Lithya stared up at the ceiling of the Candidate Barracks, thinking. Thinking about the very uncharacteristic way she had been acting for the past half of a sevenday or so. Of course, these few days hadn't been exactly normal either, but...it was just bizarre. Either she was going soft, or...or...well....Lithya preferred not to finish that thought. Why? Because Ead might hear. They were mind-linked by elven magic, so even now she had to think very, very quietly. It was a long story...

The whole affair had started one afternoon at the lake. The other candidates were who-knew-where, probably causing mischief. Lithya preferred the outdoors, so she was walking along by the lake, skipping stones across the surface of the water.

A few droplets happened to splash Eadwyn, who was sitting on a nearby rock and reading from a very large book. "Watch it." he growled, wiping the water off. Lithya bristled a bit for a few moments, but it was really too nice of a day to spoil by being angry. And besides, Ead wasn't your typical exasperating guy, therefore Lithya didn't mind him as much. So she made her way over and asked whether his book was interesting. He replied in the affirmative, saying something about 'looking for a floating city'.

Well, obviously this conversation wasn't going anywhere. Lithya kept walking, still throwing the occasional pebble across the lake. The afternoon was almost completely silent. She nearly jumped out of her skin when Eadwyn suddenly asked, "How do you do that?"

Lithya recovered herself and shrugged as Ead climbed down from the boulder. The other candidate attempted to repeat her trick, but the rock just splashed into the water and disappeared. Lithya tried to get him to do it right. He managed a few skips. It was actually rather nice, having him for a companion

To her surprise, Ead tossed a stone up in the air and it stayed there. This time it was Lithya's turn to be taught. She succeeeded in making the rock hover for a few moments until Sedis, Dellin and Mystic arrived, breaking her concentration and bringing in a measure of chaos.

While Hope (Mystic's firelizard) screeched at Sedis for being rude, Ead took the distraction to jump into the lake. Lithya never did figure out why he did that, but it probably had something to do with being nice to her. Seconds later, a loud growl was heard as a very large...kitten...appeared in the lake. Hope became curious and fluttered over to see this new 'kitten'. Telanor appeared and again began annoying Lithya. Mystic then told him to 'go where he's wanted' (wonder where that is?), before Lithya had the chance to knock him out. Too bad Telanor took the hint and left, leaving Mystic to distract Sedis and Dellin and lead them away. Peace was restored. For now.

Then came the part that Lithya was still mystified at. Vren (the aforementioned kitten) had sniffed her leg. Lithya happened to be very ticklish, so she had to laugh as his whiskers brushed her skin. At which point Ead pounced on the young woman and began tickling her unmercifully. Lithya couldn't quite figure out why she hadn't punched his lights out right then and there. Instead, she'd actually tickled him back! (What had gotten into her?)

An awkward silence ensued after the giggled had died down. Lithya fixed her mussed hair, and offered a comb to Ead, who seemed to be having trouble with his. He asked her for a little help. And she had....she had...combed his hair for him, even letting him keep the comb! Good thing no one else had been around...Lithya would never have lived it down otherwise.

They had swum a bit in the lake afterwards, which was yet another surprise. Swimming itself wasn't unusual, but with a guy...well...you know. And what with the wher-hide Lithya wore clinging to her...it was strange that she hadn't refused. Heck, they'd even walked back to the Healing Den together! Fortunately, no one seemed to have noticed.

The next day had been even stranger, if that was possible. This time it had started off faster. Lithya had found Ead's book in the Dining Hall. She picked it up, intending to give it back to him since he was nearby. The tome had fallen open to a page way in the back of it, which had a picture of a floating city on it. A floating city!

Ead had just gotten a cup of klah and was sipping it when Lithya came up excitedly. She showed him the book, asking if the page was what he'd been looking for. Ead examined it and told her it had the spell of teleportation written in elven beneath the illustration. How convenient. Lithya thought to herself dryly, just before Ead decided to cast the spell and they both disappeared.

They had reappeared in the midst of a lush garden, apparently having arrived at the floating city. It wasn't long before they were spotted by an older elf who ran off shrieking for the guards. Several black-robed men came upon them soon after, led by an important-looking woman. Lithya, of course, couldn't speak elven, and Ead mind-linked with her so she could understand.

For some reason as yet unknown to both of them, the woman (whose name was later found out to be Erendanil) seemed amazed and disbelieving at the mention of Eadwyn's name. Ead and Lithya were taken to a magnificent-looking council room, where, to Lithya's surprise, Vren was apparently the lead authority.

Shock after shock. Vren told them that Ead was actually the Prince--to be King after the proper training, of course. Ead did not want to be King; he wanted to Impress. But he didn't have much choice, apparently. Furthermore, Erendanil (for whom Lithya was developing an intense dislike) suggested keeping Lithya in the palace cellars, so that she wouldn't be seen by public eyes.

Lithya, of course, exploded. ("I AM MOST CERTAINLY NOT STAYING COOPED UP IN YOUR ----ING CELLARS!" were the exact words) Wasn't it understandable? But Vren calmed her by saying that the other choice was the royal wing. With Eadwyn. That was fine by Lithya, and she smiled sweetly at the fuming Erendanil before being teleported with Ead to the quarters. There they were warned by Vren that there might be a few things that....weren't strictly supposed to be there, as the kitten had had the place to himself for quite a few years.

Vren hadn't been exaggerating, Lithya found. The first door she opened led to a rather neglected bathroom, which must have been magnificent once but was now....a bit dilapidated. With a thick layer of dust and what looked like spinners' webs. Ick.

A shade (shadow servant) had appeared then, asking is they needed anything. Ead requested a 'green glass ball, about two centimeters in diameter'. Lithya didn't ask what he needed that for, being too busy looking around. She had a feeling this place would take some getting used to....

She was right. The next room poured out a deluge of small scurrying rodent creatures (Ead later told her they were called 'mice'). One of them crawled up Lithya's leg, eliciting an involuntary giggle--which reminded Ead that she was extremely ticklish. Another tickle-fight ensued, with Vren popping in to help them (and get tickled himself).

Just when the enormous kitten had both of them pinned beneath him, Erendanil came in looking for him. Such timing! All three of them quickly scrambled up. Erendanil shot Lithya a glare, as if to say it was all her fault. Lithya glared right back, of course. Ah ha.....did she sense an aura of jealousy from the elven woman? She couldn't help but smirk as Erendanil walked out with Vren. (Later Vren told her that Eadwyn, though he was blond-haired and green-eyed like all the other elves in the city, was considered more attractive than usual because those features were darker ((dark gold hair, black-green eyes)) on him.)

A few moments later, the shade reappeared with the requested object. Ead took it and began concentrating his power into it. Lithya sat down and watched silently. The orb of greenish glass glowed and levitated into the air. There was a bright flash of light. Ead and Lithya both disappeared once again, reappearing.....

.........right back in the garden where they'd started. Ead let out some elven curses, which was understandable. About then, a beautiful red and gold bird (a phoenix, Lithya later learned) fluttered down and landed on the young man's shoulder, dropping a piece of folded paper into his hand. This paper happened to have the spell they'd used to come to the City written on it. How very odd. How did the bird-- Lithya's thoughts were abruptly cut off as they vanished....again.

This time, however, the spell was successful. Mostly. Ead and Lithya were back on Pern....fifteen feet in the air above the Healing Den, that is. They plummeted, crashing through the roof into the Dining Hall. Everyone stared, naturally. Ead and Lithya, feeling decidedly awkward, hurried away. Telanor followed them (he just never learned), and had his lights punched out once more by Lithya. The phoenix obligingly dropped an....er....present on the young man's inert form.

Lithya walked side by side with Ead along the shady lakeshore. The silence seemed to weigh down, so she broke it, making a bit of conversation. Ead, in response to her question, remarked that he might go back to the City....if Lithya came with him. I would go anywhere with you. She whispered very quietly in the back of her mind.

Ead must have heard that, because the next thing Lithya knew was that they were....they were....kissing. Lithya, Nemesis of the Male Race was kissing Ead the Distrustful. It was like....like....the end of an era. For Lithya, anyway. They sat down on the boulder where it had all begun with Ead perching there and looking for the mention of a floating city. And he kissed her again. And, much to her own shock, Lithya actually liked it. There was a pleasant tingly sort of feeling....Oh my.

Lithya blinked. She must have been thinking too loudly, because she could hear Ead's mental chuckle. Good thing it was dark, so no one would see her blush....Actually, I'm getting a pretty good idea of what your face looks like right now. Ead told her in amusement.

Disclaimer: Credit is given to the creators on all pages for images and text. Pern and all its aspects are  © to Anne McCaffrey. All terms, people, places and dragons are  © Ms. McCaffrey. All of my own characters are set in the Third Pass, which has never been written about in any of the Pern books; therefore none of Ms. McCaffrey's characters are known of (excluding Landing characters) and so none will never be mentioned, nor will any personas on this site be connected with them. No copyright infringement is intended. The story displayed on this page is mine and mine alone.