Chey
Rider I'nos Handler Elynael
Onwards and Upwards
Posts: 101
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Post by Chey on Mar 11, 2013 13:49:58 GMT -5
Elynael sat up. It was the middle of the day. Shards, why was she still awake. Elynask was sleeping contentedly and Elynael could almost see the hunting dream she knew her special Green girl was having.
"At least you get a decent days sleep." she mumbled, hopping up and pacing for a moment. She hated waking up during the days; her eyes had been trained to the night and the light hurt her eyes. Furthermore, that was when those bloody dragon riders were up and about. There seemed to be no getting rid of them. She became a wherhandler; couldn't sleep during the day to adequately stay awake during the night. She was awake during the night; there were suddenly nocturnal dragons.
It never ended!
I'm going out 'Nask. She whispered quietly into her Green's mind. Don't worry, I'll be back in a bit. Can't sleep again.
Kyman...die...kill...hunt.... Elynask purred into her mind, in the midst of a dream. Elynael sight, but still left. Nask hated it when she took off during the day, but being trapped in her weyr was driving her nuts. One could only take so much of staring at the wall before going stark raving mad. Even if it meant dealing with dragons.
Belting on her knife, she got dressed and ventured out of the apartments. Doubtlessly, she was probably one of the only people awake in this part of the weyr right now. She didn't really know what to do, so she just walked aimlessly. Sometimes she went down a hallway that strayed out of the wherhandler apartments, but then she took a hallway back to them. She really had no destination, she just wanted to walk until she collapsed.
Anything to sleep again.
Rounding a corner, she wasn't looking where she was going and almost ran into a man. Looking up, she cursed and jumped back, hand flying to her knife. She glared at the newcomer moodily. "What are you doing here?"
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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 Mar 12, 2013 6:11:46 GMT -5
It may have been about three turns since he'd left Selenitas Weyr, but he looked much the same as he always had. A little taller and broader, maybe, but most people didn't pay too close attention to growth once you'd passed the 6'6" marker. Ludicrously tall was ludicrously tall. The cold grey-blue eyes narrowed on the younger woman drawing back from him in what could only be construed as a defensive posture, his flame-scarred face stuck in the smirky half-smile that was entirely damaged nerves and not a real expression. In reality he just didn't really know how to respond to the open hostility. So naturally he defaulted to his typical response: blatant, careless sarcasm.
"What's the forgettable part? Evidence of dragons mistaking me for a candle, the ceiling brushing height, or the resemblance to your Weyrleader?" Dmitri's father really wasn't his prized association, but the two of them looked similar enough (even if they acted completely different) to make the relationship pretty sharding obvious. "Or is your little hissy fit because you think I don't belong near the handlers' quarters anymore just because my wife and I moved out three turns ago? You may be able to go turns as a wherhandler without making much in the way of friends, Elynael, but Dmisk didn't allow me that luxury, the territorial bastard." Throwing her name out was probably nasty, given if he'd had a normal person memory rather than a harper's he probably wouldn't have remembered it and it implied she should remember him too when perhaps she really shouldn't given their extremely limited contact before he'd left, but Dmitri wasn't feeling generous.
He got that way when people slammed into him, drew a blade, then spit at him for apparently existing. That was a bit offensive. Who knew?
Now that he had all of that off his chest, though, Dmitri put the spite away for someone more deserving. He didn't stop eyeing her, though. "Going to put the knife away sometime this century? You may not remember me, but I doubt you've forgotten Dmisk. He would not be very pleased." Hard to forget Eikask's blue brother, the unacknowledged leader of the whers until the three wher siblings were forced to move to a hold because their handlers were craftsmen. Dmisk was likely to hunt down anyone who dared to hurt His. Wher simply didn't seem to get that he should act less like a king and more like a normal blue.
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Chey
Rider I'nos Handler Elynael
Onwards and Upwards
Posts: 101
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Post by Chey on Mar 12, 2013 13:52:20 GMT -5
Elynael was unimpressed. Wow, did he need to calm the Shard down. She wasn't even that bad and she had a lot of issues- as evidenced by the nightmares that had wrenched another full days sleep away from her.
"There was no offense meant by what I said, Dmitri." she snapped mildly. "I was merely surprised, or have you forgotten I don't take kindly to those?"
Her jaw snapped shut with an audible clack before she unhinged it. "Elynask and I have plenty of friends, thank you, and I don't give a damn what luxury you may or may not have had if you take that tone with me."
She was distantly aware that Elynask would highly not approve of the way she was acting. Reluctantly, she tried a more civil approach. At the mention of her half-drawn blade, she let it slide back down into the sheath and she hid it again and took a step back.
"My apologies. I should not have drawn a blade on you or at least attempted to. You are correct on one thing: while I may not have many friends, no wherhandler in these apartments bears me any ill will as far as I know. There was no cause to incite violence."
If that didn't make Nask proud, she didn't know what would. Not only was that probably more than she'd said to him in Turns upon Turns, but it was also far more polite than anything she'd ever said to anyone else who had the nerve to get lippy with her.
At the mention of Dmisk, she laughed out loud. "I doubt Elynask and I would get far with him after us. He is a good wher. How is he during these Turns that we haven't seen him? I know him and Nask weren't close, but she was far more fond of him than any other whers she's met over the Turns."
Another thought struck her. "A better question yet: what are you doing here during the day? Or at Selenitas at all? It is not unusual for me to wander about during the day. It is, however, unusual for you."
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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 Mar 12, 2013 15:10:25 GMT -5
It was hard to say whether or not the sarcasm was an effective weapon, used in this aggressive way he had when he felt threatened. Despite his size, Dmitri wasn't a fighter. At all. He might have become one if not for the crippled arm. Maybe. Likely not. All he knew was that for one reason or another people tended to leave him alone when he reacted this way. Sarcasm had this nice mixture of projecting a devil may care attitude while still being sharp and biting, effectively hiding whatever concern or nervousness he might have felt. While he might well have been able to defend himself from a knife-wielding girl over a foot shorter than him (and no, he didn't know Elynael well enough to dismiss the possibility she might actually use that blade) the harper would much rather not test that. If he got pretty holes poked in him he'd have to keep Dmisk from reacting and Elysia would laugh at him until she probably asphyxiated. Not to mention he wasn't sure how he'd explain that to Erilena. His wife treated him like a large child often enough without him helping that along by proving himself helpless on top of everything else.
When she eased up, so too, did his own sarcastic behavior toward her. Of course, this was Dmitri, and he didn't really come in a flavor other than sarcastic. It just shifted to a different target, taking on a much more good-natured type of feel. That in itself was acceptance enough of her apology. Dmitri wasn't the type to make it awkward by making a big deal of it or press his advantage when she'd already admitted she was in the wrong to draw the blade in the first place. To be honest, though, he was a little surprised at how favorably she and her wher seemed to be disposed toward Dmisk. Did everyone love his blue? It seemed that the cold wher made quite the impression no matter where he went.
"With his two clutchsisters to order around?" he commented blandly, tone clearly indicating that nothing could make the blue happier. "I think he might try to kidnap Yosk sometime to complete the set, but other than that he seems more than content to terrorize the countryside around Selenitas Hold. They occasionally have feline problems. Had." Dmitri snorted softly. He might have made mention of Elynael's wher, but he honestly didn't know what Dmisk thought of her. She'd been too young to really run in the male's circles when they'd left, barely more than a wherling. The blue was protective of all his 'family', though, which obviously included any of Eikask's children. Read: almost every wher at Selenitas Weyr.
The harper wrinkled his nose good-naturedly at her. "Yeah...most people expect their harpers to not shun the daylight. I'm flexible. Honestly, though, the kids wanted to see their grandfather. Normally I just let Elysia take them but she's been in her 'I'm going to steal your kids and not give them back if you don't do what I want' mood lately, so I came along to avoid a kidnapping. Thought maybe the odd wherhandler wouldn't sleep the entire day away." He directed a quirky smile her way. Truth be told, he'd come to see Yoalla and Roivao. Possibly Piden. His old friends/acquaintances from before. Most of the younger wherhandlers he didn't really know. That wasn't to say he minded talking to them, too. Dmitri was pretty social, even if he wasn't exactly what you thought of when you pictured your average silver-tongued charmer of a harper.
"What has you up and not playing vampire with the rest of them?" he questioned the woman curiously.
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Chey
Rider I'nos Handler Elynael
Onwards and Upwards
Posts: 101
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Post by Chey on Mar 13, 2013 13:45:11 GMT -5
Elynael was amused at the mention of Dmisk and his two clutchsisters. If anything was known about Dmisk to her, it was his familial ties and his protectiveness of them. Dmitri hadn't lied: Dmisk was one territorial wher. Elynask was likewise protective, but no where near that level. In fact, his protectiveness was really the only reason they'd ever been introduced to Dmisk, outside of Elynael's associations with other handlers.
She laughed. "Ah, yes, felines. Elynask loves hunting. Felines aren't her favorite delicacy you could say, but she enjoys a chase none the less and a chubby herdbeast can't run like she can. She finds no joy in that chase."
Elynael was surprised to see another Handler awake during the day, however. Though it was quickly becoming a normal thing now, it seemed, for a lot of handlers were weyrmating with dragonriders just as Dmitri had and having children that required daylight hours. The idea was displeasing to her, to say the least. Daylight she didn't mind; dragons, she did mind. They were responsible for nearly everything wrong in this world and the only good they put back into it was destroying thread, in her mind.
That he'd been wandering the weyr alone like her was unlikely. Dmitri was a social butterfly and she was the pure image of social awkwardness come to life. She knew he'd probably been off to visit some long-lost friend, likely the handlers of whomever his wher was with. He'd just run into him by chance.
Vampires, were they? She found that analogy hardly amusing but scarily accurate. She shrugged in forced nonchlance. "I couldn't sleep. I've been having these nightmare lately and if I don't exhaust myself to the point of collapsing during the night, I don't sleep during the day. Staying in my apartment with a sleeping wher is hardly a good time and it's driving me up a wall."
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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 Mar 18, 2013 2:33:07 GMT -5
"Yeah, herdbeast and wherry don't really present much of a challenge." There was a note of curiosity behind the comment, because Dmitri was unaware that the Weyr had started allowing whers into their kept herds. They didn't even look kindly on adult dragons thinning the herd except during unusual circumstances. But he didn't comment. There were some wild herdbeast, just not too many in the thick jungles around here.
"Don't have any daylighters to bother when sleep doesn't come? They're a lifesaver in situations like that." Had Dmitri been aware of her bias against dragons and anything to do with them, he might have known better than to ask such a question, but as it was he really didn't know that much about Elynael. His wife had been pregnant when they'd made the transition here after the earthquake. Nothing like young children to occupy your time.
Slipping his hands into his pockets, he leaned against the wall, thinking it would be rude to just keep walking to one of his friends' doors. And pointless to wander aimlessly. "Well...Dmisk goes out every night and I usually run with him. That's a pretty sure way to wear a person out." Yeah, he was trying to be helpful. Something told him that she probably wasn't forthcoming with this type of information on a regular basis, so the least he could do was actually listen. Of course, one of the reasons he ran with his wher was that actually riding him, while possible, was awkward at best. Dmitri was just too long a person, being near seven foot tall. He'd look out of place even on big whers, and be prone to getting knocked off by any errant branches. Now it was habit to make those long runs.
"If you don't mind my asking, what is this nightmare that's been bothering you?"
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Chey
Rider I'nos Handler Elynael
Onwards and Upwards
Posts: 101
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Post by Chey on Mar 18, 2013 8:44:16 GMT -5
Daylighters. The term hardly made her smile, but it did amuse her. She snorted delicately, a sarcastic noise in the back of her throat. "A dragonrider? Hardly. There is only one dragonrider I would ever bother to speak with and it would be dire circumstances indeed to push me to it. He and I aren't, ah, on what you would call 'speaking terms,' so to say."
Her dislike, verging on hatred, of dragons and their riders weren't any secret. Most wherhandlers did have dragonrider friends and she was no different; however, they actually kept in touch with theirs. She'd only bothered to keep tabs on one and any dragon she ran into was met with a sarcastic and hostile albeit oddly polite greenhandler. To her, they were arrogant and Threadfighting was the only use they really had.
"Yes, I run too. Elynask has taken to making me chase her through hell and high water every night. Well, usually everynight. Last night she didn't and now I'm paying for it, I suppose." She considered his question carefully, thinking it over.
"To be honest, I don't know why I consider it a nightmare. Half the time I don't even remember what it was about. This one in particular was about losing Nask. That keeps me awake plenty of nights."
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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 Mar 26, 2013 9:37:37 GMT -5
Dmitri, who was no stranger whatsoever to general distaste of the human race at large (ask anyone), was still rather taken aback by Elynael's blanket hatred of all dragonriders. Since the bluehandler highly doubted that she'd actually met all the dragonriders on Pern, he could only conclude that her prejudice was rooted somewhere in her past. Not sure he wanted to know. The massive burn scarring he'd sustained from dragon fire, after all, and he'd come from Fort Hold before that; if anyone had reason for such hatred, it was him. Since hers seemed so much worse it only stood to reason that she must have gone through something horrendously traumatic. That or she was just an ignorant bigot.
Fortunately, none of these thoughts would be readily apparent on his face as he regarded her in silence after the statement (in large part due to the damage to his facial nerves from the previously stated injury) so his nod wasn't likely to earn any spite being redirected his way. The topic seemed to pass without incident, arriving safely back at the doorstep of insomniac wherhandlers.
"For not remembering your dreams..." he commented dryly, not finishing the statement. It was rather obvious what came after that. "You're right. I always go to bed just wishing one of my mindmates will have died by the time I wake back up again. Such annoying buggers they are, sharing your head, snarking at you, making you run around like a madman with the intention of jumping the nearest warm body. That's no nightmare!" The harper snorted softly. Seemed pretty obvious to him why she'd call it a nightmare, but maybe there was the occasional handler who actually hated their wher. Anything was possible, right?
"Why the odd fear?" He eyed her curiously. "You'd hardly Impressed before the war ended, and nothing's really threatened any of us since."
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Chey
Rider I'nos Handler Elynael
Onwards and Upwards
Posts: 101
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Post by Chey on Mar 27, 2013 13:26:49 GMT -5
"Just because there is nothing to threaten me does not mean there is nothing to fear." Elynael said softly. "Any wise man knows that. My life was something of a hell before Nask and I have no desire to be there again."
Remembering Hyphen was almost physically painful. Sure, her life hadn't been nearly as bad as it could have, that was for certain. She'd been provided for a child, but she'd hardly had a wondrous childhood full of excitement and a doting family. Watching her slightly estranged brothers become something resembling drunken assholes while her father had a rather large string of strange women running through the house was nothing to cherish.
Her emotional turmoil was faint through a wherhandler's bond, but it still stirred Nask, who had been deep in sleep. Elynael reigned it in, cautious over her emotions, and Elynask quickly returned to sleep. She sighed heavily and rubbed at her sleep deprived eyes.
"I know not many see whers as a blessing, Dmitiri, but I do. Elynask was quite literally a blessing to me. Maybe our bond isn't quite as close as that of First Impression to a dragon, but it's still something."
Shards, was it something. Coming to Selenitas had been difficult enough, abandoning her family at a Gather and hitchhiking back with a dragonrider. Being here without a real purpose, no status, or a mindmate had been even worse. With her Green, she felt a real purpose- she was doing something. Someone like Elynael couldn't be somewhere without a purpose and being on the Nightwatch or heaven forbid in the mines was a purpose.
"They're just nightmares." she said with forced indifference, abruptly trying to turn the spotlight off her. "I'm sure they'll pass eventually."
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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 Mar 30, 2013 10:10:54 GMT -5
The bluehandler regarded her a little incredulously. It wasn't that he didn't understand of course. Dmisk and Dementia were both very important to him for different reasons, and he didn't think he'd do well to lose either. They'd also transformed his life and a lot of the good in it now came from them, either directly or indirectly. It just wasn't reasonable to be so afraid of going back that you couldn't sleep when there was nothing to indicate that possibility was remotely likely in anything resembling the near future.
It was like his locking up his mindmates and family and never letting a single one of them outdoors for fear something might happen to one of them. Of course anything could happen, but you couldn't let that dominate your life. It was impossible to enjoy the good in your life if you were always worried about losing it. Dmitri didn't much feel like lecturing a girl who hardly knew him though. She wasn't his responsibility and she wasn't a friend. Moreover he doubted she would accept or appreciate it.
"Most do," the harper agreed, even though there was a touch of doubt to the words. Most nightmares did, but recurring ones that were the result of a present fear? Those tended to linger until you dealt with the real issue. "I think I'm going to have to invest in a sarcasm sign," he commented dryly, not entirely keen on pursuing the topic either so latching on to something else instead. "Haven't met a wherhandler who regretted Impressing...given a couple days anyway. You're not so unusual."
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