First Sight- Fort Weyr, Early Winter, 2761 (Repost)
Essa liked the weyr. She'd liked it since she arrived, two turns ago. Sure, it was big and intimidating and full of too many people for her to recognize them all. But here she could do more or less as she wanted. She read. She trained. She slept. And she didn't speak to anyone who wasn't worth speaking to or answer questions she didn't care to. The other candidates had more or less lost interest in her when they learned she never said anything but the most basic of pleasantries. And that was the way she preferred things.
She'd liked Healer Hall as well, but there she'd been only a drudge and while she'd never been mistreated, she had seen the hidden contempt in too many eyes. She didn't want to be looked down upon. She just...wanted to be permitted to just be. To be herself. Without anyone trying to twist or change her or dig for secrets she didn't want to tell. And at the weyr, she'd found it. Or as close to it as she would ever come.
The one part of the weyr she didn't enjoy were the hatchings. There were too many people there, even more than the weyr normally held, from all over Pern. Barely a hatching went by when she didn't catch a few words in a familiar accent. Or see auburn curls like her brother's. Or blue-green eyes that could have been her own. One day, she was going to be caught. And on that day she'd be dragged home, candidacy or no candidacy.
Essa had considered dropping out a time or two but at 18 turns of age, she was too old to expect to ever move far in her craftwork. Dragonriding was her best chance of making it all worth it. To fight to be something, instead of not to be. So she stayed.
Her robes were neatly made, courtesy of two turns worth of modifications and improvements and the fine stitchwork her Ma had taught her. She'd never garnered much draconic notice and had no reason to expect this time to be different. None of the eggs had shown any more interest in her than they ever did. But it was the largest clutch laid in her time at Fort. And she didn't want much. All she wanted was a kind dragon, who would love her just the way she was and who she could learn to love in turn.
She stood near the back of the girls, angling herself so her face would be out of sight from the most of the sands. She knew it was stupid. She was hardly some long lost holder's heir being sought from across Pern. But she cared. And there were no dragons looking that way anyway.
A garnet hatched. Followed by a brown. Two greens. Another garnet. All Impressed to candidates on the sands. Essa clapped polite for their new riders.
The next egg to shake was an asshole. It hadn't even responded to her touch, when usually even the rude ones at least dignified her with a haughty sniff or a snap of anger.
And the dragon inside wasn't any better. It was a bronze, unsurprisingly. And a vainer and more stereotypical bronze she'd never met, she thought with wry amusement, as she watched him clean himself as carefully as a feline, as if his own shiny hide was more important than his rider to be.
Finally, he rose, going straight to the boys. He looked one over carefully, then the next, snorting in displeasure. And then he turned. His eyes met hers. And she could almost swear she saw a wry draconic smile as rainbows washed over his eyes, Ah. There you are, Essanora. Most inconsiderate of you, to position yourself so far away. I will take nourishment now. Followed by a bath. My shiny hide, as you put it, will not clean itself.
Essa's jaw all but hit the floor as she walked across the sands to pick her dragon up and get him fed. He...he couldn't possibly be as bad as he seemed, right?
The Peacekeepers Age
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Compendium of the Arcane
61 posts
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Arcane - Thread Conqueror
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Arcane - Thread Conqueror
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Bath Time- Early Spring, 2762 (Repost)
TW: Public nudity, embarassment
Essa hated her dragon. She knew it was wrong, knew she should be grateful to have been chosen at all, but he was so...so...impossible! He was never nice to her. Thought of nobody but herself. Wouldn't even call her by her new name. And now he had her forsking clothes!
This isn't funny, Gectusith! she growled as he pushed her down the hall with his head, moving to block her every time she went back.
And neither is your stench, Essanora. Which is what necessitates these drastic steps. Admirable as your holder modesty may once have been deemed, I am tired of living with the results. This is a civilized weyr where people take baths.
She was blushing bright red as he herded her through the weyr. She could knock him down and run back, she supposed, but...he was still her dragon and she didn't want to hurt him. Even if courtesy of him, the entire weyr was seeing FAR too much of her.
Finally, they were there. Essa looked down, as she always did, although seeing a bit of nudity...After the whole weyr had seen...
Precisely. And it wasn't the ENTIRE weyr. And nobody was terribly interested. Because, Essanora,
you simply cannot compete with my glory.
With a swipe of his tail, Gectusith sent Essa tumbling into the water. A moment later, he was back with bucket of soapsand in his mouth.
Now bathe, Essanora. If anyone stares or laughs, I will stop them.
Essa bathed and Gectusith kept his promise, growling at anyone who tried to approach. And that night, she curled up besides Gectusith for the first time, warm hide against cool skin. Partners, for better or for worse.
TW: Public nudity, embarassment
Essa hated her dragon. She knew it was wrong, knew she should be grateful to have been chosen at all, but he was so...so...impossible! He was never nice to her. Thought of nobody but herself. Wouldn't even call her by her new name. And now he had her forsking clothes!
This isn't funny, Gectusith! she growled as he pushed her down the hall with his head, moving to block her every time she went back.
And neither is your stench, Essanora. Which is what necessitates these drastic steps. Admirable as your holder modesty may once have been deemed, I am tired of living with the results. This is a civilized weyr where people take baths.
She was blushing bright red as he herded her through the weyr. She could knock him down and run back, she supposed, but...he was still her dragon and she didn't want to hurt him. Even if courtesy of him, the entire weyr was seeing FAR too much of her.
Finally, they were there. Essa looked down, as she always did, although seeing a bit of nudity...After the whole weyr had seen...
Precisely. And it wasn't the ENTIRE weyr. And nobody was terribly interested. Because, Essanora,
you simply cannot compete with my glory.
With a swipe of his tail, Gectusith sent Essa tumbling into the water. A moment later, he was back with bucket of soapsand in his mouth.
Now bathe, Essanora. If anyone stares or laughs, I will stop them.
Essa bathed and Gectusith kept his promise, growling at anyone who tried to approach. And that night, she curled up besides Gectusith for the first time, warm hide against cool skin. Partners, for better or for worse.
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Homeward Bound- Part 1, Fort Weyr, Late Summer, 2766 (Repost)
Neozeoth was the fastest garnet alive, G'er thought with a delighted laugh, as he left his baffled sister and her asshole bronze far, far behind, the two of them a streak of red across the blue sky, the air whipping past his face. That bronze thought he was a peasant? Well G'er thought he was slow. And stupid. And that his head was so big, it was a miracle thread wasn't drawn to it from miles away!
I do not believe gravity works that way but...It was a good effort, Neozeoth acknowledged. G'er was really just too nice to craft a good insult. But at least he'd started paying attention to his Harper lessons.
Of course I did, Neo! I want to make you proud.
Neozeoth rolled her eyes. Being nicer to her rider had paid off in some ways...but there were downsides to him no longer being terrified of her, For the last time, do not call me Neo.
G'er just laughed and wrapped his arms around her neck in a highly unsafe attempt at a hug, But Essa's dragon has a nickname!
Because he's an idiot whose only worth lies in his shiny hide, Neozeoth shrugged, executing a swift barrel turn. She knew G'er didn't like that particular lunk any better than she did. Something to do with a threat to eat him?
Yep but I'm not scared of him anymore. You'd never let him eat me.
Neozeoth nodded her acknowledgement. She might not be able to best the bronze in a fair fight yet...but she had a cunning he lacked. So the fight wouldn't be fair.
---
Essa and Gectusith caught up with G'er and Neozeoth near the starstones, where G'er was all but crowing with happiness. Essa was glad to see him back to something like his old self. She'd been worried for a while, after they first started betweening, but she'd checked in with his instructors and apparently he was by now popping in and out of the cold darkness without trouble.
But Essa wanted to see for herself that he could manage it. That it wasn't merely Neozeoth's pushing and prodding masking his terror, but that he was genuinely okay. So she smiled indulgently and asked, "You all tuckered out or are you up for a bit of a trip? Now that you can between, we can go anywhere on Pern you want to go. Just me and you. It'll be fun."
She knew G'er hadn't been outside the weyr since he arrived. If he was anything like she'd been, he must have so many things he wanted to see. Weyrs. Mountains. Long stretches of abandoned beach. The Southern continent.
"That sounds fun, Essa!" G'er gave a thumbs up, "But the only place I really want to go is home. I bet Da's over Neo by now-" Essa could all but hear the garnet growl.
You're a terrible influence, Essanora, Gectusith chuckled, What sort of nonsense are you filling the poor boy's head with?
You're enjoying this too.
Only a little, Gectusith confessed. At least his nickname was dignified. And not bestowed by a Peasant.
"And I bet Relli misses me loads," he continued uninterrupted, that carefree, innocent grin on his face. They were going to break his heart. She knew it. She also knew one other thing.
"You're going with or without me, aren't you?"
"'Course I am! They're my family. And you don't give up on family."
"Then give Gectusith the coordinates. We'll go," Essa agreed, although the mere thought made her nauseous. When this ended badly...her brother would need somewhere there to hold him as he cried.
G'er gave her a look, "Don't he know them?"
Essa laughed a bit bitterly, "G'er...it's been six turns since I've seen the place. Never use coordinates that old. I don't even know what it looks like any more..."
Neozeoth was the fastest garnet alive, G'er thought with a delighted laugh, as he left his baffled sister and her asshole bronze far, far behind, the two of them a streak of red across the blue sky, the air whipping past his face. That bronze thought he was a peasant? Well G'er thought he was slow. And stupid. And that his head was so big, it was a miracle thread wasn't drawn to it from miles away!
I do not believe gravity works that way but...It was a good effort, Neozeoth acknowledged. G'er was really just too nice to craft a good insult. But at least he'd started paying attention to his Harper lessons.
Of course I did, Neo! I want to make you proud.
Neozeoth rolled her eyes. Being nicer to her rider had paid off in some ways...but there were downsides to him no longer being terrified of her, For the last time, do not call me Neo.
G'er just laughed and wrapped his arms around her neck in a highly unsafe attempt at a hug, But Essa's dragon has a nickname!
Because he's an idiot whose only worth lies in his shiny hide, Neozeoth shrugged, executing a swift barrel turn. She knew G'er didn't like that particular lunk any better than she did. Something to do with a threat to eat him?
Yep but I'm not scared of him anymore. You'd never let him eat me.
Neozeoth nodded her acknowledgement. She might not be able to best the bronze in a fair fight yet...but she had a cunning he lacked. So the fight wouldn't be fair.
---
Essa and Gectusith caught up with G'er and Neozeoth near the starstones, where G'er was all but crowing with happiness. Essa was glad to see him back to something like his old self. She'd been worried for a while, after they first started betweening, but she'd checked in with his instructors and apparently he was by now popping in and out of the cold darkness without trouble.
But Essa wanted to see for herself that he could manage it. That it wasn't merely Neozeoth's pushing and prodding masking his terror, but that he was genuinely okay. So she smiled indulgently and asked, "You all tuckered out or are you up for a bit of a trip? Now that you can between, we can go anywhere on Pern you want to go. Just me and you. It'll be fun."
She knew G'er hadn't been outside the weyr since he arrived. If he was anything like she'd been, he must have so many things he wanted to see. Weyrs. Mountains. Long stretches of abandoned beach. The Southern continent.
"That sounds fun, Essa!" G'er gave a thumbs up, "But the only place I really want to go is home. I bet Da's over Neo by now-" Essa could all but hear the garnet growl.
You're a terrible influence, Essanora, Gectusith chuckled, What sort of nonsense are you filling the poor boy's head with?
You're enjoying this too.
Only a little, Gectusith confessed. At least his nickname was dignified. And not bestowed by a Peasant.
"And I bet Relli misses me loads," he continued uninterrupted, that carefree, innocent grin on his face. They were going to break his heart. She knew it. She also knew one other thing.
"You're going with or without me, aren't you?"
"'Course I am! They're my family. And you don't give up on family."
"Then give Gectusith the coordinates. We'll go," Essa agreed, although the mere thought made her nauseous. When this ended badly...her brother would need somewhere there to hold him as he cried.
G'er gave her a look, "Don't he know them?"
Essa laughed a bit bitterly, "G'er...it's been six turns since I've seen the place. Never use coordinates that old. I don't even know what it looks like any more..."
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Homeward Bound- Part 2, A Minor Cothold Near Fort, Late Summer, 2766 (Repost)
It was shocking how little the place had changed, Essa thought as she watched G'er take off running along familiar dirt paths. The fields and hills were the same. Same handful of scraggly herdbeasts. Same humble huts in the distance. Same ragged looking people, preparing the same dirt for the same crops.
She took in a breath of air, fresh and clean, with none of the usual smells of firestone and smoke and crowds. But she didn't get down from Gect's back, as he settled down in the shadow of one of the hills, Neozeoth pacing besides him. She knew the garnet must be worried about her rider. But she wouldn't fit in these narrow streets and would only scare the people who called it home.
Gectusith sniffed as he looked around, Horrible place. Barely more than a hovel. You're welcome,
Essanora, for lifting you from such destitution.
I'd already been a candidate for two turns, Gectusith. The only thing you rescued me from was D'fid's lessons, Essa chuckled with a roll of her eyes. She'd thought it would feel like home, coming back here, that she'd be the girl Essanora again, with nothing but light in her eyes and faith the future would work out as it should.
But she didn't feel...Much of anything, really. It looked small and, yes, a little drab and no different than any of the other little holds she flew over in Threadfall. Whatever ties had once bound her to this place...they were gone. Home wasn't her little cot by the window anymore. It was her cozy weyr and Fort's dragon-filled skies and a bronze's arrogant eyes and her brother's smile and a pair of delicate white fireliard wings. She didn't need to return to her home and family...because she had a family. She had Gectusith and Chione and G'er and Neozeoth and Vulcan and her wingmates and everyone else who called Fort Weyr home. She'd want to make herself into someone new, to wash this place from her skin. And she'd succeeded, because she could look at those fields and feel nothing at all. It hurt, like losing a piece of herself.
One of the men tending the field put down his scythe and walked over to greet her with a nod. He'd been their Holder's son, when she left, but by his knots, the dominion was now his. She'd never thought to see him look at her with respect and awe and a little bit of fear.
"Lord Holder," she greeted, although she knew he was no lord of the Blood, just the keeper of a rural hold. Gectusith for once lifted a paw to help her down and she saw the holder's eyes widen in surprise as she removed her riding helmet. Clearly he'd been expecting someone else. A man, probably.
"Lord...uh...Lady...uh...Bronzerider..." he tried nervously, a squeak in his voice.
"Bronzerider is fine. May I help you?" she asked, as Gectusith all but basked in the evident admiration of this man. Neozeoth snorted.
He's probably never seen a dragon this close before. Idiot. Let alone a garnet.
"Uh...no...no. I'm just...uh...here to...uh...say what an honor it is, to have dragonriders in our hold. And to...uh...offer our hospitality?"
"Thanks," Essa smiled, trying to put the man at ease. How odd, for him to be more scared of her than she was of him, "I'm just here for Geromal. This is his partner, Neozeoth. They're new to betweening and wanted to take a trip home. So we offered our escort."
That he didn't recognize her was clear. He hadn't seen her in turns and never on a dragon's back.
He nodded nervously and babbled, "Yes. Geromal. We're all so proud of him. Very, very proud. Can I offer you wine? Company?"
Essa tilted her head, "There is actually one thing you can do for me..."
It was shocking how little the place had changed, Essa thought as she watched G'er take off running along familiar dirt paths. The fields and hills were the same. Same handful of scraggly herdbeasts. Same humble huts in the distance. Same ragged looking people, preparing the same dirt for the same crops.
She took in a breath of air, fresh and clean, with none of the usual smells of firestone and smoke and crowds. But she didn't get down from Gect's back, as he settled down in the shadow of one of the hills, Neozeoth pacing besides him. She knew the garnet must be worried about her rider. But she wouldn't fit in these narrow streets and would only scare the people who called it home.
Gectusith sniffed as he looked around, Horrible place. Barely more than a hovel. You're welcome,
Essanora, for lifting you from such destitution.
I'd already been a candidate for two turns, Gectusith. The only thing you rescued me from was D'fid's lessons, Essa chuckled with a roll of her eyes. She'd thought it would feel like home, coming back here, that she'd be the girl Essanora again, with nothing but light in her eyes and faith the future would work out as it should.
But she didn't feel...Much of anything, really. It looked small and, yes, a little drab and no different than any of the other little holds she flew over in Threadfall. Whatever ties had once bound her to this place...they were gone. Home wasn't her little cot by the window anymore. It was her cozy weyr and Fort's dragon-filled skies and a bronze's arrogant eyes and her brother's smile and a pair of delicate white fireliard wings. She didn't need to return to her home and family...because she had a family. She had Gectusith and Chione and G'er and Neozeoth and Vulcan and her wingmates and everyone else who called Fort Weyr home. She'd want to make herself into someone new, to wash this place from her skin. And she'd succeeded, because she could look at those fields and feel nothing at all. It hurt, like losing a piece of herself.
One of the men tending the field put down his scythe and walked over to greet her with a nod. He'd been their Holder's son, when she left, but by his knots, the dominion was now his. She'd never thought to see him look at her with respect and awe and a little bit of fear.
"Lord Holder," she greeted, although she knew he was no lord of the Blood, just the keeper of a rural hold. Gectusith for once lifted a paw to help her down and she saw the holder's eyes widen in surprise as she removed her riding helmet. Clearly he'd been expecting someone else. A man, probably.
"Lord...uh...Lady...uh...Bronzerider..." he tried nervously, a squeak in his voice.
"Bronzerider is fine. May I help you?" she asked, as Gectusith all but basked in the evident admiration of this man. Neozeoth snorted.
He's probably never seen a dragon this close before. Idiot. Let alone a garnet.
"Uh...no...no. I'm just...uh...here to...uh...say what an honor it is, to have dragonriders in our hold. And to...uh...offer our hospitality?"
"Thanks," Essa smiled, trying to put the man at ease. How odd, for him to be more scared of her than she was of him, "I'm just here for Geromal. This is his partner, Neozeoth. They're new to betweening and wanted to take a trip home. So we offered our escort."
That he didn't recognize her was clear. He hadn't seen her in turns and never on a dragon's back.
He nodded nervously and babbled, "Yes. Geromal. We're all so proud of him. Very, very proud. Can I offer you wine? Company?"
Essa tilted her head, "There is actually one thing you can do for me..."
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Homeward Bound- Part 3, A Minor Cothold Near Fort, Late Summer, 2766 (Repost)
TW: Transphobia, homophobia, sexism
It might have been over a turn since G'er was home, but his feet remembered the way, dashing light and easy over dirt paths, breathing barely even strained. Neozeoth put him through MUCH worse than a simple trot home. A wide grin spread across his face as he waved to familiar faces. Everyone waved back, smiling.
"Geromal!"
"How's life at your fancy weyr?"
"Now that my cousin's a rider...Think I can get a dragonride sometime?"
There were a few sneers too. Some accusations of being a secret woman...or loving men...or being weak. But they just didn't understand. Neozeoth was awesome. She'd never have picked a weak rider.
His home was near the edge of the hold. Relli was standing out front, hanging the laundry, as one of the younger kids planted vegetables. The older ones were in the fields out back, helping his Da, now that G'er was around to do it anymore.
"Relli!" G'er called excitedly. He didn't remember his own mother. It didn't matter. Relli had always treated him like one of her own.
"G'er?" she looked up, warm brown eyes wide and shining with unshed tears. She ran to meet him, wrapping her arms around him, "G'er...Look at you! You've gotten so tall. And all those muscles! You're growing into a very handsome young man. Just like your father." She squeezed his arm playfully.
"Well I'm a rider now, Relli. Gotta stay strong. So I can fight thread and make my dragon proud," he said with a bit of a blush.
She smiled softly, "Yes. Neozeoth, right?"
"Exactly!" G'er grinned widely, "She's the best! The coolest dragon that's ever lived."
"I'm glad to hear it," she ruffled his hair affectionately, "Come in! Come in! I'll make you something to eat. You must be exhausted!"
"I'm good," he hugged her again, safe in the feel of her familiar arms, "I promise. I'm a rider now. Travel's easy! I can come over as much as I'd like. And take you places too! You can come see Fort with me. Essa'd like that too I bet."
Her smile turned a bit sad, "I would like that. Her partner is Gectusith, right?"
G'er scowled, "Yeah but you don't want to talk to him. He's a jerk. I don't know why she LIKES him. He wanted to eat me! Me! Just 'cause I wanted to take Essa home to you all."
Relli raised an eyebrow in mild censure, "And was Essa a willing partner in all this?"
"Well...no. But she would have been! Once she got here."
"G'er..." Relli sighed, "That was very sweet of you but very foolish. He could have hurt you!"
G'er snorted, "Essa'd never have let him. He's one of the meanest dragons I've ever met but...he listens to her. Usually."
"Did you know that at the time?"
"Well...no..."
She shook her head, "The weyr hasn't changed you at all, has it?"
"Has too! I know what gravity is now."
TW: Transphobia, homophobia, sexism
It might have been over a turn since G'er was home, but his feet remembered the way, dashing light and easy over dirt paths, breathing barely even strained. Neozeoth put him through MUCH worse than a simple trot home. A wide grin spread across his face as he waved to familiar faces. Everyone waved back, smiling.
"Geromal!"
"How's life at your fancy weyr?"
"Now that my cousin's a rider...Think I can get a dragonride sometime?"
There were a few sneers too. Some accusations of being a secret woman...or loving men...or being weak. But they just didn't understand. Neozeoth was awesome. She'd never have picked a weak rider.
His home was near the edge of the hold. Relli was standing out front, hanging the laundry, as one of the younger kids planted vegetables. The older ones were in the fields out back, helping his Da, now that G'er was around to do it anymore.
"Relli!" G'er called excitedly. He didn't remember his own mother. It didn't matter. Relli had always treated him like one of her own.
"G'er?" she looked up, warm brown eyes wide and shining with unshed tears. She ran to meet him, wrapping her arms around him, "G'er...Look at you! You've gotten so tall. And all those muscles! You're growing into a very handsome young man. Just like your father." She squeezed his arm playfully.
"Well I'm a rider now, Relli. Gotta stay strong. So I can fight thread and make my dragon proud," he said with a bit of a blush.
She smiled softly, "Yes. Neozeoth, right?"
"Exactly!" G'er grinned widely, "She's the best! The coolest dragon that's ever lived."
"I'm glad to hear it," she ruffled his hair affectionately, "Come in! Come in! I'll make you something to eat. You must be exhausted!"
"I'm good," he hugged her again, safe in the feel of her familiar arms, "I promise. I'm a rider now. Travel's easy! I can come over as much as I'd like. And take you places too! You can come see Fort with me. Essa'd like that too I bet."
Her smile turned a bit sad, "I would like that. Her partner is Gectusith, right?"
G'er scowled, "Yeah but you don't want to talk to him. He's a jerk. I don't know why she LIKES him. He wanted to eat me! Me! Just 'cause I wanted to take Essa home to you all."
Relli raised an eyebrow in mild censure, "And was Essa a willing partner in all this?"
"Well...no. But she would have been! Once she got here."
"G'er..." Relli sighed, "That was very sweet of you but very foolish. He could have hurt you!"
G'er snorted, "Essa'd never have let him. He's one of the meanest dragons I've ever met but...he listens to her. Usually."
"Did you know that at the time?"
"Well...no..."
She shook her head, "The weyr hasn't changed you at all, has it?"
"Has too! I know what gravity is now."
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Homeward Bound- Part 4, A Minor Cothold Near Fort, Late Summer, 2766 (Repost)
TW: Bullying, emotional abuse
"You want me to do WHAT?" Noraman asked, again. Baffled. Why the forsk...Why the forsk was a bronzerider asking to see GERONOR'S children of all people? Wasn't one dragon-riding son enough? Now MORE of his kids were going to get to Impress? Even the BABIES? What was it with riders and that family?
"G'er has proven an exemplary rider," the bronzerider said again, her voice soft and polite, with an educated accent. Blue-green eyes met his, unflinching, and he felt a jolt of recognition. He knew those eyes.
"Essanora?!?" he asked in shock. Seriously? Geronor's VANISHED DAUGHTER was a dragonrider too? True a weird unnatural dragonrider...But still! What was going ON with that family?
"Indeed," she nodded coolly, demonstrating zero respect for his very important position, "And I would like to see my siblings now. Inform no one I'm here. Or else."
He could have sworn the bronze dragon grinned...Or maybe it was more of a baring of teeth...Run, little holder. Run. My rider has spoken.
Noraman ran. Because sometimes, discretion was the better part of valor.
---
Relli sipped her klah as her son hung the clothes, waving her back whenever she tried to help. He really was growing into a fine young man. He'd always been kind, but before it wouldn't have even occurred to him to offer help. And he seemed happy, smiling and blabbering all about that garnet of his and his sister and his classmates and his firelizard (who Relli had seen before carrying messages from him) and some girl called Ellea who rode his dragon's sister...twin...something.
She was glad to see that something good had come of all this. He was happy and thriving and safe. Her other sons might be worked harder and harder (to "drive the weakness out of them" according to her husband) and Geronor might already be looking to betrothe girls who were far too young for such promises...But at least two of her children were safe.
And didn't seem to take to heart any comments about what they should and shouldn't do. Her younger kids had been the object of praise and envy when word had first gotten around G'er had Impressed. No one in the hold had really known what a garnet was...Until Geronor had told them and their pride had turned to scorn. Now, they were subject to mockery. Her husband claimed it was best, so that they wouldn't get any ideas or go chasing after G'er...But Relli disagreed. They were hardly likely to become riders themselves so she didn't see what it much mattered what they did or didn't think of garnets. And G'er was still their brother. It wasn't wrong for them to love him. But her husband had always been a passionate man with rigid ideas of right and wrong and there would be no bending him.
She would just have to ensure G'er left, before he returned from the fields. And she'd have to tell her beloved son to never come back, before his father chased the last of the goodness from his eyes and the love from his heart. She'd have to tear her family apart again, to save the boy she loved.
"You should go," she forced the words out as he hung the last of the clothes, "I have to make supper and I can't have you here getting in the way. Don't...don't...come back. We don't have enough food to feed you and I won't have a rider go hungry in my home." She wanted to cry. But she had to be firm. Be strong. Make him understand without telling him the truth.
He looked at her in pain and confusion, "Then come with me. The weyr has lots of food! You can live with me there."
Relli shook her head sadly, "My place is here. And yours is there. Go in peace, my dear one. And be who you were meant to be."
Her ears perked up at the sound of footsteps and her husband's voice, yelling at someone, "I don't give a forsk what the rider said! That forsaken, degenerate place will never get its claws in another of my sons!"
"B-but...What if they burn the hold down?"
"And how the forsk is that my problem? Isn't that what we have lords like you for?"
Relli tried to shoo her son away...But it was too late. He'd already heard. His eyes lit up as he ran forward, "Dad!"
TW: Bullying, emotional abuse
"You want me to do WHAT?" Noraman asked, again. Baffled. Why the forsk...Why the forsk was a bronzerider asking to see GERONOR'S children of all people? Wasn't one dragon-riding son enough? Now MORE of his kids were going to get to Impress? Even the BABIES? What was it with riders and that family?
"G'er has proven an exemplary rider," the bronzerider said again, her voice soft and polite, with an educated accent. Blue-green eyes met his, unflinching, and he felt a jolt of recognition. He knew those eyes.
"Essanora?!?" he asked in shock. Seriously? Geronor's VANISHED DAUGHTER was a dragonrider too? True a weird unnatural dragonrider...But still! What was going ON with that family?
"Indeed," she nodded coolly, demonstrating zero respect for his very important position, "And I would like to see my siblings now. Inform no one I'm here. Or else."
He could have sworn the bronze dragon grinned...Or maybe it was more of a baring of teeth...Run, little holder. Run. My rider has spoken.
Noraman ran. Because sometimes, discretion was the better part of valor.
---
Relli sipped her klah as her son hung the clothes, waving her back whenever she tried to help. He really was growing into a fine young man. He'd always been kind, but before it wouldn't have even occurred to him to offer help. And he seemed happy, smiling and blabbering all about that garnet of his and his sister and his classmates and his firelizard (who Relli had seen before carrying messages from him) and some girl called Ellea who rode his dragon's sister...twin...something.
She was glad to see that something good had come of all this. He was happy and thriving and safe. Her other sons might be worked harder and harder (to "drive the weakness out of them" according to her husband) and Geronor might already be looking to betrothe girls who were far too young for such promises...But at least two of her children were safe.
And didn't seem to take to heart any comments about what they should and shouldn't do. Her younger kids had been the object of praise and envy when word had first gotten around G'er had Impressed. No one in the hold had really known what a garnet was...Until Geronor had told them and their pride had turned to scorn. Now, they were subject to mockery. Her husband claimed it was best, so that they wouldn't get any ideas or go chasing after G'er...But Relli disagreed. They were hardly likely to become riders themselves so she didn't see what it much mattered what they did or didn't think of garnets. And G'er was still their brother. It wasn't wrong for them to love him. But her husband had always been a passionate man with rigid ideas of right and wrong and there would be no bending him.
She would just have to ensure G'er left, before he returned from the fields. And she'd have to tell her beloved son to never come back, before his father chased the last of the goodness from his eyes and the love from his heart. She'd have to tear her family apart again, to save the boy she loved.
"You should go," she forced the words out as he hung the last of the clothes, "I have to make supper and I can't have you here getting in the way. Don't...don't...come back. We don't have enough food to feed you and I won't have a rider go hungry in my home." She wanted to cry. But she had to be firm. Be strong. Make him understand without telling him the truth.
He looked at her in pain and confusion, "Then come with me. The weyr has lots of food! You can live with me there."
Relli shook her head sadly, "My place is here. And yours is there. Go in peace, my dear one. And be who you were meant to be."
Her ears perked up at the sound of footsteps and her husband's voice, yelling at someone, "I don't give a forsk what the rider said! That forsaken, degenerate place will never get its claws in another of my sons!"
"B-but...What if they burn the hold down?"
"And how the forsk is that my problem? Isn't that what we have lords like you for?"
Relli tried to shoo her son away...But it was too late. He'd already heard. His eyes lit up as he ran forward, "Dad!"
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Arcane - Thread Conqueror
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Homeward Bound- Part 5, A Minor Cothold Near Fort, Late Summer, 2766 (Repost)
TW: Abuse, mild violence
Geronor flinched back as if he'd been slapped, eyes wide with horror as his mouth tightened into an angry snarl. G'er had never seen that look on his face before...Not even at the Hatching Feast...
"You!" he growled, storming up to grab G'er by the collar of his shirt, shaking him roughly, "This is all your fault, isn't it? You and that sister of yours...She was trouble for turns but you...you...If you think you're stealing the rest of my children from me..."
Suddenly, his arm fell away and he collapsed, as Relli stared on with wide eyes, a frying pan in her hands. She stared at G'er in shock for a moment, eyes wide and face pale, before she grabbed his arm and started running, dragging him behind her, "Come on! Now! Before he wakes up!"
G'er ran. Relli let go of his arm, as she went to herd up five other children, ranging in age from thirteen to four. Essa and the dragons were waiting for them right where they left them and Essa was staring in surprise and confusion. They'd lost Noraman somewhere along the way...
---
"Relli?" Essa asked. She had absolutely no idea what was going on here. Why...why was the whole family suddenly there? Why did Relli look like she'd just committed murder? But before she could ask, Relli had wrapped her in a brief hug.
"It's good to see you again, Essanora. You're looking well."
"Essa. I go by Essa now. May I introduce you to my partner, Gectusith?"
Be nice, Gect, she warned firmly.
I am always polite and charming, he sniffed, The peasants should feel honored to simply hear my voice.
Relli nodded and took a shaky breath, "I'm sorry to do this to you but...I need a favor. Can you...Take us away from here? To another hold? I...I had to..."
"She hit Da with a frying pan!" G'er explained, a wide smile on his face, "It was awesome! Come on, Ma. You can ride with me."
Essa smiled and turned to her siblings, who were looking at her with suspicious eyes, "I guess that means you five are with me. I know you rode a dragon to the Hatching...But you've never ridden Gectusith before. And he's the best."
Indeed, Gectusith agreed in satisfaction. Maybe he would carry these little drooling peasants...just to prove the utter inferiority of any other dragon they'd ridden before. Because he was magnanimous like that.
TW: Abuse, mild violence
Geronor flinched back as if he'd been slapped, eyes wide with horror as his mouth tightened into an angry snarl. G'er had never seen that look on his face before...Not even at the Hatching Feast...
"You!" he growled, storming up to grab G'er by the collar of his shirt, shaking him roughly, "This is all your fault, isn't it? You and that sister of yours...She was trouble for turns but you...you...If you think you're stealing the rest of my children from me..."
Suddenly, his arm fell away and he collapsed, as Relli stared on with wide eyes, a frying pan in her hands. She stared at G'er in shock for a moment, eyes wide and face pale, before she grabbed his arm and started running, dragging him behind her, "Come on! Now! Before he wakes up!"
G'er ran. Relli let go of his arm, as she went to herd up five other children, ranging in age from thirteen to four. Essa and the dragons were waiting for them right where they left them and Essa was staring in surprise and confusion. They'd lost Noraman somewhere along the way...
---
"Relli?" Essa asked. She had absolutely no idea what was going on here. Why...why was the whole family suddenly there? Why did Relli look like she'd just committed murder? But before she could ask, Relli had wrapped her in a brief hug.
"It's good to see you again, Essanora. You're looking well."
"Essa. I go by Essa now. May I introduce you to my partner, Gectusith?"
Be nice, Gect, she warned firmly.
I am always polite and charming, he sniffed, The peasants should feel honored to simply hear my voice.
Relli nodded and took a shaky breath, "I'm sorry to do this to you but...I need a favor. Can you...Take us away from here? To another hold? I...I had to..."
"She hit Da with a frying pan!" G'er explained, a wide smile on his face, "It was awesome! Come on, Ma. You can ride with me."
Essa smiled and turned to her siblings, who were looking at her with suspicious eyes, "I guess that means you five are with me. I know you rode a dragon to the Hatching...But you've never ridden Gectusith before. And he's the best."
Indeed, Gectusith agreed in satisfaction. Maybe he would carry these little drooling peasants...just to prove the utter inferiority of any other dragon they'd ridden before. Because he was magnanimous like that.
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Arcane - Thread Conqueror
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The Diplomat and The Rebel, Fort Weyr, Early Summer, 2766 (Repost)
Yatara didn't see what all the fuss was about as the clutch's second green chose her rider. Yes, she was sure it was all very exciting for the new weyrlings and their partners. But did the whole weyr and half of Pern really need to turn out and see? It must be very boring from the stands, watching dragons and people stare into each other's eyes. Heck, even she was bored and she was a forsking candidate!
The only real excitement had come from the first green, who'd dragged some kid off the stands with some rider intervention. This last one had kind of just...found her rider. No drama about it. And little interest for anyone BUT the girl and her friends. Don't get her wrong- she thought it was great that people were Impressing and Pern was getting new dragonriders. She just didn't see the point of having so many spectators. Seemed to her it would just make the event more stressful, for dragons and candidates alike.
The next egg to start shaking was, in her not-so-humble opinion, the best of the bunch. Pretty and blue and covered in butterflies, it was innocence and goodness and sweet summer days. A damp head peaked out, barely a glimmer but just enough to show that the dragon inside was as blue as his shell.
...And then an entirely different egg broke the moment, a brown springing to life. Yatara let out a bit of a chuckle despite herself. She felt some pity for the blue who'd had his moment stolen...But it had genuinely been pretty funny, getting surprised like that. Especially once it was clear the two weren't going to fight. The looked at each other, looked away and wandered off, the brown in one direction, the blue in another.
Yatara's breath caught as she got a glimpse of the blue's egg-crumpled wings. They were the most stunning thing she'd ever seen, like the plumage of some exotic bird, seen through the mists of dreams. He was a sturdy little thing compared to the greens, stomping his way in a way that belied the ethereal nature of his dreams. It suited him though. She got the feeling he wasn't a dragon to pussyfoot around. She liked that.
And then he looked at her and her heart stopped as his eyes filled with rainbows. There was no confusion or uncertainty or even much surprise, as some candidates might have held. Only wonder and a solid certainty that this was right. He was the one for her. Her big-hearted loud little blue needed her, to turn his voice towards something worthwhile and merge her will with his own.
He nodded in approval, My felicitations, friend! I believe you and I are destined to do great things together. But for now...I'm afraid I'm feeling a peckish. Shall we procure nourishment?
Yatara didn't see what all the fuss was about as the clutch's second green chose her rider. Yes, she was sure it was all very exciting for the new weyrlings and their partners. But did the whole weyr and half of Pern really need to turn out and see? It must be very boring from the stands, watching dragons and people stare into each other's eyes. Heck, even she was bored and she was a forsking candidate!
The only real excitement had come from the first green, who'd dragged some kid off the stands with some rider intervention. This last one had kind of just...found her rider. No drama about it. And little interest for anyone BUT the girl and her friends. Don't get her wrong- she thought it was great that people were Impressing and Pern was getting new dragonriders. She just didn't see the point of having so many spectators. Seemed to her it would just make the event more stressful, for dragons and candidates alike.
The next egg to start shaking was, in her not-so-humble opinion, the best of the bunch. Pretty and blue and covered in butterflies, it was innocence and goodness and sweet summer days. A damp head peaked out, barely a glimmer but just enough to show that the dragon inside was as blue as his shell.
...And then an entirely different egg broke the moment, a brown springing to life. Yatara let out a bit of a chuckle despite herself. She felt some pity for the blue who'd had his moment stolen...But it had genuinely been pretty funny, getting surprised like that. Especially once it was clear the two weren't going to fight. The looked at each other, looked away and wandered off, the brown in one direction, the blue in another.
Yatara's breath caught as she got a glimpse of the blue's egg-crumpled wings. They were the most stunning thing she'd ever seen, like the plumage of some exotic bird, seen through the mists of dreams. He was a sturdy little thing compared to the greens, stomping his way in a way that belied the ethereal nature of his dreams. It suited him though. She got the feeling he wasn't a dragon to pussyfoot around. She liked that.
And then he looked at her and her heart stopped as his eyes filled with rainbows. There was no confusion or uncertainty or even much surprise, as some candidates might have held. Only wonder and a solid certainty that this was right. He was the one for her. Her big-hearted loud little blue needed her, to turn his voice towards something worthwhile and merge her will with his own.
He nodded in approval, My felicitations, friend! I believe you and I are destined to do great things together. But for now...I'm afraid I'm feeling a peckish. Shall we procure nourishment?
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We're Not Meant to Stand Alone, Fort Weyr, Late Summer, 2766 (Repost)
TW: Mentions of emotional abuse, internalized misogyny, child in danger
Gerelnor had been kidnapped by dragonriders. Him, his Ma, his brothers and sisters...They'd been stolen away from their homes and their father and everywhere they belonged.
Pa had warned him this would happen. That they had to be vigilant. And watch out for the dragonriders that were Wrong. That would come to hurt them and steal them, like they had in the war. And they'd teach them to be Wrong too. That's why they had to work harder and never talk to Geromal again, so they could stay Right and Proper.
But then Ma had betrayed Pa. And hurt him. Because the Bad Rider had made her. And now the Bad Rider was trapping him in the Bad Weyr. He had to escape and get away, before they made him Bad too.
The Bad Riders had already gotten to Ma. So Gerelnor waited until she was asleep before slipping out of their crowded little cavern. She said he could never go home again. But that was just because they'd already gotten her. Gerelnor remembered the Flight too. It had only taken a few seconds. He just had to get out of the weyr and home would be right there, waiting for him. And then he'd find Pa and Pa would come and scare the Bad Riders off and bring them all home where they could be happy.
---
The wher had once been called Anavask. She had lived with people. Protected them. Helped them. But then her people had died and she had gotten lost. So now she lived out here. Alone. She missed her people, but it was what it was. She was surviving. She knew how to do that.
This small human did not. Small human chicks didn't belong out here, the wher remember. They were squishy and fragile and didn't know how to protect themselves. It must be lost and alone and scared. She'd been following it for nearly a candlemark now.
The wher wanted it to be okay. It probably had people who missed it and cared about it and would be sad to see it gone. But she would scare it away and make it run if it saw her. It didn't seem like a very smart human chick. It tripped and she snorted. Clearly there was a log there. Clearly this was not a path. Clearly this was not where this human child needed to be. Clearly this human child needed someone to take him home.
The wher stepped forward carefully and slowly, nudging the child to his feet. He grabbed onto her head, staring at her with wide eyes. But he did not scream. He took a few steps. She stepped forward and grabbed him by the back of the shirt, ignoring his flailing struggles.
Taking home. No be scared. Can ride if won't run off. Wilds dangerous. Not good place for small human. It was the longest phrase the wher had put together in some time. She saw wild whers occasionally and had made a tentative peace with them, but she'd yet to join one of their packs.
The kid spoke, his voice high and squeaky, "Ma...Ma says not to go near whers. That they eat people."
The wher snorted. Ferals weren't safe for a small child to be around. His Ma seemed smarter than he was, Didn't Ma also say no go in woods?
"Well...yes...But I had to! I've been kidnapped! Kidnapped! And I need to find Pa, so he can kill the vile abductors and their freak mutant dragons!"
Is Pa wherrie? Or wher? Why Pa live out here?
She could all but feel the boy sulking as she helped him onto her back, "I got lost. It's dark!"
The wher didn't exactly know where the boy's home was, but the closest human place was the Weyr. She'd never been there with her handler, but she knew where it was by the dragons she always saw lingering nearby. She thought he must have come from there. With his little legs and weak eyes, he didn't seem like it could have made it from any further.
She would watch him and make sure he found his Ma and not the kidnappers. Whoever the kidnappers were.
He pouted silently until he fell asleep, draped over her back and snoring gently. The wher walked slowly, so as not to knock him off. The human child wasn't hers, but she remembered enough of her duty to want to see him home safe.
---
Relli had awoken in the middle of the night to find Gerelnor gone, his sheets pulled back, his bed cold and empty. He'd taken his boots and his canteen and his jacket. And left while she slept.
How could this have happened under her watch? Shouldn't she have seen it coming, sensed it? What sort of mother was she? What if he was dead, having hit his head on a rock or gotten bitten by a tunnelsnake, and she hadn't been there to save him? What if she had killed him by bringing him here?
She threw on her own shoes and ran outside, breath coming fast, as she screamed, "Gerelnor! Gerelnor!"
But there was no answer. He was gone. She wanted to cry. To collapse. But that would do no one any good. She had to find him. So she filched a glow from one of the tunnels and set off into the weyrbowl. Maybe he'd just found his way into a cave and fallen asleep there...Maybe he'd wanted to see the dragons...Maybe he'd gone looking for G'er...Or maybe he was dead or hurt or lost somewhere alone.
"Gerelnor! Gerelnor! Gerelnor!" Her husband had been right. She was a terrible mother. She'd known they'd just arrive and that Gerelnor was unhappy here. She should have stayed up and watched him. Sleep? What did she need sleep for? She was a mother! Weren't her children more important than sleep? She could almost hear that familiar voice rising in accusation.
She missed her husband. He would have seen this coming and made her sit up and keep watch with him. And then if somehow Gerelnor had slipped past their guard, he would have been there with her. He'd have known what to do. How to find him. Would have had a better plan than screaming her throat raw and crying until she had no more tears to shed. He would have accounted for her feminine emotions and frailties. He'd have scolded her mercilessly, but he would also have seen Gerelnor home.
Where could her son have gone? How could Relli have thought she could manage this alone? She should have stayed and dealt with the consequences, after hitting her husband with that STUPID frying pan. G'er could have made it back on his own. She'd already saved him from his father's wrath. But she'd panicked, like the foolish ninny she was, and went running off after the first minor hardship that came her way. And now her son was gone.
"Ma?" a sleepy voice asked with a familiar yawn, "What are you doing here?"
Her head snapped up. It was Gerelnor, looking a little ruffled but otherwise unharmed. He was sitting on a wher's back, probably one of the guards who had been on patrol. The tears came faster as she pulled him down, hugging him close even as he squirmed away, "Ma! You're embarrassing me in front of my new friend!"
"Oh. Thank Faranth. Thank Faranth. Thank Faranth," she murmured as he slipped out of her arms. When he tried to go wandering off again, the wher stopped him with a firm paw. Relli hugged her next. She didn't know if whers liked hugs...But this one had saved her son and brought him home, "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I cannot thank you enough. If he'd...I don't know what I would have done...Oh how can we ever repay you?"
The wher turned, suddenly sinking her teeth into Relli's arm. Relli yelped in pain. What the forsk? Did it...want to eat her? Then...why hadn't it eaten Gerelnor?
Relli could all but hear the eyeroll, Why Rellivask eat Relli? Herdbeasts better eating.
And apparently it could read minds...And steal names...Didn't it already have it a name?
Rellivask not STEAL name. Rellivask SHARE name because Relli and Rellivask friends now. Is a compliment. Should be happy.
Uh huh...At least it wasn't biting her anymore...
"Are we going home now?" Gerelnor asked, "Da's going to be so happy to see us home!"
This was going to be a long night.
TW: Mentions of emotional abuse, internalized misogyny, child in danger
Gerelnor had been kidnapped by dragonriders. Him, his Ma, his brothers and sisters...They'd been stolen away from their homes and their father and everywhere they belonged.
Pa had warned him this would happen. That they had to be vigilant. And watch out for the dragonriders that were Wrong. That would come to hurt them and steal them, like they had in the war. And they'd teach them to be Wrong too. That's why they had to work harder and never talk to Geromal again, so they could stay Right and Proper.
But then Ma had betrayed Pa. And hurt him. Because the Bad Rider had made her. And now the Bad Rider was trapping him in the Bad Weyr. He had to escape and get away, before they made him Bad too.
The Bad Riders had already gotten to Ma. So Gerelnor waited until she was asleep before slipping out of their crowded little cavern. She said he could never go home again. But that was just because they'd already gotten her. Gerelnor remembered the Flight too. It had only taken a few seconds. He just had to get out of the weyr and home would be right there, waiting for him. And then he'd find Pa and Pa would come and scare the Bad Riders off and bring them all home where they could be happy.
---
The wher had once been called Anavask. She had lived with people. Protected them. Helped them. But then her people had died and she had gotten lost. So now she lived out here. Alone. She missed her people, but it was what it was. She was surviving. She knew how to do that.
This small human did not. Small human chicks didn't belong out here, the wher remember. They were squishy and fragile and didn't know how to protect themselves. It must be lost and alone and scared. She'd been following it for nearly a candlemark now.
The wher wanted it to be okay. It probably had people who missed it and cared about it and would be sad to see it gone. But she would scare it away and make it run if it saw her. It didn't seem like a very smart human chick. It tripped and she snorted. Clearly there was a log there. Clearly this was not a path. Clearly this was not where this human child needed to be. Clearly this human child needed someone to take him home.
The wher stepped forward carefully and slowly, nudging the child to his feet. He grabbed onto her head, staring at her with wide eyes. But he did not scream. He took a few steps. She stepped forward and grabbed him by the back of the shirt, ignoring his flailing struggles.
Taking home. No be scared. Can ride if won't run off. Wilds dangerous. Not good place for small human. It was the longest phrase the wher had put together in some time. She saw wild whers occasionally and had made a tentative peace with them, but she'd yet to join one of their packs.
The kid spoke, his voice high and squeaky, "Ma...Ma says not to go near whers. That they eat people."
The wher snorted. Ferals weren't safe for a small child to be around. His Ma seemed smarter than he was, Didn't Ma also say no go in woods?
"Well...yes...But I had to! I've been kidnapped! Kidnapped! And I need to find Pa, so he can kill the vile abductors and their freak mutant dragons!"
Is Pa wherrie? Or wher? Why Pa live out here?
She could all but feel the boy sulking as she helped him onto her back, "I got lost. It's dark!"
The wher didn't exactly know where the boy's home was, but the closest human place was the Weyr. She'd never been there with her handler, but she knew where it was by the dragons she always saw lingering nearby. She thought he must have come from there. With his little legs and weak eyes, he didn't seem like it could have made it from any further.
She would watch him and make sure he found his Ma and not the kidnappers. Whoever the kidnappers were.
He pouted silently until he fell asleep, draped over her back and snoring gently. The wher walked slowly, so as not to knock him off. The human child wasn't hers, but she remembered enough of her duty to want to see him home safe.
---
Relli had awoken in the middle of the night to find Gerelnor gone, his sheets pulled back, his bed cold and empty. He'd taken his boots and his canteen and his jacket. And left while she slept.
How could this have happened under her watch? Shouldn't she have seen it coming, sensed it? What sort of mother was she? What if he was dead, having hit his head on a rock or gotten bitten by a tunnelsnake, and she hadn't been there to save him? What if she had killed him by bringing him here?
She threw on her own shoes and ran outside, breath coming fast, as she screamed, "Gerelnor! Gerelnor!"
But there was no answer. He was gone. She wanted to cry. To collapse. But that would do no one any good. She had to find him. So she filched a glow from one of the tunnels and set off into the weyrbowl. Maybe he'd just found his way into a cave and fallen asleep there...Maybe he'd wanted to see the dragons...Maybe he'd gone looking for G'er...Or maybe he was dead or hurt or lost somewhere alone.
"Gerelnor! Gerelnor! Gerelnor!" Her husband had been right. She was a terrible mother. She'd known they'd just arrive and that Gerelnor was unhappy here. She should have stayed up and watched him. Sleep? What did she need sleep for? She was a mother! Weren't her children more important than sleep? She could almost hear that familiar voice rising in accusation.
She missed her husband. He would have seen this coming and made her sit up and keep watch with him. And then if somehow Gerelnor had slipped past their guard, he would have been there with her. He'd have known what to do. How to find him. Would have had a better plan than screaming her throat raw and crying until she had no more tears to shed. He would have accounted for her feminine emotions and frailties. He'd have scolded her mercilessly, but he would also have seen Gerelnor home.
Where could her son have gone? How could Relli have thought she could manage this alone? She should have stayed and dealt with the consequences, after hitting her husband with that STUPID frying pan. G'er could have made it back on his own. She'd already saved him from his father's wrath. But she'd panicked, like the foolish ninny she was, and went running off after the first minor hardship that came her way. And now her son was gone.
"Ma?" a sleepy voice asked with a familiar yawn, "What are you doing here?"
Her head snapped up. It was Gerelnor, looking a little ruffled but otherwise unharmed. He was sitting on a wher's back, probably one of the guards who had been on patrol. The tears came faster as she pulled him down, hugging him close even as he squirmed away, "Ma! You're embarrassing me in front of my new friend!"
"Oh. Thank Faranth. Thank Faranth. Thank Faranth," she murmured as he slipped out of her arms. When he tried to go wandering off again, the wher stopped him with a firm paw. Relli hugged her next. She didn't know if whers liked hugs...But this one had saved her son and brought him home, "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I cannot thank you enough. If he'd...I don't know what I would have done...Oh how can we ever repay you?"
The wher turned, suddenly sinking her teeth into Relli's arm. Relli yelped in pain. What the forsk? Did it...want to eat her? Then...why hadn't it eaten Gerelnor?
Relli could all but hear the eyeroll, Why Rellivask eat Relli? Herdbeasts better eating.
And apparently it could read minds...And steal names...Didn't it already have it a name?
Rellivask not STEAL name. Rellivask SHARE name because Relli and Rellivask friends now. Is a compliment. Should be happy.
Uh huh...At least it wasn't biting her anymore...
"Are we going home now?" Gerelnor asked, "Da's going to be so happy to see us home!"
This was going to be a long night.
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Arcane - Thread Conqueror
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The Killer Is Zappath- Part 1 (Repost)
Into Darkness
Jae's Outfit and Bike
OOC: Yes, it's all a Wizard of Oz style dream. Don't take it too seriously. And expect cameos!
Assistant Headwoman Jaelyn of High Reaches frowned down at paper in her hand. She needed twenty herdbeasts for the coming hatching feast, but before she could get them, she had to fill out this diagram on draconic wing anatomy. She wasn't precisely sure WHY she had to fill it out, or how she even KNEW what those bones were, but she needed those herdbeasts and she needed them now. Or else the feast would be ruined and thread was going to eat their weyr!
She scribbled as fast as she could, her usual presence of mind and focus in tact even in this desperate circumstance. She would not fail her weyr now! And then-
She felt a sudden burst of disorientation as the world warped and melted away around her. As her eyes swam and she tried to reorient herself, she realized that her sensible, practical clothes fell away by her body to be replaced by...a black leather jacket, a bra, skintight pants and heels so high she could barely walk. What. The. Forsk?
She had no idea where she was, except that it was night, the light of the stars broken by strangely square buildings. And that something was off...Looking up at the sky, she finally registered what it was. There was only a single moon hanging in the sky, large and swollen and looking like neither of the night sky's familiar occupants.
Yep...this was weird. Super, duper weird. Had someone tried to poison her or something and this was some sort of hallucination? But Jae's dreams had never been anywhere near this interesting...And for some reason, she was pretty sure that even if it was a dream (which it almost certainly was), it wasn't HER dream.
Which meant...there was only one person's dream it could be. Jae opened her mind and gave a mental scream, Zappath!?! Where the forsk are you? Get over here right now. Or else.
Uh...little busy right now, Jae, Zappath's bored voice rang out in her head.
Suddenly, she could feel his presence in her head again...as if as soon as he'd thought of her, their bond had reappeared. She took a wobbling step forward, scowled, and pulled off her heels. Only for them to vanish from her hand and reappear on her feet, Seriously, Zappath?
Don't you have a motorcycle or something?
What...what on earth was...Suddenly she was sitting on a...something. Some unnatural, twisted creature that didn't look like it could possibly be alive. She sighed. Why was her dragon so WEIRD?
"Uh...hello," Jae murmured, giving the creature a tentative pat. It didn't move. Huh...This was...super unhelpful. Which, come to think of it, was exactly like Zappath.
What the forsk am I supposed to do with this thing?
How would I know? Zappath all but yawned, Transport's your job.
What on Pern? Why did a DRAGON need transport?
Well...it's your dream. Dream me knowing how to ride it!
In characteristic Zappath manner, her words elicited not a flicker of surprise, confusion or curiosity. But her hand started drifting towards a shiny protrusion of some kind, twisting it in a way that seemed very painful. The creature gave a very strange roar of pain. And shot forward, smoother than any creature she had ever ridden. Jae held on for dear life, her body somehow knowing what to do. She sped up, a wide smile cracking her face as she moved through the night faster than any dragon she'd ever seen. Whatever this "motorcycle" thing was...Jae was a fan. The only thing that would make it better was getting out of these RIDICULOUS clothes.
Into Darkness
Jae's Outfit and Bike
OOC: Yes, it's all a Wizard of Oz style dream. Don't take it too seriously. And expect cameos!
Assistant Headwoman Jaelyn of High Reaches frowned down at paper in her hand. She needed twenty herdbeasts for the coming hatching feast, but before she could get them, she had to fill out this diagram on draconic wing anatomy. She wasn't precisely sure WHY she had to fill it out, or how she even KNEW what those bones were, but she needed those herdbeasts and she needed them now. Or else the feast would be ruined and thread was going to eat their weyr!
She scribbled as fast as she could, her usual presence of mind and focus in tact even in this desperate circumstance. She would not fail her weyr now! And then-
She felt a sudden burst of disorientation as the world warped and melted away around her. As her eyes swam and she tried to reorient herself, she realized that her sensible, practical clothes fell away by her body to be replaced by...a black leather jacket, a bra, skintight pants and heels so high she could barely walk. What. The. Forsk?
She had no idea where she was, except that it was night, the light of the stars broken by strangely square buildings. And that something was off...Looking up at the sky, she finally registered what it was. There was only a single moon hanging in the sky, large and swollen and looking like neither of the night sky's familiar occupants.
Yep...this was weird. Super, duper weird. Had someone tried to poison her or something and this was some sort of hallucination? But Jae's dreams had never been anywhere near this interesting...And for some reason, she was pretty sure that even if it was a dream (which it almost certainly was), it wasn't HER dream.
Which meant...there was only one person's dream it could be. Jae opened her mind and gave a mental scream, Zappath!?! Where the forsk are you? Get over here right now. Or else.
Uh...little busy right now, Jae, Zappath's bored voice rang out in her head.
Suddenly, she could feel his presence in her head again...as if as soon as he'd thought of her, their bond had reappeared. She took a wobbling step forward, scowled, and pulled off her heels. Only for them to vanish from her hand and reappear on her feet, Seriously, Zappath?
Don't you have a motorcycle or something?
What...what on earth was...Suddenly she was sitting on a...something. Some unnatural, twisted creature that didn't look like it could possibly be alive. She sighed. Why was her dragon so WEIRD?
"Uh...hello," Jae murmured, giving the creature a tentative pat. It didn't move. Huh...This was...super unhelpful. Which, come to think of it, was exactly like Zappath.
What the forsk am I supposed to do with this thing?
How would I know? Zappath all but yawned, Transport's your job.
What on Pern? Why did a DRAGON need transport?
Well...it's your dream. Dream me knowing how to ride it!
In characteristic Zappath manner, her words elicited not a flicker of surprise, confusion or curiosity. But her hand started drifting towards a shiny protrusion of some kind, twisting it in a way that seemed very painful. The creature gave a very strange roar of pain. And shot forward, smoother than any creature she had ever ridden. Jae held on for dear life, her body somehow knowing what to do. She sped up, a wide smile cracking her face as she moved through the night faster than any dragon she'd ever seen. Whatever this "motorcycle" thing was...Jae was a fan. The only thing that would make it better was getting out of these RIDICULOUS clothes.
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The Killer is Zappath- Part 2
Wait...we get guns in this fantasy?
TW: Guns, blood, video game violence
Jae followed a trail of bodies. They looked like no bodies she had ever seen, neither human nor dragon nor any other natural creature of Pern. Her lips quirked into a reluctant smile. Who'd had thought Zappath had an imagination? Or was capable of taking out so many enemies, even in a dream? Where was the big goober anyway?
The unnaturally smooth road was easy to follow in bright white lights that had none of the green of glowworms or orange of fire. What a strange place...But if it weren't for her clothes, she might have almost enjoyed it. Motorcycle followed her every command, without so much as a squeak of protest. And she had found that despite her impractical clothes, there was something on her belt she was pretty sure was a weapon.
So when she finally stumbled across a living abomination, she didn't hesitate. She raised the weapon and pressed the button, as if it was a flamethrower. There was a flash and a bang, but no fire. The creature toppled to the ground, black blood pouring from it. She noted a strange metallic quality to its bloody and body. In fact, there seemed to be a metallic sheen to this whole world come to think about it...She'd have to ask Zappath about it when she tracked him down.
But for now...She swung off her motorcycle and walked over to the body, curious to see how exactly this weapon had killed it. There was a small hole in its strange oily hide...She pressed the button again, aiming at the ground, and out shot something small, metal and quite hot to the touch. How something like THAT had killed a monster...
There was no time to think. The rest of its pack had smelled its blood. Jae grinned and cocked what she somehow knew was called a gun and fired. Suddenly, her arms and guns multiplied. Sweet! If only she'd had this ability at home! She'd have been the most efficient headwoman ever!
The last of monsters fell to the floor and she realized all the corpses had disappeared. Huh...that was...really strange. But convenient. Another question for Zappath, she decided, but maybe she'd hunt down some more monsters first. He'd be fine. She didn't feel any distress coming from him.
But then again...this was Zappath...And there was a very good chance he was going to need her to rescue him. She sighed. She could play with her new toys more later. For now...Zappath. She would find him and SHAKE some answers out of him if she had to.
Wait...we get guns in this fantasy?
TW: Guns, blood, video game violence
Jae followed a trail of bodies. They looked like no bodies she had ever seen, neither human nor dragon nor any other natural creature of Pern. Her lips quirked into a reluctant smile. Who'd had thought Zappath had an imagination? Or was capable of taking out so many enemies, even in a dream? Where was the big goober anyway?
The unnaturally smooth road was easy to follow in bright white lights that had none of the green of glowworms or orange of fire. What a strange place...But if it weren't for her clothes, she might have almost enjoyed it. Motorcycle followed her every command, without so much as a squeak of protest. And she had found that despite her impractical clothes, there was something on her belt she was pretty sure was a weapon.
So when she finally stumbled across a living abomination, she didn't hesitate. She raised the weapon and pressed the button, as if it was a flamethrower. There was a flash and a bang, but no fire. The creature toppled to the ground, black blood pouring from it. She noted a strange metallic quality to its bloody and body. In fact, there seemed to be a metallic sheen to this whole world come to think about it...She'd have to ask Zappath about it when she tracked him down.
But for now...She swung off her motorcycle and walked over to the body, curious to see how exactly this weapon had killed it. There was a small hole in its strange oily hide...She pressed the button again, aiming at the ground, and out shot something small, metal and quite hot to the touch. How something like THAT had killed a monster...
There was no time to think. The rest of its pack had smelled its blood. Jae grinned and cocked what she somehow knew was called a gun and fired. Suddenly, her arms and guns multiplied. Sweet! If only she'd had this ability at home! She'd have been the most efficient headwoman ever!
The last of monsters fell to the floor and she realized all the corpses had disappeared. Huh...that was...really strange. But convenient. Another question for Zappath, she decided, but maybe she'd hunt down some more monsters first. He'd be fine. She didn't feel any distress coming from him.
But then again...this was Zappath...And there was a very good chance he was going to need her to rescue him. She sighed. She could play with her new toys more later. For now...Zappath. She would find him and SHAKE some answers out of him if she had to.
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The Killer is Zappath- Part 3
Swords and Dragons
OOC Note: Zalth and all other non-Jae/Zappath characters are not actually here. They are more Zappath's idea of them and some fun media-mashing than any real attempt at accuracy. If there's someone you don't want popping up, just let me know!
Zappath's Video Game Counterpart
Weirdly sexual Zalth is modeled off David from Killer is Dead. Google it if you want to know but there is nudity and a giant gold codpiece
One hour and two-hundred-and-forty-one kills later, Jae had finally found Zappath. At least she was PRETTY sure it was Zappath...It looked mostly like him, except he had a mechanical leg in place of his missing one and was holding a sword for some reason. He was also dressed in an unusually sleek men's formal suit...which looked quite odd, given he was a dragon.
He was fighting another dragon who also had a sword and was dressed even more strangely, in a net of gold that managed to be somehow suggestive...which again was quite odd, given this was a dragon, Really, Zappath? Does everyone need to be sexualized in this dream?
Hey...gotta give some eye-candy to the ladies too, he thought and Jae realized for the first time since she'd met him...his eyes weren't red. They were normal, dragon eyes, currently a slightly-bored-but-mostly-content blue-green. The fight didn't seem to worry him at all.
And why should it? Somehow...probably because it was his dream...Zappath was actually a pretty forsking good sword fighter. His thin blade all but whipped through the air, letting out odd bursts of energy every so often. His opponent was taking a thorough pounding. As Jae got a good glimpse at who it was, she laughed.
"Zalth? What the forsk are you doing here?" she asked, brandishing a gun just in case he decided to come at her. There was something wrong with that one and this was only a dream...so she wouldn't really feel too badly about shooting him, "Where's Renatus?"
If this was somehow a GROUP hallucination...She could think of less pleasant classmates to be stuck with.
Zalth glanced at her for a moment...And then vanished.
Oh forsk it! That didn't even LOOK like going between.
Now that he was gone, Jae took the opportunity to march straight up to Zappath and ask, "Why didn't you just kill him when you had the chance, huh? He's going to come back stronger...because that's always what happens in these kinds of stories."
She hated that she knew that, but Kemma had gotten her to page through a few old ballads, just trying to get some NOTION of what was going through that girl's mind.
"And why does everything look so weird? And why are you and Zalth wearing clothes? And what's with the sword? You're a giant, fire-breathing dragon. A sword's not going to make you any scarier..."
The world...faded out was the best word for it and next thing Jae knew, she was sitting on a couch, in something that looked like an office. And still half-naked, "And what the forsk was that?"
Zappath just shrugged, Dunno.
Really? That was ALL he had to say? Why had Jae even HOPED he was going to try and be helpful?
Swords and Dragons
OOC Note: Zalth and all other non-Jae/Zappath characters are not actually here. They are more Zappath's idea of them and some fun media-mashing than any real attempt at accuracy. If there's someone you don't want popping up, just let me know!
Zappath's Video Game Counterpart
Weirdly sexual Zalth is modeled off David from Killer is Dead. Google it if you want to know but there is nudity and a giant gold codpiece
One hour and two-hundred-and-forty-one kills later, Jae had finally found Zappath. At least she was PRETTY sure it was Zappath...It looked mostly like him, except he had a mechanical leg in place of his missing one and was holding a sword for some reason. He was also dressed in an unusually sleek men's formal suit...which looked quite odd, given he was a dragon.
He was fighting another dragon who also had a sword and was dressed even more strangely, in a net of gold that managed to be somehow suggestive...which again was quite odd, given this was a dragon, Really, Zappath? Does everyone need to be sexualized in this dream?
Hey...gotta give some eye-candy to the ladies too, he thought and Jae realized for the first time since she'd met him...his eyes weren't red. They were normal, dragon eyes, currently a slightly-bored-but-mostly-content blue-green. The fight didn't seem to worry him at all.
And why should it? Somehow...probably because it was his dream...Zappath was actually a pretty forsking good sword fighter. His thin blade all but whipped through the air, letting out odd bursts of energy every so often. His opponent was taking a thorough pounding. As Jae got a good glimpse at who it was, she laughed.
"Zalth? What the forsk are you doing here?" she asked, brandishing a gun just in case he decided to come at her. There was something wrong with that one and this was only a dream...so she wouldn't really feel too badly about shooting him, "Where's Renatus?"
If this was somehow a GROUP hallucination...She could think of less pleasant classmates to be stuck with.
Zalth glanced at her for a moment...And then vanished.
Oh forsk it! That didn't even LOOK like going between.
Now that he was gone, Jae took the opportunity to march straight up to Zappath and ask, "Why didn't you just kill him when you had the chance, huh? He's going to come back stronger...because that's always what happens in these kinds of stories."
She hated that she knew that, but Kemma had gotten her to page through a few old ballads, just trying to get some NOTION of what was going through that girl's mind.
"And why does everything look so weird? And why are you and Zalth wearing clothes? And what's with the sword? You're a giant, fire-breathing dragon. A sword's not going to make you any scarier..."
The world...faded out was the best word for it and next thing Jae knew, she was sitting on a couch, in something that looked like an office. And still half-naked, "And what the forsk was that?"
Zappath just shrugged, Dunno.
Really? That was ALL he had to say? Why had Jae even HOPED he was going to try and be helpful?
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The Killer is Zappath- Part 4 (Repost)
We're All Going to the Moon
Xander's Cyborg Swag
Elise's Outfit
Barriss' Dress
Jae had thought she was fully immune by this point to all the weirdness of Zappath dream. Hah! Nope! Turned out- it could get crazier. Because the man sitting behind the giant desk- It was Xander. With half his face, an arm and a chunk of his chest replaced with metal. This version was casual to the point of sloppiness in clothing almost as baffling as Jae's own that the real Xander would despise. But unlike Jae, he didn't seem confused at all
Which meant...probably not actually Xander. She hoped. Otherwise...this was going to be one AWKWARD conversation when everybody woke up.
"So..." she began, fully intending to get some answers out of someone at least POSSIBLY more sensible than Zappath.
"Zappath!" a sudden squeak interrupted as Elise ran into the room, leaping at Zappath and wrapping her arms around his neck, "Oh thank goodness you're alright! I was so worried!"
She then started hitting him, in a very girlish way as he basked in the attention, "Never do that to me again, okay?"
Jae noted that unlike the rest of them, Elise was actually wearing a pretty cute skirt and a blazer, "Since when are you and Zappath close? And where's Zath?"
Elise pouted in a not-very-Elise-like way and whined in a high pitched voice, "I don't even know what you're talking about! Of course I care about Zappath! We live together. On a boat! I make his eggs every day!"
Tears welled to her eyes and she sniffled, "Did...did you forget about me?"
Jae sighed and turned to Xander, "So...who are you in this dream?"
"Your boss," Xander said dryly. She didn't know him well enough to know his usual mannerisms...but at least he'd been cast as somebody vaguely weyrleader-ly, "And we've got a client so I suggest you all hold this blubbering for a later time."
Elise sniffed one last time and pulled back as Zappath gave a resigned sigh.
As soon as he saw who it was though...he perked up. Because it was Moorith, adorned in pearls. Barriss stood by her side, a blank look on her face. She was wearing a formal gown, in a style completely and utterly inconsistent with anything else in this dream.
Moorith looked Zappath in the eye and Jae knew he was a goner before she even said, voice smooth and classy as ever, I need your help. Please. Her ears...They're gone.
"Excuse me?" Jae asked. Because what the forsk did that even MEAN?
Consider it done, my lady, Zappath said with a bow, utterly suave and professional. Moorith's eyes lit up and she didn't even seem to hear Jae's question.
Thank you. Sadly I have no payment to offer at this time...But when my palace is restored to me...
For you, my lady, a kiss is all I ask. Now- where did the theft take place?
My palace. On the moon.
"Ooh! I want to go! Let me go!" Elise declared far too loudly, jumping up enthusiastically. This was going to be a LONG night.
We're All Going to the Moon
Xander's Cyborg Swag
Elise's Outfit
Barriss' Dress
Jae had thought she was fully immune by this point to all the weirdness of Zappath dream. Hah! Nope! Turned out- it could get crazier. Because the man sitting behind the giant desk- It was Xander. With half his face, an arm and a chunk of his chest replaced with metal. This version was casual to the point of sloppiness in clothing almost as baffling as Jae's own that the real Xander would despise. But unlike Jae, he didn't seem confused at all
Which meant...probably not actually Xander. She hoped. Otherwise...this was going to be one AWKWARD conversation when everybody woke up.
"So..." she began, fully intending to get some answers out of someone at least POSSIBLY more sensible than Zappath.
"Zappath!" a sudden squeak interrupted as Elise ran into the room, leaping at Zappath and wrapping her arms around his neck, "Oh thank goodness you're alright! I was so worried!"
She then started hitting him, in a very girlish way as he basked in the attention, "Never do that to me again, okay?"
Jae noted that unlike the rest of them, Elise was actually wearing a pretty cute skirt and a blazer, "Since when are you and Zappath close? And where's Zath?"
Elise pouted in a not-very-Elise-like way and whined in a high pitched voice, "I don't even know what you're talking about! Of course I care about Zappath! We live together. On a boat! I make his eggs every day!"
Tears welled to her eyes and she sniffled, "Did...did you forget about me?"
Jae sighed and turned to Xander, "So...who are you in this dream?"
"Your boss," Xander said dryly. She didn't know him well enough to know his usual mannerisms...but at least he'd been cast as somebody vaguely weyrleader-ly, "And we've got a client so I suggest you all hold this blubbering for a later time."
Elise sniffed one last time and pulled back as Zappath gave a resigned sigh.
As soon as he saw who it was though...he perked up. Because it was Moorith, adorned in pearls. Barriss stood by her side, a blank look on her face. She was wearing a formal gown, in a style completely and utterly inconsistent with anything else in this dream.
Moorith looked Zappath in the eye and Jae knew he was a goner before she even said, voice smooth and classy as ever, I need your help. Please. Her ears...They're gone.
"Excuse me?" Jae asked. Because what the forsk did that even MEAN?
Consider it done, my lady, Zappath said with a bow, utterly suave and professional. Moorith's eyes lit up and she didn't even seem to hear Jae's question.
Thank you. Sadly I have no payment to offer at this time...But when my palace is restored to me...
For you, my lady, a kiss is all I ask. Now- where did the theft take place?
My palace. On the moon.
"Ooh! I want to go! Let me go!" Elise declared far too loudly, jumping up enthusiastically. This was going to be a LONG night.
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A Rider's Honor- R'tan/Varda
Early Summer, 2767, Semaca Weyr (Repost)
The brownrider was an idiot- R'tan could already tell. She was climbing up and up and up, without a care in the world, for all she didn't climb very well, one arm hanging limply at her side. They were all like this, the rankers, convinced that their dragon's bulk would save them. But her dragon was nowhere near. He couldn't see her very well from this distance and only knew she was a woman at all because her brown had told him. In fact, from the ground she looked rather like a man- big and wide, blonde hair cut ruthlessly short.
You're one of those Pavane rangers, aren't you? her brown had asked, when she'd sent him to find her, I have a job for you. My rider requires rescue. She is somewhere...there.
It had taken R'tan two candlemarks to find her, so thoroughly had she lost herself in the woods. She didn't appear to realize she needed rescue at all.
Why are you sure she needs saving? Mazath asked as he curled his tail around himself and simply pondered, Perhaps the tree will fall. Perhaps it won't. Perhaps she wants it to fall. Perhaps she knows something we don't or simply doesn't care.
Her dragon's worried, R'tan said with a frown. For all she'd imperiously ordered him about...clearly she didn't like whatever it was her human was up to, And if she falls, the spotties will get her. We can't encourage them to develop a taste for human meat.
"Greetings! You must be Varda! Would you mind returning to the ground? I believe your dragon is looking for you."
---
The whiterider was the most beautiful man Varda had ever seen and clearly knew it. He held himself with an easy arrogance, his foot tapping as he clearly expected her to come running at his command. Clearly, he fancied all the world was his to control with that breathtaking smile. But that didn't include Varda.
She'd been cooped up inside for so long, laid weak by fever and injury, and had emerged unable to do all the things she once had. She missed it so, so much, who she had once been. She wanted to climb trees and run through the jungle and do all the things riders were meant to do. She couldn't even bathe and oil her own dragon alone any more. While Magmeth took it in stride, it grated on Varda.
She'd always been strong and capable. It was who she was. She refused to accept her own weakness, even as her legs and remaining hand slipped against the bark, struggling to hold her weight.
The very pretty whiterider with his very shiny dragon let out a curse as she slipped, even as she caught herself on a branch, dangling by one arm. Breathing a bit heavily, she hung in place. It was a sturdy branch and even if it groaned a little...she didn't really think it would fall.
The whiterider looked tense though, as he stripped off his wherhide jacket and started to climb after her. Which was odd. His dragon was here. Why couldn't he fly if he was particularly worried?
He was clearly not an experienced climber. He was going to hurt himself. Which meant she should probably figure out a way down before he did.
What he thought he'd do if he caught her was a mystery. He was a slender man. She'd just knock them both down if she couldn't handle it.
But she could. She was sure of it.
---
She was climbing down, R'tan saw with a sigh of relief as he ceased his own somewhat clumsy attempts at tree climbing. His dragon wasn't helping- lost in deliberation over whether or not it was right to save someone who didn't seem to want to be rescued or if it was violating their free will. R'tan didn't terribly much care. He just wanted to go home and enjoy a nice long soak.
And to bring her back with him. Because he'd given his word and didn't like breaking it. He did still have some honor.
Her climbing was slow and cautious, as if she wasn't used to her own balance. So it was little surprise when she fell and he was ready to catch her. He had failed to anticipate, however, exactly how large she was and they both fell to the ground with an oomph.
R'tan was still catching his breath when she sprang up, jumbled apologies flowing from her lips. Her features were rough and reddened with embarrassment, he noted, and her left hand...thread scored and blackened, barely recognizable as a hand at all. But her eyes were a dark, pure blue, the deepest he'd ever seen.
Before he could say anything at all...to give his name or accept her apology or wave away her concerns...she was gone, running like the spotties were chasing her.
Well...that was strange.
Was it? Mazath asked, I feel like we've seen stranger but can't quite remember...
Early Summer, 2767, Semaca Weyr (Repost)
The brownrider was an idiot- R'tan could already tell. She was climbing up and up and up, without a care in the world, for all she didn't climb very well, one arm hanging limply at her side. They were all like this, the rankers, convinced that their dragon's bulk would save them. But her dragon was nowhere near. He couldn't see her very well from this distance and only knew she was a woman at all because her brown had told him. In fact, from the ground she looked rather like a man- big and wide, blonde hair cut ruthlessly short.
You're one of those Pavane rangers, aren't you? her brown had asked, when she'd sent him to find her, I have a job for you. My rider requires rescue. She is somewhere...there.
It had taken R'tan two candlemarks to find her, so thoroughly had she lost herself in the woods. She didn't appear to realize she needed rescue at all.
Why are you sure she needs saving? Mazath asked as he curled his tail around himself and simply pondered, Perhaps the tree will fall. Perhaps it won't. Perhaps she wants it to fall. Perhaps she knows something we don't or simply doesn't care.
Her dragon's worried, R'tan said with a frown. For all she'd imperiously ordered him about...clearly she didn't like whatever it was her human was up to, And if she falls, the spotties will get her. We can't encourage them to develop a taste for human meat.
"Greetings! You must be Varda! Would you mind returning to the ground? I believe your dragon is looking for you."
---
The whiterider was the most beautiful man Varda had ever seen and clearly knew it. He held himself with an easy arrogance, his foot tapping as he clearly expected her to come running at his command. Clearly, he fancied all the world was his to control with that breathtaking smile. But that didn't include Varda.
She'd been cooped up inside for so long, laid weak by fever and injury, and had emerged unable to do all the things she once had. She missed it so, so much, who she had once been. She wanted to climb trees and run through the jungle and do all the things riders were meant to do. She couldn't even bathe and oil her own dragon alone any more. While Magmeth took it in stride, it grated on Varda.
She'd always been strong and capable. It was who she was. She refused to accept her own weakness, even as her legs and remaining hand slipped against the bark, struggling to hold her weight.
The very pretty whiterider with his very shiny dragon let out a curse as she slipped, even as she caught herself on a branch, dangling by one arm. Breathing a bit heavily, she hung in place. It was a sturdy branch and even if it groaned a little...she didn't really think it would fall.
The whiterider looked tense though, as he stripped off his wherhide jacket and started to climb after her. Which was odd. His dragon was here. Why couldn't he fly if he was particularly worried?
He was clearly not an experienced climber. He was going to hurt himself. Which meant she should probably figure out a way down before he did.
What he thought he'd do if he caught her was a mystery. He was a slender man. She'd just knock them both down if she couldn't handle it.
But she could. She was sure of it.
---
She was climbing down, R'tan saw with a sigh of relief as he ceased his own somewhat clumsy attempts at tree climbing. His dragon wasn't helping- lost in deliberation over whether or not it was right to save someone who didn't seem to want to be rescued or if it was violating their free will. R'tan didn't terribly much care. He just wanted to go home and enjoy a nice long soak.
And to bring her back with him. Because he'd given his word and didn't like breaking it. He did still have some honor.
Her climbing was slow and cautious, as if she wasn't used to her own balance. So it was little surprise when she fell and he was ready to catch her. He had failed to anticipate, however, exactly how large she was and they both fell to the ground with an oomph.
R'tan was still catching his breath when she sprang up, jumbled apologies flowing from her lips. Her features were rough and reddened with embarrassment, he noted, and her left hand...thread scored and blackened, barely recognizable as a hand at all. But her eyes were a dark, pure blue, the deepest he'd ever seen.
Before he could say anything at all...to give his name or accept her apology or wave away her concerns...she was gone, running like the spotties were chasing her.
Well...that was strange.
Was it? Mazath asked, I feel like we've seen stranger but can't quite remember...
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Arcane - Thread Conqueror
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How To Train Your Rider
Late Summer, 2767, Semaca Weyr (Repost)
Once upon a time, Varda had been skilled with the sword. She'd worked so HARD to learn to use it, back in those early days of Benden, to be all a rider should be. And she'd succeeded. She had learned to couple her innate strength and reach with practiced skill. Now it was gone, lost in a single moment as thread ate through her flesh and left her crippled.
As injuries go, she knew she had little room to complain. She thought of Ariel, with her sightless glass eyes and ruined face, her dragon's wings too tattered to fly, haunting the weyr like a living ghost. And of Hecate and Heidrun and Elend and their dragons, who had nearly died. She still had her right hand, even if she'd always favored her left. She could see and walk and speak. Magmeth could still fly. They could have a life.
It was still pretty forsking frustrating, she thought as she clumsily swung her sword. All her training was gone, useless. It was as if she was an untried novice all over again.
I don't see why you're obsessing, Magmeth sighed as she watched, You are a rider. Not a common soldier. Prepare my firestone, oil my hide and convince someone else to protect you if you're worried.
It wasn't about what Varda needed. It was about reclaiming her life, refusing to being maimed and give up the things she'd always been able to do. The next swing didn't hit the target at all and she grunted in frustration.
---
Semaca wasn't the largest of weyrs so really it had always been inevitable R'tan would see them again, Varda and Magmeth. He spotted the brown first, the vivid splash of her wings bright against the cloudy day. Lips twitching with amusement, he walked over. Would his runaway talk to him today? He didn't know why he cared, but he was curious. Most riders weren't so skittish, especially brown riders. They carried themselves with their nose in the air, high and mighty just because their dragons were a bit bigger and of a slightly different hue.
Magmeth was everything he'd expect of a brown. Even though she was female, she bossed him around as if she had every right. The rider was different. She risked her exalted hide climbing trees with only one hand but had looked almost afraid of him before she'd run. She was an enigma. And apparently enough of Mazath's prying was catching that R'tan wished to figure her out.
She was in the training ring, a wooden practice sword in hand, swinging in around with low, feminine grunts. Her stance was good but slightly off balance and her footwork decidedly more skilled than her swings. Clearly the hand she'd lost had been her dominant one.
Varda didn't turn as he leaned against the fence to watch, but Magmeth noticed him and greeted him with a polite nod, Why are you here, ranger? Shouldn't you be out doing ranger things?
He raised an eyebrow and smirked. Yes, Magmeth like most browns was a nuisance, "Even us rangers get restdays. Now hush. I'm watching the show."
---
Varda's motion stuttered to a halt at the sound of an amused male voice nearby. She awkwardly lowered her sword to her side, the once smooth movement no longer familiar and easy. It was the pretty whiterider, watching her. He gave her a cocky wave and an easy smile as his eyes met hers. He was every bit as handsome she remembered, with the same easy arrogance.
He didn't ask her permission as he climbed over the fence to join her. She just stared at him, blinking as her tongue stumbled, the way it always did when she most wished she could say something snarky and disarming.
"Need a hand, brownrider?" he said and winced as if he realized what a poor choice of words that was. He didn't apologize though, instead picking up a wooden sword of his own and falling into a fighting stance, "Come. Give those targets a break. Surely you didn't learn the first time by batting at wooden opponents."
No. He wasn't very polite at all. He was presumptuous and rude and far, far too sure he was welcome in her private practice session. She cleared her throat and tried to sound authoritative but all that came out was, "Varda. I'm Varda. Not brownrider."
His eyes crinkled warmly as he said, "R'tan of white Mazath, Pavane squad."
So he did have a name after all. Varda blinked and tried again, "I'm not ready for a sparring partner yet, rider R'tan."
"That's exactly why you need one. Come- I know somewhere private we can practice if you want to get away from prying eyes. Let me help you remember what you already know."
It was more order than invitation. And because Varda had never had much by way of a backbone, she followed.
Late Summer, 2767, Semaca Weyr (Repost)
Once upon a time, Varda had been skilled with the sword. She'd worked so HARD to learn to use it, back in those early days of Benden, to be all a rider should be. And she'd succeeded. She had learned to couple her innate strength and reach with practiced skill. Now it was gone, lost in a single moment as thread ate through her flesh and left her crippled.
As injuries go, she knew she had little room to complain. She thought of Ariel, with her sightless glass eyes and ruined face, her dragon's wings too tattered to fly, haunting the weyr like a living ghost. And of Hecate and Heidrun and Elend and their dragons, who had nearly died. She still had her right hand, even if she'd always favored her left. She could see and walk and speak. Magmeth could still fly. They could have a life.
It was still pretty forsking frustrating, she thought as she clumsily swung her sword. All her training was gone, useless. It was as if she was an untried novice all over again.
I don't see why you're obsessing, Magmeth sighed as she watched, You are a rider. Not a common soldier. Prepare my firestone, oil my hide and convince someone else to protect you if you're worried.
It wasn't about what Varda needed. It was about reclaiming her life, refusing to being maimed and give up the things she'd always been able to do. The next swing didn't hit the target at all and she grunted in frustration.
---
Semaca wasn't the largest of weyrs so really it had always been inevitable R'tan would see them again, Varda and Magmeth. He spotted the brown first, the vivid splash of her wings bright against the cloudy day. Lips twitching with amusement, he walked over. Would his runaway talk to him today? He didn't know why he cared, but he was curious. Most riders weren't so skittish, especially brown riders. They carried themselves with their nose in the air, high and mighty just because their dragons were a bit bigger and of a slightly different hue.
Magmeth was everything he'd expect of a brown. Even though she was female, she bossed him around as if she had every right. The rider was different. She risked her exalted hide climbing trees with only one hand but had looked almost afraid of him before she'd run. She was an enigma. And apparently enough of Mazath's prying was catching that R'tan wished to figure her out.
She was in the training ring, a wooden practice sword in hand, swinging in around with low, feminine grunts. Her stance was good but slightly off balance and her footwork decidedly more skilled than her swings. Clearly the hand she'd lost had been her dominant one.
Varda didn't turn as he leaned against the fence to watch, but Magmeth noticed him and greeted him with a polite nod, Why are you here, ranger? Shouldn't you be out doing ranger things?
He raised an eyebrow and smirked. Yes, Magmeth like most browns was a nuisance, "Even us rangers get restdays. Now hush. I'm watching the show."
---
Varda's motion stuttered to a halt at the sound of an amused male voice nearby. She awkwardly lowered her sword to her side, the once smooth movement no longer familiar and easy. It was the pretty whiterider, watching her. He gave her a cocky wave and an easy smile as his eyes met hers. He was every bit as handsome she remembered, with the same easy arrogance.
He didn't ask her permission as he climbed over the fence to join her. She just stared at him, blinking as her tongue stumbled, the way it always did when she most wished she could say something snarky and disarming.
"Need a hand, brownrider?" he said and winced as if he realized what a poor choice of words that was. He didn't apologize though, instead picking up a wooden sword of his own and falling into a fighting stance, "Come. Give those targets a break. Surely you didn't learn the first time by batting at wooden opponents."
No. He wasn't very polite at all. He was presumptuous and rude and far, far too sure he was welcome in her private practice session. She cleared her throat and tried to sound authoritative but all that came out was, "Varda. I'm Varda. Not brownrider."
His eyes crinkled warmly as he said, "R'tan of white Mazath, Pavane squad."
So he did have a name after all. Varda blinked and tried again, "I'm not ready for a sparring partner yet, rider R'tan."
"That's exactly why you need one. Come- I know somewhere private we can practice if you want to get away from prying eyes. Let me help you remember what you already know."
It was more order than invitation. And because Varda had never had much by way of a backbone, she followed.
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