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"Well then, some nice and tasty sweets for you, a hearty plate of tubers and thick slabs of meat for me, and klah for both." Ashmere dodged the whole 'silly' rebuttal that the younger was challenging her to as well as the scar she should take better care of her scar. As a harper she would simply ignore the comments and try to make her focus her attention on the plight at hand.

"I have the Head Cook wrapped around my little finger, I can get anything I want from her. Easy peasy. I shall have her baking you fresh bubbly pies if I so wish it. How does that sound Wykla?" Ashmere grinned like a wild dog, she carefully omitted the reason she could get anything she wished from the older woman was that the head cook was near obsessed with the slender brunette, in more than just a friendly way.

Standing up from the tub once again Ashmere quickly donned her thin frame in a large towel and began to dry herself.

"Hurry up Wykla, I don't know about you but bubbly pies sounds so good right now! Lets go, my new little friend."

That day had been remarkable, there was plently of eating and drinking as Ashmere had to intertain the kitchen hands with song and then towards the end of the grand adventure she even gave a dance to the headcook as a 'thank you' for allowing them to feed their hungry bellies as well as the tiny stomach of their two flits.

That day seemed like such a long time ago, it had already been a few days since the Hatching Ceremony, four long days since she had failed to Impress. The deep sting that came from the failure was something that pained the slim framed harper deeper than what she had expected. She didn't think that it would touch her so deeply.

The songs that she wrote after the Hatching caused quite the stir in the Weyr, getting the young woman a decent amount of respect among dragon riders and weyrfolk alike. But fame only lasted so long especially in her craft, it was something that was fleeting, hers only lasting two days.

Ashmere braced herself against the cool stone of the wall she was nearest, trying to find her breath. Pausing lightly she pressed her flushed cheeks along the near cold stone surface of the wall, she felt weak and the growing hunger pains in her stomach made a strong wave of nausea hitting her full force. It had been near four days since she had last eaten and the already thin harper was now sickly and frail.

It took several minutes before Ashmere continued down the path she had been rushing along, even as she hid behind loose harper blues her already slender face was now gaunt which no matter how hard she tried to hide it, her face gave away her lack of eating. If she didn't hurry she would be late to the feeding of the dragons, she wasn't sure if it would be herdbeast of fish.

"Shards, I am going to be late." She panted heavily and double over again with lack of breath.

Panting a bit more as she increased her pace once more, breathing in through her nose and letting it out between her teeth as she ran made the brisk pace easier for the gaunt pixie like woman. The feeding grounds were right up ahead and Ashmere could already easly see the land littered with different coloured large dragonic heads. She knew she was a bit behind, she couldn't help but be, she had a private lesson with the master harper early in the morn then chores and tasks to complete. Things were extremely busy for her now that her candidate chores had come to an end, she had to go back to the busy scurrying of being a harper to a very buzzing weyr.

Even as a journeyman it didn't spare the brunette from doing the oddball ends of task for her higher ranked members in her craft. Today, was one of those days, she was to go to the feeding grounds and help the new riders by carrying meat to their chopping tables and removing unsavoury pieces that weren't eaten later on.

As soon as Ashmere was at the grounds she doubled over panting and waving her hand in front of herself as she tried to cough out an apology towards the nearest dragon rider.

"A harpers work is never done---" Tenderly worded the thin girl as she took in deep breaths and stood upright, soothing herself and pulling her loose robes around her petite frame as if trying to tidy herself.

Clearing her throat the harper beamed a grin towards her smaller friend, absentmindedly giving the girl a large warm hug. "I got over a little stomach sickness not too long ago, I am doing better now." Ashmere lied sweetly to Wykla. "How have your and your---" she paused for a moment. "Blue? Yes, yes blue, how are you and your blue ajusting?"

Even though her smile was just as bright, her cold gray eyes seemed lightly glazed and pained as she spoke.

Ashmere smiled politely and bowed towards the little blue. The corners of her lips faultering as she heard the tone in Wykla's voice. Her small mouth almost pouted as she pursed her pink lips. Standing upright she shook her head causing her messy brown tresses to frame her thin face.

"Pfft! I have just been taking my meals in my quarters at night is all, you can ask Mildriff the headcook, she had been sending them up. And I take my breakfast with the masterharper. He as been teaching me dueling in my free time." She stated softly, it was the truth, just she hadn't been eating at all, rather she was giving her dinner to the drummers or younger harpers. Slowly turning towards the blue she smiled at him with respect in her cold stare before addressing him.

"It is an honour to meet you Kameth, you have remarkable wings, you certainly are going to make the Weyr proud." She stated softly but truthfully.

"Anyhow, I am here to help with the work load, you know how it is lots of hungry dragons lots of helpful hands needed to help fill their bellies." Warmly declared the harper as she slowly returned her gaze back towards Wykla.

"Congrats Rider. I told you that you would Impress."

Ashmere actually phycially winced at Wykla's choice of wording. However, she didn't let the pained expression linger on her thinned face; instead she changed it to a soft smile almost instantly.

Taking her stand beside the girl Ashmere carefully began to work the large cuts of meat onto the cutting table while pulling the fat from the muscle of the hunks. She was already straining but she didn't make a word of protest. She had fell into silence at the comment Wykla had made however she also ignored the question that her friend had asked her.

Placing her elbow against a large cut of meat paused and wiped her brow of sweat. Was she really already sweating? Shards, this was going to be taxing on her. Clearing her throat as she paused she addressed her much younger friend.

"Wykla, I am not mad at you in the least. And I wasn't avoiding you, I just, I can't find you, you are with the others that Impressed near all the time and when I have free time, I am certain you are busy. You have a very important role to the weyr now. I am certain you can't find time to bother yourself with me. You were the one chosen and not I. Nor will I ever, I won't stand again. It just hurts too much." She lisped as her words broke in a choked out sob. Why did she have to be so honest with this girl!? Why?! She knew she was making a scene now, crying and opening sobbing, and as loudly as she was too. What a horrible harper she was! Shoving her face into her long robed sleeve Ashmere roughly dried her tears leaving her pale face red from the force. Sucking in a deep breath she jammed her elbow into the meat and pulled roughly at the gristle freeing it from the hearty muscle.

"Sorry---"

"But I am not hungry," Ashmere stated softly as she eyed the bag that the small bronze flit delivered with jubilation. Sighing lightly she paused leaning on the work table as she locked her hues on the new rider.

"I would love to come help with Kameth though, during bathing." She bit her bottom lip and glanced back to the parcel that Boreal had brought.

"Why do you suddenly want me to eat anyway?" Ashmere inquired with a soft mutter as she reached out and stroked the long neck of the small male flit. Mesmer and him could make very handsome offspring she absentmindedly thought, shaking her head slightly she refocused her watery gaze at Wykla.

Being near her friend made the numbness of failure wan and fade, leaving only the pain of her selfish abuse. How could Wykla even ask her if she would leave her dragon on the hatching grounds---was hers really out there somewhere, yet to be born? She would never know unless she tried to seek him or her out. She wasn't heartless, she would never in a million turns leave her dragon standing alone---

She gasped lightly, had she really been that much of a deadglow? She suddenly felt dizzy and braced herself fully against the table as her legs gave out completely.

"Wykla---I need help. Please."


(Sorry about the delay in reply sweetie---I was depressed.)