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 Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2012 12:58 pm
She'd tried to find the big snarling one since being at Trine, little beach thing it was, but he'd seemed to have melted in with the crowd. Perhaps the curvy girl had hidden him and the bleeding boy with glasses away to prevent further mauling at the hands of whatever. Other whers, maybe.
Either way, she'd keep looking for him, eventually. In the meantime the dusk started to fall in - what? A sevenday after they escaped the revolution. She kept to herself and otherwise out of the way, offering help where needed and trying to go about her own way in the new Weyr. Siata had been born there and had vague memories of splashing around to try and catch creatures to eat, keeping out of fights by dodging around various structures. Dragons, whers, bright waters and eventually the trip to Malvren.
Faint recollections aside, the wingleader kept springing to mind. She'd looked tired and stressed, forced to keep all of them put together in the crap-hole of the infirmary for those days. Weeks? More than one day, that was for sure.
(She was pretty sure Siask ate the dead wher at some point, creepy bronze. A man had to eat, though.)
Fire-forged friends, or something along that effect. At least this time around she wasn't going to puke over slamming some mooks face in with a hammer and had become all clean. Thank everything for being clean, with proper clothes and a wher with an eyepatch under his day-light goggles.
Siata and Siask walked past the main structures, towards the weyrs, eyes peeled for a semi-familiar bright red beast. His eye had become infected along the way, the entirety of it having to be cut out. She replaced it with a glass ball to keep his eyebrow ridges supported, covered it with an eyepatch and, durin times like this, his set of goggles from her forge.
He also wore his muzzle, just in case.
BUT LOOK!
Bright red!
Now in proper boots and clothes not stained with work and blood and shards knew what else, Siata strode up to the weyr as close as she dared (which was not very close), and cupped her hands around her mouth. "Is there a scarred up wingleader in residence? I've come to discuss beer."
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Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2012 1:12 pm
It didn't feel like home, not to her and not to Moriath. Moriath felt it more keenly having never known any other home but... well Malvren had been where she had met that beautiful red dragon, and been born anew. And now it was gone. They had fought, fought with everything they had, but they had still been defeated.
She had killed people. They had been her enemies, trying to kill her and her friends but it still troubled her. She had vomited after the first one, seeing a man's throat laid open by her own hands, and his blood all over them-
But it was over.
Kleos sighed and shifted against her bondmate's flank. It was over, and they had saved as many as they could. It hadn't been enough, she had fallen short of what was needed of her but... but she had tried, and that counted for something didn't it? She felt as though she was just making excuses. Moriath assured her that she bored no fault for how things had come out, that the traitors would always have won given their advantage in the tunnels. The dragon was right - her dragon was near always right - but she hadn't managed to accept that fact yet.
Moriath, half sleeping, sent her a warm feeling of love. She would feel it in the end, Moriath was sure of this.
Kleos' melancholy musings were interrupted abruptly by a voice she hadn't known a month ago, but that was now as familiar to her as any save the voice of her own Moriath. "Siata!" The name was exclaimed with pleasure, and Kleos got quickly to her feet, stepping around her dozing dragon to greet the handler. "Well met! You look very well this evening... and that sounds like a topic I should dearly like to hear more about." A genuine grin lit up the scarred rider's face as she spoke; if there was one way to cheer Kleos up it was to offer her the company of a Lady, especially one she had become most fond of.
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Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2012 1:24 pm
Kleos looked happy. Good. The familiar scarred face looked much too tired the last they spoke and so very different once she'd cleaned up a bit. Looked good, though, especially with that smile. Siata liked smiles. So what. Something like pleasure lacked far too much in the time of the revolution. This was going to be for fun, not for survival.
"I made best friends with some soap and a tub of water, not to mention begging for some clothes that fit. The soap was the best part, though, outside of discovering where the alcohol can be found." Siata grinned, taking a few steps closer to offer out her hand for a friendly shake or... something. She didn't know, but a greeting felt appropriate. "You're looking good yourself. Still very dashing. How is your girl doing?"
Never a very social creature, Siask leaned against his handlers legs briefly before stepping away. He disliked the muzzle, though the wher was smart enough to recognize the fact that without it others may get... antsy. He flopped some armlengths away to the sat, stretched out with his hands on his claws. He'd keep watch while they spoke.
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Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2012 2:21 am
Kleos gave a brief chuckle and ran her hand over her short fuzz of hair, now soft and blonde again rather than thick with dirt and blood. Her fingers encountered a thick scab in the midst of it, healing well now. Another future scar for her collection; she half loved them for what they represented and half hate how they made some people balk at her.
Siata, however, did not balk at her.
"Thank you! I was pleased for a chance to bathe and find fresh clothes myself," Kleos said, lowering her hand and giving Siata another smile. There had been much work to do when they arrived and indeed there still was, but as she had discovered during the siege of Malvren nobody could work without respite day in day out. Everybody needed rest, and there was no shame in that.
"Moriath is well enough," Kleos went on, brushing her fingers briefly over the dozing crimson's shoulder. "She is still healing, and like myself she will have new scars, but she will take no permanent harm from her battles. I am indebted to the dragonhealers for their good work. And Siask? How is he?" The powerful bronze looked quite well; she was glad of that and not just for sake of his handler. The wher was a brute, no doubt of it, but he had been a reassuring presence during those long dark days of conflict.
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Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2012 11:19 am
Siata liked scars as much as she liked tough women, which is to say 'very much'. With her own share of marks, not the least of which crossed down a side of her face, it would be hypocritical otherwise. It meant strength and determination not to die just yet. Being able to back up words with actions was a rare trait in these times so why not surround yourself with those few?
"He's beautiful as ever, just he can pass for a villain in those Harper tales," the wherhandler smiled to her wherlump with obvious affectionj both in her expression and tone. "He's good at adapting. But! He thinks I've been much too solitary, what with the looks we get. So drinks on me and maybe I can get you to tell me how you started on the vast array of scars."
She grinned, mainly because she could and some because she knew damn well that it made her look less like a scarred up brute with a busted nose.
"He won't skulk around after us, I promise, unless you rather he would. I know he makes some people nervous now-a-days..." her smile faltered for a minute but she shrugged it off. "We'll probably get enough without him."
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Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2012 12:00 pm
Kleos shook her head slightly, standing erect with her hands folded behind her back out of habit. "If you would prefer to have him along I have no objection," she replied, and stepping forward she laid a hand on Siata's arm. "I can understand the fear or hate some harbour towards whers now, but that does not make it right. They should strive to overcome their feelings, and they should not be allowed to force you to act as though you or your partner are criminals. You and he are heroes as much as any who struggled to defend our home, and deserve to be treated as such." She spoke with utter seriousness and sincerity; it was clear that she believed every word to be the absolute, irrefutable truth.
Stepping back out of Siata's personal space Kleos raised an arm, and a moment later Ice appeared to land lightly on it. Giving a happy chirp he climbed up to her shoulder and Kleos folded her arms behind her back again. "In any case," she went on, her tones lightening, "shall we go and find those drinks?... I... must confess I'm not much of an experienced drinker but I think I can manage a couple without making a fool of myself!"
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Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2012 12:31 pm
She blinked. While compliments were not exactly new to the smith, she had to admit that this sort of thing was... well, it didn't happen much. Kind comments on her work, low words from a lover, yes, but Kleos' words were different, enough that it took her a few seconds to think of an appropriate response.
Nothing came.
Siata just smiled again. She reached out as well, mirroring Kleos' own move and careful to avoid and wounds she knew of. The head wound was the only one she'd become familar with over the sevendays.
"You're a charmer. Betting you've broken all sorts of hearts," Words weren't good, at least when one had no idea how to use them. "I think he'd prefer to stay here anyway. Solitary beastie, likes the quiet. We can be foolish and he'll never know."
"Nothing wrong with being inexperienced, either way," she added after a moments pause. "I'm easily bored so I'm much too experienced. There's good things to be said about not getting too much into the drink. We won't get you knock down silly, though, don't worry."
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Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2012 12:45 pm
Kleos gave a slightly nervous laugh in response to just about everything Siata had just said. "I have never held a heart that I know of," she said after a pause, her cheeks slightly flushed, more visibly so on the left side of her face than on the Scored right side. "I don't set out to charm," she added, "I speak only as I find, and as I believe; my honour would not allow me to speak falsely to any, let alone to a great comrade and beautiful lady such as yourself."
What was it they were going to drink again? Beer? That didn't seem terribly... refined, but she would not sniff at a friend's offer. Besides, with things as they were Siata had done well to locate alcohol of any sort. "I shall trust your advice to measure myself," Kleos said with a nod for emphasis. "I've only tried beer once before, so really I don't know how much it takes a normal person to get drunk."
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Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2012 1:17 pm
Far be it for Siata to be calling someone a liar, especially if the someone happened to be the Crimsonrider. Kleos didn't appear to be the lying sort - too much honesty and showing things on her face she may not want others to see. The blush, for example, or the weariness back at the infirmary. While she believed that Kleos believed all the things she just said, she couldn't stop the unbidden thought of 'wherrie s**t'.
Scar or not, the girl was nice, strong and brave and much too young to have become embittered by life, too old to not have had at least one person crush on her. And - scar or not - she was nice to look at too. Some may find it offsetting but beyond that there was loveliness. -- Loveliness that had called Siata beautiful, of all people.
Busted up with a face more masculine than most men and built like a brick shithouse did not make for a beautiful woman.
"Weird thing about alcohol is that everyone is different. No ones body is the same, no ones tolerance either. Wine makes me sick and grumpy, beer is for happier times and less hangovers. The better stuff - the stuff I don't think we'll find around here, sadly - is fabulous," Siata shrugged and stepped back, nodding in the general direction of not here. She had faith that Kleos would follow her, walking backwards as she was, even though it was a bit slowly. "If your head starts to hurt, we'll stop. Last thing we need is you, like, screwing over the healing process or something. 'M not sure how all that works but busting a stitch or whatever is not the best way to go about it."
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Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2012 4:43 pm
Kleos nodded hesitantly, reaching up to stroke Ice as he nosed her earlobe. "Of course. Well. I shall just have to be careful and drink at a measured pace." She had seen some people down a whole mug of ale or beer or stars knew what else in just one gulp, or so it looked to her. Still, a lot of people did a lot of uncouth and unwise things so it wasn't much of a surprise.
Walking along beside Siata Kleos realised that she had run out of things to say on the matter of beer for now at least, and sought another topic of conversation. She hit on one before too long and looked up at her companion once more. "For all the time we have spent together over the last few weeks I feel that I know little about you Siata. You are a wherhandler... but also a crafter? Am I correct?" Miner-handler was the most common combination, but she knew that whers were sometimes useful to crafters in other fields.
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Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2012 7:52 pm
"If you're uncomfortable at any point, we'll stop drinking. It's not a big deal, really." She noticed a the hesitance in the younger woman, tucked her hands in her pants pockets. She doesn't saunter, at least, but grins down to the other woman.
Eh? Her smiled widened, large shoulders rising and falling in a shrug. "Yes ma'am. I'm Weyrborn, kicked my butt to Smithcrafting when I was old enough. And dragons... I wanted to be a dragonrider for a while, sort of. The flying thing was cool but you know how some Candidates feel like there has to be one for them? I never felt like that. So, hit up the whers, finished the apprenticeship there and... s**t, that was rambling a lot." She blinked. Right, well, the question had been Crafting. "Right, yes, Journeyman Smithcrafter. When you aren't sure if someone's a smith, check out their face - if they lack eyebrows, they're probably one.
"Did you ever go in for a Craft or were you a Candidate through and through?"
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Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2012 8:08 pm
Kleos laughed; despite her best efforts it was less strong and hearty and more giggle. She would have to work on that she decided, flushing a little at having made such a girlish sound. "I shall be sure to pay attention," she said, still smiling despite her mild embarrassment, "now I know to think of it! Keen observational skills are of course required of a wingleader." This was indeed true, but she meant it here in a lighthearted jovial sense and her tones reflected that.
At the question about her own background Kleos paused, looking distant for a moment and then smiling faintly to herself. "I was a Holder," she began, deciding she could trust Siata with the full story after all they had been through. "My family kept a small amount of land; we were not rich, but there was always food on the table, and new clothes when I needed them.... I was supposed to grow up and marry well - I think my parents thought my looks would buy me a man above our station - but I found that I liked the idea not at all and liked the suitors I was presented with even less. I was defiant to my parents, rudely and brattishly I see now. Perhaps if I had approached them in a more mature fashion things could have been different. In any case, I cut off my long beautiful hair," she ran her hand over the soft blonde fuzz on her head, "and got caught kissing a girl. I was disgraced, and only too glad when a seachdragon selected me. My parents were furious with how I had behaved, but they loved me and wanted me to have a chance at happiness elsewhere so they let me go. I was fortunate enough to Impress Moriath the first time I stood, and I have since repaired my relationship with my parents; we write to one another often."
Her stomach twisted very slightly as she recalled that she was expecting a reply to her most recent letter. Having confirmed that they were well and she was well after the loss of Malvren she had tried to persuade them to move to Trine, for who knew how well Malvren's territories would be defended now? She hoped they would see sense, but feared that their attachment to home and neighbors would win the day.
Shaking her head she looked up at Siata and smiled slightly again. "I think I rambled rather more than you, my lady."
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Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2012 8:47 pm
"You are a mighty wingleader. I have absolutely no doubt of that." Siata chuckled, her eyes bright with Kleos and her almost giggle. "And you have a very nice laugh. Has anyone told you that?"
Probably not. Maybe she didn't want her giggle commented on. Either way, Siata liked it, figured she'd bring it up. And, then, Kleos spoke about herself. Through all their weeks together, the time for talking of their asts things like childhood, it never came up. Something about keeping yourself alive meant it was hard to be thinking of the past and the happines then.
"That sounds rough," she said after a long moment. Her hand dips to touch Kleos' elbow, steering the young woman towards the little discreet area she'd gotten the alcohol. ... if she could remember where. Damnit. "I think being bratty when your future is planned exactly how you don't want it is understandable. Especially when you're young, you know? It's good you're talking to them, now. Do they mind your hair is still short? It's still beautiful and, bah, your story is far more interesting. I'm sure you have loads of adventures to back it up."
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Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2012 9:01 pm
Kleos was more comfortable giving out compliments than receiving them, but this wasn't an unpleasant discomfort; it made her stomach twist in awkward but heart-warming ways, and brought a bit more colour to her cheeks too. "Oh, I, well thank you. I'm not sure that they have. Umm...." Wingleaders should not um! A pause was acceptable but one should never 'um', it wasn't dignified.
"I... well it all seemed terrible at the time, and I should not have liked to stay in the situation," she said after a pause, nibbling unconsciously on a nail as she thought back to those miserable months. "I do not believe they would have forced me into marriage in the end," she noticed she was biting her nail, and quickly lowered her hand; there was another habit to break! "But um... well I suppose my reaction was understandable, even though it was not admirable. I was but sixteen at the time." Running her hand over her hair again she smiled ruefully up at Siata. "My mother still minds, but my father councils her that it isn't practical for me to wear it so given I must wear a riding helm... um... and my thanks, again. You really are too kind to me. As for adventures," a slight shrug and a small grin, "I suppose you could say I had my share, back when then hunt for mystweed was on and indeed since through all this turmoil.... I am glad to have shared this latest adventure with you, Siata. I am not sure I would stand here today if not for you."
She was sure the towering lady had saved her life on several occasions, and indeed that she had returned the favour. Before the battle for Malvren she had tended to go for the soft, sweet, gentle sort of lady but those desperate days had given her a great appreciation of a lady who could look after herself, who could protect as well as being protected.
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Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2012 9:42 pm
Siata tended to attracted the soft, sweet, gentle sort of young ladies, few ever noticing that even though she had a loud laugh and spoke before thinking most times that she could be gentle and sweet too. Two out of three weren't horrible odds, were they? She liked interesting, herself, whether it was a woman who had a talent for weaving intricate patterns, or one that could weave patterns in the air with a sword. Interesting, beautiful, smart. She liked those, as rough around the edges as she tended to be.
"Were you on the whole mystweed search, then?" Her eyebrows arched. Politics failed to interest her, all of the things going on far, far beyond what she had the capacity to give a s**t about. The last part, though... The wherhandler smiled and paused in her trek. Siata reached out and laid her hand on Kleos' shoulder. She squeezed, gently, and pulled back with an easy smile. "I am too. We'd be a bit battered and bruised if it weren't for the other, I think. Shards, if it weren't for you, someone probably would've knifed me instead of letting me into the infirmary."
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