RCW: Confronting (1/2)

Posted on Fri Jan 2nd, 2026 @ 1:42pm by Sr Journeyman Halia & Brown Rider S'lei

Mission: 3531 AL
Location: RCW
Timeline: M3 D30

Halia had to admit she had been using her early morning harper lessons with the younger children as an excuse to avoid going back to the weyr In the day for a few days as she still wanted to wrap her head around her pregnancy. But the Queen riders appearing in her classroom had thrown her into turmoil when they found her with no lesson which would be feedback to her brown rider mate innocently enough that Jena had seen her but still it would cause trouble. She sighed, rubbing her eyes as she looked at the paper she was trying to fill in to plan for her next class.

S'lei had just finished drills and had decided to stop by and see Halia before heading back to the weyr. He stopped by her classroom and peeked inside, not wanting to disturb her if she had lessons. They had been missing each other a lot lately.

“No classes until this afternoon.” She called out softly as she heard the rustle of the curtain against her thoughts. She looked up and realised it was S’lei. “Oh… hi?” She said rising from the desk and her annoyance at trying to work out her plan for the next class.

“Ah…” he started before she realized it was him. “Hi. Just thought I'd stop by after drills and say hi. Seems like we've both been pretty busy lately.” At least he hoped it was just that and Halia wasn't wanting to keep away from him.

Halia bit her lip and nodded. “We have.” She agreed eagerly, feeling her palms getting sweaty as she tried to think of things to say. She was getting to bed after he was asleep and not getting up until after he was gone on drills. They had not had a rest day together in over 2 sevendays.

“Are you doing okay?” He asked, not understanding why they kept missing each other. It didn't make sense but he wasn't sure if he wanted to dig into that.

“I am doing okay. Are you?” She wondered quietly seeing the confusion written on his face. He was suspicious of her behaviour which was understandable and she could not blame him but she did not want to talk about it all even if her body was changing in front of her eyes.

S'lei slowly nodded. “I'm okay,” he answered. “But…” he trailed off. She apparently didn't want to talk. He wasn't sure how to approach the subject without upsetting her. Why was this so hard?

Halia looked at him and sighed gently. “But what S’lei?” She finally said quietly looking at the stone floor as she tried to avoid it but it was impossible it seemed.

He still hesitated not wanting to upset her. “Please don't get mad. I just wanted to make sure you and the baby are okay. I'm not trying to push one way or the other but I feel like we just keep avoiding each other.” He didn't know what else to say or do.

His words were like the snow of the north down her back, and she shook her head. “I was not planning to get mad. I am sorry if I have seemed that way.” She finally said, trying to wade through the tension in the room. He was trying to be kind, trying to manage things the best he could. “I… we are okay.” She said gently. “And… You haven’t been avoiding. I have,” She revealed sitting on one of the desks.

He shook his head a bit. “It's okay. I know things have been a bit off for us recently.” he hated it but he understood too. He had had a very messy time with his former mate and baby. “As long as you are okay. If you don't want to talk we don't have to.”

“They have. And I am sorry it’s not as simple as it could be.” She sighed softly. “I just did not want to keep talking about things. I still do not want to.” Halia admitted wishing it was simple as it seemed for everyone else.

S'lei held up his hands in surrender. “Alright, I get it. We don't have to talk about it. As long as you are doing alright.” this wasn't a subject he could really push and it was ultimately her choice. He just felt at a loss.

“Thank you for respecting my choices S’lei. Makes me love you even more when I have not always had that option. I know I am on a time limit that is getting shorter and dangerous but I am okay. Are you okay? You look tired?” She murmured quietly wishing she could wrap him up in her arms like normal and just tel him things would be okay but she was not sure they would be right now.

“Of course. I love you and I want you to be happy.” He knew she would make the choice when she was ready. This wasn't something they could make a rush decision on. “I am. I've just been busy so I am a bit tired.”

Halia wrapped her arms around herself and nodded. He was so sharding perfect if only she could forget what she knew about his past. “Why don’t you go and take Redeirith and have a nap in the sun or something. You always feel better after that.” She said knowing he always enjoyed that.

S'lei hated this. He didn't know how to make things better or even just tolerable right now. He wanted to see Halia smiling again but he feared he wouldn't for a while. “Would you like to join me?” They hadn't spent time together in ages.

“Um…” She paused, glancing back at the clock on the wall and as long as it had been wound up correctly she had several candlemarks until her late afternoon glance with candidates. “I guess I could do with some sun.” She admitted not having remembered going out in the sun properly for a few days.

A true smile touched his lips. They hadn't done anything like this in a long time. “Great. And you know we'll get you back at whatever time you need.” He would take whatever time he could get right now.

“I have to be back for the 16th candlemark.” She said moving to her desk to gather up things and to organise stuff. “Where would you like to go?” She wondered making awkward conversations to fill the void between them.

He nodded. “I'll make sure you’re back by then.” S'lei considered it for a minute. “We could go out to the island. I know it's pretty there and the beaches are great. Red loves the water there too.”“

“Been a long time since we have been there.” They had gone there a lot last turn to try and sort out things after Luna’s had appeared and dumped a lot of drama on their laps.”Why don’t you go grab some towels and I’ll grab some juice and fruit.” She offered heading towards him.

“It has been,” he agreed. Hopefully this would be a nice treat though. “Sounds like a good plan. I'll get the towels and meet you at our weyr?” He asked.

“Yeah. Give me like ten minutes or so to finish here and get some stuff.” She nodded, smiling at the way he said our Weyr pointedly. He was not going to let her go right then and there.

He nodded. “Sounds good. Then I shall see you soon,” he smiled, stepping over to kiss her cheek quickly before heading to collect towels.

Halia touched her cheek, surprised at the kiss and smiled a little before she set about getting the juice and fruit. She soon stepped into the weyr and smiled a little at the man having changed. “I better change into something better too then.” She said thinking she had a swimming costume and long thin dress that would help.

He turned as she entered their weyr and grinned. “Might want to. If I know Red somehow he will make sure he gets us wet,” he chuckled. The brown dragon loved playing in the water. “I'll make sure we're back with time for you to prepare for your lessons.”

The woman wet the items down near the towels and quickly set about changing into the swimming costume. She paused as she passed the mirror and noticed how her normal thin frame had filled out a little around her hips, stomachs and breasts. It was surprising how being 10 sevendays or so pregnant could change your body. She shook her head and grabbed up the dress from the chest coming out into the main area. “As long as I have time to be clean again I will be happy. No one wants to smell of seaweed.” She commented.

S'lei stepped out to get Redeirith's straps on so he could start packing their things. He poked his head back into the weyr when he heard Halia. “I'll definitely have you back in time for that. We don't want the children to see you smelling like seaweed.”

“Thank you.” She said, shimmering the dress over her as she grabbed up the satchel with everything and joined him. “Let’s go before I change my mind.” She grabbed up her jacket wrapping it around her shoulders.