The World of Pern(tm) is copyright to Anne McCaffrey (c) l967.
The Dragonriders of Pern(r) is a registered copyright.

This is a log of roleplay on PernMUSH, available online by permission of
Anne McCaffrey, author of the Pern novels, and recorded by A.S. Korra'ti
(piper@murkworks.net), player of Mehlani of Telgar Weyr on PernMUSH.
This log may be distributed freely as long as this header remains intact.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Log Date:
	7/19, 7/20, 7/21/98

Log Cast:
	(People) Jorenan, Mehlani

	(Fire lizards) Holl, Enri, Brodi

Log Intro:
	Ever since her return to Telgar Weyr, after her long visit to
Greystones Hold, Mehlani's life has been fairly calm -- no proddy fire
lizards, very few proddy dragons, no surprise serenades or gifts from
secret (or not-so-secret) admirers, no bad news. 'Lani's been content to
focus on her favorite activities of Record study and the assisting in
the stables, her daily ride on Nightsong, the care of her fire lizards,
and just helping out around the Weyr wherever she can. She's even had
time to consider a visit to Igen Weyr to visit her brother and his
weyrmate and daughter. Much of why Mehlani's life has been calm, though,
can be attributed to the recent absence of both K'star and Jorenan from
the Weyr... at least, until this night, when Jorenan returns from his
latest round of Craft duties to seek out Mehlani in the Records Room....

----------
Your location's current time: 18:58 on day 1, month 9, Turn 23, of the Tenth 
  Pass. It is a autumn evening.

Jorenan strides in from the bowl.
Jorenan has arrived.

Peace and quiet reigns in the Records Room, and one young woman with a hat 
  might be espied settled on a chair by the little hearth which provides light 
  and just a bit of warmth on this summer evening. Three of Mehlani's fire 
  lizards, blue Brodi, blue Enri, and bronze Holl, are drowsing in curled 
  colored balls, the blues at her feet and Holl in her lap. 'Lani herself is 
  reading.

Jorenan peers into the cluttered space of the records room. After a moment, 
  his eyes light upon Mehlani, and he comes the rest of the way in.  He's 
  considerably darker of skin than the last time he was seen hereabouts. His 
  footsteps are quiet, and he stops before he gets all the way to Mehlani. He 
  just looks at her.

The girl catches those quiet footsteps, though, and lifts her head from the 
  book that has held her attention; that's her only motion, though. As her 
  gaze seeks out and lights upon the young Journeyman, her expression 
  brightens, and she says, a smile tugging at the ends of her mouth, 
  "Hello...!"

He grins slowly. "I should've known I couldn't sneak up on you." He looks her 
  up and down for another long moment, and then goes over and bends down to 
  give Mehlani a solid hug. He breathes in the scent of her hair, something 
  he's done before sometime, and says, "I've missed you."

Seeing him coming, 'Lani readily sets down her book, though the hug makes Holl 
  wake up in her lap, squeaking a sleepy protest as he's lightly squashed. He 
  squirms out from between the two humans and drops down to the floor, while 
  Mehlani, not seeming to mind that her hat is nudged aside so that Jorenan 
  has free access to her auburn locks, readily returns the hug. "And I you," 
  she murmurs back warmly.

Jorenan lets go and gives Holl a grin. "Sorry," he says to the bronze lad. "I 
  didn't mean to eject you from so nice a resting spot." He sits back on his 
  heels and adds to Mehlani, "So. Tell me everything that's happened in the 
  last two months!"

Mehlani giggles softly, letting Jorenan pull back. The sound of their voices, 
  as well as Holl's disgruntled scuttling under the hair, wakes up Enri, who 
  peers sternly upward at the humans while Brodi blissfully snoozes on. 
  "Well... things have been pretty quiet for me," she admits. "Taking care of 
  Nightsong... and my fire lizards... what I usually do. But Father sent me a 
  letter, he says that Harlan is walking now."

Jorenan has been away from Weyrs and dragonkind, and this sudden plethora of 
  them gives him a moment's pause. His faint frown at Enri is a complex thing; 
  more thoughtful than anything else, perhaps it's a reminder of something. He 
  turns back to Mehlani with a smile, though, and says, "Harlan's your most 
  recent sib, yes? Mum's decided not to have any more, now that my sibs are 
  having some of their own. She says she prefers grandmothering."

Mehlani bobs her auburn head earnestly at Harlan's identification, and then 
  she pinkens at Jorenan's further words, smiling shyly. "Parents...  seem to 
  talk about that a lot," she murmurs.

That causes a quirk of the lips and then a rueful grin. "Aye," Jorenan agrees. 
  "That they do. But Mum's got four of my sibs working on grandchildren for 
  her; she's reasonably content that I've not started, so long as I assure her 
  that I'm working on the prerequisites." There's got to be a fascinating 
  conversation behind that remark, based on the faint smile and the slight 
  roll of the eyes.

Mehlani blushes again, though she's still smiling, her gaze on Jorenan's face 
  where he's hunkered down before her. "I see," she murmurs shyly.

Jorenan considers for a long moment, and then adds, "Of course, Mum's got any 
  number of suggestions on the whole matter. Both on who's appropriate from 
  among the girls she knows, and on how to, well, err. Win someone over."

'Lani's wide blue eyes hold a measure of bemusement at the turn this 
  conversation has taken, though her natural politeness... and a strange kind 
  of curiosity... prompt her to remark, "She... talked about this a lot... 
  huh?"

Jorenan nods slowly. "Aye," he says quietly. "So she did. She says, err, well. 
  She says she'd prefer me to live closer, but that I seem to've made a life 
  for myself up here." It would not be impossible to guess that that's not 
  where he started to go with this conversation.

Solemnly, and equally slowly, Mehlani nods. She pauses, searching for words, 
  and then adds, "That is very understanding of her... I'm glad to hear it."

Jorenan nods, and glances away for a moment, perhaps trying to decide what to 
  do with the conversation from here. "It took a bit of convincing," he says 
  dryly. "Your parents -- do they, well, are they bothering you, too?"

Enri chirruples brusquely, and 'Lani leans down to scoop the little blue up 
  into her lap, to give her hands something to do while she seems to consider 
  Jorenan's question. Stroking the creature's head, Mehlani allows, "Not... in 
  so many words... Father wouldn't. But I think he really likes having a 
  grandchild. And Mother... I guess she... still wants to know what I'm going 
  to do with myself..."

Jorenan nods. "Well? What are you going to do with yourself?" he asks quietly. 
  "It's a worthwhile question, I'd think."

"I know...." Mehlani drops her gaze to her little blue, then peeks back up 
  again, a more obvious movement than usual with her hat off. "I've been... 
  thinking very hard about it."

Jorenan realizes he's knocked the hat awry with his hug, and takes it from 
  wherever it ended up. He turns it in his hands (something for them to do, no 
  doubt) and then asks, "Any thoughts you're willing to share?" he asks.

Mehlani smiles a little, and murmurs softly, "I have been... wondering if it 
  is too late for me to get into a Craft... I'm seventeen now..."

Jorenan considers. "Seventeen," he says musingly. "The Bakers wouldn' thave a 
  problem with that age. I don't know about any of the others. If you've some 
  experience that'll stand for training, probably any of them would take you."

"The Harpers... and the Herders... both asked Father about me... when I was 
  still at Benden," Mehlani murmurs.

Jorenan nods. "Those'd both make sense," he agrees. Even if he's never yet 
  heard Mehlani sing. Then he leans back against the leg of a nearby table and 
  looks into middle space for a moment. "Had my Turnday while I was away," he 
  says. That might appear to change the subject for the moment. "The spoons 
  are still the nicest gift I got." Then he adds, "Apprentices aren't allowed 
  to be involved with anyone."

"Happy Turnday," Mehlani says promptly. Beneath her chair, Holl has curled up 
  by Brodi and dozed off again, but Enri peers sternly at Jorenan, a tiny blue 
  chaperone. She smiles at the mention of the spoons, and begins to speak, 
  then the young Baker's final words catch her and make her blush again. "I 
  know," she says quietly, down in the direction of Enri's tail.

Jorenan glances up. "What'd you start to say?" he asks.

A smile peeks at the corners of Mehlani's mouth, and she meets Jorenan's 
  brownish gaze long enough to say softly, "I'm glad you like the spoons....!"

Jorenan ahs, and smiles. "I do." Then he's quite for a long bit. He's sitting 
  by Mehlani's feet, and ends up looking at them. Again that small frown 
  wanders across his face. "So you'd give up on K'star to be a herder?" he 
  says.

That question catches Mehlani by surprise. She stares wide-eyed at the young 
  man for a moment, before turning crimson, unable to say anything more than 
  "I..." Her gaze plummets to her lap.

Jorenan smiles slowly. "You what?" he asks gently.

"If... I went for a Herder... or a Harper," murmurs Mehlani very lowly, "I 
  think that K'star would wait for me, I mean... Weyrlings are not supposed to 
  be involved with anyone either, but that never stopped Kes and Eyr from 
  being sweet to me..." She trails off, then, and her blush deepens.

Jorenan is silent for a long while, staring at Mehlani's hat. "Aye," he 
  finally says, for he has to say something, now doesn't he? "I'd guess they 
  would. They're both honorable sorts." He shifts, perhaps needing suddenly to 
  be elsewhere, but yet unwilling to leave.

Troubled -- things always seem awkward when K'star comes up in conversation 
  with Jorenan, and they seem awkward to Mehlani now -- the girl offers 
  hesitantly, "E'rian isn't... he doesn't... he isn't..."

Jorenan looks up. "He's not interested," he supplies quietly.  "That's..." He 
  stops. "I..." He stops again. "Right," he finally says. He takes a deep 
  breath. "I should stop acting like this," he says. Perhaps he's admonishing 
  himself. "You and K'star, well. Is it set?" he glances up, actually asking 
  this time. "Either way, I should just knock it off." The hat turns and turns 
  in his hands.

"Set... how?" queries Mehlani, her voice scarcely audible. Then she blurts, 
  "I-I don't mind you asking..."

He shakes his head. "Asking is all right," he says quietly. "Wishing it were 
  different isn't though, now is it?" He doesn't clarify his previous 
  questions; perhaps he thinks Mehlani is just having to take the time to 
  think it through.

Mehlani's delicate features crinkle up, her eyes limpid, her expression torn. 
  "I... well... he has asked me... questions like this before..." If her 
  cheeks redden any further, her face is liable to catch fire. And in her lap, 
  Enri lifts his head, chirping lowly and shortly, trying to figure out why 
  the humans are acting strangely towards one another.
Mehlani concludes tinily, "I... haven't moved in with him and Indyth, if that 
  is what you are asking."

Jorenan glances up and regards Mehlani steadily. "Asked you questions like 
  which one before?" he asks.

"He asked me... if I'd ever thought... about pairing with someone...  for 
  life..." Mehlani barely gets the words out, her gaze still down, her cheeks 
  still aflame.

Jorenan nods slowly. "What'd you say?" He's gone calm, and somehow still. It's 
  hard to say exactly what the emotions behind his calm are, except probably a 
  simple waiting.

"I..." Mehlani's words turn more unsure, and Enri trills uneasily, raising his 
  whirling gaze up to her. Watching her fire lizard rather than the 
  Journeyman, 'Lani continues, "... told him... I would want to... if 
  someone... truly loved me..."

Jorenan considers that. "What, and not if you truly loved them?"

Mehlani doesn't look up, but she answers swiftly, softly, "... and if I loved 
  him..."

Jorenan purses his lips. "Does K'star truly love you?" he asks. His voice is 
  still steady, his entire demeanor calm.

Slowly, fearful of what she might see, Mehlani lifts her head. Her gaze is 
  entirely liquid now, blue and brimming with emotion. "He cares about me very 
  much," she answers without hesitation, though her voice is very small.

Jorenan meets the eyes steadily. "Does he truly love you?" he asks again. 
  Apparently caring a great deal isn't' the same, for him.

"I haven't asked him," the girl whispers.

Jorenan considers that answer. "It would make things clearer," he finally 
  says, "if you asked him that. Do you truly love him?"

Calmly delivered as it is, Jorenan's latest query provokes a sharp reaction 
  from Mehlani. She pulls in a shaking breath, her lower lip beginning to 
  quiver, dampness beginning to well up within her azure eyes. "Be..." That 
  syllable comes out of her hoarsely; she has to wet her lips before she can 
  continue, "Before... I answer that... will you tell me... why you want to 
  know?"

He considers for a long, long moment. Then, after due thought, he says, 
  "Because I'm tired of wondering. After you answer that one, I've got 
  another."

In Mehlani's lap, blue Enri creels, not liking the way his mistress's face is 
  radiating tension and nervousness and worry. Under the chair, Holl and Brodi 
  have roused, but they haven't moved, and instead only peer out and up with 
  yellow-tinged, whirling eyes. 'Lani swallows and whispers, "I care for him 
  very much. I don't know if it's love. I don't think I'm wise enough to 
  know..." Again, she trails off, but her liquid gaze stays up, stays fixed on 
  the young man before her.

He quirks his mouth, a hrmph his only response for a moment. It's a resigned 
  sort of sound, as if he's recognizing that there are no easy answers. Never 
  were, shouldn't have expected them. After a long pause, he takes a breath 
  and says, "The other question is this. Do you truly love me?"

'Lani's tears begin in earnest, then. Enri issues another creel, a small 
  anxious rumble of a sound, and starts trying to clamber up against his 
  mistress's chest. Holl and Brodi both creel worriedly from under the chair, 
  and in the midst of them, Mehlani sits, her only motion to shift her slender 
  arms enough to let Enri clamber up onto them. She breathes out, "I also care 
  for you... very much...."

His nod is slow, and finally he looks up into Mehlani's tearful gaze, and then 
  shifts to kneel in front of her. He takes her hands in his. "It's not easy, 
  is it?" he asks quietly. "If it'll make it any easier, I don't have any 
  problems sharing you. And this I know, for I've thought about it.  -I- love 
  you."

A minute, choked gasp is the only response Mehlani is able to voice. Tears 
  streaking down her cheeks, she lets her hands be taken, though it makes Enri 
  bugle his annoyance that his perch on 'Lani's forearms is disturbed.  As the 
  blue tumbles off out of the way, the young woman sits up, thunderstruck, 
  marvelling, her gaze never leaving the Baker's features.

He gives a small smile. A very small one. Then Jorenan pulls her hands down 
  and kisses the palm of the left one. "There you have it," he says. "I 
  thought about it all the time I was gone, and I finally had to admit it to 
  myself."

Enri is forced to perch on the back of Mehlani's chair, and he flaps 
  indignantly, his dark blue wings flared out, his demeanor affronted... but 
  his eyes are whirling yellow. Holl bugles underneath the chair. But Mehlani 
  herself still stares tearfully at Jorenan, and then all at once leans 
  swiftly forward to wrap her arms around him, bury her face against his 
  shoulder, and weep.

Jorenan stands on his knees so as to better be able to hug Mehlani. He gives 
  her the close, comforting hug; the kind you give and get from a small, tired 
  child. He strokes her hair, but says nothing at all. His eyes meet Enri's 
  whirling yellow gaze calmly. If there is pain, it is hidden deep. Or 
  perhaps, perhaps it's worn on a sleeve, far away from his face. Evident, 
  acknowledged, accepted for what it is, and allowed to be a part of him.

Her dainty form is trembling, and she keeps trembling, even as she huddles in 
  that sheltering embrace. It takes several long moments, in which three 
  concerned fire lizards pipe out their worry -- Holl and Enri's bolder voices 
  almost drowning out the shyer Brodi -- before 'Lani finally mumbles, "I'm 
  sorry... I... I don't mean to cry..."

He keeps stroking her hair for bit, and finally he takes a breath. "I'm sorry 
  I made you cry," Jorenan answers softly. "But if it means you'll hold me 
  like this, I suppose it's all right."

Lifting her head, her arms still curled round the Baker's shoulders, Mehlani 
  looks anew into his face. She's heard the words now; still, there's a kind 
  of pleading in her wet blue eyes, a need to understand in her blood and her 
  bones and her heart what her ears have already received. "Wh-what do you 
  think we should do now?" she whispers tinily, far more emotion in her shy 
  searching gaze than she's able to relay with her breathless voice.

A hand comes up and strokes Mehlani's cheek. He wipes away a trail of tears, 
  and then smiles at her. "What should we do now depends," he says, "on a 
  number of things. Personally, I'd like to kiss you, if you don't mind."

Mehlani succeeds in a smile of her own, her familiar shy small smile, each 
  corner of her mouth curling upward. Her eyes still wide and wondering, she 
  bobs her head a single time in awestruck consent.

Jorenan leans forward slowly, meeting her eyes the whole way. Just before 
  their lips meet, his eyes close. It's a gentle kiss, but entirely thorough. 
  P'raps he practiced somewhere along the way. And it lasts and lasts and 
  lasts.

Mehlani's own eyes shiver closed, and somewhere along the way, the shivering 
  of her dainty form subtly changes, into a different kind of trembling 
  entirely. Her arms squeeze more closely around Jorenan's shoulders, and by 
  the time they part for breath, her face has changed, too. Her tears have 
  stopped, though dampness still makes long starry points of her lashes round 
  the edges of her eyes; her cheeks have flushed rose, and her lips are 
  parted, softened, fuller. Perhaps she's wondering exactly when Jorenan's 
  been practicing his kissing, for her eyes open again, full of a new light of 
  wonder.

Jorenan just grins into Mehlani's eyes for a moment, and then kisses her 
  forehead gently. "Well now, lass. That was right pleasant."

That becoming flush is still pinkening 'Lani's cheeks. Unable to tear her 
  wide-eyed gaze away from the young Baker's features, Mehlani just bobs her 
  head in fascination. The edges of her mouth flicker for a moment, as though 
  she might smile, though the smile doesn't quite make it into being. Perhaps 
  she's too stunned.

He gives Mehlani a very gentle shake and says, "Dear me. I've made her lose 
  her faculties! Are you in there, dear?" Jorenan grins as he says it, and 
  really seems pretty happy about the result, all in all.  

That coaxes a shy smile into being, as 'Lani blushes a little more.  She nods 
  again, looking a little more alert, but no less awed.

Jorenan considers the silent Mehlani again. Then, seeing no other options, he 
  kisses her again. There is a focus in the kiss, a complete focus on the 
  kiss, on Mehlani, on everything about their interactions. Definitely been 
  working on this, he has.

If Mehlani had been struck speechless and breathless before, she positively 
  melts now. Oblivious to the baffled chitterings of Holl and Enri and Brodi, 
  who flutter uncertainly about the two young people, 'Lani sways. Swaying, 
  she clings to Jorenan's shoulders, her mouth soft and responsive beneath his 
  own.

Well now. This seems to be a fine state of affairs. Jorenan doesn't seem at 
  all inclined to change one single thing that he's doing. In fact, he seems 
  entirely inclined to keep it just like this permanently. Though the hand not 
  holding the hat comes up to twine into her hair.

Eventually, breath must be taken again, for to Mehlani, it seems as if the 
  room's trying to swirl around her. Her head tilts back against Jorenan's 
  hand, though she seems unable to move any farther away from him than is 
  necessary for her to take in air. Holl creels, and Enri chitters low and 
  anxious, and 'Lani mumbles, eyes closed, "I'm... alright..."

A hand comes up and strokes along the outline of Mehlani's jaw, and then down 
  along the line of her neck. Jorenan's eyes open slowly, and again his grin 
  comes wandering up again. "I hadn't thought much beyond right here," he 
  admits. "Not that this is a bad place to be."

It's easy to feel the girl's slight frame quivering; her jaw quivers, too, 
  under those stroking fingers. Mehlani manages to open her own eyes again, 
  with an effort, and she manages to breathe a "no" of agreement. Somewhat 
  assured that their human seems cognizant, or at least somewhat, the fire 
  lizards peer intently at the two humans.

The time for discussion seems to be fading away again; Jorenan's become 
  fascinated by Mehlani's neck. He brushes it with his lips once, and then 
  again. That hand, which would now be in the way if it stayed where it was, 
  slides down and behind her back. It comes to rest just at the narrowest 
  part, and holds her tight.

Mehlani gasps softly, and finally sways forward off the chair, her head 
  falling to Jorenan's shoulder. She's quivering more now, in the grip of 
  clearly unfamiliar sensations, and she whispers in a voice full of 
  starlement, "J-Jorenan...?"

Jorenan gives Mehlani's neck one last gentle brush, like the brush of the fuzz 
  of fruit against the skin. Then he pauses. His whole being reflects an 
  unseen smile. "Aye?" he says against her neck.

"I...." Mehlani swallows, nervous, torn, and marvelling all at once.  Try to 
  talk, or let Jorenan keep doing.... what he's doing? Decisions, decisions. 
  Still, one thing is certain, and that's that the maiden seems incapable of 
  releasing the young man; her head remains nestled on his shoulder, her arms 
  entwined around his body. "You... you said... things... depend on 
  things....?" And Mehlani frowns tinily at her own incoherence, though the 
  frown has no audience except the cloth of the Baker's shirt.

It appears the decision is no easier for Jorenan, for he falls back to 
  nuzzling Mehlani's neck whilst she's talking. Which may explain the 
  difficulty she has with it. "Things depend on things?" he finally answers. 
  "I said that?" Though it's a bit more broken up than that, as he's still 
  fascinated by her neck.

"Wh.... what... we should do?" Mehlani whispers, the last word coming out in 
  something of a squeak. Indeed, talking is hindered when one's neck is 
  receiving such attentions. Enri, disgruntledly, leaps off the chair and 
  backs off to a nearby shelf, but keeps a gimlet gaze on the entwined pair. 
  Brodi cheeps once, and then reluctantly follows Holl as the bronze skitters 
  off across the floor.

That brings something of a more serious pause. The answer, on the other hand, 
  may not be received as entirely satisfactory. "Well," says Jorenan, "I think 
  your neck is delicious. Probably the rest of you is, too." My, my.  Bold, 
  isn't he? Either that or he heard it said once and thought it was a nice 
  thing to say. Hard to tell with him sometimes.

It certainly sounds bold to Mehlani, who gives another soft, surprised gasp. 
  She then blurts tinily, her voice shivering with a hint of might be laughter 
  and what might merely be panic, "I-I mean... I... I don't know...  what we 
  should do..."

He can't help laughing, and finally pauses in his investigations of the taste 
  and texture of Mehlani's neck. He raises his head and, good humor in his 
  eyes, says, "Well. We could get married, but that seems a bit premature. How 
  about if we hold hands in the Living Cavern a lot, look absolutely googly at 
  each other at every possible opportunity, and attempt to drive the entire 
  Weyr insane with how dreadfully cute we are?"

Mehlani meets Jorenan's gaze again, and giggles a little, but then the giggle 
  fades, and uncertainty darkens her eyes. "And... I should... talk to Kes," 
  she whispers.
And, after a beat, something else belatedly sinks in, as Mehlani blurts, 
  "Married...?!"

Jorenan chuckles. "Thought you'd notice that one. I'll ask you again in a few 
  Turns, all right?" Then he goes a bit more serious, and he says, "I meant 
  what I said, Mehlani. If I have to share you, then, well, I will."

Something in Jorenan's expression apparently has answered that earlier 
  pleading in 'Lani, that need to feel in her bones the truth behind his 
  declaration. Her eyes well over with a new wash of tears, though she doesn't 
  seem sad; rather, she's vividly moved, and she shyly squeezes the young man 
  she's holding, promising fervently, "I'll talk with him... as soon as I 
  can....!"

Jorenan strokes Mehlani's cheek gently, wiping away new tears. "And what will 
  you tell him, dearheart?" His own reaction, one of mildly giddy good humor, 
  is mostly under control. THere's just that smile to give him away.

Oh, Faranth, what a question! Mehlani blinks a few times, calling up without 
  trouble in her mind's eye the brownrider's rugged young features, though she 
  can't quite imagine how K'star's visage will change when she brings him the 
  news she must relay. "I'll..." She pauses, flailing for words, till at last 
  she brings a slender hand round to lift to Jorenan's cheek. And she finishes 
  softly, "I'll tell him you love me...!"

Jorenan leans into Mehlani's hand, a support against a great deal. He nods and 
  says, "I suspect he's going to want to talk to me about that." He doesn't 
  mention that the talking will likely be done with fists. That's just the way 
  things are. Then he turns a little and kisses the part of Mehlani's hand 
  that's closest.

Uncognizant of any potential future meeting of brownrider fist with Baker jaw, 
  Mehlani only nods gravely, her palm cupping Jorenan's cheek beneath it. 
  "K'star is an honorable man," she murmurs. Then she pauses, and adds 
  tenderly, "Thank you... for understanding...!"

He glances back at Mehlani, a smile wandering across his face.  "Understanding 
  what?" he says.

'Lani struggles for words here, too. She drops her sky-hued gaze for a moment, 
  then brings it back up to whisper, "That... both of you... are in here..." 
  Her one hand remains lightly pressed along Jorenan's face, as her other 
  comes back around him to touch her heart.

Jorenan considers that for a long, long moment. "It won't be easy all the 
  time," he admits. "There will be days when I probably -won't- understand. 
  But... I'm to be gone a great deal, and Kes will be duty-bound a lot, too. 
  You're still likely to be alone a lot."

"I-I know," Mehlani murmurs. She moves again to hug Jorenan closely, her arms 
  conveying that knowledge along with her voice. "I.... I know..."

Jorenan returns the hug after a moment, his long arms enveloping Mehlani 
  entirely. After a moment, he leans back and says, "Dear heart, my knees are 
  killing me." Yes, he's been kneeling all this time.

Mehlani blinks, gives a little gasp of dismay, then starts trying to get up. 
  "I-I'm sorry!" she breathes.

Jorenan laughs and holds on to Mehlani as she tries to get up, but in the end 
  he's got to unkink his knees, so he stands up and then pulls her up after 
  him. Of course, now there's the difference in heights, which hasn't been all 
  that apparent until now. "Hmmm," he says consideringly. "This might be a 
  challenge."

'Lani looks up and up to Jorenan's dark eyes, and gives another little giggle. 
  "I could get a stool," she suggests, her tone as grave as always, though 
  something in her blue regard speaking of wryness.

Jorenan laughs. "Well, that's an option. Or I could get knee-pads," he 
  suggests.

A smile peeks out along Mehlani's mouth, and she giggles again, softly. Her 
  hands come up to touch Jorenan's shoulders, and then she murmurs, "I should 
  go find K'star...."

Jorenan leans down to give Mehlani a last kiss, and then nods. "I think you 
  should, dear heart. Tell him, if he wants to talk to me, that I'm willing."

"I will..." Mehlani promises. She pauses, then gives the Baker one last gentle 
  squeeze... and stands on her tiptoes to shyly brush her lips against his 
  cheek. Her eyes are very full when she lowers herself down again.  "Will 
  you... walk me out?"

Jorenan loops Mehlani's arm through his own. "Why, of course, milady. Anywhere 
  in the world you want to go."

[End log.]