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((It's unlocked, so I guess I'm allowed ot post...))

Falara Helm hurried around the Weyr, telling drudges to carry the hot water this way, and other people to carry soup that way. With the loss of the Senior Weyrwoman, and a shortage of people who were in charge, or had the ability to take charge, Falara had stepped right up to the task and taken control of the situation. With so many people sick, there were few who would not listen to her commanding voice. The young woman's usual bouncy curls were damp and lank. Her eyes lacked their usual sparkle.

As Falara ran around the castle, she accidentally knocked in to someone. She paused to sigh frustratedly and say, "I'm sorry." She stooped down to help the person up.

OOC: Finally! I'm back! And I typed 'castle' by mistake. Oops...

IC: Falara's blue eyes flashed. "Yes, I guess you should have," she said. "But I should have been more careful as well. Here you go," she said, pulling the woman up and brusquely brushing her clothes off. Then, the woman stopped to look at the other woman, puzzled. "Who are you? I've never seen you around before." She tucked her brown curls behind the one ear she had left, the one that had not been destroyed by thread.

Durnon was like the wind. A tall, well-tanned, strong, and very handsome man, his long, jet-black bangs partially covering one of his stunningly beautiful blue eyes. Although women swooned and flocked to him, a rough life had taught him the uselessness of vanity. That isn't to say, however, that he completely ignored the attention he got from some of the better looking women. Being a rather mischevious live-for-the-moment kind of guy, he was a tremendous flirt, and had been caught making out with Hold girls many a time. However, he never took any of them to bed. He was like the wind, living for fun, doing whatever he wanted to do, no matter what anyone else said. He didn't think that there was a woman in all of Pern for whom he would give up his care-free lifestyle and settle down with. There would be plenty of time for bedding a woman when he found one he loved, but it very unlikely that he would stop flirting with other women. He could never give up being the wind.

He had been walking around when he noticed Falara, who was facing away from him, busy talking to someone else. He always had kind of liked her, and not just because she was beautiful. However, never being the kind of person to pass up an opportunity for a little fun, even during a plague, he snuck up behind her.

"Hey, beautiful! Guess who?" He said, covering her eyes with his hands.

((OOC: Sorry if he seems like he's a womanizer. He really isn't. He has a lot of respect for women. He just likes to have fun. Also, I'm sorry if this post isn't very good. I'm having a problem organizing my thoughts...))

Being the kind of guy who loved to flirt, Durnon knew a lot about the female mind. That wasn't to say that he understood it completely, but he understood it much better than the average man. A woman (or even a man, for that matter), may say - truthfully or not - that she felt a certain way, but her eyes, windows to the soul, they were where you look to see her real feelings.

"Come on, Falara, you can't fool me that easily," said Durnon, in a playful tone of voice. He ran his fingers through his long, black hair and smiled, adding: "You act angry, but your eyes betray you. They proove that the way you act is just that: an act." Looking out an open window into the sky, Durnon sighed, his hair dancing gracefully in the cool breeze. He looked incredibly charming when he did that.

Or rather, he looked incredibly charming no matter what he did. It wasn't like he tried to be attractive and charismatic. People just liked him. Maybe it was his body language, always relaxed, never too stiff. Maybe it was his stunning eyes, the way they danced and sparkled, showing a deep but innocent and carefree soul. Or maybe it was his voice, which somehow managed to be soothing, exciting, happy, and captivating all at once. Whatever it was, people instinctively took a liking to him, no matter what he did or said. It was as if he radiated pure charisma. People often had said that he was a natural-born leader, and if he were to stop acting like a dragon, living for the moment and doing whatever he liked to, he would make a perfect Weyrleader. But Durnon had no desire to be Weyrleader, for that would mean giving up his way of life, something he could never do.

"Besides," he said, "I am helping. I'm helping by cheering people up. In dark times like this, it's more important than ever to give people happiness, and above all, hope. Or something like that," he said with a wave of his hand, dismissing the thought as too deep for him to really care, and returning to his normal behavior. Flirting, he put his arms around both women's waists, his eyes dancing playfully.

"So," he said in his happy-go-lucky voice, "what are you two lovely ladies up to?"

((OOC: I am going to re-tweak Durnon's profile and add a new psychic ability to the list soon.

BTW, just so we're clear on this, people, I do not claim to be an expert on the female mind. I do understand it better than most guys, but that isn't saying much (please allow me to take this moment and apologize for the ignorance of most of my gender. It's not their fault that they're dumbasses... rolleyes ). That being said, if any of you guys (maybe I should say "you girls"? After all, I am pretty much the only guy who posts here...) think that some of Durnon's understanding of the female mind is incorrect, please let me know. After all, you girls know much more on the subject than I. ^^; ))

Falara rolled her eyes, sticking her tongue out childishly at Durnon.

"Be that way," she said sullenly, crossing her arms as Durnon rapped his arm around her waist. Falara couldn't stay mad long though. Did the man have to be so charming? Falara sighed, pulling herself out of Durnon's reach. "Can you please act like a leader for once?" she pleaded. "I can't be the only one telling people what to do." ((I couldn't think of anything else to talk about, sorry))

The woman tried to smile, but reached her arm out suddenly, grasping the wall, so she wouldn't collapse. Falara fought to overcome a wave of nausea. She couldn't be getting sick now, there was still so much to do! The woman felt exhausted all of a sudden. She sagged against the wall, closing her eyes, briefly, and then stood back up. I'm not sick, she told herself. I can't get sick! she ordered.

"I need to go," she murmured. "So much to do...Sick...Must help..."

Falara walked down the hall, half falling over. She may have said she was going to help take care of the sick, but she needed to lie down. When the woman reached her room, she collapsed onto a pallet on the floor. The woman fell into a fitful sleep, a fever beginning to ravage her body.

((I felt like someone had to get sick; she won't die though. And she'll fake being well. It's just the way she is))

Durnon sighed as Falara stumbled into the hall. Must be sick, thought Durnon. Pity. I bet she thinks she should ignore her own problems so she can help the others. How foolish, then, as an afterthought, Foolish, but endearing. I guess this makes my little 'excursion' even more urgent. But I won't be able to start until everyone is asleep, so until then...

"So, Charis, it's just you and me, huh?" said Durnon. Then, noticing how she was acting, he let go of her waist. No point in holding and flirting with a girl if it made her uncomfortable.

Suddenly, a dragon outside shrieked and went between. Durnon immediately knew that the dragon was never going to return, even before the dragons began mourning the loss of one of their own. It's rider must have died, just one more victim of the plague that had already claimed so many. Durnon realized that he could not wait until nightfall to act. He would have to get a partner to help him so he could start his plan immediately.

"Charis," said Durnon, suddenly acting very seriously, a thing he had only done before twice in his life. The surprise of Durnon acting in this way, as well as his ability to persuade and charm people without trying would be vital in getting Charis to agree to accompany him. "Charis, I need your help."

((OOC: He hasn't noticed Lucan just yet))

((OOC: Wait, you mean you're graduating High School? Man, I feel so n00bish over here... Even though I'm a junior.

BTW, I gave myself Administration access rights on the school computer system today. I was bored. ninja ))