The Walls have Ears...

[Administrator]

Trenlor had actually ventured out of his apartment for once, though it was mostly because he wanted to pick up some things from the infirmary to experiment with (and some food to eat). If he could manage to get that drug to work without the side effects, then he could return to Benden, sell it to C'leon, earn enough marks to last him the rest of his life, and he could go live a quiet, if luxurious, life somewhere here down south. Somewhere where he could live with the memories of his beloved bronze in peace. Soundlessly, he stalked down the hall, a few chunks of bread in his hand, looking like the definition of a sulking man.

Then, suddenly, before he could register that S’rei was even here, he felt a strong blow to his face. Grunting as he was knocked down to the floor, his Benden fighting instincts went into motion. Without even touching his paining jaw, he immediately went to try and get himself up to attack S’rei. However, his aging body wasn’t as quick as it used to be. As he tried to push himself up, S’rei got there first, grabbing his tunic and pulling him up. Grunting again as S’rei pushed him against the wall, his eyes weren’t expressionless as they usually were. Anger and hatred was almost visible in every cell.

“Didn’t like seeing your lass dripping blood, did you?” he taunted, even though it hurt to move his jaw. He would have to check on it later. But for now, he wanted to make this man burn. How S’rei had found out, he didn’t know, and probably wouldn’t. He had told the dim-witted drudge that the drug would help her pregnancy, when it was really just powdered poisons. How that idiot Weyrwoman survived it, he didn’t know, but he was pleased that it had weakened her for a while. It had surely affected her mentally long-term, too… His plan would be to systematically break her down, torturing her as C’leon wanted her to be, so she could be taken to Benden. That hopefully would have had some negative effect of S’rei, perhaps making him too weak to fight C’leon, therefore surrendering the Weyr to Benden. The plan had been so close…

Spitting into the man’s face, he quickly brought his foot to kick the man in the groin. If successful, he could be released and make his getaway… Or… His eyes flickered over to the lass standing a distance away, probably attracted by the ruckus S’rei was stirring up. If he could get his hands on her, he could injure her enough to make the attention swerve from him to her, and he could escape then. Anything to cause Selenitas, a Weyr of peaceful dragons, know pain, he would be pleased. His hatred for these happily war-ignorant dragonfolk was passionate, his anger consuming him. They had no right to enjoy what he’d lost. He would kill them.

[Requiem]

If he'd had any doubt, the look in the man's eyes was enough proof. This man held nothing but hatred for him. His words shocked S'rei. The Weyrleader had almost felt a stab of remorse for acting without validation, and would have expected some form of denial, whether Trenlor was guilty or not. He should have known better. This man was Benden-bred. In the northern weyr, suspicion was enough - suspicion or spite - to condemn a man. So long as his backing wasn't too strong. But the sneered words were an admission. Trenlor had poisoned Shmee. If the fool man had thought he was angry before...

S'rei noticed the shifting weight, his instincts taking over as he darted back, twisting from what would have been Trenlor's good hand. The man had been trained in both Benden and Fort hand-to-hand, concentrating on power and finesse, respectively. He was no easy opponent. Then again, he tended to expect attacks to come from the arm, and usually in the form of a blade. Understandable, given his history. The position he'd taken with Trenlor was a vulnerable one, which indicated he was either an idiot or hadn't expected an attack. S'rei hoped the dragonhealer would believe the former; it gave him the advantage.

An advantage that was quickly waning. The foot caught him a glancing blow, his upper thigh absorbing most of the force, but even a glancing blow to that region was potentially debilitating. One thing about men, though. If you were going to strike out at a man's groin, you'd best connect solidly and down him - and get the hell out of dodge. The blood drained from S'rei's face, though whether it was from pain or fury was anyone's guess. As he jabbed for Trenlor's face with his left fist, though, it was pretty apparent he wasn't going down. The right followed the left, coming in low and angling upward, aiming to bury itself in Trenlor's gut, his leg coming around on the trailing edge of the momentum. The last strike was the most dangerous. If it connected with the older man's temple, the dragonhealer would be knocked senseless.

All three moves were executed swiftly, and with the force of a very angry man behind them. But it seemed that was all the Weyrleader was capable of at the moment. He sunk to one knee, the pain radiating through him. His vision was hazy enough that he couldn't make out what was going on around him just yet, though he thought his blows had connected with something. Whether that something was Trenlor or the wall was rather uncertain. Salenth was roaring not far off, the pair of one mind in this. To the Main Hall, the dragon broadcasted. Trenlor is to be subdued by any means available to you. He is dangerous, and potentially armed.

[Administrator]

Trenlor grunted as S'rei seemed to not be defeated by the blow. Instead the Weyrleader sent a quick series of hits at him, the first of which to his face. Flinching instinctively, he made no noise, but rather closed the eye that had been struck. He had shut it hard enough, so unnaturally, that it was clear what it was S'rei had hit. Trenlor was definitely pained, but he made no outward sign other than this flinch. Unable to open it, he showed his true Benden strength by looking back up at the man boldly. He truly didn't care about being caught now. There was nothing to live for. He could never be truly happy again, even if C'leon could pay him off to live off comfortably till the end of his days. Antagonizing S'rei only managed to feed the beast within him that wanted to cause hurt. And it appeared it was all working just fine right now. Sure, he could get physically hurt, but nothing would amount to his inner pain. Sure, S'rei, beat him! Not even torture could break him as much as the loss of his dragon.

However, he did hiss as the next blow struck his gut. This knocked the wind out of him, and if he hadn't been pressed against the wall, he would have doubled over. Managing a weak smirk, he said, "Must've touched a sore spot. Guess you don't like me talking about your lady like that. Don't worry, though- by the time C'leon's done, your little sore spot will be a gaping wound." Pleased with himself, he watched S'rei's movements this time. Ducking out just in time, it still hit his head, narrowly avoiding his temple. Snarling at S'rei, he was pleased that the man finally sunk down in his pain. Taking a heavy gasp of air and clutching his hurt eye, he aimed a sharp kick at S'rei before the man hit the ground. "I'm going to kill you and your little lass," he snarled, looking around. Shard it. If only he brought his knife... Bringing his foot down on S'rei, he smiled with grim satisfaction. Unfortunately, the hit at his stomach knocked too much energy from him, so it probably wasn't as hard as he'd wanted it to be, but it was enough.

Then, a voice. So... so much like his own bronze. If S'rei had wanted to torture him, this certainly had. His eyes beginning to stream, he stood dumbly for a moment in sheer shock of the effect of the dragon's voice reverberating in his skull. Shaking his head slowly, he looked up, spying Auryn. He'd make this Weyr pay.

In an odd burst of energy, he spurted toward her, grabbing her around the neck before she would get away. People were coming, he realized. He would have to protect himself. Wrapping his hands around her neck, he glowered at the growing crowd, clutching the girl's neck tightly, perhaps enough to choke her a little. Not enough to make her lose consciousness, of course, but enough to constrict her throat. "Everyone, back away or I'll twist this girl's head all the way around," he snarled at the crowd, turning a head a fraction of an inch to show that he was not kidding.

"S'rei!" a voice screeched from the crowd. Shmee froze, at the front of the crowd, terrified, but needing to get to S'rei. Miguel wasn't with her, wisely. Perhaps handed off to one of her friends in her desire to be with S'rei.

"Back off, woman, or this girl will be with my dragon between!" he warned her. Eyes beginning to water, she looked beyond Trenlor at S'rei.

"You are going to rot in between," she whispered, at a loss of what to do. Trenlor couldn't get away, but if he was going to kill this girl... She needed to be with S'rei!

"I've been wishing to be in between for Turns," he replied, his voice low and bitter. The sight was an off one to behold, certainly: A crying, old man holding a girl in a chokehold, standing between the Weyrwoman and the Weyrleader.

Salenth, we will head him off![/color] Aslath bugled, not thinking straight. Obviously, Trenlor realized that a dragon could come to him. That's why he was going to keep this girl with him till the last possible moment.[/size]

[saberlin]

Auryn didn't know what to do. Should she fight? Should she stay or run. The fight between the Weyrleader and Trenlor was going to fast. And then he grabbed her round her neck, choking off her air supply but only just. She could still barely breath. Luckily she had gotten a hand up under the hold. For now she would wait, let him think that he had gotten her in a strong tight hold. After all she was only a girl and what could she do. She whimpered in play, though her eyes were of the fiercest fire. If he twisted her neck and she died she would only know the loss of never Impressing and then blackness. Its not as though death were a great threat.

She looked at the Weyrwoman distraught as she was. Auryn licked her lips trying to stay calm in the grasps of the dragonless mad man. At this point she wouldn't be able to get away. Not this way, the halls were to thin. Oh if only she had a dragon! Someone that could hear her mind.

let him take me outside. I will be able to manuver better with out him bringing me harm. Just let him take me outside....

She doubted it would work. But it was her only shot, her only hope for surviving this mess. Even with the Weyrleader here. Well, she had at least surved her purpose, now the entire world of Pern would know the injustices that this man had caused and what he had taken away from these people. Then it came to her. She had been thinking as herself as just the victim, and though she didn't have any blades on herself, her body could be her weapon.

Auryn parted her legs for a better stance and dug her heels in deep. One to the floor and the other into Trenlor's foot. Her left arm *the one that wasn't keeping her neck safe* turned to a sharp pointed elbow and nailed him in his left kidney. Auryn took her hand that was around her neck area and used her nails to dig them in as deep and sharp as they would go, feeling skin break beneath them. She would NOT let it all end this way, and she was going to injure Trenlor as much as she could in the process.

***

Right as Auryn threw her foot down more help showed up in the form of R'ton. The bronze rider had only been a few rooms over when he heard the broadcast from S'rei's Bronze. Rodonth had buggled in return and tried to jump down to the action landing in a resounding thud outside of the building next to the other dragons that were already there. If the man came out side, he was dead. If not by his own claws, by the claws of others.

R'ton jogged up to the scene but did not pass Shmee or even come up to where he was in her perifrial(sp?) vision. He wanted to give what he saw a wide girth. Was the man insane! Why did he have that candidate in a choke hold and why on all of Pern was S'rei on the ground. This was obviously a man to be wary of. R'ton's hand fiddled and hovered over his belt knife's hilt, waiting, waiting.

[Requiem]

His mind was muddy. Just a turn ago, there was no way that a man could disable him so easily - at least not a man in Trenlor's shape. C'leon. Then Trenlor was working with the Benden Weyrleader. Something was up their sleeves, too. S'rei wasn't about to believe these were just idle threats. He didn't see the kick coming, though in truth, he half-expected it. Had the situation been reversed, he would have taken advantage, but still there was nothing he could do to avoid it. His vision was already swimming, and his muscles had locked once the pain finally broke through and overwhelmed him.

The blow caught him in the chin, and likely would have broken his neck if S'rei hadn't known to ride the kick. He hit the floor hard, slamming the back of his head into the hardwood. Trenlor's words penetrated the explosion in his mind. Utterly defenseles, his mind swimming just on the edge of consciousness, the Weyrleader brought up his hands in desperation, one hovering before his neck, the other attempting to protect his chest. It wouldn't do much. Trenlor knew how to kill a man better than most anyone, but it was all S'rei could do, even as he frantically tried to penetrate the fog clouding his vision. Either the dragonhealer didn't have the time to waste on him, or something else was up, because the familiar sensation of cold metal tearing into him was absent.

Instead, a foot ground into his chest with the former Benden bronzerider's full weight behind it. He heard the sound of snapping bones distinctly, followed immediately by a wave of pain that swept him over the edge and into oblivion.

An older dragon was not as likely to go into hysterics when his bonded lost consciousness, but it was still beyond distressing. For one terrifying moment, the bronze thought S'rei had died. He could detect the man's presence in his mind just faintly. A scream of rage burst from his throat. Salenth deeply wished that this demon would come out into the open, where he could tear him to shreds. Even Aslath's presence did little to relieve his anxiety. He was dimly aware of the dragons landing around him, of the riders pouring into the Main Hall. His mind-voice stabbed into Trenlor's head with unbridled ferocity even as Auryn fought him. I will see that everything that happens to Mine, or Aslath's, or that girl happens to you. And then I will kill you so slowly you'll beg for death before it's over. There was nothing quite like a dragon's hatred turned full-force against you.

F'lan darted in, pausing as he saw the situation, his cold blues narrowing. As long as Trenlor held that girl, there was nothing anyone could do. The Weyrleader was stretched out on the floor, and from the sounds of Salenth, he wouldn't be getting up anytime soon. The bluerider glanced at the other dragonriders there, only then noticing he was standing within an arm's length of R'ton. As soon as Trenlor wavered, he'd be hit on all sides. There was no escape for the dragonhealer. F'lan's jaw tightened.

[Administrator]

Fortunately, Trenlor had the advantage of being a seasoned Benden soldier. He knew that even weak girls might try fighting back. But he learned his lesson. Girls needed to be beaten down into submission. He had done it a couple times himself with women in Benden. A simple stomp to his foot wouldn't be enough to down him or even handicap him much. He could feel her heel through his wherhide boot, and he merely smiled. "Think you've got fight in you, girl?" he asked in a low voice. "You seem to not know where I hail from. I was a Wingleader back at Benden so long ago," he told her, hoping to intimidate her into submission. However, he did flinch as her elbow jammed at his kidney. That was it. He was not going to let her get away with this without consequences. Jerking her back, he swung her against the wall with his hands still around her neck. No doubt it would hurt just in the neck alone, as well as in the head. He meant it. He wanted to break her, just as he had done S'rei. From the looks of it, the man was unconscious. He doubted a blow like that would have killed him; his force hadn't been strong enough. If only he had his knife with him, he could've taken care of that job cleanly. However, he would've gotten more pleasure out of killing the Weyrwoman before his eyes, or perhaps his sister, or maybe even that little brat the Weyrwoman had been toting around.

"Girl, if you did this at Benden, you'd be so sore that you wouldn't be able to lie down for weeks. I'm being gentle with you," he told her, once again trying to go with intimidation. Looking back at the crowd, it was clear how far gone this man was. His eyes were crazed, his face twisted into something frighteningly mad. "Don't you come near us," he shouted at the crowd of people, squeezing on Auryn's throat as an added threat, certainly enough to block the airways for that quick second before loosening it. "You know I'll kill her even if you try. Trying to knock any more rebellion out of her, he slammed her head against the wall one last time for good measure. "Now, we're going to leave. None of you are to follow me. If you even take so much as a step closer to me, I'll snap this girl's neck in two." He smild nastily then paused. An angry dragon's voice pierced his skull, and he hollered out, his memories of Tenmath forced upon him brutally more than the words Salenth said. This just made him tighten his hold on Auryn, the shock of a dragon's voice too much for him. His eyes streaming unashamedly, he went on, his voice rising. "I'll let go of her when I get where I need to be." He narrowed his eyes, watching the crowd with his horrible gaze.

Shmee was horrified, scared for the girl, desperate to get to S'rei, and wanting to literally kill Trenlor. "You... You made those drugs," she accused, remembering the last tense moment with Trenlor. "You've ruined Millieth, and now you're trying to ruin us?"

Trenlor let out a bark of laughter. "That's only the half of it," he taunted. "Before Fath's last Flight, I came to Sera and told her I could increase her clutch size. It was a strong dose and killed Fath after she laid those eggs. I'm going to make your Weyr be nothing but weak, dragonless miserable creatures! How else would they be so ugly?"

Shmee froze. Sera... let him inject Fath with these drugs? These deformed dragons came from the deranged woman's fantasy? Shaking her head slowly, Trenlor began to laugh. Trenlor knew that these drugs caused mutations. Though it helped increase the clutch size, he never told Sera of the cost. He was the cause of so much hardship, and two queens who would clutch abnormalities. He wanted to be Selenitas' downfall.

[saberlin]

Auryn was relentless with her jabbing and kicking... Until her head met a wall. Twice. Pain racked her skull and her eyes became spotted. Nausea overwhelming her body. Shells it hurt. This man was truly mad. Did he really think that this was how women should be treated? She could hear the blood running through her skull, pounding in rhythm with her heart. She coughed from the fact that she had been holding her breath and not realizing it.
In a harsh breath that came out barely audible to all those in the room and a voice clearly racked in pain Auryn spoke. "You will never make it to where you need to go. You will never see the sun again." They were tall words and she knew it. But she would NOT give in. Not be able to lie on her back for weeks. She would never go to Benden. She knew the dragons wouldn't let it happen. She knew that S'rei or another one of the bronzeriders that had entered would make sure of her safety.
Auryn continued to listen in disbelief as Trenlor spoke about the reason that the set of dragonets were deformed were the way they are. She thought of the green who's wings would never truly work, and the bronze with no forearms. All of that pain that they went through, all the trouble was caused by this one vicious man. She wanted to kick him again for what she said, but did not think that she could hang onto conciousness if she did so. As of now she already felt as though she was going to hurl. She needed to sit down... Needed to sit down or she was going to.
"Unless you want bile on your arms, set me down."

***

R'ton watched on in utter disgust. Was there nothing that he could do to help? His dragon grumbled out side of the door and he could feel it in his own chest. He wanted this man dead. A man who he had only seen a few times while he was at Eya's side, and now he wanted this man, a healer, dead. His fists balled up at his sides enough to feel skin break underneath the nails that he had not trimmed as of late. His blood was hot in his body, as soon as he could get the girl away from this man he would.

You will die alone and with out anyone. You will never be with your dragon again. He is gone, and you will be gone.

Rodonth had been listening the entire time through the ears of his rider and his entire body trembled next to S'rei's bronze ready to attack and shred the man should he step outside.

I want him dead Rodonth, but not at the cost of the girl.

I know mine. I love you R'ton. I know you will never be evil like this man.

His dragons last words to himself made R'ton's head clear after hearing the first set that he had sent to Trenlor. Never in his big bronzes entire life had there ever been such venom, such fire. They were born of Benden but now were of Selenitas and always would be. They would never be associated with the evils of Benden and all the hideous and hanous creations and things that it had breed into this world.

[Requiem]

Mine... It was a whisper, accompanying Salenth's insistent nudging. The bronze didn't want to startle His, but S'rei had to wake up! Who knew what might happen to him if he didn't...Mine, more urgently. The prodding brought him back into consciousness. Between his legs, an excruciating pain, almost as strong as the one in his chest. It was past keeping him immobile, though. Now there was only anger. No man took well to being kicked in the groin, and S'rei had two angers to lay on top of that. Kicking a man when he was already down was dirty. And now he had taken Auryn hostage? No, Auryn wasn't particularly important to S'rei, but she'd been there for him to protect. He did not take failure well.

The bronzerider watched, his eyes half-lidded, careful not to move as Trenlor distracted himself by responding to Shmee...Shmee! A thrill of apprehension ran through him. Why was she here? Shardit. The charlatan's violence toward Auryn had moved him within reach of S'rei's legs. Did he really think the Weyrleader would go down so easily? With a suddenness that he hoped would catch Trenlor completely off-guard, S'rei's body arched in a move he'd executed countless times in training and the occasional fight. It was designed to flip a man from his back to his arms, using a twisting of the torso and legs, from which he could easily stand. In this case, he meant to give Trenlor something to think about as his legs flailed out. His left toe darted upward toward Trenlor's groin, the twisting of his body sending his other leg directly into the inside of the dragonhealer's knee, intending to take out the kneecap. It was risky on a good day. His legs could get tangled in Trenlor's, and, regardless, he'd end up with his back to the man. He was banking on the blows connecting.

He'd hit something, but again, he wasn't sure what. His legs didn't tangle. A good sign. There was one problem, though. Instead of rising smoothly to his feet, the broken ribs sent a stab of pain through him, leaving him balancing precariously on his hands and toes as he struggled to breathe, his back to Trenlor. Not good at all.

***

There was the gleam of cold steel in the shadows. It was all the warning that was given before the blade screamed through the air, shearing past the top of Auryn's head before burying itself to the hilt between the dragonhealer's eyes. He wasn't sure if the Weyrleader's attack would have taken Trenlor out or not. It didn't matter. Now, there was no threat. No one should be manhandled that way. No one should ever inject a dragon with a drug that would kill it, that would create hatchlings like Phremath and Kasraith, hatchlings that, but for their handicaps, would have been perfect specimens of dragonkind. Others would never understand his cold dispassion. He'd decided Trenlor deserved to die.

And he had no love for Benden bronzeriders.

The silent assassin was turning the corner before Trenlor hit the floor, the dragonhealer swimming in his own blood. There was no room for remorse in him. No, his only regret - was that Trenlor would never suffer like he'd made the others suffer.

[Administrator]

Trenlor let out a bark of laughter at the girl's desperate words. "You're just hiding the fact that you're not confident I'll let you go," he told her softly, giving her head one last smack against the wall for good measure. Oh, it felt so good to be violent again. It was like a release. He had been holding it back all these years, and now he could just do whatever he wanted. This girl would eat her own threat. It might just be her who never saw the sun again. Chuckling coldly at her own 'threat', he simply tightened harder on her throat, almost enough to start strangling her... "I'm a healer. I know what your little-girl bile looks like," he told her with a smirk. "Not only that but I've seen worse." Like Tenmath... The smirk faded, the sorrow coming back to him. Firmly, he tightened his grip into a stranglehold. "I will squeeze your neck so tight that bile won't be coming out anytime soon, little one," he told her with a malicious, quiet voice.

Mine says to run at the man on the count of three,[/color] Aslath told everyone in the room. There was no time to waste. One, two...[/color]

Yet three never came. Shmee stared, dumbstruck, as S'rei moved. She had been torn, needing to watch both Trenlor's moves and how S'rei looked. Yet he moved so quickly she hardly had time to register it, staring as S'rei's leg smashed into Trenlor's groin. And, despite how much of a hardened war veteran he was, Trenlor succumbed to the painful weakness of mean. Howling, he released, Auryn, shoving her into the wall. Clutching his throbbing manliness, he doubled over, his flinching meaning that he didn't see the cold shadow that bolt to him like a feline. Not realizing he had been stabbed before it was too late, it was clear to everyone that Auryn's words had, amazingly, rung true. Blood poured from between his eyes, dripping down his face into his hands, onto the floor. The knife had gone into his brain, piercing it with its merciless tongue. He fell to the floor, his face soon drowning in blood, but it didn't matter anymore.

Just as he'd wish for all these Turns, Trenlor was reunited with his beloved Tenmath.

Shmee shrieked, bolting toward S'rei, past Trenlor's corpse. "Love," she murmured, unable to banish the vision and scent of Trenlor's body collapsing, the metallic scent of so much blood... But S'rei. She needed to help him. Kneeling beside him, she looked around desperately. Kali. "Someone get Kali!" she yelled, already sending the message to Aslath to summon her. Was she here already? Shards, she didn't know what to do with S'rei! Injuries were not her forte. Shaking violently at the shock of these few moments, she kissed the top of S'rei's head, carefully avoiding looking at Trenlor's bloody body even as she felt his blood against her calf. She shuddered, readjusting her position away from the blood, dragging a trail of it to her new spot. Paling, she continued running her hands through S'rei's hair. "He's dead now," she whispered.[/size]

[saberlin]

Auryn had been dragged to the ground by Trenlor when he fell and hit the earth for the last time. Her arm smacked against the stone and made a sick sounding pop as her elbow slipped out of place. The girl screamed in pain. Quick and sharp. She looked down at her arm and felt the world swim. Her head hurt so bad and she could feel blood matting in her hair as she sat on the ground clutching her arm. Had all of this been worth it? To catch the killer of dragons? Would things get better from here on out? She didn't know. Her mind swam with the amount of thoughts that were trying to course through it. She managed to look over to the pile on the ground that was S'rei and the Weyrwoman who had gone to him. It was Auryn's first time seeing the woman up close. She looked so fragile sitting next to her lover...

***

R'ton was ready to move in and grab Auryn away from the man at any costs when the blade came out of no where killing the man. Everything was happening so quickly, as these sort of fights often did. But to see the man suddenly dead was certainly a surprise. R'ton was around the corner trying to find who had thrown the blade but did not see anyone. It's as if the blade had come from between. Even though he knew such a thought was ridiculous. He went over to the Weyrwoman and S'rei. "Are the two of you ok?" Turning to look at Auryn he asked the same question of the girl. Auryn tried to nod but instead fainted to the ground.

[Requiem]

He wasn't exactly sure what happened. Trenlor had collapsed, and something warm was soaking into the clothes along the lower half of his body. S'rei had slumped to his back, finding himself annoyingly weak. "Hey," he murmured to Shmee, brushing her cheek lightly with a hand. Yes. The danger must be over, if she was at his side. S'rei felt like a fool, a complete fool, for not expecting Trenlor to try to fight his way free when he confronted the dragonhealer. Oh well. It was in the past now. The Weyrleader would be sure that Trenlor would never hurt Shmee or anyone else again. Of course, in truth, the dragonhealer was no longer capable of anything, but S'rei was not aware of that right now.

At Kali's name, though, he stiffened. Kalierre! He didn't want her here. Clutching at Shmee's waist, he drew himself up, flashing a sheepish grin at his weyrmate as he used her to help support himself until the pain had passed. Sitting there, his arm around her waist, he could easily see the truth of the Weyrwoman's words. Trenlor most certainly was dead. "I'm okay," he told Shmee stubbornly. He was. A headache, a soreness, and a few broken ribs was no big deal.

Don't be a fool. Phremath's will check you out. S'rei bared his teeth in a growl at his bonded, but, as if saying her name again conjured her, he saw the healer striding down the hall. It was a quick pace, but she somehow managed to seem unhurried, a pleasantly neutral expression fixated on her face. The blonde woman ignored him for a moment, instead going to Auryn. Shmee might not like it, but S'rei welcomed the few extra seconds to pull himself together before he had to face the dragonhealer.

***

She was angry. Trenlor. The sharding Benden dragonhealer had done all this?! No one who didn't know her well, aside from her Phremath, would have any idea just how infuriated the woman was. Kneeling, she took Auryn's arm in her hands tenderly, smiling into the candidate's eyes. "You were brave, sweetheart." Even as she spoke, the woman jerked the arm without warning, pressing two stout twigs along the outside and wrapping it tightly with a bandage it hadn't been apparent she was even carrying on her person. It was Kalierre's way, to get the unpleasantries over swiftly, before they could be thought about.

"Did he hurt you anywhere else?" Her keen eyes had already picked out the blood in the girl's scalp. Her anger surged again, but it was cloaked behind that same small smile and the soft tones. Even a stranger, though, could see the rage simmering behind her dark eyes, so stark it was.

At the sound of shifting at her back, Kalierre shot S'rei a look that was every bit as murderous as one she might have sent Trenlor's direction, had the dragonhealer been unfortunate to survive this encounter. "I'll get to you in a moment," she stated sharply. "What are you doing, bringing a young girl into this situation? If you want to get yourself beaten to a pulp in front of the whole weyr, that's your prerogative. Don't bring the young ones into it." She was gratified to see the rush of blood that came into the man's face, his jaw working. He didn't reply, though. Probably didn't trust himself to.

Kalierre's gaze flicked to Shmee, defying the Weyrwoman to comment on her tone. In the next instant, though, her attention was back on Auryn, the smile that was now quite obviously a mask back in place.

[Administrator]

For once, Shmee didn't know what to do. The girl was obviously hurt, but so was S'rei... Looking over anxiously, she gave S'rei a stern look as he obviously tried make her not worry. Like hell she'd let that happen. Trenlor could've killed him, and she wasn't going to let him shrug it off. "Love, just relax," she told him softly, trying to switch him from laying on her to having his head across her lap. Stroking his red curls, she gently kissed his forehead. She needed to get him back to weyr, somehow, away from prying eyes... And shards, what were they going to do about the... body? Carefully not looking at it, she watched as Kalierre approached. She shifted uneasily, but her tempo of stroking S'rei's hair didn't change. The girl was the logical first choice to look at, but she was still worried about S'rei. Firmly holding him down while continuing to stroke his hair, she risked a glance over at the candidate. This wasn't looking good for either of them, but at least she seemed to be all right.

She said nothing as Kalierre spoke to S'rei, her anger evident. She didn't know how the girl got involved, but she would like to believe it hadn't been S'rei's doing. Looking back down at him, she shakily moved her hands from stroking his hair down to caress his face. "That worried me," she told him softly after a long moment, her voice quivering softly. "He could've killed the girl, he could've killed you..."

Do not let him do that again,[/color] Aslath hissed to Salenth, seeking him out to cuddle around him protectively, as if expecting some threat to come out to Salenth instead of S'rei. It scared me, it scared Mine, it scared the girl, I think it even scared the healer... Didn't it, healer?[/color] This last question was directed at Kali, whom Aslath made sure could hear what she was telling Salenth. Shmee, fortunately, was too preoccupied with S'rei to realize that the queen was bespeaking Kali.

Looking over at her, Shmee asked, "Can I move him down to our weyr, or does he need to stay put?" Her voice, once again, trembled slightly. She still hadn't gotten over the shock of the situation. Trenlor... That healer had never been true to Selenitas at all. If it hadn't been for him, she could've still been pregnant, she could've had her child... Huddling over S'rei even more protectively, she looked at Kali even more frantically, her eyes begging instruction.[/size]