|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 9:50 pm
Uuni was getting sick of the popularity. Some of it was bad, and some of it was good. There were people that clapped her on the shoulder and snickered along with Makereth, and others that seemed to have an automatic defense for the gold and her rider.
She'd gone into hiding, moved into the weyrling quarters almost full time and refused to come out unless she was sure she could sneak around. Luckily, the girl who bunked next to her, with her wonderful, sweet young blue, had taught her a few, secret passageways she could travel through and remain unnoticed.
Her schedule had become, once again, mostly nocturnal. Who knew that pulling one prank could cause so much trouble?
Makereth was not sharing her pain. He was constantly pleased with telling people of his exploits, and laughing at those that had thought the event had been 'bad' and 'scold-worthy'. But, he was more than willing to follow Uuni around in whatever time schedule she picked, and although he loved the glory, he needed his rest, too, and was secretly glad for Uuni's uncanny knack of avoiding people altogether. She had a lot of practice in the matter.
Today, she was flopped out on her cot, reading one of those expensive manuscripts on Weyr politics and ethics. It was fascinating only in the way hard to read, exceedingly boring things could be. Not that any of the rules applied to her, many of them were stupid, but use them against other people? You bet she would!
Makereth was boredly watching her flit practice its flying, the brown's fat belly betraying his habitual sleeping. Uuni had ordered him to exercise, soothed by the beat of constant wingflaps.
Makereth gave a short chirrup when the creature landed on his nose and thrummed in the appropriate manner. Firelizards were a constant source of amusement.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 10:05 pm
Sharath and Amelia too, had become more of a spectacle then they normally were. Some asked if she'd taken to some new cosmetic while others teased her and her dragon about the event - she was pretty sure the whole damn Weyr knew about that fiasco. Now, not only did she have to worry about making good impressions, she and Sharath had to work at repairing the ones they'd made... it was a giant a headache and Amelia secretly wished she could go hide in her weyr and never come out.
Of course, that had been forbidden. If she was going to train and learn, she had to learn to deal with social faux pas as well. So, the Junior Weyrwoman in training had had no choice but to grin and bear it and fix what she could. Some seemed determined to criticize her for her flits, her heritage, her willful dragon... and now her lack of judgement and inability to settle problems.
Headaches, headaches. And, not surprisingly, Sharath was above it all entirely - choosing to take a purely defensive position against anyone who dare speak out against her rider. They had been in the right, end of story. Go away if you were fond of your hand, thanks.
Left to deal with a grouchy gold and a gossip-mill that ran day and night, it hadn't taken Amelia very long to yearn for some sort of closure to the whole damn thing. Which, of course, was speaking and making amends with Uuni herself - if the girl didn't hate her guts already.
She sighed as she padded down the hallways, Sharath at her back, in search of Uuni. When they stumbled upon their fellow weyrling still in the barracks, Sharath nearly tripped over her suddenly still rider and rumbled in concern when Amelia yipped in pain at having her foot stepped on.
Not such a great start... but maybe things would smooth out?
Nothing for it but to try.
Pushing Sharath forward, as the reluctant gold was not fond of making apologies, she elbowed the young queen a few times before the dragon finally settled and struck a dignified pose before Uuni and Makereth, deliberately blocking the exit so neither could escape easily. Mine wishes to speak to you.
And? Amelia mentally prompted, giving a mental nudge.
Sharath snorted, ...And I do as well. Will... you hear it? It was obvious the gold was having to make an effort to ask something of another rather then demand it but it was indeed an effort being made.
Silent encouragement emanated from Amelia as she stepped up beside Sharath, a hand on the gold's shoulder, "Got a minute Uuni?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 10:11 pm
Uuni glanced up when she heard the yelp, and it was hard to supress the groan that came from her mouth.
"Let me guess, the weyrwoman?" she asked, her face a contorted grimace.
Makereth merely cocked his head to the side, the firelizard clinging haplessly to his nose. He did not yet say anything, but was obviously surprised to see the two of of them there.
When Sharath, spoke, Uuni tossed the book to the side and twisted around to put her feet on the ground and sit upright.
She blinked up at Amelia and then back at Sharath. Man, she really wished these dragons would stay out of her head!
"Sure, why not?" she answered the question, offering a smile. Inside, she was dreading the confrontation to come. It would have been easier to run like hell for the door and hope Amelia and Sharath tripped over themselves.
"All the time in the world," she answered. Her voice was not sarcasm. "I'm all ears."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 10:21 pm
Relief flooded Amelia's face and Sharath grunted - one apparently having been hoping for the response while the other was not. "Good. 'Cause... well." She looked up to Sharath and arched a brow.
A huff answered the rider and a moment of silence passed but the gold eventually dropped her head in a semblance of a bow - just like Amelia had shown her. I... wish to apologize for my outburst, Bluerider. Your misconduct was not appreciated but it did not deserve my response. I... am sorry to have offended you. Forgive me. The last few words were rushed, as if the apology was something Sharath was most definitely not used to, but it was, over all, both sombre and sincere if incredibly formal.
Lifting her head, she glanced at Amelia and found her rider beaming at her, full of pride and the gold found the next bit easier, turning to Makereth. I apologize, too, for ordering you about needlessly. But, please, do not poison Mine again. She hadn't been willing to let go of that fact, and there was that edge of warning but she seemed more or less sincere.
"See! I told you it wasn't that hard, you big nob!" Amelia grinned, patting her gold's side as Sharath finished and fell into awkward silence. What was one supposed to do after an apology? She had not idea - she didn't like apologizing. "As for me... I'm sorry your prank didn't go over so well. It would have been funny another time... I was just in the middle of doing lots of things and being able to speak was paramount. I get it if you've decided to hate me and Sharath... but I thought it best to at least even the field. I'm getting sick of the gossips - I don't know about you but I'm not fond of being infamous." She sighed and nodded, offering a friendly smile. "No hard feelings?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 10:33 pm
Uuni grinned. "You didn't offend me," she answered, clearly pleased. "You just. . . pissed me off for a few seconds. And scared the living s**t out of me. But I'm not offended." She held out her hand for the gold to bump if she so desired. Makereth did it all the time; it was habit.
"No hard feelings, right? I would have been pissed to, you know, if I thought you'd poisoned Makereth." She stretched, leaning back on her cot, yawning from the tiredness of having read through all those ethics.
Upon being adressed, Makereth seemed to be ultimately pleased with the fact Sharath may have accepted humour as a nice thing. The order was funny. We should make more dragons do silly things. It was quite a good thing Makereth was not a gold, or the dragons of the Weyr would have hated him more than Sharath.
The last statement, however, made Makereth very much upset that Sharath was still accusing him of poisoning Hers. It wasn't poison. It was safe. Mine and I checked. We were careful.
Uuni snorted and rolled her eyes at Amelia's statement on their prank. "Yeah, as if any prank ever goes well," she answered, getting a teasing hiss from Makereth.
The last part caused her to laugh, however. "Hate you? Over that? I'm not that stuck up. Give me some credit!" She ran her fingers through her hair and added, "Maybe I'm not the most fond of your leadership tactics, but, you know, there's people underneath a temper. Somewhere. Shake on it?" She offered up her hand to Amelia this time, inwardly breathing a sigh of relief Sharath hadn't swallowed her whole.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 10:45 pm
Puzzled by the outstretched hand for a moment, it took a few heartbeats before the gold nosed the hand and withdrew, nodding at Uuni's comment, though she spoke to Amelia alone, Mine, can I go now? You said all I had to do was apologize and mean it... I have. I'm tired.
Amelia shook her head at the gold, knowing Sharath was just trying to retreat from the supposed embarrassment of an apology. No, stick around. She chuckled when Sharath huffed like a child and parked her rear with a sigh.
Sharath blinked at Makereth's comment and tilted her head, You thought that was funny...? Well. So much for punishing him. Sighing, she shrugged, I do not think my funny is your funny. And it was poison - you put something Mine's food that was not food. Do not do it again. It was a more... mature insistence this time around, more reasonable too, even if she was adamant about it.
Again, relief soothed Amelia's features and she relaxed some, "Good... you wouldn't believe how many people get uppity if I even fart and they hear it. Shards, getting dirty because I like my Craft can be a problem. Thanks for not being a git." Reaching out, Amelia shook the offered hand with a firm, strong grip that belied her craft. Even now, her hands were calloused and rough. "You actually think I have leadership skills?" The goldrider seemed rather surprised by the idea and tilted her head, a little skeptical.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 10:55 pm
Makereth chuckled at Sharath when she seemed confused over the funniness of the matter. I never pull the same prank twice. It is boring, he told her and therefore considered the matter settled. There was no reason to put anything else into Amelia's food that was not food, so where was the harm in agreeing to that? Makereth found none.
"Takes too much effort," she answered, an honest answer. Then you had to go through apologies, and hatred, and glaring down somebody as they walked by. No thanks, not for her, she'd rather paruse the halls hitting on people she didn't know.
The leadership question, however, caused her to pause. "Uh. . ." she started, clearly caught between a rock and a hard place.
"Sure?" In truth, she had no idea. Every leader was a pain in the a** to her, and ones that got tempers just happened to be worse. "You have a very strong voice when you're upset even with a numb tongue. I hear that's good." Day saved! She had to pat herself on the back for that one.
"So, how about some lunch, or something? Promise no "poison"." She said the word in a whisper with a wink towards Sharath, not sure if it would piss her off or she would catch the joke. "I'm famished, and I guess I owe Sharath one for not removing my face in eight pieces."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 11:05 pm
Amelia winced at the response to her skills as a leader and sighed, honest enough with herself to know that was probably an apt summary of her current leader-score. It wasn't downright terrible but she wasn't exactly legendary either. Laughing, she shrugged, "Maybe I'll improve that score over time. Change it from 'Uh sure' to 'uh alright'?"
At the offer of lunch, Amelia grinned, "Sure! Maybe I can actually put the spoiling to better use and get the treat-cuts for Makereth too. I'm sure the kitchen staff wouldn't mind." She glanced at the gold, who'd looked over at the mention of poison, and sighed, "Nah. She just gets like that when she thinks I'm in trouble. Overprotective and goes into dullglow mode, I think." Smirking, she turned to clear the way for them to start towards the kitchens.
Sharath, skeptical of the whole thing, looked to Makereth, Tell yours that poison is not funny. She definitely wanted to make sure the food was alright this time around... Makereth might not use the same prank twice but... his rider was an entirely different story.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 11:13 pm
Makereth's eyes were swirling such a bright blue, it was obvious that she was laughing at what Sharath had said. Instead of keeping it quiet, he broadcasted it to both Uuni and Amelia, Uuni, Sharath says poison is not funny.
There was something about it that caused Uuni to grin, glad that this confrontation was over with. All she had to do was have one lunch with the girl, and then she wouldn't ever have to worry about talking to her ever again. Faranth be praised!
Makereth was more than pleased to be getting treat-cuts, or even the promise therein and he gave a great hop, winding his way around Amelia's legs, a bit happazardly. He was getting a bit big for the stunt.
And off they went towards the lunchroom, insecure leaders right alongside perhaps a too secure blue and his rider.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
