Mon Oct 23, 2023 2:14 pm
- Link
Land, Sea, Sky - Tychon, Ezanath, and Tychon's father
Tychon was no stranger to hard work and long days, but ever since impressing it felt like a different kind of hard work and long days. He'd never felt quite so satisfied in hard work. Oh, he'd felt satisfied in his work of parting people from their possessions but that wasn't exactly hard, and he liked how labor shaped his body but it wasn't satisfying. Ezanath, though. Hard work meant for her? That was more satisfying than any con.
He was on his way to a lesson - and wasn't it so much less of a chore with Ezanath keeping him on track? - only running slightly behind because he'd decided to sleep in when he heard someone call his name: "Tyche?"
He turned, surprised at who it was, though he recognized his father's pet name for him instantly. "Dad," he said, blinking. "What are you doing here?"
His father raised an eyebrow. "You lose all your sailor's sense already, boy?" he asked. "We're always in Semaca around this time."
"Right," Tychon said, feeling his face get hot with embarrassment. He hid it with a scowl, crossing his arms. "Right. Guess I just lost track of time. Lot goin' on, and all."
"So I heard." His father's face softened slightly, and he looked a little embarrassed himself, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's...well. It's why I came all the way up here. Missed the hatching, but didn't feel right not to come see my boy and meet the dragon he gave up a life on the seas for." Ezanath had been waiting patiently at Tychon's side, and his father gestured. "This'll be your bird, then?"
"Aye, sir," Tychon said, reaching down to scratch under her horns. There were twigs and leaves stuck in them, from Cissy's attempts to build a nest in them. "My girl's name is Eza...Ezanath."
It is good to meet you, sire of my bond, Eza said, dipping her head.
"And you, bonder of my son," Tychon's father said, his mouth twitching a bit in a begrudging smile. "She's a pretty lass," he added to Tychon. "And impossible to miss. A perfect match for you, provided she's..." He gave Tychon a knowing look. "Approving of your lifestyle."
There is nothing Tychon does that I wouldn't approve of, Ezanath said. I can see everything in his mind. He follows his instincts and is very in tune with the natural world, more so than most. It is good and right.
"That's her way of saying she doesn't much mind the stealing," Tychon said with a smirk.
Material possessions are fleeting, and hoarding them does nothing to contribute to the rest of the natural world, Ezanath agreed. And these 'scams' as Tychon has described them, seem quite fun. I simply have to talk to people and they will be separated from their possessions. Simple. Natural. Elegant.
"Well that's something at least," his father said, looking vaguely amused. "Good to see you're not letting all of your skills rust away."
Tychon's expression instantly became thunderous. "Well we both know what you thought of my skills as a sailor," he growled. "So what does it matter if I let them rust away or not?"
"That wasn't..." Tychon's father pinched the bridge of his nose, taking deep breaths. "I never said you wouldn't be a good sailor," he said quietly, calmly. "But as my son, as the person I expected to hand off the Magpie's Eye to one day, there was a standard I needed to hold you to that I didn't others. But I'm sorry I made you feel like you weren't good enough."
"So you have said a hundred times, but it doesn't matter anymore anyway," Tychon growled.
Tyche, Eza said, her voice soft and for him alone, using the name his father had called him, sensing the affection he felt when he'd been called that and using it as balm on his anger. When your fathers' bones have crumbled to dust in the ground, will this argument matter? Will you be pleased at having pushed him away? I know you love him, Tyche, and now that you have me this argument serves no purpose. You have won. Can that be enough?
Tychon clenched his fists tightly, feeling the fire of anger deep inside him. Eza let it burn, not trying to put it out, but very slowly, she helped starve it of fuel until it was just embers, something that would only hurt a little if touched and nothing more. Slowly, he relaxed his fists. "It doesn't matter anymore," Tychon repeated, the ire gone from his voice now. "I...know you didn't mean to hurt me," he said. It was the closest he could get to apologizing, or to accepting his father's apology, and the relief in his father's eyes told Tychon he knew that. The wounds would need more time to heal, but...Eza was right. A sailor's life was dangerous, and Tychon would have precious little time with his father now that he was a rider. It was better to take advantage of every moment with the old man instead of nursing this grudge. But only because he was Tychon's father.
His father pulled him into a hug, and Tychon hugged him back just as fiercely.
"Eza, we're ditching lessons today," he said.
Do you want me to lie to the weyrlingmaster and tell him you have a stomach bug? the green offered helpfully, which made Tychon's father laugh.
Tychon scratched his girl's head affectionately. "Go ahead and tell them my father's come for a visit," he said. "If I get latrine duty, I get latrine duty, but better that than getting a double shift of it for lying about why I'm ditching."
"And what mischief do you have planned for me, boy?" Tychon's father asked, eyes dancing.
"Well, first I was thinking we should find Cissy," Tychon said. "She hates lessons, so she'll have flown off somewhere to amuse herself. Can't have fun without her, after all."
"Yeah, gotta make sure you're not neglecting her too badly just 'cause you've got a newer, greener bird to amuse you," Tychon's father said, giving him a nudge. His tone was gruff, but Tychon knew it as teasing.
Perhaps we can lay in a field of flowers and watch the clouds, Eza suggested happily.
"Aye, or p'haps we can run a scam like one of the ones Tychon's told you about," the pirate captain said.
"I thought you always told me not to shit where I ate," Tychon complained.
"Ain't my fault you decided to become sedentary, boy," his father rumbled back with a grin. " 'Sides, you're a rider now. What's the worst they're gonna do? Assign you some chores? Stick you in that squad for the rejects? We gotta show your newest girl the thrill of theft."
"Oh fine," Tychon said with a put-upon sigh, but his grin matched his father's. "If you're gonna twist my arm like that, s'pose I can't refuse. But I pick the mark."
"Naturally. You know this place better'n me, after all." The trio ambled towards Tychon's quarters, in search for a single small green bird in a sea of green on a perfect Semacan summer day, the father with his arm over his son's shoulders and the horned green leading the way. It really was a perfect day to get into just a little bit of trouble.