Naera sat on T're bed, in his weyr, and twisted her hair. She looked across the room into the eyes of T're's brown dragon, Amontilath. She wondered when T're got back and heard her story, if he would subject her to the Weyr Council, for judgment, or if he, like H'kat, would try to take advantage of her. Sighing, Naera leaned back against T're's bed furs, and against her will, fell asleep, probably for the first time since the incident with H'kat.

T're walked back into his weyr, with a pot of klah and two mugs. He looked over at his bed where Naera was sitting, and saw her laying down, snuggled into his pillows, and sleeping peacefully. He smiled, and set down the klah pot and the mugs. He walked over to the bed, and covered her with the blankets softly, doing his best not to wake her. He then sat down in a chair. Pouring himself a cup of Klah, T're sat and watched Naera sleep, wondering to himself how many nights of sleep Naera had gotten in the few sevendays since her encounter with H'kat. T're watched Naera sleep, and thought about their childhood. How she'd always loved to dance, how because she was just the perfect height everyone wanted to dance with her, or maybe that was because she was so beautiful. He remembered how she always loved to help when someone was hurt, to help them feel better. He looked at her hair, her long, brown hair, and thought of how beautiful she was, and how her eyes always used to sparkle. He smiled, watching her.

T're didn't know how long he sat watching Naera that night, all he knew was that he wanted to keep her safe and happy.

Naera woke up slowly, warily, wondering how long she had been asleep. The sun shone into the windows, coming to rest on the doorway to Amontilath's couch, an on T're, head resting on his arms, empty klah mug still clutched in his fingers. She sat up slowly, looking around. Just then, a voice arose in her mind, unexpectedly, and it made her jump.

Don't worry, Naera, this tiny room is a sanctuary, there are no niches for bad people to hide in.

Naera looked over her shoulder at the brown dragon, who was looking over at her with calmly whirling eyes, wondering how he knew what she was thinking. Naera pushed back the blankets that covered her, wondering when she'd been covered up. She stepped out, two steps away from the bed, and saw herself in the full-length mirror that hung on the wall in the bathing chamber. Her long hair hung limply in her face--it hadn't been washed at least a sevenday. The dress she'd been wearing fell in torn, limp folds around her. Her eyes looked tired, dark circles pronounced underneath them. Looking further, she saw the pain in her own eyes, and it shocked her. Turning quickly away from the mirror, Naera saw T're's packs. She walked over, and the first things she found were a clean, folded pair of pants and a small tunic. She took them, thinking that they would do for now, and hoping that he wouldn't be angry with her. Naera walked into the bathing chamber, and saw T're's bag of sweetsand and the bath that was automatically full of fresh hot water. She looked out at T're, who was still sleeping, and slipped her dress over her head. Pulling out a small handful of sweetsand, she soaked her dirty, torn dress in the bath, watching the dirty soak out of it. She scrubbed at the dress with the sweetsand, and then let it rinse, watching as the suds dissipated to reveal her dress, almost its usual slate blue color. Naera looked around for somewhere to put her dress, and spotted a clothesline in the corner nearest her. She pulled her dress out of the bath, wrung it out, and hung it over the makeshift clothesline. She watched the dirty water get swept away as that bath refreshed, and slipped her shift over her head before stepping into the steaming bath water. Reaching out into the back of sweetsand, Naera scrubbed her hair watching the dirt soak out, thinking of how long it had been since she had washed her hair, and felt so..safe.. while doing it. Naera scrubbed until she saw that she was as clean as she ought to be. As the water recycled, Naera heard a woman's voice. Why was there a woman here? Did T're have a weyrmate? And she spent all night in his bed unaware that she was intruding on someone else’s space? Naera impulsively crossed her arms, slid down in the bath, and looked out at the woman walking in. She decided to keep quiet and keep still, so she wouldn't know that someone was there. When the woman went into T're's weyr, she sighed, and got out of the bath. She quickly and quietly dried off and got dressed, intending to make her way out silently somehow. Just as she finished cuffing up the sleeves of the tunic, she head a soft question from behind her. She hadn't even heard talk or movement from the other room.. how could.. "Naera?" she whirled around, ready to face anything. Unfortunately, she slipped on the wet tile, almost falling, but she caught herself before she hit the floor. "I.. I'm sorry..I.. I just.." she didn't know how to apologize first for falling asleep, and second to apologize for and justify using his things. She looked down at the floor, not wanting to meet his eyes. T're said, "Naera. Please don't try to apologize. I am just happy that you felt comfortable enough with me to fall asleep, and comfortable enough to use my things. I have no problem with it, so long as you are happy." He smiled shyly, and continued. "Meriasa, the woman I'm sure you saw coming through the bathing area, is the woman who has the weyr next-door. She saw you, but decided not to say anything, and she came to find me so she could tease me for not warning her that I had company." He grinned and took her hands "I don't think she would have believed our story had I been awake to tell it.” He seemed to get serious, but the glint in his eyes betrayed his amusement. "Naera, Last night I asked you to trust me. Will you trust me enough now to let me choose a dress for you? She told Keysirth, her brown, who told Amontilath to tell me that my 'companion' was welcome to one of her dresses." he smiled again, and Naera laughed at the childish look in his eyes. She couldn't help but respond in kind "Blue?" she asked in a very childish voice. T're smiled and grabbed her hand, dragging her with him through the bathing chamber into Meriasa's weyr. He opened her closet, which was in mirror position to his, where he knew her dresses were, and searched through them. He pulled out a navy blue dress, saying, How about this one 'Ra?" instinctively using his childhood nickname for her. Naera's eyes widened, and she wrapped her arms around T're, hugging him tightly, her eyes misting up. "Oh Tahre, I've missed you so.. I just couldn't be myself without you." T're blushed, and as she pulled away, he said "Can I help you put it on?" Naera nodded, wiping the tears from her cheeks. T're helped her slip into the dress, turning away at the awkward moments.

When Naera was completely laced into the dress, T're picked her up and twirled her around. "You look ready to dance again, 'Ra." he said. She grinned. T're liked the grin, but he still saw the sharp strike of pain in her eyes. He led her back through the bathing room to his bed, where he sat her down and said "Naera, I know only the bones of what happened with you and H'kat. As your friend.. will you tell me what happened?" Naera nodded slowly, and sighed. She leaned back into T're, tears staining her cheeks. As she looked up into T're's eyes, she began her story...

"I had just finished helping Master Draea with the cross-craft first aid class with the vintners, and I was walking back to my room when H'kat came up to me, the third time that day, and put his arms around me. Just as i turned to yell at him, Weyrleader N'kan came out of his office and yelled at H'kat that he was late to the wingleader/wingsecond meeting. As H'kat went off, grumbling, I ran to my room and plopped down on my cot, writing furiously in my journal. I knew I wasn't going to get it finished before Master Draea wanted to see it. About two candlemarks passed, and I was still writing. Master Draea's brown firelizard came in from between and chirruped at me, and I knew I was late. I grabbed the cultures I was working on, and stepped out the door. The moment I stepped out the door, H'kat came around the corner. Seeing me, he smiled, and pushed me back into the room. I dropped my cultures, and they fell on the floor and broke. If they hadn't broken, they'd have been contaminated. I lost at least a turn of work, and I was supposed to be done with the project that day.”

Naera paused, and T're reached down to brush a lock of hair that had fallen out of Naera's face. "What happened after that?" he asked, wanting to keep her on track. Naera bit back a sob, salt-tears streaming down her cheeks, but nevertheless, she continued.

"He.. he pushed me backward onto my cot.. he tore my notebook out of my hands and threw it aside. He didn't say a word, he just had a snarl on his face. He.. he started to..”

She started to cry, and T're pulled her close to him, holding her close. "Go on Naera, it's going to be alright" Naera nodded, and tried to calm down, continuing, her words parted by sobs now and then;

"He started doing things to me. I kept screaming for him to stop, but he slapped me and shoved a piece of cloth in my mouth. When.. when I realized what he was doing to me, I was so afraid and angry, I.. I.. reached down and pulled out a knife. I.. on impulse.. I.. I stabbed him through the chest. I.. I watched his eyes bulge out, and he fell over onto the floor. The dragons made this weird keening sound.. I was so scared... Blood was everywhere, all over my cot, all over me, my furs, the floor, my notebook was ruined. I was so afraid... I ran to the baths, and I just jumped directly into the bath, I didn't even bother to take what was left of my clothes off. I.. watched the blood soak out of my clothes into the water. I don't know how long I sat there in that water but all of a sudden, I heard a woman scream, and then I heard a soft thump. I knew it was master Draea. I knew she'd seen what I'd done, and she'd fainted. All of a sudden, I heard a woman's voice beside my head. 'I know what you did. And the dragons know. You should put some clothes on, girl, they'll be coming for you.” She said. Then she put a dress beside the bath I was in, and she ran out, screaming "I found the girl!" I was so afraid! I got out of the bath, dried off, and put on the dress the woman left me. I was so afraid it was marked somehow, but it was just a plain red dress. I stepped out of the bathing chamber, and two riders were running angrily down the hall at me. I was so afraid, I just stood there When they realized I wasn't fighting, they were even meaner. They dragged me down the hallway, and threw me into the Weyrleader’s office. When Weyrleader N'kan looked at me and asked what happened, I froze.. I couldn't talk. I was just so afraid of what would happen..”

She started to cry, and T're held her close. He wasn't sure how long he held her, but eventually her sobs subsided. He looked down at her, and realized that she had fallen asleep. He held her tight, and as he moved to lay her on the bed, she clutched tight to him. T're began to feel needed, as though he was her anchor, her reason to still be. While holding onto her, and watching her sleep, T're himself fell asleep, just as the sun was reaching zenith.

T're woke up and looked around. Where was Naera? He stood up quickly, looking around. he was worried about her, worried she'd left and fallen form the weyr ledge, worried she'd realized how close they'd been, realized something an left, maybe into the hands of one of H'kat's sympathizers, who wouldn't spare her life. He stood up, and just as he was about to run around with a wherry with it's head cut off, he heard women talking and laughing in the bathing chambers. He smoothed out his tunic, and cleared his throat as he entered the doorway to the bathing room. He entered the room and saw Naera sitting in a chair, and Meriasa braiding her hair. He smiled and said softly "It's nice to hear your laugh again, Naera." Naera smiled, but did not say anything. Meriasa said, "You should get yourself cleaned up. You and Naera have a meeting with Weyrleader N'kan in two candlemarks.” “ What?!" T're was shocked. What did he need to speak to Weyrleader N'kan about? "All I want is to be there to support Naera." he said, unaware it was aloud. Meriasa said, "That's why you're going T're. So that Naera feels safe telling her story. Right Naera?" Naera nodded, and T're said, a little bit confused, "I'll.. go get changed then." He walked back to his things and pulled out a pair of black pants, a light blue tunic, and his wherhide jacket. He pulled on his boots and laced them up. Combing his hair he walked back over to where Naera and Meriasa were, and he saw them looking at Naera's pale blue dress in the mirror. Meriasa smiled at T're and pushed Naera at him. "Look at you two, you even match!" She laughs as Naera runs into T're who instinctively put his arms around her. "Hurry up you two, or you'll be late."

"...And then I woke up about four candlemarks ago." Naera finished telling Weyrleader N'kan her story. T're stood behind her, arms protectively about Naera's waist. Weyrleader N'kan nodded, and looked at the harper sitting in the corner, and nodded. The man brought the papers to Naera to sign. Naera looked worriedly at T're. T're needed to her, and she took the inkstick and signed her name in a flourish of letters. then the harper turned to T're and said, "Will you witness this testimony?" T're was surprised that the harper was asking him and not the Weyrleader, but, to keep that worried look off of Naera's face, he tool the inkstick and signed his name on the line below Naera's. The harper handed the papers to Weyrleader N'kan and said, "T're.. aren't you the boy who's the Master Vintner and a dragonrider?" T're said "If I am, I'll talk about it some other time." The harper looked confused, and taking advantage of the opportunity, T're led Naera out into the bowl, just as Amontilath backwinged to land. T're said. "Naera, I want to take you for a ride on Amontilath." He had remembered during her speech to Weyrleader N'kan, amidst the feeling of guilt at being inattentive to her, that her lifelong dream had been to ride a dragon. As Naera's eyes got wide, T're smiled and mounted Amontilath as the dragon put out his foreleg. T're reached down and took Naera by the waist, and swung her up in front of him on the brown dragon. He put his arms around Naera's waist and held her tightly. When Amontilath took off, Naera held tightly to his hands, and turned around. "Is it safe? He won't drop me?" she asked T're, though the fear in her eyes could not mask her happiness. T're smiled and used the opportunity to hold her tighter. "Amontilath won't drop you. And I won't let go."

As they settled back down in the bowl, the sun was setting. T're looked down from Amontilath, and saw a rider he recognized running up. "T're!" he called. T're looked at him and said "Hey J'rin, I'll talk to you in a little while, but I'm a bit.. busy.. right now." J'rin nodded and helped Naera down, smiling at her, a smirk on his face. T're jumped down, and Amitath, J'rin's blue dragon bugled from the sunning ledge, and backwinged down to the bowl. When Amitath put his nose right next to Naera's face, she squeaked and said "That tickles!" J'rin laughed. "Amitath says he's found his girl. He's been looking for you all afternoon, child." T're and Naera were both shocked to their cores. "A Candidate?! Me?! But... what about.. what happened?" Naera sputtered. J'rin shook his head "I know about what happened, and so long as you agree to come stand, they'll annul any punishment that might result." Naera blinked again, and she shivered. T're took off hi wherhide jacket, and slipped her arms through it. he put his arm on her shoulder, and she said "You're going to come with me, aren't you T're?" T're shook his head. "I can't Naera.. I would, but I have to stay here." He sighed and held Naera's hands tight. J'rin said "I hate to break up you goodbye, you two, but we need to leave. I promised to be back by sunset, and I'm not going to time it. I'm late as it is." T're nodded and J'rin mounted Amitath and said "Hand her up to me will you, T're?" T're nodded and looks into Naera's eyes. "I'll be at the hatching, Naera. Good luck." and without further adieu, he swung Naera up into J'rin's capable hands. "I'll take care of her, T're" J'rin said. Naera looked at him and gasped. "Your jacket!" T're shook his head and said "You keep it." he turned away as they disappeared between, and thought to himself, 'Amitath's never wrong.'

A sevenday later…

Naera sat on her cot in the candidates barracks at Ryslen Weyr. She had just finished all of her chores, and finally had time to think. She stood and slipped T're's black wherhide jacket over her shoulders, and walked out into the chill night air. She looked up at the stars in the night sky as she walked out to her usual rock by the lake, and as she sat down on it she swung her feet over the edge and let them drag in the water. "I miss T're.." she said softly, into the night air, one hand running absently over the jacket.