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 Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2009 6:02 am
L'thor chuckled softly and shook his head, a faintly wistful smile on his lips. "No, Allieth wasn't much like Raith at all. She was a lot siller, only grounded when she really needed to be. She was more... outgoing isn't quite the right word. Pushy I suppose, which made up for D'los' shyness well. She wasn't as bright either, or as... as human I suppose; her speech patterns, thoughts, actions and so on were more quintessential dragon. She came out with 'because that's how dragons are' or just 'because' more than Raith... Mind you, not all that many dragons are a human-like as Raith; she seems to think more like a woman than a green a lot of the time, other than the issues with memory of course..."
This next was more of an awkward question. He had never directly asked V'kain why he avoided Veyes. For most of the time he had known the youth, he had assumed V'kain did it in the hopes of them getting together or something. After what had happened at the beach however, he found it more likely that his friend had been trying to keep away from shadows of the past.
"I don't know for sure," he said eventually, looking down into his wine with a soft sigh, "but I think it's likely... He never got past that moment of seeing you for the first time and seeing D'los I suppose. I've no doubt he would - as I did - if he had spent time with you but..." L'thor trailed off and shrugged. "I suppose he just couldn't cope," he went on eventually, "he might not have been D'los' weyrmate, but he took losing him just as hard as I did. If I hadn't had a reason right away to spend more than a moment with you, the need to bring you to the Weyr, I'd probably have just avoided seeing you as well... Glad I didn't," he added with a slight smile, looking back up at his companion, "not getting to know you would have been a great loss."
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Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2009 2:58 pm
Veyes continued to smile and sip on his wine trying to make sure he kept his fingers busy as he listened. As L'thor spoke of the dragon, Veyes mind almost wandered to thinking about his own future lifemate. What would he or she be like...how would they be a complement to himself. He hadn't a clue as to what he needed since he seemed to be able to get by even on the worst of days. Although...Nowadays, he wasn't as certain about the possibilities and hoped the new Weyr would be a better opportunity. It was hard to say really anymore. He had learned so much about dragons and really needed to continue that education but still even with all he had done, no dragon had ever picked him. It was depressing at times to think about it but soon he realized how far off the path he had gotten. He was suppose to be thinking about L'thor's problems not his own.
"She seems like she might have been a good complement to D'los." he answered. "Yes, Raith is very human. at time. She reminds me of a mother occasionally." Well maybe more often than occasionally in his head and he had a feeling she sensed that in her own way. She always was willing to give him warm hugs even at her big size and kind words that made him feel better when he was gloomy.
"I guess so. I must really look a lot like D'los eh? Wish I could have seen what he looked like. Makes me wonder if I would have thought that too." He had to imagine if he and D'los could have passed for twins. It was very odd. How could two people see so much of a Ghost in himself? It was enlightening but also disheartening that he would be compared so much to D'los that he probably would never be seen truly for the person he was. He'd never be able to compete and probably never be seen as anything more than a Shadow. Although, he'd help L'thor as best he could to get back on his feet again. Then, maybe things would change.
"Well, I'm glad you did get to know me for who I am. I'm glad we met each other that day, L'thor." He wasn't sure how many ways he had been modeled into D'los from L'thor's subconscious mind. What habits had he developed...his hair style...the baths...how much he loved his hair brushed by L'thor...what he had learned from years of L'thor's experiences. He might be more like D'los now than anything else....and he might have never known this had he not confessed.
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Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2009 3:12 pm
"What he looked like..." L'thor tilted his head back slightly, studying the ceiling thoughtfully. "I could show you what he looked like once upon a time," he said after a brief pause. "He was a Harper apprentice, specializing in painting. He did a portrait of the two of us when we were... twenty one? Or was it twenty?..." He looked back over at Veyes and smiled slightly. "Well, very early twenties anyway. I'll fetch it out."
So saying, he set his cup down on the ground and rose to his feet before moving across the weyr to a large alcove in the wall. From this he withdrew a slim rectangular package wrapped in silky cloth from among other delicate looking items and carried it back over to Veyes. As he sat down he pulled aside the wrapping to reveal a painting set in a simple wooden frame.
The subjects were two young men wearing the shoulder knots of green wingriders, their arms about one anothers' waists, their lips smiling. One of them was clearly a more boyish version of L'thor though slightly less sharp featured than he was today, and with slightly shorter hair. The other could have been Veyes himself in a couple of turns... but not quite: the face was rather more delicate, the body slighter, and the hair more curly. Looking at it again, it was clear to L'thor that this couldn't be mere coincidence; in some way, D'los must have been related to Veyes. It didn't make much of a difference in how he saw his young friend, but it did make him slightly curious to know where the blood tied in.
Not really knowing what he ought to add right now, the rider looked down at his younger self and waited for Veyes' reaction.
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Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2009 5:21 pm
Veyes closed his eyes for a moment feeling a bit of the alcohol in him. A warm feeling even as L'thor went to get the portrait to show him. He wasn't sure what to expect to be quite honest so once he opened his eyes, L'thor was approaching with the item in hand.
He took a look down at the image and stared at the painting. There he was...no...there was D'los. The resemblance seemed more than just slight. They could have been...twins...The hair just a bit more curly. His figure a little more slight. Heck, if he didn't work so much his figure would be just like that. Although, as he looked, the face was a tad more delicate than his own. He felt his own hand rise from his lap and slide across his cheek His jaw dropped without him trying just because it seemed so uncanny. They had to be related. The man reminded him of his mother too in some ways.
"He...he looks so much like me. It's almost like looking at me...and what I might look like in a few years." he said slowly with a very surprised voice. His body shifted as he looked at the ghost hoping he hadn't paled like one. It was so true...he was...a shadow of D'los at least physically.
"I wonder...if he was related to me. He also looks like my mother when she was younger...and well I know she has a couple sisters. One several years older than herself. She didn't live at our hold but somewhere else. I could ask my mother. She probably knows more." He seriously wondered now if he were related to D'los. He wouldn't be surprised especially with the uncanny resemblance. No wonder L'thor had freaked out. He might have too. "Umm...what was D'los' name before he impressed?"
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Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 5:26 am
Well at least he hadn't freaked out and run away or anything, that was a good start. It was good to know that it wasn't just him being insane or anything, there really was a striking resemblance between the two of them. "He was called Dephalos," L'thor said eventually. "We never talked very much about his family, but I know he came from the southern continent."
He'd always got the impression that his partner's family had been none to happy about his sexual preferences, and had been glad to ship him off to Harper hall. He didn't mention that though, he didn't want to insult Veyes' family with mere speculation... Still, whatever the reason, D'los had not been close to his kin by the time he arrived at Ista Weyr. They hadn't even come to see him stand for the first time, and Impress at that same one. They didn't know what they'd missed.
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Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 6:12 am
Veyes could have freaked out but the wine was sure a relaxer and the weyr up so high wasn't going to let him run anywhere really. However, he did down the rest of his wine pretty much right afterwards. "Southern Continent? I lived there too." he re-said and glanced up at L'thor. "Can I have another drink?" he held out his cup thinking that tonight maybe just a little more might be ok. Even though now he was rather certain that wine never boded good tidings for himself. Atl the moment thought, he just needed a little be more to take edge off the weird feeling inside. The Ghost and the Shadow were almost too close in physical resemblance. It felt like having a dead twin at the moment and that wasn't the case but to look at ones self like that sent a shiver down his spine.
"Dephalos. Mm..." He thought about it long and hard. Because that name sounded familiar. Why? Mmm... Wait! He paused for a moment as he needled a few thoughts in his head. "My grandfather on my mom's side was named Dephan." he said after a few moments. I don't remember him much because I saw him maybe when I was 5 turns old. But, my mother said he was a Harper's son and he didn't approve of her marriage to my father so much. But, I remember he like to wear his hair a bit longer and it was curlier than mine...about the same color because I tugged on it while he held me. He laughed a lot too." The more the brief memory held in his head, he was certain the names weren't close for no reason at all. Maybe if he talked to his mother he'd be able to completely figure out the mystery but for now he had at least one clue. It was a puzzle he did want an answer to eventually. "Now I wish my mom was close so I could just ask."
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Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 10:06 am
"More wine, yes," L'thor drained his cup and then poured refills for both of them. "It sounds like he could have been D'los'... Would it be grandfather? Father?... I suppose grandfather unless he had more children later than your mother." Did he want to know, or would he prefer ignorance? He wasn't sure what to make of this sudden revelation that Veyes and D'los probably were related, and not so very distantly. Knowing that the connection between them was real could either make him shiver, or actually help him separate them, knowing that there was a reason for their similarities. He wished he knew which reaction he was going to have, everything seemed to be a little delayed just now.
"Maybe we should go to see her," L'thor suggested after a moment, sipping slowly at his wine. "I mean, it would be nice for you to visit in any case, right? You must have a lot to tell her, and the rest of your family." Maybe his father would even be a bit proud of how far he'd come since leaving the hold. Sure he didn't have a dragon yet, but he'd grown in confidence and had kept up the old man's standards of hard work.
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Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 1:14 pm
He took the new cup and was quite thankful for the refill. It kept him in his seat because it did unsettle him quite a bit. "I know Grandpa was named Dephan and I'm pretty sure that he had only three daughters but...you know. I don't have the full story."
He nodded as he thought about it, "I think I would like to see my mom because that would clear all of this up. Yeah. I've not seen her in a long time." He thought wistfully as he took a sip of his drink. Right now, he wasn't sure what she or his father would think of him. He still didn't have a dragon, but he was here...still trying. His mother probably would be fine with that but...his father? Actually, that made him nervous but he was old enough now that they couldn't just drag him home to stay. He wouldn't let on that part to Lthor because the mystery needed to be solved. Instead he smiled up at L'thor, "When would you like to go see her?"
He took another drink of the wine and thinking if only this would relax him a bit more then everything would be fine.
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Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 1:22 pm
L'thor wrapped the painting back up and rose to return it to its alcove. "Humm," he said eloquently as he returned to his seat and picked up his cup, "I don't mind really. Whatever fits in with your schedule, I know you're worked a lot harder than I am... I liked your mother," he added after a moment with a soft smile, "it would be good to see her again, just for the sake of doing so." The father wasn't bad as such, but L'thor hadn't liked him, he hadn't seemed like a lot of fun, or particularly nice. A hard-working man, no doubt, but not one that was easy to get along with for somebody as... as colourful as he himself was.
"I think Raith would enjoy the trip too," he said with a grin, "any excuse to get back to a place with decent weather! I'm sure she'll happily sleep in the sun while we're occupied." Perhaps he should think of a gift to bring along for Veyes' family!... But what? Nothing sprung to mind, he didn't know any of them well enough to know what they might like. Still, perhaps bringing their son to see them would be enough of a gift.
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Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 1:36 pm
Veyes considered it for a moment as L'thor put the painting away. "Maybe you should bring that too. I mean, it might jog her memory if she can't think of things right away." He hoped his mother would know or at least could guide them in the right direction. OH and he could bring her the scarf he got her awhile back. The one he never had anyone to take for him to her after a gather from what seemed so long ago.
"I'm off...tomorrow and in another 5 days I will have a full day. So either works I guess. Which works for you? I'm not sure what would be going on at home right now but probably much of the same to be honest." he said after very little consideration. Not much changed for a farmer at a hold except for what was to be planted or how the herd beasts would be handled during the seasons. It was rather a step one, step two sort of life that Veyes didn't want to be living for a lifetime. It was one of the main reason he hadn't asked to go visit them. Even if he wanted to see his mother many times. The worry within that somehow he wouldn't impress and end up going back to that way of life was worrisome.
He downed the wine faster than he might have thought and really wanted another cup at this point.
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Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 1:45 pm
L'thor waved a languid hand at the bottle. "Help yourself," he elaborated, "I've no shortage of it goodness knows... Maybe we should take the full day? Could spend as much time as you like with your family then maybe we could go and see some of my favorite sites, have a bit of a fly?" Maybe getting back into the routine of the things he and Veyes had liked to do together would help him settle his mind too. Some of the places he was considering going to were ones he'd been to many time with D'los, but D'los had never ridden Raith with him, and their conversations hadn't been like the ones he had with Veyes. They could take some food and drink, a blanket to spread out wherever they wanted to sit, and chat about Veyes' hopes for the future, and dragon lore he wanted to know, the idiots that each of them had to deal with from one day to the next... Yes. That sounded good.
"I will take the picture," he added, "it's a very good likeness, it should help." Of course it also clearly illustrated that he and the other green rider were a couple, he hoped Veyes' family weren't hidebound enough to be against suh relationships. If they disapproved of him he didn't care, but he didn't want to taint Veyes' reputation with his kin. Who knew, one of the family might think he was trying to sidle into making Veyes his pretty boy, and that was the last thing he wanted, because he was sure that it would either get him a black eye, or Veyes a severe shouting at.
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Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 1:55 pm
Veyes took the bottle as it was offered and refilled his glass. The wine seemed to have such a pleasing effect that having another seemed the best course of action today beyond helping L'thor. It seemed to ease a few of his thoughts, however, he was starting to drift a little more and maybe should have taken that as a warning not to continue drinking but being young...well he didn't think about it to much.
"That sounds good. I'm sure my mother will feed us and I bet you we can get some fresh jerky. Maybe even a beast for Raith if my father's in a good mood. Not sure about that one though...that kind of depends on how the farm is doing." For a moment things almost seemed closer to the way they were. Yapping about things they were going to do and making plans of sorts. "I'd love to see some of your favorite sites...and fly!" Yes, flying was something he truly loved and wanted to do more of it. Flying on Naedreth had been a different feel all together from riding on Raith. He had wanted to try making straps for the dragon but never got a chance. The opportunity to transfer came too soon.
"Ok sounds good." He didn't think of how his parents would thing about the image. That wasn't on his mind beyond the traveling there...flying...finding answers. Some things seemed straight forward to him and with the alchohol the details seemed rather vague. Eventually that might occur to him but for now it was rather distant.
"Mm...this is really tasty." he said as he peered into the cup and smiled as he took another sip.
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Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 2:07 pm
L'thor grinned properly for the first time in a while and topped up his own cup. Though he was old enough to know better lessons like this never seemed to stick with him no matter how many times they were repeated; he fancied more so he had more, consequences came later and he had never worried too much about them. "I'm glad you like it! I got a case of this vintage as a parting gift from one of my friends at Ista; vinter family, always good for providing a nice bottle." As the drink flowed, words seemed to flow easier as well. With the truth out in the open and the relaxing effects of alcohol, he was feeling like himself again. He would find out who D'los' family had been, and then he would be satisfied. So he hoped, anyway.
"There's some nice beaches," he rambled on happily, "a very impressive lake some way south of Southern Weyr, rolling sand dunes, rivers, all sorts. Too much to see in a day really, but we can at least fly over the best bits and stop at a couple of spots." Raith loved the lake so that might well end up being one of their stops, she deserved a good swim somewhere nice and warm.
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Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 2:26 pm
"Oh it's delicious." he said as he took to the second glass like water. "Mmm...I see." He licked his lips and happily sucked in the better atmosphere. Right at the moment, things seemed normal? Or was that an illusion? Right now, he definitely could not say because he was feeling a little happy buzz from the drink.
"Sound like we need to take a tour of these spots. A good long one...with a picnic basket." he said as he snuggled back into the chair which seemed much more comfy at the moment than it had been at the start. His mind wandering just a little as L'thor spoke of the land to see. He really wanted to see all of these things and explore them on his own.
"Guess we should take some light weight clothes or we'll be really warm down there." he was feeling the warm of the drink but his toes were still a bit cold and he shuffled them around on the floor trying to make up for the change without really noticing he was doing it.
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Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 2:38 pm
"Yes," L'thor suppressed a yawn, "both very good ideas. You got room to store your clothes from Ista? I don't know how much space candidates get for storage here, there never seemed to be enough of it when I was one. Anyway, if not I can keep some up here for you. Oh, I don't have a bathing room though," he gestured around the weyr to show the lack of doors leading off to such a thing, "only gold riders are good enough to have one of those here." He missed his tiny bathing pool, being able to come in to a perfectly neat, clean, private space to wash had been wonderful. Now he had to share with a bunch of other riders, half of whom seemed to leave large clumps of hair lying around the place. Ew. Not nice.
"I feel better now," L'thor added after a moment, stretching out his legs and crossing his ankles comfortably. "I think talking has helped. There's probably plenty more I could talk about but..." He trailed off and shrugged, holding back another yawn. "Doesn't need to be now, maybe doesn't need to be ever, I don't know... But if I need to talk, in future I will rather than just trying to pretend the problem isn't there. Ignoring problems never fixed anything, right?" Right! Shards, he was getting pretty tired. He partially blamed the wine on an empty stomach, and partially blamed his recent stint of bad sleep. Maybe tonight he'd sleep well, he felt like he might certainly. Talking was good.
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