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Post by LyricalBlue on Sept 15, 2006 0:02:56 GMT -5
The lanky lean form of a man sat slumped against a pile of hay in the back of a dimly lit stall. His normaly straight and proud form was a bundle of ungangly limbs. Grey eyes were closed tightly shut with his head burried between his legs. The crumpled form of a man was the Weyrling Master of Ponaa Weyr. He had lost one of his most promising students yesterday, losses amung Weyrlings were common but each one hurt. Each one was a slap in the face that he could never do his job well enough. But yesterday.... J'relean, he'd been such a good lad. A solid dependable brownrider that promised to be one fine leader. Such as stupid, stupid mistake... A mistake that had cost his life..
I'slen burried his face farther down between his legs and swallowed. Such promise... all gone, just because the kid forgot to tighten his straps fully. Weseaneth hoved outside, trying his best to contact his unresponsive rider. The bronze was in a flurry, no matter what he did I'slen refused to respond. Finally in a lack of anything else he could do, the bronze cried out to Tujal. The young woman being the only other human he would willingly talk to.
TUJAL! Something is very wrong with mine! He's in the stables! I can't get in!
The bronze paced back and forth, trying to stick his head in through the doors and stirring the runnerbeasts into a frenzy almost as wild as his own.
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Post by Memorie on Sept 15, 2006 0:20:23 GMT -5
TUJAL! Weseaneth called. Something is very wrong with mine! He's in the stables! I can't get it!
Well, of course you can't, you silly clunch, Tujal replied, spitting her mulled wine back into the glass. This won her a dirty look from another bronzerider, but she glared at him as she rose from her seat, where she had been eating lunch. She tried to sound calm and collected to Weseaneth, who was in a right old flurry, but she was obviously nrpot. She called to Amenth, and woke her from early afternoon slumber. I need you to calm Weseaneth down. As a Queen, if you must, but try to do so as a friend first, please. It won't do for me to get kicked in the cranium trying to help his rider.
Aye, Amenth sleepily agreed. She went out to her ledge, having been asleep inside. Weseaneth, my mate, calm yourself. Tujal will help. Please come out of the stables, she said, her eyes finally having had adjusted to the length of view. At this, Tujal groaned.
"The runners are going to be insane." She hurried along anyway, out into the bowl where she dodged several weyrlings ("Get OUT of the way, fools!") and hurtled the long length to the stables, where Weseaneth was having his fit. She slowed to catch her breath, and by the time she reached the stable doors, she was in a good state of mind. She had always been a fit girl, so the rn had not been too much for her at all. Smoothing her dark brown shirt and cream colored breeches, she made sure she looked decent and collected, knowing that I'slen would need that, whatever his upset was over. She'd heard, of course, of the accident with the brownrider weyrling, and known I'slen had been upset. She didn't think it'd be this bad though. He was even ignoring his dragon; what made her think he'd hear her?
Because if he doesn't, you'll go in there and wake him right up! Amenth could always be counted on to bolster the strength of the gold weyrling rider. Weseaneth, come sit with me here on this ledge, she suggested, with just a hint of arrogant command thrown in for flavor. I am cold from sleeping in the weyr, I need you to help warm me.
Like rider, like dragon, Tujal thought, smirking. She blocked this thought from all others, and carefully schooled her expression to concern. Aloud, she said, "Weseaneth, please move now. Go sit with Amenth."
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Post by LyricalBlue on Sept 15, 2006 0:39:43 GMT -5
The bronze fluttered his wings in rapid aggitation, his eyes whirled a bright speedy red and his whole body was the sharp lines of tense muscles. He shook his chisled head from side to side in frustration and a growl escaped his throat. The need to protect his rider and the confusion shook the bronze to the core. A shudder ran down the length of his body but he did not move. He could not leave I'slen! Something was wrong! He shook his head again and roared, sending the runners into another flurry of fear. The dragon bellowed mentaly and verbally for his rider, his roars rinning of the flat stone faces of the Weyr Bowl.
The roars however did not penetrate the rock to where his rider was sitting and I'slen remained where he was. Tear streaked face burried between his knees, sitting back up against the hay in a long unused stall. J'relean, J'relean, J'relean... It wasn't fair... Why? Why hadn't he checked the straps, he really should have. He checked them on all the less dependable Weyrlings. It was his fault, he had been his charge... A cough escaped his tightly burning throat... His fault..
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Post by Memorie on Sept 15, 2006 0:52:14 GMT -5
Tujal swiftly ducked the mighty shaking head. "Ay! Watch it, bronze dragon!"
Amenth was much angrier. Bronze Weseaneth, you will settle now! You will stop this tantrum and move. And you shall calm yourself and act with the dignity afforded a dragon. Her tone took on a new gleam, and even Tujal was amazed and somewhat admiring. Queen Amenth had taken control of her first charge: the rampaging Weseanth. There was no more encouraging croons, no ledge-time invitations. Amenth was in control and that was that. Weseaneth had no choice but to comply, as all dragons must yield to the Queens.
Tujal rolled her eyes and deftly scurried under the giant dragon. His head, after all, was bigger than she was, and she did not wish to be chopped in half by dragon teeth. Inside the stables were no better, however. The runners were all in a rage over the dragon attempting to enter their home. Many of them kicked and bucked, their eyes rolled back to shine white and foam coming from the mouth. As Weseaneth backed away, some semblence of calm was restored, enough for Tujal to grab the reins of the nearest mare, and pull her down to calm her. The rest of the runners, the ignorant beasts, followed by example, and calmed enough for her to not have to run the gauntlet to pass. Soon, she was able to walk freely.
"I'slen? Where are you? What's wrong?" She expected no real answer, but she knew she had to let him know she was there. And it was just good judgement to make noise around nervous horses, so they wouldn't think she was sneaking up on them.
Finally, she found him sitting in an unused stall, on a bale of straw. "I'slen!" she exclaimed. "Weseaneth's been in a fine state," and her tone was something close to reprimand. She went and sat next to him, near enough to touch his shoulder, but no closer. Touch his shoulder she did. "Tell me what happened, I'slen." Now her voice held only concern.
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Post by LyricalBlue on Sept 16, 2006 13:10:12 GMT -5
As Amenth took control, Weseaneth stiffened then moved slowly to the side and lay down. His red eyes ceased their rapid swirling and closed. Under a Queen's will, all dragons would submitt. The stiffness in his body for the most part dissapeared making him simply look like juat another sleeping dragon.
At the sound of Tujal's voice, the bronzerider stirred and lifted his head. Some of the fog seemed to lift and he looked around with bleary red eyes. When he spoke his voice was hoarse and croaking.
"Tujal?" At the mention of his dragon, the rider winced. Not only had he failed in his duty, but now he was neglecting his dragon. He stood shakily, swaying slightly. He should have had so much wine...
The the world tilted sideways and he slumped back down. After a moment he looked up at Tujal and the expression he saw made him crack. Fresh tears washed down his cheeks. She was one of his charges too, what if he failed her... failed her like he had J'relean...
He coughed and righted himself, letting his head fall onto Tujal's lap. He struggled to find the right words... But nothing fit, there was no way to tell her how he felt. How he had failed that young man and his dragon... I'slen rubbed his face roughly and closed his eyes. He finally managed to choak out one thing and knew, he knew Tujal would understand.
"J'relean..."
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Post by Memorie on Sept 16, 2006 13:48:50 GMT -5
He stood and then promptly sat again. Tujal's eyebrows raised with concern, and she caught a whiff off him as the air moved around him. "I'slen..." He'd been drinking. His head fell into her lap, and immediately, her hand went to caressing his temples and copper-bronze hair. He was a handsome man...if a little oddly colored. She schooled herself against that thougt; now was not the time.
"J'relean," I'slen said softly.
Raising an eyebrow, she searched her mind for the name. Aye, it sounded familiar enough, and finally a face swam to vision. "Oh," she said, understanding. That had been the young lad who'd fallen to his death, due to loose straps. He dragon had suicided, of course. No doubt I'slen would be taking it personally. He had a tendency to be emotional about his weyrlings, Tujal noted. "Oh, I'slen," she said, finally cottoning on to his train of thought. "Sure you don't believe that was your fault at all?"
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Post by LyricalBlue on Sept 16, 2006 22:14:19 GMT -5
The bronzerider winced and the world slid sideways again. He wiped his face and sniffed loudly. He choaked out the longest sentance he'd spoken all day.
"It is my fault... I should have checked..." The bent from of the man seemed to colapse even more into itself. It was his fault, such a dumb, stupid, avoidable mistake. If he had only checked him... the boy and his dragon would still be alive. A whimper escaped his lips and he burried his face into Tujal's lap. She smelled good he wanted to wrap his arms around her and lose himself in her world. He wanted... he wanted to rewrite today's events... If he had only checked those straps...
I'slen choaked again and closed his grey eyes tightly shut, whishing it all away. How could he face Tujal? How could he face anyone? He had failed and his failure had cost the life of one of the most promising Weyrlings he'd seen in a long while. Why.... Salthingyer rolled down his cheeks again and the bronzerider winced... If only he had checked those straps...
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Post by Memorie on Sept 16, 2006 22:47:07 GMT -5
Tujal frowned, but still caressed his hair, though now it was the hair on the back of his head. "I'slen..." She sighed. "It's not a fault issue. It just is. Silly people waste time assigning or assuming guilt, I'slen. You've done the best job possible with the Weyrlings; you've helped them grow into fine, responsible riders. You're not silly." He didn't see it, but her face was filled with compassion for the man. She didn't understand his position, but she could empathize. "You're a fine man, with a good heart and capable brain." Her slender fingers deftly massaged his scalp. Bending forward, she kissed the cartilidge round of his ear. His hair smelt good. "Bad things happen, bad things will always. But if you go around blaming yourself for every bad thing that happens, you're going to get so bogged down with guilt, you won't be able to function." Not to mention that it's stupid.
Probably best not to tell him that part.
Agreed. "Even if you had checked his straps, it might have been something else. And J'relean has rode without straps before, like other riders, you know. It might not have even been straps. Maybe he just slipped, I'slen. But you can't blame yourself for it, because it is not your fault," she told him, voice reflecting the same tone Amenth had used to make Weseaneth obey her.
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Post by LyricalBlue on Sept 17, 2006 11:58:17 GMT -5
I'slen struggled, caught in a mental mire of guilt and loss. Tujal was right, he knew she was; at least he thought he knew. His mind spun in several diffrent ways and it only served to make him dizzier. She was right... she had to be right. If she was right, maybe, just maybe it wasn't his fault. But... Her hands felt so good and her kiss made him shiver and thus the world slanted sideways again. When she "leaned" on him he sat up and looked her in the eyes. Half knowing what she was doing but not caring... Oh how he just wanted to forget, he wanted to make it all go away.
It was such a loss... Or maybe it was just the fact that the young man had remined I'slen of himself when he was younger. The brozerider swallowed and bit back that thought, logicaly he knew this wasn't going anywhere. But flame logic, flame and sear and char it. The world spun around him and he wondered briefly if it had always seemed to spin that fast. And he felt hot, tugging at his jacket collar made him cough again and he slumped down.
"But I should have checked...I should have..." He sobbed again and lay his head back down in her lap. By the first queen she smelled good, and the only thing that wasn't slipping, sliding or tilting.
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Post by Memorie on Sept 17, 2006 21:29:26 GMT -5
I'slen sat up and looked at her when she leaned on him, and she schooled her facial expression to innocence. He knew what she had done, and it made her giddy. Most dragonriders would know, of course, but he was a little gone in wine, and she figured she could get away with it.
He sobbed again, and repeated himself on his "mistake." His head went back to her lap, and she instantly began to massage his scalp again.
"I'slen, it's not your fault. I can't make it any plainer, and I've already given you all the pep-talk I can. Come on, we're going back to the Weyr. Right now." She gingerly lifted his head to look at her and she kissed his lips lightly. Then, still supporting his neck, she rose. "Let's go. You need to have a lie-in, and then we'll talk like rational adults."
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Post by LyricalBlue on Sept 17, 2006 21:47:38 GMT -5
His world slid slowly, like a fly in honey. Then she kissed him and if flipped upside down. A logical note in the back of his mind wondered why the world was upside down. But that got swept away in the taste, the feel of the young woman in front of him. Somehow his arms found themselves wrapped about her waist and the same logical little voice wondered when that had happened. When she moved away he gasped, it seemed as if a sun that had been in face had suddenly retreated and left him cold again...
He looked up at her bleery eyed, his normaly clear grey eyes bloodshot and hazy. Tujal... she was just soo... perfect... He smiled, lopsided and drunk.
"Hey Tujal... I love you..." At the revelation he grinned again, looking like a silly boy. Then his stomach cramped and he groaned. A moment later he was doubled over and throwing up into the hay.
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Post by Memorie on Sept 17, 2006 21:59:13 GMT -5
To look into his normally crystal clear grey eyes and see red there made her groan with chagrin. He wrapped his arms around her, but she pulled away nonetheless, intent upon taking him to his Weyr, preferably avoiding other's searching eyes. She turned away, about to call Amenth to give them the protection of her bulk, when she heard "Hey, Tujal...I love you..."
She turned slowly, but just in time to watch him vomit all over the place. She sighed. Deciding to ignore his words for the moment (though her heart pounded with all different emotions), she went to him and helped him stand up after he seemed to be donw puking. "Feel better, I'slen?" she asked, wiping his mouth with her own sleeve. "Surely you can't really mean that," she mumbled, more to herself than to him. She was of the school of thought, however, that a man was most honest when drunk. "We must go back to your Weyr, now, I'slen."
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Post by LyricalBlue on Sept 17, 2006 22:29:03 GMT -5
The world seemed to be sliding around a little less now... Tujal helped him up and he leaned into her greatfully, though the heat and scent of her was enough to bewitch him. He smiled at her foolishly.
"You really are beautifull." Wait, had he thought that or said that? he couldn't tell; oh well. He smiled and nodded at her comment. "Smart and level headed too." Again he wasn't sure if he had thought that or said it aloud. But in retrospect it didn't matter, if she responded he'd know.
The Weyr...That sounded like a nice idea. In fact bed sounded like a very nice idea. Yet again his inner voice crossed the line to his outer voice though he wasn't quite sure about it.
"Would be better if you came to bed with me." He slurred drunkenly and coughed. Then he smiled again, she really was very pretty. Or maybe that was just becuase she was the only that he could focus on. Why was the world upside down again?
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Post by Memorie on Sept 18, 2006 6:45:26 GMT -5
"Good, then we're agreed," she responded, smiling privately at his compliments. Flaming Firelizards, this man is absolutely gone with wine. He leaned against her, and she barely struggled to hold his weight. "Amenth?" she said aloud, to let I'slen know she was calling her.
I'll be right there, she replied, responding to unspoken summonses. And she was.
"Would be better if you came to bed with me," I'slen told Tujal, still chatting as if he hadn't thrown up the largest contents of his stomach all over the stables.
She grinned. "Aye, and I will then," she replied. Anything to get you to sleep. She led them out to the courtyard, where Amenth was waiting to walk beside them and conceal them with her bulk. "Let's go, I'slen. Call you bronze and we're going to your weyr."
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Post by LyricalBlue on Sept 18, 2006 7:04:20 GMT -5
His world was still spinning but Tujal's words started it spinning even faster. With a silly grin, he stood himself upright; at least what he thought was upright in any case. Then he promptly started undoing his pants. Had buckles always been this difficult to manage? He didn't remember them being, and while he struggled with his pants he glanced back up at Tujal. A little logical point in his mind made the note that niether were they back at the weyr or was there a bed near by. But at that point in time the bronzerider didn't care.
Just then Feya and Bey took the opportunity to come swooping in on their rider, chittering and harassing him in the way firelizards do. Still drunk and with his pants half off, I'slen waved his arms about to fend them off. After a few moments of this, the pair gave up and landed on Tujal's shoulders; still in a chorus about just what they thought of this situation, which by the tone wasn't pleasant.
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