Requiem
Weyrleader S'rei WM M?ta Rider A'nd Harper/Handler Dmitri Weyrbrat Miguel
Posts: 2,861
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Post by Requiem on Oct 7, 2007 21:32:36 GMT -5
As S'rei lounged in the chair, removing his boots to wriggle his toes like a weyrbrat, Salenth curled up next to Aslath. No, there wasn't much room, but it was kind of cozy. At least to him. I suppose you've been in Selenitas all your life then, haven't you? he asked her conversationally. Having witnessed all three weyrs firsthand, the bronze had decided Selenitas was definitely the place to be. He was thankful that this was where S'rei's family had been. Where his sister still was.
This tunic was stupid. S'rei removed the too-small garment, rubbing at the marks the cuffs had chafed into his skin. As he turned the fabric over in his hands, he could see where the fabric had been pulled thin across the chest, and shook his head. It was just too small. He didn't much relish the idea of Shmee seeing the curious network of scars tracing his abdomen, however. S'rei looked about the room. She'd taken the furs. There was nothing else in the way of linen, and no point in thinking about using any of her discarded clothing, as it was both dirty and smaller still than that useless thing he'd had on to begin with. Oh well. This was far more comfortable, and he figured she'd shown him her vulnerability, so he couldn't begrudge her some of his.
The bronzerider had one leg draped over the arm of the chair, his head resting on his fist as his eyes, half-lidded, stared at nothing when Shmee returned. Some movement of hers finally caused him to come back from whatever world he'd retreated to. When he saw her, swallowed in that white shirt, the glaring bruise on her cheek framed by ebon hair hastily hacked off in what must have been a fit of pique, he felt his face slacken from surprise.
He rose after a long moment of her avoiding his gaze. Running a hand through the short, auburn curls that looked vaguely messy themselves, he came to sit beside her. She hadn't immediately gone to bed, though she must be tired. He tentatively reached forward, moving his fingers through the shorn lockes.
Leaning forward, his breath came hot against her neck as he whispered, "Stay still, Shmee." The man pulled a dagger from the sheath he always kept at the small of his back, taking the blade and carefully working on the hair she'd started. It would not be even. So he staggered it, cutting the strands at the top of her head shortest, gradually getting longer until he reached the ones that curled about her ears.
Cupping her chin in his hand, he looked at her face critically, before a small smile touched his lips. "Gorgeous," he stated simply. "Once you get rid of that warpaint," he nodded to the bruise on her cheek "I think you'll find that a short style compliments your face better. And it's certainly easier to deal with." His hand brushed over one of her eyes, feather-light. "I can see them better now, you know. Beautiful." He paused. "Sad."
Suddenly, he stood, withdrawing from the girl. S'rei was overcome with how much older she looked, all that hair now gone, with the sorrows and openness lingering in her gaze. His heart ached for her. He knew what she must be feeling, knew how he'd felt the moment he realized what the world truly was, and his throat closed up with the emotion. "Would you like some fruit before you sleep?" he finally managed, gesturing to the bowl laid out on the small table. It also held bread and cheese. A light meal, if they wanted it.
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Post by Administrator on Oct 8, 2007 4:56:49 GMT -5
I've travelled to holds and such! Aslath said defensively. She paused. Never to another Weyr, though. We knew it was dangerous. Suddenly guilty, she fidgeted. She should never have suggested that they go to Benden, especially since she knew that that place was so corrupted. Letting Salenth lie next to her, she distantly appreciated the warmth. She had been inside the weyr all day, not having a chance to absorb any sun. Now, however, all felt like it was getting better, making her even more sleepy. However, she was determined to stay awake for Hers.
Shmee didn't look up as she saw S'rei's shadow come closer to her. To the contrary, she looked away at the ground. However, he became harder and harder to ignore, especially when she felt his hands in her short hair. Finally looking over to him, said nothing, not letting herself give anything away as she knew he was looking at her hair in distaste. She shouldn't have cut it, but it was too late for it now. He wasn't wearing a shirt, she noted curiously. She had never seen him without that protection before, and now she could see why- the scars on his body were obvious. Choosing not to ask, she felt she just could not handle any more tales of woe right now. She wouldn't press him on.
A patch of gooseflesh popped up on her neck where his breath touched it, and she nodded as S'rei instructed her to stay still. Involuntarily squeezing her eyes shut, she let him to his work. She didn't want to look at the dagger, though- she had seen enough of sharp things for a long time. Trusting him to make her hair look less terrible, she didn't squirm away.
As he cupped her chin, she opened her eyes, her hair fixed. Her wide eyes were solemn as they watched him look at her. After a moment, he smiled, which Shmee took to be a good thing. She listened to his words absently. It was strange to think of her bruise as war paint- it certainly hurt more than normal war paint would. Beautiful? She frowned at that. No- she had been beautiful before, with her long silky black hair and a permanent smile glowing on her features. Now, she was a mess, ruined by witnessing the murder of a hatchling, the worst thing anyone could ever see. She could feel her eyes brimming again, but she wiped at them hastily. Sad eyes indeed.
"I'm not hungry," she replied softly. It was a total lie, of course- she hadn't eaten since before the Hatching, so she was starving, but she just didn't want to eat. It was almost as though it suited her. Folding her arms across herself, she stared blankly beyond S'rei, as if seeing something that wasn't there, transfixed upon nothing.
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Requiem
Weyrleader S'rei WM M?ta Rider A'nd Harper/Handler Dmitri Weyrbrat Miguel
Posts: 2,861
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Post by Requiem on Oct 10, 2007 0:18:42 GMT -5
Salenth regarded Aslath soberly. He, at least, was quite tired after his long day of vigilance. His mind-voice was weary, though not unpleasant, as he stated, I meant to say that you'd only lived in one place. It must be nice... He allowed the thought they both shared to remain unspoken. Yes, it was dangerous to visit another of the weyrs in this age, and yes, it had been foolish for the goldpair to do so. They knew that. They were paying for it. Belaboring the point was of no value, and at this point he believed they may well be overdoing the guilt thing. Life goes on. How many times had he had to tell himself that? Life does go on.
Within the watchdragon's weyr, S'rei gazed at Shmee with intense scrutiny, before shrugging one shoulder and tearing off a chunk of bread for himself. It had been over a day since he had eaten. That might be well and good for the Weyrwoman, but a man six and a half feet tall with a body to match the height really couldn't go that long without noticing his hunger.
His gray eyes seemed to say suit yourself. This woman-child, who had become more childlike and womanly in just the past few hours, perplexed him. It wasn't that he couldn't understand her, at least a little. It was simply because he didn't know how to help, and his hands were tied as to how far he could go. In the end, it was Shmee who would have to get past this pivotal point in her life, and though she may lean on others, her own two feet would carry her onward. He would have to accept that.
S'rei quietly withdrew into the space Aslath had occupied to give Shmee some room. The Weyrwoman seemed to want it. A prickling of the hairs on the back of his neck and a soft, indistinguishable sound was all the warning he had. It was all he needed. Twisting, he had the man against the wall, his dagger poised. Then the bronzerider let out a slow breath. "T'one," he hissed. The man winced. "Tyrone. You realize how close I came to killing you just now? What are you doing here?"
Tyrone's gold-brown eyes regarded him with all the emotion of a feline, his gaze distant, jaw slack, a sense of incompleteness so infused in stance and appearance that anyone would have known him for one of the dragonless. He blew at the stringy brown strands that had fallen before his face. Tyrone, once T'one, rider of brown Ylareth and S'rei's wingsecond, was a man the bronzerider found himself avoiding, if only because the bittersweet sense of loss always returned at the sight of his face. Yet, despite the fact Tyrone had lost a great part of himself with Ylareth, the sense of loyalty to S'rei had somehow remained.
The former Benden brownrider's smile was feral. "I came to give you a warning, Rei." His gaze had snared on the scars webbing across the bronzerider's torso, but he didn't comment on them. "C'leon has eyes in Selenitas. He will know that you took Shmee from the Weyr, if he doesn't already. Keep a close watch on your friends and family. You know how C'leon plays."
S'rei regarded the man closely. "Yes. But I find it hard to believe he would make a move against me here, when he didn't at Benden."
"It is personal with him, losing the Weyrwoman. And you were always dangerous. If he has reason to believe that you might be keeping each other's counsel, C'leon will most certainly try to destroy both of you. He might anyway. And this place isn't safe." He nodded toward the passage S'rei hadn't noticed before, a servants' passage. They would not have to cross the dragons' path to get to Shmee. His jaw twitched. "I found you, after all, Rei. Others can."
Before the bronzerider could say anything, Tyrone had vanished back into the shadows. S'rei regarded the room pensively. Most of what the man had said was common sense, but Tyrone was not the sort to come so long a way to issue such a warning if he did not believe it was serious. The dragonless man knew more than he was saying. A sudden sense of urgency took S'rei, the man crossing back into the weyr to make sure the Weyrwoman was safe. Nothing seemed to be amiss...
Pale, his gaze roved throughout the room, before he crossed over to the chair by her cot and stationed himself in it. He'd had plenty of sleep before. And the tiredness had been scared out of him. S'rei determined to keep watch throughout the night, his gaze searching for any more passages he might have missed.
Mine? Sleep, Salenth. You will need your strength come morning.
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Post by Administrator on Oct 10, 2007 8:57:58 GMT -5
Yes, Aslath replied absently. Starting to look away, she paused. Sleep. You've been up far too long, so just rest. You're more useful when you're awake than half-asleep. With that, Aslath curled up beside Salenth, sensing Shmee was falling asleep and that she, too, would finally be able to do the same. Tightening onto her mind-bond with Shmee, she slowly slipped into an uneasy sleep.
Shmee pulled the furs she had brought back from the bathing room over her, imitating Aslath and curling up on the cot. Oblivious to the fact that S'rei was being warned of things that could prove ill toward her, Shmee just lay limply, trying to put her mind to rest. She was exhausted, and she urged Aslath to sleep on without her. She felt extremely guilty- her grave mistake of travelling to Benden resulted in Aslath extreme exhaustion.
Mine, do not be guilty, Aslath replied, her tired voice firm. We are both fine, so there is no use wasting guilt over that.
Shmee rolled onto her back, her hand going to her hair. It was bizarre trying to imagine herself with it being short. She would tell the Weyr that she decided it was impractical to have long hair when it was almost time for her to be allowed into Threadfall. That should satisfy their curious murmurs. However, she had yet to think of something to say concerning Benden- especially to those who had seen her arrive. The rankers would also be demanding details the instant she stepped back into Selenitas- bronzers, wingseconds, Kaegan, Marisina, perhaps even Paryal would have the gall to attempt to tell them. Gossip would probably be spreading about her, as well... Hating that thought, she squeezed her eyes shut. Maybe she should ask S'rei in the morning. However, she dismissed that thought as quickly as it came. She was Weyrwoman; She had to do what she thought was best. Of course, she would think on that later.
Soft footsteps alerted her to S'rei's return. Pushing herself up, she regarded him curiously. He was pale again. "Are you all right?" she asked softly, frowning as he sat in the chair. "You should sleep," she added after a moment, seeing his intentions didn't appear to going to bed right away. They would have a big day tomorrow- going back to Selenitas, fighting back those who would gossip about what had happened. She intended to take a sick leave for a little while, not ready to be stared at and questioned at every corner.
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Requiem
Weyrleader S'rei WM M?ta Rider A'nd Harper/Handler Dmitri Weyrbrat Miguel
Posts: 2,861
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Post by Requiem on Oct 10, 2007 11:42:33 GMT -5
Salenth. The bronze's mind sharpened at S'rei's prodding. I need Alanuth, Cath, Malareth, Pith, Prikonth, Rawiath, and Travarith. Tell them not to risk themselves, but I need to speak to their riders if at all possible. Salenth dutifully relayed the message. Prikonth says he and his are being watched. He believes Benden doesn't know about the others' relationship to you, but he worries about the risk. It is their decision, to come, and I won't hold it against them if they don't. The meeting place will be in the forest just beyond the east wall of Selenitas Hold, in two candlemarks. And get some sleep, Salenth. I'll tell you what happened when you wake.
The dragon did not like that at all. ReiMine. They are Benden riders. You may have known them once, but...I cannot let you go alone. The bronzerider was in no mood for arguments. I don't want Shmee knowing. She'll find out if you leave Aslath's side. Just rest. Salenth didn't protest any further, though he did not much like this at all. He was sure to stress to the other dragons that, if they had any qualms about this, they shouldn't go through with it. In the end, only Prikonth would be missing. Another of Salenth's former wingseconds. It was not at all surprising that he was being watched.
S'rei's eyes flicked to Shmee, as he attempted a reassuring smile. "Don't worry about me, m'Lady. I just woke up, and won't be sleeping anytime soon, but you should get your rest." He had no doubt she wouldn't approve of the meeting he'd just called. The bronzerider didn't care. S'rei needed a way to know if anything was going on at Benden, before it happened, and these seven were the ones he most trusted. As long as no one else knew they were the ones he most trusted, they would serve as a pre-warning system. That could be done without a meeting. But he also wanted to hear what was going on at Benden, what they knew, and be able to see their faces to know what they weren't telling him.
Salenth rumbled a rumble of contentment at Aslath's prompting, appreciating her warmth as the night cooled. He tried not to think of what might happen in the late-night meeting. These were friends. The bronze didn't want anything to harm them, or his rider. Finally, he drifted off.
***
S'rei returned by the servants' passage in the early morning hours, his features ashen, worried now that he'd left Shmee apparently asleep by herself for so long. Anything might have happened while he was gone...Salenth's sleeping mind provided the only comfort. Surely, had anything occurred, the bronze would have known and told him. Five dragons had come from Between to his hasty meeting. Two greens, two blues and a brown. The junior queen had thought it unwise to leave the weyr, and bronze Prikonth already told him he wouldn't come.
The bronzerider had located a shirt more to his liking before the meeting. Located might be the wrong word. He would have to send it back to the Lordholder after he returned to Selenitas. It was actually big on him, strangely enough, though that was more due to the fact that, whoever had worn it, had had quite the paunch. He wasn't going to go around shirtless. It would draw attention, and he still was subconscious about the scars.
And the meeting itself - had been more rattling than S'rei would have liked to admit. C'leon had a select group of dragonriders, most little more than weyrlings, who were privy to his plans. A personal wing of sorts. If anything was to come against Selenitas, it would likely be in the form of that private army. And none of S'rei's contacts were likely to know about it. They also knew there was at least one spy within Selenitas. Again, though, they could not give him a name. The meeting had served only to confirm his fears and generate new worries. None of them had even known Shmee was in Benden. He hadn't elaborated on what happened there.
The bronzerider ran a hand over his face, moving silently to Shmee's cot to verify that she was still there, that nothing had happened in the last few hours...
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Post by Administrator on Oct 10, 2007 21:45:44 GMT -5
Shmee nodded, figuring arguing would be a waste of time she could spend sleeping. "Just make sure you get some sleep," she told him before lying back down in the furs. She felt terrible for keeping S'rei here another night when he shouldn't have even needed to stay for the first one. The very least he could get for it was some extra sleeping time. Shrugging back into the furs, she covered herself with them and closed her eyes, unaware what was being planned. If she had known, she would've leapt up to protest this, and perhaps even roused Aslath. Fortunately for S'rei, however, Shmee fell into a deep, if blissful, sleep.
--
She awoke with a start late into the night- or morning. She wasn't facing the weyrledge. She was drenched in sweat from a nightmare that faded with her grogginess, and her heart rate gradually returned to normal. It was the weyrling boy that haunted her dream- the normalcy of it, the haunted faces of dragonless slaves as they stared at Aslath's keen... Shuddering, she pushed herself up.
Frowning, she looked around wildly, only distantly recognizing her head as so much lighter without all the hair to weigh it down. However, there was a more pressing matter on her mind: Where was S'rei? Leaping out of the cot, she spent the next several minutes searching the weyr, panicking. Carefully blocking these disturbed feelings from the still-sleeping Aslath, thoughts racked her brain. Where on Pern would he be? He couldn't be back at Selenitas- Salenth was still here. Reassured by the thought that Salenth wasn't worried, she looked around once again.
Retreating to a corner, she figured that if Benden came in S'rei's absence, they hopefully wouldn't see her so tucked away. Unable to get back to sleep now, she leaned against the wall, wrapping her long arms around her knees for comfort. She hoped he had only stepped out for a walk...
For how long she sat there, clinging to these desperate hopes, Shmee was not sure. Head between her upright knees, she still remained awake, her ears ready to pick up any sort of sound. When footsteps finally echoed throughout the weyr, she looked up, hopeful and wary. If it was Benden, she couldn't alert him of her presence right away- she would need a plan.
"S'rei?" she asked in disbelief as he sauntered in. Anger surged through her, and she leapt up. "Where on Pern were you?!" she demanded, her voice rising with her temper. Her hands clenched into fists, and one raised, flailing at his torso in some sort of weak punch. "No note, not even a message with Salenth? What was I supposed to do, huh? What if Benden had hurt you? What if you changed sides? Shard it, S'rei! Shards, I could... I hate... What is wrong with you!?" However, relief also flooded her body, making her last strangled sentence weak and after a few 'punches,' she leaned against him limply. S'rei was fine...
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Requiem
Weyrleader S'rei WM M?ta Rider A'nd Harper/Handler Dmitri Weyrbrat Miguel
Posts: 2,861
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Post by Requiem on Oct 11, 2007 2:01:01 GMT -5
At the sound of her voice coming from a direction he hadn't expected, S'rei froze, his gaze sweeping the weyr for any sign of anything tha might have spooked her. It didn't fully register upon him that she had flown at him until a small fist struck his chest, and then he was staring down at her, frankly surprised. What could get her so stirred up? He could see why she might be afraid, a little, to find him gone, but she had two dragons to protect her. Nothing would easily get past them.
Shmee continued to pound his chest, the force so weak he didn't even have to brace against it. Her words came out in a mad tumble of anger. It took him a moment to grasp that her anger seemed to stem more from worry about him than worry for being left alone. S'rei frowned. There was no threat from Benden to him here. Normally. Had she somehow learned that he'd met with some of the Benden dragonriders? Then he discarded that, certain she'd have said and done more than she was doing now, if that were the case. It must still be haunting her close for her fear of Benden to still be at the forefront of her mind. Nothing else made sense. He was fairly certain she was unaware of just how much he'd been feared at the other Weyr. How could she? By all appearances, S'rei had left on amicable terms with the leadership. Though most would probably wonder why Benden hadn't protested more to losing an effective wingleader.
The bronzerider was the sort of man used to giving comfort, the sort of man others turned to and very rarely opened himself to anyone else, if only because he knew that would make it harder for them to rely on him later, knowing his weakness. He held Shmee gently. Subconsciously. It no more registered in his mind that he was supporting the Weyrwoman than he would catalog the individual heartbeats that pumped the blood through his veins.
Then his mind snapped back to the present. "You were supposed to sleep through the night, Shmee. I did not expect you to be awake when I returned." S'rei let his chin rest on the top of her head, the soft scent of her soap seeping into his nostrils. His arms tightened around her. "C'leon won't hurt me, my Lady. And I won't let him hurt you."
He grasped her forearms, kneeling before her, the soft, tired gaze half-lost in the shadows. "You must not think that I would change sides. Even if you hear rumors, or I do strange things, don't allow yourself to believe that. I'm not asking you to trust me. I'm simply asking that you trust in my intelligence enough that you wouldn't doubt that I knew, should I throw my lot in with Benden, that eventually C'leon would destroy Salenth and I. He does with every bronzepair, once they gain enough respect." S'rei paused. "Do you understand? Even if my intentions might be in doubt, I'm not that foolish."
The man smiled then, a quiet, somewhat resigned expression. The volume of his voice dropped to a near-whisper. "Though I think the current is beginning to sweep me away, my Lady." It was stupid. He knew he shouldn't have said that, and, truly, he hoped she would have already forgotten the reference to their earlier conversation at the touching. But another part of him hoped she hadn't forgotten. Both parts seemed to agree on his next course of action, however.
S'rei rose, lifting Shmee into his arms and walking back toward her cot, where he deposited her with care. "At least rest. I can't imagine you'd be able to sleep after sleeping for so long already, but the emotional strain is going to leave you zapped." The bronzerider settled down on the edge of the cot, stroking back a hank of her hair with a measure of tenderness. "I won't leave again. You have my word."
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Post by Administrator on Oct 11, 2007 5:51:52 GMT -5
Shmee scowled. Even though she did not move from S'rei, she looked up slightly to show her displeasure with how he thought she'd be asleep. "Like that's supposed to justify anything!" she grumbled, but she had no ambition to move any further. Her head retreated back against him, the relieving warmth in his body beginning to quell her anxiety and fear. She only half-listened to anything else he had to say; his promised words of protection were comforting her enough.
She merely blinked as he kneeled in front of her. "Well," she replied slowly, "at least he isn't destroying you two. That... would not be good." She finished her sentence lamely, knowing she was expressing an extreme understatement. She would hate it if S'rei became a dragonless, or if both died. She would be unable to deal with it- just look at her reaction to discovering that S'rei has disappeared in the night!
So unexpected were his last words that Shmee almost didn't register them. Current? Confusion seeped its way onto her worried expression, not remembering. Suddenly, however, it came back in a flash- her poor attempt at seducing S'rei, overuse of metaphor... Before she could say anything, or think of anything to say, for that matter, she was lifted. She did not protest, but comprehension dawned on her face. The current... Did that mean...?
She was settled back on the cot, looking up at S'rei with wide eyes. A pink flush had tinged her cheeks. As he gently pushed back some of the short hair that she was so unused to, she slowly leaned against him again, hesitant of such actions. What was she supposed to do? With the two men she had slept with, it just sort of... happened. Sure, she had kissed lots of men before, but their circumstances had just been her fooling around.
"Promise?" she asked as S'rei gave her his word- more to just get something out of her mouth than anything else. She knew he wouldn't leave, but she felt that if she kept up her silence, she would be mute. Her hand finding his, she clutched it firmly, if gently, as if warning him that he better not leave, but also the most she dared do for comfort... or perhaps something else that she didn't quite understand.
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Requiem
Weyrleader S'rei WM M?ta Rider A'nd Harper/Handler Dmitri Weyrbrat Miguel
Posts: 2,861
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Post by Requiem on Oct 12, 2007 2:06:04 GMT -5
((Heh, he was Timothy before. I had written part of it by hand during my lunch break. Then I didn't like the name...*shrugs* Anyway, same person.))
She hadn't responded to his comment. The bronzerider marvelled at the odd mixture of relief and disappointment that flooded through him. He really was more impulsive than he'd thought. Or maybe it had something to do with little sleep and hunger. Or...yes, sometimes he became particularly impulsive when he felt protective toward someone. Kalierre often asked him, after threadfall, what he would have done if any of his wingriders had pulled the 'crazy stunts' that he had. An amused smile came to his lips at the thought. His answer was always the same, dry and honest. "They would receive watchdragon duty for a month at the most remote holding I could find." Then Kali would smirk at him, a brow raising, and he would shrug. Such was the way it went.
Then was that what all this was? Nothing more than a need to protect his Weyrwoman? Possibly. He felt her hand tighten around his, drawing his gaze down to the deep, childlike blues as she uttered that single word. S'rei met that gaze for the longest moment, struggling to control himself. His jaw worked, as it often did when he was angry or upset. The practical side of the bronzerider won the internal battle. Solemnly, he brought her hand to his lips, the kiss tender but short. A kiss a gentleman might give a child, an acquaintance, or a family member as easily as a woman of interest. "Yes. I promise. I'll be right here until we leave for the Weyr."
He wondered, for a moment, if his eyes had betrayed the conflict inside. He'd wanted...but no. Not tonight. Not when Shmee was feeling too vulnerable and scared to know what she wanted.
Patting her hand lightly, he laid it to rest beside her, the steady gaze drifting from Shmee to the two great shadows that were Aslath and Salenth. He could feel the sleeping peacefulness of his bonded, a quiet strength that did a little to dampen his inner turmoil. S'rei rubbed at his temple wearily. This quiet was only an illusion. Dark timews were coming to Selenitas - had already begun. And, despite the promises he'd made to himself about keeping clear of Weyr politics after Benden, he was already neck-deep in it. Whether through his own personality, his past history with C'leon, or some combination of the two, it didn't really matter. Why couldn't he just walk away and let the others of Selenitas handle this? They had to have faced dangers before. Yet it was not in his nature, once a problem was thrown in his face, to ignore it.
Besides, how could he ignore something like C'leon moving against Selenitas? S'rei didn't have to do a thing to capture the man's attention. And Shmee had already snared it...moreso than the average Weyrwoman, for she had escaped his control. Ignoring something like that would only leave himself more open to play directly into the Benden Weyrleader's hands. The bronzerider had to admit that C'leon was crafty, and probably one of the few men who might stand a chance at manipulating him. Yes, S'rei was very, very worried. Much more worried than he would ever let on.
This conflict had every indication of becoming personal. Timothy...he couldn't get the shadow of his friend out of his head. The former brownrider had never done anything lightly, and, if possible, that was even more true now that his soul was crippled. S'rei's eyes moved to Shmee. He would have to protect her. C'leon was not the sort to accept defeat. Who else? Lauranna. Kalierre. His new nephew. All would have to be watched closely.
His gaze softened as it lingered on the younger woman. Her dark hair spread in a nimbus about her head, the face visible, it's fine structure fully exposed now. Those lost eyes snared him again. Maybe it was his own sense of floundering in a world he didn't understand, in a world where his roots were known to everyone but him. But the eyes always stirred him. He let his gaze drift down, tracing the straight, even nose to lips that had just parted slightly in an exhale...All he had to do was lean forward.
She wouldn't stop him. He could see it in her eyes. Shmee didn't have the strength to protest, not truly, and that was what, ironically enough, prevented him from doing as he wished. The bronzerider had to have acceptance, desire. Anything less simply wouldn't suit the man that he was.
S'rei blinked, a wry smile coming to his lips. Curse this personality of his. Any other bronzerider would have taken advantage of the situation. You're going to drive me out of my mind, woman, he told Shmee silently. Aloud, he murmured, "Will you submit to a guard detail when we return to Selenitas? It would make me more comfortable. And, though it might be annoying, I think you'll feel safer. I can't be there all the time." Truth. He may be no more than a wingrider, but he had his duties just as everyone else did. And he didn't particularly relish putting Lauranna or Miguel near Shmee when it was obvious that anyone in close proximity to the Weyrwoman would be endangered. Nor could he just not see them, or not see to their safety as well. Shards, if only Tyrone had been more specific in his warning.
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Post by Administrator on Oct 12, 2007 6:12:05 GMT -5
((Is Timothy different than Tyrone?))
Shmee fought back disappointment as S'rei gently kissed her hand. Had she only imagined that he had remarked that he was starting to... like her in that way? She probably had- she was tired after all. Still, she could not get his maybe-imagined words out of her head now that they were in. Shard it. Why had she started getting her hopes up on an imagined thought? However, Shmee did not betray those feelings, not wanting to look more foolish than she already did in S'rei's presence. He probably already thought poorly of her, another reason why she must have imagined that he said the current was starting to pull him along. She had made so many awful decisions that why on Pern would he want anything like this from her?
Therefore, she did not protest as he set her hand down. However, she did blush on how she must have looked. Did her own expression give her away? She hoped not- desperation was not something she wanted to show, especially after S'rei had seen all of her other vulnerable sides. She was an open book to S'rei now- but she needed to preserve her last shred of dignity and not let him know that she had probably imagined him saying that he was starting to have some sort of feelings toward her... Shard, he would laugh at her.
And what if she hadn't imagined it? That wild thought was so good looking to her, that she felt she had to act on it... just in case it was true. Defiantly, she lifted her hand again, seeking his own once more. Maybe her silent question would be answered then.
However, at mention of a guard, that movement of finding his hand stopped. She frowned. "Guard?" she repeated. She withdrew her hand; this was answer enough. "I can handle myself," she replied coldly. She didn't want some random dragonrider trailing her, being with her for everything she did. No, she could work for herself. S'rei, she also noted, wasn't volunteering his services right away, either, perhaps hinting that he was sick of her. She could feel her temper start flaring up once more, and she didn't hold it back this time.
"Look, if you're tired of me that much, I'm not stopping you from leaving!" she snapped, now glaring at him. "You went off on a cozy little walk earlier and didn't seem to have a problem with it then, so who's stopping you now?"
Mine, please calm down... Aslath murmured sleepily. However, Shmee would have none of that. Though she silenced herself, her expression still held that of anger toward S'rei. However, she was unsure if because she had imagined him saying that he was liking her, or because he had suggested a guard, or maybe because of the strain of the past couple days taking their toll. Either way, Shmee was unhappy, and that feeling was made very clear.
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Requiem
Weyrleader S'rei WM M?ta Rider A'nd Harper/Handler Dmitri Weyrbrat Miguel
Posts: 2,861
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Post by Requiem on Oct 12, 2007 10:00:27 GMT -5
Her tone was rather unexpected. S'rei's eyes narrowed. What, did she think she was untouchable? Hadn't it been proven to her that she most certainly was not! If the woman had offered him anything as an alternative it might have seemed like more than the feeble protestations of a petulant child. The bronzerider's face had gone emotionless, his gaze pointed, an expression his wing had learned meant that S'rei was not to be questioned on this point. But Shmee was a very independent woman.
She also seemed determined to make more of this than it was. He met her gaze directly, unwaveringly, as she spat at him, the anger bringing more color to her features than he'd seen since he'd found her collapsed by the river. S'rei's jaw twitched at the mention of his absence. Yes, he'd left, and had regretted it even before he realized Shmee was awake, but he was trying to protect her from a different venue. Now was not the time to explain that particular action, however. Any mention of speaking to Benden dragonriders would probably have her shrieking and throwing things at him. Manageable, but ultimately better if he avoided it altogether.
Had this been a normal day, S'rei might have been able to hold this outburst against her, but she was tired and stretched thin emotionally. It was pure reaction. Though why she got the impression that he had no intention of staying with her was beyond him. All the effort it took just to hold himself in check...could that really go unnoticed? Could she really not see how much he desired to simply pin her beneath him and have his way with her, releasing the worry and intensity of his feelings for her in that one act? His eyes darkened with the thought.
Consciously allowing the desire to be voiced had given it more power. His lips turned up in a snarl. In the next moment he found himself bent over her, the woman's wrists captured in one of his hands, their faces so close that their noses nearly touched. And then he was kissing her. Hungrily. Savagely. Not waiting for her to respond, simply taking her lips possessively, forcing entry into her mouth. She must have been too shocked to fight back.
When he pulled back, his chest heaved as he fought himself, exhales coming heavily through his nose. He was more than capable of taking what he wanted here and now. S'rei trembled under the strain, knowing she could feel it through his hand, and not caring. Let her realize just how dangerous her position was. The self-control reestablished, he leaned forward again, bringing his mouth to her ear. His low voice, husky with emotion, fit the moment. "It is all I can do to control myself, woman," he hissed angrily.
S'rei let her go, standing abruptly, before he stalked rather stiffly from the main part of the weyr into the bathing chambers. She had no right. No sharding right. How could she even think to accuse him of not caring? Misinterpretation of what he'd said was one thing, but...S'rei ran a hand through his hair, more angry at himself for losing control than anything else. At least he'd reined it in in time. The man rested a hand against the wall, leaning against it, feeling suddenly weak.
What did Trillith's do this time? Salenth had startled awake at the sudden surge of rage and lust from his Mine, but not awake enough. S'rei had opened himself to his emotions. The grief crashed into him full force, staggering the pair, as Salenth mistakenly mentioned the green to which Sage had been bonded. In his semi-wakeful state, he had briefly forgotten the greenpair were dead. The bronzerider slammed his fist into the wall, letting out a stream of curses before he rested his head against his arm. He'd thought he was over it. Now, he realized, he'd just pushed the pain back until he didn't have to deal with it.
ReiMine...I'm sorry... S'rei didn't move. He felt that, if he did, he would no longer be able to stand. It's all right, Salenth. He took a tremulous breath. Sharding woman. Why had she done this to him?
((If you didn't notice the above, Tyrone is Timothy. I was playing with both names. ^^ Forgot which one I used.))
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Post by Administrator on Oct 12, 2007 11:52:53 GMT -5
((Ah, okay. ^^))
Shmee was about to rage on when S'rei caught her wrist. She couldn't read the expression on his face, yet she knew that with her words, she had pushed him much too far. She resisted his action of what she was positive would be violence, her mindset strictly not letting herself think S'rei had a care in the world about her. Determinedly not thinking of how he had brought her here and kept her safe for the past two nights, all she could think of was that he just wanted to shake himself loose of her. This thought fueling her, she tried to get him off by squirming beneath him and attempting to jerk her arm away, grunting with the effort. He was a lot stronger than she.
However, all seemed to be silenced in the short moment where his face was so close to hers. She met his gaze with a steady scowl, swallowing uncertainly. What was he trying to do by this? Show her that he was boss? Well, she'd show him-
Abruptly, his lips had landed forcefully on hers, ending all her thoughts as she sought to keep up with his furious pace after the shock had worn off. Not understanding why he was doing this, she meekly went along, not quite wanting to protest, but taken aback by how fierce he was. It was almost frightening to Weyrwoman, so used to having to be the one to coax along her partner. She had wanted him, yes- yet was this him really wanting her? His ferocity suggested otherwise, but perhaps there was maybe something under it? It was this hope she clung to at his rough kissing.
When S'rei finally withdrew, Shmee had no words. With her blue eyes wide, she felt more aware of how her heart seemed to crash against her chest. Slowly propping herself up on her elbows, she had no reply to his angry words. Once again, she was at a loss at what he meant. She looked down, unable to meet his eyes.
She didn't stop him as he left the cot. What do I do? she pleaded with Aslath.
It took a while for the gold to respond, trying to sort through Hers' feelings. Shmee had done something to set him off, yet both dragon and rider were unsure of what exactly it was. Maybe go ask him? Aslath suggested uncertainly.
Hesitating, Shmee got up. She was worried on how he would react should she go after him, but she couldn't just let him go off. So many unanswered questions were ringing in her head- why did he do that? What did he mean, control himself? Slowly going down to the bathing room, she watched him for a moment. His head was in his arm, and Shmee had not a clue on how to respond.
"S'rei?" she asked quietly, walking over to him and touching his shoulder hesitantly. "Are you all right?"
Salenth, Aslath asked uncertainly. What just happened? When in doubt, ask the man's bonded. Shmee's feelings were such a spiral of conflicting emotions, almost unreadable. Salenth must know what sparked that sort of situation- wouldn't he?
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Requiem
Weyrleader S'rei WM M?ta Rider A'nd Harper/Handler Dmitri Weyrbrat Miguel
Posts: 2,861
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Post by Requiem on Oct 12, 2007 16:32:43 GMT -5
He felt as if he were drowning. Each breath caught in his chest, lingering there until darkness pooled at the edges of his vision, and then the release. His blood pounded in his ears, desperately trying to supply the oxygen his body needed. Grief overwhelmed him. Her face flashed before his eyes. Freckles sprinkled across the pert nose, an amused smirk on her pouty lips, green eyes flashing with laughter and happiness. The raven hair soft and downy, clinging to her cheeks. The long neck, slim shoulders, trim waist, long legs. He swallowed. Burnt. One half of her face unrecognizable, the other half staring at him in accusation. Part of her body burnt to ashes. Gone.
S'rei fought against the gag reflex. ReiMine. Agitation touched Salenth's mind-voice. Even the overwhelming horror that had gripped the bronzerider when they first brought Sage's body back was in no way comparable to this. S'rei may be tired, may be emotional, but he was never the sort to be so overwhelmed. This was hysteria. His rider's mental images were streaming so fast that even Salenth couldn't comprehend them now. He stirred from where he lay curled, alarm tainting his eyes.
At Aslath's query, the bronze replied, Something is not right. His mind feels strange. He tried to bring S'rei out of the spiral the bronzerider had descended into. A cloudiness had been erected like a shroud between them, the man's thoughts dim and nearly incomprehensible, the whirlwind of emotions seeming to drown them out. He misses Lillith's. But this is more. Something else. Salenth was at a loss. He slid into the part of the weyr meant for the watchdragon, too large to go back any further, trying to get closer to his Mine.
S'rei couldn't get enough air. A hand touched him. A voice spoke. He tried to turn, to see who it was, but his knees betrayed him. The bronzerider sunk to one knee, struggling against whatever it was that gripped him. He could not center himself. Images flashed through his mind, faster and faster, a tangle of emotions that must have gone with them, only they were gone so fast he couldn't sort them out. S'rei thought this must be what it is like to truly lose your mind. Then that thought, too, was snatched away, carried on the current of insanity.
Salenth sought them out. They were the ones S'rei trusted, and so he, too, trusted them. None answered. None. He could only touch the mind of one, but the green refused to respond. In an instant he understood.
The dragonrider was drowning. Slowly. His mind in torment. Salenth worked to help slow the mad tumble, but it was not these images that were the problem, as he'd first thought. It was whatever flooded S'rei's system, breaking through the barriers of normal thought in the bronzerider's mind as it convinced the man that he couldn't breathe, making the heart work faster, strain. It could not keep up this pace forever. Healthy as the man was...Salenth was only grateful that his Mine had insisted he stay behind. Whatever had made the dragons go silent surely would have defeated him as well.
S'rei could not fight this on his own. A sedative. Have yours give mine a sedative. Quickly! It would slow the functioning of his organs. Maybe enough. Or maybe the mixing of the chemicals would be too much, but simply waiting for the bronzerider's heart to give out was not an option. S'rei's emotions were broadcasting far stronger than ever before. Could this be why he'd acted so strangely toward Aslath's? The breakdown of control, spiraling into hysteria? A side-effect of this drug? Salenth didn't have the time to mourn the other dragonpairs who had come at his mine's call. Though he would later. And Rawiath -
The man crumpled into a heap, his body fighting itself as the drug settled into his brain, creating the confused signals that would ultimately destroy him.
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Post by Administrator on Oct 13, 2007 14:22:50 GMT -5
Aslath caught the tint of red in Salenth's eyes. Worry set in instantly, and she lay beside him, ready to support if he needed it. What is happening?[/color] she asked, trying to make it urgent, yet also adding a gentleness to it to soothe the bronze. Salenth, tell me what happened- I'll tell ShMine to get the sedative, she added then sent blasted that thought to Shmee before she could fully realize what was going on.
"S'rei!" Shmee called out, beginning to panic. What was going on? At first, she thought she had done something- but she knew that nothing she could have done would have gotten a reaction like this out of him. Helplessly, she tried catching him as he collapsed, lowering him down gently. Sedative, Aslath had told her. Would fellis be enough?
Deciding she would make him comfortable later, Shmee bolted down the servant's passage. She did not understand what would have done this to him- he hadn't done anything lately. Yet as this thought came to her head, she realized that he had done something she hadn't known. He had left- then returned. Did something happen to him then? Now breathing heavily, she quickened an already fast pace, but tripped. With a shriek, she crashed to the floor, feeling her cheek scrape along stone.
"Is everything all right, my lady?" a young drudge girl asked hesitantly. "I was just coming up to deliver more food-"
"Fellis!" Shmee barked. Putting a hand to her already bruised cheek, she looked down and saw a small smear of blood on her fingers. Somehow, though, it didn't hurt- she had no time for pain. "Get me enough fellis to knock out a man. Now!"
Frightened, the girl bolted, and Shmee got herself up shakily. Feeling for Aslath, she was met with a comforting feeling. As of right now, he was fine... "Bring it up to the weyr! Run as fast as you can!" she hollered after the girl. She needed to get back to him- S'rei had crumbled onto the floor. He needed furs, not the cold stone.
Running as fast as she could back up the weyr, she seized the furs off of the cot before running back over to S'rei's body. "S'rei," she murmured, throwing them over him. "Please, be all right..." Kneeling beside him, she pulled his head into her lap, pushing his curly hair from his face. Shmee was scared- he had protected her, and how was she to repay? Was he going to... die.
No, I will not let him, Aslath growled fiercely, her tail now sliding around Salenth's protectively.
"Here," a small voice said softly. Turning around, Shmee saw the small drudge girl, out of breath, and holding up a mug of a liquid that she had covered with her hand to run up here. "Drink the entire thing to lose consciousness."
Shmee held out her hand, taking the mug from the girl gratefully. "Thanks," she murmured, and immediately brought it to S'rei's lips. "S'rei, can you drink this? Do it- please, can you drink it?"
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Requiem
Weyrleader S'rei WM M?ta Rider A'nd Harper/Handler Dmitri Weyrbrat Miguel
Posts: 2,861
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Post by Requiem on Oct 14, 2007 3:26:32 GMT -5
Salenth could not respond to Aslath's inquiry. He barely noticed her presence. Fear gripped at him. He could not lose his. He could not. But he couldn't stop this drug-induced panic attack. S'rei simply sunk deeper into it, the man's own terror a constant backdrop to the surge of unorganized memory that had been sparked by the attack on his mind. It was a primal fear. The fear that any living thing had when it found itself suffocating. And Salenth's fear was just as instinctual as S'rei's; no dragon could imagine living without their bonded. Some were strong enough to live that half-life until the funeral. Some weren't. But none remained longer than that.
He was unaware of the hands that kept him from striking the floor, of the unyielding stone, of the soft furs, of the warm body beneath his head and shoulders or the hand that moved at his face. Sweat lathered his form. A flush had come to his skin, the pounding of his heart sending his blood in a wild tumble throughout his body. S'rei twitched spastically, small, unrelated twitches that didn't at all threaten the one who held him. It looked for all the world like a heart attack. Then again, though his lungs told him they needed air, the drug had been designed to fool the body into thinking it was suffocating, making the heart work harder and simulating a heart attack. Pain began to grow in his chest. His hand drifted toward it, then clutched at his tunic, knuckles going white.
Then a voice told him something. He didn't comprehend. Something pressed against his lips. Liquid. No, he couldn't swallow! He was drowning, and if he swallowed, his lungs would fill with water and it would be the end. S'rei would not give up. Never. It wasn't in him to simply inhale and die.
Salenth was growing frantic at his Mine's confusion. Aslath's tail curling about his provided some small measure of comfort, but he had to break through to S'rei. If not...it was just too horrible to contemplate. Drink it! the bronze roared at his rider.
S'rei gasped at the bellow of a voice in his head, his eyes rolling toward the source, but he saw everything through a growing fog, the pain stabbing through his chest. Drink it. Maybe...maybe that was all he could do. If it would stop the pain, maybe it was worth it. The bronzerider swallowed, immediately choking, the liquid coming back up. He tried again. The sense of suffucation grew stronger. Stronger and stronger, S'rei's hand reaching out, grabbing at an arm to try and pry it away from his throat, his grip crushing. Then it gradually loosened.
He was drowning. Dying. Blackness took him.
***
The man moved in his drug-induced stupor, muttering incoherently. Until the first drug wore off, he would continue clawing at his throat and chest, however feebly as he was doing now. He still worried Salenth. Now, though, the bronze knew he wasn't in immediate danger of death, and with a bone weariness mixed in with great relief, the dragon curled up, his head coming to rest at the base of his tail.
He met with Benden dragonriders tonight, Salenth told his Queen quietly, obeying her even if it was well after the command she'd given him. He wanted to tell her. And he wanted her to understand. Mine didn't want to upset yours. The others that came to meet him...I cannot touch their minds, except for one. And she is silent. She must have betrayed them all. Sadness, in his tone. And still just a little worry for his.
Thank your mine. I think she saved him. Tell her that he may be a fool, but ReiMine only wanted to protect her, and to protect the weyr.
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