easy twist and promply poured a glass for both him and the greenrider. He sipped his wine, closing his eyes to savour the rich flavour, before setting to work on scooping tubers and meat onto his plate.

As the less-than-suave young man began shoveling tubers and meat into his mouth, he looked up abruptly when Skye leaned forward. Her purred question brought a smile to his face, and he hastily swallowed the mouthful of food he'd been in the process of chewing. "It does," he replied gravely, nodding his head in agreement. "Quite satisfying, indeed. This is an ideal picnic, I must remark. Skye, you have outdone yourself once again." The greenrider was so attentive to him, always knowing just what M'kel needed to cheer him up or simply brighten his day.

She was also very, very adept at accomplishing her goals, especially today's task of distracting him. On cue, as the greenrider leaned closer, hair falling forward, M'kel's eyes swung downward to follow the movement of her ponytail, and it took him a few minutes to force his gaze back to meet her eyes. He smiled innocently, shifting on the blanket to draw closer to Skye as well, and gave her a small wink. "You didn't simply ask me here for a picnic…did you?" His tone held a slightly ominous note, and he took another sip of his wine.

[Skye]

Skye froze for a moment at M'kel's last question, her hands trembling slightly as she reached for her own plate. She cleared her throat softly as she began putting tubers on her plate. She smiled a bit lopsidedly and tucked her legs under her as she sat close to M'kel's side.

"Am I so transparent M'kel?" she asked with a soft laugh as she shook her head again. She knew he probably had another thought in mind, but perhaps she had delayed too long. She closed her eyes briefly and sighed softly. It wasn't the telling of her secret she dreaded, no, it was fear of his reaction that caused her to delay.

She set her plate aside without touching anything on it, in fact the smell of the food was causing her stomach to churn uncomfortably.

"I may as well get this over with," she muttered to herself as she placed a hand lightly on M'kel's leg. "M'kel I'm sure that you heard that I was sick with what I thought was the flu," she began, her hand lightly rubbed his leg as she spoke. She knew how word travel fast in the weyr.

"Well....it turns out that it wasn't the flu. I'm...M'kel I'm pregnant," there, she said it out loud for the first time and cringed at the word. She lowered her head and looked at him from under her lashes. "Now before you say anything, let me finish. I'm not asking you to settle down with me, by the first egg, I sure don't want to. I just thought you ought to know since it is more then likely that its yours. The hard decision is going to be mine, whether or not I keep it," she sighed softly and looked up at him. "So, now I suppose you're going to tell me the words I dread to hear, you don't want to see me again and I suppose I can't blame you," she said as she folded her hands in her lap and waited for whatever may come now.

Calith rumbled softly and flooded her rider's mind with love and support. She didn't understand why her rider would want to even think of getting rid of a hatchling. Riders can be so confusing sometimes, do you not think Tirenth?[/color] she asked the bronze, not bothering to open her eyes.

[M'kel]

((Dang it - I missed the rest of Soap Opera week 'cause of my dang flu… this post just so wouldn't be appropriate Romance Novel style, though, so I’m going to stick with the SO theme just for one last post))

As the bronzerider watched deviously for Skye's response, shoveling some more tubers and meat into his mouth in the mean time, he detected the slight shift in her body. Although he had anticipated her to move closer to him, drawing nearer to the real reason they were at the beach today, her body stiffened ever-so-slightly, and M'kel swore he saw her hand tremble. Perplexed, the young man's brow climbed higher, and he slowed the frenzied pace of stuffing food down his maw for just a moment.

Why, Skye even seemed reluctant to speak, her gaze casting downward and a sigh escaping her lips. The bronzerider couldn't fathom in the slightest what was giving her such pause. It wasn't as if they hadn't met at beaches, just like this one, countless times before. There must be something unusual on her mind, but Skye ought to know he was a pretty open fellow…

Then, her hand brushed his leg, but not in a seductive manner. His hazel eyes dropped downward to consider her slender fingers. When the truth finally came out, those same eyes began an achingly slow, mechanical climb upwards to meet hers.

Pregnant?

"Reg-wit?" M'kel gasped, spewing a quite unbecoming spatter of tuber pieces back onto his plate. Flushing red, but more from the shock of this news than from embarrassment over his reaction, the bronzerider gulped hard, swallowing the mass of food still in his throat. "Pregnant?" he gasped again. He couldn't say anything else, just repeating that one word over and over again in his mind. Pregnant? She was pregnant?

Oh my.

It wasn't as if he'd never pondered the possibility. After all, when a man is as 'friendly' as M'kel certainly was, he is bound to find a pregnancy or two following in his wake. But, as all foolish young men think, he hadn't really believed that possibility would come true. At least not yet.

He wasn't ready to be a father! Why, he'd barely grown up himself (and even that accomplishment was debatable). The thought of little M'kel spawn running around the Weyr, calling him 'Daddy', wanting to sit in his lap…

The bronzerider was spiralling quickly into a paralyzed state of shock. This was too soon, too sudden! Why, she'd just have to raise the 'brat on her own, 'cause he…

"What?!" M'kel's eyes nearly popped right out of his head, as his stomach clenched uncomfortably and his world gave another spin. 'More than likely it was his'? M'kel was a bit of a hypocrite, he knew that, refusing to tie himself down to just one woman, but the thought that Skye might not have been loyal to him…

"If it's not even mine, I don't know why you're bothering to tell me at all." His tone was acerbic but mostly tinged with bitterness. M'kel couldn't even look at her now, staring out over the calmly rolling waves of the clear blue ocean. How could the weather be so calm when he felt so turbulent inside? "It's your decision. Whatever you want to do." He held off from saying the words, 'I don't want anything to do with it', but just barely.

He wasn't entirely in control though. "Who else's might it be, by the way?!" M'kel blurted out, spinning to look at her before quickly turning his gaze away. "Not that I care." No, not at all. Why would he care?

Tirenth was utterly absorbed in this conversation, aroused quickly from his drowsy state to send comforting thoughts to his. It was rather confusing to the bronze dragon that his would be so distressed by the thought of siring little ones. After all, M'kel had been infinitely proud of Tirenth when he had caught Aviciath and given her a large Clutch. Hurt and fear, though, those the bronze could understand. Very, he replied shortly to Calith. Already, M'kel's glimmering animosity towards Skye was beginning to rub off on the dragon, and he waited to see what would happen before speaking more.

[Skye]

Skye frowned, though she had expected a much harsher initial reaction. She was thankful that he hadn't choked on the tubers, or spit them on her. She chewed briefly on her bottom lip and her brows furrowed slightly as she watched the emotions playing playing across his face and not really any of them, that is until anger.

How dare he be angry with her! It was as much his fault she was pregnant. Perhaps her wording hadn't been the best, but by the first egg she was nervous! She had never been pregnant before so this was all new to her.

"Who else's might it be, by the way?!"

She stared at him as if he had slapped her when he blurted that question. She could feel tears stinging her eyes which only served to make her angry, which added more to the tears. sadly, when she got angry she cried and that added more to her anger.

She jumped to her feet and put her hands on her hips, staring down at him. "It couldn't be anyone elses but yours M'kel!" she all but screamed at him, clenching her teeth as she felt hot tears slipping down her cheeks.

"Forgive a poor, lowly green rider for a poor choice of words oh mighty bronze rider! Since I came to Araelen I haven't been with any other man then you. Even when Calith had her last flight and she picked another male over your Tirenth, it was still you I turned to. You're the father M'kel!" she screamed that last sentence at the top of her lungs, her pitch high as she struggled to speak past the tears she was fighting against.

She glared at him for a long moment before turning away from him and stalking to the water line. She hugged her arms about herself as she stared at the water lapping at her feet. She wasn't asking the man to be a father to the child, she wasn't even sure she wanted to be a mother. She had only wanted to share this information with him since it involved him and she had come to care for the man.

Saying she loved him would be too far, no she cared a great deal for him but she knew he was far out of her reach in any deeper relationship, not that she wanted a deeper one. She trusted M'kel more then she trusted any other rider and that was saying a lot since a rider had to trust her fellows at all times. She sighed as she glared at the water, going so far as to block her green from her mind.

Calith rumbled in agitation and worry over the whole exchange and roused herself to watch her rider and Tirenth's. She bugled lowly in fear as Skye cut her off completely from her mind. Yours has really upset mine and she will not let me in,[/color] she informed the bronze as she stared at her rider wading knee high into the water.

[M'kel]

Oh, shard it.

As the first tears bloomed in Skye's eyes and began to slide down her cheeks, M'kel knew he'd made a mistake. He was being his typical hotheaded, arrogant self and had pushed her too far. His eyes grew wary as he waited for her response, but he was too stubborn to admit any wrongdoing yet.

BAM!

His head jerked to stare upward as Skye shot to her feet. She towered over him, a flurry of red hair and hard lines, and the fury she unleashed sent the bronzerider rocking backward. A flush rose in M'kel's cheeks at her exclamation, and his brow furrowed in anger, though it was mostly directed at himself. Foolish M'kel! Then the child was his. The young man had grasped all too readily at the chance that he could lay the blame, the responsibility, elsewhere, but that chance had now crumbled into dust. Then came a wash of guilt and surprise, to learn that Skye had been true to him all this time. He had assumed, as he did with all things, that there were no emotions involved in his play, and that no one would be hurt. Obviously, he had been very wrong.


SWISH!


Skye stormed off, hair swinging behind her, and stopped some distance away. M'kel followed her passage with a numbed gaze, still unable to move from his seated position on the blanket. He could see the rigidity in the young woman's form, could feel her anger emanating like the waves bathing her feet. Her arms were crossed firmly across her chest, and the bronzerider suspected it was as much to support herself as an expression of her displeasure. For beneath that bristling exterior, she was hurt and lost and confused. And he was a sharding wherry-brained fool.


SIGH.


The young man shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. He fought to hold back the fear urging him to run and the desire to pretend that none of this was happening or that it didn't involve him.


CLINK.


Woodenly, he set down his plate and glass. Slowly, he climbed to his feet. With achingly hesitant steps, he began to move forward. Each footstep reverberated through his form. It felt like the longest walk he'd ever taken. He needed to reach her and dreaded it all the same. Finally, M'kel's feet came to a halt a few steps back from Skye, his hand raising impeachingly before dropping dismally to his side.

"I'm sorry," he murmured. It seemed like the only appropriate thing to say. He was sorry for getting angry, for accusing her, but most of all, for impregnating her. "I'm sorry I got you into this mess." M'kel's eyes dropped to the sand, watching the water race up to tickle his toes. "I know this must be very hard for you...harder than it is for me." Then, he took a deep breath, his tone growing more business-like. "It's up to you, what you want to do with the child. Keep it or not, I don't mind. Foster it even. This doesn't have to change anything!" The last was said in a more desperate tone. It betrayed his lingering naivete, for he clearly hoped that everything could simply go back to normal. If she ended the pregnancy or fostered the child upon birth, everything could go back to being the same, right?

Tirenth was tense all over, listening to this exchange. Both humans were obviously very upset, and the bronze was growing more agitated by the moment. You are doing well, mine, he assured his rider, trying to add a voice of support. To Calith, the bronze replied firmly, Mine is also upset, but they will work it out together. Yours will open to you again, soon enough. She is not angry at you, that is for certain.