The weary traveler

[123notit]

It had been seven long years. Seven long years of moving from Weyr to Weyr. Seven long years of grieving. Seven long years of recovering. And, now, the new transfer, U'ar, was ready to live again. He now sat in his new home, Dalibor Weyr. It was a new chance and he was going to make the most of it.

He sat on the edge of the lake, watching in amused silence as Odyth walked in slowly. ~U'arMine! You seem to be feeling better since we have arrived here. We should celebrate!_ Odyth mused in a playful manner as he gently paddled through the water.

U'ar chuckled aloud slightly, shaking his head gently. He had known his dragon for twenty turns and he had a pretty good idea he knew what the large brown was hinting at. Even though he was fairly certain, he remained sitting, waiting for the brown's reply.

~Oh, you know, Mine. I haven't had a good, loving scrubbing in so long! I think it'll make us both feel even better.~ The dragon's multi-faceted eyes swirled in amusement as his rider laughed again and stood up. U'ar did always feel better when he was working; when he was occupied. He removed his vest and shirt and followed his dragon into the water, shivering slightly as it touched his skin. U'ar was glad he had brought supplies just in case. He ducked under completely to accustom himself to the water, then grabbed the supplies on the bank.

U'ar climbed onto Odyth's back, only needing some assistance, and began to scrub the dragon. It was an act that he had done for many turns now and both rider and dragon found it relaxing. A smile even crept onto U'ar's face. To anyone else, the two looked like a perfectly happy pair without any troubles in the past or present. And that was the perfect image in their mind.

[Admin]

Pretty girl is suffering,
While he confesses everything,
Pretty soon she'll figure out,
What his intentions were about.

Bath time, Mine, now. Fajra looked up over a stack of papers on her well-used table off the main areas of her and her dragon's weyr. Anyone who couldn't figure out how a Weyrwoman could be so busy had obviously never been a Weyrwoman. She ran her hand through her red hair, which was growing out despite the fact she normally kept it cropped short. The stress of the work wasn't made her blink and take a metaphorical step back. She wasn't even stressed at all; she had just been pulled out of her concentration, which made her feel a little out of focus with everything around her.

"Go on ahead, love. I'll gather up the things and meet you at the lake;" she told the Queen. Immediately, the large, lithe dragon rose from her comfortable position on her ledge. Spreading her wings, she launched herself into the score. In one powerful beat, she rose, and than she glided the short distance out of the lake. There was an unfamiliar brown in the water but she ignored him, soaring father out from the shore. Than she folded her wings and dropped like a very graceful stone, to disappear into the water.

It wasn't long after the copper surfaced and begin to subtly eye the new brown as she paddled easily around, mostly submerged, that her rider appeared. A rather lot of her clothing had been ditched for the purposes of bathing her dragon. She only wore a pair of short pants made of light material and she wore only a wrap around her bosom to cover up what would be socially unacceptable to go running around showing. In one hand, she had a bucket with a brush and cleaning sand over one shoulder. Seeing the brown and his rider, she paused, raising her free hand to see through the sun to look at them out on the water. At the approach of her rider, Kalith had come closer and now loomed up near the bulky brown. No matter his size, he couldn't hold a candlestick to her size.

Hello, transfer. I would be Kalith and this is my Weyr. Mine is the one on the shore wearing the skimpy clothing; she introduced herself to the brown. Her rider gave her a look at the comment, which she obviously heard, but didn't react anymore. All she did was start to wade into the water. The cold of it didn't seem to bother her either.

And that's what you get for falling again,
You can never get him outta your head,
And that's what you get for falling again,
You can never get him outta your head.

[123notit]

The new arrivals alerted the attention of brown and rider, even if the others weren't particularly interested in them. Odyth gave the Weyrwoman a wary look, then cast his gaze up to his rider who was still scrubbing his back, despite looking at the other two.

U'ar's gaze at the Weyrwoman with little clothes on was in no way perverted. He knew very few people here and he only gazed at her to study her face, to memorize it. That way, he could match it to her name. The copper gave him an idea already and Odyth soon confirmed it.

~Mine, this is the Queen, Kalith, and Hers. Don't stare too long at her....She really should put some clothing on....~ The Brown mused, studying the lovely copper.

U'ar gently shook his head at his dragon's comment and gave a small wave to Fajra. "Am I correct in assuming that you are the Weyrwoman here? Fajra of lovely copper Kalith, correct?" he called to her, continuing his scrubbing as he asked. He wished to meet and know as many people as could in this Weyr, develop friendships, but it was especially important for him to be known to the Weyrwoman. It was quite fortuitous that she be one of the first he would meet here. Mentally, he gave a quick thanks to Odyth for suggesting this activity and the large dragon grumbled with pleasure, both from the gratitude and from the scrubbing he was receiving- U'ar was brushing at an itchy spot.

After informing his Mine of the identities of the two, he replied to Kalith ~I am Odyth and this is Mine. We are pleased to be invited to your Weyr. I think Mine likes it very much. I do as well.~ This was not at all meant to be any form of flattery. Odyth wasn't that type of dragon. It was an honest statement. The brown hadn't seen his Mine so happy in a long while. He was happy to feel the carefree, happy feelings coming from his Mine.

[Admin]

You know it's funny how sometimes,
It don't work out like you want to
No you never get nothing at all.

I'm pretty sure this is very close to how I've always dressed to scrub you. It's practical. It's inconvenient to try to swim in a dress or riding gear; Fajra pointed out to her dragon as she waded deeper into the water. She disliked her dragon making comments about her to the other dragons. Its was unprofessional and tiring.
I was merely pointing out a fact, MineOwn. They are skimpy. And why do you think there was always a lovely turn out of bronze and ironriders whenever I was being cleaned at Bay; Kalith replied. She slipped back, deeper into the water, and paddled lazily about.
I don't think it would have mattered what I wore. Eligible Queen and her rider? I'm sure they enjoyed that I'm overly practical sometimes, as you point out, but it wasn't because of that; the young Weyrwoman debated back without missing a beat.

Fajra waved back to U'ar and tilted her head to listen to his question. However, done with her little talk with her dragon and submerged almost to her waist in the lake by then, she leaped forward into the water, disappearing for a few moments. Her head popped out of the water much farther out. Sucking in air, she wiped water away from her eyes and her soaked red hair away from her face, lifting the bucket out of the water in the process. "Yes, I'm the Weyrwoman. I'm Fajra;" she answered the brownrider, though she was more intent of reaching her floating dragon.

It is nice to meet you Odyth. We are glad to have you. I like Yours already; Kalith replied to the brown. She liked being complimented, as U'ar had done when he was talking with hers. It was certainly fitting, wasn't it? she was lovely, wasn't she? Seeing her rider paddling over towards her, she slunk back into the shallower water. She always seemed to be moving, first in and then out, like the ebbing of the tide in the ocean. Swinging her head over to be right in front her approaching rider, both of them smiled, in their own ways, and she gave the copper's eyeridge a loving scratch.

Funny how I carry on, and not be taken over,
Will not roll over on anyone,
'cause anyone would stand up on my side.

[123notit]

~I'm quite fond of Mine as well. Especially when he hits just the right spot.~ Odyth said, giving a small mental chuckle. He looked back at U'ar, showing his rider the exact spot he wanted. He rumbled with pleasure, no longer caring much about the other two in the water with them. It was cleaning time, which meant pleasure for him. If his Mine wished to continue a long conversation, he had every right to. As long as it didn't take him away from his duties to clean.

"I'm very pleased to meet you," he said, giving her a quick nod, "Even in such informal conditions. Though, I suppose not all meetings should be formal. That could get boring eventually. I am U'ar. I just transferred here with Odyth. Already, I am pleased with Dalibor. It seems very nice." He was aware that he was repeating much of what his dragon said to Kalith, not sure if the copper had relayed the message to the Weyrwoman.

He continued on with the washing, knowing the job would be unnecessarily longer if he stopped to talk instead of talking and washing all at once. Though he did look at her every now and then, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. The more he looked at her skimpy, yet practical attire, the more he wanted to grin a bit. He found it very....typical, he would say, of a woman. And though he thought she was attractive, no immediate lust filled him. Thus, he felt it fine to look and grin a little.

[Admin]

It's better than I see it through your eyes,
All these thoughts locked inside,
Now you're the first to know.

That is always good; Kalith replied to the brown. She was more interested in being scrubbed like he was. It wasn't far that His was hitting just the right spot! She had itches too and she wanted them scratched by hers. Thankfully, her rider had contented her with the scratches to her eyeridges and was already clambering up onto her back. A flicker of communication between them, through that special connection that only a rider and a dragon had, she found the right spot to start scrubbing. Not afraid to get dirty (mainly metaphorically) for the sake of her dragon, she scrubbed at her hide diligently. It was just another task for her to do, another part of her job and her responsibilities.

"I'm pleased to meet you as well;" Fajra replied to U'ar as she continued working. "I think you will find it very nice. It isn't like any northern or southern Weyr here. We're the one and only western Weyr. I think you'll enjoy discovering exactly what that means too. I certainly enjoy that." Pausing, she looked up to smile at the brownrider. The passion for her home, for her Weyr, was evident. Still, her expression was as guarded and calm as ever. She was fueled by it but everything was carefully kept in check; it wasn't hard to see the control that the Weyrwoman had.

With her momentary look at him, she saw that he was grinning at her. Her smile faded to a firm, tight-lipped expression and she eyed him carefully, sizing him up properly now. Roughly . . . six one or two, broad frame and strong but not very bulky, brown hair, brown eyes. "Is there something in particular to smile about, brownrider?" She asked him curtly, smiling faintly again. She wasn't really bothered, and she certainly wasn't likely to show it if she was. She was curious about him though, about the new transfer, whose dragon was potentially a suitor for Kalith. Though Kings would always reign supreme, browns, and now purples, had been showing that they could, if allowed, fly a Queen.

Just a little insight,
Won't make this right,
It's too late to fight.

[123notit]

U'ar had to laugh; he'd been caught. He gave her a full smile, though it was a gentle one, and replied, "Now, now, my dear. I mean no ill intention, I promise. I'm just amused. I can tell that, though you are a strong woman. I hope, in fact, that you are not too angry with me or else I might need to bolt."

He let out a laugh again, one of the first real ones he had in a while, at his joke. Though not the best joke, he was genuinely amused. Odyth matched his feelings as his eyes swirled wiht pleasure. His Mine was happy.

The laughing sent U'ar into a minor coughing fit. The coughs mixed with the lessening chuckles still made for an odd scene. After U'ar had a moment to calm down, he smiled at her again. "Please, forgive me. I don't know what came over me. I'm not usually like that, I assure you. It's been awhile..." A small sort of shadow came over his eyes as he made sure he was calm and he began to scrub again.

Sensing his Mine's lessening mood, Odyth quickly tried to cheer him up, twisting his great neck around and affectionately nudging him. Though the brown usually didn't display such affection so openly, he didn't want his Mine to be unhappy again. Especially when this place seemed so nice for them both.

[Admin]

If we don't talk,
That's okay,
Cause I hear everything,
That you say.

Fajra wasn't exactly a person who liked to be called 'my dear'. The 'my' made it sound possessive to her, as if she someone held some connection toward this person. The 'dear' sounded like she was talking to someone far older to her and that she was a child. Still, she smiled lightly at his joke and was lulled by his large, gentle smile; he meant no harm by any of it. Continuing scrub her dragon, she looked down to half hide a large smile that sneaked onto her face as he laughed. It was happy, that laugh that he had, genuine, enough to thaw the distant woman's heart a little for a moment.

However, when he started to cough, her expression became serious again and she looked up at him again. However, he calmed after a moment and was smiling again. Then a shadow crossed over his face as he trailed off in his explanation of his silly actions to her. His dragon was showing concern and affection towards him. Kalith was roused from her content dozing well she cleaned to watch the brown carefully. "There's nothing to forgive. It's been a long time since I've heard some good real laughter myself as well. It's refreshing;" she told him honestly, smiling faintly again.

Continuing to scrub at her dragons beautiful, copper hide, she fell off into thought for a moment, still watching U'ar carefully since her thoughts were largely about him. She'd seen that shadow, that sadness on his face; something weighed him. Though not good at it, it was part of her job to take care of all the members of her Weyr that she could. "Any particular reason you came here? We aren't exactly rich with tropical beaches with fresh fruit hanging everywhere or full of intriguing people." The question was light, subtle but would suffice to give her information about the new rider.

You and I go deeper,
Where everything's unspoken,
And the world seems so wide open,
To me now.

[123notit]

"That may be true," he mused absent-mindedly, gently scratching the brown's eyeridge, "But it's new. I have been seeking....a change....something new and....refreshing, I guess, for a long while now... And I've been to the Weyrs with the beaches and fruit and people and found...they weren't what I was looking for. I find intriguing people....are usually a little too curious. And besides, there has to be some interesting people here. I mean... you seem interesting." He wasn't looking at her, but staring at his brown. It was as if he was afraid of revealing more with his face.

~Careful, Mine...~ Odyth warned gently, though U'ar already knew what the brown would say, ~You are treading on dangerous grounds. You are happy here.~ U'ar gave a certain mental nod and then flashed a fairly convincing smile at Fajra.

Just in case, Odyth turned his head to Kalith, saying to her, ~I hope Yours takes no offense to what Mine said. He meant it as a compliment to Yours.~

[Admin]

We'll do it all,
Everything,
On our own.

Fajra listened to his explanation. Everyone came here for a different reason, but everyone had a reason. It wasn't ideal - a mismatch group of colors, few in number, with the Red Star rising. Only a handful of turns were left till the next pass. This was not an easy place to live. There was work to be done and little fame and glory to come by. However, she smiled slightly at his what she supposed was a sort of compliment and accepted his words.

Concern for him still prickled in her mind but it faded as he finally showed her his face and smile convincingly at her. She returned it one of her little smiles. They were cold, distant, cut-off, not what people typically thought of as a normals mile, but still nice enough to see on face. It was her smile. the best she could offer. "Well, if you're looking to work and to find a home, I think we have something to offer, either way;" she replied to him thoughtfully.

I don't think she minds. She doesn't take offense in most cases, and only on certain things; Kalith assured the brown. Her rider was still scrubbing her back and she was very placid. She didn't look quite as dangerous, quite as ferocious, as she often was. Both of them weren't quite the way they normally were in each others company, being contemplative. Still, they were who they were - the Queen couldn't keep from looking like she could, and would, take out anyone who bothered her and Fajra was still distant.

We don't need,
Anything,
Or anyone.

[123notit]

U'ar was glad that she didn't push farther. And, though her smile wasn't the friendliest, he somehow found a strange sort of comfort in it. It was, in the very least, genuine. She wasn't forcing herself to show the over-the-top happiness that most people tried to exude. Those types tended to bug him. Why be super happy if you're not?

"Both work and a home sound perfect," he replied to her, casting his face back down to his work, "I think I shall find both here and that's all I ask for." He was silent after that. As was Odyth. He seemed actually, genuinely, back to the way he was previously as he moved carefully toward the rear flank.

Though he had many turns of experience, he was still given the grace, or lack thereof, of a male. This maneuver of washing Odyth's narrower parts often required greater concentration. Surely, if Fajra or Odyth were to speak to him, he'd be quickly thrown off and, quickly after, into the water. It wouldn't be too bad since he had now worked up a bit of a sweat, but he preferred not to climb back up again.

[Admin]

F is for friends who do stuff together,
U is for you and me,
N is for anywhere and anytime at all,
Down here in the deep blue sea.

Fajra decided that he was suitable. He could stay here. Most would welcome him with open arms; he didn't seem the sort to make to many enemies. Every person was needed; every person was another little bit of hope, another useful soul for the Queen and the young Weyrwoman. This was their home - the home of anyone who wanted to be here, but especially the two of them - and they weren't going to let it go. As Kalith often put it - this was all hers, hers, and hers!

Though Fajra was busy scrubbing away at the Queen's hide, that didn't keep her from being just a little bit bored. Uroth wasn't that talkative or interesting right now and her rider had let even the conversation with U'ar fall off. She wanted mischief! She wanted intrigue! So what did the huge dragon do? Lift her tail out of the water and poke a not particularly well balanced brownrider with it, of course! She rumbled with laughter as he tumbled into the water.

"Kalith!" Fajra checked her dragon, voice firm, slightly irritated, and mainly scolding. The copper just kept on her laughter. She was good at having fun, why shouldn't she do it? Abandoning her scrubbing, she leaped down into the water, hitting the floor of the lake and bursting back up with a quick kick-off from it. "Are you alright?" There wasn't much concern in her voice, not yet anyway, but she was headed for U'ar with powerful strokes towards him.

F is for frolick through all the flowers,
U is for ukulele,
N is for nose-picking, cherry gum and sand licking,
Here with my best buddy!

[123notit]

U'ar never saw the tail coming. Odyth did just at the last second. ~Mine! Look-~ he called out as the tail connected with U'ar. He watched his Mine fall into the water and bent down his neck, ready to help his Mine.

U'ar let out a nice, loud "Shards" just before he connected with the water, causing a rather large splash. His landing wasn't exactly a graceful dive. He bobbed up quickly, easily keeping himself afloat. He couldn't help but cast a quick glare at the copper. At the moment he was a bit upset. He saw Fajra jump in after him and swim towards him quickly. U'ar found it slightly odd since he was perfectly capable of staying alive.

~That wasn't a very Queenly act, I must say.~ Odyth grumbled to Kalith, ~You could have hurt Mine! After all the nice things he said about you, that was now ay to show gratitude.~ He knew you shouldn't reprimand a Queen dragon, but he was put off slightly by her immaturity. She was young, yes, but she was a Queen.

U'ar gently reprimanded his own dragon mentally for talkign that way to Kalith. He assured Odyth he was fine and even had a smile on his face now. As Fajra was upon him and asked her question, he looked back down to her and answered, "Oh, yeah. I'm fine. Nice and cool after working to clean this lug, you know?" He chuckled slightly, then quickly added, "You didn't have to jump in and get all wet though..."

[Admin]

We're lost,
We don't know who we are,
Forever lies in pieces,
Exploding from the start.

And informing me of such is not a particularly subservient act that fits with your rank and how you have acted until now; Kalith replied. Her voice was sensible, logical, dangerous. She was good at showing what she was physically capable of. She enjoyed people knowing that. What was less known was just how intelligent she was but it shone through as she spoke with logic, suddenly very reminiscent of her rider's way of speaking but with plenty of more feeling to reflect her sudden vexation with Odyth.

He is not hurt. The water is deep enough to cushion is fall. Mine would have saved him if he had began to drown, and what do you know of Queens, brown? There was disgust in her tone then. She disliked defiance. All she had wanted was her little fun, instead she got a brown's opinion on what she should and shouldn't do as a Queen. Did he doubt that she knew what she had been doing?

Fajra gave him a crooked, broken, tired smile, treading water now. "I already was wet, and I have to take responsibility for what she does. I'm responsible for everyone here;" she replied to him crisply. It was the truth. It didn't bother her. She liked living up to her responsibilities, she had to, didn't she? She had a job to do and she did it. Turning away now that she knew he was fine, she struck out back towards her dragon. In no time flat, she was back up on Kalith's back and continuing her scrubbing, working to sooth her ruffled feathers as well so that this would all just blow over.

Eying Odyth carefully, Kalith was placated by her riders way of reassuring her and decided not to scratch or bite the brown. And that was that. She had her flashes of temper, but she quickly forgot things that weren't important. This was a battle she'd decided wasn't worth fighting, so she wasn't going to fight it.

We've lost we've given up this fight,
Get me out of this town,
Away from this sound,
I've lost i've given up my fight.

[123notit]

After being scolded by both His and the Copper, Odyth submitted. He helped U'ar back onto his back and bowed his head slightly to Kalith. ~You are right in your words. I was out of line.~ he said sincerely. He wasn't trying to save himself; he had always known that he shouldn't have snapped at the Queen. ~I ask you to forgive me as I spoke quickly out of concern for Mine. As to your question, I have been around for many turns with Mine and we have been to many Weyrs. Thus, I have had the privilege of observing and serving under many Queens. I should have known better than to step out of line. I hope you shall still accept me and Mine.~ It was eloquently spoken to be sure, Odyth trying both to apologize and assert that he wasn't speaking out of ignorance.

He decided that that was enough of his talk and he mentally nudged U'ar to continue. 'You spoke well,' U'ar said to his dragon lovingly, 'I'm sure she'll forgive you. She would anger if Fajra had been endangered in anyway. It's natural of dragons.' U'ar then gently scratched Odyth's eye ridge as the brown stretched his neck back close to his Mine.

U'ar looked to Fajra now, giving her a small smile. "Though a Weyrwoman is responsible for her Weyr," he mused to her, "Make sure you take some time to yourself. If not, you'll become quickly old. Too much responsibility is bad. And I doubt your lovely Kalith would have done something if she thought it would endanger me. Because if you had needed to save me, that would endanger you as well." He grinned again, having found Kalith's little joke much more amusing than Odyth and in a generally good mood.

[Admin]

All around,
I see,
Reminders,
Of then.

There is little to forgive, when all is forgotten; she intoned somberly to him, showing her forgiveness in her calmness and the riddles that she spoke. Kalith couldn't keep from making a comment or two upon the things he had said along with giving him what he had asked for without wasting words. Perhaps you should remember that I am not many Queens, though? She was a copper, fierce and proud, passionate and fiery. She was not some gold, and she was very much her own dragon even in the sense of the representatives of her color. She didn't like being generalized; it would be unwise to do such a thing . . . There definitely was some noticeable ego, and plenty of pride, to her, wasn't there?

Listening to U'ar as he spoke, just listening at first, but then she tensed slightly as her continue. His words were haunting, pulling at what someone else had said to her not too long ago for her to not be able to hear them clearly then. She hadn't liked hearing what the other person had said; she didn't like being reminded of anything similar of it by anyone else. She hardly heard the end of his musings, to busy hearing the pounding of blood in her ears.

"Come on, you're clean enough, Kalith, love;" she told her dragon, stopping her scrubbing and giving the copper a pat on the neck. Turning her head towards U'ar, she gave him a curt smile. "It's nice to meet you, U'ar, Odyth. I hope to see you again;" she told him sincerely. She hadn't taken offense to what he had said; he'd simply reminded her of something. Once she was done with her farewell to the brownrider, Kalith surged up out of the water, towards the bank. She wasn't quite sure she believed her rider about whether she was clean enough or not, but at least she felt a bit cleaner now. Once her feet broke free of the water, she spread her wings and took of, shedding a great wall of water in the process and sending waves across the lake as she flew off.

Somersault,
To September,
Hope I last,
Til November.