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Post by kysseh on Jul 1, 2008 22:36:30 GMT -5
Dohulth folded his overlarge wings in, settling down lightly on the weyrledge to watch her. Phremath seemed a bit more relaxed, which he considered a victory. People and dragons in distress bothered him. //I think I just learned to use them. Mine was very clever and learned exercises for us to do to help.// the brown said quietly, idly itching his shoulder with the edge of one wing. //That is very true. You can only use what you have and no more or less.// Dohulth could not help but note that the green did not seem jealous or envious. He admired her for that and only wished more that he could share with her what it was like. She would one day feel what it was like to fly with such wings, if she Rose. Her mate would carry her along, and she would see how it felt to glide along on thermals. He would not tell her that, though. It would not be fair to get her hopes up.
//Did you hatch here at Selenitas? We have not been here for very long, and we only saw the last clutch, but you are far more grown than that.// he asked curiously, interested to hear her story. He did not know very many dragons here well, and some of them were less than friendly. She seemed very nice, though, which he greatly liked. //I can not see you very well, but you look very lovely even in the darkness. Lovelier than us Benden-born.//
K'von reluctantly nodded his head, sighing softly. He wished he had paid more attention, but her touch had been so... distracting, if only because it had been so long for him. Shards, but he was overreacting again. "All right. I'll stop by the Infirmary. If only to please you and keep Dohulth off my back, now that he knows too," he grumbled amiably, though the faint crinkles around his eyes hinted at a smile.
Her step back toward him only encouraged him to trace the line of the scar again, this time upward back toward her shoulder. He tried to keep his touch very light, but his attraction and her encouragement were not helping matters. He had been about to move his hand again, unable to resist the feel of it, when she turned and grasped the hand that he had rested on her shoulder. Startled, he was taken aback by the apology in her eyes, and he instantly thought he had done something wrong. Her words made his heart--among other things--sink, and he was wholly embarrassed to have pushed himself at her like that.
Her words were hard to take, but he nodded, offering her a subdued version of his usually-cheerful grin. "It's all right. I wasn't playing fair either," he confessed, leaning his cheek lightly into her hand. He knew he shouldn't have, but he could not bear to not savor that bit of contact. He had time, though, and he knew it. "After Phremath Rises-" Or Dohulth Flies her, whichever comes first... he added silently. "-you'll be yourself. I think if I spent a Turn in complete solitude, save for Wherryface, I can survive a bit longer to see if the you without Phremath's influence is interested," he said, his grin broadening as he chuckled faintly. "Though... I don't suppose I could ask for your help in scrubbing my back? I can't reach very well," he admitted. Despite the lack of response to his overtures, he felt calmer than he had. The thoughts about Benden that wakened him in the dead of night were back where they belonged, somewhere where he did not have to deal with them right then and there. He considered it a victory.
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Post by reqqy on Jul 2, 2008 6:46:50 GMT -5
The small green peered at her companion, the colors of her eyes swirling to a soft blue/green. Oh, we can certainly use less than we’re given, Phremath stated, in a rare show of depth. Though we really shouldn’t! Yours must be very clever, indeed. Maybe like Mine? She thought of how I could fly with the other dragons, the green concluded proudly. Obviously, she had the best Mine of all her clutchmates. None of the others would have been able to figure it out, she was sure. Don’t get carried away, love. But I did choose the best. It would have been silly not to! You chose the best for you, and I’m honored by the choice, Kali returned quietly.
Phremath was feeling slightly shy, now that Dohulth seemed to be getting more personal. She ducked her head under, cocking it sideways to peer up at him from that strange angle. My clutchmates and I are from Fath’s last clutch, she replied quietly. The other dragonhealer with KaliMine drugged her a long time ago. Mine says that’s why Kasraith had no front legs, and Adith is light-blind, and my wings… The green fluttered them self-consciously. They actually made a soft buzzing sound. We’re not quite two turns yet, she added, knowing that Dohulth must be older than her.
Obviously, the green didn’t feel altogether comfortable talking about herself. She stiffened at the mention of Benden, though. Oh, she thought he must have just come, but she hadn’t known from where. It was that evil Benden brown’s mindmate that had killed half of her clutchmates through Theirs. Golden Aezanth. Kasraith. Vemorath. Ayisseth. Liamorth. Poor malnourished Reenith. Euciath. Just the thought of that terrible, terrible day, and Kalierre’s terrible, terrible anger – and yes, pain – was enough to turn the green distinctly gray, noticeable even in the lighting. Dohulth’s kind compliment passed completely unnoticed in the wake of such grief.
You’re from Benden? she questioned, so softly that it sounded like little more than a slight breeze. Horror in that tone. Phremath was young yet, and while she was not at all stupid, when it came right down to it, she did tend to see things rather simply. Benden was bad. They’d tried to kill Hers! There was no place that could make KaliMine angrier than Benden. Young, little Phremath had shed no blood but that of Benden dragonriders, and she had no remorse for the loss of life. But –but you’re so nice, she added incredulously, staring and hoping that he would just say he was joking.
The look in his eyes was unexpected. He seemed completely crestfallen, and not necessarily because he wouldn’t be getting anything tonight. Kalierre looked away for a moment. The expression was too open, too completely bare. It was a stark invasion of privacy that went far beyond simple nudity or touching. His face moved against her hand, pressing into her palm, and she found herself looking into a half-hearted smile as he apologized. The dragonhealer frowned. “Please…don’t apologize. I started it.” Clearly, though, he’d understood her jumbled words, articulating her desire to be sure that it was her desire and not Phremath’s prodiness influencing her far better than she had. A turn, just him and Dohulth? She could hardly imagine. Though…in all honesty…she hadn’t been intimate with anyone since Benden, nearly two turns ago now. That couldn’t be helping the situation any, at least on her end.
The smile was simply breathtaking, and she strongly suspected that wouldn’t change. Kalierre allowed her eyes to widen, molding the expression into something else. “Oh? But I thought you were just doing a little dance earlier. How disappointing.” She should have withdrawn her hand. Should have. It refused to respond to that command, however, or maybe she wasn’t actually telling it to very loudly. In the end, she trailed it down to his shoulder, slipping behind him quietly. “So. Let me guess. Part of your daily routine is to find some poor, hapless woman to scrub your back for you? Or do you just walk around dirty for months?” The teasing was quite clearly back in her voice as she ran her hands along his back. This time, though, there was nothing that suggested anything more than simply washing the back before her. A healer’s hands, once again.
Again, Phremath’s distress served to still her hands. Kalierre cursed, the words soft but shockingly colorful, for all that. In a moment of exasperation, she rested her forehead against the curve of his back. “I should have warned her,” Kali stated, upset with herself. Phremath, not all dragons or riders from Benden are like the ones we met in the glade. Please don’t get upset. Dohulth’s and His would never do what that man did. If they would, I would be angry with Dohulth’s. Yes?[/i][/b][/size]
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Post by kysseh on Jul 2, 2008 11:54:33 GMT -5
Dohulth let out a soft rumble of amusement at the green's evident pride in Hers. He carried a similar pride in His, no matter how idiotic the man could be, though he rarely let it be so obvious. Were not all dragons similarly fond and proud of Theirs? He would have liked to think so. //Yes, Mine and Yours must both be very clever. Mine can still be very silly, though.// the brown added, picking up a few threads of K'von's wayward thoughts and snorting softly.
He lowered his head to match hers, eyes whirling contentedly as he watched her. She was a curious little thing...and talkative, but not overly so, yet still shy. He crooned softly at the mention of the drugs, his eyes whirling a bit faster at the memory of a fact that was always foremost on his mind. He remembered the drugs, remembered His' distaste at the thought of them, at the thought of what they did. The brown was distracted by the fluttering of her wings, and he poked his nose closer to investigate, careful to keep it out of strike range. She was young, and apart from the stunted nature of her wings, he could find no fault with her appearance. //I've seen what the drugs can do. It is very sad, but you have adjusted well if you can fly. You should be proud!// He was altogether unsure if it had been the drugs that gave him the grayish tint to his hide and the state of his wings, but he had seen other hatchlings very deformed by them. She must be very special to have learned to fly even with such a handicap.
Her tension was noticeable, and he lifted his head a bit to see her better, noting the sudden lack of color to her hide. He had distressed her! Wondering what he had done, the brown gave a soft croon of comfort to reassure her that he meant no harm or offense, understanding coming as she very softly queried as to his origins. //I am Benden-hatched. Mine was raised there. But... we left. The leaders are very bad, and if you follow what the leaders do, you become bad too. That is why we left, because we did not want to be part of it. Our home is here now.// he explained quietly, trying to make it as simple as possible. He remembered that it was more complex than that. He remembered fighting in the air, remembered horror and fear and betweening away to safety. But that was hard to remember and explain this was simpler. //Thank you. I try to be very nice, though I sometimes say the wrong thing.// He crooned again, lowering his head to beneath hers to indicate that he was not in a position to attack. The gentle-natured dragon had no intention of taking a swipe at such a lovely little creature.
"And finished it," K'von quipped softly as she finally looked back at him, nearly cringing. "Sorry, that came out sounding... wrong." Shards, but he was not very good at this. Usually the awkwardness was for after, but this was just plain strange. Of course, being that they both were tired and it was the middle of the night could be making the situation that much more difficult. The fact that her hand was still on his face, against his cheek, was comforting, reassuring him that he was not completely bungling his attempt at play.
He grumbled softly at her teasing, scowling and pretending to be much offended by the action. "I can do it myself! It's just... easier with help." He turned his head to look back at her, though he could not see very much from the angle he was looking at. Her hands were gentle but clinical on his back, which was a relief, even though it stirred up the same sort of feelings to a lesser degree. He did not think he could have stopped himself is she had done anything remotely resembling a caress. "It's just difficult to reach. And no, I don't go around asking for help with it... but that's a good idea! Thank you!" he said with mock-enthusiasm, grinning broadly and chuckling at his own idiocy.
Her curses and the sudden lack of movement caught his attention, and he arched his eyebrow, whistling appreciatively at the colorful string of expletives. Shards, but she had an extensive vocabulary, and he had not even heard half of it! He managed to keep from moving when he felt something--he thought it was her head--resting against his back. The brownrider furrowed his dark brows, understanding her statement when Dohulth quietly told him that Phremath was upset to learn of their origins. His eyes widened. "About Benden? Dohulth says she's upset. He's upset too for distressing her," he said, trying to soothe the brown dragon that it was not him, specifically, that she was upset about.
Dohulth let out a soft moan of self-recrimination. He had not meant to upset her so. He hated seeing little dragons in such distress and fear! Apparently, His was not the only one who needed to learn to watch his words.
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Post by reqqy on Jul 2, 2008 14:46:13 GMT -5
Despite the note of teasing in K'von's voice, Kali winced, recognizing truth when she heard it. She waved aside his apology, hoping to cast aside the awkwardness with it. In all truthfulness, she should probably head up to her weyr soon, seeing as how she was acting so very strange while half-awake. Poor guy. A rueful smile took her features. "But it's true, so I can't really complain."
"Easier with help," the greenrider echoed, her tone just a shade off from mocking. Oh, but she was rather good at that, wasn't she? When was the last time...? Ah, S'rei. That was sometimes still a sore spot with her, as he'd been one of the first she actually wanted. Well, kind of silly to think of that now, especially with the man presently in her company. In some ways, the bronzerider was just too serious, and Kali found K'von rather refreshing. He certainly wasn't as gloom and doom as Uu'n. Now, Kalierre felt for Uu'n in many ways, but the bluerider was rather young for her. She also suspected that half of the 'softness' she felt toward him was more Phremath's relationship with Adith than ought else. The two clutchmates were quite close.
"It certainly is a good idea," Kalierre stated, affecting a haughty tone and rolling with his line of teasing. "Then I won't have to touch your sweaty, scarred back." Of course, she didn't mind the scars at all, other than the ones that needed more attention. And he wasn't sweaty. That really wasn't the point though, was it? Kali couldn't quite conceal her own grin.
Eh. He'd heard her cursing. The dragonhealer didn't often use such words, but she'd picked them up in different infirmaries around Pern, and they managed to slip out occasionally. "Yes, she's upset, though I can't see how he could possibly know how much Benden dragons frighten her." Kalierre paused, trying to reach out to her mindmate again, to reassure her young one. Phremath had always had the temprament of a child. Sweet, but very, very impressionable. Sweetheart, he's not going to hurt you, or hurt anyone else. You're alone with Dohulth's, the green returned, on the edge of panic. He could - He won't. How do you know? How can you know? You just want Dohulth's! He's trying to trick you. If that were so, he had a better opportunity when I was asleep. It's not like that. Just because a dragon was hatched in Benden doesn't mean he agrees with everything they've done. Do you like what all the other dragons around here do all the time? There was a pause. Well, no... It's the same sort of thing. The terror was ebbing, but the dragon was still uneasy.
Phremath had insinctively drawn herself inward, making of herself the smallest target she could. Her tail twitched, head drawing outward slightly as Dohulth spoke. It was almost ironic; his words closely mirrored KaliMine's. That was when the green's brain began to gnaw at the concept. Did a dragon choose where to be hatched? No. Then - maybe it was possible that her companion wasn't like those other cruel ones. He was here, after all. And she really didn't want to think bad of him. Dohulth was nice. He complimented her, not just on being able to fly with the other Selenitas dragons, but also on her looks. No one had done that before. Phremath thought she was rather ugly. How could she not be? She didn't have wings like the rest of them did! But there had been nothing of polite lies in his words. He seemed sincere.
Benden leaders are bad, she stated definitively, almost as if she were trying to defend her reaction to learning where he was from. That was when she decided. This brown was nice, and KaliMine seemed to like His, so he couldn't be like those evil Benden dragons, could he? But you're a Selenitas dragon now. Right? So that means it doesn't matter if you were Benden before, or Fort, or hatched right here. The statement had started out tentative, but it gained force as it continued, a small measure of her usual cheer entering in.
That was a little better. Kalierre let out a quiet sigh as the pressure in her head receded a bit. "Phremath had a really bad encounter with Benden dragons and their riders," the dragonhealer explained, returning to the task of washing K'von's back. "Our whole weyrling class did, actually. It seems that C'leon didn't want anyone to know about the drug enhancements tested on Fath, and he needed to get rid of the evidence. Including Fath's last clutch." Anger and sorrow mixed into her words. Still, she had no trouble speaking them. Emotions had never been capable of tying up her words. "We lost seven weyrling pairs that day. Three of the rest of us were wounded." Her voice softened in remembrance. "We were fools. C'leon's lackey managed to separate us from our dragons.
"Four were tortured and murdered before Uu'n and I managed to get free. Even then, the fight was a long one, and Selenitas does not train weyrlings in hand-to-hand; there were several who couldn't fend for themselves at all."
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Post by kysseh on Jul 3, 2008 2:02:08 GMT -5
"I still shouldn't have said it. I'm sorry." K'von wished he could have shoved his foot into his mouth before he had uttered that particularly poor attempt at a joke. Her wince almost physically hurt, and he sighed softly at his own ineptitude. That had been a major blunder right there. "I tend to think before I speak."
The faint tone of mocking in her voice made him give her a playful scowl, the expression only intensifying after she continued to tease and grin at him, mocking his lack of flexibility. "Men were not made to be that flexible, I don't think. S'why we have women around. We do the heavy lifting, you wash our backs, everyone wins, right?" he said cheekily, giving her a wink. "I just completely made that up. Did it sound half as stupid as I thought?" He could scarcely keep the laughter from his voice, his shoulders shaking as he took another handful of sweetsand and began to lather up his tousled hair. He was not usually so idiotic in the presence of a lovely woman, but amusing her was a fulltime occupation that he was starting to greatly enjoy.
He was concerned at her anxiety over her dragon and at Dohulth's similar worry. The poor green seemed absolutely terrified of Dohulth, even though the laidback brown had not the slightest inclination to hurt her. "Well, the fact that she nearly had a panic attack when he said 'Benden' was a pretty big hint. Why she does, that I don't know. Then again, Tanith is a pretty poor ambassador." He watched her face, recognizing by her slightly vacant look that she was talking to Phremath. The brownrider fervently hoped that she could soothe the upset green. Dohulth was getting distressed as well.
Watching the green shrink into herself, Dohulth let out an anxious croon, noticeably wilting. This was not going well at all, and the brown tucked his wings tightly into his sides. He wished he could make her understand, in some way, that he was not all that bad, not nearly as bad as that sharding set of overzealous green jaws that came from the same weyr. His body language changed almost immediately at her definitive statement of the awful nature of Benden leaders. He was intelligent enough to know an opportunity when he scented it, and here was a chance for their interaction to change for the better.
They are very bad, yes. But I am a Selenitas dragon now, and I will fight to stay here. I do not want to leave. It is very nice here. The brown tilted his head over to one side, looking a bit cheered now that her words sounded a bit more sure. She was not afraid of him! He arched his neck a bit, faintly proud of himself for not completely terrifying the little green. Very, very nice here. Very little fighting. And most everyone is kind.//
K'von listened in silence to her tale, taking his time in scrubbing himself. Shards, and he thought he had had it bad at Benden. He had seen friends and fellow wingriders flamed or slashed from the sky, seen fights break out for no reason. But a senseless massacre? He had heard of the weyrling massacre, but to hear it from a survivor was something else entirely. He shook his head once, turning to look back at her. "You weren't fools. You just didn't know how brutal some of the Bendenfolk could be," he said softly, reaching out a sand-and-water-soaked hand to gently touch her cheek. "I am glad that some of you survived. We won't stand for it to happen again." His voice was quiet and held just a hint of danger to it, his eyes dark at the flash of memory of a green and rider falling in a mess of blood and ichor. No, he would not stand to see his little haven of relative peace disturbed by that.
"I'd say he failed to destroy the evidence." Good thing, too. K'von was grateful for the distraction from his broody thoughts, grateful that she had not been killed. "Is that how you got the scar on your back?"
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Post by reqqy on Jul 3, 2008 9:45:00 GMT -5
Kalierre's brow rose gradually at his strange concept of the role of men and women. She tried to be offended. Tried. It was obvious, though, that he was just speaking the first thoughts that popped into his head, and they were rather - silly. K'von seemed to recognize that easily enough, too. Wrinkling her nose, the dragonhealer shook her head, her expression completely solemn. "Oh, no. That sounds exactly right. Men do all the work. Women take care of the men. Speaking of which, I suppose you won't mind covering my shifts over the next tenday - that is the man's job, after all. I'll give you a massage when you get off-duty." That last was stated clearly as an incentive, as if she were bribing her Lust with a piece of meat if he'd just spend a couple of hours in her pack rather than attacking anyone who struck him wrong.
Phremath stared at her brown companion curiously. You would fight to stay? She didn't seem disturbed by the notion, which was actually fairly strange, given how violent her reaction had been when she found out Dohulth's origins. The green wasn't frightened of Benden dragons, precisely. None had attacked her directly. But she was certainly fearful for Hers because of their history, and it had been as much the memory of the first deaths she'd ever known as a dragon - and those of her own clutchmates, no less - that had caused the noticeable shift in color. Now her hide was more or less back to normal. Phremath understood fighting for Yours, or for your home. She'd thrown herself into the air before she could really fly to try to get to Hers while so many of the others paused in indecision or flailed in fear - bullied Jessereth into carrying her at least above the falls so she could gain the clearing. The green had killed, had protected Hers while KaliMine was practically helpless from the extent of her wounds.
Fighting was not something that bothered Phremath, not when it was clearly necessary.
Yes. Most are kind. The others have to play nice, and that's almost just as good. At least, most didn't mean to hurt her feelings when they treated her differently, or decided to steer clear of her outside of training. Most didn't seem to dislike her, per se. But she noticed how uncomfortable a lot of them got, including her own clutchmates. That was probably why she tended to stick with those dragons who weren't exactly normal themselves. Something like a deformed group, or an outcast group, but she'd found some good friends that way. Do you - ummm - know much of anyone else here yet? Phremath was genuinely curious. Her fear seemed to have taken place turns ago; it was completely forgotten.
Kali's eyes flashed with a muted anger. It wasn't directed at K'von, but it was in response to his words, and could be misinterpreted as such. At least until she spoke. "Oh, I know exactly how brutal some Benden dragonriders can be. I repaired enough of them over the turns - them and their bonded - to send them right back into the fight so they could kill more." It was quickly becoming clear that her anger was directed inward. "Maybe the others had an excuse, but I didn't. It was during Threadfall, did you know that? Just a note left for our class. Some sort of training without our dragons, deep in the forest, even though we hadn't been without our dragons for months. Everything was wrong. Yet I didn't notice until I saw it wasn't the Weyrlingmaster waiting for us - and by then it was too late. Just a moment of thought could have prevented so much."
Kali was shocked into silence, though, by the sudden passion that crept into his voice. This brownrider was more than just a jokester. A flare of curiosity sparked, but she soon found herself keenly aware of his touch, even though he'd actually come into contact a before now. Maybe it was simply because she was no longer focused on her own anger and guilt.
Her gaze flitted downward, the woman nodding, almost meekly. "Yes. In a fight with two men," she responded, her voice barely above a whisper. Kalierre then lifted her arm, baring the inside to his gaze where another scar ran along the vein from elbow to wrist. "Both dead by my hands, but not before one managed to pin me to a tree. It bought some of the younger ones time, though. Even if the use of this arm will never be as exact as it was."
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Post by kysseh on Jul 4, 2008 3:02:20 GMT -5
Her supposedly solemn reaction to his attempt at humor made him pout, until she spouted off some ridiculous thing about him working in the infirmary. He gave her the gift of pretending to consider it, even to making a show of stroking his clean-shaven chin. Oh, yes, it was such a tempting offer. Go and bungle a job for ten-day and get one massage at the end... it didn't seem quite fair. "Hmmm... temptation. Well, if you make it two massages a day... but, no. I don't want every person in Selenitas breathing down my neck because I applied the numbweed the wrong way. Some people are just so picky about how their injuries are treated," he said, fighting hard to keep a straight face through it all, despite the rather effeminate emphasis to the last statement. All right, so he was being a complete clown, but she seemed amused, if only a little. Victory!
Yes, we both would. We like this place of peace, and Mine is happier than I can ever remember him being, most of the time. I want him to stay happy, and I will fight anyone that tries to make us leave. Dohulth's eyes whirled a bit faster, the small brown sharply arching his neck in a posture that fairly reeked of defiance. Rare was the occasion when the brown resorted to verbal violence or raised his tone, and even rarer was the occasion that he took a path of violence. But he would do what he had to to protect His, for nothing mattered more than K'von's wellbeing. K'von might have been physically healthy out in the wild, but even Dohulth had sensed His' growing need for companionship, even if only casually so. The brownrider was far more energetic now that they were in a weyr again, and it made Dohulth all that much happier too.
As quickly as the brown's more broody mood had come, it passed, and he relaxed again, his eyes whirling a more lazy blue now that the thought of being forced to leave was pushed aside. That was an unhappy topic, and he did not like it. Phremath's question was a far better source of discussion. Not many. he admitted readily. We met a candidate on the cliffs, and Mine was not sure if it was a girl or boy. It was a boy, but Mine was terribly confused. It was... amusing. Dohulth rumbled softly, amused at the very memory of it. The dragon had imprinted that incident very strongly in his mind, just for the sake of laughter. The fact that it was on K'von's mind every now and then only reinforced his recollection of the incident.
We know Tanith and Hers... and Hepaticath and Hers. Aorath and... Hers. I forgot who Aorath's is, but Mine Flew her. She is very scared all the time. Dohulth pondered, tilting his gray-brown head to one side in a very human-like gesture of thinking. Whom else had they met?! There must have been more, but he could not remember. Not many. I did Chase one of the weyrlings, but she chose the bronze. It was... Jeminorth? The incident had made little impression, so he had paid it very little atttention. Not many. It has been hard for Mine to talk much.
Tensing initially at the anger in her previously-gentle eyes, K'von was more than relieved to hear that she was not angry with him. She had healed at Benden, then, had seen some of the damage dealt. He briefly wondered if it was worse to see the aftermath of an injury or to watch it occurring. He decided to not voice that wonder aloud, especially when he saw that she blamed herself for the occurrences at the massacre. He straightened a bit. No, it was time he set that straight. "It wouldn't have mattered if you realized the trap or not. They'd have pulled it off somehow, and if you hadn't been there, how much worse off would the rest have been? The important part is you came through it, and you lost friends, but you came out alive and wiser," he said, his tone a little sharper than he had originally intended. He blamed himself for much, but that blame he deserved. She had walked into a very carefully orchestrated plan, it sounded like, and he doubted anything or anyone could have stopped it from happening. Benden would have had their strike at the hatchlings anyway.
Realizing he might have come across too harshly, he softened it with an apologetic attempt at a smile, watching her as her gaze moved away from his. Her silence, her less confident nod made him cringe. Yes, that had been far too harsh of him to butt in to something that personal. He knew how he felt when Dohulth stuck his oversized nose into K'von's private broodings. Her soft whisper made him sad on her behalf, and he looked down at the offered scar, tracing it with his gaze. He knew he often came across as a complete buffoon, but he had his brilliant moments. Instinct moved him, and he lightly circled a hand around the scarred wrist, bringing it upwards a bit as he bent to press his lips against the mark for just a moment. Even though he said nothing, the symbolism was clear. It did not heal physical wounds, but sometimes, a little reassurance could help the mental ones, a fact he knew all too well.
This was too serious, though. They were both straying into the realm of guilt and anger and brooding, and he was not going to stand for it. He lowered and released her wrist as gently as he had taken it. His grin this time was unabashed, shameless, and just a bit forced. "I said I'd respect your wishes... didn't say I'd play fair," he said with a hint of feigned petulance. Let her assume it was another futile attempt to get her to give in to his affections. It would spare them both a lot of mutual brooding later. Stupid sharding chauvinistic instincts! If only he had just given her a cliched "It's not your fault", they could have both gotten over the topic with minimal thought. But no, he had had to do something.
K'von abruptly broke the mood by ducking underwater to rinse his torso and hair of sweetsand, surfacing with a good all-over shake that sent water droplets flying everywhere and left his hair its usual tousled mess. Ahh, cleanliness! "Oh.... did I get you wet?" he inquired innocently, all wide eyes and sweet tone. He fervently hoped she would not dunk him.
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Post by reqqy on Jul 4, 2008 12:13:02 GMT -5
Kalierre couldn't hold back anymore. She chuckled, clapping him lightly on the arm. "I suppose there is that, isn't there?" the woman commented with a wink. "It would definitely help to know what you're doing. Silly man." Though, truly, the thought of a break from the infirmary was almost enough to make Kalierre giddy with joy. If only it were possible. She absolutely had to locate some healers who could double as dragonhealers with the proper training, or she'd be completely swamped for the rest of her life. Selenitas was small, but not that small, and there were the whers and the firelizards and the salamandyrs, as well, all of which fell under her jurisdiction. Not to mention being the senior active healer. It was a wonder she hadn't already gone through a mental breakdown. Fort Hold was too beholden to - and frightened of - Fort Weyr to answer her request for two healers and a dragonhealer, although it probably didn't help that she wasn't officially the head of the infirmary at Selenitas.
Phremath watched Dohulth with muted wonder. He looked so regal, standing there, proclaiming his intentions to protect His against all physical and emotional ills. The green suddenly felt that, had Dohulth been here during the massacre, everyone would have been safe, because the brave brown surely could have protected them all. No, it wasn't at all rational. Only a smaller blue or greens could have even gotten to the weyrlings - just as she and Adith had - and he surely would have been out with the wings. That didn't change the feeling, though. Dohulth made Phremath feel safe. And shy, because of that feeling.
In an effort to shunt aside that line of thought, the green commented, I couldn't imagine ever leaving Selenitas, yet alone being forced to. Can they really do that? She edged just a little closer to Dohulth at the thought of the Weyr's rejecting her. If they could, wouldn't they start with the deformed ones? Phremath, sweetheart. No one's going to send you away. Aslath sees you as her hatchling, and she'll protect her brood. The green instantly realized she was being silly. After all, even if they thought she was useless - which she wasn't! - Hers couldn't very well be sent from the Weyr. I wouldn't let them do that to you, Phremath stated firmly. Not once did it cross her mind how she could fulfill that promise. If it came to it, she would. Simple as that.
As soon as Dohulth mentioned the boy, Phremath grew excited. Oh, I know him! He's - he's - Dear, she'd lost the name. The green was very, very good at remembering people, and happened to be both social and vocal. Kalierre had thought it was merely a product of her being a hatchling, but she'd never grown out of it; the green was given to talking to almost anyone. Well, he's Muta's - the dark one's - bunkmate, she concluded. Phremath wouldn't forget Mutasim. He'd held her when Wrenth took her flying when she was little! And anyway, he was the best friend to Jessereth's, whom the green had always liked.
Some of her exuberance subsided at Dohulth's last words. Her head cocked to one side in fair imitation of the older brown, wings fluttering for a moment. Why? KaliMine said nothing about him having a speech impediment. It would have been easy to think she was joking, but the statement was purely innocent.
Kalierre's eyes had widened at K'von's anger, at the strength behind his words, and she flushed, feeling distinctly embarrassed. He was right, of course. She knew he was. So many what-if's though. The woman had never particularly liked Paryal, but the sound of the girl's screams as she was brutally murdered still haunted the dragonhealer's dreams. The sounds were ever so much more scarring than the images. No, K'von was definitely right. In fact, had they not fallen into that trap, it might have evolved into a sneak attack, or a poisoning, in which case she might not have escaped at all, and certainly wouldn't have been able to help anyone else. Still, the screams...
Blinking, Kalierre found herself staring into K'von's eyes as he lifted her arm, as his lips brushed the scar. Her eyes closed. Something welled up inside her, a sorrow and a strength, the muscles in her stomach quivering for a moment. Kalierre's fingers curled. No tears were shed, but when her eyes reopened, when they fell upon the waters of the pool, they seemed to gleam.
His words confused her for a moment. She sought his eyes, searching there, then nodded silently. Kalierre couldn't quite bring herself to play along, though she did him the courtesy of not calling him out. Clutching at her wrist, she held it close to her, still feeling his lips on her skin. Why did it matter what he thought about what happened, when he wasn't even there? Yet it did. Somehow, this near-stranger's gesture of forgiveness carried more weight than that of her fellow weyrlings. Perhaps it was because she knew he was on the outside looking in.
The dousing was thoroughly unexpected. With a gasp, the dragonhealer instinctively crouched, the emotions and thoughts clearly written across her face disappearing behind something lighter. "What do you think?" Her response was punctuated by a splash. That wasn't her true retaliation, however; she merely wanted him to be blinded for a moment. The woman rushed K'von, diving beneath the surface to catch him by the legs with enough momentum that she hoped he'd be taking another - unplanned - plunge. Sharding wherry! Sneaking up on her like that...
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Post by kysseh on Jul 5, 2008 1:01:37 GMT -5
K'von offered up a casual shrug. Knowing what one was doing was always helpful, but since he had no intentions of becoming a healer, he was not going to worry about it. When she slapped his arm, he affected a pout and rubbed the arm as if she had injured it. In reality, it barely registered as pain. "Hitting the person who offers to help?! How awful can you be?" he said, looking pathetically weak. The act only lasted briefly, though, for he soon straightened and gave her a shameless grin, with a twinkle in his dark eyes. "Though, if you ever need help lugging stuff around, let me know. That's about the most help I can be, but it's better than nothing."
Dohulth rumbled very quietly, bobbing his head once. Oh, they could make a bonded pair leave. It was called exiling. They can, but it is usually a last resort when a dragon and rider are causing too much havoc in the weyr. It is usually only when they are seriously injuring or killing others or endangering others. It is very rare that this happens. When she edged closer, he let out a low croon of comfort, for she seemed ill at ease. She would never, ever have to worry about exile. She was too lovely and sweet a creature to cause any sort of trouble. Her words touched him, and he arched his neck, his eyes whirling a quicker blue-green. Thank you, Phremath. Having you as an ally is very reassuring. he said with genuine honesty. Her good graces did mean a great deal to him.
Lillvor, I think. That's what Mine remembers his name as, anyway... Dohulth answered, having prodded K'von for the name. He did not know who Muta was, but he had a feeling that he would learn that at some point soon, not that he would clearly remember, though. He had to work to remember many, many people. Some just made stronger impressions than others, and he remembered them easily. Aorath and Hers, Phremath--and Hers, eventually, he hoped--and Tanith and Hers.... all females. Strange, how that was. The brown saw her tilting her head to one side and knew a tough question was coming. Her innocent question was an honest enough one, and he could not help his soft rumble of amusement. He doesn't have one. But he has not talked to other people in over a Turn, so he sometimes forgets how to make conversation. And some subjects hurt him to talk about. They make him very sad... or angry.
The widening of her eyes and the flush that came to her made K'von feel even worse. Even after he released her hand, he could not help but feel horribly guilty that he had overstepped the line and made her afraid of him. He was not a violent man. He could fight, and he had, on occasion, but never had he raised his hand against someone without being swung at first. The gleam in her eyes hinted at tears, and he was not sure why, though the way she held the her arm to herself made him think that she had been touched by it. Shardit. Couldn't she just have taken it the wrong way? He hated it when women cried, mostly because he felt like a monster or felt like he needed to do something that he had no clue how to accomplish.
Her gasp at the sudden onslaught of water made him glad that he had decided to break the mood. He had not wanted her upset, and now the fun could continue uninterrupted by such dark thoughts. Her splash left him laughing aloud as he shook his head to clear the water. "That the best you ca-" His exclamation was cut off by a gurgle as he promptly faceplanted in the water, feet knocked clean out from under them. So surprised was he by the soaking that he flailed uselessly for a moment before he reached down to grab at her to entice her to release his feet! That little brat! Despite his flailing, he was delighted to no end that she was willing to play.
Finally, unable to figure out which way was up, he just let himself float up and then popped his head out of the water, gasping for air. "You cheater!" It then occurred to him that she was under the water, and neither of them were clothed. He flushed a bit. Shardit. Not thinking, not thinking. Following the rules! Not thinking!
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Post by reqqy on Jul 5, 2008 8:25:22 GMT -5
Kalierre's brow had risen mockingly at K'von's pathetic little display, the woman on the verge of outright laughter. As if a little swat was enough to hurt this brute. She snorted. Oh, she knew how to wound, how to kill, and she could make things very painful if she so desired, but all of these skills were ones she'd only used in the most dire of situations - certainly nothing to be employed in a game like this one. His next statement actually sounded half-serious, despite the amusement clearly in his gaze. Kalierre allowed her own smile to grow into something that would have sent her apprentices scurrying for the four corners of the infirmary on any errand they could think of. If K'von was lucky, she'd never find anything for him to move, cause that expression stated clearly that she intended to take him up on that offer to the point of exhaustion if it were needed.
Again, Phremath inched closer to Dohulth. It did happen? But that was - was terrible! Those poor, poor dragons and Theirs. Oh, if they were bad dragons she could understand it, but what if they were just causing trouble because they didn't know better, or because they were a little clumsy? It was such a cold thing to do. No, the green didn't like it one bit, and she would be very, very upset if they ever did something like that here. A dragon needed his Weyr! His Wing! What use was he without it?
Looking up to the brown, she was pleased despite herself when he called her an 'ally'. It made her feel as if she was just as strong and capable as anyone else. Phremath found that she was liking this Dohulth more and more. If such a strong, brave brown found her to be a desirable ally...her heartbeats quickened with delight. The male had absolutely no idea how much he'd wriggled into her heart with that statement.
Phremath understood her mistake instantly. More, she understand just what Dohulth was saying. Hers had things like that, things she liked to hide from Phremath, but, though the green never let on, there was very little she could be shielded from. Not successfully. That is sad. Yours should talk to people anyway. He really should. I'm sure they would understand if he said things strange, and KaliMine always understands. Kalierre tended to be approached for advice by the younger dragonriders and all her healers as it was. She is good at making pain less inside, too, the dragon added matter-of-factly.
Meanwhile, the dragonhealer couldn't have been more pleased by the results of her tackle, but then K'von started writhing, and she had to hold onto his knees to keep from being struck by a flailing limb. Her grip slipped a little, and the woman ended up with her face buried into his thigh, having to relinquish one of the legs and clinging to that one with all her strength. She practically had ner nose buried against him when things settled enough for her to take stock, and her remaining air bubbled out in surprise. Oh, Faranth! If that wasn't awkward...Not that it was anything she hadn't seen before countless times, but she was absolutely certain she'd never seen anyone in quite this manner.
Her grip tightened on his thigh for a moment, as she pushed herself up past the surface, flinging her hair up and over her back and hoping it would catch him in the face, just for putting her in that position. Nevermind that she had been the one to tackle him. There was no possible way he could not know where she'd been - her grip had been awfully strong on him just so she could hang on. Kalierre decided to make light of it, her face schooled into an expression of mock disgust. "Now, brownrider, there are better ways to get me to look at you if you're that desperate," she commented, wrinkling her nose. That's when she realized they were standing awfully close. One particularly deep breath would have her brushing against his chest.
Dancing backward as if she anticipated another splash, her eyes gleamed mischievously. "Well, are you going to let a woman get the best of you?"
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Post by kysseh on Jul 5, 2008 23:20:18 GMT -5
Uh oh. That look seemed almost dangerous, and K'von arched an eyebrow. Should he not have made that offer? He shrugged casually. The offer was made, and he would carry through. Somehow, he doubted she would ever be in that dire of need, but if she needed it, he would be there. It was hard to resist his chivalrious--or perhaps chauvinistic--tendencies in the face of such a beautiful and overworked female. "Standing offer. Just... you know, try to make it in the middle of the night so you disturb my rest, wake up Dohulth and make it cranky, and distract me from all sorts of important things like sleep and... well, that's about extent of important things," he said, fighting hard to keep from grinning. Let her wonder on that one for awhile.
When Phremath inched closer to him, Dohulth lowered his head a bit for a better look at her. After a moment of intense scrutiny, he decided to try a very human-like trick that he had mimicked with success before. He sidestepped a bit closer to her and very gently extended a wing to drape over her in something like a draconic equivalent of a hug. He rumbled softly at her, trying to soothe whatever nervousness was causing her to seek refuge closer to him. The look she gave him was difficult to decipher, but he chose to think of her silence as a positive thing, though not without making sure something was not rankling at her.. You are upset?
I try to tell him that, but he gets very upset. He has nightmares. That is why we are awake now. Dohulth admitted quietly, comforted by Phremath's assertion that Hers was good at making others feel better about their inner hurts. K'von could certainly use a friend like that. The brownrider often refused to tell what was bothering him, to talk about it even with his Dohulth, even if Dohulth already knew what was plaguing him. The fact that he spoke to neither Dohulth nor other people about it made the brown very sad. His K'von needed to talk about it more. I am glad to hear that she can help. I think she is helping him by just playing now. He does not get to play much.
K'von sharply looked down as a flurry of bubbles erupted in an area that they should not have been coming from. He stared downwards as Kali emerged right where he had hoped and prayed she both would and would not be. Not that he had anything to be ashamed of in that area, but shardit, this was only making things worse! He jerked back in surprise as he was slapped across the face by her hair, and he took a half step back, noting that his thigh rather hurt. Ahhh, so that was where she had been! He was tempted to bribe a massage out of her for the bruise she had probably left.
The expression on her face made him scowl, and though it was largely playful, no man liked to be insulted in that way. The urge to stare at her chest just for paybacks was strong, but he settled for folding his arms over his chest and assuming a smug look. "Oh, yes, I know. I just thought subtlety was the best way to go. Now, if you want me to be unsubtle, I can do that too." His face immediately took on a mock-serious expression, his eyes wide with innocent worry. "Healer, I wish you could look at something for me. I've been having this awful pain that won't seem to go away, and I've got the worst case of the blues...."
He was sorely disappointed when she put space between them, wishing she would just get right back within grabbing range. Her challenge could not go unanswered, though, and he responded by stealthily moving in closer, eyes glinting with wickedly mischievous intent. "Ohhh, never," he said, reaching out to grab her around the waist and hook his foot behind her ankles, hoping to let his momentum topple them both over back into the water. She wanted dunking, so he was about to make a good effort toward it. Hopefully she did not have any concealed knives in any body cavities....
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Post by reqqy on Jul 6, 2008 8:24:52 GMT -5
"No worries, sweetheart," the dragonhealer replied cheerfully, the woman reverting to her rather quaint habit of referring to people by pet names that you usually only heard from much older women. "I'll be sure to disturb that sleep of yours so you can feel your most useful." Her eyes narrowed briefly, then returned to wide innocence. "I wouldn't be surprised if I wasn't disturbing your sleep quite often. You'd like that, wouldn't you?" Her tongue ran lightly over her lips. Oh, shells, but Phremath was certainly affecting her strangely, wasn't she? But...there wasn't any harm in teasing, right? He'd responded to her 'no' with grace, and though they both continued to flirt, he'd made no move to go back on that promise.
Kalierre couldn't help but wonder if she'd still feel a similar attraction after Phremath's proddiness was no longer in the picture...
The green was a little surprised when his wing fell over her, but, without thinking, she instinctively moved into his flank. Her gaze traveled the length of the vast appendage. How she marveled at its size, its strength. Phremath had always been easily distracted by wings, and yes, Dohulth had gorgeous ones. I just don't like that they would send anyone away, the green spoke, touched that he seemed concerned for her, even though she was slightly guilty that he'd noticed. Maybe if they are - killing - like you said... It was clear that the very thought seemed outlandish to Phremath. But aren't there better ways? What would a dragon and rider do by themselves? Ironic, that she asked Dohulth this question.
Nightscares... Phremath could not quite suppress a shudder. Hers did not dream much, but when she did, it was always frightening. The green didn't like the dreams at all. Then that is why he is up at this hour. Mine had wondered...She knows it is silly to get up in the middle of the night just to take a bath. Very silly, actually, what with the fact that Dohulth's must have a washroom in his weyr. She immediately perked up at his next words. Oh, yes! We never play anymore, either, the green continued almost plaintively. Always busy. It is nice to feel Mine having...fun.
The dragonhealer was currently snorting at K'von's idea of 'unsubtle.' She was pretty sure that wasn't a word, anyway, not that she was likely to correct him on it. That was actually kind of cute. He certainly had a way of saying the completely unexpected in really strange ways. Kalierre tried to imagine a situation in which she wouldn't slap the man being so shamelessly bold, and found she really couldn't think of one, other than the one she was now in. "My first inclination would be to amputate the problem," she told him, struggling to keep her expression serious and quite certain she was failing utterly. "Loss of bloodflow will just kill a limb. Much better to take care of the issue early." Oh, shardit, she couldn't keep the laugh in.
Holding her ground as he advanced, Kali casually bent into her knees, prepared to move - but not really intending to put up too much of a fight. She wanted this, didn't she? Oh yes. Of course, it could be argued that she was just looking for an excuse to touch him again, but was that really so terrible? His words gave little warning. Kalierre was actually somewhat surprised at the man's speed, as she'd rarely found herself truly unable to evade anyone larger than her. K'von moved faster that she ever would have expected. Briefly, she was grateful that he was the way he was, or she'd be nervous of such a man.
As it was, she jumped slightly as his hands suddenly ensared her waist, absolutely certain that her shocked expression must be quite comical. Then she was falling backward into the water, her arms and legs wrapping around him instinctively to prevent a fall that was not at all a problem, what with them being in the water. She realized what she was doing moments later. Tempted to release him and make her escape for the surface - she was rather embarrassed at her reaction, after all - Kalierre opted for something different. Allowing her limbs to fall open, she rested her hands against his chest, making a half-hearted effort to wriggle free and rather enjoying his hands around her waist.
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Post by kysseh on Jul 6, 2008 14:16:20 GMT -5
K'von was, as a rule, not opposed to nicknames, but he still could not help but wrinkle up his nose at 'sweetheart'. By the Egg, she was not going to make that a regular habit, was she? "Sweetheart? Couldn't you think of something more... manly? You know... 'you great big savage beast' or just 'beast'. I like those," he said, only half-joking. Really.... 'sweetheart'?! Her next comments did not help matters, especially when his eyes locked on her mouth as her tongue traced lightly over her lips. He groaned softly. She was not going to make this easy on him, was she? "All right... fine, you can wake me up in the middle of the night." The brownrider waggled a finger at her, his face just a tad stern. "But you just said 'no', so unless you plan on changing your mind, no teasing. There's only so much a man can take," he said plaintively. Really, he was trying to be good, but when she kept making him look at her mouth, the temptation to kiss it was almost overwhelming.
Dohulth gave the little green an affectionate croon as she moved up against him. Well, that gesture had been a success. He watched her examine the length of his wing, eyes whirling a bit quicker as he pondered something. Remind me sometime, at dusk. I will take you flying. I have enough wing for both of us, and the thermals tend to be stronger then. Would you like that? Her query was innocent enough, but it made Dohulth sad to remember that long Turn of solitude. It had been.... miserable. Safe, but miserable. He did not want to completely frighten Phremath, though, so he decided to go with a slightly more diplomatic statement. Hunt, fish, swim, fly.... anything to keep occupied. It is very lonely to be alone. Sometimes, though, dragons and riders cause so many problems that they can not be in the weyr. Sometimes, dragons and riders are exiled in groups too. That is better. To be out alone is sad. I love Mine, but to be alone with him was still lonely for us both, especially him.
Her shudder made him bump his nose lightly against her neck. While it may have seemed strange to others watching the scene, Dohulth had always been affectionate to friends. Granted, most of the time he was comforting frightened weyrlings who sought save haven with him, so this was undoubtedly different, albeit still just as delightful. It felt good to be of comfort to someone again. Yes, that is why, though he did not want to admit it to her. He gets very upset about his bad dreams. He was distinctly amused at the tone of Phremath's voice. He knew how it was when Theirs did not want to play. Thankfully, K'von always took time to be an idiot with his Dohulth. I can share Mine. We play tag when we're swimming. They are having fun now, though.
Her snort made him hope that he had somehow amused her, and K'von gave her a wide smile at the thought. Her serious statements wiped the smile right off his face, and the fact that she could not keep from laughing or faltering that serious face made him even more upset. He affected something like an expression of pure fear at losing his... masculinity, suppressing the instinct to clap his hands protectively over said area. He had a feeling that that particular action would not go over well. "Oh, you're cruel," he told her, a distinct edge of whining to his tone. How could she so seriously speak of amputation of that?! "So cruel...."
She had bent her knees in anticipation, but she was not quite quick enough. Years of practice in fighting and dunking fellow weyrbrats might have tipped the scales in his favor, along with his sheer size, but who was keeping score? He felt her jump as he grabbed her around the waist, though the multi-limbed cling that she executed as they went underwater was a complete surprise. Not thinking, not thinking. Behaving like a good adult... he told himself futilely, his good intentions nearly thrown out the window when she let go and put her hands on her chest and commenced wiggling. Shardit.
He immediately stood up and pulled them both out from under the water, groaning loudly at her half-hearted attempts to free herself. Nude bodies in close proximity with squirming included usually yielded different results, and he was trying so hard to behave. He was not the type to jump into bed with just any woman, but he had done his fair share, enough to know that one should not pass up good opportunities. Still, he tried to be a gentleman and set her on her feet, though he could not bring himself to stop touching her. Instead of following with instincts and kissing her senseless, he lightly tickled his fingers against her side. It could incite more wiggling, but it was more innocent than an intense make-out session in a pool would be.
"So, who's winning now?" he inquired, giving her a slightly shaky grin.
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