Brother, Where Art Thou? [Boo]

[RavenSong]

{desc=Seph/S'idon, brofeels}Seph sat quietly in the stables, seated in the straw bedding his runner used. Heartbrother was laying down beside him, his mighty head in Seph's lap. The runner knew Seph wasn't feeling too great and had opted to try and console him. Seph ran his hands through the bay's black mane and down his muscled neck. He'd stopped in the Infirmary briefly in the morning to get a brief check of his sutures, then released to the care of the Candidatemasters again. Chores had been completed despite the pain, he wasn't about to let that stop him. It helped keep negativity at bay. He'd ended up in the stables for his free time, though, to seek comfort from the one living being who would give him the comfort he needed wordlessly, the one being who wasn't busy at all.

Lili's presence had been greatly reassuring there on the Sands, as had Peranzath. The Pink's crooning and earlier interest in him had told him that even though there was a dragon in the picture, nothing was going to change between him and Lili. It was a relief to his pained mind.

He wasn't quite so sure about S'idon. He had told his brother to go feed his dragon, but part of him wondered if his brother and dragon were offended by his pained reaction to the Iron.

His thoughts wandered to the Iron wheret, Jafask, and he shivered. How could something so small be so cruel, he wondered. Where had such viciousness originated? He wasn't sure. The only thing he knew was that he felt bad for Jafari, for being bonded to that evil little thing. He thought it would be much more merciful, long term, to kill Jafask.

Then he felt guilty for that thought, knowing how important all whers, especially king and queen whers, were. He sighed and rested his forehead against Heartbrother's.

"Benal was right, Heartbrother," he whispered softly. "I... I don't think Lili is. Or her Peranzath. How could I be two when... when I might not even be one." The bay, being a runner, had no real response. He had no idea what was upsetting his human so much. He nickered softly and shifted so he could rub his face against Seph's cheek, trying to reassure him. "I know you love me, Heartbrother. I raised you. You can't help but love me, hmm?" Seph cracked a faint grin. He heard something at the door and went silent, hunkering down so he wouldn't be immediately seen over the stall wall by anyone. He was dodging Candidatemasters, after all. How could they sympathize? They didn't hear what the Iron had to say. They didn't know what it was like to get played for a fool like that in front of the entire Weyr. And while Jazz was an absolute dear, he wasn't sure at all if she actually knew how much that had hurt.

At least his brother had Impressed. He'd been right about where Seidon's dragon would be. Thus far, though, he didn't think he was right about where his own was.

Or if a dragon was even in his future to begin with.

[Boo]

Hurry hurry!
Silvianith dipped her head down excitedly. It was the day after her birthday and that meant she could really get to know the world. It would be utterly amazing but what was the most important thing was getting even more souvenirs. She wanted something for every day that she had lived so that she could remember everything that had happened in her life! When she was an old dragon like mama, she would be able to gather together so many wonderful gifts and remember wonderful times. The wisp of a pink drifted across the bowl, chirping at the people around and then sniffed at the ground.

The dragonet rose onto her back legs excitedly and picked up a brightly coloured red rock.
Oh look S’idon! This is rather a lovely colour almost like my brothers.
S’idon, with his not so fantastic leg, had only just caught up with the pink and breathed out, looking at the rock.
That’s… Lovely.
Silvianith brimmed with happiness and then gathered up a broken chunk of rock that S’idon could only guess was a former wagon wheel. With these two rocks added to her collection, she chirped again and dashed towards the stables.
I think there’s something very important in here!

S’idon followed as Silvianith poked her head in the door listening to the movements of the runners. As she examined this new and exciting place, some of the runners nickered their fear but the pink took no notice of this fact as she stuck her nose to the floor and then wandered through, tail in the air. Eventually, she found what she was looking for. Rounding the corner to one stall in particular, Silvianith nudged the stall door open and then pounced on Seph lightly.
Found you! Mine went looking for you this morning but you had already left… But then I found you again!

She wrapped her neck around his, resting her paws on his chest in a mimic of a human hug as S’idon finally reached the stall realising, from Silvianith’s words, that Seph must have been in Heartbrother’s stall.
“Hey, how are you?”

[/blockquote]

[RavenSong]

Seph realized quickly that there was a dragonet in the stables, which meant that one of two people was in there. Heartbrother was on his hooves in a second as Silvianith entered the stall. Seph gasped softly, half-expecting the talons to rip his shoulders, but when she spoke he relaxed. He didn't reach up to touch her, even though she hugged him.

"I had to," he said to her, carefully disentangling himself from the Pink's grasp. He moved to calm Heartbrother. "The healers wanted to make sure I'm okay. Before you ask... I'm okay. You're... You're Broseidon's Pink, aren't you? I'm sorry, I don't know your name yet." He blocked Heartbrother's view of Silvianith, murmuring soothingly to the runner. Heartbrother could still smell the dragonet, though, so calming the beast was difficult.

He looked at S'idon and forced a grin as he came into view.

"Just... sitting here, Broseidon," he said quietly, looking back to Heartbrother as he stated what he was doing instead of how. "I needed Heartbrother's company. Look... She can't be in here," he stated. "She's scaring all the runners. They don't see her as we do, as a dragonet who's bonded and won't harm anyone. Come on, we need to get out before they all panic." Without waiting for a response and knowing full well that if S'idon had been seeking him he'd follow, Seph led the way outside into the fresh air. He promptly leaned up against the stable wall, his arms crossed over his chest, his expressive eyes turned down to the grass. He didn't want S'idon to see how upset he was. It would cause him to worry, he knew, and he didn't want to be the reason Silvianith betweened.

"So... I was half-right," he said softly. "Your stupid aunt's Weyr didn't have a dragon for you... Dalibor did. The Weyr of Opportunity...." He trailed off, leaving the thought half-finished. "I'm glad you have your dragon now. And I'm glad Lili has hers. Mine... well... we'll see, I guess. I think... I think I'll wait a few more hatchings and then just quit, like I did when we were little, when I had no interest at all in being a Rider and the Candidatemaster said shoo. I don't want a thing to do with whers. That iron...." He trailed off, swallowing hard, one leg starting to bounce like it did whenever he got agitated. "I'm so sorry, Seidon... R'don? I don't know your new name yet. I shouldn't be like this around your dragonet. I don't want to scare her."

[Boo]

At Seph’s response, Silvianith brimmed with happiness even though he had moved her out of the way.
Oh I am! I am Silvianith and Broseidon has three names, which is so special. You have three names too. I’m so glad to hear you’re ok.
The pink plopped her rump on the ground and watched him as he soothed the runner then turned her head to look at S’idon.

At Seph’s comments, S’idon nodded his head feeling a little let down. Seph didn’t seem happy at all… It wasn’t difficult to tell but he’d thought… Well, maybe he was wrong but he didn’t know what had happened with that iron. Obviously, it had done something horrible he just didn’t know what.
“Sorry, I didn’t think. She noticed you were here and just had to find you.”
Um. S’idon? Do you think you could ask if I could have this? I would really love it…

S’idon turned and saw that Silvianith had picked up a broken brush where it had falled into the straw. She carried it in her mouth and was looking between the two boys with a very hopeful expression indeed. The Weyrling took the brush from her and then nodded, looking over as Seph moved out of the stall. He followed and gestured for the pink to do the same. Silvianith pranced out of the stables, ignoring the movements of the runners as they recognised the presence of a dragon.

They were out in the open now and the wispy pink dragonet walked to the wall of the stables to join Seph, rising up on her back legs and placing her paws next to the candidate. She examined said wall and then called out to the runners.
Hello animals. I have some lovely eggshells I could trade you!

“You’re not going to scare her… It’s S’idon or, well, it was R’seidon but we agreed to change it. Just like your dragon will when you meet it.”
So Mine and you can keep having two names. It is so good to own so many things! Silvianith promptly informed Seph.
Her eyes lingered on the brush meaningfully and then she looked at Seph again pointedly giving a hint to her bonded. S’idon also brushed off the insult to his aunt. Although he held similar thoughts, it was still… Odd to hear such comments once they were outside of Fort where Roha couldn’t reach them.

“What about the iron?”
Ooooh he was mean S’idonMine, very mean. It would be best not to ask about him.
Silvianith crinkled her nose with distaste and then dropped back onto all fours, leaning against the stable wall in an attempt to copy Seph’s stance.

[/blockquote]

[RavenSong]

Seph gave Silvianith a faint smile as she placed her paws up on the stable wall. He'd chosen to respond to them both after they'd settled outside.

"I'll remember your name, Silvianith. You're the one Broseidon and I came here for, after all. I'm really happy you were here. Really, even if I might not look it. I just... I hurt on top of the joy, and it's kinda outweighing everything else right now. I'm sorry. I can't really help it."

He looked back to his brother, rubbing his face.

"S'idon, right... I'm... I'm going to have to keep part of my full name if I ever Impress, Seph just doesn't turn out all that well shortened. S'ph? Se'h? See? It's horrible. So there'll be a lot of questions if I ever Impress, but that's okay. I anticipated that. And anyway, the Candidatemasters already know. I told Jasmine after I messed up your leg. You are still doing what the Healers said to do, right? To strengthen it?" Silvianith got a puzzled look from him.

"She's... an interesting one, isn't she?" he asked. When S'idon asked about the iron, he flinched.

"I honestly thought he'd chosen me, and... shards, Broseidon, he was so cruel. He told me I'd keep what I caught, and then he ran, clawing people, not responding to me. I felt so helpless. Then he broke Garund's leg and told me to carry him away. That stung. I never expected that something just-hatched would've been capable of such duplicity. And I had no idea at all that he was just pretending. I thought that the reason nothing felt like everyone described Impression was the lack of blood bond." He ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head. Silvianith's motions caught his attention and he grinned.

"May I touch her?" he asked, kneeling down to be more at-level with the beautiful Pink. He wasn't about to try without permission. He stayed silent for a while, reaching up to scratch Silvianith's eye ridges if he was given permission.

"Broseidon... does this change anything between us?" he asked softly. He knew he'd never told S'idon exactly why he hated his mother Aralanna so much, so he approached the topic warily. "I don't want it to, beyond what the rules dictate. I'm not about to make you break any rules, same as Lili. I really hope that if I -do- Impress it's the next Hatching, because... because I-I don't want to be left behind. I don't want to be... well, abandoned, like Aralanna did. She got a dragon, and she decided that I wasn't important anymore and left me alone in the creche. Your aunt might be not be someone I like very much but she at least gave two shells about her kin. That's why I got jealous sometimes, until I Apprenticed and met my father. In all my plans, we Impressed together. Neither of us got left behind. And... that iron... Broseidon, he abandoned me. Not that he really ever wanted me in the first place, which is a bit of a relief because what would it mean if the only creature that wanted me was an evil little dungheap of an iron wher?"

[Boo]

The pink was so pleased with Seph’s response that she actually crooned. She was the only thing they came here for and that was exactly why she had been here! It would not have done at all to be waiting for them if they had been in Fort, not at all. Silvianith understood hurt though, she might have been young but across the sands, she had noticed how upset some of the people were. Even her S’idon had been so very sad and she rather supposed it would take a while for them to grow used to being on the sands once more.

“Oh, right,” he supposed that seemed logical, (I like Se’h. Silvianith informer her bonded quietly.) “I wasn’t aware that they knew.”
Anxiety quickly filled him but as much as he could, he supressed it. Roha wouldn’t find out, the candidatemasters were smarter than that. Well, he hoped they understood just why they didn’t want her to find out anyway. He didn’t verbally answer the question about strengthening his leg, instead waving and nodding his head. Of course he was but he had also taken up the chores he’d missed throughout his recovery, this seeming more important and it had obviously paid off because Silvianith was beside him right now.

Then the story about the iron came out and S’idon found himself looking at his brother with wide-eyed horror.
I told you he was mean. He knocked over our sandcastle, mine and that lovely brown wher. It is just cruel to ruin the things others have spent a long time building or collecting. Everything beautiful is created by someone else and we should always respect that!
“But, it’s not your fault. I mean, Kalesk could have done something or anyone else. I mean, maybe it’s a good thing you didn’t impress it…”
Of course you may touch me!
Silvianith answered Seph just as S’idon nodded his head. When her eyeridges were rubbed, the pink squeaked with happiness. She stood there a while longer, feeling very pleased indeed. Then when he started speaking again, she piped up once more.
You are the brother of Mine and therefore you are my brother! He loves you and so I love you! I won’t come between you two because there is too much love.

Seph’s question about being abandoned, responded to so eloquently by Silvianith, earned a smile.
“I doubt Silvianith would let that happen. We’re brothers. Even if we have our issues with our families, we are one another’s family. No matter what anyone says I know that you will impress soon. You kept me going through some of the toughest times and now it’s my turn to help you. I know what it’s like to be left behind. I won’t do that to you.”
Yep! We’re a family but you know… Family likes giving one another presents so Seph… Do you think I could keep that brush?
I was going to ask but just later.
He might have thought we were stealing it though and I couldn’t have that!

[/blockquote]