Is it time to regret? (Niki`s Post-Flight, Kyril)

[kia]

It seemed like fun until she felt herself drop from the sky. She liked flying. She felt free and different. Far from herself. In the air, she could see everything, even though she had the feeling of eating any small creature that dared get in her way. Her wings were getting heavier. She felt herself slow down. Something was around her. She moved away twice from whatever had been around. But, she felt herself croon. Something had twined their neck with her`s, tail with tail, wings helping her wings, body upon body. She felt odd. Slightly nauseous from the feeling. Lips touching lips, hands searching, warmth against her skin. It was a different feeling. And now, she felt cold and warm at the same time. She moved in her rest, turning over on her side, hands stretching out so they would not be caught under her body and cause that numbing feeling. She stretched out and felt something next to her. It was not the bed sheets, nor was it the tough hide of the Fire Lizards Flare or Nix. What was it? It felt somewhat smooth against the tip of her fingers. She opened her eyes.

Nia jolted and quickly sat up, noticing the strange human male sleeping next to her. Her eyes widened as she backed away, very slowly, to the edge of the bed. She scrambled to pull the sheets around her, but the person was taking up a good deal of them. She barely had enough to cover her lower half, her face extremely pink as her upper half was left exposing. Nia`s mind quickly went through what had happened. One second she was having a lovely dream about flying with her own pair of wings, and the next second she was waking up to this feeling of feeling violated. Her eyes looked around the Weyr as she spotted Nikianeth sleeping happily on her crouch. But, the dragon was not by herself. Next to her was a Brown dragon. Nia remembered what had happened. Niki had Risen and flown above the Weyr. That was what Nia had been dreaming of. Her mind had been replaying that scene that had caused her so much worry. She turned her head back to the man that was still next to her. Who had won? She tried to remember who all Chased. The only colors coming to mind had been Bronze, Purple, and Brown. She remembered Shoth, some Weyrling Bronze, two large Purples, and this Brown. S`rial, that was the man`s name. Wait! S`rial was the CandidateMaster. Maybe not all was lost. He was respectable...

Nikianeth turned her whirling green eyes on her Mine. The woman was always so nervous and panicky. Why could she not take things the way they were? Nia always had to worry about something. Nikianeth rumbled where she rested next to Duareth, her winner. The Orange had chosen the Brown because he proved to be very strong, determined, and would be able to produce a strong clutch should she be able to Clutch. After several minutes of trying to rationally think, her Mine seemed to be finally accepting what had happened. Nikianeth lifted her head as she read the thoughts. Of course he is respectable, Mine. I would not have chosen someone who was not respectable. A dragon and Rider are one, even if personalities are completely different. But, despite differences, either they are respectable or not. Now, you better calm down now before they wake up. You do not need to be scaring off every man that ends up in your bed. Look at this as an open door to future possibilities. No one will think differently of you because of this Flight. Now, relax, the Orange spoke softly to her Mine, trying to help Nia out.

Nia sighed as she looked out the window. As soon as she did, she heard two things chirping frantically. She blinked and was suddenly being covered by two, blue, crazy creatures. Nia smiled softly at Nix and Flare. The two Blue had been very worried about her and had rushed back as soon as they felt it was safe to return. Nix wrapped his tail around Nia, his small, thin tongue licking her cheek and trying to make her smile. Flare was all in her hair, trying to look down at her to make sure she was okay. Their claws hurt her since they were climbing on bare skin, but she smiled happily at the two Blues. They would not be still long enough for her to reassure them, but she did not care. With them draping and climbing over her, they were helping her cover up, in a sense. Nia`s eyes glanced back over at S`rial. What would happen now?

[kyrillion]

S'rial began to stir when Armania abandoned the bed, taking most of the sheets with her, but it wasn't until the two firelizards arrived and filled the weyr with their worried chattering that he came fully awake. Blinking wearily, he sat up and bemusedly drank in his surroundings, careful to keep himself at least semi-covered by the remaining bedding. It wasn't too long, though, before memories of the previous day, and the Flight, came rushing back, and a broad, content smile insinuated itself upon his features. What man, after all, wouldn't want to wake up next to a beautiful woman?

Although, come to think of it, he hadn't precisely woken up next to her. And if her distraught firelizards were any indication, she herself was feeling a lot less happy about the situation than he was. Tilting his head, he squinted against the morning sunshine and took a moment to regard her, trying to discern what might be the matter (and trying not to be distracted by her current state of undress). Deciding that it would be easiest to talk with her now, and hopefully reach some sort of tentative understanding before either one of them had a chance to over-think things, he sat up and swung he legs over the side of the bed, facing the ledge where she stood.

He could just spy Duareth and Nikianeth sunning in the background, and the sight brought another broad smile to his face. He could sense the brown coming slowly awake, but even in sleep he absolutely radiated contentment. Whatever was he going to do with that darn dragon? As if he'd really needed a boost to his ego. Not to mention he'd be doting like a lovesick puppy over Nikianeth until... well, probably until the next time she rose. But then, that same commitment was the trait that S'rial most loved about his brown, so he could hardly complain.

He turned his attention back to Armania, then, and was silent for a long moment. He didn't know her well enough to read her expression - not by a long shot. Didn't even know her well enough to be able to guess at the source of her discomfort. Why did Flights always have such complicated aftermaths? After some time, after making sure his expression was carefully neutral, he said simply:
"Are you ok?"
It seemed the best place to start. First things first - everything else that needed discussing could wait until later.

Next to Nikianeth, Duareth at last raised his head and let loose a tremendous yawn, pearly-white fangs glistening in the morning light. Eyes whirling a happy blue-green, his attention immediately turned to the gorgeous orange next to him - every bit as beautiful as she'd been during the Flight - and he tentatively nuzzled her cheek, and moved to twine his tail with hers.
Good morning, my queen.
His voice held all the affection he could muster, and though his words were short they were sweet. He was quite smitten - S'rial might have said whipped, but for now his human kept those thoughts to himself.

[kia]

Nia looked over at the man as she heard him moving about, waking up to the aftermath of the Flight. The two blue fire Lizards stopped their fussy chirping and turned their heads to face the strange man that was in their Mine`s bed. Flare immediately moved closer to to inspect the man, but the movement made the Fire Lizard fall out of Nia`s hair. The woman reached out and caught the Blue in her hands. Flare chirped with thanks as he flitted to the air and landed on the bed, walking closer to inspect S`rial. He sniffed and chirped before sitting down and staring at S`rial, trying to the gage the man`s expressions and thoughts to make sure the man was ok. So far, as was apparent in Flare`s movement, the man was not threatening or anything. He was simply... here. Nix returned to licking Nia`s cheek, as if reassuring the woman that Flare would make things right. Crazy little buggers.

Nia blinked a few times before he spoke. He seemed genuinely concerned for her, which was something she was slightly surprised about. With Fajra and O`sho, the woman merely acknowledge him as Weyrleader and then went to kicking him out of the weyr. With her parents, her mother had quickly woken before her father and had moved onto the next male to give attention to, not realizing the gift her father had given her until Nia had been born. And, even still, Nia`s own mother rejected her, calling her a burden and hindrance to her everyday lifestyle. So, in return, Nia was surprised that S`rial was still here. She knew he had no weyrmate like B`rak and B`nyur were, but she had faintly thought that S`rial would leave as soon as he could. Such was the impersonal lifestyles of the Weyr.

"I will be okay," she spoke softly, moving hair out of her face as she stood up. She moved toward where she kept her clothes and pulled out some sort of basic outfit that consisted of a shirt and pants. She really ought to wear a dress since it had been her dragon that had recently Risen. But Nia was not that femine, even though the way she walked, moved, spoke, and everything else seemed very womanly. Clothing was the only thing she could care less about. She preferred the comfort of pants to an open dress. She looked back at S`rial, her eyes looking him over. She was still not sure what to think. Throw him out? It would be rude but some would not think bad of her for doing that. Except maybe Niki. Walk out? She would appear a coward. The only thing she could do was face the problem. She was a sub-Queen Rider, and Niki was the first of sub-Queens to Rise at Dalibor. Therefor, she needed to be an example to others. "Congratulations to you and your dragon for winning the Flight. Perhaps, if we are lucky, Niki will lay a Clutch of eggs around the same time as Kalith," she said.

Nikianeth was watching her Mine with careful eyes. The woman was starting to become braver in this Weyr, a chance that Nia rarely had in her previous Weyr. Well, the woman seemed to be handling herself quite well at the moment. Which meant Nikianeth could concentrate on her herself and Duareth. She turned to look a Duareth and crooned to him, quite happy with her choice. All the males had been in perfect fit and form, but she wanted someone who was at their peak; someone a strong example of their color who would sire strong children; and someone who showed bravery, courage, and strength against all odds. Also, as Nikianeth had not thought about this till just now, that idiot Renegade Queen had chosen a Brown for her mate. Well, Duareth was far bigger and stronger that that Renegade Brown. Their children would be better than those seven brats that had been allowed to live in the Weyr. Good morning, Duareth. I hope I can Clutch a lovely set of eggs soon. Cause, when I do, they will be strong, like their parents! she said pridefully, currently being possessive of everything that was around her.