Author's note: Hello Readers!

I'm alive! I haven't abandoned you or Renegade Weyr or Between Two Worlds! I've actually been REALLY busy at work lately and I haven't had much time to write. What little time I do have is spent working on getting my own original story ready for publishing.

Anyways, to get back into the swing of updating, I have decided to share the first part of a short story that takes place in the same universe as Renegade Weyr. It's set a month or two after the most recent chapter, so you may want to read that first if you haven't, but doesn't contain any spoilers for any upcoming chapters (well... maybe one or two strong hints). The next part will be up on Friday, and the last bit on Monday or Tuesday.

Enjoy and Happy Holidays!

~AS

At first N'kar thought she might be a figment of his imagination.

It was turnover time again, and R'nahl had granted his wing leave to visit the mainland and the various festivals being thrown by the holders to celebrate the beginning of the new turn. While others had gone back to Benden to visit loved ones, or to Southern where the weather was much warmer, N'kar had found himself drawn to the icy shores of Tillek instead. It just didn't feel like winter, he told himself, until he had stamped around in the snow.

Just ahead of him, a girl who resembled Kayta walked alone, perusing the gather stalls. He caught glimpses of her through the crowd as she stopped here and there to admire this bit of jewelry or run her fingertips across this bit of fabric. However, it couldn't be her: Kayta wasn't supposed to be outside of the Weyr without a bronzerider as an escort, and, while she might have disobeyed restrictions in the past according to N'bel, she had honored the Benden Weyrleader's request thus far. Besides, her dragon was not reclining on the fireheights with the other dragons.

The girl turned to ask the journeyman at a stall a question, giving N'kar a clear look at her face. He had not been imagining things - it really was Kayta standing there as the snow drifted down around the gather.

He paused to study her, watching as she bartered with the Journeyman over a price and gave him two marks for the item. He was pleased to see that she looked well. She had gained a bit of weight, so her face was no longer as gaunt as it used to be and her clothes no longer hung on her body. The winter wind had turned her cheeks and nose pink with its chill, and the corners of her eyes crinkled just a tad when she smiled at the holders who pause to give her turnover greetings.

For a moment N'kar remembered the first time he saw that smile, during a different gather in the summer when he thought she was just a runner. His heart ached for what might have been.

It still can be, Elanth's voice flooded his rider's thoughts.

True, Queenriders had taken brownriders as lovers before. Maybe he and Kayta could come to an agreement after Lysith flew and the new Weyrleader was decided. However, he had no idea if Kayta felt the same way and, even if she did, how could he trust her again after all the lies she had told?

You think too much. Elanth's mental snort rumbled through his head. She is not like that other one at all.

We should tell R'nahl. N'kar decided to change the subject rather than get into an argument with his dragon over who was better: his ex-weyrmate Llydwen or Kayta. She shouldn't be here by herself. What if Lysith rises?

Then I will catch her.

N'kar chuckled. That will never happen! The dragon was oddly silent and, for a moment, his rider worried that he might have offended the brown. Elanth?

You were going to have me bespeak Xanth? What should I tell him?

Tell him that... He paused, distracted by yet another smile that she gave the journeyman. She seemed so happy and carefree, and he couldn't quite bring himself to ruin it just yet. He knew that the chances for Kayta to relax had been few and far between ever since she had become a Weyrwoman. The riders at the Weyr gossiped about how hard she worked and how often the glows in the records room stayed unshuttered until late into the night. They did not approve of the strain that showed on her face from trying to live up to Benden's standards, or that that R'nahl and Malena shadowed her every move.

Lysith is nearby. She will not let any harm come to her rider. The brown dragon suggested having sensed his rider's softening. We could leave and pretend we never saw her.

Dragons aren't supposed to lie. In fact they were too honest sometimes.

You would be the one doing the lying. I would sit and be silent.

If Kaelith asked, you would have to tell her.

Kaelith is not my queen anymore.

Don't let her hear you say that! Despite himself, and how he knew it would be in her best interests if she had an escort, N'kar found himself turning around in the other direction. If anyone asked him if he knew where she had been, he would just pretend he hadn't seen her. Turnover would be over soon enough, and it would be back to drills and flying thread as soon as the holiday was over. Fine, let her have her day of freedom - we will go somewhere else. There were other things he could do instead... things far away from here and far away from any trouble the renegade weyrwoman could get him into. He really should visit his family and make sure their hold was still faring well now that their trade agreement with the Island Weyr had never come through. Plus there was the issue of his son to address: as much as Nelladwyn would like to stay at Benden, it really wasn't fair of him to ask them to continue to foster the boy now that he settled on the Island. Plus, they would need candidates for whenever Lysith or Kaelith finally flew and clutched and Nelladwyn was old enough to stand. Yes, there was much for him to do today.

"N'kar?" Kayta called out and he groaned; so much for his idea of avoiding trouble.