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Post by Memorie on Jun 2, 2006 2:40:10 GMT -5
A few minutes later, after the shock to her system settled and her nervous system became semi-normal, Tujal awoke. Gasping, she tried to sit up, but a hand held her back. She struggled momentarily, remembering the last hand that had held her back, but then she realized someone was talking to her. "Lay back down now, Queenrider. You need rest." It was the Healer. Tujal nodded weakly.
"Klah?" she asked, turning her head to look at the man. He nodded.
"Of course." He got her a mild brewing, which she drank right down, scalding her tongue in the process.
"Amenth!" The gold had not stopped hissing and growling since the attack had started, and was making thing surely uncomfortable for Weseaneth. Another champion, the bronze. "Amenth, settle. Settle, now, We're fine. Our bronze friend caught us in time." She had a tendency to refer to herself as she would if she were with the dragon when she fell ill. It was a habit retained from their poisoning days. Amenth growled and followed her rider's example, laying her head down. Still, her eyes whirled white and yellow, the myriad a tell-tale of the dragon's agitation. "Please, sir, where is my Weyrlingmaster? He saved me. Can I see him? Please?" When she wanted to be, she could be quite charming, and he agreed.
"Let me go see if he's still outside," he said calmly. "You are to stay laying now that you've burned off all your taste buds with hot klah." He arose and went to the hallway.
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Post by LyricalBlue on Jun 2, 2006 2:49:50 GMT -5
In a moment the Healer walked back in with a blury eyed I'slen behind him. Tear streaks ran down his face and his shoulder's slumped. Then suddenly everyone else was gone and they were left alone in that small corner of the Infirmary. I'slen knelt down by her bed and looked at her, pale grey eyes trying to convey everything he couldn't possibly say.
"Are, are you alright?"
With his own fury stoaked the bronze was doing his best to calm Amenth. Nuddging and crooning and licking. He covered the gold with his wings everytime another dragon neared and wouldn't so much as listen to any of them. All of I'slen's whirling, furious emotions were comming out in the bronze and he twitched with the need to sooth Amenth.
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Post by Memorie on Jun 2, 2006 3:01:37 GMT -5
Oh, those beautiful, expressive eyes. Now they showed grief, fear, sadness. Tujal's heart crumbled. "I think so," she told him, unsure but wanting to reassure him. "I think there's room here on this bed if you want to sit next to me," Tujal said, laying on her side. The blasted healer only said she was to lay, and he didn't specify how. His cheeks were stained with tear trails, and her crumbled heart practically blew away in the wind. Lowering a hand, she began to wipe his cheeks. "It's 'k," she told him, frowning at his unhappiness.
Outside, Amenth was a-twitter. Weseaneth was calming her. But she didn't want to be calmed. She wanted to go...flame the man. She couldn't flame. She wanted to. You can't, Tujal told her. The largest bronze's wings covered her, but her growls, murmurs, and snaps could still be heard. She snapped at passing humans, and sniffed them as if to catch a whiff of Tujal on one of them. Murrr, she growled. Her voice was growing scratchy because of the constant use now, but she didn't care. Until she saw her Tujal in one piece and okay, this was how things were. But Weseaneth was so nice...and his tongue did satisfy her itches on her ridges...
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Post by LyricalBlue on Jun 2, 2006 3:09:55 GMT -5
I'slen stood and sat down on the bed gingerly, carefull not to disturb Tujal at all. He brushed a stray hair away from her face, almost not daring to touch her. He closed his eyes for a few long moments and when he opened them he reached out and grasped her in a fierce hug.
"If I had lost you..." There he said it, his worst fears. If Amenth had panicked and gone between, what would he have done. A shudder ran through his body at the thought of that man laying a hand on Tujal. Blind white rage threatened to boil over again and it was only his tight, rider discipline that keep him where he was. Besides this was where he had to be. He could deal with that... man, later.
An idea struck the bronze dragon and he bumped Amenth's shoulder.
You can fit through the door to the human part. Wes couldn't but then he was a fully grown bronze and a large one at that. He dove off the ledge and landed outside the infirmary entrance. He crooned once more up at Amenth, urging her to go and see her rider and knowing that the little gold wouldn't calm totaly till she did. Not that a half grown gold dragon was a good idea in the Infirmary but Wes knew she had to go.
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Post by Memorie on Jun 2, 2006 3:21:30 GMT -5
She was a little surprised at this display of raw emotion from the man; he was usually very calm and laid back. She did hug him back as well as she could. "But you didn't," she said, her words muffled because she was speaking into I'slen's shoulder. She felt him tense in her arms, and she frowned. "I'm still here, you still have me, so you're okay. And I'm okay. And we're okay, too," she said, referring to her and Amenth.
Meanwhile, the small gold joined her bronze at the door to the human sickplace. Her own sickplace was her ledge, but people went somewhere inside to get better. Thanks. She nudged his wedge head with hers to show her gratitude, holding back a growl at a passing person. She peered inside the cavern. Are you sure? she said, doubtful. But if Weseaneth said it, it must be so, so she shuffled as best she could into the cavern. People went nuts, but she largely ignored them. When she was most of the way in, her large rump got stuck, but with a little scuttling and wriggling, she got loose and waddled her way in as far as she could. Tujal?
The goldrider heard her dragon calling, and she sounded close. "Oh no, I'slen. Amenth's inside." She had listened to the whole plan from Weseaneth's beginning to Amenth's stuck hind end, and she shook her head. The gold dragon poked her head into the Infirmary door. Tujal scooted to the end of her bed and scratched the dragon's eyeridges. "See? I'm fine. Now go back outside before they strip my rank and give you to someone else." It had been the wrong thing to say, because Amenth growled, but she slowly backed up.
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Post by LyricalBlue on Jun 2, 2006 3:30:05 GMT -5
I'slen relaxed slowly and let Tujal go, sitting back up on the bed. When Amenth walked in, With Wes's head behind his jaw dropped. Healers started running to a fro and the bronze dragon opened his mouth in amusement.
Good Tujal is well, Amenth is well. Now you can be well.
I'slen began to laugh, a quiet chuckle at first but soon he was roaring with sidesplitting laughter. To passers by looking for the most part like he'd finaly gone insane. He reached out to scratch Amenth too and gave the gold one final pat before she started backing up.
His laughing calmed and he looked back down at Tujal.
"You know shes a fine dragon. Didn't panic or anything, but she and Wes had the whole Weyr up in arms for you. The twins were having a fit." He smiled gently and turned as both dragons backed back out of the Infirmary, leaving the staff to stare in horror. Love from Wes washed over himself and Tujal.
We will always be here for you.
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Post by Memorie on Jun 2, 2006 3:36:45 GMT -5
Tujal got worried at the knowledge of the Weyr worrying over her. It was really best for her to execute her plans when no one was watching, but...wait..."Char it!" Now everyone would be watching her, all the time. How was she supposed to be affectionate to I'slen if everyone always wanted to watch her? She put her head on I'slen's chest, trying to sooth herself and failing miserably. d**n that stupid man! "She is a fine dragon. She's my fine, golden hide, sweetfruit of a dragon." Amenth rumbled. Everything was okay, and her rider was okay too. She laid down next to Weseaneth and rumbled again as she became comfortable. It was time for a proper nap, and she said so.
Tujal looked up from her spot on the Weyrlingmaster's chest. "Uhm...thank you." Gratitude, and apologies, when they were due, were hardly her thing. "I'm sorry for interrupting your work with this."
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Post by LyricalBlue on Jun 8, 2006 18:23:56 GMT -5
I'slen chuckled quietly and smoothed her hair back.
"My work is the last thing you should be worried about." He grinned down at Tujal and then looked to the backs of the retreating dragons. Silly creatures to try to come in here like that, he chuckled some more.
"Really, just rest. Besides I have plenty of assistants to take care of my work if need be. I'm sure they can keep your classmates busy."
The bronze dragon circled and settled with much fluttering of his wings. The mass aggitation of before had not quite left him and Wes glanced about warily, mantling over Amenth. After a while he too calmed down and with a large yawn he settled.
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Post by Memorie on Jun 8, 2006 18:30:34 GMT -5
"Maybe." Tujal was distracted. She wanted it! I was only giving her what she deserved! The words pounded over and over in her head until she was sure I'slen could hear them coming out of her ears. She squinted into her lap. Is that true? She frowned.
I was only giving her what she deserved! She knew her preoccupation with the phrase was unhealthy, and probably untrue...but then, she did usually walk around the Weyr like she owned the place, only showing proper respect to the Weyrleaders. And she didn't believe in having sex before it was necessary. Had she flaunted herself?
She wanted it! I was only giving her what she deserved! Tujal buried her face in I'slen chest and started crying a little.
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Post by LyricalBlue on Jun 8, 2006 18:41:22 GMT -5
Startled by her sudden change of mood, I'slen wrapped his arms protectivly about her. In the back of his mind he noted that she always had rapid mood changes and he should be used to them by now. As she cried, he hugged her close, obviously the attack had left some mental scars as well.
"Tujal..." He spoke softly, worrying to upset her further or to provoke another mood swing. "Are you alright? Do you want to talk about it?" As her WeyrlingMaster it was in his stead to act as counsler as well as teacher. But right now he spoke as far away from that as one could. I'slen spoke as a concerned lover, though he knew well enough they never had been. And now.... He hugged Tujal tighter, almost scared to let her go.
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Post by Memorie on Jun 8, 2006 18:46:13 GMT -5
"I'slen, I did deserve it. I can't believe I've been acting like that!" Tujal whimpered. Her tears were somewhat drowning her words, but she didn't care. "He was right." She looked down, completely ashamed of what she had done. "I'm sorry, I'slen. Really. I know you have better things to do than to be bothered by some stupid child like me."
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Post by LyricalBlue on Jun 8, 2006 18:56:54 GMT -5
The bronzerider didn't comprehend what she was talking about for a moment and then it hit him and his jaw dropped. He picked up her chin and wiped away tears.
"Listen you, no one deserves to be attacked like that, you the least of anyone. If I could..." The rage threatened to boil over again and I'slen was hard pressed to focus.
"You can act however you want to. Well within limits, but no he wasn't right. He will never be right. No man has any right to make that kind of decision for you. You decided when and where and if you are ever ready for that."
He shook his head vehmently and hugged Tujal tightly again.
"He was assuredly so far from being right a wher might as well be a dragon. And you're never a bother Tujal." Well.. yes she was, she could be a shard of a bother when she was in the mood, but I'slen wasn't about to say that now. And in truth her speaking her heart was never a bother, even if it drove him crazy.
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Post by Memorie on Jun 8, 2006 19:03:48 GMT -5
Tujal shook her head, she couldn't get it out of her mind that she had been in the wrong. His words about her not bothering him had been a reassurance though. And I'slen was usually right about a lot of things, even if she never said it to his face. She hugged tighter to his chest, letting her tears fall unbidden onto his shirt. "Okay," she said, still sounding unsure. "I don't really know what to do. I don't want the Weyr on my every step, but I don't think I can be alone any more. Not right now," she admitted, ashamed of her weakness.
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Post by LyricalBlue on Jun 8, 2006 19:11:35 GMT -5
I'slen sighed slowly and relaxed his grip on her somewhat, afraid he might hurt her.
"Tujal you aren't ever alone. I know Wes checks in on you every few minutes and I'm only ever an arm's length away. But you can also have Feya or Bey stay with you if you like." He rolled his eyes, trying to make her smile. "I know those two listen to you better than they do me." But then women never listened to him, be they human, dragon or firelizard.
"And as to what you will do, you will rest and then come back to classes and taking care of Amenth. There is nothing to sooth hurts like a dragon's love." He hugged her again.
"I am always here for you also, even if you may not want this fuddy old man's attentions." He was hardly old and hardly fuddy but he wanted to make her smile. He wanted to make Tujal forget all about that crazed rider. Leaning foward he kissed her forehead and brushed away more tears.
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Post by Memorie on Jun 8, 2006 23:36:22 GMT -5
"I wish you would stop kissing my forehead," she told him, teasing his hair in the back of his head. "I like Bey. Do you think she'd stay with me, sometimes?"
When the Weyrlingmaster mentioned dragon's love, waves washed over her from Amenth, and it left her a bit dizzy. She started to swoon, but held onto I'slen's now damp shirt. "Whoops," she giggled, a little woozy. "You're right." She started to laugh.
I'slen? Amenth asked. She was addressing and naming the rider. I think she's hysterical.
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