This one is very bittersweet. As always, I don't own any rights to the Dragonriders of Pern series. Enjoy!
Robinton awoke as soon as he heard Menolly's cries. He was a naturally heavy sleeper and normally most sounds in the night wouldn't wake him. But Menolly was different. He wasn't sure how or why but any time Menolly cried out, no matter how deep in sleep he may be, he would always hear her. When she had first arrived at Harper Hall, Robinton had noticed she didn't seem to be sleeping well, but he had simply put it down to everything she had been through in the recent months past. But one night he had been awake and writing music long into the early hours of the morning. He had been sat at his writing desk and just happened to glance out of the window. That's when he saw her- Menolly walking slowly across the courtyard. Still in her nightgown and with only a thin pair of slippers on her feet, Robinton watched with a frown as she walked below him. Concerned for her, he placed down his sheets of parchment, pulled on a pair of shoes, and hurried outside.
The cold night air sent a shiver up his spine, making him pick up his pace a little. As he neared her, Menolly lifted her head and smiled nervously at him once she noticed his presence.
"Are you quite alright, Menolly?" Robinton asked as he stopped by her side.
"I'm fine thank you, Master Robinton," Menolly nodded awkwardly. But Robinton knew that despite all her strength, Menolly could not hide her fears forever.
"We'll catch our deaths out here in this cold. Come, join me inside for some tea," Robinton spoke kindly before turning and walking back towards his chambers, giving Menolly little choice but to follow him. Despite herself, Menolly let out a sigh of relief as she entered the room after Robinton and felt the warmth of the fire encase her freezing body.
"Well, don't just stand in the doorway. Come over to the fire, dear," Robinton smiled and Menolly found herself obeying. Her legs carried her towards the warmth as Robinton handed her a steaming cup. She accepted it with a smile but her body remained tense; she was not used to being so close to the Master Harper. Although, despite the vast rank difference between them, Menolly couldn't help but feel more secure in his presence.
"So, tell me what's been troubling you," Robinton suddenly asked and Menolly almost dropped her cup in surprise.
"Troubling me, Master?" Menolly asked, although she couldn't quite keep her voice steady. Robinton smiled softly at her and sat down in one of the armchairs in front of the fire. Taking his lead, Menolly did the same and sat down beside him in the other chair. A moment of peaceful silence passed between them and little by little, Menolly began to feel more comfortable. Robinton did not push her further for answers but eventually, once her cup was empty, Menolly felt able to speak up.
"Living here, being around so many new people, it's all very different to anything I experienced with my mother and father," Menolly said quietly.
"Yes, this place can be very overwhelming at first. But believe me, you will adjust with time," Robinton told her, reaching out his hand and placing it on top of hers. To his surprise, she didn't try to pull her hand away from his.
"But even with everything that has happened, I still can't escape what I went through at Half-Circle Sea Hold," Menolly turned her head away from Robinton.
"What do you mean?" Robinton asked cautiously, sensing this was a delicate subject. He squeezed her hand as a sign of reassurance and, even though he could not see her face, Menolly smiled slightly at the gesture.
"I still look at the scars sometimes; I'll just catch sight of one while bathing or dressing and I'll remember it all over again. I remember my parents chastising me for wanting to be a harper, for even liking music at all. Then I remember my father removing his belt and-" Menolly tried to stifle a sob as memories of the pain came flooding back to her. Robinton slowly reached out his free hand, placed his fingers under Menolly's chin, and gently turned her to face him.
"You need never worry about your father, or anyone, hurting you here," he quietly reassured her.
"My nightmares would disagree with you," Menolly sighed, a tear rolling down her cheek. Robinton brushed it away with his thumb and moved his hand to cup her cheek.
"Those are just dreams, they cannot truly harm you. I promise you that you will always be safe at Harper Hall," Robinton spoke softly, not looking away from Menolly's eyes. The two of them stayed there for a moment, the space between them neither decreasing nor increasing. A sudden knock on the door broke the moment and Robinton quickly pulled his hands away from Menolly. Although, his chest constricted slightly when Menolly's hand tried to follow his.
"Come in," Robinton called and the door swung open.
"Master, I was just wondering if you were okay. The hour is late and I saw that your room was still lit," the man in the doorway spoke with genuine concern in his voice.
"We're quite alright, thank you," Robinton smiled. The man glanced at Menolly but said nothing. He then bowed and quickly left.
"Sorry about that," Robinton turned back to Menolly. A more genuine smile graced Menolly lips but both of them knew that whatever moment they had just shared had now since passed.
"I really should be going," Menolly sighed, glancing towards the door as she stood.
"Yes, I suppose you should," Robinton said with a hint of something Menolly almost thought was sadness in his voice. He stood up beside her and walked with her towards the door. She hovered in the doorway; almost leaving, but not quite.
"Thank you for everything," she smiled at her mentor with the warmth of candlelight in her eyes. Robinton's heart felt something it had not felt in a long time, not since Kasia had looked at him in exactly the same way. But before he could say anything, Menolly pushed herself up onto her toes and gently kissed his cheek.
"Goodnight," she whispered against his ear.
"Goodnight, my dear," Robinton smiled as she turned and walked out of the door.
As soon as he woke, Robinton instantly climbed out of bed, ignoring the stiffness in his legs as he did so. Despite the darkness surrounding him, his body carried him easily out of his bedroom and along the corridor. Automatically, he stopped and opened the door to his left.
"Robinton?" a voice called out from inside the room.
"It's okay Menolly, I'm here," Robinton spoke softly, stepping into the room and closing the door behind him.
"It seemed so real," Menolly whispered as Robinton walked over and sat beside her on her bed. Instantly, she curled her body into his side and Robinton wrapped his arms around her.
"It was only a dream. Nothing can hurt you here. Not unless they go through me first," Robinton reassured her, even though they both knew she already knew that.
"Thank you for this," Menolly suddenly said, no louder than a whisper.
"I will always be here for you, until the end," Robinton smiled softly, pulling her in closer. Slowly, Menolly lifted her head to look at him. Their eyes connected and Robinton felt the same familiar feeling in his chest any time she looked at him that way, with such adoration and hope. He smiled at her as she rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes once more. Eventually, Robinton felt her breathing slow against his side.
"Menolly?" he whispered, but got no reply. Gently, he shifted Menolly's body until her head rested on the pillows beneath her. He leaned over her and placed a soft kiss on her cheek.
"Goodnight, my angel," he spoke quietly before standing and turning to leave. But just as he opened the door, he heard Menolly's body roll over on the mattress behind him.
"Goodnight, my love," her voice drifted towards Robinton and he found himself frozen; his body almost leaving, but not quite. For a moment, he stayed there, unable to move. But eventually a soft smile spread across his lips and, despite what his heart wanted, he took the final step out of the room and shut the door behind him. Once the door was closed, he hovered for a moment with his hand resting on the door frame.
"Maybe one day, Menolly. Maybe one day..." he said mostly to himself, before returning to his chambers, alone.