Lost & Found {Fish}

[Reky]

It wasn't until Kesviry got back to her room and sifted through her folder that she noticed something was missing. With the memory she had, at least for the things in her folder, she knew exactly which one was gone. It was an older on of her dictated songs, something about a pretty girl catching a young lordholder-to-be's fancy. It wasn't one of her favourites, in terms of subject, but the age of it held some nostalgic value. So, worried it'd be trampled or blown away by now, she set after it.

The lanky, tall girl stalked the hallways meticulously, looking down at the floors. More than once she nearly bumped into someone, apologizing quietly before moving on. Where could it have gone? It wouldn't be hard to find - a piece of bright paper on the floor where usually there was only dirt. Kes was getting a little upset by now, with very little luck.

Where was that paper?

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[littlefishman]

Lenir put his hand on her shoulder as he had observed others at Bay weyr do to get attention, 'Hey, you bumped into me back there, are you looking for this?' he said in the clearest voice he had spoken in since his parents had died, which gave him a feeling of social progress, and held out the paper. ' You dropped it in a corner on the way back to your room. It looked of sentimental value so I figured I should return it as soon as possible so as to avoid you getting upset over losing it.'

[Reky]

Kesviry blinked at the sudden physical contact, and turned around, pulling away from the stranger's hand. She looked at the paper. It was definitely her handwriting. Obviously, she could tell it anywhere, it behind hers and all.

"Ah, yes, it... it is," she murmured quietly. She took it from the boy, reading it over for good measure. Definitely what she was missing. Her big brown doe eyes met his. She managed to force out quietly, "Th-thank you, ...?" She paused, hanging off awkwardly where his name would have been.

Then her eyes dropped again. It was good to have it back. She wasn't a people person, though... Oh...

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[littlefishman]

"Oh, uhm, I'm Lenir," he said quietly, reaching the end of his slightly rehearsed speech. "And it's no problem, I think. W-what's your name?" he said timidly.

[Reky]

"Really... Thanks," Kes added again, shrugging a little. "I was afraid it was gone... Oh." She shifted a little uneasily. "I'm Kes." She didn't bother saying her full name - she didn't like people calling her that anyways. It was pretty, sure, but she didn't like it. Nor did she like "Kes-kes." That's what her mother called her on occasion, when she was deliberately trying to annoy her.

She felt a small pang of homesickness. She missed her mother. Not so much her stepfather and stepsister, but she missed her mother, even if she did send her letters back and forth.

Her manners hit her, then, and she stumbled over a few more words. "Nice to... to meet you, Lenir."

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[littlefishman]

It was at this time that Lenir noticed he could not think of anything to say. He stood there silent for what seemed like an eternity, but must have only been thirty or so seconds.

Finally, after repeatedly opening his mouth to speak but not being able to say anything, he lightly shook the bag of clockwork he kept at his side, which was created by one of the artisans at Bay Weyr, and set off one of the clockwork mechanisms inside which opened the bag itself, and he pulled out a music box which he wound up. The box itself was slightly larger than his hands and had intricate carvings of dragons on top. It played a slow metallic tune and then started to split lengthwise.

The top half rose up from the top half on a framework, and inside the framework was a small set of keys, which when pressed would play notes. He pressed several keys and a quick upbeat tune poured from the contraption.

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[Reky]

There came more blinking from Kes' big brown eyes. How curious! She couldn't say she'd ever seen many brilliant little contraptions like that. It was really quite awe-inspiring. Had he made all of those? If he had, then he was a genius, but even if he hadn't, it was still amazing he'd acquired them all. Inside, she was smiling with childish wonder, but on the outside her lips simply parted slightly as she stared.

The melody was really something amazing. He was musical, too? What a talented person. Who was he? Was he a candidate, too? He'd said she'd seen it by her room - she deducted he lived in the candidate barracks, too. He seemed very nice. Quiet, like herself. And there was something amusing about how he took out the little music box instead of speaking.

Quietly, Kes said, "Did you make it? ...Them?" She corrected, to include the bag-opening mechanism as well.

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[littlefishman]

He brought the tune to an end and, pausing a moment to think, replied, "My father helped me on the bag, but the instrument I made myself." he glanced up at her and their gazes met. Remembering his observations on the behavior of others in this situation, he smiled.

"Did you write those songs?" he asked, breaking the silence, then added quietly "They have very meaningful lyrics."

[Reky]

Kesviry didn't smile back at him. Truth be told, smiling felt awkward to her, like her smile was something goofy. It was definitely something rarely used, though. She did give a little nod, though, in acknowledgment to his words, eyes still on the little instrument. She puts words together in her mind, first, before speaking.

"It's brilliant," she said, "That you can do that... Wow." She paused. "Oh... No, I didn't write them. A harper did, not me. I just wrote it down is all..." She sighed. She wished she had enough in her to have written it. It really was a nice one, even if it wasn't on the favourite's list. They were all nice songs, in her folder. She never wrote down the less-than-good ones.

There was a long silence. Kesviry swallowed hard. The quiet was beginning to get awkward, so she took some initiative upon herself and brought up an uncreative conversation started.

"So," she said, trying to speak a little stronger. The only reason she was, was that she felt some sort of understanding towards this boy. He was quiet, too, like her. It'd be good to get to know someone she wouldn't want to ignore most of the time. "You're... are you a candidate, too?" She glanced at the knots on his shoulder, showing his rank, but they looked a little different than hers.

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[littlefishman]

He nodded in acknowledgement of the songs, then continued on to her question, " I'm a Wher candidate. I just recently arrived from Bay Weyr, nice place, lived with my parents until I was six...." tears started to well up in his eyes, but he held them back, he didn't like crying in front of others, but there was something different about this girl, Kes, like she understood him. he reached his hand into his bag and felt the clockwork of the bag opener. This reminded him of all the good times he had with his father and started to calm him down. "Until they died." he said as quietly as possible.

[Reky]

"Whers? Oh. I was Searched, for dragons," but she stopped there. She studied Lenir's face. She'd seen it fall as she mentioned his parents, saw his eyes start to glimmer with moisture, and saw him reach into his bag and feel inside it. Then, since she was paying so much attention, she certainly heard his last three words. Kesviry pursed her lips.

"Hey," she said. Her voice was strong, now. Commanding, even, but it wasn't harsh. "Stop that. Moping doesn't get anyone anywhere." Her arms were crossed over her chest, lightly. She looked up at him, with strong eyes. "They'll be proud when you get a wher." A curt nod enforced her statement. Her voice was a little hoarse and scratchy, obviously rarely used, but it didn't matter much.

Hey, at least this boy had had two parents. She'd never really had a real father. She didn't remember Svenr, her birthfather, and her mother never talked highly of him anymore, and her stepfather Breshaw... well, he was kind of just there. He wasn't her father. She'd have to go see her mother soon, though. She liked her mother.

Still, though, she felt a little sorry for Lenir. She couldn't imagine losing her mother. Still, though, she held to her opinion. Moping wouldn't get anyone anywhere.

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[littlefishman]

Lenir wiped the tears from his eyes and stood silent for no longer than four seconds before abruptly bursting out laughing. When he had calmed down he said, "I can see why you don't like talking sternly, it's really funny!" He chuckled a little bit then rifled through his bag. A few moments later he found what he was looking for and pulled it out, showing it to Kes.

The piece of clockwork he produced from his bag was an intricate work of metal that looked very much like a firelizard, but small enough to fit in your palm. He twisted it's right horn nub clockwise in a full circle and the creature seemed to wake up and walk in circles a few times before laying back down to sleep. "You can have it if you'd like, it's my latest creation and I've been meaning to give it to the first friend I make here, and that's you, I guess." He held it out towards her and nodded to indicate it was alright to take it.

[Reky]

Kesviry frowned. It's really funny? Hmph! Well, she figured it was just because of her voice... She wasn't one for talking, period. It probably sounded a little odd. But funny? Maybe... She didn't think so, though, but everyone was entitled to their opinion.

Her eyes widened in wonder, though. A firelizard! A small one, but it walked jerkily around in a circle before laying down again. What was inside it? A large amount of springs and gears, she figured, by the way Lenir had wound it up. He held it out to her and told her she could have it. She shook her head.

"N-no, I couldn't," she murmured. "It's yours, you made it..."

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[littlefishman]

Lenir smiled, "I know I made it, and now I would like you to have it. I can make other ones, it's not easy but I can do it." he said and held the tiny clockwork firelizard out even further.

[Reky]

Kesviry felt a bit of a blush to her face. She took the little firelizard, feeling a little bad, but she just told herself - he wanted her to have it, for whatever silly reason. She didn't feel like she deserved something so intricate. She held it carefully and looked down at it.

"Thank you," she muttered. Then her eyes flicked up. "Where do you get the things to make it? From spare metal bits from riding straps or shavings in the smithy or...?" She stopped herself there. Bright thing she was, she had a lot of possibilities she'd come up with. She still couldn't grasp how he was so good.

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[littlefishman]

" To be honest, I make them. My father was a smith and he taught me how to smith and make clockwork mechanisms. He and I made them together until I started to surpass him." Lenir said, "So whenever I need new parts I just make them." he added and closed up his bag. " Anyway, I'd better head back to the barracks, it's been a long day. Nice to meet you Kes." he said and hurried back to the candidates barracks. She's a nice girl, he thought, quiet, but nice.

[Reky]

(end)

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