Do You Hear What I Hear?

[Crimson]

The young candidate Zarefan had wandered out of the barracks to the Weyrbowl. It was still early spring, but it was a warmer day than most, and he felt like being outside. He'd spent a bit of time confined inside away from the chill, and now he wanted to be out a little. He brought his roughly-hewn panpipes with him.

He'd made the pipes himself, after being grumbled at for beating on everything like a drum. They were his favorite instrument, the drums. They expressed so much emotion, and they were easy for him to play. But one too many candidate had went to the Candidatemaster with a complaint, so he'd been told to pick up another instrument or be music-less. He'd made the pipes.

Now outside, Zarefan settled on a large rock and crossed his legs. Raising the pipes to his mouth, he began to improvise on a G minor scale. It was really too bad, so he continued.

[FireThorne]

Raelwyn was taking advantage of the lovely weather, always one that hated to be stuck inside for too long, having left the barracks with plans to visit the lake. A long skirt and sleeveless top made a nice picture of her body, willowy though she was. Tydus chirped happily from above, making lazy circles above the candidate’s head as she walked forward. She had been thinking far too much those afternoons she spent inside while it was too cold to be out, and her future had been worrying her of late.

Would Sharieth’s gold egg be found? If not, would Amenth lay gold? Too many depressing things plagued her, so the girl had taken the first opportunity to get the fall out of the barracks and into some sunshine. The warm rays felt good on her bare shoulders, though she would probably be sunburned tomorrow.

On her way to the lake, however, Raelwyn’s feet slowed, and she halted, tilting her head to the side as she heard something in the bowl. After listening for a moment, she started towards the music, surprised to find one of her fellow candidates seated upon a rock, playing the pipes. She recalled seeing him about the common room, and even during a few chores, but they had never had the pleasure of meeting. Smiling, Rael padded up beside him, Tydus cheeping in alarm and zipping down to her shoulder. The little bronze never left her shoulder...or head...if there were other men around. He was too jealous for that.

Soothing her firelizard with a few scratches, the candidate leaned down beside the boy, never one to be shy or scared around others. Raelwyn was the social sort, outgoing and friendly, and was never hesitant to make new acquaintances. Besides, she thought rather mischievously, this boy was pretty cute, and far be it for her to not meet him. Tilting her head to the side, about two feet from him, her green eyes sought his. “Hello there, I’m Raelwyn. I do not think we have met, dear piper.” She grinned, and Tydus accented her words with a warning chirp. Jealous, that little bronze.

[Crimson]

His eyes opened, and Zarefan found himself looking into the most beautiful green eyes he'd ever seen. He kept playing, and modulated the song to a more major scale. His heart pounded on the inside, but his tempo was perfect. The girl's--Rael's--little bronze gave him a mean glare, and Zar smiled. He brought the song to a close and spoke. "No, dear Green Eyes, I don't suppose we have." He smiled. "I'm Zarefan." Zar moved over on his rock. "Care for a seat, Lovely?"

He set the pipes down on his lap. Now was not a time for playing, t'was a time for flirting. That little bronze of her was a jealous type, for sure, as he gave Zar a squeak of warning. "What a beautiful bronze," Zar said quietly as he reached out to scratch its eyeridges.

[FireThorne]

Raelwyn caught her bottom lip between her teeth when the boy opened his eyes, inwardly melting. He had eyes the color of the sea, a bit more blue than her own emerald ones, a lovely gaze that had no comparison in any man she had ever met. He lowered the song, making the air about them a little heavier than it was before. Something lighthearted deepened a bit. The candidate dropped her eyes as he spoke, feeling a light blush spread across her cheeks. Charming words, he spoke, which were dangerous words.

Meeting his gaze once more, the girl smiled and straightened, seating herself delicately beside him. The rock was not exactly the roomiest of seating arrangements, which put them slightly close. Not that she minded—he was quite adorable. “Thank you, Zarefan, but I suppose I should think of pet name for you as cute as the ones you seem to have given me.” Raelwyn said, grinning mischievously. It was an endearing look on her face. Green Eyes? She liked it, she had to admit.

While the boy reached for her bronze, Raelwyn started to give a warning, but was far too late. The Firelizard squawked indignantly and snapped forward with rather impressive reflexes, biting the boy on his finger. “Tydus!” The girl snapped, popping the little bronze on his nose, “No!” She hissed, then turned quickly to the candidate at her side. “Oh, I am so sorry, Zarefan. Let me see.” Before he could protest, Rael cradled his hand in hers, noting that his one hand was almost as big as both of hers put together. The bite was small, and though it wouldn’t scar, it was bleeding a bit. Tydus hopped over then on the girl’s lap, cheeping apologetically. “You should be sorry!” His master said sternly, earning a pleading look from the little fellow.

“We should get you some numbweed for that.” Rael said softly, looking upward at his eyes once more. Such a lovely color.

[Crimson]

"Oh, I think you already have," he said. "Piper?" He laughed. Zarefan was impressed with the girl. She blushed easily, it seemed, and he hadn't even turned on all of the charm. Either way, she was a pretty girl. And fun to talk to.

The little bronze bit him when he reached out to pet him. "Ouch!" Zarefan said, laughing. It hurt, of course, but he should have expected it. He yanked his hand back from the bronze, only to find it cradled in Rael's warm and soft hands. "Oh no, it's okay. I had it coming, I'm sure." He chuckled again. "He did warn me, after all." The little bronze appeared to be contrite.

"We should get you some numbweed for that," she told him. She looked back at him, into his eyes. His heart pounded a little, and he cleared his throat.

"No, uh, that's alright. Really. I'll be fine." He was gibbering like a fool. "Perhaps, however, you'd like to take a stroll?"

[FireThorne]

Raelwyn smiled slowly at the boy’s reply, titling her head to the side and studying his face closely. He was certainly cute, she had to give him that, not to mention very charming. What a terribly wicked combination. “Dear Piper it is, then.” She laughed, testing the name on her tongue. It seemed to fit him, somehow, and the candidate found herself looking at the pipes he held in his hand. They appeared to be roughly hewn, yet he had wove a lovely song with them. The girl smiled. “Where did you learn to play the pipes, Zarefan? You are quite talented.”

His laugh eased some of the tension in the girl’s shoulders after Tydus bit him, though she still felt bad about the incident. Rael had tried to break the little bronze from his terrible jealousy of her, but he just did not like men. “All the same, I’m terribly sorry.” She repeated, looking sternly at the firelizard as he found his way to her lap. Inspecting the other candidate’s hand, Raelwyn shook her head at his reply, her green eyes stern upon his.

“Just because you are a tough boy, my dear Piper, does not mean you are invincible.” The girl’s voice made it obvious she would not be swayed, but she smiled to take the sting out of her words. “We should wash the bite clean, at least. Come, we can take our stroll on the way to the infirmary.” Raelwyn pushed away from the rock and stood, Tydus gliding up to her shoulder and settling in his customary perch after she straightened, chirping happily and rubbing his head against her cheek as he did. Waiting for the charming boy to join her, the candidate walked at his side, her little bronze swiveling his head around her chin to glare at him. “So, Zarefan, where do you hail from?” Rael asked, turning her head to watch him as they walked. He seemed very sweet and charming, which made the girl smile all the more. What a pleasant afternoon it would be.

[Crimson]

Zarefan sighed when he saw she would not be deterred. "I'm really okay, but if you insist...." Typically, he would have found it irritating that this little girl was bossing him around, but he didn't want to alienate her before he found out more about her. And she seemed nice enough, if overly concerned. He stood when she did and joined her at her side.

He noted the little bronze glaring at him and laughed again. "Somebody wasn't too sorry." He smiled at Tydus, not the least bit afraid. "I'm from Tamah Hold. My mother was a journeywoman harper there, and my father is a master weaver. I'm talented right and left," he joked. "But my piping...well, you're generous, m'lady. My real talent is on the drums."

[FireThorne]

“I insist.” The girl replied, grinning a little as the boy got to his feet. Raelwyn rather suspected that he was a slight irritated with her for making him have the wound seen to, but that was the male in him, and the female in her. She knew a few minor remedies for shallow cuts and burns, but she had no numbweed nor bandaging. They would have to get that in the infirmary. Her attention quickly switched to her little firelizard. “No, he isn’t is he?” She asked, laughing. Running a hand down the small bronze’s back comfortingly, the candidate gave him a look that clearly stated ‘be good, or else.’

“Tamah? I’m afraid I’ve never heard of that Hold. Is it here in the South? I myself was born and raised in Fort Weyr, in the North, and I just transferred to Ponaa not long ago. I am afraid I am not very familiar with the Holds here.” Her interest was piqued when the candidate mentioned the drums, and Rael titled her head to the side, smiling at him and marveling at his lovely eyes. “A harper, weaver, and drummer? Tell me why you were alone this eve, again?” She asked, half-jest and half-serious.

[Crimson]

Zarefan was shocked that she didn't know of Tamah. It was a beautiful hold, and he couldn't wait to Impress a dragon and return to there. He knew he and his dragon would not be able to fly for a while, but after they could...well, he missed his parents. And their letters proved that they missed him. "Well, someday, when I get the chance to go back there, you should come with me. You'd really like it there. It's nice." He smiled.


They walked slowly, he noticed, almost as if she didn't want to drop him off at the weyrhealer's too soon. "I don't know. Everyone seems to be busy. The hustle and bustle of the Weyr is hard to adapt to, sometimes," he admitted, blushing a tinge around the ears. "At the Hold, things were calmer. I don't know why." He shrugged. "But I do like it here. The people are nice, if a little busy." He turned his own sea-green eyes onto her emerald ones. "And yourself? At the risk of sounding foolish, what's a pretty girl like you doing alone on an evening like this?" he asked, referring to the warmth of the bowl. Finally, it was warming up at Ponaa.

[FireThorne]

Raelwyn smiled in return at her fellow candidate, trying to picture what it would look like. She had been in the weyr her entire life, and had only been to holds when there was a Gather. The girl had never really gotten a good look at anything outside of her birthweyr, Fort, and Ponaa. “I would love to see your Hold, Zarefan. Perhaps we will both be on dragon’s backs by then, yes?” She had to smile to herself, thinking of being a rider. Perhaps... ‘Oh, no, girl, best not to go there right now.’ She rather agreed.

She nodded in reply to the boy at her side, walking slowly toward the infirmary. “Yes, the Weyr is rather busy, and you hardly have time to breathe. It will be worth it, though, if we Impress.” Feeling her own blush lightly tint her cheeks pink, the gold hopeful shook her head, grinning at the boy beside her and tucking a stray strand of blonde hair behind her ear. “Well, if you would like to know the truth....” She said softly, her grin turning a little errant and mischievous, “I can not stand being indoors, and more pressing was my urge to get away from the other....male candidates.” Rael shrugged, causing Tydus to chirp a little reprovingly from his perch, and turned her emerald gaze upon his lovely sea-green eyes. “Most of them are not like you, dear Piper.”

[Crimson]

"Too true," Zarefan replied. "I am like one in a million. Or one out of a million, I'm not sure." He laughed sheepishly and scratched his head. The little bronze demon upon the girl's shoulder chirped reprovingly, and for a wild second, Zar thought it was at him. "What now? Oh." He saw that the girl had only shrugged. "It's not really all that odd for me to have a rough time with your flit. I'm not all that good with animals, really, even the more sentient ones like firelizards." Zar chuckled. "Actually, it's a source of constant worry for me, and I often wonder if it will mean the difference between my Impression or lack thereof."

The conversation carried on in a predictable manner, and they finally, to Zar's chagrin, reached the Infirmary. The weyrhealer's assistant greeted Zar with the usual feminine wile, and Zar's ear's turned bright red. He was used to women crushing on him, but only in the weyr were they so open and un-coy about it. It was strange for the hold-boy to understand, but he was quickly coming to do so, and accept it as weyr life. "I suppose this is where we part, my darling Green Eyes." He did not smile; in fact, it was almost a frown that formed on his features.