Thyravon looked up as the door to the little suite he, his father, and his wife-to-be shared swung open, revealing the previously-absent Athanora. Not surprisingly, she ignored him, striding purposefully through the public room of the suite, towards the room marked as hers. She always seemed to walk purposefully, and usually too fast, especially for someone who was in such terrible shape, and she always ignored him. He was used to that.

What he was not used to, however, was seeing a bright teal creature looking over her shoulder at him with wide, mournful, silver eyes as she turned her back on him and opened her bedroom door. Thyravon blinked, half-expecting the creature to be gone when he opened his eyes again, some daydream or maybe a misinterpretation of something else she was carrying. But no... no, the little face was still there, chin resting on Athanora's shoulder, standing out above the black of her clothing.

And then it was gone again, as Athanora closed the door.

Thyravon got up, putting down the book he'd been leafing through-- still working on learning the native language; he was much slower about it than 'Nora or his father-- and crossed the room to knock on the door. "Athanora?" he asked when there was no immediate answer, wishing again that she'd let him call her 'Nora.

"Yes?" she called from within.

"Athanora, what was that?"

"What was what?"

If anyone could exasperate Thyravon, his intended was that person. "What did you just carry in there? Did you get a pet?"

"She's not a pet. Thyravon, go away, I'm a little busy right now. I'll explain everything to you and Aavayl later."

Feeling a little put out, his curiosity unsatisfied, Thyravon retreated to his couch again. Trust Athanora to just brush him off like that, and with something that seemed important, too....

~~~~~~

Athanora emerged over an hour later, again with the strange little creature in her arms. This time Thyravon got a good look at it: teal, all right, but with orange-brown limbs, tail, mouse-like ears, and feathers on its tiny little wings. It couldn't be more than three feet long, tail included, and fit well, curled against Athanora's chest with its head tucked under her chin. Those bright silver eyes were still wide and anxious-seeming. On the whole, Thyravon thought it very cute, in a child-like sort of way. He hadn't the faintest idea what it was, though, or why Athanora had brought it to their suite.

Aavayl came out of his own room a breath later, eyes flicking to Thyravon briefly before settling on Athanora and her little burden. His white eyebrows went up. He, apparently, knew more about it than his son did. "You went to the bonding," he said with surprise.

"I did," Athanora replied challengingly, lifting her chin a little at the much taller old man. Everything about her spoke of belligerence and her obviously intense belief that, whatever she'd done, it was right. Thyravon could at least admire her, when she was feeling righteous; she actually managed to look a little noble, despite her thick glasses and thicker body. There was even a flash of something attractive in her eyes.

Not that he'd tell her such, of course; she'd probably say he was lying.

Aavayl was silent for a moment, eyes on the creature in her arms. Then he nodded. "Your imbalance."

Athanora relaxed immediately, as if that non sequitur meant something to her. "I couldn't not go. Her name's Kiralraes. Kiralraes, this is Aavayl Vraanabotha, our Searcher Captain. And you've already seen Thyravon." Thyravon tried to be smile and look friendly, but Kiralraes just hid her face in Athanora's tunic like a shy toddler. "She doesn't talk much," 'Nora explained, voice surprisingly kind and concerned. Thyravon looked up from contemplation of the strange creature Kiralraes to find her eyes in the same place, and expression one completely foreign to it, until now. He wasn't sure just what it was. It was both gentle and protective, and a little worried. Motherliness, maybe. If so, duVaa anon, but she would make a good mother. Who would have thought cranky Athanora had something soft in her?

"She'll stay in my room, with me, until they put us somewhere... I've been told they have special rooms...."

"She'll never fit on the Dyr aSashyn once she's grown," Aavayl pointed out.

"We've got a while until then," was 'Nora's answer, but it sounded uncertain.

"A long while," Aavayl agreed. "Will you stay here until she's grown?" He paused, and when she didn't answer, he added, "That will be years."

"I don't know," 'Nora replied, a little sharply. "I haven't gotten that far."

"Athanora? Not think something through completely before doing?" Thyravon blurted with a little laugh. "Next the Three themselves will want to come participate in our next ceremony!"

Both of them glared at him. Even the little creature turned those liquid silver eyes on him again, wide and anxious, and he sank back into the couch with a muttered apology, feeling very foolish and more than a little annoyed. Athanora proceeded to ignore him again, returning her gaze to Aavayl. "They're giving us three weeks to settle in before they talk to us about what happens next," she told him briskly. "By then I'll have a few options worked out. Run all the ship's Searching tests, just in case there's someone down here for us; that will take up most of the time, so we won't just be idling here."

Aavayl looked at her for a very long moment, and Thyravon only sighed out the breath he'd been holding when his father nodded once, slowly. "Very well. This world is so varied, and so magical, that it might even take longer. You shall have your three weeks, Athanora, and after that we shall speak again."

Though she didn't say anything, her expression thanked him, and she took a step back. "If that's all, then...." He nodded. "Then please excuse us."

Without another word, Athanora turned and marched back into her room with her tiny creature still in her arms, and closed the door. Her "imbalance", whatever that meant. Thyravon stared at the closed door for a moment, before turning an expectant look on his father, anticipating an explanation. Aavayl was still looking at the door, himself, with a thoughtful frown on his weathered face. Then, before Thyravon could ask him what had happened, or what Kiralraes was, Aavayl turned smartly and prowled out the door, in complete silence.

Thyravon threw up his hands as yet another door closed on a closed-mouthed source of answers. "Fine, don't tell me anything! See if I care."

Feeling much more put out, now, Thyravon retreated with his book to his own room, and satisfied himself by closing the door on the two of them.

Even though they couldn't see it.

Chapter Three

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