Thinking Too Much? (Open)

[glamourie]

"You look troubled."

Juliya's voice broke through Rawign's musings quite efficiently and the black-haired teenager looked up through a long curl to find greenrider Juliya looking over him. He was sitting outside, perched rather, on a large boulder with his firelizard fair surrounding him like an entourage. With his hair tied back and his face guarded, it was hard for most people to tell just how upset he really was, but troubled fit the description of how Rawign felt fairly well... well, if one ignored the fact that it was an understatement. In truth, he was exceptionally upset, and had been near constantly since Marra's departure. Roxie's flight didn't help matters, as Rawign was not completely expecting it and Beggar had caught her. Needless to say, the candidate spent the entire day bathing in icy water and plotting his green flitter's demise. People could say what they wanted about flights and schedules but he was convinced Roxie did it on purpose.

And he missed Li. Near constantly, his bronze firelizard found excuses to depart, and Rawign knew where he was going: to Blossom Hold where Marra and Mona were. He did not appreciate being abandoned, though he'd have done the same thing if he could but wink between to be where Marra was. He missed her, and it showed in the fact that he was downright icy to most people anymore. No, he wasn't mean, but Rawign rarely if ever spoke. He had nothing to say, and no one to say it to. The people he considered his friends were gone, or busy, or both.

So it was that he was surprised when the older greenrider came and sat down next to his boulder. Juliya was no friend of his, and he knew little about her, except that she had come from Fort Weyr, and was obviously Istan. His gaze lingered on the older woman, as if analytical. Her green was down the side of the river bank, lounged out. Eriannath was one of the main reasons that Rawign had actually braved coming near the river. Ever since the feline attack he was almost phobic, but a green was a likely deterrent to their presence, as one dragon meant more. While that hadn't effected them from coming up to Aezanth, no one could deny that a fully grown dragon, green or not, was somewhat imposing. And Eriannath looked like she was paying attention.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Juliya asked as she wrapped her arms around her legs. She was dressed just in leggings, with knee-high boots, and a loose white tunic; by all logic, she should have looked frumpy, though the upswept twist hairstyle helped give the illusion of dignity and composure. Her gaze lingered on Rawign, almost inquisitively. In truth she didn't know him or really care. He was sitting alone, near the river, and she had nothing better to do than talk to him. That was the only reason she'd addressed the boy at all. But he needn't know that.

But Rawign was a secretive creature by nature. He shook his head slightly at Juliya before replying, very softly, "No. I don't." He didn't know her, and he didn't want to talk about his feelings even to those he did know. But if he had any further explanations, they were cut off by the sound of screeching as Roxie and Beggar both lifted to wing and glided around Rawign, chattering animatedly. Someone was coming up the side of the river, and neither of them liked it.

[Kisha-Ra]

Razi slipped off Kismeth’s neck with a hint of wince thanks to a truly spectacular bruise that was forming on her right knee, somehow or another she’d managed to trip over something that she hadn’t been able to find once she’d fallen. Kismeth waited with ill concealed impatience for her rider to get clear before hurrying to the water and looking for a spot that she could submerge herself in.

You and your baths brightlove. Razi watched her green with love and amusement in her steel blue eyes.

I like to be clean.[/color] Kismeth arched her neck around to fix her eyes on Razi. And if I can bath somewhere where you don’t worry constantly about someone seeing me then so much the better.[/color] the green dragon added with just a hint of irritation.

I probably worry too much brightlove but you are rather recognisable and we really did not need anyone to report that they’d seen us. Razi spoke the truth on both counts, Kismeth was small even for a green and her yellowish base hue combined with her dappled markings made her a very noticeable dragon indeed when she was swimming. That had been a constant worry to Razi as the pair had journeyed south with R’fuin and Ylonth.

Think their names and there they are.[/color] Kismeth commented as R’fuin came strolling up the river bank, looking around as the surroundings were the most interesting he’d seen.

‘Hello sister mine.’ R’fuin greeted Razi with a cheerful grin and a wave of his hand. ‘I thought I’d find you here. Well, if you want the truth Ylonth told me Kismeth was itching to swim so it wasn’t a hard conclusion to come by.’

‘You can let me out of your sight you know R’fuin.’ Razi said in exasperation placing her hands on her hips and looking up at her brother. The bluerider seemed reluctant to let Razi stray to far lest she disappear, either that or he was having a fit of brotherly protectiveness, whichever it was his older sibling was not taking it well.

The pair regarded each other steadily for a long moment, neither willing to give ground. Razi meet R’fuin’s open bright blue eyes with her blue grey, stone cold, gaze and wondered, not for the first time, just when her little brother had gotten so, well, big.

R’fuin had become a muscular, broad shouldered, young man who topped his older sister’s height by inches. It seemed the only thing that hadn’t changed was his face, still dominated by that boyishly charming smile and the deep blue eyes she remembered so well.

For his part R’fuin wondered just when, and how, Razi had become so grim and closed off. If it wasn’t for her pointed face and those eyes that still showed every thought and every feeling to those who knew her well, he might have believed he’d mistaken another woman for his long lost sister.

Shaken by his own thoughts R’fuin dropped his eyes and replied. ‘I know but I wanted to talk, and Ylonth wanted to sunbathe.’ A wave of R’fuin’s hand indicated the pale, bulky blue lounging on the bank as if it were possible to miss him. Razi turned away to stare out over the river and R’fuin sighed it was clear she didn’t want to talk, and until she did he wasn’t going to get any answers. With a start of embarrassment he realised that two people had been present witness this little…whatever it was. To cover that embarrassment he gave the two a smile he hoped was friendly rather than sheepish and introduced himself. ‘Hello, I’m R’fuin, um, sorry, I seem to have upset your firelizards.’

[glamourie]

They're from --
Fort, yes.

Eriannath's response and Juliya's recognition of the other greenpair made the brunette's blood run cold. Her gaze snagged on the green dragon, her yellowy hide so very familiar, and why shouldn't it have been? Juliya was a former Fort rider, having spent her entire life there until recently, and though she'd flown on Kamerai's wing the entire time, Juliya remembered the dragons of Fort. She could hear them all, the way others heard whispers in the air or actual talking. She was able to hear all dragons and feel their emotions to varying degrees; during Threadfall it was one of the most stressful things she'd ever experienced and yet most exhilarating as well, and during flights she was utterly useless. She recalled all dragons that she met, but the ones that stuck out in her mind the most were the blues and the greens, because she herself was a greenrider, and she trusted them more than she did bronzes and some browns. At Fort Weyr, bronzeriders were the enemy.

Fortunately, the greenrider did not appear to see her. The only thing that kept Juliya from launching herself up immediately and running to where Eriannath lay was primal common sense over-ruling the natural fight-or-flight instinct dominating her mind. Fort riders at Selenitas did not necessarily mean they were after her. If Kamerai wanted someone to come after her, it would be because she discovered what Juliya could do, and it would not be some greenrider that Kamerai would send. No, she'd send a seasoned assassin. No comments or requests to return. There would be only death.

The bluerider wasn't terribly familiar. She gave him a pleasant smile, as Rawign's firelizards chittered on, but it was not Juliya who spoke.

No, the first to speak of the pair was the seventeen-turn-old healer journeyman, who lifted his head to gaze through long black locks, his expression half accusing and half frightened, as if he wasn't sure whether or not he wanted to try and make friends. No part of Rawign had ever been friendly and time did not appear to be changing that. Marra had broken the ice, but Marra was gone, and he was left completely alone. No one was granted leeway or forgiveness, and the bluerider was terribly presumptuous to assume his dragon had frightened the firelizards. (Never mind that that was not what he said - Rawign was angry and looking for a fight, and... he was scared, too, scared because the amount of dragons nearby was increasing and just because he was growing accustomed didn't mean he was comfortable yet.) Eyes like dark green goldstones narrowed into dangerous slits.

"They're upset because you're standing too close," he stated blandly, as Roxie moved back up Rawign's shoulder. Possessive and protective, she was. Beggar chittered, scoldingly, before taking to wing and literally gliding right over to the bluerider's shoulder... where he daintily landed, and chirped expectantly. The hostility in Rawign's face lessened, just slightly. "His name is Beggar. He wants food." He did not apologize for Beggar's antics. There was a time when he would have, without fail, said how sorry he was for his firelizard behaving that way. But those days were gone. Beggar could be shooed off if that was what the stranger wanted. And yes, to Rawign he was a stranger. He used to memorize dragonrider names. All Rawign memorized anymore was insults. He was too grouchy to do much else.

Juliya cast the boy a sidelong glance before turning to look back at the bluerider, as pleasant a smile as she could muster coming up onto her face, "Don't mind him. He's sulking, and he won't say why." She smiled, then held one hand out and Beggar chirruped. Firelizards could sense the same vibe from her that dragons got; that she could talk to them all. Beggar liked her, and he was happy to fly over and land on Juliya's wrist. "You owe no apologies. I think you just spooked these little ones."

Roxie turned and scolded the greenrider, and Rawign's glare matched her noises. Apparently, they felt mocked. Not that it was unusual for them...



[ Since we haven't RPed together before, little note since it might help ^^ Juliya is a level 3 HAD - she fled Fort Weyr because of it. She was in the Queen's wing as one of the riders. Her green's 11 turns old. Rawign is a candidate flunk and no, he's not normally this bad. xD Welcome to Selenitas! I'm looking forward to this thread. ^^ ]

[Kisha-Ra]

R’fuin smiled gently, rather charmed by Beggar, in fact he found himself wishing he’d some food to give the little blue. ‘Don’t apologise for him, I’m used to being around grumpy people, my sister, Razi, could win prizes for it.’ R’fuin’s cheery tone and expression made it clear that there was no insult in words unless one wanted to be insulted.

Razi turned to R’fuin the sharp edge of her tongue and froze, one foot raised, in a stance similar to a startled runnerbeast. The woman R’fuin was talking to was someone she recognised, but could not put a name to, someone from Fort.

Do not worry, please. Eriannath and her rider are here, you and I are here, none of us are there, so all is well.[/color] Kismeth expressed her opinion before her rider could think enough to run.

A glance at the green she’d noted in passing proved her to be a dragon just as recognisably patterned as Kismeth, Razi didn’t recognise the name but the dragon was familiar as one who had flown in the Queen’s wing at Fort, and one who had disappeared, Razi was quite relived, they probably wouldn’t recognise her and Kismeth. Some of the fear fled from her eyes and her raised foot came back to the ground. ‘I’m not sulking,’ she muttered at R’fuin since her moment of panic had completely ruined her retort, ‘I’m just thinking.

R’fuin frowned slightly, had there been a flash of recognition, and fear, in Razi’s eyes? Evidently she’d dismissed whatever spooked her, and since Kismeth seemed untroubled he’d wrangle it out of her later. ‘Of course sister dear, you were thinking very hard and that’s what made you frown.’ R’fuin sallied back in the sniping match.

Razi decided to act as if she hadn’t met the other green pair before, which was mostly true. ‘Hello.’ She let the simple greeting hang in the air between them; the next move belonged to the other greenrider.


((Thanks for the information, it’s just as well I make sure to read the bios of characters I haven’t met before otherwise I’d get very confused (I get confused easily). :-) ))

[glamourie]

Juliya offered the blue rider a friendly, if curt nod. If her assumptions were right (And they usually were; she had a peculiar talent for reading people), Rawign was not always so grumpy. He'd Impressed three firelizards. That had to say something about him, something that made him stand out, and one of those three was a bronze. Bronzes didn't just pick anyone. Rawign couldn't have been all bad, although honestly, Juliya didn't know the boy very well. He was a Healer, too, though his demeanor did not say Healer. No, grumped up as he was, she would have been uncomfortable dealing with him, though young K'lir (she'd taken up talking to the greenrider with his so-easily angered dragonet) insisted that Rawign did know what he was doing and was just "Upset because the woman he loves ran off to Blossom, the deadglow." She hoped K'lir was right, but she doubted he was very good at reading people. The boy seemed better at repelling them really.

Hazel eyes turned to the other greenrider and Juliya offered her a nod. "Hello, Razi of Kismeth." If there was ever any doubt she knew who the greenrider was, those words would likely have brushed them away. Juliya memorized all dragons. It was part of who she was. Her gaze turned back to R'fuin. "I'm afraid I don't know your name, but I am Juliya of Eriannath. This is Rawign, Journeyman Healer though you wouldn't know it by the look of him. Come now, dear, stop your sulking. You'll make others think little of you with that kind of behavior..."

"I'm not sulking," Rawign protested, giving Juliya a look that bordered on murderous. He wasn't sulking. The truth was, he was upset, but in general he just didn't like people. Why the greenrider decided to try and befriend him was beyond the candidate's understanding. He was nothing, nobody, a face in the crowd, didn't she have something better to do? Little did he know that his low self-esteem was exactly why Juliya had taken up to talking to him. Rawign was a candidate; Rawign was insecure; Rawign was taken. In every explanation of the words, Rawign was safe. He wouldn't hurt her, he wouldn't try to hit on her, he wouldn't try to analyze and understand her, and that made him safe to talk to, and if she could fix him in the process, so be it. But Rawign had never understood people well enough to realize that by moping around he had become Juliya's newest 'project.' He might have changed his behavior if he so much as suspected.

He brought one hand over to Roxie, consoling the green firelizard. She didn't like many people. She curled up in her humanpet's hands, rolling about in a demand for affection, as Rawign watched the two new arrivals. Too many dragonriders. He didn't feel exactly welcome, but then, that was why he didn't talk to K'lir and K'ran much anymore, wasn't it? And Cezine. Everyone who he'd been friends with before had Impressed, and Rawign was left standing. There was Marra, but she was gone, gone to Blossom so far away and he felt terribly vulnerable, terribly alone. He hadn't been okay since she left, and everything happening since seemed to add up. No, Rawign was far, far from all right. And Millieth would rise soon. He was going to withdraw himself from being a candidate before she clutched. He didn't want to stand and be left again. He hadn't taken failure well the first time, but to top it off, he felt abandoned. He didn't want to deal with being rejected again.

Shaking his head, Rawign curled up into a small ball, still coddling his firelizard. "Junior Journeyman, anyway, and apprentice dragonhealer, though er... that hasn't exactly gone anywhere thanks to.. things. This is Roxie. Blue's Beggar. There's a bronze third, but he's off at Blossom coddling his mate and being a ditcher. Don't mind me, I don't make for good conversation. Please, carry on as if I'm not here. I prefer that anyway," Rawign muttered, earning a look from Juliya. "What?"

"No one is treating you as if you're not here." She turned back to the other two. "Are you new to Selenitas? I don't recall seeing you here before." Her gaze flicked over to Razi. "And I've only been here a short while myself..."

[Kisha-Ra]

‘R’fuin of Ylonth.’ R’fuin introduced himself with another of his boyish smiles. ‘Pleased to meet you.’ He added remembering his manners. So this greenrider knew his sister did she? Another escapee from Fort perhaps? R’fuin drew his thoughts back from that, whatever was going on between the two women was their business and their problem, and it was a problem they could have without him. He’d learned well the virtues of keeping his nose out of other peoples’ business at Benden.

He turned to the young man who was reluctantly talking, maybe he could get a conversation going here so the ladies left him out of their argument or whatever it was going to be.. ‘I’m not good at just pretending people aren’t there.’ He warned. ‘So I’m going to talk to you no matter what you want, I’m very annoying like that sometimes. So… are you a candidate as well or are you only here for your healing studies?’ He asked curiously, not really thinking about how the inquiry would be taken if the young man were too old, which was doubtful he defiantly didn’t look older than R’fuin, or somehow unsuitable as a candidate.

‘I think you know a bit of that already.’ Razi snapped, then blushed slightly and inwardly winced as she realised how rude she sounded. ‘I mean, you already know Kismeth and I came from Fort, and you know we know you did too. We’ve hardly been here long enough to settle in, not long at all.’ Razi babbled on a bit trying to make up for sounding so rude to start with.

[glamourie]

"The pleasure is all mine," Juliya said softly, and she meant it. Friendliness was not exactly hard for her, though she was not the most outgoing sort. Really, the best way to describe Juliya was polite, as she tended to treat people with manners most of the time. Once or twice she could be startled into forgetting her place, and she had the scars on her back to prove it, but it wasn't normal behavior for Juliya. In fact, she was very much the kind of person who always spoke to people, but rarely said anything; in other words, she kept her confidence to herself, no matter how many words she provided. Growing up in the north taught a girl discretion and Juliya was the embodiment of it when it came to perfect strangers, particularly men. Blue and greenriders were easier to trust than most - especially bronzeriders; they were the enemy! - but that didn't mean that she was eager to confide in anyone. She trusted herself. That was enough.

I don't recall seeing you at Fort. Forgive me; my name is Juliya. It is a pleasure to meet you. And those words were directed, not to R'fuin, but to the blue dragon, in confidence. She was used to blues and greens being willing to keep her secret, and most dragons knew what she could do when they met her. She didn't try to hide it from them. Bronzes and golds, most browns, yes. Blues and greens... well, there was a reason they were searchriders usually. Her gaze turned back to Razi. "I do not presume to know when you left Fort, or your motivations for doing so, Razi of Kismeth. I know that you were there when I left, but I do not know anything beyond that about you. Whether you are new to Selenitas or not is not something I would know. For all I know, you could have..."

... been captured and taken hostage at Benden. Or been spying on Fort for Selenitas all along. There were several options open to the other woman to explain her presence at Selenitas, and Juliya did not try to judge which one it was. Ignorance was bliss sometimes. She hadn't known Razi well, hadn't even spoken to her really. Juliya made a point to keep to herself. She chose not to judge the other woman though for her reaction, as her own inwardly had been close to the same. "Well, regardless, I do not know why you are here. I can guess, and my mind can come up with many explanations, but it isn't entirely fair for me to assume. Better just to ask."

* * *

Rawign's gaze flicked to R'fuin, cold and analytical. Rawign was an emotional being, filled with turmoil at the best of times. A pessimist at heart, he looked for the worst in people and he often found it without too much difficulty. So it was that he did not make friends easily. It took a lot to break the ice with the seventeen-turn-old-healer, and he did not try to change that. Just because the bluerider was speaking to him didn't mean that Rawign was going to be friendly, either. He'd tried to give them all an out by telling them that he could be overlooked without taking it as insult, but no one seemed to understand that. No, they insisted on talking. Didn't they realize that the only person Rawign wanted to talk to was in Blossom Hold, away from him, snatched away and leaving a great big hole inside of him that she alone could fill? No, he supposed not. He hadn't told anyone. It was none of their sharding business.

"I'm a candidate failure. I stood for the last clutch and no dragons wanted me. I'm technically a candidate still. I don't want to stand. I just want to transfer to Blossom Hold. I'm fairly sure I can complete my studies better there. I don't like people, bluerider, and I'm not friendly. I'm sure that you mean well, and that your goal is to try and earn friends, but you're better off with Juliya than me. All of my friends went and Impressed, or got transferred away. I'm sick of trying anymore."

In those few sentences, Rawign unintentionally gave away exactly what his problem was. But he didn't realize it. Instead, he just gave R'fuin a look that said clearly, "Give up now, admit defeat, I'm not going to budge." But he'd already budged in telling him what was wrong. Funny, that. Rawign often lost his composure when upset, though. It was one of his bigger flaws... one of many, really.

[Kisha-Ra]

Ylonth lifted his head off the ground to look at Juliya. I am glad to meet you.[/color] The blue replied with drowsy contentment laced through his tone. You wouldn’t have noticed I and mine there, we came from another Weyr.[/color] In true dragon style Ylonth refused to put a name to what he didn’t like. R’fuin had been nervous and unhappy at Benden, so Ylonth disliked the place for upsetting his bonded.

Only aware of his dragon’s movement, R’fuin gave Rawign an appraising look. The younger man looked desperately sad in a way R’fuin couldn’t put a name to. it was a sadness he was trying to hide behind this disagreeable mask, or so it seemed to R’fuin’s sudden insight, but it ran deep.

R’fuin just matched the pessimistic look he was given, sand the statements that came with it, with yet another of his cheerful smiles. ‘You shouldn’t let not Impressing at your first hatching put you off that badly. Plenty of people don’t Impress the first time around, it’s really not that surprising when you consider how many candidates are brought in, there’s nearly always a third more candidates than eggs.’ R’fuin spoke from his experience at Benden, the searchriders there brought in as many boys as they could find to stand. He hoped his words might help Rawign get some of his happiness back, he probably did have some once. It was a shame he couldn’t help Rawign with his friends but the ones who Impressed were probably still bogged down in weyrling lessons and those who had transffered off were, well gone. ‘Did some of your friends go to Blossom then?’ R’fuin suddenly asked with interest. That was R’fuin once he got going, trying to follow every topic, probably confused everyone he talked to.


Razi suddenly felt very small and silly, she dropped her eyes to the ground. ‘I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have been so rude, it was just, well I’m sure you can guess how it feels seeing someone from Fort here.’ Razi apologised to the ground, once again regretting her seemingly endless ability to say the wrong thing at the wrong time. ‘I turned traitor and ran off, it was all R’fuin’s plan really, I guess we’re just lucky we got here in four large pieces that are all the right size and shape.’ With that little metaphor she referred of R’fuin, Ylonth, Kismeth, and herself, to say they arrived in one piece would be wrong, and she’d really hate to thing what they’d look like if they had.

[glamourie]

They're from Benden. The idea made Juliya want to frown and she forcibly blanked her features. Benden and Fort were both horrible but she had survived at Fort -- she wasn't sure she could have survived at Benden. She had, once, caught glimpse of the Benden Weyrwoman, and Arga was enough to make any female want to backtrack in terror from that Weyr. She would take the risk of being killed for being able to hear all dragons any day if it meant that she could avoid .. becoming what the Benden Weyrwoman was. It was frightening, in the worst imaginable ways. There were some things human beings weren't made for and being little more than a shell was one of them. She was visibly destroyed. It scared Juliya, and she did not scare easily.

Putting that thought to the back of her mind, she responded to the dragon without looking at him, I hope you find Selenitas to your liking. If ever you need anything that I can help you with, know that you and yours can ask me. It was the nicest thing she could offer, but Juliya was not in any position to grant anything that the blue and his bonded could not attain on their own. She was in the same boat as them at least in the eyes of the public, whether they realized it or not. They were from Fort and Benden - and could not be trusted. Juliya would not have trusted herself, in the position of the riders from Selenitas. She understood. In time they would see that she was not an enemy, but... well, such things took time. Had the new pair been treated with an air of hostility? Had they been made to feel unwelcome? Juliya wondered, but she dared not ask. It was not her place.

"If traitor be you than traitor be I as well," Juliya replied with a slight shrug, "but I do not expect that Kamerai would come looking for us or send anyone." She spared R'fuin a glance, but he seemed distracted by Rawign. Foreigners did not know that Kamerai was the true ruler of Fort, no matter what anyone said. But Juliya knew, and she was betting that the other greenrider knew, too. She smiled slightly, and hoped the expression was more reassuring than she felt. "You owe no apologies. You're right. I know exactly how it feels to see someone from Fort here. I was very... surprised that S'rei is Weyrleader." And not in a good way. She had some history with the Weyrleader and the knowledge that he had betrayed Fort was not a light one. How many associates of hers were killed at his indiscretion? She didn't blame him but he fell into the category the rest did: enemies. Bronze riders were the enemy.

* * *

Rawign looked at R'fuin -- really looked at him -- for the first time. His dark green eyes narrowed, skeptical and judgmental as always. There was an air of hostility he was giving off and it was intentional. The tenseness in his muscles and the guarded eyes were protection against others, visible shields to keep people at bay. Rawign hurt inside, and he wanted everyone to keep a healthy distance from him. He wasn't naturally a nasty individual. He wasn't friendly either. He was an introvert at heart, but his heart was cut up into pieces and sent to Blossom while he was left cold and alone at Selenitas, with all of his friends having moved on. No part of him felt as though he was a member of the group and he hated it. Rawign hated feeling isolated, and he was too busy being resentful to try and fix it. He was bitter, and bitterness had a talent for dissuading most people from associating with a person.

Apparently, it didn't effect blueriders from Benden Weyr.

"I bet most of them didn't get kicked off the sands by the Senior Queen," Rawign said with a blandness that made it clear that no matter what S'rei said, he had taken it personally, because it was personal. What dragon would want someone as messed up in the head as him? Well, apparently he wasn't completely worthless, three firelizards and all, but Rawign had accepted he would not Impress. Actually, he wasn't truly bothered by that. He'd been perfectly fine until Marra was transferred. But the one person he was closest to was gone and that just reinforced how very alone he really was. And Li, ditcher that he was, kept flying off to Blossom and leaving him! One of his three, gone almost all the time...

The word Blossom, despite having been brought up by him, made Rawign flinch. "I don't want to talk about that." He'd brought it up. He knew he did. But shard it, he didn't want to admit that the only person who made him feel wanted in all of Pern was gone. Like admitting to being completely alone, it wasn't a pleasant thought. "I won't ask you about Benden if you don't ask me about the person who is at Blossom. Okay?"

[Kisha-Ra]

At the mention of Benden R’fuin’s expression changed completely, for the first time since leaving that accursed place his expression was not boyish and open. It was a cold mask of indifference overlaid with subservient fear and his eyes showed nothing of his thoughts; it was as if someone inside his head had slammed the shutters closed against an incipient storm. It was a schooled expression on R’fuin had developed for dealing with things he didn’t like but couldn’t argue with, which was most things at Benden Weyr.

‘Agreed.’ Even R’fuin’s voice seemed a little colder, a little more closed off, as his mind shied away from the idea of talking or thinking about Benden, he knew he’d have to talk about it eventually, it might be that the Weyrleaders here would want to know about what was happening at Benden, or someone might even ask him, out of ignorance and innocence, about his past, and even if neither of those happened he would still have face the past before it poisoned him, but not yet, not now…

‘You shouldn’t take it so personally.’ R’fuin abruptly jumped back to the oh-so-much safer topic of Rawign failing to Impress. ‘Queens are always touchy at hatchings; I think half of them would chase all the candidates right back home if it weren’t for their riders. You were just really unlucky that she noticed you.’


Razi caught her breath as if Kamerai’s name would somehow bring the attention of the woman herself. ‘Come looking for us, I think not, and if she were to send anyone it would not be a greenrider out in plain sight with her dragon. The first either of us would know of her sending would be when we dropped dead of poison or a knife in the back. However I doubt mere greens and their riders are important to her.’ Kismeth grumbled a protest at being referred to as a ‘mere green’ from the water.

For a moment Razi felt, and probably looked, like a sun-touched wherry, she’d known S’rei was here but not that he was Weyrleader! ‘What?’ was all she could manage to come up with. ‘S’rei is Weyrleader?’ S’rei, non-combatant S’rei, weyrleader? S’rei from Fort Weyrleader of Selenitas? The more Razi recalled of S’rei, which wasn’t much, the more unlikely this concept became.

[boober]

[[*INVADES* ...Hope no one minds >>;]]


There are other dragons here.

Brennath balked, her steps halted as she lifted her head, eyes whirling suspicion. Topaz, perched on one of her neck ridges, squawked and flipped his wings, as though demanding to know why the green had stopped. Cezine paused and regarded her green with a sort of tolerant indulgence as Sky chirped from her shoulder; Brennath had an aversion toward male dragons, and if one of the aforementioned dragons happened to be male, she’d have a hard time convincing her green to go near them. But for now, she walked on and her dragon reluctantly followed. Around the bend, they spotted the dragons: two greens and a blue. I do not want to go over there. Just as she’d expected, Brennath was opposed.

Just because of one blue, my love? There are two other greens; you’ll have a chance to socialize.

What would the big ones want with me? Cezine paused to give her dragon a look before shrugging.

I suppose we could go somewhere else; if they see us walking away, they’ll only think that you’re intimidated by their size, just like all the other young ones. Brennath snorted at this, her eyes whirling faster as Cezine hid a smile.

I am not intimidated! With that, the young green shuffled toward the small crowd with determination, her smiling rider following. The brown perched on Brennath’s neckridge was clearly happy that they were moving again. As they drew closer, however, Cezine became curious. Had all these people just happened upon each other, or were they interrupting a meeting of some sort? Her gaze swept the people before her, suddenly snagging on a familiar form. Rawign! The greenweyrling was delighted to see him; she’d been so busy since Impressing Brennath she hadn’t had much time for what little socializing she did. But something was amiss.

Before she could dwell further, however, Topaz took it upon himself to take wing and soar over to the crowd, trilling brilliantly to announce his presence. Settling on Juliya’s head, he sang sweetly for all present, fluting and trilling happily. Sky merely peeped and snuggled against his bonded’s neck. The little blue was almost the exact opposite of the vain brown, not wishing to call attention to himself in the slightest. Brennath rumbled her amusement quietly at Topaz as Cezine hid a smile behind her hand. She gave herself a moment, not wanting to burst into laughter in the midst of a scolding.

“Topaz! Your manners!” Though her voice wasn’t exactly loud (Cezine almost never raised her voice), the brown flinched, stopping mid-song to regard his bonded in bewilderment. Twittering questioningly, he glanced about before fluttering away to return to his perch on Brennath’s neckridge. The green’s eyes whirled her amusement as she swiveled her head to look at the flit. Obviously subdued, Topaz cheeped meekly at the green, earning a rumble of amusement. Cezine couldn’t resist any more, a grin breaking out on her face.

“I’m sorry; we didn’t mean to intrude. Topaz always wants to be in the center of attention.” Hopefully they hadn’t interrupted anything important.

[glamourie]

Juliya smiled slightly, but didn't voice her agreement. It didn't need to be stated that she was sure that Razi was right. If Kamerai knew where they went - and why, in her particular case - there wouldn't be any dragonriders sent to collect her. It was the same argument she had provided S'rei when she arrived. A mere greenrider would not have even been sent as messenger. Hnn. She shook her head and looked over at Eriannath, where the green dragon lay curled up, quite calm all things considered. And why shouldn't she be? Eriannath had always been nothing short of collected and there was little that would likely change the green's demeanor. Not even Juliya's fear. She'd calmed down so Eriannath was relaxing again, oblivious to her surroundings. She made for quite a sight, so casually sprawled out, but she liked the river at Selenitas quite a lot. It was nice and warm, even in the coldest temperatures. So different from Fort!

Razi didn't know that S'rei was Weyrleader? That thought struck her as unusual and Juliya tilted her head. "You didn't report to the Weyrleaders upon arrival?" Was she the only one who followed customs despite fleeing? "Yes, S'rei of Salenth is Weyrleader here --"

Whatever else she was going to say was abruptly cut off by the sound of voices nearby and Juliya lifted her head. The action was almost subconscious. She didn't look up; she knew the voice belonged to a green and it didn't take much effort to connect the name. She knew few people but the dragons were much, much more familiar to her. She listened without adding anything, well-aware that she was half-eavesdropping, and bit the sides of her tongue. So distracted was she that she nearly missed the brown landing on her shoulder, until he started singing, and then she giggled. Oh, how charming! Her momentary worries were dashed as she lifted one hand to rub her fingers over the firelizard's hide, only to have him fly away. Her gaze lifted and turned to Cezine before she nodded.

"He's perfectly charming," she stated with a light shrug. "Absolutely lovely. You owe no apologies." Her gaze flicked to Brennath and she smiled. "She's growing beautifully, isn't she? She'll be more than a knock-out, I'm sure her clutchsiblings don't know what hit them whenever she comes around." It was meant as a compliment. Brennath was lovely, though, in truth, Juliya thought no dragon could remotely compare to Eriannath. No one was as fond of other dragons as they were their own. It was just the nature of a rider to love their other half the most... and Eriannath was everything to her.

* * *

Rawign shook his head slowly. "It was personal. I'm not offended, but that doesn't make it any less personal." He was not going to point out the details of why he was chased off. It was embarrassing and he still had the scars all down his chest and back from the incident. The twisting scars along his side and up his back were unpleasant to him to even think about let alone discuss and no matter what the blue rider might have thought, there was nothing that could change that Aslath had efficiently made it personal. He didn't hold it against her. But that didn't change anything. He didn't even want to Impress. Most people did. He didn't, he just wanted Marra back. If she managed to come back that would be enough for him. It really was a wonder he hadn't started tunneling to Blossom yet. He'd considered it briefly but the logistics were against him and besides he was sort of directionally challenged. He'd end up in Light Tower, confused, and vaguely resembling a tunnel snake. Nothing attractive about that.

"It's not like I plan to stand again. I'm a Healer; that's what I want to be. And I have three firelizards. I'm not sure I could deal with the responsibility of a dragon. My firelizards drive me insane as it is," he stated with a shrug, only to look up at the sound of singing. "Speaking of firelizards..."

His two both chirped at Topaz, with Roxie hissing quietly. Rawign ignored her to look up at Cezine with a curt nod. She was one of the people he'd lost touch with and he wasn't sure what to say to her. And seeing her sort of embarrassed him, anyway. He'd been ignoring everyone, ever since Marra left. The only person who spoke to him was K'lir and usually that involved insults and/or things being thrown at his head. Calistoth had given K'lir self-esteem and Rawign sort of wanted to take it back because he was positively unbearable since. "Hello, Cezine. Hello, Brennath."