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 Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2005 6:53 pm
Back Info
A bit of information for the curious sort, K'rel's history in detail--at least, more detail than the 'events' post explains. Kerell, once K'rel, grew up in a Beasthold on the Keroon plains. Lost somewhere in the middle of twelve children, he never exactly had high hopes for himself, but did the best he could given his situation, immersing himself in the work around the hold.
Kerell was never very fond of people and, while he was popular and friendly around the large Beasthold, preferred the company of the runners to any of his friends. From early on he exercised and raced runners, and later moved into training and breeding, working towards a new strain of distance runner with the speed of the sprinters. He was soon successful--the first of his prized stock was born on the day he was Searched.
He was torn. Every boy dreams of becoming a Dragonrider, but the runners held Kerell's heart. After swearing to himself that he would eventually return for one of his new stock, Kerell left with the rider for Igen Weyr.
The Hatching came and passed--he failed to Impress.
Rightfully upset, Kerell made plans to return to the Beasthold, but soon word came of another clutch, this one in Telgar. Riders recruited from the other Weyrs before Searching elsewhere, and Kerell was again chosen.
And again, the Hatching passed, and Kerell was left alone on the sands.
The situation repeated itself. Kerell was sent to Benden, arriving only house before the Hatching--but this time, he Impressed. He left the Sands with brown Siventh and spent the following turns at Benden Weyr, moving from Weyrling to Wingrider and, finally, to Wingsecond. Shortly following this, he was transferred to Ista, taking the place of a Second badly injured during a practice drill.
The stay at Ista was short but eventful. Siventh rose after a green--not his first win, mind--and K'rel soon fell for her rider, his first love. The plague struck, the green and her rider passed, and neither brown nor rider could bear to remain at Ista. With the plague's end, they transferred to Rias, there resuming Wingsecond duties and, otherwise, becoming more the hermit than ever.
Following Siventh's first flight turns back, K'rel made frequent trips back to his original home in Keroon, keeping them up to date on news around the country and notes of his own life. Upon learning of K'rel's loss in the plague, months after it had actually happened, the Beastmaster gifted the brownrider with a flitt egg, which hatched into blue Calt not long afterwards.
K'rel soon relaxed into his new life, shoving aside thoughts of the past and plague and returning to his interest in runners. He kept his word to himself, importing the young colt of a descendant of his stock and, around the same time, finding a sweet tempered mare whom he purchased as well--his second love, one could say.
With Ariath's first rising, Siventh followed, much to K'rel's displeasure, but failed to capture the queen, instead chasing and catching green Liliath shortly afterwards. Siventh and Liliath adore each other and have conspired against their riders, forcing them into some sort of relationship...though it's hard to say exactly what just yet.
Recently, K'rel has lost touch with T'bell and, much to Siventh's displeasure, Liliath, refusing to meet with either of them when Siventh brings up the topic. Instead, he immerses himself in his hobbies, his riding and, perhaps most time consuming, the care of the 'family's' new additions, three young flitts--Bronze Vin, brown Murry, and green Grel.
Calt is extremely jealous, and Siventh refuses to speak to him half of the time.
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Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2005 7:01 pm
FlightLink Here!(Brief overview: Ariath rose, Siventh, K'rel's brown, Basarith, V'lyrn's bronze, Tallith, L'cian's brown, Zanylith, Z'van's bronze, and Feronamth, C'tari's bronze followed. Long wonderful flight, Tallith caught her. Immediately afterwards, Liliath (T'bell's green) rose, many from the first flight followed, as well as two other blues. Siventh caught her, and we know what happened from there >.>; )
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Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2005 7:04 pm
T'bell and K'rel - Part 01 The room was dark, at best. Only a dull glow of light made it through the weyr opening, the sun nearly done its journy through the sky, and the red star already visible. The dividing section of the weyr left the bed in nearly complete darkness, the glowlamps having not been turned back in favour of the lusty emotions from the flight.
T'bell lay on his side, partially tangled in the bedcovers. His hair was in some odd mess, curls everywhere, the braid long gone, and his face was nearly burried in the pillow. Above him, nestled between the pillow edge and the corner of the wall, lay a sleeping blue flitt. The only other semblance of life came from behind a curtain on the far wall. Quiet rustling and muted sounds drifted over the weyr as the occupants discussed matters among themselves.
A low groan was the first sign of the brownrider's awakening. He shifted slightly, eyes flickering beneath their lids, then yawned, eyes finally opening as it passed. His first thought was simple confusion; this wasn't his weyr, and why was someone sleeping beside him? But in a matter of seconds the events of the day came flooding back to him, lips parting in a relieved sigh. Just another flight.
After another brief yawn, he stretched, careful not to disturb the rider sleeping beside him, then slowly sat up, absently scratching a hand through his hair, which had fallen loose sometime during the flight. He could feel Siventh close by, and briefly considered waking him, soon deciding against it. If he had woken, the brown wouldn't sleep much longer either. Let him rest, it would keep him in a better mood.
Reena Bat: A small sound ewscaped T'bells lips, muffled by the pillow. An echo was heard from behind the curtain, and it slid aside as slowly, a pale watchwher's nose broke into the room. Task looked about, sniffing the air before letting out a low hiss at the stranger in the room, one whom he'd never met.
A gold head soon joined and another wher stood beside the first, eyes also trained on this new addition. He wasn't the strange girl, nor was he the boy who smelled of ink and paper. This was someone new, someone they hadn't met yet. A growl rose from the golds' throat and she stalked forward, tongue snaking out of her jaws and wings flapping in agitation. The pale one, instead of following her to the edge of the bed, stalked to the end and climbed atop the chest there, stepping gingerly onto the furs.
K'rel spared a quick glance to the greenrider with the sound, wondering if he had unintentionally woken him. When he made no further motions, the brownrider turned his eyes back up to resume their search of the weyr, pausing curiously at the curtain as it was drawn aside. At the first sight of the watchwher, K'rel frowned, and Task's following hiss did nothing to ease his nerves. ...And then a second wher joined the first, and K'rel was quite certain his death day had come at last. Absolutely wonderful; two young watchwhers who didn't know him, and he was right next to their sleeping guardian. But he couldn't just leave! Admittedly, he had considered it, but he couldn't leave without at least speaking to T'bell first.
As both whers approached, K'rel automatically edged away from them...closer to their owner, coincidentally, which was probably the most stupid thing he could do in this situation. That thought didn't cross his mind. He just wanted to get away from the little things that wouldn't hesitate to tear him apart. Siventh...I could use some help..?
Sadly, it was not the brown who answered his call. A small blue flit popped from between with a cheery chirp of hello, wings beating calmly as he hovered over his bond. However, as soon as K'rel's nerves reached him, the green-blue of Calt's eyes flashed to a red-orange of anger and fear. 'Trumpeting' a challenge, the little blue dove towards the nearest of the whers, the gold, and probably would have collided with her had not K'rel dived to her rescue. With the ease of long practice, the brownrider snatched the flit by the tail and yanked him back over, attempting to calm him down before he could wake T'bell. Calt would have none of it.
The commotion was enough to wake the sleeping rider despite K'rels attempts, and he rose a hand to shush Zephyr, who he'd sworn had made the noise. When he opened his eyes, however, he realized with a start that Task was standing over he knees hissing at-oh shards!
He pushed himself up with a muffled curse and snatched the pale wher's snout. "No Task. No. Tell her no." The wher looked at him curiously for a moment, then back to K'rel, then to his companion who was in the process of crouching, ready to spring to the bed and eat the little blue thing. A silent exchange passed between them and the gold paused.
Rurrll. Came the noise from the gold, and she looked curiously at her impressed. T'bell met her eyes and nodded towards their room, doing his best to mask his own emotions and send the pair calming ones. "Go on." For a moment Tabesk looked as if she was going to pounce anyway, but a noise from Task stopped her, and she turned back to the room she shared with the male, snapping her tail in agitation. Task looked more curiously at K'rel and nosed him when T'bell released his snout. Giving a small snort he echoed the rurrll of the gold and gingerly navigated to the edge of the bed, hopping down and padding across the floor.
T'bell, barely processing anything at all, turned to the next problem that presented itself that he could deal with. Not the rider with whom he was sharing a bed, but the blue flitt who had deemed the situation far to scarey to handle, and had thought it smart to crawl under the pillow. He gently extracted him and then, and only then, risked a glance at the rider beside him. It was a glance mostly hidden by the dark curtain of curly hair, but it was just long enough to tell him who it was. He could feel himself sink, so low that he swore a hole swallowed him up in the darkness. Oh shards how he wished for that.
Though K'rel's soothing words did nothing to calm his own blue, the firelizard immediately fell silent with the sudden awakening of the other rider. Both rider and flit watched curiously, and somewhat warily, as T'bell attempted to calm the whers, K'rel even offering a rather hesitant smile each time Task turned towards him. The brownrider couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief when the gold retreated; the brown seemed much more agreeable now that T'bell had 'spoken' with it. He made no outward reaction to the nudge, and remained silent while both whers returned to their side room.
Finally he relaxed and released his blue, who didn't bother to catch himself and fell in a heap on the furs across his bond's lap. Ignoring him, K'rel then turned his gaze back to the greenrider and his flit, noting, inwardly amused, how different that blue seemed from his own Calt. He caught the quick glance and immediately looked away, turning his attention down to Calt and righting the blue, who began to strut across the bed as if he had single-handedly chased away both whers. This was enough to lighten K'rel's mood, at least. After a short while, when no one spoke, he cleared his throat and risked another quick glance to T'bell, smiling faintly. "Sorry he woke you.. The whers, ah, weren't too happy to see me, I think."
"No." His reply was baqrely audible, and he made a bit of an effort to speak up as he petted Zephyr soothingly. The flit himself watched the other blue curiously, but did not move from his riders' lap. "They're young, I'm sorry. They're not trained well yet." He swallowed nervously and ducked his head closer to the flitt in his lap. He could talk about the whers, that would be easy enough. Yes, of course...
Sufficiently calmed, and now more curious, Zephyr looked towards the blue much like himself and slipped from T'bells lap to make investigation of the creature. He regarded him with a tilted head for a moment before shuffling across the furs to meet the new flitt.
"Nah, it's fine. They were just doing their job, after all. They don't know me..." His voice had grown gradually quieter throughout his reply, and now he simply trailed off, turning his gaze back to follow his own flit. Calt was too busy flattering himself to take much notice of the other blue, and realized Zephyr had approached only when he was nearly on top of him. He cocked his head curiously at the new flit, eyeing him appraisingly for a moment before chirping a quick greeting and letting his guard down completely.
Thus followed an amazing retelling in chirps, squeaks, and trills of how Calt had chased away to enormous, scary, full-grown watchwhers all alone! It was all K'rel could do not to laugh aloud, as pictures from Calt's tale frequently reached him as well. For the time, he wasn't sure how to break the awkward silence that continued to lengthen between himself and T'bell. The greenrider seemed terrified of him, from K'rel's point of view, which did nothing to reassure the Wingsecond. So he was quite content to let Calt do all the talking, and all the while hoped that some of the flit's pictures would reach T'bell as well. Perhaps that would calm him down...
Zephyr listened to the blues story with interest, but tilted his head and inquired back with another chirp. Small things like themselves weren't able to scare away whers! T'bell had fended them off and then rescued himself from the trap that the pillow had formed while he was trying to escape!
T'bell, his hands folded a bit uselessly in his lap, listened quietly to the exchange between the flitts. His lips twitched at the images he got, whether from Zephyr or the other he couldn't really tell. The silence was grating on him though, and he wished he were capable of going between as easily as a dragon. Then maybe he wouldn't have to deal with this. "They're still young..." He said it again before he realised he was repeating himself. He winced under the curtain of hair hiding his face and studied the furs on his lap.
How was he to deal with it? The harper-trained part of him kicked in as he tried to understand what had happened fully. The other-K'rel, no it was K'rel, his wingsecond. Brilliant. Shards, K'rel had tried to fly the queen and must have gotten caught up with Liliath. He bit his lip quietly, wondering how he should go about apologizing for this, what seemed to be his latest of many screwups.
Calt trilled haughtily in reply, eyeing the other blue somewhat challengingly. He, Calt, was not just any small one! He was brave, and wonderful, and strong...and had probably been hanging around Siventh too much. He could easily fend away two full grown whers, even if others could not. For he was Calt, and thus, he was amazing! Bow to his wisdom and so forth. And on, and on, and on...
K'rel couldn't help but chuckle softly. Honestly, one couldn't blame him. The sight of a tiny blue flit strutting around and practically proclaiming himself a dragon was enough to make anyone crack a smile, moreso when you knew who had led to that behavior. As the silence resumed, K'rel searched his mind for some way to start up a conversation, but merely nodded slightly when T'bell repeated his statement.
And then it occurred to him that, perhaps, T'bell had hoped for another of the riders to win. For another dragon to catch Liliath. He inwardly cringed, and, after a brief hesitation, tried an apology. At the least, it should get a conversation started... "Ah... I'm not quite sure how to phrase this, but... If you had hoped for a different outcome, I apologize. Honestly, I had no intention of attempting either flight, but Siventh... Well, he hasn't listened to me in years. He tried for Ariath, and when he failed... I coaxed him after Liliath to cheer him up. He sulks," he paused, not at all sure how to continue and very aware that he was probably making a fool of himself. But at least he had spoken. That was a start.
Zephyr practically groaned. Oh meatrolls and bubbly pie, this one was just too much like Flute. Quickly masking his grain, however, he chirped enthusiastically. Best thing to do with crazies was to pretend to agree. They needed to be pacified!
"No, I..." He had sounded too frantic there, voice higher in his range than he intended. With a breath he calmed himself, attempting to gether his composure and even out his voice. "It's not that I wanted a different outcome." He said slowly, almost as if his careful control would snap. When he was relatively certain he wouldn't travel into the frantic ranges of his voice he continued, "I didn't want a flight, at all, I mean. But Lili...I guess she thought if she went up after...after Ariath, then she could...well..." He stuttered a bit and took another breath, still not looking up. "If she went up right after Ariath she supposed she could catch something more than a blue."
Calt's ego only grew when the other flit agreed with him. , swaggers growing with it until he was nearly falling over for the length of his strides. Which he eventually, did, toppling sideways onto the furs and immediately rolling back to his feet, chirping impudently as if daring anyone to say he had fallen.
K'rel ignored all this, however. His attention was focused on T'bell, who had finally spoken, even if he sounded as if he were ready to panic. But his reply explained it. K'rel wasn't sure if he was relieved or dissappointed. This greenrider didn't seem at all interested in a lasting relationship, which meant Siventh hadn't changed his entire life with one flight. But at the same time, he knew Siventh fancied Liliath, and from what he had heard before she felt the same. ...Of course, he had also heard that Liliath fancied every male dragon to cross her path.
"Ahh... well, that's understandable... A lot of riders would rather just avoid flights altogether..." He trailed off, then glanced up slightly at the younger rider hiding behind his hair, raising an eyebrow in surprise. "I would have thought more than only blues rise after Liliath. She is a bit small.... no offense intended. She makes up for it with attitude, from what Siv tells me." The brownrider smiled fondly with the thought of his dragon, glancing in the general direction he felt the brown sleeping. "He's had his eye on her for a while now... Pride sent him after Ariath, not desire. He's an arrogant fool, my Siv."
"Oh she does...have attitude, I mean." He nodded a bit and shifted his position, wincing once more before leaning against the cool wall. "I...she's only ever risen to a blue before." He tilted his head against the rock and looked across the room in the dark, vaguely in the area of his bookshelf. Something to distract him, if there was light at least, "I don't think she's ever flown with anything but." He more than thought she hadn't. He knew quite well that Fenith was the only dragon that had flown her, and that she rose only once, to more than one dragon. The other of which was a blue as well. Fenith had won of course.
Thinking of Fenith, however, was a mistake. He bit his lip against the rising emotion and cause Zephyr to chirp worriedly and abandon his playmate to crawl into his impressed's lap. The comment about riders avoiding flights nudged at him and he shook his head a bit, "I-I'm sorry about this. I would have let her rise whenever she wanted if I couldn't have been involved."
With a slight nod, K'rel let his eyes fall back to the bed, then up to resume examining the room. Subconsciously mirroring T'bell's motion, he leaned back against the cool stone wall, for the time remaining silent. Just from the way the greenrider spoke, K'rel could tell the flight was not the sole reason he was upset. And just the way he said blue... It was easy to guess that something had gone wrong, though harder to assume what that something was... K'rel wasn't sure he wanted to risk approaching the subject. The flit's reaction only made his bond's distress more apparent.
Clearing his throat, K'rel hesitated a moment before murmuring a reply, pausing often throughout it to consider his words. "No, no, it's not your fault... I'm sorry if I said something I shouldn't have.. I....ah...I know we hardly know each other, but something's obviously distressed you...If you need someone to talk to, I'm here to listen. Good at keeping secrets..." Glancing up, he smiled weakly. "I don't talk much."
T'bell managed a small smile and gave a slight nod. "I noticed." Worrying his lip, he carefully pushed some of his hair behind his ears and returned his hands to the blue on his lap. "I...I haven't told Liliath much yet, though I suppose she knows, but...if I can...I...well, thank you." He gave a small nod and tugged the furs up a bit higher on his stomach. "This...this isn't your fault. I should have taken her off." He sighed and tilted his head back, "I didn't even notice she was close...I've just been so distracted. I could have avoided this whole thing, gone awat for a few days. I've never been able to tell when she's going to rise until it-well, until it's too late to...go anywhere else. She used to...I mean the blue, he used to know when she was about to sooner than I did. She hides things..." He frowned, almost rueful. The green hid things from him about as well a he hid them from her. Maybe he was just too involved in himself, she always seemed to know what was going on better than he did, especially with him.
Once again, K'rel chuckled softly with the reply, mood lightening once more when the greenrider seemed to ease up a bit. He certainly didn't seem as nervous, anyway. Wasn't hiding behind his hair anymore... That was a start. "I'm happy to listen," he replied quietly, shrugging slightly and leaning his head back against the stone wall. Closing his eyes, he continued, "Sometimes that's just what people need. Hmm... It's probably better that you kept her here, actually. Aye, taking her away may have postponed it.. but she was bound to rise soon. Siv could tell, anyway... I'm sure a few others must have known as well. Most dragons hide things." Again he chuckled softly, opening one eye to glance sideways at the greenrider. "'Course, Siv doesn't. He just tells me what he's going to do and does it. Never listens to a word I say..."
"Lili too...tells me what I'm going to do half the time as well." He snorted softly and glanced over at K'rel, catching his eye and then looking down with a blush. "Er...are...are you hungry or anything?" Ah, how nice it was to realize one was suddenly without clothes. J'kin would have pointed out he was naked by now, of course, and laughed about it when he turned red. He paused in that thought, going stiff for a moment and fisting the sheets. Oh, that was a mistake...thinking of him made his control falter, flicker like a candle in a breeze.
Zephyr cooed once more, opening an eye from where he had dozed off on his rider's lap. T'bell was being far too emotional, Flute would soon turn up and want to fill his warm spot, demanding attention and flapping like she owned the place. Then those whers would come out again and he'd have to hide under the pillow and be saved. Such was life...
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Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2005 7:05 pm
T'bell and K'rel - Part 02 The brownrider allowed himself a smug moment when he noticed T'bell's blush, though it quickly passed and he didn't comment. Instead, he turned his thoughts to the greenrider's query, only then realizing how hungry he really was. His stomach growled a yes before he could reply, and suddenly it was K'rel's turn to blush, though he took it well and flashed a grin, nodding slightly. "Now that you mention it..." He trailed off when T'bell stiffened, wondering if he had perhaps said something wrong. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught the movement of T'bell's fist closing on the furs and found he had a vague idea of what had unnerved the greenrider now. He found this somewhat amusing, but didn't comment; more riders had no problems with nudity around other riders. But then, they had pretty much just met, so it was understandable. Fishing through the furs, he found one that was free and pulled it over, shifting slightly to wrap it around his waist before nodding slightly and sliding off the bed. "I'll get something for us. Do you have a chute..?"
"Y-yes." He swallowed and bit his lip hard before taking a deep breath. "I...excuse me...for a moment." He had already leaned over the side of the bed, covers wrapped securely around him, and retrieved what he thought to be his pants. After a brief moment he realized that they, in fact, were not his, and switched them for the other pair. A bit more shuffling and he had retreated to the bathroom, as fast as a green himself, leaving a glowlamp opened to fend off the darkness in his absence. The curtain seperating the rooms swishing behind him as he pulled it shut.
A reply died on K'rel's lips as the greenrider snatched up his clothes and bolted to the bathroom. For a moment he just stared after T'bell, then shook his head slightly and gathered up his own clothes. He partially redressed--it was a warm night, he left his shirt off--, and with a bit of searching found the chute and called down for dinner for two. Within a few minutes, the telltale rumbling signaled that dinner was served. Picking up the tray, he returned to the bed and sat on the edge, setting the tray down beside him, but chose to wait for T'bell's return to begin eating.
Within a few moments T'bell extracted himself from the bathing room rubbing at his cheeks, hair wet and wearing pants. The fur he'd escaped in there with was folded neatly over his arm, and he meekly ducked his head as he sat it back on the end of the bed. Quiet sounds of splashing could be heard from behind the curtain, the product of a sneaky firelizard. He could smell the food, but his appetite had left him. Nevertheless, he would eat...after the akward silence that seemed to permeate the room.
Quickly, he grabbed his brush and pulled it through his curls, trying to get enough order into them so he could put them back up into his braid and not look so disshevelled. "Did...er..." Well, at least he had broken the silence. He sat gingerly on a chair beside his big desk and tried again, "Did you know who...who the new weyrleader is?"
K'rel glanced up briefly when he heard the greenrider return, offering another faint smile before T'bell ducked away. As the silence stretched on,the turned his attention back to the tray of food, picking up a piece of redfruit from one bowl. T'bell seemed more interested in getting cleaned up than eating, so he shouldn't mind if K'rel began without him, aye? He would go bath after dinner, the brownrider thought to himself, and lifted the fruit to take a bite. He finished the piece in a few small bites, and glanced up when T'bell finally broke the silence, considering his question for a moment before replying. "Do you know, I think it's L'cian... Brown Tallith's rider. Surprising, but not impossible... L'cian will make a good Weyrleader."
The greenrider nearly dropped his brush at the news. "L'cian?!" Worries forgotten for a moment, a look of pure horror crossed his face. "He-! Oh...oh no!" He tossed his brush on the table in favour of burying his face in his hands and cursing to himself. Shards, could he have been any more of a deadglow, ordering him around like that during the hunt?! Imagine that, a greenrider -him- ordering around the weyrleader. Being ordered between the next time he laid eyes on him wouldn't surprise him.
Well, that wasn't at all the reaction K'rel had expected. T'bell seemed so upset by this announcement that the brownrider actually stood and stepped over to him, hesitating a moment before resting a hand reassuringly on his shoulder. "Past, ah...argument? Don't worry, L'cian's a nice guy, he'll get over it. Besdies, he's smart enough to not abuse his position. He handled Wingsecond well, after all.... Relax, calm down.."
T'bell nearly jumped out of his skin at the hand on his shoulder, but quickly calmed himself. He hadn't even heard him move. "No...I...oh, the feline hunt. I was put in charge and he went out on it..." He heaved a frustrated sigh and looked blandly at his brush. He still would not meet the other rider's eyes. K'rel probably couldn't even remember his name. With a small note of awareness he felt Liliath come awake and frowned.
Love...?
'I'm here.' He replied mentally, trying to ignore the hand on his shoulder enough to manage to grab the brush. The emotion that leaked to her must have been a decent outline of his feelings, because she didn't reply. He could feel her fatigue, if he were lucky maybe she'd fall back asleep. He could barely handle one coversation now.
"Ahhh...." Now it made sense. "Bossing around someone who's now a higher rank than you, aye? As I said, don't worry, L'cian'll take it well." After a moment he remembered his hand and let it fall away, taking a small step backwards before turning and returning to sit on the bed. Picking up another piece of fruit from the bowl, he took a small bite, stil feeling awkward about eating in another's weyr while that other wasn't. Siventh still hadn't awoken, and Calt... K'rel glanced quickly around for the blue, and finally assumed, by the sounds coming from the bathroom, that he and T'bell's flit were playing. To add to that, T'bell seemed to have lapsed back into the 'cringe everytime he speaks' stage. All in all, it was rather disheartening.
He is sad. It is my fault. Liliath bespoke K'rel, her voice tinged with heavy fatigue and a bit of regret for her rider.He is remembering.
T'bell was wrestling with his hair now that K'rel had left him, putting it into its typical braid. He tilted his head as he felt Liliath slip back into sleep and gave a small sigh. When his braid was finished her wrapped a tie around it and stood carefully, eyeing the tra by K'rel. "Could I have some? Unless...you only ordered for yourself." He looked down, then shuffled onto the carpet beside his bed to keep his bare feet off the stone and kept himself too busy to look at the brownrider by opening the glowlamps on his mantle, casting more light through the room.
K'rel's head snapped up in surprise when Liliath's voice reached him, eyes subconsciously turning towards the dragons out of sight. However, before he could reply Liliath had slipped back to sleep--probably for the better, she had certainly sounded exhausted--and T'bell had finished with his hair. Turning his attention back to the greenrider, he blinked once in confusion, then nodded and swept a hand towards the tray, offering another faint smile. "There's more than enough for two. Help yourself..." Trailing off, he sighed and turned his gaze back to the tray, pretending not to notice the greenrider's obvious attempts at avoiding him. Liliath had said he was remembering... About what, the brownrider had no idea. He considered his options, and soon decided to just bring up the subject once more. T'bell had nearly told him earlier, perhaps he would now. Following the greenrider out of the corner of his eye, he reached for a meatroll, speaking quietly. "Liliath said you're upset... Any way I can help?"
The glowlamp actually did hit the floor, and T'bell quickly bent to clean up the spilled glows. "Liliath...!" He huffed to cover his shock. That dragon would get him into trouble, speaking to anyone she wished. He would have a talk with her about keeping to herself, especially about matters concerning him. "Of course I'm upset..." he failed to add 'at her' to his sentence, but his tone implied it. "She knew I didn't want her to rise and did anyway."
He picked up the lamp, setting it back on the mantle and checking it for damage. What else had his dragon mentioned? "I mean, she's always risen on her own, but I knew Fen- I knew the blue would always catch her. It was routine." He sighed again and tugged the end of his braid, turning to the wher's room when the pair poked their noses out. It was late, their time anyway. "This time though, it wasn't fair. He wasn't here and she did it anyway and-" He snatched two meatrolls off the platter in his anger and half-heartedly tossed them to the whers. K'rel had been here, he was a wingsecond. Shells, he must have lost people. It was this knowledge that fueled his rant, more than it had with the others he had talked to. "And I just...I-I don't know. That's what it is. I don't know. I don't have a sharding clue which side is up and which way I go to get between . It's like I'm back in the Hall bumbling through a score I've never seen before, only getting one note at a time." Task made his way over to his bonded and made a curious noise at him, causing the greenrider to bend and scratch his eyeridges. His hands were gentle with his creatures despite his rant, "And they've got me playing a harp, or a guitar, and I can't even play the instrument, letalone read the notes. Everyone's on edge from the plague, everyone's dead from the plague. This isn't the weyr I used to know, and everything's gone and he's not coming back. Everyone's unbalanced." He quieted, holding Tasks' head and looking at his eyes, "Or at least I am. I...want to think everyone else is off balance. There's nothing wrong with me, there's something wrong with the world. You've been here...you know. It's just...I don't know." He sighed and dropped his head to the whers.
Rurrll? Tabesk questioned from her position by the bookshelf, still eyeing K'rel. T'bell chuckled, sort of a spent and sad sound. "No, not a stranger. Not since the last time you tried to eat him."
The glowlamp fell to the floor, and K'rel cringed back with the crash it made, looking away at T'bell's angry tone. Just that hint told him it would be best to let the greenrider finish his rant uninterupted, and so he fixed his eyes on the tray, listening intently with the intention of replying once T'bell had let off some steam. Despite the greenrider's anger, K'rel gradually began to feel better about having provoked it. True, it wasn't the reaction he had hoped for, but it seemed this rant had been building up for some time now. If this was the case, it was about time he let it out. And as long as T'bell didn't chew his head off, he had no problem with listening. It was really a relief. Maybe they could bother relax afterwards.
As the greenrider continued, the situation began to make more and more sense... Right down to the tension there had been since they had both woken up. he had lost a...weyrmate, perhaps? To the plague. Yes, K'rel had lost people, but no on to that degree. Still, it had effected everyone. It was understandable that that rider would still be in T'bell's thoughts.
When the tirade finally died down, K'rel looked back up, catching the eye of the gold watchwher and flashing it a quick grin as a 'truce' offering, chuckling softly himself at T'bell's words. However, the sound soon faded into a deep sigh, made all the more apparent when the brownrider straightened up in his seat. "Everything makes much more sense now... Though I have to say, don't be mad at Liliath...Greens rise, they can't help it, and have you thought that, maybe, she could be trying to find someone else to ease that blue's passing...?" Pausing, he again sighed, running a hand through his hair while considering his next words. "Everyone lost someone during the plague... it just hit some harder than others... It's passed, and a lot of good people are gone...but...remembering them, do you honestly think they would want us to mourn forever? Yes, for a little while, but they wouldn't want to see us sad... They would want us to get back on our feet and move on with our lives. Look towards a better future and all."
Again he paused, then turned his gaze to the floor, hesitating briefly before continuing once more. "It takes some people longer to adjust than others... I guess you're one of them. Dunno, I just...think you need to move on. This blue's rider; if he knew what was going to happen, what do you think he would have told you...?"
"I know what I would have told him..." He let out a long breath and was quiet for a moment. Inside he was fighting a battle to keep his composure, or what was left of it. He didn't know much of J'kin anyway...not in that respect. The bluerider could have thought him a friend all along. He...
Task nudged his cheek and T'bell smiled at the wher. "I am...moving on. Trying to. I'm functioning, I'm happy if I don't think about it. It's just...this. This just hit a chord in me. There are some things...I haven't dealt with just yet...haven't come to terms with."
The brownrider nodded slightly without looking up, clasping his hands infront of himself and shrugging slightly. "Sometimes it takes time... I lost a few people. Older brothers, couple of riders who Impressed at the same Hatching I did... 'Course, I wasn't terribly close to any of them. Too busy at the Beasthold to get to know a brother turns older than me, and we switched weyrs before the plague..." He glanced up slightly, cracking a smile. "Anyway. Sorry if Siv or I brought up any old memories. If you'd rather, we can leave. He's still sleeping, but I'm sure I could wake him long enough to move back to our weyr...." He paused, then again shrugged slightly. "Everyone adjusts at their own pace. If you need more time, we'll understand."
"No, you're still eating." He said it calmly, as if it was quite obvious. "I'm...I just...I don't know. I was in the middle of everything. Running the errends and taking the tolls. One'a the harpers says mine are better than in the record hall." He muttered and stood up, giving Task a pat on the head and sitting down a respectable distance from K'rel on the bed before taking a meatroll. "I don't want to make you uncomfortable because I'm being a hatchling." He chewed on the roll thoughtfull for a moment and folded his legs under him, finding a comfortable position in which to sit. "Don't...leave. I mean, Liliath will be awfully cross if Siventh moves too much, and it's not polite for me to just...for us to...and then for me to...to make you leave." He ducked his head a hid his blush by eating the rest of the meatroll. Whether it was the rant to someone who he felt had gone through something similar, or the food, he felt a bit calmer.
Couldn't argue with that logic. K'rel chuckled softly and finished off the meatroll he had picked up earlier, watching the greenrider return to the bed out of the corner of one eye. Picking up another, he took a bite, swallowing before glancing back up and nodding slightly. "I can understand how it would effect you more, then... I pretty much avoided the whole ordeal. Helped the Healers with what little I could do, and otherwise stayed out of the weyr..." Trailing off, he paused, then cracked a smile and changed subjects, chuckling softly. "Mm, yes, I suppose Liliath would be upset if he woke her. Siv wouldn't be very happy with me either, at that. Hmm... Well, I'm not going to try and talk you into making me leave, or anything. I've enjoyed...what little conversation we've had." He grinned, shrugging. "Awkward as it was. Even the rant, because...well, you seemed to need it. Dunno, I still don't know many around this weyr. My own fault, but.. It's just nice having someone to talk to."
"Yes..." He sighed and hesitated before taking another meatroll and biting into it with relish. "I don't talk to many dragonriders. I'm younger...there are other harpers here though, so I'm not alone." He looked down again, becoming sheepish, "I shouldn't have put that on you, my problems. I'm sorry. You didn't have control over any of it." He looked up, off distractedly in the vague direction of the dragons, "Seems she is happy." He smiled and turned his head back down. "It was unfair of me. Would you accept my apology?"
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Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2005 7:05 pm
T'bell and K'rel - Part 03 "Makes sense. I'm just....not shy. Faranth knows, I've never been shy, no... I'm still getting used to it here, I suppose." Shrugging slightly, he took another bite of his meatroll, eyeing what was left thoughtfuly before downing that as well, chuckling softly once his mouth was clear. "Not at all. Remember, I volunteered to listen. And it wasn't as if any offended me personally. Though, if it makes you feel better, I accept you apology. And apologize for prying. Really, it was none of my business..." Trailing off, he echoed the glance towards the dragon, smiling fondly. "Siv will be happy... I doubt he'll wake tonight, but tomorrow.. Just watch. More arrogant than ever, I can promise."
"You weren't prying. Just wondering why I decided to be so odd." He mumbled, looking affectionatly at his dragon. "I'm still rather mad at her, but I'm sure that'll pass. It always does. Best keep up appearances when she wakes up or she might wonder what you've done to me." The meatroll he was about to take a bite of paused halfway to his mouth and he quickly added, "Not that, I mean." before he put the thing in his mouth the stall any further things he might regret saying. He chewed with a blush on his cheeks, but also in an annoyed fashion, debating what thing he could do next to make himself look like the deadglow he truely was. Not much, thankfully, as he thought. The poor man had already seen his hair all down and messy, and so had looked at 'the wherry' at his worst. Liliath always had been fond of that nickname. Thay'd done...that...of which he would no doubtedly remember much more clearly later. He blushed again at that, and would roll over and turn into the wherry his dragon claimed he was before that came up in conversation. J'kin had...never told him he was horrible at it. Well...it had passed. Dragonriders did it all the time.
"Did you ever..." He looked up, thinking outloud. Possibly a dangerous prospect, "...you know, have anyone before? I mean, someone close to you." He laughed quietly and looked down again, "Sorry, maybe I'm the one prying now. You don't have to answer."
"Not odd, just...nervous. Scared. I'm not that terrifying, am I?" He cocked his head to the side, then chuckled softly and shrugged, turning his eyes to the tray and reaching for a piece of fruit. "Dragons know just how to get you you so that, no matter how mad, you'll always forgive them. I think that's the only reason I haven't murdered Siv yet..." He trailed off and actually laughed aloud at the following comment, but grinned to ease the gesture. Still chuckling softly, he picked up the fruit and took a small bite, tensing briefly at T'bell's question before shrugging slightly, waiting until he had swallowed the fruit to reply. "No, it's alright. Perfectly reasonable question, after all. And, ah....hmm.. Well, no, I suppose not. There was one relationship that, I think, had the potential to become more, but I was sent to Rias before it could, soo... That faded." Again he shrugged, taking another bite of his piece of fruit.
The greenrider ducked his head, "No, you're not terrifying." he smiled a bit, still looking down, "I think it's the situation." He rolled his eyes in agreement on dragons knowing just how to act for forgiveness and sat quietly for a moment before asking the question K'rels words had sparked. "It can just fade?" He mused over that before peering over to see if there was any redfruit left, tilting the bowl towards him. "I wouldn't know. Harpers sing all these songs about things like that, and I know how to play them, but I don't understand it. I suppose it's like...with your dragon, right?" He sat back and watched his hands on the furs. "That's what I've always thought of it like anyway. I'm probably wrong."
"Well...no, I don't think so." He finished off the piece with a final bite, chewing thoughtfully for a short while before swallowing and continuing. "I mean... It was more of a friendship, but a close friend. She was a green rider, just...hmm.. Dunno how to explain. It's been a few turns... Not long after I came to Rias, her green rose. I'm told she and the rider who's dragon caught hers are weyrmates now." He smiled faintly, then sat back with a sigh, having eaten his fill of the simple meal. "But she's happy, and I'm down here anyway, so no worries. Love...hmm... I'm really not sure. One of those things that's hard to explain. I think love between two people is different than between a rider and dragon, though..." His eyes turned back towards the dragons, smile brightening somewhat. "When you Impress, your dragon is like... part of you. And there is love, but it's unconditional love, it just...happens, and no matter how mad you get, that love is there. Between two people...It seems like when it happens, it would feel stronger, because...it grew. It wasn't just there. It happened, and...eh, I don't know." He smiled sheepishly, looking down. "Not like I've been in love. It's hard to compare anything to the bond with our dragons.."
"You make sense though..." T'bell nodded absently as he stood and took the tray, sliding it onto his desk and stepping over Task on the way back to his spot. "You'll find someone, I suppose." He smied ruefully and pulled at the folded furs he had set down before, unfolding the over the bottom half of the bed while he sat there. "You're a dragonrider, a wingsecond, and..." He laughed self-depreciatively, "not terrifying, despite what a silly greenrider might think. You could have anyone, I think. You're lucky."
"Maybe eventually..." Smiling faintly, he shifted around to sit on the bed, folding his legs beneath himself. K'rel rolled his eyes at the 'list of titles', laughing softly and shaking his head. "Ah, but there are plenty of dragonriders and wingseconds in this world, and the greater majority of them are not terrifying. Besides, I don't want anyone." His eyes turned to the furs beneath him, tracing his fingers over it absently. "Love should be special, and if I could have anyone, it wouldn't be. I'd rather have limited choices and find that perfect person, y'know?"
"Easy for you to say, you're...what is it...desirable?" He waved a hand at him accusingly. "No matter how big your choice is you're practically guarenteed acceptance." He shook his head and flicked his braid over his bare shoulder. "Prime breeding stock, excellent stud, commitment material." He snickered, oh it was so nice to tease someone else for once.
K'rel laughed, shaking his head as he built up a protest. But he quickly changed his mind, falling silent with a faint smirk and raising an eyebrow at T'bell. "Oh really? And all this information coming from who, dear greenrider?" Time to turn the tables a bit...
Reena Bat: "Common knowl...edge..." His eyes widened and he blushed fiercely. "No...no basis."
"Common knowledge?" He shook his head, flashing a cheeky grin. Oh, he had him cornered now... "I'm hardly common knowledge. Half the weyr doesn't know I exist, even if Siventh's the loudest one out there. Come now, who's gossiping about me, hmm?"
Reena Bat: "Well no one really." He fidgeted and looked down again. He couldn't seem to look at him for any length of time. "You know Harpers...we talk, that's all."
"Ahh, Harper talk." The brownrider left it at that, nodding slightly before sitting back once more. Still, it amused him that he had gotten T'bell so flustered over a simple tease, but cheered him to know that he could get away with it. "Well, that makes sense. Was just curious.." He yawned, then schooched to the edge of the bed and stood, nodding towards the bathroom. "Do you mind if I go bathe? Need to get cleaned up.."
"No, I don't mind. You're welcome to...everything's in there. Two flitts too, from the noise." He kept his head ducked, his bangs covering his face as he slid of the edge of the bed and began fixing the furs. "If you need anything...I don't think I could stand to go anywhere." He laughed and picked up his tunic, spotting it slightly under the bed. Of course, this made him blush again and he quietly cursed himself.
"Ehh, sorry about that..." K'rel blushed faintly himself, then laughed and shook his head, walking over to the bathroom and dissappearing behind the curtain to the chirped greetings of the flits. "I won't be long."
"'Sorry about that'?" T'bell echoed, albeit much quieter and long after the brownrider had passed the curtain. He sat down on the bed with a 'fump' and winced. "Wonder...no I don't. I don't wonder anything, do I Task?" The pale watchwher chirrup his agreement from his vantage point under the desk and T'bell looked around curiously for Tabesk just in time to notice the curtain swing shut. Ah, she was watching the 'stranger'. "Behave, Tabesk!" He called after her before standing again and gathering the rest of the discarded clothing, piling it on the chest at the end of his bed before he set to righting the furs, only to find a gold flitt starting at him from his pillow.
"How long have you been there?" He ran a hand over her wings and she cooed appreciatively, lids closed. Must have been off galavanting in the aftermath of the queens flight. He carefully adjusted the pillow and slid onto the bed next to her. Zephyr was in the bath, so she could have some time with him to herself. She seemed content to take his attention, and so he stroked her wings and small nose to her hearts content.
The brownrider actually had his back to the doorway when he heard the swish of the curtain reclosing, and he really wasn't sure what to expect when he turned around. T'bell didn't seem the type to come barging in unannounced while anyone was bathing. But he certainly hadn't expected to see Tabesk there. He fixed a smile on his face in the hopes of convincing the gold that he was no threat, and tried to go about his bath as normally as possibly, though it was perhaps a bit faster than normally. After redressing, he dried his hair as well as possible and bound it back still wet, edging cautiously around the gold wher and back into the main sleeping room. "Don't think your little gold likes me much."
"Hm?" The greenrider covered a yawn with his hand and pushed himself into a semi-seated postition from where he'd been sharing the pillow with his flitt. "She's just wary. She won't do anything..." He looked beside and behind K'rel to the soaked firelizard that marched out behind him and fluttered up to the bed. "Joining us, Zeph?"
Shrugging, he stepped back over to the bed and sunk down to sit on the opposite side from T'bell. "Ahh, wary. Be that as it may, she still glared at me the whole time I was bathing. Not a reassurign thing when you're unclothed..." He yawned, then glanced back towards the bathing room, just in time to see a thoroughly drenched Calt stumble out behind the other blue. The little flit chirped softly, energy drained by its long bath, and shook a bit of the water away before taking flight and darting up to his bond, landing carefully on the arm K'rel offered him.
Reena Bat: "Looks like a party, hm?" He mumbled to the blue when he poked his nose as Flute. Zeph got a grunt in return and moved to take his spot between the pillow and the headboard, like a blue sandwich. T'bell smiled fondly at the blue and tucked his curly bangs behind his ears as he glanced to K'rel. "She has more of a mind to do what she pleases than Task does. It seems all the females around me do." He gave a slight shake of his head and pushed himself up into a seated position. "So..."
"Mmm, most females are like that, I've noticed." K'rel chuckled softly, then shifted slightly to lean back against the wall. He felt another silence falling, and searched his mind for a subject. When nothing came, he decided to just alter their current one a bit. With a gesture that began as a stretch, he waved a hand around at the assorment of 'pets', then glanced back to T'bell with a smile. "You've got quite a 'collection'... I've only got Calt in the weyr, at this point."
"Oh...yes, they've worked their way into my life one way or another." He smiled and pulled at the covers absently. "I know Zephyr was from the last clutch that came in, likely from his," He nodded at Calt, "And Flute, I think, was a gift from one of two sources. The whers...well...my mother wanted one to guard my weyr so I attended the impression and...ended up with two." He shrugged, remembering how he'd blooded himself too much. "A weyrbrat...or a drudge, someone had to help me carry them both up. And, well, the only other creatures in here are up on the shelves." He gestured to a few stuffed toys with a bit of embarrasment. "The only thing it seems I don't have yet is a runner. Liliath thinks they'd taste good, but I wouldn't let her carry out that theory."
The brownrider nodded understandingly, eyes moving from one creature to another as they were 'introduced', even to the plushies on the shelf, a smile playing at his lips. "Calt was from the last clutch as well, aye. Though Siv and I found three on a beach not long ago. Gave one away and kept the other two, but they haven't hatched yet." He paused, then turned back to T'bell with a grin. "I have two runners, actually. Keep 'em down at the Hold for...a few different reasons. I grew up at a Beasthold, missed it after I Impressed... So I got those two. Go down to ride every so often. The Beastmaster there boards them free in exchange for breeding rights." He grinned sheepishly, shrugging. "Whatever works."
T'bells eyes widened at news of the clutch he'd found. "Three? Shards, you'll have your hands full with him and two more." He said, nodding to Calt once more. "I never have time to spend more than a few minutes in the beasthold, it just seems I'm too busy. I'd love to see them though, maybe I'll ask the next-" He broke off and covered his mouth as another yawn escaped him, "-next time I go down. Sorry." He ducked his head sheepishly.
"Mm, maybe, but maybe they'll keep each other amused and won't torment me as much. I haven't been down in a while. I'll have to go check on 'em soon. You're welcome to visit or ride-" He abruptly broke off with a yawn of his own, eyes falling closed to reopen as it faded. Chuckling softly, he waved away the apology, turning his eyes thoughtfully down to the bed. "Not at all. It's late, and today has been...eventful. Perhaps we should just....er..."
"'We should just'?" the greenrider echoed curiously. A small 'splash' from the bathroom alerted him to Tabesks' activities and he smiled as Task curiously got up to investigate, then, as his tail disappeared behind the curtain and another splash sounded, to obviously join. "They're supposed to be solitary creatures. Maybe they'll grow into it..."
"I was going to suggest sleep," he admitted, glancing up to T'bell and chuckling softly before turning towards the bathroom. "But I'd doubt we'd be able to know that those two're taking their bath. Can stay up longer, though. And it wouldn't surprise me if those two stay close. They generally are solitary, but I think that's partially because they're usually kept apart, you know?"
"They're usually pretty quiet at night," He shifted his weight and looked at the curtain seperating the rooms, "I suppose there's a chance they'll stay like they are now...growing up around each other and everything. Task is quieter than she is, and he seems to have the better bond with me. If I could just get her to hold still long enough..." He trailed off, the comment about sleep sinking in, "You mean here...?"
K'rel nodded absently in reply to the comments about the whers. He didn't know much on the subject of the little beasts, and as a result really had nothing more to say about them. He did glance briefly back to T'bell with the question, but quickly looked away and shrugged. "Well, err, wherever works. I really can't go anywhere until Siventh wakes, but I don't mind sleeping on a couch if you'd rather. Just point me towards it.."
"Actually," He sighed and fidgeted uncomfortably, "There isn't much but those chairs and that desk there, unless you'd like to sleep in the whers' room, and I don't think you would. I could...I could just stay up and offer you the bed, if you like."
Sighing, K'rel shook his head, then smiled faintly and straightened up. "No, no, don't worry about it. I'll...just... bed down with Siv. Those dragons are so deeply asleep, I doubt they would notice. Besides, Siv's used to it, and I can keep away from Liliath so I don't disturb her."
"It's not fair of me to make you sleep on the floor, take the bed." With a mild insistance in his voice, he slid to the edge of the furs and stood before gesturing to the avaliable space. "Plenty enough for a brownrider."
K'rel chuckled softly and shook his head, shifting to the edge of the bed and standing, then sweeping an arm over the furs. "It's perfectly fair. I usually sleep beside Siventh in our weyr anyway. And this is your weyr, and this is your bed, dear green. Just because Siventh flew Liliath doesn't mean I'm going to come and take it from you."
"Well I'm not going to kick you out of it just because this isn't your weyr. It's only polite." He crossed his arms and blushed at the 'dear green' but didn't back down.
"Well, you are being polite, if that's what you're worried about." The brownrider grinned, then shrugged and turned away, heading in the general direction of the dragons. "I'm just going to play the rude Wingsecond and refuse. Get some rest, T'bell."
"Hey!" He frowned and stomped after him in his bare feet. "I'm surprised there's enough room for the both of them in there, letalone you. I got you into this...it's...it's the least I can do to offer you a bed after your trouble."
Pausing in step, K'rel glanced back over his shoulder at the greenrider and raised an eyebrow, still chuckling softly. "Firstly, you didn't 'get me into' anything. I told Siventh to go after Liliath, and, honestly, I'm very glad that he caught her. Second, it's been no trouble. Actually, I'm not sure what you even mean by that. I've enjoyed this evening, our conversations, even if you haven't. And, if you haven't, I apologize, and will not trouble you again."
"No!" His eyes widened and his stubborn stance completely dropped as he waved his hands. "No no no, it's not that I haven't-well...I-I can't really...I'll remember enough of it later to give an-an opinion on whether or not I...I mean it didn't hurt too much so I-" He dropped his head, looking at his toes, and took a deep breath. "It's not that I haven't enjoyed it, it's the circumstances under which it occured that aren't sitting evenly with me yet." He rubbed his neck and pulled his braid over his shoulder, shifting his feet on the stone. "I didn't mean anything like that by it, I-sorry. Sorry." He sighed and turned around, shaking his head and muttering, "Good thing I'm a dragonrider and not a harper anymore, I can't seem to get my words out."
K'rel let himself relax with the greenrider's reaction, turning back towards T'bell with a faint grin, and actually chuckling softly with his final words. "I can't remember much either, so don't stress over it. And I know that the circumstances weren't the best... That's fine, I understand. But now, just relax and get some rest. I don't like thinking my presence makes people uncomfortable." He paused, then chuckled softly. "And you sleeping somewhere other than the bed would undoubtably be uncomfortable. So I'll move."
"I don't want you sleeping on the floor though." He sighed, his back still to him as he fiddled with things on his desk, "I...I'm usually uncomfortable anyway." He laughed quietly and set a big blue book to the side, tilting a few unlit cadndles towards him to check the wick, generally finding things to do. "My mother would flay me and use my innards to make strings for her newest guitar if she found out I was being inhospitable. Take the bed, K'rel."
The brownrider briefly fell silent, watching T'bell thoughtfully for a moment before chuckling softly. He folded his arms across his chest, cracking a grin. "Tell you what, I'm pulling rank. Benefits of being Wingsecond... But I'll let you choose between two, how's that?" He paused momentarily, glancing towards the dragons when he felt Siventh stirr. But the brown sunk back into sleep without really waking, and K'rel went on. "We'll either both sleep on the bed, or we'll both find somewhere else in the weyr to rest. Fair enough? It's your choice as to which."
The harper's head tilted up at his comment and he allowed himself something between a rueful and slightly annoyed frown, "Pulling rank..." He sighed and shook his head. "Well there's no...no use in the both of us not getting any decent sleep by bedding down on the floor...but..." He fidgeted a little and set the candle he was holding back on the desk. "If that...makes you uncomfortable then..."
"Actually, I was more concerned for you, greenrider." K'rel raised an eyebrow, cocking his head to the side. Smiling apologetically, he let his arms fall back to his sides and shrugged. "I've slept near other riders before, and really don't think of it as that big of deal. But you seem scared by the very idea. Nervous enough with me here at all. If you're that uncomfortable with it..." He trailed off with another shrug, not bothering to finish his sentance. it would just get them arguing over who slept on the bed again, and that was starting to get old.
"Well..." Ah, harper reasoning, "If it's not a big deal to you...then I suppose there's no reason it should be a big deal to me as long as...as, well...it's not as if-" He gestured to the two dragons and then up in the air; a crude representation of a mating flight. "As they don't decide to rise again."
"And I doubt you'll have to worry about that for some time," the brownrider reassured him, sparing a glance towards the dragons and grinning faintly. "Thay've completely worn themselves out. As have I. So, if you don't mind, now that we've decided who's sleeping where, I'm going to head to bed. Tomorrow's approaching quickly."
"She might, just to annoy me." He spared a mild glare at his green and gave a slight nod, taking a breath and shuffling towards the bed. "Flute sometimes sleeps on that pillow, so if she moves onto your head, don't be alarmed." He pointed ot the pillow near the edge as he slipped in. "Zeph takes mine and...well...yeah." Rambling, perfect. There was no reason at all for him to get worked up over this, K'rel was right. It was simply sleeping...but the events before played like a blurred and drunked memory and he was sure the heat on his cheeks had become permanent as he faced the stone wall.
Nodding, K'rel started back towards the bed as well, sinking down to sit on the edge with a yawn. "That's fine. Calt likes to sleep on my pillow, so I doubt another flitt'll bother me. I'll have to get used to it, anyway, what with the other two eggs nearing Hatching..." While he spoke, he pulled back the furs and shifted to lay on 'his side' of the bed. He pulled the furs back up, then rolled onto his side so that his back was to T'bell, hoping this would ease the awkwardness of the situation a bit.
T'bell had nearly molded himself to the wall in an effort to give the other rider some room in the small bed. "Goodnight then..."
Almost immediately, the brownrider felt Calt dart down to land on the pillow behind his head; the flitt uttered a sleepy chirp to both riders, then curled up and in seconds, energy gone as quickly as it had come. Comforted somewhat by the familiarity of the flitt, K'rel yawned and closed his eyes, murmuring a 'Good night' in reply before attempting to go to sleep himself, soon drifting off.
It took T'bell a few moments longer, and a bit of shifting of the flitts that occupied his pillow, but he too soon fell asleep.
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Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2005 7:17 pm
'We should not have left so soon.' Siventh huffed sulkily from his perch on the ledge. When there was no reply, the brown craned his head around, fixing an eye on his rider. 'Liliath's rider is very nice.'
K'rel lay on the couch with his back to his dragon, completely ignoring Siventh. To all appearance he may have been asleep. But he wasn't, Siv knew, and so he tried again. If you won't go back, I will go on my own.
"You'll do nothing of the sort," K'rel snapped, then sighed. "Give it a rest, Siv. Lili may like you, but she likes any dragon she sees. And T'bell's scared of me."
'The rider lost his mate. He was scared of the situation, not you.' Siventh paused, then rumbled cheerfully and leaned around to nudge K'rel with his nose. 'Liliath enjoyed herself very much. They both did.' The dragon's smug tone earned him a thwap on the muzzle from his rider, but Siv merely laughed. 'You'd best get to know them. I will catch Liliath next time as well.'
"You shouldn't think so far ahead. Arrogant wretch." But K'rel did roll over, frowning up at his dragon. "And do I get no say in any of this?"
'You never do,' Siventh cheerfully reminded him, then swiveled his head to avoid another thwap. Immediately afterward, the brown leaned around and tilted the couch over, just enough so that K'rel rolled off onto the floor. 'Come. I want a bath and a long swim, and you need to stop sulking.'
Sprawled out on the floor, K'rel briefly considered protesting. But at another nudge from his dragon, he climbed to his feet and headed out onto the ledge. "Fine. But only if we go visit the runners afterward."
'Those runners...' The brown mumbled, but K'rel knew he would aree. The rider vaulted onto his dragon's back and Siventh launched from the ledge, beginning an easy flight down to the lake.
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Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2005 11:20 pm
T'bell and K'rel - Late Talk Part 01
Liliath heaved a sigh in her weyr and rubled appreciatively. She had been hungry, but a nice plump herdbeast had fixed that perfectly, and now she was awake. Where was her rider? A quick check told her several levels below. And now, her brown? Siventh...
Siventh was bored. The brown lounged lazily on the ledge of his weyr, half asleep simply out of lack of anything better to do. He had spent the better part of the morning attempting to convince his rider into going somewhere, but K'rel repeatedly stated that he was working and couldn't be bothered. Working, pah. Siventh knew for a fact that all the Wingsecond was doing at that moment was checking on his flitt eggs. What a dull way to spend the day... Thus it was with considerable relief that Siventh replied to his green, head perking slightly as he snapped from his daze, carefully sheltering his words from his rider. I am here, Liliath. Is your rider 'neglecting' you as well?
No, he is not. Is yours? She rumbled with amusement and slunk to the opening of her weyr, taking flight with the ease of a green, I suggest you move over.
He is playing with the little ones, Siventh mumbled sulkily, chancing a glance back towards his rider. However, her following statement cheered him considerably. The brown immediately rose and moved over on the ledge to make room, earning himself a confused stare from K'rel but paying it no heed. There is plenty of room for both.
Mildly surprised at the size of a browns' weyr compared to her own, Liliath had little trouble making a graceful landing on the edge. You have much space...she remarked, eyes slowly whirling blue and green as she folded in her wings.
The brown rumbled smugly from where he lay beside her, turning his head to follow her movements. Benefits of rank. We had a good choice of weyrs, as there is only one Queen here at this time. The dragon's words were abruptly ut off by his rider, who had left the flitt eggs the moment he saw Liliath land on the ledge and was now nearing the two dragons. "Siventh, I told you, not today."
In reply, Siventh winked an eye at his green before swiveling his head to fix that eye on his rider. I did not call her. She came to visit me, and I will not send her away. We are not disturbing you.
Liliath, taking advantage of Siventh's distraction, settled down beside him and slid her head under his neck. For all the world, she looked quite smug. Love? She sent privately to T'bell. At his attention she continued, Siventh has said K'rel is not eating.
"Not eating?" The greenrider paused on the steps from the kitchen and frowned. 'Should I bring him some dinner? Is he alright?'
Siventh is unsure. I will watch them. She sent him an outside picture of the weyr so he'd know in which direction it was, and sent Flute after him to guide him. The little gold popped into existance over T'bells shoulder and trilled at him, full of duty.
'I'll be up in a moment then.' He replied with a small sigh, and rose his arm to Flute, who landed on it gracefully and far enough away from Zephyr that it wouldn't cause trouble. The blue chirruped at her warningly from T'bells hair. The smells of the kitchen made him hungry again, though he had just finished his own meal, but he shook his head and gathered a plate for the brownrider, unknowing of Liliath's tricks.
At Liliath's new position, K'rel frowned faintly, but his own dragon's stubborn tone quickly assured him there was nothing he could do about the situation. The brownrider sighed and turned away, waving a hand dismissively at the pair before starting back for the hearth, where Calt was 'guarding' the two eggs. "Fine, you two have fun. Least it'll keep you from complaining.."
Ignoring the comment, Siventh opened a wing to extend over the green, explaining his rider's bad mood. He is normally not so disagreeable. He is worried about the little ones. The eggs hardened as much as they should over two sevendays ago, yet have shown no sign of hatching. It is upsetting him... The brown's tone softened somewhat, then brightened once more. I believe they are fine, though. As does the little blue. That is why he watches them.
They do not seem dead. Liliath rumbled in pleasure at he wing extended over her and settled down quite comfortably, awaiting the arrival of her rider. T'bell will see them, his hatched well.
Food piled on the plates, a cup of juice and a mug of klah, as well as a bubbly so fresh it was still steaming. T'bell balanced everything carefully as he followed the flitting form of his queen through the weyr. Despite th darkness it some areas, he knew the halls so well that he didn't miss his step, and followed the glow of Flute's eyes until a small light caught his attention and the gold flitted out of sight and between.
She appeared abrupty in K'rels quarters, darting to Liliath's head with a small scale of trills. They were melodic, she must have been listening to T'bell and his instruments, earning her name. Liliath merely snorted at the extra weight that landed atop her head. Find a place, little one, that is not my head.
Outside the browrider's weyr, T'bell shifted nervously as he held the tray, thinking of a way to enter. Should he knock? What to knock on? Simply call in? If he wasn't eating maybe he'd feel annoyed that he bothered to bring up some food. But Liliath had said that Siventh said...
My rider would like to come in. Liliath sent to Siventh, amusement tinging her telepathic voice. He is being a wherry. May he?
The blue hatched correctly as well. That is why he fears for these two... Siventh dropped the subject with the arrival of the golden flitt, head lifting slightly to follow her flight. Rumbling smugly, the brown turned a green-blue eye to Liliath, then to the flitt now perched on her head. She can rest on mine, if you do not want her there. It is not often a brown can claim both green and gold.
Siventh paused briefly, then turned his gaze towards the doorway. But of course, send him in. Perhaps his company would cheer K'rel somewhat.
The brownrider in question hadn't even bothered to comment at the flitt's arrival, though he recognized her as T'bell's. That, to his mind, either meant that the greenrider was looking for Liliath, or that he was coming here. Preferably the former. Though... judging by the dragon's positions, Liliath wasn't planning on leaving anytime soon. Perhaps some company would be welcome.
You can come in. Liliath relayed and closed her eye as Flute daintily walked across her eyelid and onto Siventh's neck. She would explore, it was her way.
T'bell entered carefully, clearing his throat and looking around the corner with trepidation. "K'rel, do you...I brought you some dinner. Liliath said I could come in..."
Siventh quirked an eye at the tiny gold, then closed the first lid of both eyes, settling down to relax with his green, and perhaps spy on their riders a bit. But only a bit, of course.
K'rel actually jumped slightly with the greenrider's voice, having failed to notice his arrival. Regaining him composure, the brownrider turned in his seat at the 'hearth' to fix his eyes on the doorway and the younger rider standing there. After a moment of silence he cracked a smile and gestured T'ell inside, rising to his feet. "I suppose I should've expected you, with her showing up so suddenly... Didn't think you would be here so soon, though. Dinner..?"
"Siventh said you hadn't eaten. Well...Liliath told me he was worried." He tilted his head to the array of food he carried and looked around for a place to set it down. "I thought I should bring some up."
Liliath snorted in amusement, covering it as a sneeze. The little gold was now between Siventh's wings, and she settled herself down in her claimed spot.
"Worried?" Raising an eyebrow, he turned a questioning stare to Siventh, who replied with affected innocence, despite the fact that he had not set up the charade. You always worry me, mine. And it is true that you have not eaten since this morning.
With a roll of his eyes, K'rel turned them back to the greenrider. He sighed, shook his head at some thought, then offered another smile and gestured to a low table not far from where he stood. "I think we've been set up, T'bell. Though, thank you for the food. It's true that I haven't eaten much today. I appreciate the thought."
"Set up?" He asked curiously as he sat the food down on the table the brownrider had gestured to. The brief silence before the smile when he entered the room had set him on edge. Maybe he'd not been welcome, no wonder if Liliath was playing her tricks.
Zephyr chirped from under T'bells hair as he stood and the rider layed a hand on him to quiet him. 'Liliath, did you tell me to come here because Siventh was truely worried, or for some other reason?'
Maybe it was Task who was worried...Liliath commented, Dragons have horrible memories, love.
"As far as I know, I'm perfectly fine," K'rel replied as an explanation, chuckling softly. "A bit gloomy over the eggs, but other than that..." He trailed off with a shrug, then stepped over to the table as well, eyeing the spread appreciatively. "Not that the company is not welcome... if you're not busy, of course. I need to get out more often."
At this, Siventh reopened one eye, projecting his words to everyone in the room. When I tell him that, he only denies it. You should come more often, greenrider. K'rel rolled his eyes.
T'bell's green eyes widened fractionally. He never got over how different another dragon felt compared to his own. "I suppose that means more if I bring Liliath with me, hm?"
I will be here on my own. She assured him, then turned her head away from the silly humans and into Siventh's side.
The rider sighed and folded his arms loosely over his stomach, shifting his weight. He'd been invited to stay...but was it only a formality? Why were humans so hard to read, even as a harper? Was it because he'd been around creatures he'd impressed so long that he couldn't tell anything other than what was projected to him? "The eggs?" He ventured quietly, eyes flicking around the room until they settled on the pair, "They haven't hatched?"
Siventh merely rumbled his delight at the green's statement, allowing T'bell to take that as a reply.
Glad for the subject change, K'rel followed the greenrider's gaze to the firelizard eggs. With a faint nod, he sighed and turned back towards the hearth, walking over and crouching before the eggs. "Not yet. And they should have long since. I found them shortly before Turnover..." With another sigh, he dropped to sit on the floor, reaching forward and carefully lifting the larger of the hardened eggs. "I'm not sure if I've done something wrong, or... Well, I haven't treated them any differently than Calt's, and he hatched as planned."
After a moment of hesitation at being in anothers weyr, T'bell padded over to the eggs and knelt down beside the brownrider. "You've kept them in warm sand, turned them every so often, and haven't had them between?" He asked as he peered over them. He knew the likely answers to the questions, but it was best to start with clear information. He reached out a hand to lay on the one still in the sand. "From turnover?" A small frown formed on his lips and he withdrew his hand from the egg. "What does Siventh say?"
He glanced up briefly when T'bell kneeled beside him, but merely nodded and returned his eyes to the eggs, carefully replacing the larger back in the sand. "They haven't been between since I first brought them back, and I've kept up with everything else. Warm sand off the Hatching Grounds, turning them when needed... The shells hardened, if a bit slower than I expected. But they've been at hatching hardness for a while now..." Pausing, he sighed, glancing over to the dragons out of the corner of his eye. "Siv says they're alive, as far as he can tell. Calt seems to think the same. But that doesn't explain why they haven't hatched."
"Are they from the North?" T'bell questioned as he let some sand fall through his fingers. It certainly was warm enough. "Sometimes the northern flitts' eggs take longer to hatch. The hall puts it up to building a resistance to the cooler temperatures, but that only happens with flitts who've been there two or more generations..." He chewed his lip thoughtfully and pushed curly bangs behind his ear, pausing when he nudged Zephyrs tail and murmuring to him as he uncurled him from his spot around his neck, despite mild protests. "What do you think, Zeph?"
The flitt gurgled at him in his throat, a sound of dissapointment. His attention was taken by the small eggs however, and he reached out a claw to them, eyes whirling curiously as little nails gently touched the eggs surface. Seemed alive, and familiar.
T'bell quirked a smile at the fuzzy images he got. "Seems excited, not worried, seems confused too, but I think that's because he recognizes his own hatching." He pulled the little blue back and set him back on his shoulder. "Watched Flute's though. Always late, females are."
Shaking his head, K'rel sat back away from the heart, palms falling to the floor. "I found 'em not far from here, actually. Siv and I saw the gold burying them. Remembered the spot and checked back every so often, then took a few when the time seemed right..." Trailing off, he curiously turned his eyes to the blue flitt, watching as Zephyr examined the eggs. He chuckled softly, relaxing visably with the blue's reaction, then returned his eyes to the eggs themelves. "Three to one, then. Good, then there's hope for them. Always late, hmm? Maybe I have myself a couple of greens," he finished, cracking a grin.
"Oh, careful what you say, she might be awake." He snickered at the snort that came from Liliath's direction and let himself sit back, looking over the eggs. "Seem a bit big for a green though, that one looks like it could be a bronze or a brown." He gestured to the bigger of the pair, "Flute's was a bit bigger than that, I think, but then again it was before turnover so my memory's a bit shoddy."
"I'm actually hoping for a green from one of them," the brownrider assured both T'bell and Liliath, sending a grin over towards the dragons before turning his eyes back to the eggs. "But I believe you're right. That one seems too big to be green... Hard to say between bronze or brown. Either would be nice..." Trailing off, her shrugged, then chuckled softly. "Listen to me. At this point, I don't care what they hatch in to. I just want them to hatch so that I know I haven't done something wrong."
"Well my dear Liliath hasn't said a word, and she points out my follies enough that she'd be quick to lable yours. She's right all the time, afterall." At this he rolled his eyes slightly. "I suppose flitts are a nuisance even before they hatch. It shouldn't be too long to go now though, you'll be wishing they stayed in their eggs longer when they do come out." He smiled and stood, more at ease with talk of the flitts. He was confident they would hatch, the flitts seemed to be and they were usually receptive to such things. "How about that food that I've been told you've been avoiding all day? They've cut up some good herdbeast since-" ah, and that's where the confidence and easy manny went right out the window, and he paused just a touch before continueing, "-the mating flight. Everyone's in better spirits now." He added quickly, in an effort to gloss over the mention, "I think they're all glad Ariath actually rose. I don't think we'll have a queen on the sands with a brown and all -no offense to browns, of course- but a clutch will be nice once it's out there."
"Dragons are always right," K'rel replied with a grin, chuckling softly. "At least in their own minds. And you're probably right... Though Calt doesn't give me much trouble, so hopefully these two will be the same. And they're good company when they're not terrorizing the weyr."
He glanced up when T'bell stood, then nodded at the suggestion and climbed to his feet as well, turning and starting for the tablet. He did catch the pause, but thought it better not to comment; T'bell didn't seem terrified of him today, so best not to risk that again. "Food would be most welcome, now that you mention it. Though I'm not sure it's the herdbeast that's different so much as the moral of the cooks. Everyone's been in high spirits since the flight." Upon reaching the table, he paused briefly while looking over the food, then resumed where he had left off. "I'm still surprised that Tallith caught her, actually. Siv tried, yes, but I never actually thought... but L'cian will make a good Weyrleader, and Tallith has more than proved his worth. A nice change, I think."
"Mhm, yes. I just hope he doesn't remember the greenrider who was put in charge of him for some odd reason." He sighed and tugged on the end of his braid. "I wasn't rude or anything, tried not to be anyway." He sighed and looked about the room, not with an intent to be nosey or anything, but to see what was different. His weyr was bare of most wall decorations, saving the one pelt from the recent hunt. He'd not had the chance to see many other's weyrs. He winced and tilted his head, detangling Zephyrs claws from where they had latched onto his braid. The flitt eagerly clamoured to his shoulder and flitted off, landing lightly on the table from which K'rel was eating and hunkering down on the corner. "Oh Zeph," T'bell sighed, looking at him with a rueful expression. "Do you guard plates now too?"
The flitt simply chirped and closed his eyes, curling his tail about him. He would stay there if T'bell didn't wander too far.
Giving a sigh, he laced his fingers behind his back and groped for a topic of conversation. Well, the weyrleader was at hand, maybe a logical step would be best. "What do you think of the weyrwoman? I've never actually spoken to her for any length, but compared to Serina she seems fully capable. I know she wouldn't have lasted long under her watch if she wasn't, but have you spoken with her, in conversation maybe? I'm curious to know what she's like as a person and not as junior -or now- senior weyrwoman."
"You forget, he was a Wingsecond before." K'rel shrugged, helping himself to a few slices of herdbeast and some pieces of fruit. "He knows what it's like to be in charge of things like that, and if you were rude at times, he probably expected it. Sometimes that's the only way to get things through." He paused briefly to sample a bite of the meat, mumbling his approval and waiting until his mouth was clear to continue. "He won't hold anything against you."
The main room of the weyr was relatively unadorned, a couch and a few comfortable looking chairs making up most of the furniture, as well as the solitary table and a large shelf against one wall, covered in various records as well as an odd trinket or two. There was a simple rug of dark reds and blues near the hearth, and a few nearly identical wall hangings kept the room from appearing too cavelike.
K'rel didn't immediately reply to the next topic, mostly due to the fact that his mouth was full of fruit. He swallowed, then shrugged slightly and spoke. "I've spoken with her once, though only briefly. Not long after Serina's passing.. When there was all the debate around the weyr about whether she would become Senior Weyrwoman or is they would bring someone else in. L'cian and I were actually discussing it when she joined the conversation." He paused briefly to offer a slight of herdbeast to Calt, who had landed on the table beside him, and when the flitt accepted it, continued. "Hmm... I can't remember as much of it as I probably should. At the time she seemed a bit nervous about the whole thing, but that was to be expected. Hmm... Dunno, can't tell you much."
"She's probably well suited...I don't think Serina would settle for less." He turned and padded over, worrying his lip lightly before he elected to sit across from the brownrider at the small table. "The clutch means searchings...I've only been on a searching once -except for my own." He face darkened a moment, it was J'kin who had searched him, but he shook it off and pushed it away, "There are some nice children at the hold. They came out after the hunt. A small girl was there, didn't seem too afraid. A few of the boys as well, I think."
"I'm sure she'll do a fine job. She was nervous, yes, but...you could tell." The brownrider glanced up when T'bell sat across from him, flashing a smile and forcing himself to keep it up when the greenrider's own good mood seemed to fade. "I've been on search...a few times. Siv isn't terrible adept at picking candidates, though he enjoys visiting the various holds. Hmm... I wonder how many will be in this clutch. Do you think there are enough between the lower caverns and the hold, or will we have to search elsewhere? Northern continent, etc."
"Well, maybe the fact that he's a brown..." He trailed off, not wanting to insult the other rider unintentionally, "But then again, you never do know. I'm sure we'll find a nice selection though. I know there are a few about the weyr, and the hold should fill that out, but you never know how well." He ventured a small smile and reached out to slide a finger over his sleeping blue's wings, face turning soft when they stretched out for more caressing. "We'll be making a lot of trips though, when the hatching's started. I know my mother would like to see another one since my own."
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Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2005 11:21 pm
T'bell and K'rel - Late Talk Part 02 "Ahh, a good point," K'rel admitted, reclining back in his chair and picking up a piece of fruit. "Well, whatever the case, I'm sure we'll find a good selection for the Hatching. As to guests.." He trailed off and took a small bite of the fruit, waiting until he swallowed to continue. "Hmm, I may bring some of my own, now that you've mentioned it. See if I can arrange pick ups to get to Keroon. I haven't seen my parents in...quite some time. I'm sure they would enjoy seeing another Hatching. I could use the Beastmaster as an excuse to drop by." He grinned.
"My mother wouldn't allow me to not see her for any great length. My sisters up and took off and so she hardly sees them anymore. If I stop by she likes me to demonstrate things to her apprentices..." He gave a self-depreciative shrug, "She thinks they listen more because I'm a dragonrider. I think they're just in as much awe as I was when I was a kid...though I don't think I'm exactly awe-inspiring. I remember a lot of dragonriders like you. Big, imposing, distinguished, intimidating...not short and just strong enough to carry the firestone I need."
"Ahh, I see. My parents couldn't care less, I think. I have a lot of siblings, mostly brothers. The loss of one to the Dragonriders was really no big deal to them. Though, they did come to the hatchings. I'll give 'em that much." He finished off the fruit piece in a few more bites, then returned his attention to T'bell, folding his arms and chuckling softly. "Don't take this the wrong way, but every time we have a conversation you say something that portrays me as some evil hulking monster. Examples, after the flight you were terrified of me. And now you call me intimidating?" He grinned, raising a brow. "Am I really that bad?"
"No no...I didn't mean it like that." He sighed and smiled a bit, waving his hand absently. "That's how I always saw dragonriders when I was a kid, basically a lot like you. Imposing because they're in a different league, intimidating because they have a giant dragon and fight thread, and big because I've always been rather short." He gave a small huff in annoyance at himself and his confusion with his words as he continued on. "It's not that I'm afraid of you, because I'm not .I don't think I have any reason to be. If you were someone worth beig afraid of I would have picked it up a while ago when I saw you around and about, you're just quiet and a bit withdrawn, not violent or anything of the sort. Not to mention, if there was any reason I should be afraid of you that I didn't pick up on, Liliath would have forbidden me from being anywhere near you. She's apparently decided to trick me to come up here, so that can't be the case."
He bit his lip and looked down at the table, sliding a finger along Zephyr's back and between his wings. "I was afraid after the flight." His voice was measured, this was the part he'd rather avoid speaking of, "But that didn't last very long. I was afraid during and before the flight much more. After it...it was mostly nervousness, and you know why-or at least partly." He gave a small shrug and looked back up, "But you are intimidating. As a brownrider you carry more weight than a green or blue, and that makes people look up to you more, not only holders but occasionally riders. I think I'm still in awe of dragonriders, to be honest. I would forget I was one entirely were it not for Liliath's constant loud and teasing presence. Even so long since impression, it still hasn't sunk in yet. I don't talk to many riders...maybe that's part of the reason."
"I meant no offense," K'rel assured him, straightening up somewhat in his seat. "Just an observation. But I know what you mean. We didn't get a lot of dragonriders at the Beasthold. Whenever one did happen upon us, there was always a sense of awe associated with it... Dragonriders're just a league of their own." He made no reply to the personality comments, though he did smile faintly, and nodded his understanding when the topic turned to the flight. However, he once again didn't comment, recognizing the subject as one T'bell would rather avoid and breezing on to the next. "Eh, I suppose. Though I've never really thought myself above any other rider, except perhaps during wing training, and then only because of official rank. Siventh, on the other hand..." He shook his head in mock despair at the very thought, glancing towards the brown out of the corner of his eye. "But then, Siv has the right to gloat. And he's more well known than I."
"He is." T'bell agreed, a slight bit of laughter in his voice. "Liliath had to place his rider for me when she first started mentioning him. I knew of you, and I knew quite a bit about him, but I didn't know that you were his rider." Gentle hands picked up the blue from the table and set him on his neck once more, where Zephyr quickly curled his tail about his neck and snuggled under his rider's braid. "I was more afraid I was offending you, to be honest. I can't talk to you like a harper -not that I'm as eloquent as a harper anymore, as I'm sure you've seen- and you outrank me." He tilted his head to the side for the sleeping flitt to rearrange himself, and loosened the tail's hold on his neck, "I tend to get nervous in those cases. My confidense extends only to the point where my talents end, and I'm afriad my talents are growing quite thin without the practice I should be devoting to them." He laughed quietly and Zephyr chirped from under his hair, more awake now and content to listen to the larger people's conversations.
K'rel laughed aloud, glancing fondly towards the brown. "Hmm, I suppose I can't ignore him when he says I need to 'be social' anymore. Now that I have new witnesses and all. Siv and I really aren't as different as we seem. He acts just as I did when I was at the Beasthold. Jumping from weyr to weyr...eh, I sort of..mellowed?" He paused briefly, then chuckled softly and continued. "I don't anger easily, you'll find. Nor do I care how eloquently you speak, or who outranks who. All I ask from anyone I know is honesty." He fell silent at a chirp near his ear, glancing up just in time to watch Calt come to rest on his shoulder. The blue trilled smugly at his bond before yawning and curling up, peering down towards what remained of the meal. Rolling his eyes, K'rel picked up a piece of herdbeast and offered it to the flitt, speaking while Calt was distracted with his prize. "I'm sure you have plenty of talents. Though, whatever they are, you shouldn't be confident only in them. 'Course, I'm not one to talk, 'antisocial' as I apparently am. I'm not sure where my confidence has gone since I Impressed Siv. Perhaps he stole it."
"Just as Liliath stole mine." He smiled and leaned on the table, Zephyr's blue head sneaking out from behind his neck to peer at Calt curiously, "But if I'm not supposed to only be confident in my talents, what's left? I've always found that anyone confident in things they can't do or have no knowledge of quickly turns into an annoyance, or a more serious problem when heir confidense turns to pride, and their pride is jeopardized. Pride, I know, is dangerous in large amounts. I'm prideful of a few things, of course." He smiled and nodded at the green dragon dozing on Siventh, "Some more than others."
"There's plenty left," K'rel replied, chuckling softly and shrugging. "Talents don't make a person. They just add to him a bit. And you, dear harper, are mixing up your words. There's a big difference between confidence and arrogance." He chuckled softly, nodding towards Siventh. "Trust me, with that one around, you learn the difference quickly. Confidence can lead to arrogance, but confidence alone is something completely different. I'm generally quiet, but that doesn't make me any less confident in myself during simple conversations and whatnot. And then Siv's overly confident and incrediably arrogant. There's a difference, see? And I don't have any talents that I could name."
"You've got me there, but at times there's a fine line between the two." He bent his head in minor defeat, but rested his head on his hand, "As a wingsecond you're telling me you have no talents? You must have some in the ways of organization and knowing how to fly a wing properly. Not to mention the talents of mediation a wingsecond should have, to moniter outbursts in the ranks." He held his free hand in front of him, counting down as he listed, "Then there's the ability you have with runners, your talent with conversation -as you've displayed by correcting a harper on his interpretations of his words nad being far more eloquent and less tongue-tied-, and your...well...I'm sure your talents with runners and your previous craft add up. I'm afraid I don't know enough about you to list off everything you posess. I should watch you more, but I've been more concerned with the Weyr as a whole rather than individuals."
"At times," K'rel admitted, chuckling softly. He shook his head, waving away the comments, though he did grin faintly. "But that's half my point. I suppose you could classify some of those things as talents, but when it comes down to it, they're not what people generally think of talents as. Save for maybe the runners, but....they're just me, you know? I didn't change a bit when I became Wingsecond, and I just pick up words as I go. Keep records, read old ones, etc." Realizing he was rambling, he paused briefly and shrugged, offering a smile. "Anyway, my point is, I show confidence in my work, but that starts as confidence in myself. ...Did that make any sense?"
"Yes, but it could be argued that your talents -and sometimes a lack thereof- make you what you are. Therefore the self confidence you have is directly related to them. Confidence in your work is closely linked to the pride you have in the work you do, and I think it's a bit different." He smiled and tapped his fingers on the table in an unintentional rhythm, getting into the conversation, "Self confidence is something one acquires through their accomplisments or something someone is born with naturally. Confidence in work is something that's acquired through the work itself and the results of it, because despite being confident in yourself, would you be confident in a harp you had to string up for a Master? Or," He laughed and tilted his head, "Would I be confident putting a saddle and bridle on a runnerbeast? It's the confidence that you've tried your best to do it in a task that you're unfamiliar with, and that's different from the confidence you have in a task that you're familiar with well enough to know you've given quality work." Again he ducked his head, looking up through his bangs with a small grin, "nd if that made as much sense coming out of my mouth as it did in my head, I might gain some more confidence in my speech."
"Hmm, a good point..." Falling silent, K'rel sat back in his chair, reaching up and scooping Calt from his shoulder. The flitt protested briefly, though immediately subsided when K'rel began to stroke his back, soaking up attention like a sponge. The brownrider kept to his task for a bit before looking up with a grin, countering. "But I'll not admit defeat yet. What you said is true, yes, but at the beginning you stated the difference between confidence in work and self-confidence. From what all you just said, wouldn't it make sense that confidence changes with setting and situation? Which we both know to be true. Hmm... this is getting much more complex than I'd intended it to." He laughed, shrugging. "All I'd meant was that, devoid of and sort of task other than conversation, why not state things as they are? Be confident in yourself. If someone accepts you, then all's well and good. If they don't, then, eh, they're probably not worth knowing at that point, hmm?"
"True...true...but how does that help someone who's shy, or others who take advantage of people?" He shook his head, his smile widening more, "No no, you're right, this is getting far too complicated. But ," He countered, flicking a finger at the brownrider, "I've succeeded where I think others may have failed, in that I've gotten into a conversation with you. I think Liliath would be proud of me...if she were awake." He glaned over his shoulder at the green, Zehpyr following his gaze, before he returned it to K'rel. "I may have issue with Siventh for being the cause of her fatigue, but I'm really too greatful that she hasn't been teasing me as much lately. Whatever he's done, he shold do it more often, the rest is nice." He paused for a moment, realizing with a slow blink what he had said, and the blush rose to his cheeks, "You know what I mean, and how that failed to come out like I meant it."
Laughing, K'rel held his hands up in surrender, only setting them back down when Calt protested to the end of the stroking. "Ah yes, a decent conversation with the elusive brownrider. Congrats to you, T'bell. I'm sure Liliath would be very proud. Siv too, at that." He grinned, laughing once more at the blush. "Hmm, well Siv may have benefitted you, but her fatigue's only added to his arrogance. And I know what you meant, though Siv wouldn't have. Be glad he's asleep, or neither of us would hear the end of it."
"My mouth seems to run off with me sometimes." The greenrider commented with a small sigh, a slight smile back on his face. "I should tell you that I only truely mean half of what I say. The other half is usually some form of poorly constructed sentament trying to make its way throuh my mouth to terribly confuse everyone including the person who spoke it. Of course, " he added with a mock huff, "I suppose you've already noticed that."
"Happens to all of us sometimes, I think," K'rel replied with a faint smile, sitting back in his chair with a light sigh. "I know I haven't talked this much in ages. Can't remember half of what was said already, so I'm assuming we were rambling. Nothing wrong with that." He shrugged, chuckling softly. "Everyone needs a good ramble on occasion."
"Small talk, mostly, until the part about confidence." T'bell smiled and sat back, putting a hand up to steady Zephyr, "Is there a reason why you don't go out to socialize much, if you don't mind me asking, or does it just end up that way due to your responsibilities?"
"Ehh, I dunno.." Shrugging slightly, he turned his eyes down to Calt, shifting his hand slightly to scratch the flitt's eyeridge. "I've been jumping from weyr to weyr since I was Searched. Never really got comfortable anywhere. And this is actually Siv's third weyr as well, at that. We haven't been here all that long. I suppose I'm just living as if I expect to be moved again. Trying not to get too close to anyone in case I have to leave. However, I've come to think this will be our permanent residence. I'll have to try and meet more people."
"I doubt they'd move you now. Rias needs all the riders we can get, so I think you're stuck down here in the balmy South." He grinned and gave a half shug, "Could be in Igen...isn't it windy there? Or Fort or Benden...too cold for me." A quiet chuckle passed him before he leaned on the table again, "I was happy to be taken from the cold weather that comes down to the Hall, I wasn't ever a fan of snow."
"The balmy South it is, then. They have the best redfruit." He grinned, then shrugged, absently leaning back in his chair so that it was propped on two legs. "Haven't been to Fort, though I was originally Searched to Igen. Not a bad place, though definitely not my favorite of the weyrs. Lesse, after Igen I was sent to Telgar, and from there to Benden, where I Impressed. Stayed at Benden throughout training and for a while after, then was shipped off to play Wingsecond at Ista, and from there to here." He grinned, shrugging. "Mostly warm weyrs, I've had good luck."
The greenrider's eyes widened in surprise, "You really have been everywhere! How many turns are you? Not more than twenty four, I'd guess. When did you Impress?"
Zephyr chirped at the surge of curiousity from his rider and peered at K'rel from his shoulder perch. He recognized this two-legger, at least.
"I told ya so," he countered smugly, then chuckled softly. "Twenty-six, actually. And about ten turns back. The third Hatching to attend... Though I hadn't been searched all that long. It was just one of those turns where clutches seem to come right after each other. I was lucky enough to get shuttled around, and happened to Impress Siv." He glanced fondly towards the brown, then back down to Calt, absently running a finger down the flitt's back. "Happiest moment of my life... Getting passed over twice in a row, only to get a brown who thinks he's a bronze the next chance. Can't get any better."
"I don't think there's ever a point that's better than Impression." He agreed, an affectionate smile on his face, despite Liliath's obvious annoyances. "Are you really twenty-six? You certainly don't look it, but I have been off before...were you a wingsecond before you came here, or did you get promoted after?"
He nodded slightly in agreement, glancing once more towards Siventh, then turned back to T'bell and chuckled softly. "Aye, and I'll take that as a compliment. 'Course, people have always thought I was younger than I am, so..." He shrugged. "Before. I was promoted at Benden, and sent to Ista because they needed the extra help. When things calmed down over there, I pretty much had my choice of Weyrs. So I came here."
"At least you look relatively near your age. I've been mistaken as fifteen, and they were surprised when they found out I was a rider." He ducked his head, "I tend to keep my knots on my jacket, and I don't like wearing my jacket anywhere but dragonback. Liliath has opinions on it."
"Fifteen?" He raised an eyebrow, then shook his head slightly. "I would have guessed quite that young. Of course, I know you're a rider and have been for a while." He hesitated momentarily, then cocked his head curiously at the greenrider, sitting forward so that his chair dropped back to four legs. "At that, how old are you?"
"Seventeen...I've been with Lili for four turns, from one of Sirana's last clutches." He gave a small smile, tinged with embarrassment at his young age, and honourable regret for the passing of the last weyrwoman, "I've only been here. I haven't quite travelled all of Pern yet."
"Seventeen? Eck, now I feel old." He mock-grimaced, then chuckled softly and grinned, shrugging. "Consider yourself lucky, then. In all honesty, I would rather have had one weyr and never leave than travel as much as I have. Think about how much I've changed..." He trailed off, then shrugged, nodding towards Siventh. "Remember, I used to be like him. Then they shuffled me around from Weyr to Weyr until I became the quiet, obediant, respectable Wingsecond."
"At least you're respectable." T'bell offered with a teasing jibe. "And a wingsecond. The thing is, if you-oh, excuse you." He paused in his wording, speaking instead to zephyr who was tapping insistantly on his arm with his claws, crawling down little by little. He lowered it obligingly and the little blue crawled to the table before looking around. "I was saying, if you are confident you'll be staying here, then what's holding you back from being who you really are, or used to be? I'm sure we have enough arrogant riders to fill Fort entirely, but not all of them are sociable." Another persistent chirp and T'bell looked down. "Oh...do you have a bath?"
"At this point, anyway," he countered with a grin, then shrugged. "Ahh, I dunno. Old habits die hard, but once they have, they don't come back." Pausing, he glanced down to the flitt and raised a brow, then nodded and straightened up. He quickly deposited Calt on his shoulder, ignoring the blue's chirp of protest, then climbed to his feet and started towards the back of the weyr, where a curtain hid the 'bedroom'. "Mmhmm, follow me. Water-flitt?"
"I don't want to be a bother." He offered as he stood, slipping around the side of the table and scooping up his flitt as he followed. Zephyr, for his part, had little to protest, and folded his wings, allowing himself to be carried. "I would think he's a dolphin, but he's too small. If it weren't for the fact that he won't go between I think I'd lose him to the ocean."
"No bother," he replied cheerfully, pushing back the curtain and continuing towards another further in the room. "Calt spends most of his free time swimming, so I'm used to it. Of course, he's usually down at the lake with Siv, not in the bath." Upon reaching the next curtain, he pulled it aside and gestured within where the bath was clearly visable. "He doesn't go between, you said?"
"No, he doesn't. Flute does without a problem, as I'm sure you've seen." He grumbled the last bit. It was her who played a part in Liliath's trickery. "The females are forever against me."
At sight of the water Zephyr let out a happy trill and nearly scrambled to get out of T'bells hands. Once free he dropped afew inches before opening his wings and gliding into the water, hitting in a sort of dive-bomb splash.
"Polite, as always." The rider mumbled, wiping some stray water off his arm, "Calt goes between, doesn't he? Most flitts do...all the ones I've seen. I'm just not sure why he won't. He doesn't like to be very far from me. I half think he'll toddle back out when we go back to the table."
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Posted: Sat Dec 10, 2005 9:33 am
T'bell and K'rel - Late Talk Part 03
"I'd noticed," he replied with a grin, chuckling softly and taking a small step back when Zephyr darted past towards the water. Calt watched lazily from his shoulder, but merely uttered a sleepy chirp before curling himself tightly around K'rel neck for a nap. The brownrider rolled his eyes at the little blue, then turned his attention back towards the one playing in the bath. "Aye, often. He'll sometimes leave for days at a nice. No idea where he gets to. it's hard to tell from what pictures he sends. But Zephyr... hmm, s'odd. He's still rather young though, aye? Perhaps he'll grow into it."
"He's as old as Flute...Lemurrin -another harper here- his flitts were from the same clutch, I believe. Both go between quite a bit, and one's a green." Watching the blue in the water with a slightly confused smile, he rose in shoulder in a shrug. "I'm not quite sure how to teach him, but it hasn't been an issue yet. I think I've grown accustom to the extra weight."
K'rel raised an eyebrow, glancing briefly up to the greenrider before returning his gaze to the blue. "So, wait, you're saying he's never been between? Have you ever tried taking him somewhere with you and Liliath? Him just sitting on your shoulder or anything?"
T'bell nodded and cocked his head at the blue, "Oh, he's been between with us without a problem, but only when I'm there and Liliath takes us. Then, he's right up against my neck."
"Strange..." Chuckling softly, K'rel stepped away from the wall and crouched beside the pool, flicking a splash of water towards the blue. "Quite the oddball, you're little dolphin flitt. Have you taken him to the beach? As much as he likes water, I'm sure that'd get him between and back whenever he pleases."
"I haven't had time yet." He sighed, lingering behind the brownrider. "He seems perfectly happy in my bathing pool, and whenever it rains outside he plays for hours unless I go too far."
Zephyr squeaked at being splashed and sunk his head below water, a set of eyelids closed as he peered at K'rel and backpeddled away, wings stretching out under the water until he snapped them up with a return splash.
Laughing, K'rel cringed away from the splash, holding up a hand to block it and nearly unbalancing Calt, who woke just long enough to hiss his disapproval before returning to his nap. To make amends, he reached up with one hand to lightly scratch the flitt's eyeridge, sitting down near the water's edge so that he wouldn't disturb the blue again and sending another splash towards Zephyr with his free hand. "Well that's what you need to do, I think. Calt was pretty clingy until we took him to more places that he liked. He still is when he's around, but at least he doesn't hover constantly anymore."
"I'll make an effort to." He crouched down and smiled as Zephyr swam to the opposite side of the pool to escape the cruel rider's splashings, dipping under the water to see how deep it went. "I've got a bit on my hands with the whers though. I'd like to get them completely trained before they get too big to handle. Tabesk is still a bit reluctant to listen to me."
He left off the splashing when the blue retreated away, and let his hand fall now that Calt had gone back to sleep. K'rel glanced towards the greenrider out of the corner of his eye when he crouch down, grinning. "Quite understandable, though I'm afraid I'd be no help there. That encounter in your weyr was the closest I've ever come to a watchwher. Tabesk is..the gold, right? She tried eating anyone else lately?"
"Yes, she's the gold, and no, though you weren't the first." He laughed and draped his hands over his knees. "She went after that Harper I mentioned before, Lemurrin. I've got a good bond with Task, the pale one, and he listens to me fairly well. She's a bit stronger of mind though, but they both listen to Liliath without a problem. She doesn't like speaking to them, however. Says they..." He waves a hand and wrinkled his nose, "Feel bad, like sludge. Then again, she's not very polite."
"Good to know I'm not alone." He grinned, then shrugged. "Eh, be glad she speaks to them at all. I doubt Siv would. From the little I have heard, most dragons don't like talking to them. And even if they don't listen very well, from what I can tell they're very dedicated to you. At least they're loyal, if not the brightest things in the world."
"Now now, I think that's not quite right." He teased, tilting his head, "They're quite intelligent, certainly more receptive than and runnerbeast I've been on. I think it's just a misconception because they're hardly ever well taken care of in Holds, and teased all the time. With the masks on in the daytime they're quite well behaved. They're even developing a language of sounds. Remember when Tabesk tried to eat you? She made a rrurrl sort of sound." He shook his head at his own horrible imitation. "I knew what she was saying without her needing to transmit the image to me. That sound means 'stranger'."
K'rel glanced curiously back to the greenrider, raising a brow. "Is that so? I suppose it varies with the creature as well. Though, you may have a point. Treated right, it makes sense that they would be more social, so intelligence would be more noticeable... Anything badly treated turns more animalistic, I've noticed." he paused, then chuckled softly, grinning a challenge. "But I'll have to counter you as well. Some runners are extremely intelligent. Mine are just as responsive as Calt to emotions and voice tone, though, I suppose I'm a bit biased. Of course, runners can't 'talk' like your whers can. But they can come pretty close."
"I have a harder time with things I can't impress." He admitted sheepishly, watching as Zephyr surfaced and swam about with chatterings. He was getting fuzzy impressions of the flitts’ opinions on the pool.
"You get used to 'em," he murmured, glancing back towards Zephyr now that he had surfaced. "'Course, I grew up with them, so that probably played a part in it. And then, one of my runners is a direct descendent from my first personal one. Dragged him all the way from Keroon. So it's not as if they're just any runners."
"I suppose, being around them for a while and all. I've just never had time except for when I was at the hall." He laughed and looked down, "I always thought of sticking some wings I'd make to them and pretending they were dragons. Got in trouble a lot."
"I can imagine..." He chuckled softly, nodding back towards the weyr. "I doubt any dragon that passed would've much appreciated it either. Though if whers are all you say they are, perhaps dragons need to rethink their bit. If I ever get to know a wher, I'll bug Siv about it."
"You're welcome to get to know mine. Tabesk knows enough not to eat you now. Task won't bother you too much, I'd think." He smiled and sat down on the floor, stretching his legs from the crouching position, "Maybe we'll get another clutch...but don't cut yourself too deep when you blood yourself." Ah, the tone of someone who had experience.
"As long as they don't think I'm dinner, I'd be happy to. But I'll have to pass on actually Impressing, I think." He shook his head slightly, chuckling softly and nodding back towards the ledge and their dragons. "Between the runners and flitt--flitts soon, assuming the eggs hatch--Siv's sick of 'pets'. Plus he claims that I neglect him, and I doubt bringing anything else in would make him feel much better. Maybe if I start getting out more he'll relent."
"I'm sure Liliath will be plotting against you soon." He smirked softly, "It's going to be a nice change, her evil intentions elsewhere and all."
"Liliath too, now?" The brownrider mock-groaned and rolled his eyes, sitting back so that he was propped up on his elbows. "It's hard enough with Siv plotting at every turn. What's Lili trying to manipulate me in to?"
"Whatever she likes." A knowing nod was coupled with a sympathetic expression. "It's not too bad, you'll learn to cope. She gets me all the time."
"One I can deal with. I have Siv constantly scheming against me. But two..." He shook his head and sighed, then raised a brow and glanced back up to T'bell. "At that, why'm I the one to get stuck with the dragons? Can't they plot against you?"
"Liliath plots against me all the time, I'm used to it. She seems like the type to start things...I think she'd enjoying annoying someone new once in a while." A splash of water came up from Zephyr's latest dive and he cringed, ducking his head away from it and wiping the drops from his curly hair. "It might be fun to watch too."
"Anything to make Liliath happy," K'rel mumbled, hiding a grin. At the splash, he turned his attention to Zephyr and reached forward to send a return splash towards the blue, chuckling softly. "Ahh, that settles it, then. I shall suffer for your amusement. And then when the dragons reduce me to nothing, I'll get to laugh when they come after you."
"Well, at least she's already got you trained in her ways." He countered, "You'll be giving her whatever she asks for soon enough. Gives me a rest too, so I suppose I should thank you for it."
Zephyr chirped in as much defiance as a small flitt could muster, and ducked his head under the water. He would bide his time, oh yes he would. Bide his time until the two-leggers were distracted...
"She has Siventh to thank for that." He rolled his eyes, glances suspiciously towards Zephyr, then simply shrugged and laid back on the floor, resting his head on his hands. "Looks like I have no say in the matter. As usual. Wish I knew what they were planning, though."
"Well, if I find anything out I'll be sure to tell you..." He offered kindly, but his expression turned mischievious, "for a price, of course."
"A price, eh?" The brownrider raised an eyebrow, tilting his head towards T'bell, eyeing him suspiciously. "And what might that be, hmm?"
"I'm not sure..." He drew the last word out, lilting it in a sing-song sort of way. "It depends on how valuable the information I've been privy to is...and what sort of an effect it has on me if I tell."
Chuckling softly, K'rel returned his eyes to the ceiling, then unexpectedly closed them, shifting slightly to make himself more comfortable on the rock floor. "I take that to mean you already have some 'information' as to what I should expect? Well c'mon, name your price. There must be something you would trade it for. As to the effect...well, we won't know that unless you tell, now will we?"
"Not true...I could guess, knowing Liliath, what my punishment would be." He flipped his braid over his shoulder, tugging on it absently as a wide grin spread on his face, green eyes watching the brown rider with a harper's calculation. "I don't want marks, I have nowhere to spend them...hm...make me an offer. This is, of course, completely open to...negotiation. Afterall, I know what's planned..."
"A good point..." Trailing off, he heaved a sigh, then cracked an eye to glance back over at the greenrider and fighting to hide a grin. "You don't want marks, not that I have many to spend...Ahh, I don't know. I really have nothing to offer. Hmm... Come come, harper, surely you have something in mind."
"I barely know you, how would I be able to adequately judge what you have to offer if you make no offers?" He shifted his leg, nudging K'rels thigh with the toe of his boot. "Try again."
"You barely know me, but you still know me better than most." Leaving it at that, he returned his gaze to the ceiling, then reclosed his eye . "Hmm... I really don't have anything of much value. Of course, maybe Arina's...but no, you prefer whers to runners, don't you? Tell you what, I'll give you Siv. I'm sure you could get about anything for a brown dragon."
"Arina-wait, Siv?" His calculating harper facade dropped for a moment and he gawked at the brownrider. "I have Liliath already! I can't take Siv, not to mention he's yours, but he'd never fit in the weyr, and what would happen in mating flights?!"
"Sure you could," K'rel assured him, nodding cheerfully, though his eyes remained closed. "I'll trade weyrs with you. This one's big enough for both. And then you can have both dragons, and I can be the official weyr hermit. And you sound as if you expect Siv to win every flight from now on." He cracked an eye, flashing the greenrider a toothy grin. "High hopes for my brown, wouldn't you say?"
"That's not what I meant!" A dark blush rose on his cheeks and he had the look of a tunnel snake caught in the light of a glowbasket. A moment of unintelligable stuttering passed, a few waving hand motions, then a huff. "See?! See? I told you I don't always mean what I say like I say it!"
He laughed aloud and reopened his eyes, moving a hand from behind his head to wave away the greenrider's protest. "Mmhmm, of course. Whatever you say, T'bell. So that means you'll take Siv as payment, aye?"
"I can't take Siv, you wherry." He huffed, crossing his arms and ducking his head out of habit until the blush faded. "You wouldn't give him up anymore than I would Liliath." He fell silent for a moment, concentrating on making his blush disappear. "What's Arina?"
"Ehh, I dunno. There's some days where I consider it." He grinned to show he was joking, then yawned and sat up, one hand snapping up to catch Calt before the blue could fall from his shoulder. He politely ignored the greenrider's blush, focusing instead on resettling his flitt, who had slept clean through the 'fall'. "Arina's my runner mare. Beautiful little paint, sweetest thing you'll ever meet. No way you'd get her from me, but she's expecting a foal soon. 'Course, I'm not sure if the Beastmaster's keeping it or not."
"Oh no...I wasn't thinking of anything so big as a runner, not to mention Siventh himself. I wasn't even thinking of anything living..." He smiled at the blue flitt, glancing at his own who was somewhere near the bottom of the pool looking for treasure. "How long can flitts hold thier breath anyway?"
"Good. Then I won't have to worry about Arina complaining as well." Glancing down into the pool, he shrugged slightly, watching the rippling image of the blue. "A good while, I'd imagine... Miniature dragons, and dragons can hold their breath for...well, I've never timed Siv, but he'll dissapear under the water for ages. I'd imagine a flitt wouldn't be much different."
"Just wondering if I should go down and get him." He mumbled with a small smile to the flitt, who looked up as if he knew they were talking about him. "But, despite your attempts to throw me off, I must insist on a bargain for my services, brownrider."
"He'll come up when he's ready," K'rel assured him, smiling down at the blue. He didn't bother to look up when the subject returned to their 'bargain', instead flicking his hand towards Zephyr as a splash warning for when the blue resurfaced. "You don't want marks, you don't want anything living... Even the foal of my beautiful Arina. Hmm... I honestly have nothing left to give, greenrider. Unless you have some suggestions, I'll simply have to wait and find out what the dragons are planning as it happens."
"I couldn't take your favourite mare's foal from you. That wouldn't be fair at all." He waved a hand at him, watching as Zephyr blew a few bubbles at the brownrider before swimming to the opposite side and surfacing. "How good are your terms with the kitchen staff?"
"My only mare, actually. And if you did, Siv would be forever grateful." He rolled his eyes at the thought, mock-glaring across the pool at Zephyr when he surfaced out of reach. "Cheater. Kitchen? Headwoman terrifies me, but otherwise... You name it, I'll get it." He grinned.
"Now we're getting somewhere." He shook a finger at the other dragonrider and leaned back on his free hand. "Do you have any talents?"
He chuckled softly, turning to lean back against the wall, facing the greenrider with the pool to his side. "Ahh, but we've already had this 'talent' conversation. I said I didn't, you said I did. Hmm, what were they... Something about being a Wingsecond, good conversational skills, adept with runners and...Oh, I'm pretty good with throwing daggers. But unless you're planning on assassinating anyone, I doubt that's of any interest to you. Just a little hobby."
"You are?" He asked, eyes wide with surprise as he leaned forward, "Where did you learn something like that? Even what we learned as weyrlings isn't very strong in me anymore. How do you do it?"
He hadn't expected that much of a reaction. K'rel raised an eyebrow and shrugged, holding up his right hand with fingers spread; various small scars could be seen on both thumb and index finger. "Mmhmm. Learned a bit in Keroon, and taught myself the rest. One of my duties at the Beasthold was the sevenday watches in the farther off fields. Couldn't bring much food, was too much trouble to carry. So we would hunt, and I would use a dagger 'cause I've never been good with bows. Just kept it up since then. Something to amuse myself, good for self defense and whatnot."
"So you learned hunting?" He asked, tilting the brownrider's hand so he could get a better look. "The only knives I'm good with are the ones I use for instruments, and they're only for carving. I still nick myself."
"Mmhmm." He nodded slightly, absently turning his hand to T'bell's guiding. "Had to eat, didn't I? Saden didn't like sharing. I've tried carving, but, eh... not for me. 'M not very artistically inclined. I enjoy the arts, of course, but...can't do any of them. You're the Harper, not me."
"I'm not that good in singing. Once my voice changed there were too many in my range so I was taken out of choir. I can't play anything with strings much better than I needed to be a journeymen. Wind instruments...I made a Flute today. They're my specialty." He blinked at the rider's hand and let it go with a tinge of a blush. "Sorry, I get curious."
"Still better than me, I'm sure. And from what I know of the Harper Hall, they don't name Journeymen lightly. If you can play anything that well, you're much better than most could ever hope to be. Myself included." Chuckling softly, he let his hand fall back to his side, shaking his head. "Don't apologize. Curiosity's not a crime until you get caught where you shouldn't be."
Blushing at the acknowledgement of his talent, he ducked his head in a quiet 'thank you' before changing the focus of the subject. "Caught where I shouldn't be, hm?" T'bell gave a light grin, "You speak as if you have experience."
The brownrider caught the blush, but didn't comment, merely nodding slightly in reply before grinning and jumping to the next subject. "Recently, no. In the past... Much more than I should," he laughed.
"Oh really?" He questioned, eyebrows rising in query, "care to impart some of your adventures? I could...write a song about them." He grinned cheekily and shifted his weight, crossing his legs.
"A song?" He raised an eyebrow, then shook his head. "I hardly think any of them were song worthy.." Chuckling softly, he shrugged and leaned back against the wall. "Most were back at the Beasthold...but they were just everyday things. Hmm... Had a few since coming to Rias...but I doubt they'd interest you. Close calls that'd likely get my rank revoked if too many heard of 'em." He grinned.
"Oh-ho," The greenrider's grin widened and he continued teasingly, "Doing things the weyrlings shouldn't see?" He tilted his head and lowered his voice dramatically, "You know, we do see them, and when we get our rider knots, we do them too."
"They can watch all they like, but I wouldn't recommend trying." He chuckled softly, then glanced cautiously around the room, lowering his voice to reply. "I don't mean little troublesome things like going between too close to the ground, greenrider... Hmm... You led that feline hunt recently, aye? Have you ever confronted one on the ground?"
"On...the ground?" He leaned forward, looking confused for a moment and lowering his voice to match K'rels. "Well, no, not exactly. During the hunt there was a blue...he tried racing through the trees and then over the ground. Didn't come close to catching it though so he took to the air. You mean you faced one completely on the ground?"
"Not willingly," he laughed, raising his voice back to normal and straightening up. "Siv and I were hunting wherries further south. Apparently some felines had the same idea, and when I went to retrieve one they..er...tried to get it from me? Siv managed to hold off the majority, so I only had to deal with one. Still didn't kill it, though. We had to run... Shards, those things are brave. We lost the wherry."
"Shards..." He blinked at him, eyes wide, "Did you get hurt? How many were there? I've been jumped at before, but Liliath's so fast they've never caught us with more than a light scratch..."
"Not badly.." Pushing up his sleeve, he pointed out a long scar near his shoulder. "It was actually pretty shallow, just scarred badly. Siv scored one on his flank, but you can't see that anymore. There were... five or six, I think. Dunno, I really only remember the one that attacked me." He let his hand drop and sleeve fall, then shrugged. "We got lucky. Siv was entertaining himself by scaring off the other wherries while I went for the one I'd already killed. So neither of us was prepared for the attack...but I don't think the felines had actually noticed us until we were on top of them."
"That must have been horrible...but..." He bit his lip, looking perplexed, "It's not like you can lose your wingseconds' rank because you were attacked, can you? You didn't go searching them out. They couldn't demote you for that...that's like demoting someone because they got threadscored..."
"Oh, I know." Shrugging once more, he moved his hands to pillow his head against the wall. "That wasn't that kind of circumstance. That was just an example. If you disregard the fact that Siv and I went back the next day and killed three of the felines. Those hides got me enough marks to bring Kaon down... That was shortly after we first came down here."
The rider paused for a moment, blinked, and then shook his head, trying to hide the grin on his face. "Well yes, yes, I think that might get you yelled at, at the very least..." He snickered and looked back up, "Kaon is your other runner?"
"Just a bit," K'rel assured him with a grin. He nodded, smiling fondly at the thought. "Aye, the stallion. Direct descendent from the one I left when I was Searched. I'd been wanting another of the breed... Pure luck that I was able to get him down here, and so young at the time. Raised him myself."
"What kind of runners are you breeding?" He asked as he shifted again, pulling his feet under him, "Something to bet on in a race, or something to work? You'll have to forgive me," He added quickly, a sheepish smile on his face, "I don't know too much about them other than what I needed to know at the hall."
K'rel chuckled softly, freeing one of his hands to wave away the apology. "To each his own. I couldn't tell you a thing about music or instruments. Kaon's a racer, one of the better ones of the Southern Continent, if I may say so. S'what he was bred for. Arina, on the other hand..." He trailed off, chuckling softly, then smiled. "She's a strange little mix, I think. A bit stockier than a racer, and too short for any real speed. She's a sweetheart, though. More than makes up for it."
"What do you use her for? If that doesn't sound too crude, I mean." He waved a hand and leaned forward, interested in learning things he wouldn't have to pour through records for, "Just riding? Were you trying to breed her for something specific?"
"Arina?" Shrugging, he moved his hand back behind his head. "I didn't breed her, actually. I bought her at the stables where I went to board Kaon. I'm not sure what the breeder was thinking... Probably the racer's speed with the pack beast's endurance. Funny little mare resulted."
The greenrider gave a quiet laugh and ducked his head. "I'd be more involved with animals if I had a choice in crafts. My mother pushed the hall on me, and I grew up there so it was easy to get into it. I've always loved animals though, so had I been holdbred I think it would have been a toss-up where I would have gone. Don't get me wrong," He added quickly, "I love the hall, and I didn't mind being a harper in the least. I just wanted more pets...seems I have enough now though."
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