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 Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2012 9:35 pm
T'rel sighed. So much for having a pleasant time with a friend. It seemed Neri had returned to Ista to be the bane of his up-til-now happy existance. "Ah, I'd forgotten you'd stayed in Ista for Weyrling lessons. That would be L'ren's job to keep track of, not mine," he said, frowning at her reasoning. "Paranoid, no. Irrational, no. Forgetful, maybe. I am getting up there in years." He smirked at her, and took a step backwards, moving closer to Zelith.
"Neri, I'm fine." He took another step back from her, leaning against his bronze. His eyes glazed over briefly; a sign of communication between man and dragon.
Mine wishes that you leave, Zelith had opened his eyes at last. They were tinged with yellow; the bronze was clearly upset over his rider's raging emotions. Stop upsetting him! I will inform Calith.
"I'm sorry. I have problems." T'rel rolled his eyes. "I know I have problems, Neri. Everyone's got problems." He looked to Zelith, stroking the bronze's silky hide. "But, you know? I've had worse. I'll have worse. And if you don't let me get back to my duties, we'll all have worse." He shrugged, leaning against his dragon's shoulder. All but ignoring Neri's presence, he began to mutter, "Worlds are lost and worlds are saved, from those dangers dragon-braved."
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Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2012 6:17 pm
Yours should be happy Mine is so patient with him. Bayeth hissed, at Zelith's intrusion. How dare this presumptuous bronze upset Hers?!
Catching some of her dragon's anger, Neri said with venom, "How dare you threaten me when all I've done is try to help you?" Neri threw her arms up in distress. Just who was this man in front of her? Certainly not T'rel, who so often boasted that his riders could come to him about anything, who said he would never use his position for his own gain. Easy enough to say, until one of them actually dared to critisize him, then it was all ignoring and insulting them! So, that was what the word of her former weyrleader was worth? Well, apparently she had been wrong about him.
"Tell Calith? Ha! I'll tell her myself. Grief or not, your actions are way out of line! You're being arrogant, petty, and damn near insane too. Look at yourself! Do you really think this is a normal way to react? Well, let me tell you, it's not! And I know a little something about grief."
Neri paused and bit her lip. She wasn't going to mention this, because she didn't think T'rel was in a state where she should be heaping her problems on him, but in her anger, she went on,
"Remember how I told you you have no idea what I've been though? While I was in Igen I got word.. my father and brother were out in a storm. They don't get the thread that falls over the ocean, you know? It's just going to drown in the water, after all. Well, my brother's boat was caught in thread. And now he, they're, both dead."
"Dead, T'rel! Not gone, not in another Weyr, dead! Do you think losing Ky't is an excuse? I lost half my family that day and I'd still never treat you like this!" she cried, tearfully.
In her stress, Bayeth's voice sounded in her head.
Neri, Mine, what are you doing? Where have you gone without me? Now you are upset. This is why you must wait for me. This is why you should do what I say. I would have told you not to waste your time on him.
Nevermind love. I thought he was my friend, but I guess I was wrong.
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Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2012 7:04 pm
"Threatening you?" T'rel repeated, eyes widening as he did so. Threatening Neri? He hadn't! He couldn't comprehend threatening one of his own. She had been a candidate when he had been Weyrleader; and he'd loved spending time with her. She was funny, and could crack a joke without offending people."Neri, no! I meant Thread! If you don't let me get back to duties soon, I won't have the plans for our next drills. That's what I meant by having problems..." He hesitated, blinking at her. "I'd never hurt you, Neri. You know that."
"What are you talking about? Tell Calith?" He asked, frowning slightly. "Zellie..." He looked up at his bronze, expression going stern. "I told you to ask her to leave. Nothing else." He studied Neri, sighing. He crossed his arms, uncertain what to do with the upset greenrider before him.
"Oh..." The former Weyrleader gave her an empression of deepest sympathy. Yes, he certainly could understand the pain of losing someone. He'd lost his Weyrmate--or, he had thought so. "I'm so sorry, Neri. I didn't know." T'rel could relate to losing someone; but not the pain of losing a parent or sibling. He had been orphaned in the Harperhall a sevenday after his birth. He pulled away from his bronze, and put an arm around her shoulder.
He offered her a tissue from his riding jacket. "Here," he said, dabbing at the greenrider's cheeks with them. "Don't cry, Neri... I didn't know."
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Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2012 7:47 pm
Neri sat down on the couch again, sniffing and rubbing her eyes. Her face was red, both with tears and her anger. "I don't know anything about you anymore!" Neri snapped back. She was not willing to give up on her anger just yet. "Didn't you say that yourself? The T'rel I knew is gone."
"And I don't want your comfort!" she said, trying to push his arm away, though unsuccessfully. "I want you to confront your problems and deal with them in a healthy way, instead of punishing yourself and your friends."
While she was hardly at a happy place about her brother and father, she had at least friends who were helping her through it. Or, rather, she had friends. Most of them were in Igen now, or Ista Hold, where she was from. She thought she had friends here too (and she did, have R’yn at least) that’s why, when she saw T’rel needed help, she’d acted like a real friend, instead of just telling him what he wanted to hear. Yet, immediately, all he did was attack her. Maybe she was wrong to think that such friendships could last after so many turns.
While all this was going on, Bayeth was in her mind, trying to sooth her.
I am coming to meet you, Neri, Love. Just get that one to show me the location.
Neri didn't feel like asking Zelith (or T'rel, for that matter) to do anything, after what he said to her. But after several attempts to cool her head long enough to send Bayeth a clear picture, she gave up and asked him anyway.
"Show Bayeth where we are." she said.
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Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2012 8:24 pm
"I did say that, didn't I?" T'rel mused with a sigh. "I don't know what to tell you, Neri. I'm not the same man you left, no." He shrugged, hesitating. "But I haven't changed that much. I could never..." Another hesitation, and he hung his head. "I still remember what you were like as a candidate, and I suppose I expected to see that girl when you came to meet me. You've changed too, Neri. You certainly aren't the same girl I met so many turns ago. We've both had our pains and griefs. They've changed us. Pain often does. That doesn't mean...That doesn't--"
Another hesitation, and he pulled his hand from her cheek. "I'm sorry," he muttered. "I didn't mean to seem too forward." He handed her the hankercheif. "I haven't been punishing my friends," he protested. "But I said I'd confront my problems, didn't I? Let's start with this one. I'm sorry, Neri. I didn't want to see you so we could argue. I really have missed you. Your jokes--seeing you smile." He put a hand to her cheek, shaking his head.
"Things have happened. You've grown up. That doesn't mean I don't still see you as that playful candidate that used to tease R'yn about Impressing a green."
Wait, Bayeth. Ours are talking more calmly now. I will give you the image. Wait. Let us see what they do.
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Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2012 4:36 pm
Very well. said Bayeth. I will wait. A peaceful resolution will be best for all. But if Yours upsets Mine any further, I will come for her.
Neri smiled weakly. "I'm not so different." she said. "Maybe you're just remembering me too well."
She reached for the handkerchief, but hesitated when he pulled his hand away. Finally, she just wiped away the rest of her tears away with the back of her sleeve. "You don't have to worry about that." Neri said, with a slight laugh, at his mention of being too forward. "That's not the problem."
She looked up at T'rel. Anger forgotten, she just remembered the concern she had felt for him before. She leaned forward and put a hand on his arm, and squeezed it comfortingly. "The problem is, this is supposed to be about you. You need to tell people about you problems. and not try to hide it when you're sad." She shook her head astonishedly. "I don't know how could have come out so wrong, or how to you took it the wrong way, but all I'm trying to say is that you can rely on others a little more. You don't need to do this alone."
"I suppose that's something I need to work on too," she said, thinking about how she had planned not to tell T'rel about her family, because she didn't want to worry him. She shook her head. "I don't know. Maybe we can both help each other."
At the mention of R'yn, Neri broke into a grin. "I know. And still that boy had the nerve to impress a bronze and go on to be weyrleader!"
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Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2012 7:37 pm
"Perhaps," T'rel agreed with a small smile. "Perhaps I haven't changed as much as I seem to have, either. We're both coming here, expecting things to be the same as when we left them." He hesitated, and then frowned slightly. "Neri, sometimes... Sometimes people have to face their troubles on their own. Sometimes that's the only way they know it's real. If I went to talk to my friends about it and brought them down with me--" he hesitated, shrugging. "But you know? I have a friend I trust with my deepest feelings. We play music together. Sing, sometimes. Oh, she's talented!" He smiled at the memory. He often looked forward to spending time in his Weyr, with her to keep him company.
"It's sometimes easier to share emotions through music," he added. "Speaking--I've always been good at it. Z'iv's better," he grinned at the thought of outspeaking his silver-tongued friend. The trader could talk better than a harper! "So I do, with Lute. She's easy to be open with."
He shook his head. "Poor R'yn. So much responsibility. It would have been better if T'rin's bronze had flown Calith."
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Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2012 7:53 pm
Neri smiled. This was the first good news she was hearing since speaking with him! "T'rel! That's great." she said, beaming. She listened to him talk about his friend. So she played and sang? And she was talented! "Oh, wow." Neri said, impressed. She put a great amount of faith into T'rel's tastes as a musician. She had often found he had impeccable taste on the matter; it was one of the few Neri almost never disagreed with him on. So she highly anticipated anyone T'rel called talented. "I would love to hear her play, then." she said.
"That's great." Neri said again, when T'rel mentioned opening up to her. "Really! That makes me feel so much better, knowing you have someone you can talk to." Neri smiled, utterly relieved. And here she thought T'rel was stuffering all alone! Really! He should have said something sooner. She thought, with a playful grin. "So.. when do I get to meet the mystery woman? Is she here at the Weyr?" she asked.
As to R'yn, Neri shrugged. "You know, I was worried myself. But talk about someone who's changed! I really thought R'yn would be the same immature, slightly selfish boy I left, but he's really come into his own as a leader. He's not the person I remember, but in a good way."
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Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2012 8:14 pm
"I'll ask her," he told Neri with a bright smile. "Maybe she'll come soon. She often does. Whenever I'm alone. Whenever I need her, really. She appears. She's talented like that." He paused, and gave another smile. "I'm sure she'd like you, Neri. I've told her about you--about all the candidates back when when I was Weyrleader." He didn't want Neri to think he'd said anything bad, certainly; so it wouldn't do to have her feel like she was singled out in his conversations.
"She's at the Weyr," he said with a nod. "I don't know what she's doing," he looked thoughtful for a moment. "Probably getting something to eat, knowing her. Then she'll come to my weyr, and we'll play together. We always do."
"He's matured quite a bit," T'rel said, shaking his head slightly. "I miss his pranks."
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Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2012 8:32 pm
"Uh.. huh." Neri said, not sure how to respond. Alone.. When he was in need.. Well, that was alright. But 'appears'. Neri tilted her head and smiled at him, utterly bewildered. "Uh.. I think I'm missing something." She couldn't tell if T'rel was teasing her or not. Maybe he was just being intentionally vague in his wording, but the way he was talking it was as if he were seeing a vision, or a ghost!
Neri leaned back frowning and scratched the back of her neck. She was trying to understand. "Wait, T'rel, I'm confused. Who is this person?" She was certain by now that T'rel was just playing with her, or maybe he was just oblivious to what he was saying and what it sounded like. Still, she wanted to make sure everything was.. alright. She didn't think he was the sort to imagine something, but then again, how could she really know?
For now though, she just went along, assuming the best. "Oh! Would it be alright if I wait for her then? I wouldn't want to intrude, but I'd really love to meet her." she asked. "How was it the two of you met?" she went on, interested.
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Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2012 9:06 pm
"My closest friend, I told you," T'rel beamed at her, completely oblivious to Neri's confusion. "We've been friends since we were young. I'm sure if I send Harper to get her, she'll come and then you can meet her." He was curious as to why the greenrider seemed so interested in meeting his friend. "I met her in the Harper Hall. As an apprentice. We were in the same classes," he explained with another smile. "She tends to appear whenever she feels I'll need her most, you know?"
He hesitated, and looked around the Weyr carefully. "Maybe she's already here," he muttered for Neri's benefit. "She can be sneaky, sometimes. Lute? We have a guest!" He shook his head, sighing. "She's not here, Neri. You might have to wait a while. She's cautious around strangers."
He hoped his harper friend would be there soon. He was looking forward to playing a new song with her that evening.
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Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2012 2:06 pm
"Well, come now, give me the whole story." Neri prompted, dissatisfied with his explanation. "I'm naturally curious about the girl who could capture the great T'rel's heart." she teased, laughing. "How old is she? Is she a rider here? You say you met at the Harper Hall, but I don't remember anyone from Ista who goes by that name. Did she arrive here after I was gone? How long has she been at Ista?" Neri said, asking all the things he had left out.
"Oh, it doesn't have to be now." Neri said, waving off his over to send Harper to go find her. "I don't want to inconvenience her, or you." Neri looked around curiously at his suggestion that she was in the room already. She hoped the girl didn't feel like she needed to be cautious around her. "Don't worry about it." Neri smiled.
"But.. I would love to hear her play." Neri repeated. She smiled warmly at her friend. "It's been too long since I've heard you play too, T'rel. I missed that in Igen. Really I did"
While the two riders talked, Bayeth made her way up to the balcony anyway. She greeted Zelith before going over to Neri, and nudging her rider gently in the back of the head. For once, Neri heard that sweet purr that Bayeth so often put on for others, instead of her usual hiss. It was rare, yet when Bayeth spoke to her like that, it was the most genuine and warming feeling in the world. Neri, Neri, I'm sorry I wasn't listening earlier, but I'm here now. I'll always be here for you. Don't fret, Mine. she said, nudging Neri in the back as she spoke. Clearly, Bayeth was desiring Neri's attention.
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Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2012 2:50 pm
T'rel smirked mischeviously at Neri's questions. "Captured my heart?" he repeated, shaking his head. "No, she's a good friend of mine. She's twenty-six, a few months older than I am. She's a rider, yes. Of green Rumith. Rumith's nine turns, and she was here a turn before Impressing--so she's been here for ten. She is awfully distant towards those she doesn't know, I'm not surprised you haven't met her."
"It's been a long time," he agreed with a nod. "I'll happily play for you, anytime. There's going to be a gather soon. I'm supposed to play then. You could come this evening--Lute'll be here then. We usually meet up during the evenings to play." He gave a bright smile. "We might even take requests."
He looked to Bayeth. "She is beautiful," he admired the green. "Just as I thought she'd be. She wants your attention," he added with another smile. "You should go then. I'll see you tonight."
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Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2012 6:34 pm
"A gather?" Neri's face brightened up. She loved such occasions. "I can't wait! Although I'll have to steal you away from your music at some point, for a dance." she said, grinning.
At her nudging, Neri reached back and rubbed her dear dragon on the neck. Bayeth's head snaked over Neri's shoulder and over the back of the couch, so that it was nearly of Neri's lap. She was like an attention-starved feline, suddenly desperate for her love, which she had so recently brushed aside. Neri rubbed the green's eyeridges and craddled her head in her arms. If only she could be like this all the time, she was thinking!
"It seems so." Neri agreed, though with a bite of sarcasm in her voice. Bayeth had always had a problem sharing Neri. She never wanted Neri's attention, until she didn't have it, then she needed it. "I need to finish unpacking anyway. I still haven't seen my weyr yet."
Oh, it's quite nice. Bayeth said. Gareth already showed me.
Why was she not surprised?
"Alright!" she concluded, standing up. "I'll see you tonight, then." she said, and hugged him goodbye, before leaving with Bayeth to go to their weyr.
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