Disclaimer: I don't own Pern. I do, however own most of the characters in this story.

Chapter Six: W'lam

Nairyry stirred, frowning slightly, nearly awake. She opened her eyes and pushed herself up on ones arm. Then she closed her eyes again tightly and sank back in the bed, remembering. When she felt a hand on her cheek she looked up. It was W'lam, dressed and kneeling beside the bed. She gave a trembling little smile, blinking back tears.

"You… all right?" he asked uncertainly, worry evident in his eyes. She nodded, then lowered her eyes, pulling her legs up to her chest. He brushed the hair away from her face and kissed her lightly. Before he had eve tucked the blankets around her she was asleep and smiling lightly.

000

Thyrath and Jurcath returned while she slept. The queen was in her weyr when Nairyry woke again, washed, dressed and went to find whatever was left from dinner, now long past. W'lam was there, talking with a blue rider animatedly, gesturing with a meatroll as the older man finished a bowl of soup.

When she entered he leapt to his feet and came towards her, concern still on his face. She drew herself up when he started to give her his arm. "I am quite well, thank you very much, and I will not fall over in the first hard breeze to come my way," she informed him tartly.

When he frowned, a little hurt, she smiled to take the sting out of her words. "Really, I am all right," she told him, in a more gentle tone.

"You- you're sure?" he asked, wavering.

"Quite. I'll join you in a minute," she said firmly. She gathered her own bowl of soup and a hunk of bread and sat down with the men. They talked but she concentrated only on eating. W'lam and the blue rider, by the name of L'fej, were trying to come to an agreement about the length of time flying between some beach who knew where and another beach elsewhere.

Full, she pushed her bowl back and waited until L'fej left. W'lam bit his lip and turned to her. "You're sure you're all right? We're all right?"

She smiled at him and took his hand in hers and kissed him once. "Absolutely."

That night she once more dreamed incredibly vividly of the green patch.

Nairyry changed into a light swimming wrap around skirt and a light shirt then woke Thyrath and settled the flying harness on her. "I want a swim. Will you see if Jurcath and W'lam are up for it?" She had been practicing her music on her own in her weyr all that morning. The gold dragon rumbled, cocked her head and her eyes whirled green and blue.

They will join us. With that the queenrider vaulted to Thyrath's neck and they were off.

W'lam appeared on Jurcath beside them as they came out of between to the beach they had first discovered their mutual feelings at. Jurcath says that W'lam says that we should just drop off your things on the sand and dive right in. I think I would be fun for us to dive from so far up.

Tell him that's a wonderful idea. Go close to the ground so my things wont be hared when I let them off. They did so, the riders also managing to get their dragon's flying gear off, then the great creatures beat their wings hard, spiraling up a dragonlength above the water. Nairyry and W'lam stood, steadying themselves on the dragon's neck ridges against the wind, then looked at each other and dove.

The queen and bronze followed, angling their wings to not hinder them in flight, then hit the water just after their riders and went deep enough to catch the humans on their necks and bring them to the surface. Nairyry spluttered, laughing and dripping, and pushed her hair out of her face. "That was wonderful!" she cried, not to anyone in particular but the other three heard. Firelady, Chilfer, Seaspray and Icy appeared and splashed happily around the queen dragon's head.

W'lam swam over and she slid off the water-soaked golden hide into his arms. She didn't really need the help, but it was a new and likable experience, being treaded as if she was a delicate flower. Not that she was, but it was nice not to have to show a hard, independent exterior and play the week damsel in need of assistance sometimes.

Nairyry took a deep breath and flipped herself over in the water, diving deep. She felt her way along Thyrath's side, knowing W'lam was following, then repelled herself up when she found the queen's foot. She broke the surcace, gasping, with the bronserider a second behind her. She giggled like a girl and held onto her dragon's outstretched wing, resting. Thyrath turned her neck so she could put her head next to the humans, the impact causing the water to ripple past them. Jurcath joined them and each rider clung to their dragon's muzzle.

After a time the humans waded out, but their friends, fire lizards and dragons alike, soaked in the warm shallows. W'lam and Nairyry spread ont blankets on the sand again and basked in the sun.

After a minute the bronze rider rolled, half pinning the gold rider's body under his, and kissed her. She stiffened, then relaxed, letting him pull her arms playfully up and push her shirt away from her stomach. When she put her hands under his shirt and up his back he pulled away slightly, looking into her eyes. "I was only- I didn't mean-" he swallowed and bit his lip. "I wouldn't, not without…"

Nairyry stroked his cheek, a slight smile on her face. "I think I'm ready, W'lam," she said softly.

000

W'lam shifted to one side of her and took her face in his hands and she opened her eyes. She smiled weakly, almost shyly, up t him and licked her dry lips.

"That- that was…" she trailed off, blushed and looked down. He lowered her head to the blanket again and she closed her eyes. He kissed her again, lightly, and she responded weakly.

"But I- I didn't- hurt you, at all, did I?" he asked.

"Just a little… strained." She smiled at him, still with her eyes closed, and again she blushed. Nairyry turned her head up, opening her eyes and caressed his cheek. "Thank you, again," she said softly, and tried to sit up, but fell back with a gasp, some beads of sweat standing out on her face.

"Nyr?" he asked, still terrified she might be hurting because of him.

"Just a little strained, like I said."

"It might be better to rest a while then," he suggested.

Nairyry nodded, smiled at him one last time and relaxed, nearly dozing already. W'lam stayed motionless a long time, gazing at the gold rider in awe. She had consented to be his, this wonderful, glorious beauty. His heart beat faster, and he smiled tenderly own at her. He leaned down and kissed her. Though asleep her lips twitched in response.

W'lam reluctantly left the blankets, leaving her modestly covered, and went to wash himself again.

Still asleep, Nairyry smiled as she dreamt of the little patch of green.

000

The dragons and their riders soon were airborne again, ready to go back to the Weyr now the sun was well on its way down the sky. Nairyry was still sleepy, remembering the Green Place, as she called it. Thyrath rumbled and she shook her head, looking over the two dragons' wings to W'lam, who returned her smile.

She gave her dragon the first coordinates she thought of, being not quite alert yet. And as she disappeared between with Thyrath, that was the last W'lam –anyone on Pern– saw of the queen dragon Thyrath and her rider Nairyry of Nais Weyr for some time.