Rowana
Hive Mind
Handler Roivao Rider G'tor Rider Merridan Rider T'ke Rider N'rik Handler Porita Rider Farryl Rider Kyr'n[/color
Posts: 1,550
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Post by Rowana on Mar 4, 2009 21:36:24 GMT -5
Roivao wandered alone through dimly lit corridors. It was late, well after midnight, and most of the rest of the Weyr were likely asleep. Roi couldn't sleep. Nightmares plagued his dreams. He saw the fight with the Bendan brown again and again. He saw Iloth...fall.
Being awake wasn't much better. Though he had never been here in his life, everything about his place seemed to remind him of Iloth. The dragons, the riders, the bowl, even the dinner hall was too much like places he had known when Iloth was alive. They seemed like shadows of their former selves just as he was a shadow. He wasn't sure what was worse: living as a slave with his mind barely aware of his existance; or living with the constaint pain of Iloth's death.
He considered leaving, finding a place to settled somewhere else in the South. He knew Sel'n and Kaaoloth had worked hard to bring him here, but he couldn't keep going like this. He needed to get away from the memories. But where would he go? He had no one now. It probably would have been better if he had died that day. Death was better than this.
Steps took him to a room deep within the walls where a presence could be felt. He looked up sharply, focusing his surroundings for the first time. He was surprised to see a queen wher, guarding a clutch of eggs. He stared at the eggs in wonder for a moment. Iloth had hatched from an egg not much bigger than some of these. He had been one of the last of his clutch. He remembered it well. The pain in his leg from the frightened green and the small, pale blue dragon who came to his aid.
Are you hurt, R'vao? Can you walk? If it is not too much trouble, could you feed your Iloth soon?
Roivao shook his head desperately to rid himself of the image. Iloth was gone. It was his fault. Nothing he could do would bring him back. Looking back at the queen, he started to back away. It was best not to disturb her and her clutch deserved a fair better audience than he could offer.
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Post by nightingale on Mar 4, 2009 22:44:49 GMT -5
The queen lay beside her clutch, tail curled around them to provide both warmth and protection against the cool night air. Her bowed head and relaxed posture might have suggested that she was taking a nap, but the bright gleam flicking in her unlidded eyes proved that she was not only fully awake, but very much intent on her study of the young man who had wandered into her lair.
This humanthing was odd...why was it wandering about in such a dazed manner? Had it hurt itself? A low rumble drifted from the back of her throat, the sound not so much a threat as a demand that he focus all of his attention on her. It would answer her now. Why was it wandering about in such a peculiar manner? Surely it must be either very hurt or very stupid to wander into a queen’s den without welcome.
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Rowana
Hive Mind
Handler Roivao Rider G'tor Rider Merridan Rider T'ke Rider N'rik Handler Porita Rider Farryl Rider Kyr'n[/color
Posts: 1,550
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Post by Rowana on Mar 5, 2009 19:27:51 GMT -5
Roivao froze as foreign feelings started to invade his head. For one precious moment, he thought that Iloth had reached him somehow. But no, it was the queen wher. She was awake and watching him. Roivao knew of whers and had met a couple, but he had never had one communicate with him. It was odd. So much like a dragon, and yet not like one. Though she spoke no words, he could understand her meanings perfectly. He mulled the questions over in his mind, but couldn't think of a good answer for them, and certainly not any that would satisfy a brooding queen. Why was he here? No reason really. Was he hurt? His physical pains were almost healed, but he felt he a pain now that would never pass.
"I'm sorry, great lady," he whispered. His voice was still low and husky from lack of use. "I didn't mean to disturb you or your clutch." Even though he had never really had to deal with one before, Roi remembered enough to always be polite. If he didn't want to be mauled that was. Though, if he was mauled, she might kill him. Maybe that wouldn't be so bad.
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Post by nightingale on Mar 5, 2009 19:56:53 GMT -5
The queen snorted her acknowledgment of Roivao’s statement, shifting her position slightly and flaring her wings into a leisurely stretch. While he had made no move to audibly answer her questions, she had managed to gather enough information from his open mind to draw her own conclusions.
My but it really was a pathetic little humanthing, wasn’t it? Iloth had been it’s Mine once? It had died now of course, or this humanthing would not be nearly so piteous. No, it did not have to fear her. She would not kill it...unless of course that was what it desired. Would it like for her to snap it’s neck for it? She could offer it that much -a quick and painless release from it’s misery.
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Post by hseru on Mar 5, 2009 23:26:37 GMT -5
Meat was heavy. Rozen was a bit surprised at the willingness of the kitchen staff to provide for their resident queen wher. Her small arms were filled with a large, raw haunch of herdbeast wrapped in cloth to keep it from getting all over her lavender shirt and pants. Good thing too, it was one of her favorite outfits. Zeek fluttered along behind her as she slowly went down the stairs one at a time, chirping encouragement to her and a little worried at where they were going. This place smelled different, and not different in an interesting way. It was dangerous different, and he wasn't happy about Hispet going in.
Struggling with the haunch, Rozen finally made it to the bottom of the stairs, re-wrapping her arms about the meat before starting forward again. She was trying to make a habit of visiting the queen and her eggs. Maybe if she brought something for the gold to eat, she'd be alright with Rozen visiting so often. She loved seeing the eggs though, she just couldn't get enough of them. They were so lovely, and each one a different mystery of its own. She wanted to touch them again, but she'd be happy with just looking this time.
She wasn't quite at the entrance to the hatching cavern when she saw that there was someone else already there. Another candidate maybe? She couldn't help the tiny flare of annoyance at yet another one. One of those eggs held her wher. It just had to. A double take later though, and she realized that this was an older person. Even at average height, he was taller than her by nearly half a foot. She never cursed her lack in height more than in these situations. Zeek landed on her shoulder, rubbing his head against her jaw in a comforting way as he felt her brief annoyance, his minuscule weight making little difference to the burden she already carried. Shifting said burden again, Rozen made her way to the doorway, bowing as well as she could to the queen when she entered the hatching chamber.
"Greetings wonderful queen." She addressed the gold first, then turned to eye the man, curiosity plain on her face. What was someone so old doing visiting the clutch? Putting her curiosity aside for the moment, she padded forward slowly to put down the haunch to the side of the room, unwrapping it. She didn't approach the clutch, but backed away, the offering obvious.
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Rowana
Hive Mind
Handler Roivao Rider G'tor Rider Merridan Rider T'ke Rider N'rik Handler Porita Rider Farryl Rider Kyr'n[/color
Posts: 1,550
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Post by Rowana on Mar 6, 2009 19:32:05 GMT -5
Roivao stared at the queen and found himself seriously considering her offer. He had considered death many times before now, but had never had the courage to do it himself. He had never been very brave. But here the queen was offering him painless oblivion and he was tempted to take it. No one would blame her. People would just assume that he had walked in at the wrong time and she had killed him in a fit of annoyance. No one would probably even miss him. Except maybe Sel'n and Kaaoloth.
His morbid thoughts were interrupted, however, by the arrival of the young woman. He felt himself shrink back automatically. He used to be quite fond of meeting new people, but now he was reluctant to trust or speak to anyone. He couldn't take the queen's offer now though, not with this girl here. He watched her address the queen and offer a large leg of meat. She carried herself well, he thought. She must be a candidate. Why else volunteer to take the queen dinner in the middle of the night? It was a risky and often thankless job after all.
The thought turned his attention to the eggs. He hadn't taken much notice of them before. Eight was a good size for a clutch and he noted several large ones. There might possibly even be a gold among them. The queen must be very proud. Candidates. His thoughts turned sad again. He didn't know whether to be happy or sad for them. Did they have any idea what they were getting into? The pain they might have to endure? He almost wished he had never stood on those sands. Then Iloth might have chosen someone else and he might still be alive. But then, when were the sands ever a barrier for impression? He couldn't change the past and even if he could, he wasn't sure he would. Those years with Iloth had been the best of his life.
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Post by nightingale on Mar 7, 2009 21:57:35 GMT -5
Rozen’s labored entrance into the cavern did not go unnoticed by it’s gold resident. While it would be presumptuous to say that the wild queen was fond of the girl, she was far less aggressive toward her that she was to the servants who usually brought her offerings of flesh and water. It might have had something to do with the praise and admiration she was so willing to offer the hardening wher clutch, but no matter her reasoning the queen gave a low rumble of approval as the smell of fresh herdbeast wafted toward her.
And then she spotted Zeek.
That... The slow vibrations in her throat sped to a vicious growl. The queen uncoiled herself from the eggs she guarded and rose with murderous intent flashing in her scarlet eyes. That, she would not tolerate anywhere near her children. The hideous daycreature would leave. NOW. A vicious barking sound escaped the queens jaws as she crouched in the hot sand, looking for all the world as if she intended to spring up and claw both Rozen and her flitter to bloody tatters if they did not leave promptly.
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Post by hseru on Mar 7, 2009 22:38:31 GMT -5
At the first growl, Rozen froze for a second in fear, half way between the door and the clutch. What? What had happened? Then the queen made it perfectly obvious that the object of her hate was the little flitter now huddling in absolute terror behind her neck, his tail almost chokingly tight around her throat as his limbs shook. This was bad bad bad, hispet needed to run run run before the bigwalker got closer. He'd known that this place smelled dangerous, but hispet had gone in anyways. Go go go, run run run! He chattered in fear, urging her to move move move.
The terror flooding Zeek's mind only served to further her own, and Rozen quickly backpedaled away from the angry gold wher, more afraid than she'd ever been before, unable to recognize the fear as Zeek's rather than her own. She only just managed to keep herself from running, some vague half-remembered piece of information telling her that running from animals, especially predators, was a bad idea. Luckily, she made it to the door without tripping over her own feet or some unseen obstruction, passing the older man without much ado and dashing back up the hallway to put some distance between herself and the queen as soon as she was out of immediate sight. At that point, the brown's fear seemed to withdraw from her mind, and Rozen slowed as her own emotions once more took control. Had the gold followed? She gazed warily down the hallway, ready to keep running if she needed to.
Mental note. Leave Zeek at home. If the queen ever forgave her and allowed her within the hatching cavern again, she'd be certain to bring apology gifts for her thoughtless blunder. As she waited, she tried to open her mind, and fill it with self-recrimination for the benefit of the gold wher. Never again would she sully the sanctity of the cavern with the flitter. Luckily, the brown was too preoccupied trying to get her to run again to notice that particular thought. He was still shaking like a leaf. She reached up and back to cup his small body in her hand, and he leaned into her palm, too frightened to even give it a good nuzzle.
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Rowana
Hive Mind
Handler Roivao Rider G'tor Rider Merridan Rider T'ke Rider N'rik Handler Porita Rider Farryl Rider Kyr'n[/color
Posts: 1,550
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Post by Rowana on Mar 8, 2009 13:30:07 GMT -5
The atmosphere in the room change dramatically before Roivao even had time to come to grips with it. One moment the queen seemed almost pleased to see the girl, or as please as an unbonded wher could be to see a human, and the next she was charging at her. Roi was too shocked to move and watched in horror as she advanced, certain that she was about to make a meal of more than just the herdbeast meat. Fortunately, Rozen had reacted quicker than Roi's mind and had made a hasty retreat.
Once she was gone, Roi's mind now began to comprehend that he was alone in a room with a very angry queen and her clutch. This probably wasn't a very good place to be, if he intended to stay alive much longer, which was something he still hadn't decided on and until he had, would rather not be painfully ripped to shreds. Maybe he should leave to? It would probably be the wise thing to do. Yet the queen had practically ignored him when the girl had arrived. If he moved, it might just attract attention. He didn't think his nerves or legs, were up to running down the halls should she choose to attack him.
In the end, thinking about it just gave Roi a headache, and he resolved to wait. She couldn't stay angry forever and as long as he didn't get closer without permission, it would probably be alright. He leaned back against one of the walls and sat down. His gaze drifted over to the eggs again. They really were lovely. Unbidden memories lurked in his mind as he watched them.
What is that, R'vao-mine? Is it a dragon? Not exactly. That's a wher, a cousin of dragons. Oh! I would love to meet him! Can we? Of course, Iloth. I'm sure he'd be happy to meet you too. Do whers have Mines like I have you? They do indeed. Life would be very lonely for them without. I am glad. I would not want my cousins to be lonely.
He had heard that anyone could bond to a wher. Could he? But why bother. It probably wasn't fair to Iloth and he certainly wouldn't be any help to any creature in his current state. No wher would chose a failure like him. It would all just end in tragedy again.
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Post by nightingale on Mar 8, 2009 21:11:55 GMT -5
The queen snorted harshly, throwing one final bark of disgust at Rozen’s retreating form. Her eyes whirled a slow, creamy mixture of red and orange as she arced her graceful neck over her shoulders. It was good that the stupid humanthing knew what a fool it was. The next time she would not be so understanding of it’s ignorance. The manchild understood this?
Here she turned toward Roivao, her eyes catching his and holding them fast. Had it made it’s decision? It had only one chance to make it’s request before she took it at it’s musings and snapped it’s fragile spine in her jaws. It came seeking either death or whers, for it would find no dragons here. Which of the two was it?
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Rowana
Hive Mind
Handler Roivao Rider G'tor Rider Merridan Rider T'ke Rider N'rik Handler Porita Rider Farryl Rider Kyr'n[/color
Posts: 1,550
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Post by Rowana on Mar 8, 2009 22:15:10 GMT -5
Roi was pulled forcefully into reality. The queen's eyes held him in their firm stare. Cold cruelty mixed with impatiences and indifference. He found no comfort in those eyes, but a sense of foreboding. She cared little what he chose. Her only shred of compassion was to give him the choice at all. He felt trap as his muddled mind tried to force itself to make one of the most important decision of his life. To live or die?
A few minutes ago he would have said the choice was easy. He would have taken death, gladly and willingly, rather than live with the pain. But a few moments ago he had had the means to bring about such a fate. He had not seen what he had now. The queen's eggs, so vibrant and full of life. The young girl, so determined to please her and seek one of her young. The world was still so alive, with so much to see. Was it wrong of him to wan to see it? He almost hated himself for considering it. How could he go on without Iloth? Would he forget about him so easily.
Will we always be together, R'vao-mine? Of course we will. Good. I do not want you to be alone. Promise you will never be alone? Don't be silly, Iloth. I always have you. Promise? I promise. Now stop worrying.
Oh, Iloth, Roivao's mind whispered. You never did look out for yourself. Always worrying to much about other people. And me. Roi took a deep breath. He had almost forgotten that conversation. It had been turns and turns ago, when he was barely out of weyrlinghood. His focus returned to the queen. He was still frightened. He was still unsure. And he was still in pain. But he had made a decision.
"I don't want to be alone anymore," he murmured, just loud enough for her to hear. "It would honor me to see your children hatch." He wasn't going to get his hopes up about bonding with one. For now, just choosing to be alive was enough. Maybe seeing some new life would give him the strength and spirit to move on with his own.
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