Blood binds (Tags R’wign)

[Rei]

Ruliana stood near the stage, helping put the final touches on for that nights performance. Wiping some sweat off her brow she smiled and gratefully accepted a skin of water that was thrust at her. “It’s hot why don’t you go take a break Aleta.” Kelor said with a smile waving her off towards the stalls. The incident with the riders had been largely forgotten by now and dismissed by the other harpers. Nodding gratefully at the harper blue clad man, the woman moved off towards the stalls.

For her the incident had not been forgotten in fact it still upset her when she thought of it. That was the way of some thing however. There was no helping things now. Might as well enjoy Southern while she could. After the gather closed she would have to find somewhere to go. Ruliana couldn’t stay around here. It was better to head inland. Somewhere that put more distance between her and Nerat. Her disappearance had likely already been noted and her father was sure to send people looking.

She had eaten already so maybe a bit of window shopping? It really was a pity she hadn’t brought any marks with her. The gather had some very nice things. Short hair swaying in the, very light but welcome, breeze Ruliana set her sandaled feet in the direction of the jewelry stall. She was dressed in a harper blue summer dress. A simple blue pendant also hung from her throat. The clothes where borrowed. She had only brought two simple dresses with her. It was all that the woman had the time to gather. It was lucky that her companions seemed happy to provide for her, as long as she sang every night. Otherwise she would be in trouble.

Ruliana stopped at the jewelry stall and flicked a smile to the stall keeper. After professing her desire only to browse she began to do so. Letting her eyes caress the different types and colors of accessories. With a final longing sigh she steeped backwards right into the path of a passerby. Giving a startled cry she stumbled and almost fell. Catching herself at the last moment she spun around hurriedly, an apology already on her lips.

“Oh goodness. I am so sorry. I can be so….” The words died on her lips as she recognized her ‘victim’. Oh dear. It was one of the dragonriders from a few days ago. The one who looked like her according to his dragon. And really as she looked at him, her eyes going wider, she couldn’t help but note the obvious similarities between them. Her hands flew to her chest and a look of surprise dominated her features. “I’m sorry. Forgive me.” Ruliana repeated as she moved aside for him to presumably pass. Ever the polite one she couldn’t see a reason for him to want to speak to her after their disastrous first encounter. Still she couldn’t help examining his face for another moment as she waited for him to move. He resembled her father so much.

[glamourie]

He needed to think of an inscription.

R’wign crinkled his nose as he regarded the small silvery ring in its fine leather case. He’d forgone the accenting of gemstones, finding them gaudy and tasteless, and settled for a series of knots embossed into the pure silver, so that the metal slab more resembled a rope than anything else. R’wign had tied several knots before deciding on a pattern he thought befitting of the ring and the craftsmanship was excellent. He was impressed. Trying to measure M’ta’s fingers without him knowing was a pain in the butt, though. He’d ended up having to use his mouth to do that (a fact he did not share with the jeweler, for obvious reasons). At least he was sure that it would fit on M’ta’s hand, though. That and he was sure that M’ta would like it. He thought, perhaps, that his weyrmate would like it more… if he could come up with something to have engraved inside of the band, though. That was the problem that the healer was facing: what was the ideal inscription for his lover?

Turning the box in his hand, R’wign frowned to himself. He was standing off to the side of the stall, careful to be out of most people’s way, while he tried to decide for himself what to include. A thought occurred to him and he stepped forward – unknowingly right into someone at the same time. Startled, R’wign suddenly dropped the leather case to the ground. He barely managed to balance himself out and avoid falling, and when he looked up he was immediately bombarded with what sounded like frantic apologies in an all too familiar voice with an accent he recognized entirely too well. His head swiveled up, a single dark green eye narrowing into a tight little slit of blatant irritation as he regarded the girl. If it wasn’t M’ta’s sister’s friend.

“Hello, fainter.” He didn’t know her name nor did he care to find it out, instead crouching down to pick up the leather case. Unfortunately for R’wign, as he grasped it he came to realize that the ring within was missing. His heart seemed to stop, and the girl was babbling on and on – R’wign wasn’t listening to her. (Ironically, he did not notice the distinct similarity between her face and his – likely because he wasn’t prone to making connections to his own appearance; he still failed to see how R’ahre looked like him, after all.) He recognized frantic apologies and waved a hand, clearly dismissive. No need to panic quite so much, fool girl. “Forget about it – ring, the ring…”

And then unceremoniously, R’wign flung himself to the floor and crawled around on his hands and knees, clearly in search of something. His expression became quickly distressed and he swatted underneath the tables, not particularly caring how bizarre he looked. The ring was missing, it wasn’t in its case, and he didn’t want to think of that ring on anyone’s hand but M’ta’s. He’d had it made custom, for a reason. Heart throbbing in his chest, R’wign crawled around the girl’s legs before grasping her ankle and lifting her foot to see if she had, by some accident, stepped on the ring. But it wasn’t there. It didn’t dawn on R’wign that he was being rude, either; who cared if he offended some girl from Nerat. Certainly not him. He’d all but become Southern, after all, as his manner of speaking indicated. And he cared a lot more about finding M’ta’s ring.

“I can’t find it…”

[Rei]

The glare on R’wign’s face immediately shut Ruliana up. Bowing her head to avoid the gaze directed at her, she neglected to comment immediately on his calling her ‘fainter’. She had fainted but that wasn’t her name. Not at all. First impressions where often a good way to start a relationship with people. She had totally failed on this one. Lifting her head she was about to make an excuse to leave then the rider gasped. Curious she titled her head but she didn’t have to wait long as he looked horribly upset. “Ring? What ring?” Ruliana queried just as R’wign flung himself to the ground. Obviously an important ring. Oh dear. First she upset his dragon and now she lost his ring? He was really going to hate her at this rate.

Before she could crouch to help him with his search, her foot was grabbed and roughly lifted. “Hey!” She exclaimed loudly, her face turning a spectacular shade of scarlet. She was wearing a dress after all. Good thing he seemed more interested in his ring than what was beneath her skirts. Thankfully he let her go just as quickly and she smoothed down her dress before crouching carefully. Was the ring really that important to him? Obviously so. Once on the ground Ruliana’s eyes flitted back and forth, ignoring the rider’s frantic movements.

In his current state it would be very easy for him to overlook something simply because he was so upset. Her eyes happened on a glint of metal just as someone’s boot descended towards it. Oh no! She exclaimed loudly before flinging her hand in the way to cover the ring. Ruliana winced as the man stepped on her. He obviously didn’t care much as he simply sneered at her and said something about watching where she was falling, before continuing on his way.

Wincing Ruliana drew her hand back towards her, ring safely covered by her palm. Straightening up she extended the ring with her uninjured hand, other one cradled against her chest. “Is this it?” She asked softly blue eyes fighting to keep from watering. Owww. That had smarted. The ring was pretty though. It had obviously been important to him. At least it hadn’t been stepped on. Her hand throbbed at the thought and she winced again. Had she seen the state of her outfit now she probably would have been more upset. The hot and humid weather was great for dirt and streaks of it now clung to her dress and legs. “I hope it didn’t get damaged.” The nerat woman said softly. It looked like it was okay. It had some dirt on it but thankfully her hand had taken the man’s boot instead.

“Sorry. For bumping into you and making you lose it.” She hazarded a small smile. “My name is Ruliana by the way. Not fainter.” Why she had voiced her real name she wasn’t sure. It probably had something to do with the fact that she was so tired of hiding. Besides she wasn’t likely to see him ever again. What did it matter if he knew? After handing his ring back she cradled her hand with her uninjured one and winced. Smiling softly again Ruliana debated just turning and leaving. He had made his opinion on her presence plainly known. She wasn't the sort to force herself on people.

With a small inclination of her head she started to turn with the intention of leaving him to his business while she returned to her tent to nurse her hand. Shards it hurt.

[glamourie]

What was fainty doing? R’wign glanced in the general direction of the girl, his movements stilling long enough for him to watch her fling her hand directly under someone’s boot. His head cocked to the side and he looked up at the man as he walked off, but didn’t quite stand up properly. When she turned, he held out his hand for her to drop the ring in and immediately slipped it onto his pinkie before catching the girl’s wrists, thereby preventing her from pulling her hands away from him completely. He didn’t respond to her words immediately, instead very carefully uncurling her fingers. His head bowed so that he could get a better look at her hand, his hair falling away from his face to reveal the realistic looking glass blue eye he’d worn for the sake of not offending the Holders. His expression was pensive.

“Nothing is broken. It probably hurts, so I’d guess bruising, but no broken bones to speak of.” He released her wrist and indicated it. “I can get you some numbweed for this, and but it’s not likely that you’ll need much more. Go easy on that hand though.” The healer crinkled his nose before rising to one knee and then to his feet. “I’m the Weyrhealer of Selenitas. Trust my judgment on this.”

Brushing himself off, R’wign stood back up and adjusted his Gather finery. He carefully pushed the dirt off before regarding the girl strangely – the look on his face undeniably one of curiosity. Ruliana. He recognized that name, though why she was so quick to correct him on it was fascinating. It struck him as really strange that anyone – least of all the daughter of a Lord Holder – would care at all about what he thought of them. Her friend – M’ta’s sister (the concept was still foreign to him) – obviously hadn’t. R’wign brought the ring back in front of his face and carefully wiped it off, taking his time and using his shirt as a towel. Never mind that he was getting dirt on his clothing. He didn’t care. M’ta’s ring had to be perfect. And a secret.

“Thank you,” R’wign said, almost as an afterthought, “but you didn’t cause me to lose it. It fell out of the case when I was surprised, and really that’s more my fault than yours.” But he had it back and he’d be able to get the engraving done – and hopefully M’ta would love it. “But it’s all solved now, just the same.” He had every intention of having the ring engraved with the phrase ‘until the stars die’ – probably not the most clear of inscriptions, but he wanted it to mean something, and that was the most sincere statement he could think of; he’d be M’ta’s until the stars died. He couldn’t imagine living his days out with anyone else, and he didn’t want to try. M’ta was his world. He’d never made any secret of that very real fact.

Cocking his head to the side, the brownrider allowed an almost quizzical look to pass over his face, before he spoke softly, “You’re really far from home. Why are you traveling with M’ta’s sister and not your family?” He didn’t speak her name or rank – in case it was some kind of secret – but the words were enough indication that he knew who she was. Of course he knew who she was. He was from Nerat too, after all.

[Rei]

Ruliana’s eyes widened as R’wign caught her wrists but she didn’t move to pull away. Instead she stayed completely still and only flinched once as he examined her fingers. Her eyes flickered upwards to examine his face as he worked. The blue eye was noted with interest but more importantly she examined the shape of his face. He looked so much like her father. R’wign was his name if she remembered correctly. Shortened from Rawign. There was nothing there to hint at her father. Still the woman couldn’t help but speculate. Then the brownrider was speaking to her and she nodded politely. When he released her wrist it again flew to her chest. “Thank you Weyrhealer. R’wign?” She said softly the barest trace of a questions attached to the name. “I’ll do my best to go easy on it. I’m afraid I have to do some work if I expect to get fed though.” She watched him as he rose and backed up a step to put a bit of distance between them.

The look on his face gave away his curiosity and she immediately regretted giving away her name. She could tell. He knew. He recognized her. He was from Nerat. The possible implications of such where momentary pushed to the back of her mind. Panic flitted across her face before she intentionally fought it off to replace it with a polite mask. He wouldn’t try to take her back would he? She wouldn’t go back. The urge to flee started to rise and her stance changed from loose and relaxed to tense. But then R’wign’s attention fell back to the ring and she allowed herself a momentary moment to relax and get her head on straight. Acting like a frightened animal would only raise suspicion. By the time the rider turned his attention back towards her she had carefully schooled her body and expression back into her norm.

“Your welcome.” Ruliana returned evenly. “I am just happy I was able to help.” A soft smile flitted across her features but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. Then he tilted her head and she knew what the question was before he spoke it. A slight shudder ran through her and she intentionally stepped closer, her eyes darting to the people walking past. Tilting her head up her gaze hardened and she spoke gently but firmly. “I think you are mistaking me for someone else. I have no family.” The inflection on the word family was full of distaste and the hurt in her tone was easily detectable. “I am a wandering singer. I came from Nerat with the band. My family is dead.” To her they where. Especially her father. The hurt she felt at his betrayal was still fresh. And her mother? Well her mother was far too worried about her father to have ever cared much about her anyway.

Blinking swiftly to disguise any fluidity that may be present in her eyes she smiled. “Jazheera knows nothing about the circumstances of my coming here. She’s knows my name and little else. The rest know me as Aleta.” Aleta the meek traveling singer from Nerat. “Aleta I will remain.” She said firmly, her stance suddenly switching to one of more confidence. Let this rider try and take her back. She would not make it easy on him. “I am sure you have more pressing business that bantering on with me all day. I shall not keep you from it. Please give Jazheera my regards the next time you see her?” Despite her change in demeanor the words she spoke where still nothing short of polite.

[glamourie]

Twisting the ring in the leather case, R’wign fought to keep from staring at the girl in front of him. Her reaction to his questioning comment surprised him immensely and he allowed himself to look back at her face. It took some effort to keep his dark green eye impassive – give nothing away – but the tone in her voice was familiar. He remembered it from when he was eight and running away from home, running away from his father’s expectations and demands. It was kind of funny hearing a grown woman talk in the very same tone, no matter how much more educated she sounded than he had at that age. (And R’wign, at age eight, had sounded every bit the part of the uneducated seafaring lad – complete with an accent thick enough to cut. Hearing him speak now would doubtlessly surprise those who knew him as a boy.) In a way, she sounded incredibly young, too. Like a child. Had he sounded like a child any time recently? When did it change…?

“You do too,” he corrected softly, but without any kind of scorn in his voice. “Look, kid, I’m not going to take you back to Nerat, so you don’t have to try and lie to me. I don’t have any intentions of going there any time soon and most people who come to the South do so because they’re running away from something. You’ll find that you don’t have to hide your identity from most people here – and anyway it’s pointless, with R’ahre running around at Selenitas Weyr, people are going to connect the dots that you two are related in some way, and I doubt he’s going to tell everyone your name is Aleta. Then again, I don’t really know him very well so maybe he will.” It didn’t seem terribly likely though. Although, if she stayed at Southern Hold she’d probably be safe. He was pretty sure the Senior Weyrling didn’t go to Gathers or anything of the like. He actually kept some tabs on him (albeit privately) since they had such strong resemblance. Did that mean he looked like her? Checkoth thought he did…

He did have more pressing business, though, to be totally honest. He had to get his ring engraved. He needed to get his Joining finery finished. He needed to get some toys for his son and talk to Meira about what she was getting so that they didn’t overlap. In short: He had a lot to be doing. If she was that quick to dismiss him, he may as well get on his way. He’d really only been remarking on it because he was curious and R’wign was not someone who liked taking up strangers’ time unnecessarily.

“But yes. I’m R’wign. And on that note, you’re right, I do have things to be doing. I need to get my fiancé’s ring finished. Thank you again for helping me find it.” He offered her a slight nod before crinkling his nose. “I expect you’ll see M’ta’s sister long before I do. I don’t think I made a very good impression and she sounded pretty fond of you. Just the same, I’ll deliver your message. Get some numbweed for that hand or you’ll be sore for a long time, okay?”

[Rei]

Ruliana blinked in confusion for a moment as she listened to his words. The urge to say ‘do not’ like a little child was there but she neglected to comment. Instead her mind went from relief, that he wasn’t planning on taking her back, to confusion again. Yet a different name came up R’ahre. He what? Related? Her and this R’ahre? That seemed unlikely but she supposed it possible. Could he be Rusahre? If he was then why wasn’t he at Benden? He had been searched as a Benden candidate. How did he get to Selenitas? Confusion flitted across her face. Even if they where related as he said, it would not matter. Would it? There was no bond between them. Nothing. They had never even met. All he was to her was a name. Not even a face. Likely he wouldn’t even care. She had seen how searches for siblings ended. Closing her eyes she breathed a sigh.

It was true. Most people did run South to escape the north. It was the only place they could go. R’wign spoke the truth even if he did have a in your face way of doing it. To be honest he wasn’t very approachable at all. Another trait he shared with her father. There where so many similarities. He had to be her father’s son. It was odd to think of this man that way. As her half brother. Even if he was…well he didn’t seem all to keen on viewing her as anything besides a tolerable annoyance. A prick of sadness was felt at that thought but she banished it. Then mention of Jazheera brought it back again stronger. Another reminder that she was alone again. As she had been for a good long time.

The woman nodded numbly as he went on about M’ta’s sister. Jazheera. “She is planning on staying at the weyr. I won’t see her again. Hence the favor I asked of you.” She said quietly. Her eyes went to the brownrider’s face another time and she frowned. Quickly sifting through the gossip she got from the drudges she fought to find a name that fit. “Your welcome. But please. Tell me one thing before you leave R’wign. Is your mother a woman by the name of Ligna?” It seemed to fit. What was her husbands name again? Rawn? It sounded right. If so then they had more in common than he thought. “On second thought you do not have to answer that. I already know the answer.” She did to. It was obvious. “I am sorry to take up your time. I will take your advice to heart.”

It felt so wrong just letting him walk away like this, but what choice did she have? They really had no connection. Besides a father that was the same. A father that he didn’t know and that she hated. It would be selfish of her to try and involve herself with someone who clearly had things just the way he wanted them. Still she hesitated. Why?

[glamourie]

“She’s what?”

He did not want that girl at the Weyr. Maybe it was him being petty, but M’ta’s sister hadn’t made a good impression on R’wign. His first introduction to her was her upsetting two of the most important individuals in his life – Checkoth and M’ta. While he was pretty sure that M’ta would let it go soon enough (he rarely held grudges, it seemed; not against people who meant anything to him anyway), Checkoth would probably be uncomfortable with the girl for an extended period of time, and that enraged him. Not enough to make him behave unkindly, he’d be pleasant enough, but the girl was definitely and decidedly not his friend. R’wign wasn’t happy at the idea of her being at the Weyr, either. If she was so good at making Checkoth uncomfortable as it was, there was a very strong (and decidedly unpleasant) chance that she’d make him feel even worse by being around more. And if she was coming to the Weyr, it was undoubtedly to see M’ta. R’wign, being possessive, was… annoyed to find himself slightly jealous. He was being ridiculous. Ridiculous.

He probably would have dwelled on that thought, had Ruliana not followed it with a question that made him turn his head sharply, dark green eye narrowing. How did she know his mother’s name? His mother, a woman from a small hold in southern Nerat, who had never been to the main portion of the Hold, who had no ties to this girl? His heart fluttered. Lie? Tell the truth? He wasn’t that good at lying. He could fake things if needed, but outright lies were another story. Don’t answer that, she said, and with that, R’wign whirled on her.

“I can see why M’ta thought you and your friend suspicious. You’re very cryptic. I will answer your question: Yes, my mother is Ligna, my father is Rawn, and yes, I’m from Nerat.” He didn’t elaborate. He doubted that she’d even have heard of the small cothold that he was from. R’wign was from an area so small that the only thing they were known for (as far as he knew) was the amount of fish they brought in. Though, it certainly was interesting that she knew his mother’s name and R’wign pocketed his ring case to turn and look at Ruliana – really look at her – for the first time.

M’ta had said they looked alike. Checkoth said they looked alike. R’wign saw only minimal similarities. Dark hair, tall height. He had green eyes – his mother’s eyes – and stronger features. She looked more like R’ahre. But didn’t R’ahre look like him? Enough to be considered his sibling by many and even be mistaken for him on more than one occasion. Once it had saved him from being stabbed. Another time, it almost got him stabbed. He doubted R’ahre had a very high opinion of him and R’wign didn’t have one of the bluerider – but it was unusual, just the same. If she looked like R’ahre, did she look like him, and if so, did that mean she was related to him? But how? His stomach turned over and he regarded Ruliana with a serious gaze for a moment before putting a step of distance between them – physical to match the emotional.

“How do you know my mother’s name? She’s never been to central Nerat, and I doubt she has any desire to go.” His mother wasn’t really a friendly sort, after all. “And why did you want to know? Don’t be shy now, you already asked the question, and I’m curious of the answer…”

[Rei]

Ruliana tactfully declined comment at R’wign’s obvious displeasure at Jazheera’s plans. It wasn’t her intention to get involved there. M’ta and Jazheera’s relationship had little to do with her. However she would have had to be blind not to see his reaction to her question. Yes he was Ligna’s son. Which made him her brother. Or rather half brother. It was hard to stay there and not squirm under his gaze. Somehow she managed to straighten her stance and meet his gaze. His confirmation of his heritage only made her nod her head imperceptibly. She hadn’t needed the confirmation really but it was nice to have. Her brother. Or rather one of probably many. Funny how that changed things but at the same time didn’t change anything. If anything it made The woman more confident in a strange way. R’wign had a label now. He was no longer just some nameless man. It made him more approachable.

She stood completely still as he examined her the step back noted. Was he nervous? Ruliana shifted before answering his questions. Her head came up to catch his gaze. “I traveled all over the hold with our father R’wign. I’ve met many people. Your mother I met only once and it was a brief thing. We never spoke a word to each other but the way she looked at me caught my interest. Of course people are a bit leery of speaking to the lord holder’s daughter. But they where not so reserved with my servants. They like to spread and get the cothold gossip. Your mother and my mother have something in common. They each bore a child to the same man. My father Ruahnorne.” She feel silent then to let her words sink in. Then she continued. “You and I share blood R’wign. Through one parent yes, but still, half the blood that runs through my veins runs in yours. It’s the truth. You are my half brother. You and Rusahre. Rusahre’s mother fell for the same ruse your mother and my mother fell for. Our dear father is very popular it seems.” The amount of venom she attached to the word father surprised even her and she shook her head as if to dispel the feeling.

Ruliana fell silent then. Not sure where or what this would lead to. She hadn’t planned on actually finding Rusahre let alone R’wign. Rusahre should have been at Benden, and R’wign? Well she knew that Rawign had run away. However she would never have guessed that he had ended up south, let alone be bonded to a dragon. Small world was Pern. Or perhaps not so small and fate had brought then together? But to what end? He knew nothing about her and really she wouldn’t blame him if he had no desire to learn now. Before she could move forward again a voice cut through the crowd and she actually flinched violently. “Aleta!” Kelor...oh shards. She immediately dropped her head and inwardly prepared herself for his anger.

The harper strode up to the pair and gave R’wign a nasty look before seizing Ruliana roughly by the elbow and whirling her around to face him. “Damn it woman. I told you not to go anywhere without an escort.” He punctuated his words with a shake before turning back to R’wign. “You again. Does your kind have nothing better to do than mess with my singers?” Kelor snorted before turning back to Ruliana. “Get back to the tent Aleta.” Raising her head only slightly Ruliana nodded before trying to catch R’wign’s gaze again. The look she gave him was simple in it’s message. Careful around him. Kelor was not the nicest sort. With a sneer at R’wign the harper shoved the woman forward to get her moving, releasing her elbow at the same time. Stumbling a few steps Ruliana started back to the tent throwing one worried backwards glance over her shoulder. Kelor merely smirked at R’wign and gestured in the other direction. “Surely you have something else to do dragonrider?”

[glamourie]

What – travel – what – people talking – R’wign blinked and stepped back further, deliberately putting more distance between himself and the girl as she spoke. His eye went guarded, instinctively, and he tilted his head to the side so that some of the long black strands of his hair (carefully heat-straightened every day) fell over the false eye. His expression was skeptical, as if he didn’t quite know what to make of her words, and he internally closed off. Walls. Walls to keep her out. The words she spoke only made a minimal amount of sense and he was reminded strongly of being a child when his father adamantly insisted that he was his, and how angry he’d been at the rumors abounding of him being sired by another man. Hadn’t he just talked to M’ta, not too long previous, about the possibility of his biological father being different? … Did it matter either way? Rawn raised him; Rawn kept him fed. Rawn was, for all R’wign’s opinion, his father. And Religna was his only sister. Only.

“You traveled all over with your father. He’s not mine. My father is Rawn. He kept me fed, gave me a home, and did everything that a father is supposed to do for their child. He was the one who took care of me, who taught me everything a boy’s supposed to learn when they’re a child. The first time I skinned my knee was on his boat, and he carried me back to my mother, crying, to get it bandaged. The first nasty sea storm, it was him who held me while I trembled in terror, and assured me that we’d all be fine – and we were. The first time I came home with a bloody nose, it was Rawn who helped clean me up and taught me how to block my face from being hit, told me how to deal with bullies and made sure that I never got picked on again. Your father did none of those things for me. Maybe for you – but not me.” Really, he only clarified his reasoning so that she understood that he wasn’t rejecting what she said as an impossibility. Rather, it was important to R’wign that she knew that biology meant nothing to him in terms of family. Just like Teri was his child, even if he hadn’t had anything to do with her birth, or even knew her parents – he took care of her, with M’ta, and they loved her. That made her theirs.

Rusahre. R’ahre. R’wign brought one hand up and then softly corrected, “He’s R’ahre now. Bluerider R’ahre of Ahth.” He wasn’t sure why he thought the girl needed to know – maybe because he knew what it was like to have a sibling and have not seen them in turns. He was assuming, at least, that she knew R’ahre. He was reminded of when he ran into Religna during Aslath’s hatching. How much she’d grown. Thoughts of Religna were painful though, and R’wign bowed his head. “I don’t think he comes to Gathers, though, and if you’re staying at Southern, you’re unlikely to run into him. I don’t think he spends much time here, anyway. I don’t really know him… only know of him through a friend.” He shrugged slightly and brushed his fingers through his hair. He felt like he owed her to at least point her in the direction of the brother she’d lost. That was only right… right?

The outburst of her name in a tone he recognized made R’wign turn his head and he eyed the arrival of the harper mildly. The question made him offer a pleasant smile before he used the girl’s own words against him – perhaps unkindly to her as well, but R’wign didn’t really know whether she liked her handler or not. “I was talking to my sister,” he said in an all-too-pleasant tone. “Don’t you see the resemblance? I think if anyone has a right to be asking questions, it’s me. See, you’re being awfully rough with her.” Yes, R’wign had noticed the girl’s look, but he wasn’t afraid of any simple northern harper. He didn’t have a very high opinion of harpers in general, after what had happened to Marra. Despite his better judgment, he moved to stand between Ruliana and the man, both hands coming out to roughly shove him back by the shoulders. “I do have something else to do. I have a lesson to teach to an obnoxious northerner who thinks for some reason that it’s okay to handle a woman roughly because she’s unwilling to fight back. See, she might be, but I’m not. You’re at Southern Hold right now and you’d be wise to remember that dragonriders rank Harpers across Pern – including here. And if you need a refresher course on why, I’m sure my dragon would be more than happy to oblige. He’s currently hunting but I’m sure he wouldn’t mind sinking his teeth into something more tender than herdbeast…”

Okay. So Checkoth wouldn’t hurt a fly willingly, aside from for food. The Harper needn’t know that. He made an imposing enough sight when he wasn’t rolling around with Behruth acting like a hatchling – and Checkoth was hunting.

No one ever said R’wign was honest all the time…

[Rei]

Ruliana was not prepared for R’wign’s response. Not at all. She ducked her head and just nodded. Staying mute was safe. Obedience was necessary. At least outward obedience, Inwardly you where allowed to rebel as much as you wanted and inside she was screaming. Didn’t he see? All she was doing was answering a question. She expected really nothing. He had asked for an answer shard it. R’ahre. Again that name. Why did everyone immediately lump her in with him when she hadn’t even met the boy. She didn’t even know what he looked like aside of ‘like her. He was just as faceless and untouchable as R’wign. Part of her was jealous of R’wign for his obvious attachment to people. All her life people had held her at a distance as if she was just some piece of jewelry or such that they kept around for show. She was never a real person just a name a ‘possession’.

Kelor’s arrival was almost a blessing in a sense. She was worried for R’wign yes but well Kelor was her only source of well everything. Food, clothing, shelter. Without him she had nothing and that thought filled her with fear. More fear than staying with him did. Yes he yelled. Yes he was rough but as long as she did what was asked of her she was asked no questions and taken care of. He hadn’t hit her besides once and he had apologized profusely afterwards. It had been an accident. Her eyes darted fearfully back and forth between the two men. What choice did she have now. Her hands wrung themselves together for the moment, the pain in the injured one helping to clear her head. She would have to intercede. If only to save herself from being stuck with nowhere to go. She didn’t like the scene that was beginning to form. Not at all.

Kelor’s eyes flashed angrily as he was shoved and he retaliated without thinking. Taking a step forward he roughly shoved the other back and spat at his feet. “Sister? Aleta is not your sister. I don’t care if you do look alike. She told me she had no family so why should I believe you? I saw how she reacted to you last time you where together rider. If you where her brother why didn’t you say anything then? Oh wait you where busy with consoling your partner.” The inflection on the last world made it sound like a curse. He glared outright and sharply gestured to Ruliana. “Come here girl. You owe me. Don’t let this bastard scare you. Now.” He final word was a command and Ruliana numbly moved towards the harper.

He smiled nastily and tilted his head up towards the taller dragonrider. “Rank me or not rider the woman doesn’t belong to you. She is my singer and she owes me a debt. I am in the right. We can take it to the Lord holder if you seek to fight such.” By now a crowd was forming and the harper raised his voice to let it ring clearly over the crowd. A few people watched with interested mutterings going on through the crowd. Smiling Kelor raised his eyebrow and chuckled. “You seek to threaten me with your dragon? I do not think the Lord holder would be happy with such behavior. Nor would I imagine the Weyrleader approve of such.” The man smiled triumphantly. What now rider?

[glamourie]

She jumped because I bespoke her.

Checkoth was a lot of things – but stupid wasn’t one of them. Maybe he was naïve. Maybe he was too innocent for his own good much of the time. But he wasn’t oblivious to R’wign’s growing irritation. The girl was his clutchsister, so she’d said; Checkoth didn’t have to be nearby to hear that. His logic on that was simple: he wouldn’t let anything happen to RuthHis, so why would His let anything happen to his clutchsister? And he missed the other one, Ith’s, so very much. This one seemed nice. And the man was being very unkind. It was for that reason that Checkoth spoke to him, his voice preceding his arrival at the edge of the Gather, close enough to be within sight. His eyes whirled hints of his irritation before he spoke for the girl to hear – though R’wign would be able to as well, as always.

You told R’wignmine that he is your brother. That you share blood. That you are clutchsiblings, with the same sire. It obviously meant something to you a moment ago, yet now you hide, you cower. This man is nothing; he is no one. Whatever he gives you is not worth being hurt. Whatever he asks of you is too much. I don’t know what you’re hoping for – but you’re not going to get it from someone like that. People like that… they don’t care about anyone but themselves. They’re like the ones who hurt R’wignmine both times. You don’t want to be around him. Tell him what you told R’wignmine?

“I’ll be happy to take it to the Lord Holder, actually. Ruliana, whatever he means by a debt owed, I’m pretty sure I could pay off without any trouble. I am the Weyrhealer. And the Lord Holder of Southern owes me a favor: I delivered his grandson, after all. Did I mention, yet, harper, that the Lord Holder’s daughter, Cezine, was a friend of mine? Greenrider. We went way back before her death. You could say that I’m quite well associated with the Lord Holder and his family because of it, I mean, what with Cezine’s son practically being my family.” The really ironic thing was that nothing he said was a lie. Oh, he was sure that the Lord Holder had no love for him, but if it was a choice between one of the few people who knew his daughter prior to her death, and a stranger, a northern Harper with an attitude problem, R’wign was more than willing to bet on himself.

And as for S’rei…? “The Weyrleader of Selenitas is well-renowned for throwing chairs, by the way. I’m pretty sure if you’re betting on him scolding me, you’re probably betting wrong.” It sounded almost ludicrous that Selenitas was made up of such a conglomeration of people – but the knowledge of S’rei throwing a chair at Aslath’s first clutch being laid wasn’t exactly something that was hard to come by, if one paid any attention. “Plus the Weyrsecond? Yeah, he’s my friend too. In fact – he’s about twenty steps behind you at the weapon stall. We can settle this now if you want me to call him over. I’m sure Ka’rys would love to have a chat with you about manners for dragonriders. He’s from Fort, old Fort – I don’t think he’d tolerate your lip at all either. Then again, he’d probably tell me that I should deal with you myself. You know. Sort of like…”

As he spoke, R’wign leaned back and then punched the other man square in the face, deliberately aiming for his nose. Nose injuries bled a lot, but they didn’t usually cause lasting damage; they could, however, knock someone out if there was enough impact behind them. R’wign didn’t hit that hard. He was counting on the massive amount of blood to surprise the irritating man and possibly dissuade him from arguing further. Possibly.

“… that. You’d be wise to learn that no one is anyone’s property. I don’t seek to own her… just keep her away from the likes of you. She’s not anyone’s slave.”

[Rei]

Ruliana wanted to scream out in frustration. Things where quickly unraveling and she didn’t like it. Violence was something she hated. Stop it, she had to stop it. Taking a step forward towards the two males she suddenly stopped at a voice. It was that dragon. Checkoth. She recognized him. Whirling she caught sight of him. Eyes watering she nodded at his words. That would work. She had to tell him. If only to stop the fighting. However she was a little too late. R’wign was speaking fast and Kelor was growing more angry by the second. Then the brownrider actually punched the harper and her hands flew to her mouth. Her eyes widened in surprise. It wasn’t like Kelor hadn’t deserved it but shards he was going to be angry. Oh no.

Kelor listened in growing resentment to R’wign as he rattled off his connections. His smirk turned to a sneer and he took another step towards the man. “Do you think your connections scare me off rider? Obviously you haven’t been listening she owes me a debt and you…” The harper never got to finish for suddenly his face met R’wign’s fist. To say he didn’t see it coming was something of an understatement. The words the rider voiced after that where mostly lost. Something or other about owning. Whatever it was it didn’t matter. Blood, he was bleeding. That arrogant little brat had actually hit him. White fury clouded his vision and the man all but threw himself at the brownrider with a strangled cry. Hitting him in the midsection they toppled to the ground. All Kelor wanted was to break the kids face at that point. Logic? No place here. Trying to gain his bearings from the fall Kelor aimed a punch for the rider’s face fully intending on breaking the other’s nose. Bastard. How dare he.

Ruliana actually did cry out at that but the crowd was suddenly pressing in everyone offering their own encouragements or outcries and she suddenly felt so very lost. Shards oh shards how did she stop it?

[Requiem]

Just shopping. The weyrmate had her list, and he, like the dutiful man he was, went down it diligently. Nothing like a pregnant weyrmate upset at you. (To be fair, she was pretty good, not too terribly hormonal and at least apologetic afterwards.) Just shopping, but as he slipped the latest parcel under his arm he noticed the commotion attracting a crowd not far from where he stood. A brow lifted, and with a soft sigh he headed that direction. Whatever was going on, if it involved one of his he couldn't exactly ignore it. Well, he could, but that would probably end with rather long discussions with the Lordholder that he preferred to avoid.

As he approached, he caught the trailing edge of an elevated voice. Threatening with a dragon, what? Tsking softly beneath his breath, he tossed the parcel at one of the stallkeepers, gruffly telling him to watch it before wading into the crowd. Hearing his title being thrown around by a man he didn't recognize didn't do much to improve his mood. Nor did the sudden gasp of the crowd, the press that nearly blocked him off entirely, or the cries that came up afterwards. A fight. He caught sight of the tackle hitting his sharding Weyrhealer in the midriff - and yes, he noted the blood-smeared face of the attacker - just as he managed to shoulder through the inner ring of onlookers. Followed by a veritable explosion of winged beasts, in all the colors you could think of. R'wign's four among them.

Ignoring the firelizards (and yes, he got nicely scratched and bitten for it, another thing that did not improve his mood any) S'rei was upon the two men in two strides, forcefully lifting Kelor by the collar and flinging him a short distance away. "It's over," he boomed at the gathered onlookers, glaring at them. "Anyone still standing around will answer to the Lordholder or myself. Scram." He caught R'wign by the arm and levered him to his feet. A quick glance showed that the kid was fine...for the most part. "We'll talk later," he told the brownrider, voice lowered. "Go somewhere and cool it...and take the firelizards with you."

He moved quickly to pull Kelor up before the man could make himself scarce, glancing at Ruliana and giving her the command, in no uncertain terms, "Stay." His eyes turned back to Kelor. "You've got one minute to explain why I find you tackling my Weyrhealer, journeyman, before I decide that the tale would be better told officially with the Lordholder involved." If his commands hadn't been indication enough of his rank, the knots he wore only outside the Weyr for the most part would erase any doubt. His eyes narrowed on Kelor.

[glamourie]

Oh he didn’t. R’wign growled low in his throat as he was thrown to the ground and immediately raised his hands to grip the harper’s shoulders. He turned his thumbs into the pressure points at the base of his neck roughly, pressing down as hard as he could. It was meant to hurt; he was hoping to make the man black out or at least relinquish his grip on him. Putting his arms that way also meant that the harper would have to work to hit him in the face (because he did so hate being hit in the face). R’wign looped his legs around the lower part of one of Kelor’s, as though to turn the man over, the anger on his face undeniable. R’wign was not usually a violent entity – and really, he wasn’t all that protective over Ruliana. Most of his problems came not from the man’s treatment of her (although that was certainly part of it) but from the comment he made about M’ta. He wasn’t willing to fight over a girl he hardly knew. Religna he would’ve – but she wasn’t Religna.

Just the same, fighting he was, and his irritation blossomed onto all of his mindmates and the result was nearly instantaneous. Ellie was a Gold, through and through, and it showed when she appeared (chaperoned by her three blues) and started swooping around Kelor with loud hisses and shrieks – enough to wake the dead. But it wasn’t just those four that Ellie brought with her – no, she was pragmatic, and she’d brought with her a whole slew of wild firelizards that actually surprised R’wign; the amount of them all fluttering around screeching in fury was enough to induce a headache on anyone unaccustomed to the sound. R’wign was, and he was also very distracted with trying to slowly strangle the harper on top of him without taking a fist to his face.

Fortunately, R’wign was saved from such a fate by the harper being forcibly yanked back from on top of him and he turned his head to the side to knock his hair from out of his good eye. He found himself staring up at none other than the chair-throwing Weyrleader and crinkled his nose as he was pulled to his feet. His gaze immediately went to Ruliana, head cocking to the side before he turned back to S’rei. For a moment, he thought about protesting, and he settled for narrowing his eye mildly; the look was simply a look, guarded at best. Only one person on Pern would recognize the venom in his expression as he edged away from the Weyrleader – trusting him, begrudgingly, because he didn’t have any other option.

As he came to the edge of the cluster of people, most of the firelizards disappeared, though his four came to land on his shoulders and head respectively. A hand snaked out from the crowd and yanked him into the cluster of people and R’wign found himself being hauled, forcibly, away from the group by none other than the aforementioned Weyrsecond (who didn’t see himself as such and would not have answered to the title if anyone gave it to him – ironically enough). The words ‘Owe you a pie’ were lost in the crowd as the pair scurried off – dismissed, as it were, to shop elsewhere.