An eve of Brown

[FireThorne]

((I have obtained permission to godmod the Fall out of Z’fan. Huzzah.))

The lake was one of Raelwyn’s favorite haunts, and it was evident in the amount of time she enjoyed the spending there. The candidate could spent countless candlemarks merely sitting and staring at the gently waving black waters, allowing her mind the quiet that accompanied it. Though it was by no means a silent place, considering there were always several riders bathing their dragons there, the girl always managed to find a secluded corner in which to muse. Today was no exception.

The gold-hopeful walked slowly, her light skirt kicking up slightly in the stirring breeze, bringing a wonderfully cool chill to her skin. Her usual sleeveless top made the weather perfect. Rael always enjoyed being at the lake, because more than anything, it gave her a hideaway. When Panna and Toya was busy, she would have enjoyed being with the other candidates, but the sharding boys would not leave her alone. She was by no means an arrogant girl, but she was aware that she was rather attractive, but most gold candidates were. It was nothing special, really, but...sometimes she just grew tired of flirtations.

Tydus circled above her once, suddenly, and landed smoothly on her shoulder, having gained some gracility since maturing a bit more. The small bronze gave a welcoming croon and settled into his customary position of his tail in her hair, and his body nestled in the curve of her neck. The firelizard was growing, however, and his head would no longer fit in the hollow above her collarbone. He now reached almost all the way to her chest. Running a hand down the small bronze’s back, Rael smiled, her green eyes casting over the lake. “Hello, guardian.” She said softly, addressing the rather protective little fellow.

A few of the weyrlings were bathing their new dragons, she noticed, and her eyes picked out a certain figure among them. A certain figure with a brown. Grinning, the Fort-born crept silently forward, her sandals make hardly a sound as she slowly approached the boy. It had been far too long since she had talked with Z’fan, and far too long since she had some good fun. Nearly right at his back, she grabbed his shoulders suddenly, grinning like a fool. “My dear Piper!” She said merrily, waiting to see if she had gotten the jump on him or not.

[Crimson]

"Yah!" Z'fan jumped at the feeling of feminine hands on his shoulders. He was sure the knots and kinks in his muscles were quite existant. Evenoth turned to Z'fan, eyes whirling a slight red in with the blue. The little brown had felt Z'fan's slash of alarm. Z'fan turned slowly, almost dreading that it wouldn't be Raelwyn who had surprised him. He'd really wanted to see her lately, and hadn't gotten the change.

It was her. "Green Eyes!" he exclaimed, very pleasantly surprised. "How wonderful to see you. It's been ages." He smiled at her, very happy to see his old friend. They hadn't gotten to see each other much before he Impressed Evenoth, and now, he got to see her even less. The schedules of Candidates and Weyrlings just did not mesh well. "Let me see if I can't hurry up washing my brute and maybe we can sit together for a while. Care to help? I'm sure Ev wouldn't mind, wouldja, Ev?"

Never. And I bet her hands are softer than yours, the brown replied, always the jokester. Z'fan passed the message on.

"He's probably right. I've got callouses!"

[FireThorne]

Raelwyn laughed in delight as the boy yelped, pleased that she had surprised him. It had been awhile since she had laughed like that; truly amused and nothing but mirth lacing through her voice. The weyr had been far too sad far too long. “It has indeed been ages, and many more.” She agreed, blushing just a slight when he greeted her with the pet name he had given her. It was just too sweet. The girl was beginning to get as many nicknames as she had siblings. Truly happy to have received such a welcome, the gold-hopeful wrapped her arms around the boy’s neck, not particularly caring if she got her shirt a little wet or not. It would dry. “Weyrlings do have such grueling schedules. I am glad to see you.”

A rather indignant squawk came from her little firelizard when she did that, his wings beating the air angrily. “Easy, Ty.” The girl said, pulling away to get a good look at her friend’s brown and calm her pet. Her hand ran down the bronze’s back soothingly, and he settled, but he still watched the weyrling like a tunnelsnake he would like to catch and eat. Obviously the little one still held a distaste for the boy.

The girl, however, had her emerald gaze on the young brown. They had not been properly introduced yet. “I would be honored to help you, dear Piper.” Rael said with a grin, stepping further into the water and getting the bottom of her skirt wet. “And I am sure my hands are more deft as well, my handsome brown Evenoth. I was raised in a weyr, and bathed plenty of your kind.” Grabbing up some sand, she walked to the opposite of the young dragon, beginning to rub with vigor, her practiced hands sure and quick.

“Callouses are the proof of hard work. Wear them like a badge, even if they bloody hurt.” Rael said slyly, slipping a wink Z’fan’s way. The words were half-jest, and half-serious. Weyrlings were facing some of the most trying times of their life, and the girl knew it. Nothing would be easy for he boy now, especially keeping his brown clean as he grew. Allowing silence to linger between them for a few moments, concentrating on an area of hide that seemed to be drying and peeling a bit, the Fort-born broke the soundless thread when she was satisfied that trouble-spot was taken proper care of. “So, Z’fan, how are your weyrling lessons going? Are you getting along with I’slen?” Smiling, her green eyes sought his lighter ones of the same hue. “He is the one who gave me the egg Tydus hatched from.” Wryly, she added, “So you have him to thank for your big fan here.” The bronze accented that with a hiss.

[Crimson]

Her arms went around his neck, and Z'fan had to admit that he was more than happy to see her. His own arms went around her waist, and he hugged her as tightly as she had him. The little bronze firelizard hissed at him, and he only smiled. Tydus had never been fond of Z'fan, not even back when he was Zarefan. Then she began to wash Evenoth with practical religious fervor, and Z'fan watched for a second before pitching in. Really, he'd like to see her clean his dragon more often. Fall, he'd like to see her more often, no matter what they were doing.

"Yes, my callouses are from playing multiple instruments for years." He laughed. "And from pricking my fingers with needles while sewing. Not that I've had time to do either," he said, smiling, "since Impressing this imp here." He swatted Evenoth's backside as he did so, playfully. The little dragonet ignored him and purred in response to Raelwyn's well-practiced hands at washing dragon-hide. Z'fan smiled wider. His brown sure did take a liking to his Green Eyed Girl.

A comfortable silence passed between them as they dedicated themselves to scrubbing the growing brown hide. Rael was the first one to break it, to ask him how lessons were going, and if he liked I'slen. "Oh, I suppose he's good enough. He's smart, and likable." He looked down at her emerald eyes. At her revelation of the origin of Tydus, Z'fan openly laughed. "Oh? Well, I make sure to thank him for that little nip on the finger from a few seven-days back," he said, winking to let her know he was kidding. The little bronze threw a hiss his way, and Z'fan only laughed. He had relaxed even more since Impressing Evenoth, and was now more relaxed around animals. That, and he'd grown accustomed to Tydus's disapproval of almost anyone who wasn't Raelwyn. "And how is candidacy? Still hanging around with Panthea and Toya? How is S'mael's crazy self?"

[FireThorne]

Raelwyn smiled a little to herself as she washed the dragonling, the brown hide soft and warm beneath her hands. It had been a while since she had the chance to help bathe a dragon; actually it had been since she left her home weyr of Fort. There, she had helped G’mir wash Ulrith all the time, the sweet blue practically melting under her very careful and experienced hands. Yet, she knew no riders here, except I’slen and G’del, but they were rather too busy with their duties to wait for her help, and R’dir….well, that was self-explanatory. The candidate was sure he was thrilled to be rid of her after the beach. No, dear Evenoth was the first at Ponaa she had spent time with, and the girl had no complaints. He was certainly a love.

Moving up to the weyrling’s shoulder, Rael scrubbed carefully around the joints, knowing well how hide could dry and crack in the creases. Pursing her lips for a moment, the girl looked over at Z’fan briefly, watching him apply sand to his dragon’s hide and scrub. Such a deep connection….when would she have one of her own? She had stood at many Impressions, and never had a dragonet looked her way. While it was true she stood for gold, a darling little green would be just as loved. Blinking, breaking herself from her reflections, the candidate smiled. “You certainly have a multitude of talents, my dear Piper. Perhaps one day you could show me how to play some of those instruments you know so well.” Continuing her ministrations, the Fort-born smiled as the little brown crooned, unable to stop a pleased and deep chuckle that bubbled inside her. “What a love you are.” Raelwyn cooed, drying one hand on her skirt and scratching Evenoth’s eyeridge with practiced ease.

Still scratching the brown adoringly, the candidate grinned at the new rider. “Indeed. I’m sure I’slen would find it humorous in the least.” The Fort-born had to marvel at Z’fan’s ease around her tempestuous little bronze. The firelizard could be a mean little snot, but only around boys. Especially boys Rael was close to. Females, such as Panna, Ruet, and Toya he tolerated just lordy-fixy, but he held an acute dislike of anything male other than dragons and himself. He was a jealous little bugger, to say the least. However, as much as his protectiveness over her sometimes amused the girl, she was even more impressed with the weyrling’s cool laugh. It seemed he was not afraid of much, even though the bronze had grown and had a nasty little row of teeth now.

Sighing, Raelwyn smiled at her companion a little sadly, once more scrubbing his weyrling with deft experience and steady hands. She could get used to bathing Evenoth-he was a dear. “Candidacy is the same, I’m afraid; doing chores and awaiting the day I Impress. Toya is rather busy with her new green, but Panna I spend much of my time with. S’mael is….well, I’m sure you remember him.” Grinning, she slipped the boy a wink. “Chipper as always, of course, a practical ray of sunshine.” The Fort-born laughed then, scrubbing the brown’s chest. “The dour life of candidacy aside, I would like to know what time you usually bathe Evenoth, dear Piper. I would love to help you wash him again.” Tilting her head to the side, Rael met the little dragon’s eyes, smiling. “If he will have me, of course.” They would have to oil him next.

[Crimson]

Z'fan smiled and laughed. "I think Evenoth likes you more than he likes me," he said, only half-joking. Evenoth purred louder.

Close. Z'fan burst out laughing and relayed that message. The young brown certainly had a glib humor, and Z'fan could appreciate it.

~~~

Finally, after a good fifteen or thirty minutes (Z'fan wasn't counting) of scrubbing, the brown dragonet was satisfied that he was clean and he dragged himself up to the beach to rest in the sun. Z'fan just laughed and began to rinse his hands of dry dragon skin. They did peel fairly well if you did get them oiled. "He prefers to be completely dry before getting oiled, so we have a fair bit of time to ourselves while he dries himself in the sun."

The water of the deepening lake was cold--it was mountain-spring fed--but Z'fan didn't care. He sat down in the water, having long grown used to its chilliness. He yawned; it had been a long day. But now he had a lovely young woman next to him, and she wanted to see him more often. He hadn't been sure after his behavior a few weeks prior that she'd want to see him ever again, but this proved that she did. He smiled to himself.

Then he grinned and splashed water up at her. "Wanna water-play?" he asked mischievously.

[FireThorne]

Raelwyn laughed along with the boy at his weyrling’s smooth reply, amused at his humor. His purring was adorable though, and the candidate completely melted for the little brown because of it. It was so cute! “I would honored to help bathe you, my little love.” She cooed in reply, kneeling so she could reach a dry patch on his neck easier. She always had adored dragons.

~~~~~

Watching the little weyrling plop himself happily down on the lake’s shore, Rael smiled to herself and bent down to clean the sand and hide off her hands. Although bathing a dragon could be messy work, she did not mind in the slightest, especially if the dragon was as sweet as Evenoth. Her skirt was nearly soaked, as was her shirt, but the light blue cloth was sturdy and for working. It would not harm it. Standing, gathering the hem of her skirt up, the candidate tried to wring out some of the water while the boy spoke. “A rare thing indeed, my dear Piper, to have any time to ourselves. We have not had time since the Feast.” Ah yes, the Feast....

Quirking a brow as the weyrling sat down right in the water, Rael grinned a little, watching him yawn. “Are you that tired, Z’fan, or is my company merely that boring?” She teased, unwilling the break the lightened mood with any deep reflections. Her green eyes were bright as she teased him, and she was clearly enjoying it. Of course, Tydus did not exactly enjoy the two being so close, but the candidate did not trust him either. Looking forcefully into the little bronze’s eyes, the gold-hopeful sent him to her bed in the candidate’s barracks, since he had been napping before anyway. She would not have him bite Z’fan....again.

Just as she was turning, cold, cold lake water splashed against her, and the girl whirled to look at the mischeviously-grinning weyrling. Oh yea, he was going to pay for that. “Well, my dear Piper....” Raelwyn started softly, “You really should have warned me before....” As she spoke, she whirled, dragging her foot through the water, then kicking up, giving Z’fan a good drenching. “So you deserved that!” She laughed, dancing a few steps away.