RCW: Consequences Of The Queen Flight

Posted on Sun Jul 13th, 2025 @ 10:15pm by Sr Journeyman Halia & Brown Rider S'lei

Mission: 3531 AL
Location: RCW
Timeline: M3 D07

Halia was exhausted as she finally climbed down from the stage and sat down in the nearest chair. How was it possible to feel this tired after napping all afternoon? She smiled as a Harper apprentice sat down next to her and nudged her a little and offered some klah not having seen her look so tired before. “Are you going to be okay to go on again in a bit?” The young girl wondered. This was the first time she was aloud up late to help the harper but she was not sure what else to do when one of them looked like they were going to fall asleep sat there.

S'lei had been listening to the music. He loved listening to his mate play. But he didn't like the look he saw on her face. She looked a little pale and exhausted. The brown rider made his way through the crowd and knelt by Halia. “Hal?” He asked softly.

Halia turned to look at the brown rider and smiled. “Hello brown rider,” She smiled at him kneeling by her. “I’m okay. Just tired,” she assured, looking at him then at the apprentice. “Go and help on stage.” She advised as the music started up again.

S'lei nodded to the apprentice. He frowned slightly. “I've never seen you so tired before. Are you sure you're feeling alright?” He asked gently. He was worried about the paleness of her skin.

The woman started to answer but a huge yawn escaped her, nearly making her drop the guitar spread over her lap. She grabbed it close and nodded. “I just feel tired and heavy.” She sighed softly. She was starting to wish she was in bed but she had pretty much napped the whole afternoon.

He frowned a bit. He had never seen Halia like that before. “You sure it's just tired? I've never seen you this exhausted before,” he said gently. S'lei was worried about her.

“What else could it be?” Halia wondered caressing his cheek as he still knelt there. She smiled as I’han appeared when he had not returned.

“What's going on?” He asked, taking in her pale appearance and look of exhaustion.

S'lei shook his head. He wished he knew. He looked over as I'han joined them. “Hey I'han. Just trying to figure out why Hal seems so tired recently,” he said. It wasn't like it was a secret or they could hide it from I'han anyhow.ow.

The bronze rider leant over and touched her forehead. “No fever.”

“I am just tired,” Halia commented. “Maybe I have just been burning myself at both ends. We’ve had a visiting master and things.” She said shrugging. She was not about to admit she just dragging and sluggish from the moment she got up to the time she went to sleep.

“What do you think, I'han? It seems like she has been like this for a while now. At least since the Gather when she wasn't feeling well.” S'lei hated to think of anything being wrong.

I’han raised an eyebrow at the added sickness but said nothing on what his suspicions were. “Could be anything. Those symptoms are so broad. Have you been to infirmary?” I’han wondered to Halia as she looked up at the man.

“No.” She said, rolling her eyes a little at the worried looks on both their faces.

S'lei narrowed his eyes. “Really Hal?” He asked gently. “I think we should maybe pay them a visit sooner rather then later.”

The woman sighed a little. “I did not think I was that bad.” She said seeing him narrowing his eyes.

“I think you should go there or the dolphins.” I’han said quietly before he decided to leave them to it with his parting shot.

“I know you didn't sweetheart,” S’lei answered. He knew she would have gone otherwise. The brown rider froze as I'han's words sank in a couple minutes later. “Did he say dolphins?”

Halia watched the man leave oblivious to what he had said as her eyes kept darting around checking out what her colleagues were doing. “Hmm?” She asked as the man suddenly spokesob.

The brown rider shook his head. Of course Halia hadn't been listening. “I wondered if you heard I'han mention Dolphins or if I was just imagining things.”

Halia looked at him and then glanced around for I’han who stood on the other side of the stage waiting for them to realise and raised his mug in a mock salute. He might be the only one grinning in the situation as Halia paled more if possible. “No no no…” She whispered.

S'lei frowned in worry as Halia paled even more. “Hal? Are you okay? He asked worriedly. He reached up to run a hand through her hair. “Talk to me.”

“I cannot be that. I cannot be pregnant.” She whispered wincing as the music got more dramatic in a crescendo before lowering again. “I have been taking precautions, I… I.” She shook her head, her chest feeling tight at the thought of it all after what had nearly torn them apart when Luna had returned with his daughter.

He cursed under his breath. This wasn't good. He could tell she didn't want this baby if it was true. Had he really messed up that bad when Luna had shown up? “Is that a bad thing? You know…” he trailed off. There was always a way to fix it but did she really want that?

He hadn't wanted a baby because he had a child before and they had been taken from him before he had changed his mind after all the drama but she had carried on taking precautions despite it out of fear. “But after Luna…” she breathed out.

S'lei blew out a breath. “That woman is still ruining my life,” he sighed. Why had he let himself get caught up with her? “Hal, you're not her, which I am grateful for. I want you to be happy.”

Halia scrubbed her face trying to get rid of the itchy feeling that was being created by wanting to cry. She hated how this was so difficult for her to not worry about. “I just do not know what I want to do.” She whispered. “I do not know what will back me happy.”

He nodded slowly. “I get it. Why don't we either go see the healers or Dolphins to make sure then we can talk through everything,” he suggested. he didn't want her rushing into anything.

“In the morning.” She begged. She needed to think about it all without all the people around her shoot her looks. She stood up and walked over to the Master standing checking out equipment behind the stage. He looked at her concerned as she said she needed to leave as she felt unwell.

“In the morning,” S'lei agreed. He could see the confusion and uncertainty written on her face. This was going to be a lot to take in. He watched as she walked up to the Master Harper.

The Master Harper could not deny how ill she looked. He had thought it before she had gone on for the first time that she had sounded off but he did not want to judge. “Take it steady Halia and go see a healer if you do not feel better in the morning.” He told her firmly, glancing at the brown rider who looked worried. Halia nodded and walked back over.

“I just need a lie down.” She murmured quietly to S’lei.

S'lei wanted to argue but he knew better. He just nodded and held his arm toward her. Laying own at least sounded like a good option til morning when they could see the healer. er.

The woman took the arm and held him tightly. She offered him a grateful smile as he led the way back to their weyr. She breathed a sigh of relief as they stepped in without her falling over. “Relieved to be home.” She sighed moving to sit on the edge of the sofa.

S'lei hated how unsteady she felt. If she wasn't pregnant then she certainly had some sort of sickness. “Can I get you anything?” He offered after he made sure she was settled on the couch.

“No, I am good.” She assured as she tugged a fur over herself and opened the side up for him to come and snuggle up to her too. She did not want him to be worrying when they can tackle it together. “Just for a moment and then you can go off and do whatever it is you do whilst I sing on an evening.”

The brown rider gave her a gentle smile as he snuggled up beside her. “Honestly a lot of times I listen to you,” he answered. “As long as I don't have night watch or anything like that.”

Halia looked at him and smiled. She had not known that and it made her heart skip a beat despite her exhaustion. She snuggled against his shoulder and sighed. “Sometimes I get caught up and do not see the crowd.” She admitted closing her eyes just to listen to his soft sounds and the sounds of the dragon out on his couch.

S'lei liked listening to Halia play. It always amazed him when she played. He kissed her hair as she snuggled against him. “That's okay. I don't expect you to look for me all the time. but I do enjoy listening to you play.”

“But now I know you are there I will find you.” She whispered still with her eyes closed. She let the silence reign for a long time just wanting to savour the man being close and the life that they had built together. “S’lei… I am sorry I am reacted so badly in the cavern.” She whispered feeling like the shock that she had experienced was leaving.

He smiled. He would like that. S'lei gently rubbed her arm, glad she was starting to calm down a bit. Her shock had really worried him. “It's okay,” he soothed. “I know it was a shock and you didn't really mean everything you said. It's a lot to take in.”

“But I did mean it.” She admitted softly trying to find better words that were a lot kinder. She loved this man to the ends of PERN and back and did not want to ruin their relationship. “We spoke about it last turn but I kept taking precautions because I did not want us to fall apart again with any hint of the problem that you have had in previous relationships even if you said you wanted children with me.”

S'lei listened quietly to his mate. They had been through a lot. Luna had nearly ruined them. “I understand,” he said gently. “That was a mess we went through.” It was something he wished had never happened. “That was a bad relationship from the start. We were not. I knew when I met you it was different. And a good different,” he said.

The woman smiled a little. She was certainly not Luna, she was a fully grown woman who faced her problems without running away. “I am very much not her. I have never once scratched your face up.” Now his back in moments of passion was another matter but never in front of the dining cavern accusing people of things. “But we are not like that.” She agreed him.

S'lei groaned. “Yeah biggest mistake of my life,” he agreed. He hadn't realized how crazy Luna was until it was too late. “And I appreciate that you haven't done that,” he smiled, kissing her forehead. “This is what it should be like.”

“Course it is. I might not have had sex or relationships before I came to the Weyr but I k ow what relationships should be like. My parents for all their faults did instill what relationships should be like.” She admitted still looking up at him. “I only scratch up places that only I get to see most of the time and for some very good reasons.” She flirted a little before blushing looking away. “This is what it should be like in a loving and safe relationship.”

The brown rider smiled. Halia knew just what to say and when. “Oh yes, think I still have some scars,” he teased. “but no complaints.” S’lei nodded. “Grew up as a weyrbrat so didn't have a great example.”

“Better not cause only yourself to blame. You taught me.” She laughed a little and lay her head on his shoulder just breathing in his familiarness. “Your examples could not be that bad?” She wondered quietly trying to work out what was wrong with his example.

He laughed softly. “And you were a fast learner,” he grinned, running his fingers down her arm. “Honestly, I never knew my mother, just the crèche workers who were good. My father was a monster. Basically sold my baby sister to a cruel Lord Holder when she was of age.” He hated his father and did everything to be different from him.

The harper shivered at his touch on her arm and smiled. “I am still surprised that a rider did that.” She could not imagine any rider doing that in this Weyr but she knew that at points other places had reputations around how they treated women. It was why she had come to the Weyr in the first place. Her and Tanly were so alike sometimes in their pasts.

He smiled and leaned down to kiss her gently. “If you knew my father it wouldn't surprise you,” he answered. How the man had become a rider was beyond him. “I'm just glad Tan found a nice guy who loves her and treats her right.”“

“I think that bronze rider would rather chop off his arm than do that.” She assured quietly against his lips as he pulled back from the gentle kiss. “You all have found people who love you and treat you right.” She commented thoughtfully. K’vin was quiet and barely spoke but him and Jena looked happy.

The brown rider chuckled a bit, looking into her eyes as she pulled back. “I totally agree. We all managed to be very fortunate,” he agreed. He knew Tanly was happy and he was pretty sure his brother was.

“And we can be no matter what tomorrow brings.” Halia was sure of that. Or at least she hoped that discussing things tonight would lessen the shock of tomorrow.

S'lei smiled and snuggled close to her. “We'll get through anything together,” he promised. He was not losing Halia.