Sel's Happy Campers [Rei]

[Lotty]

There once was a lonely man - a lonely but young man - whose age was concealed under layers of decorations. Wrapped up like a present, his necklaces were bows, and matted hair like that irritating confetti stuffed deep down into gift bags. Then there was the dirt, oh the blackish ash, the dust from arid lands they had traversed before... well that was like the patterned paper that concealed those cherished treasured boxes, and it was slowly being peeled away. Not torn, or shredded, no, it was a process... meticulously handled, as if a false move could cause a rip or tear. Cleaning didn't come about quickly after all, hands had to comb through wily locks, and a knife swept across the nastier scruff for lack of a proper razor and all with a certain precision. And so our dirty, lonely, young man was dropping a few adjectives from his description with every scrub of the sweet sand.

The set up looked like a story time tale about summer camp. Cleaned clothes were laying out on sandstone boulders to dry in Rukbat's rays, sticks and stones were encircled into a modest little fire, fish were all lined up ready to be smoked, a vagabond's guitar laid off to the side, perilously close to being tossed in as extra fodder, and our now fairer smelling hero was there pulling up onto the shore as if in what was solely a boy's world; an island onto its self where he was the one inhabiter, free from man's laws or even prying eyes, and where he could take his time to slowly move along as a lazy pace. A glazed look fell over his eyes, stalling him from time to time as he plucked some pants from their resting space and stuck on leg in after another... another random scowl crossed his face...

But what could cause our troubadour so much distress? Well, we never really know what goes through people's minds... that is the sort of explanation his mother would have given, and the expressions could simply have been nothing more than piques at the torrent of thoughts that seemed to plague a harper type's mind. On the other hand, there was also that noise, that distinct sound of foot fall; a woman's he was almost sure. He by now had earned his proper merit badges, and passed the rigors of survival training, so that with every odd sound his eyes drifted up and down the shoreline and through stands of trees before carrying on all over again. Back to business... that was until he swore he heard another crunch and finally resigned to greeting his company that he had been so rude as to ignore this whole time.

"Does nobody in this place ever say hello?" It wasn't an irritated voice. No for all of that devil may care styling and rough around the edges trader look, it was mostly a distraction and the voice was surprisingly polite, but dangerously sweet. With little concern, the man - Aramis as we shall learn he was called - tossed on a shirt before peering up again towards his stalker, "Come out, come out, wherever you are~"

[Rei]

Erilena had been in something of a haze since the culling. At times between true apathy and depression. The greenrider had remembered helping with the injured. Watching the clean up and then finding herself in the bathing rooms, washing away the ichor, sand, and blood. Wishing at the time that she could scrub the memories from her mind as well. Afterwards she had searched for Dmitri and, after clinging to and sobbing on him for what probably felt like far too long, she had spent the rest of the night tailing him like a lost puppy.

He’d been far too accepting, far too kind, letting her tag along with no complaint. Even trying to amuse her at times. Distract her from the replying horrors in her mind. It had worked for a time, and she had even finally succumbed to exhaustion somewhere around daybreak. Although she remembered falling asleep in the handler's room she had woken up in her own bed. Likely he had moved her at some point or perhaps coaxed her there while she was half out of it. Either way she was grateful to him. For far more than she could express. She should do something for him at some point. What Erilena hadn’t a clue but that was merely one more thing she was thinking on as she wandered along the river bank.

Feyrianth in turn was curled up in the infirmary. The green refused to leave Behruth while he was stuck there. Instead she chose to join the other infirmary dragons in a bid to make the small mahogany brown’s time there as comfortable as was possible. Erilena didn’t really mind. But it made her a little lonely all the same without her four winged shadow walking beside her. Even if that four winged shadow had started to acquire a very soft glow. Hardly noticeable yet, but all the same it only added to the weight that seemed to be pressing down on the woman’s shoulders. It was becoming easier to deal with it. Easier to try and push it aside, perhaps let it go. She couldn’t dump everything on Dmitri after all. It wasn’t fair. Not when she had the ability to try and work though some of it herself. Thus the walk down the riverbank. It was less a pleasure walk and more done for the purpose of trying to unload some things before she felt like she was going to explode.

Picking a leaf off the tree along the side of the path the greenrider turned it over in her fingers trying to remember how exactly Dmitri had made it into an instrument of sorts. Should have been paying better attention clearly. A voice cut through her distracted thoughts and Erilena froze almost dropping the leaf in her hand. Spinning around her eyes widened at the little camping scene before her. Whoops. Obviously she was being a little to unobservant for her own good. How had she missed a setup like that? Well there was no sense in her being rude. Especially when she was being addressed.

Brushing her hand self consciously over her shirt Erilena stepped from the tree line and into the calling person’s line of sight. Giving a small smile she spoke her tone light and friendly. “I’m sorry. I didn’t really see you there.” Curiously the greenrider examined the scruffy looking man before her. For some reason she was getting this odd feeling of déjà vu although Erilena was more than positive that she hadn’t seen his man around before. Or at least not that she could recall clearly. Maybe he had passed though back when she still lived at the hold? It was possible she supposed. It was obvious from his appearance and the camping set up that he was one of those drifter types. Hmm. What could have possibly brought him to a weyr of all places?

Giving another light smile the woman played with the leaf in her hand. “You’re right though. Hello seems to be a lost art around here.” Approaching the riverbank hobo?, camper? drifter? She held out a hand to him. “My name is Erilena. Have you been here long?” With her walk obviously interrupted she might as well be friendly. It would be terribly rude of her to walk away now after he had called to her anyway. To be honest she was a little curious about him anyway. It was odd but he really did seem almost familiar somehow…

[Lotty]

Oh? It was a pretty woman, who emerged from the break in the trees and his eyes all too easily flitted up to meet hers before sheepishly drifting down again. He couldn't...dwell too long - or his eyes couldn't anyway - and so he smiled to make up for the shortcomings of his gaze. What his sights did catch however was not in the least bad, in fact there was in the back of his head, something of a moment of relief to mix with the prevailing anxiety. But she didn't need to know this, and he reached out his own hand to meet with hers; clasping the dainty fingers as gently as he could in his calloused hands before he bowed a bit to tag the knuckles with a chivalrous kiss, "Ah! Finally the sweet sound of cultured words. You travel enough and you begin to think that you are the only one who speaks Pernese..."

Yes, the man was a regular dharma bum. Things could be worse however. He'd have hated to think what would have happened should she have ran into Micah. Yeesh... he would have snickered at the thought had he not been tongue tied with carrying on, "Erilena? Beautiful name. I'm Aramis, but please, you can call me Ari," really she could call him whatever she wanted to call him, it was her life and he wasn't the type to become too offended, "And no, I haven't been here alllll too long. Rolled in with the caravan if you had not already surmised..."

There was a moment where he moved to speak again, but the tip of a feline tooth rubbed against fresh skin with an irritating prick, and he moved to adjust the collar of his shirt, trying his best to discreetly hide his collection of leather bound trinkets. Another second was spared then in turn to adjust a thread around his wrist and a braid that had cheekily been woven into his hair by one of the women in the caravan, "I'm something of an entertainer by trade, though my companions would rather call me a professional noisemaker. So in my downtime I make up for my starving artist lifestyle by uhm..." a hand gestured over to the results of his fishing trip, "It's a good thing I'm what they call...outdoorsy."

And now, since he had so little outs, and nothing in the way of options, it looked like he was stuck hosting the woman. He did call out to her first you know, "Care to join me? I'm clean so I can promise that you won't catch fleas, ticks, or even a case of rabies..." A good sense of humor he had, and affable at that, it was a wonder that he was holdless... he didn't seem to be any kind of deviant that his kind were made out to be.

[Rei]

Erilena smiled as the scruffy looking man took her hand, her cheeks flushing a bit at the kiss he pressed to her knuckles. She had been expecting a handshake but well, she also wasn’t going to argue with his method of greeting her. The greenrider had decided to approach him after all. His words made her smile more genuine. “Oh I’d imagine that traveling all the time you’d hear your share of accents and the like. I don’t know how cultured the weyr is but I’m willing to bet more cultured than some of the places you’ve been to.” The woman responded in a conversational tone, eyes still flicking over his face. Hmm… yes she had definitely met him somewhere before. Even his voice sounded vaguely familiar in a way. Maybe at some gather or another? He could have been clean-shaven at the time perhaps? Or maybe more scruffy looking than he was currently. Either way it had obviously been a long enough time ago that putting a name to the face would be difficult at best of not impossible. It didn’t stop Erilena’s mind from nagging at it though. Who was he?

Ah but see there now, the greenrider didn’t have to worry about a name anymore because he had supplied one for her. Aramis. Not familiar. Hmm. Brushing a disobedient bang back behind her ear the woman smiled. “Thank you for the compliment.” Eyes going back to the small camp she examined it again. It really looked nice. Fun maybe in a way. Exciting. There had been times as a little girl that Erilena had even envied the trader groups that often rolled into the hold. Their life had seemed so glamorous at the time. Exciting.

The traveling dancers had attracted her the most. Some of them had even taught her a step or two, always willing to humor a little sweet blonde child. By the end of their visits the greenrider always wished she could go with. As she had grown though that desire had faded to be replaced with the desire to have a family of her own. A home of her own, kids, the whole thing. Now even that dream had faded since coming to the weyr. It was impossible perhaps. Not something Erilena was willing to give up on just yet but something that currently seemed so distant.

With a soft smile the greenrider nodded. “I knew that the caravan had rolled in but I haven’t had the chance to meet many of you yet. Between my duties and the….hatching that had been upcoming, things have been busy around here.” The hatching. She shoved the uprising thoughts away. Instead hazel eyes rested back on Aramis. His admission had her fighting back a small laugh, hiding it behind one hand as her eyes went to the fire and the fish. “Noisemaker you say? See now you have me curious. I might have to have you play for me so I can judge just how much of a starving artist you really are.”

Giving him a playful wink Erilena trailed off to allow him to speak. The invitation had her nibbling her lip slightly, part of her wondering how smart it was to accept, but the expression faded as he mentioned the bugs. This time she couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped. What was the harm really? The scruffy vagabond hardly seemed sinister and he was friendly. Probably just lonely and who could blame him? The traveling had to be lonely.

Brightly smiling she offered him her arm. “Well since you’re so graciously asking and promising not to infect me with any cooties I can’t in good faith turn you down can I?” The question was rhetorical as she linked arms with him and started in a light and bouncy gait towards the fire. Out for a simple walk and ended up being company for a hobo lunch. It was almost funny when one looked at it from that perspective.

[Lotty]

A blush. Too cute. He almost for a second thought that he was camping out at a hold instead of a weyr; it didn't seem that such demeanors were found amongst the dragonriders. A pity too. Shouldn't they just be beside themselves? Getting to live the high life...getting to have a friend at all times. That was quite the luxury in his opinion and he was as jealous of her as she was of his boundless lifestyle. Perhaps in the future they could trade off. Right now there wasn't even much of an option. Not true... the mind argued with him in foreign tongues, you are not alone... A cock of the head as thoughts came head to head again, but secrets keep you separated... this we know to be true.

"Duties? Hatching?" He was to his pleasant surprise, walking arm and arm with her and questioning her all along the way, "What kind of duties do you do? Kitchen work? Needle point? Or... you aren't one of those dragonriders are you? You must be. Domestic types know better than to affiliate with a drifter like me," He already knew the truth of the matter, but conversation was conversation, and he was teasing her incredulously enough that it might just buy him another favorable reaction, aka a blush. Aramis was determined to draw another one out of her. Shards, if he could he would keep her flush with embarrassment for the rest of their lunch. Speaking of which... he poked at one of the fish that was hanging over the fire as the woman sat down. Soon...

With another easy motion, he scooped up his instrument and tossed the precariously thin guitar strap over his shoulder; striking a chord as if to punctuate his thoughts and introduce another, "And what is this about hatchings? What's the big deal that needs all the preparations and time?" He slipped into place next to the rider again and it was all too easy for him, "I didn't think dragons waited for anybody... aren't they going to hatch whether you're ready or not?" Honest questions, he even deferred to his better senses and muted the strings in his wait for her answer. It was obvious just by looking at him that he hardly ever see the inside of much more than a shack much less in something as extravagant as a real life hatching cavern.

He couldn't let silence permeate for too long however, and plucked another note or two as softly as he could muster, "Do you like happy songs or sad songs?" Didn't ask the tempo and for good reason: he could play fast or slow, but the subject matter was typically all the same. If she wanted happy, then that just meant that he wouldn't have to sing, and well mileage varied when it came to his voice.

[Rei]

Bouncing along beside him Erilena didn’t have to try very hard to catch Aramis’ words. His questions though had her shaking her head and giving a light giggle. “Well I’m not doing to say that I don’t do domestic things on occasion but no. I’m part of the infirmary staff. Deal in dragon healing mostly but I’ve picked up human healing as well. Besides that I have wing drills and the like just the same as everyone else.” Giving him a light smile as they got nearer their destination the greenrider slipped her arm out of his and gave a backwards glance. “So yes. I am a dragon rider.” Not that he couldn’t tell that by her knots if he looked but maybe he wasn’t sure how to read them? They where universal though maybe he just hadn’t seen them? In the long run didn’t matter. Gracefully Erilena sank to sit next to his fire giving the scruffy vagabond another bright smile. “You know I really don’t see why holder types wouldn’t want to affiliate with you. You seem human to me.” The words where a light tease. “Unless you are hiding horns or something under all that hair?”

The greenrider’s gaze fell to the guitar then when he picked it up and gave it a strum. Talk of the hatching had her gaze traveling from Aramis and toward the fire. Swallowing against the rise of emotion it brought she sadly shook her head allowing her blonde hair to fall to obscure her face. “Well before a hatching there is always the normal search for candidates, food preparation for when they hatch, things like that, and this time…well there where other preparations made to.” Fighting to keep her voice from sounding strained the greenrider kept her gaze on the fire, using the focus to help regain composure. With a soft if slightly sad smile Erilena finally turned her face back towards her scruffy company. “You’re right though. The dragons don’t wait for anyone and they hatch and impress on their own time like it or not.”

Falling silent the greenrider watched the progression of fingers along the strings, concentrating on them to draw her thoughts again away from the hatching. She would prefer to keep off that topic to, if at all possible, so when Aramis offered his question about songs Erilena hastened to answer. “I suppose it depends on my mood. Some sad songs are alright but I rather prefer happy ones.” Giving him a brighter smile she tilted her head. There where probably about a million questions about him and his guitar going through the greenrider’s head right now, but if she uttered them she wouldn’t get to hear him play. And she really, really wanted him to. It had been awhile since Erilena had gotten to listen to music. It would be nice to hear some again. “So why don’t you play something happy for me then?” She implored encouragingly offering him a light smile as well.

[Lotty]

He took his hands off of his guitar to pat the top of his head and curl his eyes up as if he could try to watch his own movements. After feeling around for a moment and fluffing the dark brown hair (black it once was, but the insufferable sunlight managed to somewhat bleach the strands at the tips leaving an earthy look in the wake of dark sable) he hummed thoughtfully to himself before reaching over and patting down the blondish mop on Erilena's head. Coming up short of what he was looking for he cocked his head and returned his hand to the strings saying, "My head does not feel any different than yours...so its safe to say no horns are growing out of it...for now," who knew, maybe he could return some day with antlers to surprise the woman with.

"You see my dear Erilena..." hmmm that was quite a mouthful even if he did already call it beautiful, he should probably inquire as to a nickname for her, "can I call you Eri? Or maybe Lena? It would only be fair since you get to call me Ari, and besides I don't want to disgrace the nature of your full name by wearing it out..." another couple of strums and without even taking a glance away from his company he was able to twist a tuning knob before tapping at the strings again in search of sweeter sound, "there are people out there..." yes in those far and distant lands he has been to, "who hold certain names sooo sacred, that they won't even write them down or speak it in above a whisper," he looked down at the ground for a short pause. Where was he again? Oh yes yes, he was talking to her about holders, and such. Then maybe a song? That sounded about right.

"Anyway, what was I saying? Ah, the holders...the holders. You see, the thing about all people is that they just don't like things that are different from them," he paused again realizing that he was falling into something of a trap with this one. He had his own set of prejudices as well, and he was therefore no more innocent than anyone else, "To often people are handed things on a plate and just accept them for what they are. I make my own choices, and some people just get awfully resentful of that... But you don't want to hear my silly philosophies do you? You wanted to hear me play," it was important to begin playing from what he could tell. She had visibly shrunk under the mere mention of the hatching, and though that was an important little nugget of information to quarry, he had taste enough to wait before pressing the issue anymore.

He just wished that he could hug her, but as it was, he had only his sharding sad songs.

"I usually write the sad songs. About the new lovers, doomed lovers, and lovers on the verge of falling apart..." he was growing ever more sing songy as the his fingers picked up the pace, scraping across bright open chords in staccato little movements, "but for you, I'll find something new, even if I don't have the words..." and yes he was completely aware of the rhyming, the pattern of speech... he wove it all into the jingly janlgy folk tale he was impromptu creating. Standing up and swaying to an imaginary drum, he jerked his head in upward motions...get up and dance with meee...

[Rei]

Blinking as he patted her head Erilena tilted her own. Until she realized what he was looking for upon his statement. Then she laughed. “Not yet hmm? Going to reveal your true nature to me when I’m too enamored with your music to escape aren’t you? Like a siren singing sailors to their deaths.” Smiling brightly she tried for a mock fearful look and completely failed. Aramis really was amusing and as time passed the greenrider was becoming more glad that she had accepted his invitation. Even if it was only for a little while it was kind of nice to be silly. Especially with the dark cloud that seemed to be looming over Selenitas still very present. Falling quiet as the scruffy vagabond continued she placed her hands in her lap and made a show of listening intently.

With a soft smile Erilena gave her company a nod. “A nickname is fine. I don’t mind. Eri or Lena. There are people who call me both.” K’sel and Nephele had defaulted to calling her Eri as had the kids at the creche. It had been Dmitri that had coined the nickname Lena and R’ven had used it to. In fact that was all the two had ever seemed to call her, only resorting to Erilena on occasion and usually when they where being more serious or unhappy. There where things attached to the nickname Lena now that she had mixed feelings about, but not enough to stop people from calling her it if that’s what they so desired. Gaze locked on the guitar playing traveler the woman listened intently to his little tidbit on his travels. Slowly Erilena’s mind turned over that for a few moments. Sacred names. It would be nice if she could take some time and maybe get Aramis to tell her a few stories later. He probably had some good ones and then she could always retell them later to the creche kids. They could use something besides the same old stories over and over again. A fresh infusion of material would be welcome.

Eyes briefly looked away from the vagabond as he continued speaking on the topic of people in general. “Oh I know that all too well. People look upon different and see it as bad.” Her hands in her lap clenched tightly. “They don’t see how different can be better. Or how it can work if you give it a chance. They don’t care and they ostracize it, fear it because they don’t understand it. The worst part of is everyone is guilty of that.” Even me. No Erilena had perhaps not given the wastelanders a fair chance because they saw things differently. But they also looked upon Feyrianth and those like her as if they where tainted, wrong, unfit. But they weren’t. Things could be overcome, worked around, fixed if you gave them the chance. But those hatchlings hadn’t been given the chance like her green had. It was simply not fair. Not right.

But who cared what one greenrider thought? One little person in the whole realm of things was just not enough to matter was it. In end perhaps both where in the wrong in a way. Her for not caring to try and understand what they thought and them for the same thing. Something Aramis said had Erilena giving a light smile though, some of the inner storm fading from her eyes. “Making your own choices is a good way to live. I think that’s better than blindly following too. But making your own choices, especially when people don’t understand or agree with them, can be hard.” Very hard and also a bit lonely.

Giving a warm smile the greenrider empathetically nodded then. “Yes please play. All this serious talk is bad for the air. We need to clear it.” Giving a happy nod her gaze fell back on the vagabond’s face and the woman quieted, growing still as she listed to him speak. Ah lovers. All too often music was centered around love. It was a volatile emotion in a way was it not? Capable of bringing about not only happiness but also sadness, hate, hope and even dread. Plenty to write or sing or play about. Avoiding thoughts of love Erilena had been lately because it was just depressing in a way. The beat however the greenrider liked and she gave Aramis a bright smile. Something new. Just for her. Well if he was going to grace her with that gift, the least she could do was give him the courtesy of doing as he asked. A dance. Dancing Erilena could do. Dancing she loved.

Getting swiftly to her feet the greenrider gave him a quick bow and then started to swing around the guitar strumming vagabond. Sandals where kicked off her feet as she began, the rider not missing a step or beat. Bare feet finding the ground unerringly Erilena swung around Ari, her whole body melding into the rhythm and beat he produced. Hazel eyes met his and she gave a playful smile. At his command in a way the greenrider was. Her dancing partially relied on the musical cues he gave her after all.

[Lotty]

Eri it was then. It was what came more naturally to him, though the reasons why he couldn't exactly explain. Feeling good about the decision his eyes lit up with mischief and for a moment it was a funny thought to actually go with neither of the proposed options and call her Eril. He rolled the name through his brain a few times, alternately with chords and their root notes before his thoughts broke out into the open. Chuckling mid song he knew he had to go with it at least once. He was going to call her Eril until she protested it. But first there had to be music. Always music. All of his responses and conversation points could wait in lieu of the job he had to do.

He really didn't like to think of his guitar playing and storytelling as a job, but the fact of the matter was that you had to make a mark somehow and this was his method - nevermind the fact that Erilena definitely wasn't getting charged for this session. Really it would be stupid for him to do anything else, there were enough trappers and salesmen in the world, but in his caravan he doubted there were any entertainers quite like him. Yes, he had enough arrogance to believe that he was special, but above all else it was a chance to do something he loved. Something that he was denied in his past life, and in the end it was the passion that mattered right? Because until applause became legal tender then he'd have to live off of nothing but his love for the song. Oh and fish... being a hunter gatherer helped too.

Stupendously pleased that she had joined him in their shoreside jigs, he changed keys with a short, excited, howl; the tempo staying at that ever running half-time pace. Encouraged by her total immersion into the dance, he became unafraid to show off his own desire to bust a move as well. Spinning around to keep his eyes on his partner, he took a hop and a skip to perch on their former resting spot. From his imaginary conductor's stand he artfully raised his guitar to point the headstock straight at the dancing greenrider; shooting his musical commands directly at her with a chucka-chucka palm muted sound. Jumping off of log again he used some fancy footwork to make his way back towards her. The whole time he was slowing the pace, and submerging it into some drearier minor chords... Catching himself - it seemed that no matter how hard he tried, no matter how jangly and bright he began, things always devolved into this for him - he stopped the song short with an embarrassed sort of blush.

Not that one could really see that under that lion's mane he had, but that was beyond the point.

"Sorry," he admitted this remorsefully, "I hadn't come up with an ending yet. I don't know how to leave anything off on a happy note..." pun intended. Swaying still, he slung his right hand over the side of the guitar so that his fingers could idly tap along the hallow body, "You're a beautiful dancer though Eril. A truly lovely partner..." would it be weird to tell her she reminded him of his sister? Yes, probably, so he let that comment go in favor of his cheeky grin, "If you weren't a 'rider I'd tell you to join me on the road. It would be nice to have someone who understood me..." Which she clearly did, after all she agreed with just about everything he had said. That was unless she was lying... being inauthentic. Secret was that he knew her heart, and knew she wasn't.

[Rei]

Erilena found herself more absorbed in her performance that usual. Maybe it was because Aramis was similarly focused on his. Swaying around him she gave him a broad grin, entirely happy with how things where falling together. It felt so nice. As he moved to a higher perch on the log he had been previously seated on the greenrider followed his musical commands with seemingly effortless grace. Dancing was one ability of hers that Erilena knew she excelled in and although there where times when nerves played a role, this afternoon it was so not the case. It was all in good fun and somehow the greenrider knew this vagabond would appreciate her own form of art. Perhaps because he dabbled in the same realm with his music. Self expression. A desire that all artists no matter what the form strived towards. There was a certain camaraderie there and it was nice how easily they fit together, dancer and musician.

As the song slowed, Erilena to unconsciously slowed her movements. Making them appear sorrowful more subdued. It was unnoticeable at first, the totally unconscious response of her body to the music it was tuned to. Her demeanor has also similarly subdued but it was fleeting thing. Dancing was an expression of emotion for the greenrider, always had been, and so she tended to take musical cues as she would take the cues her own emotions gave her if she was dancing without musical accompaniment. Hazel eyes opened the barest stirrings of sadness in their depths as the song stopped. With one final half turn Erilena dropped into a ending stance of sorts and then turned to smile reassuringly at Aramis.

“Oh no!” The words came out with more force that she had originally planned. “You have absolutely nothing to be sorry about. I thoroughly enjoyed the song and dancing.” It was the truth. It had been such a long time since the greenrider had danced. Not since wasteland invaded actually. Dancing was such a personal thing for Erilena that she would rather prefer not to share it with them. Whether they understood or not. Besides out by herself, in the pouring rain, dancing. It would make her more vulnerable than she cared to be. There was a time when Erilena didn’t worry about such things, but such times where over. Long gone and probably never to return. The rider could ask someone to accompany her maybe. But there was no one who could. No one left that Erilena wanted to share that particular part of herself with. Maybe Dmitri wouldn’t mind accompanying her. He’d understand, but the handler also slept days and well she already also felt a tad bad about having to ask Dmitri for multiple favors when he already humored her enough as it was.

A brief giggle was given at his chosen nickname and then she made a face. “Eril huh? Well I suppose I can live with that but I’m afraid that one’s going to be one unique to you.” In truth it amused her. Creative he was even in word choice it seemed. The rest of Aramis’ words had the silly expression fading Erilena blushing instead, her cheeks coloring as she half stammered. “Thank you very much. I appreciate the compliment.” And it truly was one. There had been a time in her life when the greenrider might have actually jumped at such an offer. When she was a young teenager. About 16 or so. Had they met then, she would have practically begged him to allow it. But now. Now she was different. Erilena now held desires had that a life on the road could never give her. Furthermore she was bound to the weyr now on account of Feyrianth and both the vagabond and her knew that. Not that she would trade her soul mate for anything. Of course not. Life without the four winged half of her soul was simply unimaginable. The greenrider gave a warm smile. “I’m touched by the offer though and I’m happy to have the chance to spend this time with you.” It was a bit strange but that feeling that she knew him had not diminished at all. In fact it had only grown stronger in these past shared moments. Perhaps he was feeling it to. Thus the comment about understanding him.

In a desire to try and fix some of the subdued feeling that had cropped up Erilena literally bounced towards Aramis and grabbed at his hand trying to tug him gently towards the fire again. “Now that you’ve got me dancing I’m starving. Think that fish is done yet? Least you can do is feed me since I graced you with my angelic talent.” The last line was offered in tease and she batted her eyelashes for emphasis, a playful smile lighting up her face. Nope no one allowed to be a downer here.

[Lotty]

Ah well no harm done then. It was a relief that the girl was so blasé about the sour ending of his song, he always hated to disappoint people, especially someone so charmingly innocent as Eril was, "Well as long as you are happy my dear, then I am happy..." He winked at her, but to keep her happy he soon found out meant doing something about feeding her and for that and sauntered to her side handing her his guitar before pushing forward towards the fire he had smoldering, "watch this for me for a moment ok? Treat is right and it just might sing again for you some day..." Picking up a switch he poked a few times at the embers - because well, he was a man and fire was good - and then again at the fish. It looked just about right, even if their heads were still on them and staring Ari right back in the eye.

"I have no side dishes....well other than...." he stepped away from the fire to reach for a little sack. It was his magical little bag of wonders if you were to ask him. It seemed like no matter how much stuff he put in there it always managed to fit. Out from it he pulled out a trio of citron fruits... juggling them a moment for flare before catching them all again in his long fingered hands. A knife was pulled out then from the bag as well (his hunting knife was, as one could expect on his belt... which having just bathed, he clearly wasn't wearing) and he went about pulling away the thick skin, "Its a good sort of taste to go with fish right? I'm afraid that I've grown so accustomed to my own gruel that I couldn't tell you what fine dining is. I suppose it takes a woman's touch." Most things involving food required a woman to keep it right in his opinion... for instance a woman would think to use a plate and some utensils. Aramis however had gotten used to enjoying finger foods and that which could be stuck on a stick.

This was a slight issue he realized.

One that he didn't particularly have a solution for. Hmmm smoked salmon kabobs it would have to be, although he wasn't very privy to letting her know. She couldn't protest the method once he had it in her hands. From his pile of extra wood he pulled out a couple of branches and began sharpening their ends. It was a very awkward sort of arrangement to have to find a place for the fruit he had just peeled... again since he didn't have any dishes, his pockets had to do well enough. Really he didn't think she should be so surprised... a traveller such as he couldn't waste space lugging around pots and pans! Shards, half the time he was boiling tubers in his hat. To think that Micah laughed at him for even owning one, those hats of his were multifunctional thank you very much. As he went about carving out little skewers he made light conversation with the woman, picking up on threads of conversation that he assumed that dragonriders liked talking about, "So miss Eril, I now know that you dance quite well, you are a healer, and you are a dragonrider. Whats your dragon's name if I may ask?"

Despite the hair he could look quite boyish if he really wanted to. It must have been something about those dimples, the way he lidded his eyes or tilted his head to the side. The splitting of his lips - when cut big and wide enough - even revealed a bit of a gap in his teeth between a couple of premolars. It was a distinctive sort of mark to those that noticed, but even now - especially now - he went to great lengths to hide it, turning his head to conceal that little bit of his identity. Turning back to the fish made for a good enough excuse, and when he turned back around there he was with two sticks stabbed clear through the riverspawn and two halves of citron....one for each of them. He pushed forward Eril's share, "Ta-da!"

He raised his eyebrows in a faux gesture of surprise.

[Rei]

Erilena accepted the guitar from Aramis with care. Last thing she wanted to do was break it and just holding it was making her feel a tad nervous. Shifting it to a firmer hold the greenrider practically cradled it in her arms and then gave a light, if slightly, nervous smile. “I’ll take care of it don’t worry. I love the way it sings.” Making her way slowly to the fireside she sat on one of the logs he had so conveniently placed there and watched him work. Placing the instrument in her lap the blonde titled her head as Ari went on, the smile staying put. “Oh I don’t know about that. I’m sure there are some men who can cook just as well as women if they so chose.” But it was true what he said. Cooking was mostly done by women. Even at the weyr the majority of the drudges where female. As far as citrus being good with fish he was right and idly Erilena wondered where he got the fruits from. Probably the jungle around them although it was late in the season for such things. Hmmm.

Shifting the guitar in her lap the greenrider watched him work on the meal, her bare feet scuffing at the dirt and grass beneath them. It felt good to go a little bit without shoes. Colder here at Selenitas certainly but she could get away with it due to the warmth of the fire. Hazel eyes going to the dancing flames the woman retreated to her own thoughts for a few moments while Aramis worked. Absorbed in her own day dreams she started as she was addressed and then turned her attention back to the crouching vagabond. Offering a light smile to his back Erilena responded. “My dragon? Her name is Feyrianth. I’m sure she’d be beyond pleased to meet you but she’s currently entertaining a friend of hers who got hurt at the hatching.” A sad shake of her head as she closed her eyes and brushed gently against the four winged dragon’s mind. “She’s napping currently. She’ll probably want to hear all about you though when I mention it. Might even be a little jealous.” A soft chuckle at that thought before the greenrider’s gaze traveled back to the fire and her eyes again took on that far away look. But this time she didn’t let her own thoughts completely consume her.

In fact by the time Aramis made to turn back to her Erilena was already watching him curiously. As he offered her a portion of the meal she returned his expression of surprise and even moved the guitar to rest it gently against the log before giving a small clap of her hands. “Well done. You have certainly outdone yourself. Brilliant presentation.” She exclaimed playfully before carefully accepting the skewer from him. No she wasn’t really as prissy as most people seemed to like to think, so eating from a stick didn’t really bother her in the least. She mud wrestled with Feyrianth on the occasion after all. Eating off a stick was probably tame in comparison.

Testing to see just how hot it was with her fingertips first, she smiled and peeled back a little of the cracked skin before taking a careful bite. Not too terribly hot. Didn’t burn her tongue anyway. Realizing that she was being watched she gave a light blush and swallowed hastily. “It’s actually pretty good. My compliments to the outdoorsman.” Taking another bite she gestured to the fire. “I don’t think I’ve done anything like this in a really, really long time. It’s nice. Thank you for sharing it all with me.” Picking a piece of the fruit off she popped it into her mouth along with another bite of fish and chewed slowly for awhile savoring it before she spoke again.

“So you probably have all kinds of stories from your travels and I’m curious. Would you mind sharing one with me?” Turning her eyes back to him Erilena batted her eyelashes and took on a faux pleading tone. “Pleaaaaase?” Was she trying to weasel both dinner and entertainment out of him? Most certainly. It wasn’t everyday that the greenrider got to interact with people from outside the weyr after all. There where things she missed about her previous life as a holder. Things that she never thought she would miss. Funny how things like that worked out.

[Lotty]

"Why thank you, thank you Miss Eril for compliments... its no problem really, think of it as a trade. I hand off a little food, a little entertainment and I get to see a pretty girl who can hold a conversation for a change..." and with that he sunk his teeth into his meal with little hesitation. He liked the crunchy texture of the fish scales though - yeah, freak - and was chomping down on the kabob like it was normal practice. While it might be a faster method, and it did save his fingers from a mess, it also meant he had to stop now and again just to pick cartilage out of his teeth or to pull flakes of filet from the heavy scruff on his chin. You know, he might be a hobo, but every once in a while he did keep in mind his company and his own hygiene. Having just bathed it would be a tragedy for the man to throw it all away because he let fish smell linger on him.

"A story?" he interest was piqued from his meal, but he couldn't help but wonder if he would ever actually have a story that was appropriate. It was hard to tell her one that didn't involve the types of people he associated with: vagrants and misfits, stubborn drunks and sometimes nothing but straight up criminals. These were bad, bad, men and even though he was painting a picture of himself as something greater than that, he was not a saint in the least bit either. He liked his booze, he cheated, he lied and took advantage... he did all the same things all men did in desperate situations. Aramis was still sorting it all out. Hence his participation in the caravan. Journeys were one part wanderlust and another part soul searching. In that way he was the embodiment of a tale himself.

"So um..." he began to think of a story and apologized ahead of time, "I hope what I tell you is what you had in mind. My stories are sort of like my music... it varies wildly from trite to inspired.... anyway," he took his meal on a stick and stabbed it into the ground. He needed his hands free to do all the proper gesticulations anyway, "It was a couples turns ago now... maybe more. I think it was during a stint up North, but who remembers those sorts of details anymore... time is imaginary..." with a dismissive sort of hand emblem he began to weave a tale of deceit...

"One of the wagon trains was broken down in this little po'dunk hold with no prospects... no nothing. We frankly hadn't planned on stopping there, but shit happens. At the time this place was being ravaged by a feral wher. Nasty stuff, scaring the livestock, eating the virgins, being a typical menace to society. Well, our dear Lord Holder there, he had a pair of twins as heirs... obviously that wasn't going to work out, there are no Co-Lords. So!" he opened up his arms as if the idea came to him just then.... acting if you will, "The Lord decides to send his sons out, and the son who kills the wher, he gets to be successor..."

Of course any rational person would see where that would be a horrible idea, but then, nobody in stories were typically very rational people. If they were then we wouldn't be learning any lessons from their mistakes, "So Zaza and Tzvi are sent off to kill the wher, but Tzvi... he's something of a neurotic type and started drinking there on the bridge to the woods to calm his nerves and gain some courage, but by the time he gets his act together, the guy is bested by his brother who is coming out of the forest there on his runner, dragging back the green little monster..." he paused to let the idea sink for a moment, "Tzvi, he's a little blitzed by now... took 'calming his nerves' to a new level, and though he congratulated his brother the thought set in - he was never going to be the Lord Holder now! He was going to have to making a living for himself... do some real work!"

By now Ari had taken to standing up. There was simply no other way to properly tell the story. With a sudden movement he bashed his hands together, "Blinded by rage Tzvi stabs his brother Zaza with his spear.... now I don't want to get into the gruesome details, but Tzvi, realizing what it is that he had done chops up the body and hides it there under the bridge. He takes the prize wher to his father and tells him that his beloved twin must have died in the hunt. Now this is where I get involved.... you'll never guess what happens next..." he was taunting her with it almost, crossing his arms and closing his eyes smugly.

[Rei]

Giggling at Aramis’ words Erilena continued on with her meal hazel eyes watching him for a moment curiously. He was just.. So dang familiar and she could completely place exactly what or who he reminded her of. It was frustrating. Very much so. But the greenrider was also surprisingly hungry, so in the end that won out over all else. It was funny but she actually almost preferred this to the main hall food. Maybe because it was a change from the normal fair they where offered daily. In this way a few silent minutes past and Erilena was actually happy for once that her walk had been interrupted. If she noticed the way he ate she didn’t show it. Queen of obliviousness or just too nice to comment? Maybe it was a bit of both.

When he mentioned the story however the woman turned her full attention back to him and flashed him a small smile. “Yes a story.” Falling silent the greenrider watched as the vagabond seemed to inwardly debate, all the while fixing him with a pleading look. Aramis had to have some stories surely. So much time on the road, so much travel. There had to have been to some interesting places, people, animals. Heck anything would do. Anything to distract from the weyr and it’s current tension. Erilena had to resist the urge to bounce as he seemed to accept her request. Instead she merely waved off his apology with a winning smile. “Oh don’t worry about it. I’m sure that no matter what you tell me I’ll enjoy it.” Anything had to be better than what was going on currently around her after all.

As her friendly host began Erilena paid strict attention to his words even food, for the moment, forgotten. Perhaps it was the tone he was telling the story in. Or perhaps it was merely his interesting choice in words but occasionally the greenrider found herself fighting back laughter. It certainly couldn’t have been the story itself that was funny because well things to that nature like murdering and such simply weren’t that funny. She even felt a little bad for the poor supposedly menacing wher to be honest. Still when Aramis clapped Erilena jumped her eyes going wide. “Oh dear murdered his brother?” Looking at her companion with a mixture of horror and morbid interest she enthusiastically shook her head. “I really have no clue on what could happen next.” Logic dictated that if no one witnessed the murder the brother would get away with it. But that wasn’t a very good ending. Wasn’t justice supposed to prevail and all that? Except in real life things didn’t work out that way. Sometimes evil did win. Sometimes it was stronger than anything you could throw at it. But that didn’t mean you gave up on fighting evil.

Leaning forward and closer to Aramis the greenrider tugged briefly at his shirt hem with her unoccupied hand. “Tell meeeee. Keep going.” Pushing back on the urge to again tug on his shirt Erilena waited with baited breath. See she knew he’d have an interesting story.

[Lotty]

Well apparently he was doing something right, because she was just all over him. At this rate he should just start knocking on women's doors and telling them about his day and maybe they too would begin pulling on his clothing. Silly, silly, girls turning his job into making them scream. He tried to ease the excitement by swooping in with suave footwork, reaching his arm over her shoulders but continuing to tell the story with his hands. For this part he began criss crossing two of his fingers like walking legs and started back in.

"Well my Eril.... being a musician in a trading clan means that you have a lot of needless instruments being pushed upon you... and this time was no different. Companion of mine walked right up to be trying to pander some kind of flute if you will," as he mentioned it, even he couldn't help but laugh. Ari was not much of a flute player and never would be, "I had no interest in the thing. Strings are fine but these lungs are hardly meant for singing much less something as delicate as a pipe. Nonetheless I indulged the man... it was a most interesting looking instrument... animal bone he told me it was, and I believed him."

Now it rightfully didn't seem like this story was going anywhere at all, but it was, "Ended up buying the damned thing. Played beautifully for me it did, and I can't even explain why or how, but it got me all the way to the main hold, playing a bit for our good Lord Holder and his son Tzvi himself. How I performed.... which was marvelously if I must say so myself," he added this bit facetiously and gave a sort of limp wristed flick of his hand jokingly, "is completely irrelevant. All that mattered was that the Lord Holder and his son, his harpers under his contract came up to me.... amazed that some plebeian... some back water morrrrrron like myself could possibly play a note that they asked, 'How is this so... what trick is this? Your flute let me see your flute.'"

He held his hand out as if reliving the moment, before curling the appendages back again, "So I did, and they looked and prodded and inspected the thing. I will never know what compelled them so. Maybe it was just so strange and foreign to them because it had no hall's stamp on it, and no artist's mark, 'Where did you get this?' They asked me angrily, and since I had no secrets to hide I gave up the answer easily, 'My friend sold it to me. Said he crafted it from animal bone... I'll take you to him.' Well we departed right away, and I gathered my friend and he led us right there to the place where he found the animal bones... under the bridge... on the edge of the forest..."

He lowered his eyebrows and tilted his head. He knew the girl was smart and had it all figured out by now, but then he had to finish the story. No loose ends should be left behind, "And they dug up these remains, finding a bone sticking up from the muddy earth... and dug, and dug, and dug until they found a human skull. You can guess what happened next, Tzvi knew that he had to confess and revealed to us all there the truth... that he had killed his very own brother." With a dip and softening of his voice it was clear that the story was for all intensive purposes done. He was just waiting now for the question and answer portion.