Ruatha Isle Hold in the Azov Sea - six weeks later

In a temporary shelter, Mirrim sat across form Menolly with one eyebrow higher than the other. Her thoughts painted clearly on her face; however, in her later years she learned to filter herself better rather than blurting out whatever was crossing her mind. Easily reading her expression; Menolly scoffed, "its not like that; Jaxom and I are not intimate." She paused and continued. "You dragon-riders always assume the worst, likely due to your relaxed moral standards." Mirrim just winked at Menolly, age had certainly mellowed the green rider. "Even so", Mirrim continued, "There has been talk about the two of you apparently moving on shortly after your spouses passed away"

Menolly, snarled at that, "Well we can't control what people think, can we?" Mirrim put up her hands in surrender, "Menolly, I am just trying to warn you…" Menolly cut her off, "No. I know how melodramatic this will sound … I was getting desperate. He broke me out of my spiral, he got me planning a future, he made me laugh, I am writing music again." she took a breath and continued, "I love Sebell and always will, but the truth is I have always cared for Jaxom too."

Mirrim could see Menolly was only getting started so she gestured for her to continue. Menolly smiled faintly, "Remember our lessons with Master Wansor and his star charts?" Mirrim nodded fondly, "yes, I was such a bitch back then." Menolly, shook her hand, "No you were just sure of yourself, and hadn't learned how to filter your words yet." Mirrim exhaled and nodded, "that and I had a proddy dragon to contend with at a young age, that did not help." Menolly smiled softly, "I know" she acknowledged.

"Anyway," she continued, "I was in love with Sebell, but he had been away for such a long time…" she floated off momentarily before resuming, "and the more I got to know Jaxom the more I liked him. He was so serious and tried so hard to be a little lord holder. He struggled so much trying to live up to Lytol and Lessa that he worked harder and longer than everyone else. I asked Piemer to befriend him and try to get him to loosen up but Jaxom would not relent. I fell in love a little bit with Jaxom as a result. I used to tease him, you know, to get a reaction. Even intimated that if he preferred me he should let me know before it was too late."

Mirrim smiled at that, "You weren't the only one that liked Jaxom, one of the reasons I was such a bitch is because I was jealous of the two of you. You always were sneaking off together on secret missions to the south, "So romantic now that I think of it." Menolly nodded, "Yes, but it was innocent, we swam and searched together, eventually finding D'Ram back in time." Mirrim griped, "We learned about that and Jaxom's rescue of the egg much later."

"I was so proud of him that he kept it quiet for so long." Menolly shared with a proud grin. I was also a little jealous of his relationship with Sharra. Strange that, as I was happy with Sebell, so why shouldn't I be happy for Jaxom also?" Mirrim just shrugged, "Who knows the ways of the human heart, we want what we want." Menolly, continued, "I don't think Sharra ever picked up on that, even though I can remember at times I was not as 'nice' as I should have been." Mirrim replied knowingly, "Sharra was pure gold Menolly, she probably did pick up on it but wrote it off as nothing. She and Jaxom were quite the match." Menolly nodded quietly but did not comment.

"Shells, listen to us prattle on," Menolly exclaimed, then smiled at Mirrim "Despite the reason for your being here, I am glad that your here." Mirrim, got up and sat next to Menolly and pulled her into a hug, "I know, as am I."

Ruatha Isle Hold in the Azov Sea - Later that day

On the bluff overlooking the beach sat a beautiful new hold amid construction. The Azov Sea, really a large inland lake, sparkled merrily in the sunlight. The arid climate and greenery that surrounded the shore gave the island shore an exotic feel typical of the southern continent but without all the humidity of the beach and jungle climates that pervade along the southern continent's coastline. On the beach below the bluff two dragons lay sunning themselves, one white and the other green. Amid the dragons were Menolly's fire lizards also sunning themselves and entertaining the dragons.

Lord Emeritus Jaxom of Ruatha had called in many favors that were owed him over his tenure in order to get the hold constructed in a timely manner. Workers scurried about the construction site going about their business. Designers from the all the craft halls were called in on dragon back to design the hold with Jaxom and Menolly's input.

The hold's main building would not be as large as the Ruathan Lord's Residence in the northern continent, but would still have several bedrooms for dignitaries and family. Two large master suites were planned intentionally so that both Jaxom and Menolly could have their own living space. Menolly's suite was to be decorated in Harper Blue while Jaxom's would sport Ruatha's colors. The guest bedrooms would be decorated in neutral color scheme. The hold would be comfortable and beautiful not unlike the island itself.

Jaxom had found the island while scanning the planet's southern continent using the remote scanning capabilities of the Yokohama. The island along with several other locations had piqued his curiosity; during his free time he had investigated each location thoroughly. He kept his extended knowledge of the south to himself and his family. The land grants that occurred after the weyrs had chosen their lands were made available to the northern Lord Holders using a random lottery draw to determine order of selection. When the lottery came up among the Lord Holders, Ruatha was fifth to chose, and selected largest island on the Sea of Azov.

He turned hearing Menolly and Mirrim approach both smiling and carrying on a lively conversation, Jaxom smiled "Good talk I hope?" Mirrim nodded with a sly smile, "It was very productive." Menolly scoffed, then hugged her friend goodbye. Mirrim waited while Path ambled into position then climbed onto the beast grumbling about "sandy dragons." Path quickly took flight and within a few down strokes went between. Jaxom looked sidelong at Menolly, "So, good talk?" he repeated himself. Menolly looked to him and smiled, "There are questions being raised about us," Jaxom smiled gently, and replied "as we knew there would be."

Menolly, looked away to the horizon and sighed, "Yes, I know." Jaxom prompted, "but…" Menolly continued, "It looks bad to the stuffy Lord Holders, and my children have written also expressing their concerns." Jaxom nodded thoughtfully, "Menolly, mine also worry about how this looks" Menolly sighed, "Its so unfair, we aren't doing anything wrong. We are recovering together but we are not together in that manner. Why is it so hard for them to understand?" Jaxom hummed to himself for a moment, "This is what we 'need' Menolly, we need to be away, we need to be with a support system, even if the support system is just each other, and we need to think about the future and not dwell on the past." Menolly nodded, "Exactly, its so simple." Jaxom nodded with her, "yes, we just need to keep being clear and consistent with that message." She now hummed thinking, "perhaps a song, yes that might do it." Jaxom smiled broadly, "That's a brilliant idea, you know the Harper Hall will be delighted to get a new song from you. It will sung in every hall, hold, and weyr by next month." Menolly, smiled but was already composing in her mind and wandered off, her fire lizards having returned from the beach now swirled around her as she sung tentative verses.

Jaxom, smiling, turned his attention back to the vineyard and winery he was planning. Based on his research the island's climate matched that of the Mediterranean Sea back on Earth which was ideal for growing wine grapes; even though he was retired he still wanted his hold to be self-sufficient. It was time those northern wines got some friendly competition.

AN: So this story was supposed to be a one shot but then this idea of a scene came to me about Mirrim and Menolly hashing out the social/political issues of Jaxom and her "retirement". Unfortunately, I think most of this turned out to be fluff, but you know what? I don't care – it was still fun to write it. Note: I stupidly mixed up the more common name Miriam in my head with 'Mirrim', sorry for that.