Farryl and Peppeth

[Rowana]

Post here to be Searched by greenrider Farryl and her tiny dragon Peppeth. ^_^

[neeuqtar]

Dazed. That was the only word that could adequately describe Aubereine's mental state. The crew had mutinied, then set for Southern Hold in order to resupply water and food, and sell goods as if they were a true merchant ship, rather than pirates. For the first time in Turns, they'd given him shore leave, for a whole two days. He'd packed up his belongings -- clothing, the marks he had gotten from the occasional discovery of small coins fallen behind stored objects, his jewelry. Somewhere in there were his knives. And he'd come ashore off the dock, taking residence in an inn, paid for by the new captain.

Then they'd left. It should have taken almost a full se'enday to sell the load they had carried to port, but the Valiant had bartered quickly and done it in one. The Gather the day after had seen to that. And they had left him behind, clearly on purpose. There had been glances and talk of bad luck after the killing of the first-mate-turned-captain, and Reine had worried about meeting his own demise in the deeps. He couldn't swim, after all, and a stone tied 'round his ankle would have seen to any attempt. But they had just... left him.

Now, with no money (he'd spent it all on food) and no place to stay (for the inn required payment), he was left standing on the road in the morning, his chest of belongings next to him, thrown out as unceremoniously as the chamber-pots, and with less regard for where he landed. His long hair was still braided from the evening, and without any of the lash darkener or lip color he usually wore -- and without being hardly more than clothed, thanks to the unrelenting jungle heat -- it was painfully clear that he was not only wearing what he'd fallen asleep in after getting plied with mead by men too drunk to realize he was male himself, but used to far different climes. And with a brutal headache.

Aubereine winced, rubbing his temples as he stared mournfully down the road. The innkeeper's son had been good company the night before (if he remembered correctly, which he might not), and had snuck out after Reine had been thrown out to point him towards where the Weyr was. It had been an interesting conversation...

"I wanna go to Selenitas someday," the younger boy had whispered -- he was perhaps sixteen. "Dragons don't care if you like boys, um, you know... like them." Reine had sort of smiled, only half-cognizant and really wanting to sleep off his hangover.

"It's that way," the boy said, pointing out the crossroads. "It's far away, but... you can mebbe catch the caravan..."

"Thanks," Aubereine had replied. He kissed the innkeeper's son, knowing what was expected of him. The boy had kissed back, before pulling away, suddenly blushing furiously.

"I-- I, um, have to go. Da won't like it if he sees us--"

He'd turned and ran back to the inn. Which... left Reine here. The young man sighed softly, then bent down slowly to appease his throbbing head, and grabbed his trunk. It was going to be a long walk... and he was going to have to find something to drink soon. Maybe there were fruit trees or something by the road.

[Rowana]

Peppeth came out of between and did a little roll in the air just to prove she could. She loved flying more then anything, especially flying with her Farryl. After spending most of weyrling hood too small to carry her own rider, she reveled in every minute of it. Though Farryl was still a bit moody after loosing her salamandyr, Peppeth was sure that a trip to the Gather would brighten her mood. She'd even brought both of her little, blue kin along. Hobbs was always a joy to play with, though Peppeth still wasn't sure what to make of Isshun. He was an odd little thing, always so cranky and he couldn't play or fly. Still, he was one of Farryl's bonded and therefore, Peppeth loved him too.

Look, Farryl-mine! the tiny green circled one of the outlying buildings. Farryl sighed and looked down, wondering what her dragon could have found this time. She had a habit of calling attention to the smallest things, and Farryl wasn't sure she was in the mood today. It looked like an inn of some sort. Outside was a girl, at least Farryl thought it was a girl from this angle. She certain had a rather large trunk, so she couldn't be a local either. That looks heavy. We should help!

Farryl raised en eyebrow. "And do you think you can carry the two of us and the trunk?" she asked skeptically. It did looked rather heavy. I will never know until I try! I carry firestone. Peppeth pointed out. True enough, Farryl shrugged. It couldn't be much heavier then that. Hobbs whistled and took flight from her shoulder. He dove for the stranger and landed on the trunk, trilling merrily. What fun it was to meet new people!

Peppeth landed gently a few feet away. Farryl hoped they hadn't startled the girl and called down. "Are you heading to the Gather? We can give you a lift." Isshun chose that moment to wake up. He was tucked into a leather pouch affixed to Peppeth's harness. Farryl used to keep supplies in it, but now it was perfect for keeping the rolly polly fire lizard from falling off mid flight. He took one look at the "girl" and shrieked at the top of his lungs. Clearly this was not going to be one of his favorite people. Not that he liked hardly anyone. Farryl clamped on hand over an ear and another over his mouth. "Shush," she hissed. "You'll scare her."

[neeuqtar]

Aubereine heard the woosh of a dragon coming out of between and wingbeats in the otherwise still morning air. He froze momentarily, remembering the cruelty of Benden dragonriders, before reminding himself that it was a Selenitan dragon. He looked up, shading his eyes against the morning light, as the dragon came right for him. Well, death by dragon would be faster than getting killed by something down the lonely jungle road. Reine wasn't convinced he would be able to catch up to the caravan, let alone convince them to let him join them on their journey.

"Are you heading to the Gather? We can give you a lift."

The rider spoke to him after her dragon landed on the road, hardly paces away from him. Thankfully the road was paved with cobblestone here, or he would have gotten dust in his eyes from the action of her wings. The dragon looked like she was small -- for a dragon. At that, she was still a good deal bigger than him. Oddly enough, that didn't scare him. She was beautiful.

"Ah-- I was actually going to try and head to the Weyr," Aubereine said, flushing at the stupidity of the notion. "I don't have any marks or much of skill, but a, um, a friend said I might be welcome there, lady dragonrider." The young man ducked his head, blushing from embarrassment. He wasn't good at taking charge of his own life, nor at holding a conversation that wasn't intended as small talk. Small talk, though, he was great at.

"Is that a fire-lizard?" he asked as something shrieked at him, making his head pound even more. But at least he was getting used to throbbing temples. "I've only ever seen a few..."

[Rowana]

Farryl blinked for a second, then shook herself. So it wasn't a girl after all. Now that he'd spoken, she was pretty sure it was a young man now. She really shouldn't be surprised. Mistaking boys for girls wasn't exactly unusual at Selenitas. Or the other way around for that matter. Farryl shrugged and dismissed the realizations almost at once. She didn't really care either way. His words intrigued her though. Going to the Weyr? Well wasn't that a coincident. Hepaticath's clutch was on the way too. He looked the right age and his timing couldn't be better. Question was whether he was the right kind of person or not. Peppeth would have to answer that.

Isshun squirmed angrily under his mistress's restraint. The boy was a stranger! Strangers were bad! Farryl patted him soothingly, but he just turned his head away and sulked. "Fire lizard is putting it loosely in his case," she answered with a smile of amusement. Maybe Peppeth was right. All she needed was some time to get over Zellos. "Hobbs certainly is though and he's much nicer." She waved at her other pet, who was still watching the boy from his trunk and humming sweetly.

We can take him home, right? Peppeth asked eagerly. He wants to go, he said so! Farryl bit her lip and thought about it. She couldn't just take random strangers home without knowing for sure they weren't enemies. But Searching was her job. I don't know. Do you like him? Of course! Stupid question, Farryl realized. Peppeth liked everyone. Guess they would just have to get to know him more first.

Farryl jumped the short distance to the ground so she could talk easier. "Going to the weyr?" she inquired curiously. She looked him up and down with a critical eye. He looked strong, despite the long hair and possibly good in a fight. She decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. He certainly looked down on his luck. "Everyone is welcome, of course," she told him. "But why do you want to go?" She gave an embarrassed smile. "And Farryl is just fine. I'm no lady."

[neeuqtar]

"He is very handsome," Aubereine said politely, offering a smile towards the humming firelizard. It seemed that the dragonrider had a veritable flock of winged creatures, from her dragon to the duo of blues. I wonder if she has any others hiding about her, he thought idly, watching the quartet from beneath lowered lashes. The dragon was like nothing he'd ever seen before. The Valiant's figurehead, a bronze dragon with bared fangs, had done no justice to the delicacy and beauty of the lines of the living beast. But then... the ship's figurehead had been designed to strike fear into the hearts of men and to keep away the deadly sea-snakes.

He froze momentarily as the greenrider leapt the short distance down from her dragon. He hadn't expected her to do that. Apparently he'd been taken for an equal by the woman -- but perhaps here, he was. Being abandoned ashore was as effective a severing of his slave contract as any other form. Technically... he was free. It was a terrifying thought, this being in control. Reine had no idea how to run his own life, how to take care of himself. How to earn the marks to feed and clothe himself.

"I have no other place to go, la-- ah, Farryl," Aubereine said after a moment. How much should he tell her? Certainly not that he had been a slave on a pirate ship, one which had done its share of the bloody work of theft asea and fled before more than a few Falls over the sea. "I... was from the Bitran pleasure-houses," he said after a moment -- honestly enough. "I took a ship from there to Southern Hold, but... I admit I had no plans beyond that." Mostly, he thought dully to himself, because he had never thought that he would leave the Valiant... at least not until he lost his looks and worth to the crew. But here he was.

"I am Aubereine, by the way," he added, hesitantly. It would not hurt to try to get a faster ride to the Weyr, or even just dragonrider hospitality to stay and wait for the next caravan. Hadn't she said that all were welcome?

[Rowana]

Farryl raised her eyebrows a little. Pleasure-houses might explain the hair or maybe it was a personal choice, who could tell. She considered carefully. He didn't seem to be lying, but she wasn't inclined to trust people from the North easily. She shook her head at herself. She was being silly and thoughtless and starting to see enemies in her own shadow. Selenitas had never turned anyone down before, why start now? Besides, Hobbs had taking a liking to him. The friendly blue was even now hopping up onto the boy's shoulder and chirping happily.

Peppeth leaned over Farryl's shoulder until her snot was right in front of Auberiene's face. It might have been intimidating, if she hadn't been purring loudly like a giant feline. Farryl was of the opinion that Peppeth couldn't intimidate a mouse if she tried. Farryl put a hand on her neck. Well? I like him, she declared after a moments thought. Farryl rolled her eyes. But will he make a good candidate? Oh! Peppeth thought for a moment longer. He seems lonely, she said at last. I think he could use a friend! Farryl shrugged. It was as close as she was going to get.

"Well, Aubereine," she answered at last. "Where ever you came from, you've got a ride to the Weyr now." Peppeth crooned with delight and settled herself so she was easy to climb. Farryl jerked a finger at her. "Peppeth says she'd love to take you. If you can stand to ride with Isshun." The round blue was still sulking and ignoring them, but that was sure to change once the boy came closer. Farryl offered a welcoming smile, though she eyed the trunk worriedly. Are you sure you can carry all of us and the trunk? I can! Just watch me! Peppeth huffed. Farryl chuckled to herself. If you insist.

[neeuqtar]

The little blue firelizard startled a smile out of the hungover Aubereine. Without thinking, he reached up and rubbed the creature like he would one of the good-luck ship felines. It was such a happy being, chirping and just about dancing on his shoulder. He didn't even mind the little scratches the sharp claws made, though he knew he would tend to them until his skin was blemish-free again. Now was no time to let his appearance go.

The green's face so close to him should have been intimidating. It should have. But not only was he beyond fear for the future, but she was purring. It was a completely reassuring sound. His only friends for Turns had been the ship-felines, and it seemed that the dragons and their cousins were friendlier than he had been led to believe. Or.. at least these ones were. He almost -- almost! -- forgot himself and reached out to touch her. But the thought was stillborn as the green's rider spoke again.

"I... I don't see that I could refuse," he said honestly. "I had thought -- hoped -- to catch up with the tithe caravan, but... it was a desperate move. If your lady dragon," he inclined his head to the green in a nod-bow, "is willing to carry me, I will come. Aye, and gladly."