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 Posted: Sun Oct 11, 2009 9:58 pm
J'lin sighed and stretched, holding the position before relaxing. Becoming a junior Weyrling was already paying off. He didn't wake up with the kinks and sores from sleeping on pebbles a prankster slipped into his bed, and his lessons weren't as tedious as he expected. In fact, the bed was more comfortable than his old one.
JAAAAAAYLIIIIIIIIN!
He suppressed a groan. That was perhaps the worst bit of it: Deprith's demanding call for attention now. He couldn't blame her, though. She was female. But to be treated like this, to expect to wait hand and foot on her! He scowled. Considering her high-and-mighty attitude, he was surprised she wasn't a gold given how spoiled and demanding she was. He wondered why His didn't ever call him “mine” or “hers,” instead of using his full name. And when that was used...
J'lin! I have been waiting for you! Deprith called, rising from their assigned bed to stare and watch him.
“What? I just finished my lessons. Do you need another escort outside?” At least that was a plus with Deprith. Whenever she did her business, she at least waited until she was outside to do it. It beat having to scoop and scrub the floors! Or at least, that's what happened to a previous Candidate, if what he heard was true.
Deprith snorted, lashing her tail as a hint of orange crept into her eyes, Do not make assumptions, J'lin! Mind your tongue. She spread her wings and flapped them, buffering her rider with the resulting wind. My hide itches, J'lin. Come here and oil it.
Yep. Deprith might as well be gold in color to match her own belief that she was. “Then scratch it yourself!” J'lin retorted, crossing over to his bunk and sitting down on it. “You've got claws. Why should I do that for you?”
Her reply came in the form of a headbutt, knocking him onto his back. Oil. Now.
“Agh! Fine! You win! Just let me up!” The boy replied, reaching up and grabbing one of her horns. Much to her chagrin, he used this to pull himself up, letting go only once he regained his footing.
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Posted: Sun Oct 11, 2009 10:31 pm
Padding through the Weyrling Barracks, Amelia was on the way to retrieve some more oil for her sleeping gold. The young queen had enjoyed a rather lengthly session of massage this time around but Amelia still wasn't certain if she was doing it right. As eager as she was to learn, the ex-excavator couldn't help but feel out of her depth. She'd missed the candidate's lessons and so had to catch up in terms of knowledge to the others...
And she felt that she wasn't being good enough for Sharath, the poor thing itched frequently and Amelia worried it was failure on her part to properly oil Sharath's hide.
It was then she heard the pair fighting and peered into their little enclosure curiously, "Are you okay...?"
The concern that had flickered across her conciousness was picked up by the sensitive gold and the queen padded out of her weyr to come up behind the weyrling, head poking around her side but her gaze was sleepy. Why did you leave Mine? I was sleeping... did they bother you...? Her gaze whirled orange at that, and she cast a disapproving look at Deprith, gathering her thoughts to berate the young green.
Amelia, however, was beginning to sense these moments and put a hand on Sharath's snout, drawing her attention away from Deprith, "What? No. I was getting oil for you. They didn't do anything but shout."
She nodded and yawned, jaws opening hugely before snapping shut with a click, I see. Mine, I am itchy, oil me some more. Her neck was twitching and so were her shoulders, drawing a concerned look from Amelia as she leaned to check those spots. No cracks... good but... "Already? Again? I'm sorry Sharath... I don't think I'm doing it right..."
Worry plain upon her features, she turned to J'lin, "Do you have any spare oil?"
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Posted: Sun Oct 11, 2009 10:48 pm
J'lin froze, and the sense of guilt Deprith projected to him wasn't helping. He didn't need any prodding from the green to apologize – and quickly. “Sorry!” He said, waving away her concern. “We – I? No, both of us weren't aware that there was someone else here at this time. We're fine, fine – we do this all the time, Goldrider. Amelia, was it?”
But not enough to get some sense, Deprith commented privately, before stiffening as Sharath appeared. While the green thought of herself as the best of the best of the greens, Deprith was wise enough to forgo her airs around the gold. She looked away, her orange eyes beginning to tint yellow as Sharath's own turned orange.
Both shared a sigh of relief as Amelia stepped in, before fading to a quizzical look from J'lin. “Oil? Yeah, I'm pretty sure I have some...” He turned to his bunk and reached under it, pulling out a wooden box. The box was left over from his apprentice days – telltale cracks here and there were filled with resin and coated with paint. It was one of his early works, and he had been allowed to keep it after repairing it.
From here he pulled out a jar, closing the box and carefully shoving it back into place. “Um,” he began, rushing on before Deprith could stop him, “You're not from around here, right? Are you taking care of Sharath all right? I mean, not to pry or anything but is it true that you weren't trained as a Candidate? It looks like you could use some help.”
Jaylin! What did I tell you earlier about making assumptions?! Deprith moaned, turning her whirling yellow eyes to Sharath. I'm sorry, the silly foolish fool of a boy simply does not understand how to be polite. We are working on correcting this, however – I and J'lin apologize for J'lin's behavior.
“Heeey.” J'lin whined, looking to his bonded. “It's not that I mean it! It's just that, well... you see...” He fought with himself to come up with an excuse, then finally shrugged in defeat.
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Posted: Sun Oct 11, 2009 11:24 pm
Amelia waved her hand, "No, it's okay. I've been assigned to a weyr that's attached to the Weyrling Barracks for now. It just means we're by ourselves instead of out here with everyone else... I'm not entirely sure why, though." She pursed her lips and looked over at Sharath.
You are a goldrider, it is befitting our rank, Mine. We do not belong out here. The gold snorted, thinking the answer were obvious. When the oil was produced, Sharath nudged Amelia gently aside and extended her neck to sniff at the oil as if passing judgment on it before nodding ever so slightly.
However, said nod was cut off as Jaylin spoke and the queen's eyes whirled orange with irritation, Amelia was born and raised here, greenrider. She knows this place better then you. It would be in your best interest not to question Mine. She takes good care of me and is above your criticism. Obviously offended by the supposed questioning of her rider, the queen flared her wings in the small space and loomed over J'lin.
Amelia, stunned, only watched for a moment as Sharath did not hesitate to speak to another on her behalf. Didn't dragons not... do that? At all? "Sharath...." As the gold stepped again, Amelia moved and put herself before the greenrider, staring right into the angry queen's eyes, "Sharath! Stop it! Nobody knows me because I was an excavator. You know that! Now back off!" Raising both hands, she pushed at the gold's nose and stubbornly engaged in a pushing war as her dragon grumbled.
The green's words, however, helped to soothe the annoyed dragonet and she backed up at last, No one questions you when it comes to me, Mine. No one.
"Shh. He wasn't trying to hurt - he's trying to help. Did you not see that oil? Or hear him? He wants to help me. So I can be the best for you. Okay...?" Amelia patted Sharath's nose, peering at her as she waited for the nod that said the gold would not punish the foolish rider.
Sighing in relief, she brushed her pants off and turned around, embarassed, "I'm sorry... Thank you for your help. And no, I went to see the Hatching and go back with stories... and ended up bringing Sharath home to my parents. I'm a journeyman Excavator, actually... or, er, I suppose I was. Anything you can tell me to help?"
While she spoke, Sharath looked to Deprith, Yours should learn his place, Deprith. Do correct his rudeness.
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Posted: Sun Oct 11, 2009 11:42 pm
As the queen's words struck him, J'lin scrambled back and sat down on his bed with a loud THMP!, clearly intimidated. That was close. Too close, he thought, clenching in blankets and watching as the rider settled her dragon down. He was envious of how efficient she handled her. She could handle her. He and Deprith... well...
Foolish Jaylin! Deprith snapped privately, her eyes darkening to a mixture of red and orange. Do not act so brash, so stupidly typical MALE around the queen! Did you see what trap your flapping tongue could have ensnared you in? Do you? When will you learn to stop and THINK young man?! Continuing to act like this can and WILL lead to dire consequences, as you have just experienced! What if Amelia wasn't here, hm? Do you think I would have stepped in? No! That would be YOUR mistake and therefore YOU are to be responsible for the consequences! The dragoness shook herself, then snapped her jaws as she added, You were just asked a question. Sit up straight and close your mouth! Are you trying to invite the flies in?
J'lin winced as his dragon's words stung him, a blush already spreading across his cheeks. “I, um, sorry.”
Speak louder. “Sorry” doesn't count. Apologize.
He coughed, “I apologize. I...” J'lin shook his head. “Must've been quite a shock, huh? I'm... still getting used to it. And I really mean it – apologizing, that is. But, um...” He looked to Deprith, then back to Amelia, afraid to meet Sharath's gaze. “I couldn't help but to notice that... That Sharath,” here he dragged his gaze over to the dragoness, prompted to do so by his dragon. “She mentioned about being itchy? I don't think you're oiling her right, since a dragon's hide is very important.” He took a deep breath and continued, “Improper oiling doesn't leave them itchy, since a dried out hide can cause painful cracks, and cold can get into the cracks. It doesn't seem like much now, but a dragon with such a hide that goes in Between, well...” He finished with a shrug. “How do you oil her?”
To Sharath, Deprith dipped her head respectfully low. Oh, he shall, she promised venomously, I shall give him a lashing that will drill humility into him, even if I must slash his clothes from threat to thread!
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Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 12:10 am
Sharath merely snorted derisively at J'lin, obviously accepting the apology only because he spoke several times and she felt he meant it. If he hadn't... she rumbled warningly. Amelia eyed her dragon and set a hand on the gold's shoulder to comfort her, I don't think J'lin will be saying anything like that again, Sharath, don't worry.
"Yeah... it was a shock. I thought... maybe that blue wanted me but he walked away and found another." She laughed, "I never imagined Sharath would want me. It's a good feeling."
Amelia nodded at the mention of being itchy, "I've done what they said in lessons, but... here!" She blinked and grinned, turning to regard Sharath, "Lay down please? Let's oil you here, hmn?" She saw no reason not to but the gold refused to sit and shook her head.
I will lay down in our room. They can come if you wish. With that, she turned and began walking back to the weyr they'd been assigned.
Amelia frowned at the retreating form of Sharath and shook her head, "Or not... You've really annoyed her, apparently. C'mon, let's go to my room, there's lotsa floor space in there and you can show me with Deprith here. Is that okay?" She glanced to the green, as if asking permission.
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Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 12:24 am
Very lucky. Very, very, very lucky, J'lin told himself, earning a flicker of approval from Deprith. Now he was getting it! Now all J'lin had to do was watch himself very, very carefully from now on... and pray that the gold queen could forgive him!
J'lin fidgeted at Amelia's apparent pleasure in bonding. A good feeling? With a dragoness like that? He still wasn't sure what to think, with Deprith. Another entity, constantly watching you... Ugh! He needed some alone time to sort that out.
Deprith studied her rider, sending him soothing thoughts. Was there a hint of smug satisfaction? Yes, there was. She was pleased with the turn of events, as wretched as they were -- her eyes still held their orange hue, wavering between that and green.
That doesn't surprise me, she said, glancing at the retreating queen and her rider. I do not think Sharath will be pleased if I were to trespass into her domain. However, I think she would like it less if J'lin touched her, therefore I shall accompany you and assist where I am needed. Jaylin. The boy looked at his green, flushed, and looked away. Do not embarrass me, and mind your tongue!
J'lin stood up, taking a deep breath to steady himself. "Um, after you," he said, gesturing in Sharath's direction.
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Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 12:55 am
Amelia smiled and shook her head, "Actually, she said you could come if I wanted you to... which means, I think, she's willing to share space with you. After all," She chuckled, bemused at how her dragon separated everybody into individuals rather then pairs, "she's annoyed with J'lin and not you."
When J'lin gestured, Amelia nodded and lead the way to their weyr. It was sparse for now, consisting of a round room with space for Sharath, some drawers and furniture opposite her ledge and a portal into a private bedroom for Amelia that was equally spartan - just a bed and a dresser.
Sharath had curled up int eh very center of her ledge and looked for all the world like a large sculpture set upon a dais. Which, Amelia suspected, was the effect the queen was going for and couldn't help the laugh that escaped her as she lead the other pair in. "Sharath, I've brought them. I want to oil you now, okay? So stop grumping and stretch out." Without hesitating, Amelia stepped up onto the dais and nudged her dragon.
For anyone else other then a goldrider such an action was potentially very very dangerous. But Amelia seemed unaware of that distinction as she dropped into a crouch beside Sharath.
Nonetheless, the gold lifted her head and tilted it as Amelia obligingly scratched her along the neck ridges with a smile, You want to oil me? That would be nice, Mine. I am itchy.
Glancing up, she gestured with her free hand as Sharath stretched out and deliberately took up as much of the space of the dais as possible, "Come in~ What's first?" Rising, she moved over to J'lin and grinned at him, obviously eager to learn.
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Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 1:13 am
Deprith tilted her head to one side and considered, before nodding in agreement. I see. I do not blame her, personally. J'lin has a lot to learn. She shifted from her place and walked beside J'lin, who wisely kept his mouth shut.
Inside the goldrider and her dragoness' quarters, J'lin looked around. Even though it was sparse, J'lin was impressed. He wouldn't know what to do with so much space, though – everything he needed was secured in a couple of small wooden boxes that were old and in a frighten condition. One careless tail-whack from Deprith could send one into splinters, hence their storage beneath his bed.
The pair stopped at the edge of the dais. Deprith remained where she was, unwilling to risk the ire of the queen by trying to scoot her over to share the space and J'lin not wanting to ire the gold more than he already did. “We-ll,” he began, “Since our dragons are young, they're going to need to be oiled a lot. One of the riders that taught me how to care for a dragon suggested to always have a pot of oil on hand, and since Sharath is going to grow...” He considered, “I think you'd best take two jars of oil from the supply cabinet. Dragons take a lot of baths and need their hides oiled, since they growing so fast.”
Good, good! Deprith praised, her eyes whirling a pleased green. And then? What comes next, J'lin? At least she wasn't using his full name anymore.
“I've been running my hands over Deprith before I oil her,” he admitted, reaching out to His and scratching her behind one of her knobs. “She tells me what itches the most, and I feel for the driest patches. Like...”
My shoulder itches, J'lin. Deprith offered, turning. He nodded then stepped back, rubbing one shoulder then the other.
“C'mere and feel her. Can you feel the difference? One side's smooth and soft, the other feels... Rough? It's hard to describe, and it's better to feel and learn that way. How do you oil to Sharath? Do you use your hands...?”
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Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 10:35 am
As J'lin began to speak, Sharath's gaze settled on him, obviously expecting him to say something foolish again and watchful for it. Still, her eyes whirled mostly green and for that Amelia was relieved - as long as Sharath was treated how she thought to be treated, the young queen seemed to be content. It just bothered Amelia slightly that she was always so forceful about making rank known... they all lived and worked together did they? No one person was innately better then another.
"Two jars...? Alright." She nodded and paid close attention as J'lin spoke, though she hesitated when she was invited to stroke Deprith. "Are you certain? And I use my hands and an oil cloth to rub down Sharath, I don't think I'm using quite enough though. She'll be fine for a while and then gets really itchy again..." It never occured to her that because Sharath was a gold she might grow faster then the other dragonets, she was simply concerned with caring for the young dragon properly - gold or not.
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Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 5:04 pm
The boy nodded, certain. “Yeah! See, you'll want to be able to oil the dry areas first, since they're the itchiest places. It also helps conserve oil – once you get the itchy places out of the way, then you can go pick up more oil later without your partner being uncomfortable.” Deprith's eyes were whirling a pleased green-blue at that. Even if they argued constantly, J'lin's pride concerning his Dragonrider status did not allow him to get careless when it came to taking care of his bonded. Then again, most likely Deprith verbally scalded him the first time he did this to the point where he made sure to remember.
He paused, considering. “Some of the oil might be absorbing into your hands? I personally use just a cloth and rub it into Deprith in a circular motion, like...” He held up his hand and made a motion akin to polishing. “It takes a bit longer, but I use every last little bit of oil that I can this way.” J'lin shrugged. “Means less trips to the supply cabinet for me, though that'll probably change once Deprith grows larger.”
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Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 5:48 pm
Amelia nodded, eagerly looking on before smoothing her hand over Deprith's hide, "Sorry if my hands are rough... they're calloused from my craft." She smiled apologetically and compared the two areas J'lin had shown and could not help but note the difference in size between gold Sharath and green Deprith.
"I wonder... I don't think I'll be able to reach everywhere on Sharath for very long..." Amelia murmured, "She's already so big..." Glancing over her shoulder as she stood again and rubbing the headknob of Deprith briefly, the new goldrider seemed in awe of her bondmate.
Whuffling with amusement at Amelia, Sharath smiled, I will always help you, Mine. You need only to ask. But- Her faceted gaze settled on J'lin and that smile faded away, Only you and not riders like him. Loud and rude - they should respect you better. I approve only so long as you feel he is helping.
Amelia's gaze narrowed and she stood, tromping over to the gold as she rolled her sleeves up. The pale skin almost glowed in the light of the mock-weyr and had her hair not been done up in the messy bun she might have been beautiful - though she was far from frail. Strong muscles flexed as she wrestled playfully with the queen, "What have I told you? That's really rude, Sharath! If they don't know better, you shouldn't try to eat anyone." As the gold rose to meet her rider, engaging in a brief push-war, Sharath nickered something akin to a laugh, "But, like I've said, if they have been a cur, I'll be just as angry as you my friend."
Sharath snorted, I would not eat a human but I would make sure they knew I was able to.
Amelia shook her head, "I've no doubt of that." Seriousness settled back in and the goldrider fetched the oil from J'lin, "Here.... watch me and see if I'm doing it right? I'll try a cloth."
With that, Amelia padded back to Sharath and beckoned for her to settled down so she could oil her shoulders and back, "How much should I use? Until the skin shines or...?"
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Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 6:25 pm
“Huh?” J'lin looked at the future weyrwoman's hands curiously. “What was being an excavator like? Was it rough? I was training to be a wrighter, just to know bits and pieces about everything. Aside from dragons,” he added quickly.
If you paid more attention in class, then you would have. Deprith pointed out, leaning up into Amelia's hand as her headknob was rubbed. Ahh, that was nice. You should be more like her, J'lin.
At the mention of Sharath's size, J'lin nodded. “Yep! Sharath's going to be larger than Deprith and... well, just about all the other dragons,” he admitted, a sense of unease growing in him as Sarath's look seemed to have... well, it was a particular Look that made J'lin feel as if he had done something. Deprith was unaffected, and in fact he could feel a smug satisfaction from her...
“Well,” J'lin began as Amelia began. “I can only speak from experience with Deprith – since she's a lovely green, the most I can glean out of her hide is a soft luster. Metallics, though...” he shook his head, and offered a shrug. “I'd take care of the places that irritate Sharath first to get them out of the way, then take the rest of the time to work oil into the rest of her once those are taken care of. You and Sharath may want to consider finding someone that pleases Sharath to help out in oiling her. I'm not sure exactly what a weyrwoman does, but getting pressured to do work instead of caring for her sounds like something to avoid at all costs.” I certainly don't want to be around when that happens.
Nor do I. Deprith agreed, arching her neck. Though don't you dare consider shirking me in favor of your duties, J'lin!
“Tch! Like I'd do something like that.” J'lin scowled, crossing his arms. “Give me some credit sometime, will ya?”
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Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 6:50 pm
Amelia blinked at the comment and fairly beamed at J'lin. It wasn't often someone asked after her craft - most simply moved on when she said what she did - but when they did... it was blatantly obvious she held a passion for the job and took pride in her work. "Well... excavators build the stonework and foundations of the Weyr. All the rooms were built by excavators - though the ones with the really smooth walls like this one are the oldest. I know how this room was built, where the weight bearing walls are and what aren't... I know how to read stress in walls and pillars and tag them for repairs and how to build tunnels..." She chuckled, "I even know how to handle explosives. My parents are both in the minercraft and I've held a pick in one hand and a stick of explosive in the other since I was practically a baby. Everything I've learned, I've learned from them. This Weyr was built on the backs of excavators and inspired by engineers, though you wouldn't know it with the way most people don't know what excavation entirely entails."
She turned back to the task at hand but did not stop talking, "It's not just chipping away at rock or scultping support pillars - it's also being able to really grasp the knowledge passed down through the crafthall... to calculate loads on walls and ceilings, to know where, where, and how to apply high explosive or which kind of explosive to use... To always keep in mind the tunnels above and below you and how a shift in one might affect the others as well as deciphering the Engineers' schematics and translating those into real space. There's a fair bit of math to it, though I can understand the assumption that there isn't since most of the time we end up hauling rock and tools around underground. Heh, this is the cleanest I've been in weeks... I kind of feel naked without my tools and the dirt from work on my face." She laughed softly.
Nodding as she continued to oil the dragonet, she decided more was better and kept on until the patch she was working on became more shiny then the surrounding area. "You're so pretty Sharath... you'll shine after I'm finished with you thanks to J'lin."
The gold preened at the compliment and actually seemed pleased with the greenrider's comment. And while she wasn't concerned with his name - only Amelia's mattered - she was glad he knew better then to suggest Amelia would endure demands to attend to something other then herself. Preposterous idea, really. As a gold and goldrider, they held authority and... well... the gold's thoughts came full circle as her gaze shifted to Deprith, the other colours needed a leader too... maybe that would call them away from each other sometimes. Right now, she didn't particularly like the idea and whuffled as she nosed Amelia, her fierceness veiled for a moment by heartfelt need to be with her bonded.
Sensing that worry and confusion, Amelia's attention immediately snapped back to the young queen and she leaned forward to give the gold a hug. "Hmn? I'm right here, Sharath. Don't worry. Does your shoulder feel better?"
Sharath nodded, soothed for the moment, and set her head down to study the other pair.
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Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 7:33 pm
J'lin had heard about excavating briefly when he was a younger weyrbrat. The job itself didn't sound appealing to him then, so he didn't pay much mind to it. In fact, all he could remember about it was 'digging through rock.' His eyes studied the cave as she spoke, trying to comprehend her knowledge. It wasn't anything like his: the basic things, such as squeaks and rusts. This... He let out a low whistle, impressed. “How would you go about repairing a pillar?” He asked, latching onto somewhat familiar ground. “I know clay and resin can make patches in a fix, but a crack in a pillar would require heavier stuff, right? Aside from other tunnels and areas, are there things that can prevent digging like different types of rock?”
At her comment about dirt, J'lin snickered. “Yeah, tell me about it.” He said, looking down at his own hands. “I'm used to having my hands covered with grease and being sweaty from working near the forge to make nails.”
The green dragoness snorted. Better for you, I should think! The heat from the forges seems to have gone to your head concerning your manners!
“Better than hitting my head too hard against the eggshell,” J'lin replied, poking his bonded on her head. “At least I did my work!”
Until they stopped looking.
J'lin opened his mouth to reply, then closed it. “I'll give you that.”
JAYLIN!
“What?! I'm not denying it! You said it yourself!” He laughed, trailing off with a shrug. “Maaan. I'm going to have to find a new work ethic now. Pinching someone else's nails isn't going to cut it now, huh?”
Deprith scowled at her bonded, then stretched with one wing to hit him on the back of the head in a light cuff. You better not shame me while you find one, J'lin!
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