|
Post by Cilnah on Nov 16, 2008 19:58:12 GMT -5
[[From the Dragonrider Weyrs...]]
A soft, nearly gentle smile passed across N'ryl's lips as he watched Toni and Gryth. It was a long time since he had last felt that bit of contentment that settled in his chest. Startled, Gryth's head turned to look at his rider, though he didn't lift it from it's place on the floor in front of the girl. It simply made the Blue's determination even stronger to get His past his insecurities and talking with the one person who had made him happy in ages.
And then the Rider's mouth was gaping, a deep red blush forming over his cheeks. His jaw worked silently as his eyes darted across the room, anywhere but resting on the girl who had just been claimed to love him. "I...Uhm.... I...." He continued to stammer for a good half a moment before she bowed and took her leave. He only managed a nod and a squeaky "Of course!" before they were gone.
And he promptly flopped down on his sleeping furs, burying his face in them and forcing his chest to move, as his breaths had been shallow and uneven since Toni had first appeared in his weyr. It hadn't helped when he'd seen her smile so warmly at Gryth. "Shard it all, Gryth, why did you have to pick such a pretty girl's dragon?" he muttered into his bedding, shaking his head in resignation.
Come on, N'ryl-mine. We can't keep the girls waiting.
With another soft sigh, he nodded, and rolled from the bed, stalking over to his chest and pulling out a clean pair of older trousers. They were worn and faded, but still fit well, and served his purpose. And of course, his dragon didn't need anything, so he grabbed a towel and slung it over his bare torso."Well, let's go then." he muttered, pulling himself up onto the Blue's back.
Just a short ride later, they were landing next to the lake, and he paused to watch Toni settling her things about before slipping down onto the sands and walking slowly over to the pair. "I apologize for the wait, Miss Toni, Mosawyth," he said with a small bow. He looked over her once appreciatively, then quickly looked away, not wanting to be offensive. But something in his quick glance registered slightly late in his brain and, his eyes wide, he turned back to her.
"Toni!" N'ryl couldn't stop himself. He stepped quickly forward the few paces that separated them, forgetting that the girl was weary of him, and reached out, gently placing his hands on her waist. In an instant, he was kneeling in front of her, studying the purple and blue splotches on her hips. There was silence for the moments that he looked at the bruises, and then slowly, very slowly, he softly placed his hands over the marks, and his eyes closed as they fit perfectly with the curve of his own fingers.
The Bluerider's head fell fell forward, pressing softly against Toni's stomach. He's shoulder's shook as he tried desperately to control his breathing, but it was no use. He gasped, and then a very soft sob escaped from his chest. His fingers curled into fists, and he shook his head, whimpering uncontrollably in the back of his throat.
From his place in the shallows, Gryth's head jerked up, and in two seconds flat he was next to the boy, his snout pressed against N'ryl's back.
What is it Mine?! What's happened? Are you hurt? What is it? Mine? Mine?
The tirade of questions came as N'ryl sat back on his heels, and covered is face in his hands. "I'm so sorry. I hurt you... I'm so sorry! Please forgive me. I didn't realize! Please, please..."
|
|
|
Post by .K.aci on Nov 16, 2008 20:49:53 GMT -5
Wyth, as you could have guessed, was very proud of herself as they winged away from the stammering boy. The fact that she had made him incoherent as he made Her's... It sent a warm fuzzy feeling through her heart.
'I apologize for the wait, Miss Toni, Mosawyth.' Mosawyth snorted and slipped back underwater to where she watched Gryth with one large eye, and Toni nodded. She wanted to know if he had been insulted by Mosawyth, or was bored being here, and she peered upwards through her lashes to try and read his expression. He looked at her once, then flicked away, and she bit her lip. She wasn't really pretty she knew, but he must /really/ not want to be here, he probably was cursing her sharding dragon...
So enthralled in her panicking she didn't notice him look back until, the loudest she had ever heard him, 'Toni!' Her own eyes wide, her head flew up to look at the much taller male, taking in his shocked expression and wide eyes. Oh no, oh no, something was wrong, something had been - Was he moving closer to her? So startled she was, she didn't realize that he was that close until he was touching her, big hands on her waist. She flinched, and went to move back, but he was gentle and suddenly kneeling infront of her.
Shock dictated she not move, watching and trying to figure out what on Pern was going on. His head was level with her stomach, and she had curled herself as far away from him as she could without actually moving. Later she would tell herself she had been to startled, and that she had not wanted to risk getting yelled at, but at that moment there was no denying the truth that she had liked the warmth, tender way he handled her... Silence, as it slowly dawned on her what he was looking at, as she blushed and bit her lip, not sure what to expect...
But it wasn't this. He moved slowly, as though in pain, and then his cool hands were matching themselves against the marks and as she watched him with growing dread, his eyes slowly shut. She tensed, not sure what to expect but it had to be bad... Until a soft forehead was pressing against the slim state of her stomach, masking his face from her. She only watched in growing horror as his shoulder's began to shake, and the breathing she could feel against her fought to regulate. A sharp breath she could barely hear, and then... Was that a sob?
The hands dropped themselves from her hips, fisting as he leaned away from her, shaking his head. She could only watch in fright and horror as small mewls escaped his throat, her mouth opening to say something, anything! But words died as she tried to remember words...
Mosawyth was alerted by Gryth's movements, and she was up out of the water, coming to Her's rescue. Curling around the Greenrider, she hovered over Her's, trying desperately to understand.
//Toniandra-Mine? Mine? Mine, what is wrong? Mine, are you hurt? Please, Mine?
But Mosawyth dulled as she focused on the kneeling man infront of her.
'I'm so sorry. I hurt you... I'm so sorry! Please forgive me. I didn't realize! Please, please...' What really registered was that he was apologizing. He shouldn't be apologizing!
"No! No! I'm sorry, please don't be mad! I'm sorry, it's really nothing! It wasn't you, please ignore them! I'm so sorry, I'm sorry!"
She was babbling, her hands curling around the hip bones that bore the mark as if out of sight, out of mind. She didn't even think about the words that she was saying, just knowing that he should not be apologizing to her! She was just a temptress, a seductress that had bewitched him! That was the only way any man would have ever bedded her, dragon or no. He had told her that after all, even as he leered at her, hand coming up to slap her across the face for using her evil ways on him.
And now N'ryl would be mad at her to! He would hate her forever, and Gryth would never talk to her again. She fumbled backwards, tripping over her feet to land against the solid Mosawyth. Take comfort in the only creature that loved her. Take comfort in the only creature that would ever love her, although she probably bewitched the dragonette when she was still in the shell...
"Please don't be mad?" She whispered, focusing on him. What a sight she was, eyes wild from fear and shock, high cheekbones stained with color from a flushed face, bottom lip white as her teeth dug into it. Her shirt creased and wrinkled as she hugged herself, pants riding lower than she had meant to them as he had pushed them back to gain full access to the bruises. "Please?" Her breath was catching in her throat those hazel eyes darted back and forth, larger than normal as she tried to find some control...
//Hush, Mine. Hush, it will be fine.
Only Mosawyth stopped her from taking flight, and it was an unsure factor.
|
|
|
Post by Cilnah on Nov 16, 2008 21:30:57 GMT -5
The instant His started apologizing, Gryth's gaze flickered to Toni, and his sharp eyes, knowing that he was looking for something out of the ordinary, easily caught sight of the bruises forming on her hips.
Ah, I see what the problem is.
His voice was soft, and projected so that both humans and the Green could hear him. His neck stretched out so that it curled around His and also rested next to Toni, though his head was resting against Mosawyth. Soft crooning sounds rumbled in his chest trying to comfort both of them. He didn't want the girl to leave any more than the Green did.
"How can you say it wasn't me?" N'ryl demanded, lifting his head, gesturing hopelessly at the marks that marred her beautiful skin. "Those match my hands exactly! That's my fault... It's all my fault...." The obvious self-hatred in his voice faded as he shook his head, wiping ruthlessly at the stray tears making their way down his cheeks. And then he realized. She was apologizing! Why was she apologizing?
"Me? Mad at you? Why would I be mad at you? You're the one who should be mad at me, monster that I am! Nice, beautiful, perfect girl, and I hurt you! No, if I'm mad at anyone, it's myself! It's no wonder you looked so scared of me that morning. I didn't even realize! It's a good thing I didn't stay curled up next to you like I wanted to, who knows what I would have done..."
He hadn't even realized he was rambling until Gryth's voice interrupted him.
Stop this, N'ryl-Mine! It was an accident!
The reprimand was harsh, yes, but it had the desired effect. The Bluerider fell silent, his eyes downcast, still sitting on his knees in front of Toni and wordlessly begging forgiveness.
|
|
|
Post by .K.aci on Nov 17, 2008 21:23:49 GMT -5
The solid hide under her scrabbling fingers gave no purchase, although Toni tried to find someway to crawl back farther, past Mosawyth. She didn't bother covering the bruises, knowing that it was pointless at this period in time. He had seen them, and while this meant she would be wearing longer than general tunics while out in public, there was no point in hiding anything now.
The cool voice in her head gave her another anchor, and she latched onto it whole-heartedly, trying to focus on the soft and soothing mind. She watched the Blue curl around, and Mosawyth took her cue from her mate, cooing softly to the couple. She extended herself out so that her tail provided a gate between the Bowl and the uncomfortable scene that they had created, and settled down to watch and be a gentle protector to the two silly humans.
‘How can you say it wasn't me?’ At the first notes, she flinched back, wincing. Harsh, demanding, he was mad at her! Oh, she didn’t want him to be mad at her… Mosawyth rose her head up to fix him with a beady stare, eyes tinged with the first sparks of red.
//Tone, Rider-of-Gryth.
Her own was hard and unforgiving, not amused that he would be yelling at Her’s.
//She is scared, and you yelling will do nothing.
‘Those match my hands exactly! That's my fault... It's all my fault....’
Toni, oblivious to this, watched him. She was completely unsure what to do in this situation, and the loathing made it hard to tell. Did he loath her for making it seem like all his fault? But he thought it was, and it wasn’t! “It’s not your fault! Please don’t say that!” Anything to make him not be sad, anything! He was crying, and men didn’t cry! Only weak women cried, according to her mother… Which meant that he really was sorry… Or… What? Faranth, she couldn’t make sense of this!
‘Me? Mad at you? Why would I be mad at you? You're the one who should be mad at me, monster that I am! Nice, beautiful, perfect girl, and I hurt you! No, if I'm mad at anyone, it's myself! It's no wonder you looked so scared of me that morning. I didn't even realize! It's a good thing I didn't stay curled up next to you like I wanted to, who knows what I would have done...’
She was flabbergasted. Utterly and truly shocked, as he stopped she could only blink at him, mouth agape. His posture was submissive, yielding to her… Asking for her to forgive him. But she needed a moment to think, and the silence stretched on as she furiously tried to figure out what just happened.
He wasn’t mad at her. She should be mad at him? No, she wasn’t, not at all, and she shouldn’t be mad at him. He hadn’t hurt her, just marked her up a little. She barely could remember last night, swept up in Mosawyth’s emotions, and she was sure he was just the same… She should tell him that. But the next part. She wasn’t nice, and certainly not anything else he had stated. Who was he looking at when he said that? Did she look scared? She hadn’t meant to look scared, but when she had lifted her head and he was over her… She had been scared, scared of what was coming, scared of what would happen next… The future had frightened her, and he hadn’t had a chance. But… He had wanted to stay? No, he was lying. He had to be. He was disgusted with her, found her repulsive. All men did! That’s what was in his eyes, that was what he had told her, and it had to be true…
//What is his meaning for lying, Mine?
Toni refused to answer the question, even as Mosawyth turned an angry mind on her.
//TELL ME. Why would he lie?
Silence. “I don’t know. But he is.” And it was so final, so absolute, that Mosawyth only snapped her head away, anger cracking off her like electricity.
The silence had stretched for a minute, and she had to say something… Anything.
“It wasn’t your fault.” Her arms coming around to curl over the jutted hips, she looked at him with wide eyes. "I don’t hate you – it was flight-induced. You had nothing to do with it, and I don’t remember it happening. If anything, then I should blame Gryth, which I don’t. It was an accident to happen. Please get up. Please, and please don’t be mad. I’m sorry.”
Why apologize, little girl? Why?
|
|
|
Post by Cilnah on Nov 26, 2008 16:16:02 GMT -5
The voice that ripped though his mind made N'ryl flinch, and he mentally withdrew even more. This did nothing but annoy the Blue, who have a soft snort, but said something. The rider gave a soft apology, and shook his head, and then... Listened to the silence that came after. For a very long time.
It seemed like an eternity that he sat, his head buried in his hands, and waited. He was expecting that flash of anger her remembered from his childhood. The only good thing that came from the silence was that he got himself under control once more, and towards the end of it's length he straightened some, though he was still collapsed on the ground in front of her, waiting for his punishment. When she finally did speak, he was rubbing at his cheeks, trying to wipe away the evidence of his weakness.
And to his surprise, she wasn't mad at him.
N'ryl fought off the flood of relief he felt, and sat back some. "I'm not mad," he assured her gently, his voice back to it's normal, low pitch. "I'm surprised that you don't hate me for what I've done to you, even if it was flight induced." As he said it, he granted her request and slowly stood, taking a half-step back so that he wouldn't be crowding her, but also not wanting her to feel like he was pulling away from her.
Well... Maybe that was a lie. He didn't want to move away from her. He just refused to admit it. "Miss Toni, this is no fault of your own. Please don't apologize. It wasn't your fault." It was mine, he added silently. For a brief instant, his eyes flickered up to meet her own magnificent hazel ones, and he couldn't help the small smile that formed across his lips, though he quickly tried to hide it. She was beautiful, even standing there folded in onto herself.
|
|
|
Post by .K.aci on Dec 1, 2008 17:48:05 GMT -5
& she's just a stupid little girl with her hopes too high & feelings much too strong
Mosawyth, mollified for now, placed her head in the sand and regarded the pair with a big softly whirling eye. //The apology is accepted, N'ryl-of-Mine's-Heart.
Silence causes such a heartache. Silence breaks and makes a world, the answer and the riddle all wrapped up so neatly and tied with a bow. Silence is the cause and the effect of so many things. Silence was what the world first heard, and the last thing it will listen to before it dies. Silence is reverence, and silence is death... And as he stood there, not speaking the words because his heart didn't want to break her into pieces... He never realized his silence would break her into pieces that couldn't be put back together. As she curled next to Mosawyth, a young kitten seeking the protection it needs from it's mother, the silence pushed and shoved at the floodgates blocking her mind. They fought through the barriers, cracking the gates and allowing memories to slip through like flashes of bright colors and broken hurts, each stabbing her. The pain was as fresh as if it was just happening, and she fought to focus on something, anything else. Hazel eyes flashed back and forth, searching for something frantically. //N'ryl. Focus on N'ryl.
A voice soft and caring told her, and she followed it blindly, needing to latch onto something... The man before her knelled, his knees buried in the warm crystalline sand. Each grain seemed to stick out in her mind as those dreamers eyes wandered, snaking up from the soft curl of the sand lapping around his knees to his legs. From the legs clad in a pair of worn breeches up to his chest, partially obstructed by his arms. The part that wasn't was nice to look at, tanned, lanky almost. Up to his face, a sculpted piece that was hidden by his hands and the black hair that was to long for his body. She knew though, that under that was brilliant jade eyes, eyes that were shy and sensitive, hesitant and beautiful. But then she was off again, and what to look at, something, something while her mind worked to decide the words that would fix this. The Bowl. They were next to the crystal clear waters that made up the lake, with nary a breeze to cause even a ripple on the smooth surface. The sun was warm overhead, not overbearingly hot, casting a soft glow down on the fixtures in the land. It was a day that was gorgeous, and deserved better credit than what was being given to it. Now, suddenly, words tumbled from her lips, the cadence off. The silence was broken, but choppily, first slow, than fast, back and forth... At least, for the time she spoke, the oppressive silence was weighing down on them. And then there was nothing to do but let it again blanket the grounds. Then, from behind the big hands, slowly appeared the face that she remembered like her own. Those lips, the lips that she could almost remember kissing hesitantly, parted, and musical notes floated through the air. She bit her own lip down, just listening. 'I'm not mad.'
The tones were gentle, and Mosawyth gave a low hum of approval, even as she relaxed just slightly. He wasn't mad at her. 'I'm surprised that you don't hate me for what I've done to you, even if it was flight induced.'She shook her head, the newly cropped copper hair flying everywhere. "I don't hate you."Don't make the silence cover them again, even as she murmured this, too quiet? Did he even hear her? "I don't."Louder now, good. At least that was said. He needed to understand this, that she wouldn't, couldn't hate him! She could fear him, fear what he might say or do to her... But she didn't hate him. Those eyes watched his move carefully, eyebrows turning down quizzically as he stepped back. Was he leaving? Did her own feet shuffle forward, just a little bit? The sand at her feet shifted, and she danced backwards again, startling herself. The slim girl, so small... She was like a deer in this aspect, pretty, graceful, but so afraid of everything. Her already big eyes widened though, as she recognized the hesitance in his step. He was moving back to make sure she was comfortable - but he didn't want to. He didn't want to because? //Because he likes being near you, My Heart.
"Really?"
//Mmmhm.
"Oh."
'Miss Toni, this is no fault of your own. Please don't apologize. It wasn't your fault.'His words startled her enough, she flicked her own up to his... And met his eyes. Those jade were so startling, so beautiful. And in this, lost in so much of the color that she might have fallen in love with, she forgot for just a moment to keep the demons at bay. And in that moment, she was swept away in memories that flashed by in seconds but kept her trapped in hell for what seemed to her like ages. Him. He was her worst nightmare, the thing that kept her up at night. He was the fear that made her remember why she hated what she did, and why she was who she was. Her mother, as the whole Weyr had found out, was the Queenrider of the old Weyr. Her father was the Weyrleader, a weak man who had impressed a Bronze that, while big, was vain and not the smartest creature. But the man was something that her mother, Leandra, could use. Tahoni, or T'oni as he was now, was a fool who loved the Weyrwoman, and in this unlikely union, Toni was born. Lea had thought that this girl could be the next Queenrider, in a world that the dragons were dieing. This girl would be the one that she could raise to be the next great one, who would follow her rules and bring back the world that they knew. Toniandra never stood up to this burden. She tried, oh she tried, for the little happy girl that was born loved nothing better than he have people smile, and see them happy. A weyrbrat until she was 8 years old, the girl was then pulled up to talk to her mother. Lea did not like what she saw. The girl was too much like her own mother and Toni's father - slim like her father, but very small like her own mother. The same dreamer's eyes as her father... But her own nose, a blade running down her face, and the same stubborn chin. Heartened by this, Lea took the child and spoke to her like she was an adult. To this day, those words haunted her. 'Well. Toniandra, I am your mother. However, you will never treat me as such. Like everyone else, you are to call me by my title. Now, I am only expressing an interest in you because you are a girl who needs to realize that you are unimportant in the eyes of everyone. That doesn't matter. You are here to Impress a Gold, and help the dragonrider's continue on in their line.'She had failed in this. She had failed the people that had needed her when she had walked out onto the sands at ten years old, when the little Queen had hatched and walked towards her. She had failed when, young and afraid and desperate, she had sent up signs of weakness, fear, and hatred. She had sent up enough blocks that the little Queen had turned to the female next to her, and Toni had been left Standing alone. That night her mother had sent for her, and in the Weyrwoman's quarters, Lea had raggedly yelled at her daughter, for a very long time. At the end of this speech, which had been blurred in her mind by sheer strength of will (perhaps the last she had), young Toni had ran from the room, with a phrase cycling around in her head. 'It is all your fault that the dragon's will die. You are a selfish creature who was born onto Pern for no reason, a creature that is foul and useless and wretched. You are worse than scum, and no daughter of mine.'
Toni, like all young children, craved the attention of a mother, the loving praise, the soft gesture. And without this... As the last chance of getting this was dashed away, Toni ran from the room hollow. She was everything her mother had said, and worse, because if your mother told you this, then it had to be true. She ran to the Bowl, and for a ten year old, it was a long run. By the time she reached the outside of the lake her legs were trembling, breath coming in short gasps, her slim body shaking from the effort of fleeing. She fell then, tripping in the sand and landing hard on the beach. Biting her lower lip, the girl curled up and began to truly cry, letting the hatching feast go on as she cried - all alone. It was an hour - maybe two - that this went on, and she cried herself into exhaustion, which wasn't hard. With nowhere else to go, Toni fell asleep out there, curled up... And was woken by a soft voice. 'Sorry.'Her eyes opening, the girl knew that no one really deserved to look at her. She was awful! And with this she bounded up, exhaustion making her slow. It was a boy, with a young Blue behind him, a boy that was lanky and young but with the prettiest green eyes... The conversation was skipped past to fast for her to remember, but she knew something there had to be important, that maybe she knew that boy... Then HE flashed in. She had met him when the her mother's gold was heavy with eggs, consoling the rider world for a few minutes at least. The young Queen dieing was a heavy blow, and with this... There might be a chance. He was a young Lordling, by the name of Karmal. The Lord heir of a major Hold, his father was one of the few left standing with the Weyr, and Karmal had been sent as a good will gesture to stay at the Weyr for a few months. Lea had, of course, given the young man a guide - the only thing the girl was good for anymore. Mosawyth came at this point in her life, giving her a blanket, but this man had done nothing but make her life hell. It was unfair, and she hadn't deserved it, but for the duration of his stay this creature found it necessary to torture the poor girl. Be it because she was quiet and an easy target, or because he was a cruel creature, it doesn't matter. But the male stayed in her life, bonding a Brown quite by accident at the Hatching. K'mal would always tell her that she was awful, that she was a witch that didn't deserve to live... And she fled. Now she stood again at the lake, eyes shut closed as the memories tortured her again, face turned away as though expecting to be beaten... Mosawyth was able to break in at this point, hurrying the memories away and freeing the girl as she passed a hand across eyes that may have been leaking. //Look.Mosawyth let her see through her eyes for just a moment, let Toniandra watch the smile, and startled her enough that her own eyes looked up to meet his... And he smiled at her. "Ummm, N-n-n'ryl? I think -"... "I think we had not keep Mosawyth from her bath any longer."Her own shy smile, just barely there, peeked up at him. "She tends to get grumpy when she's dirty."What changed her mind about him? It was the smile. K'mal had never smiled, only smirked. It was the smirk that caused pain, when he had raised a hand to hit the scared girl, when he had used words to cause pain both inside and out. It was a smirk that she had feared in males... But he was smiling, sweet even as it was gone. especially for a boy like him [/sub][/size][/center]
|
|
|
Post by Cilnah on Dec 23, 2008 17:03:36 GMT -5
Silence might perhaps be golden, but it has it's place, just like every other thought, feeling, and action in the universe. And while he sat there, watching the poor girl search for something, anything, to focus on, N'ryl realized that this was not the time for it. But useless as he was, he could think of nothing to say, and instead spent the time when he should have been filling the silence simply prolonging it by silently berating himself. How could he be so stupid, to let her sit there in her own quiet torment? But there was nothing to do about it now, was there? And he felt even worse when, an instant after the oppression was broken and he was told that he wasn't hated, at first so softly that he feared he had imagined it, it collapsed upon them again, and this time became worse.
And then his surprise redoubled as, when he took a step backwards, she followed him, perhaps only a fraction of an inch, and small enough that he would not have noticed if she didn't jump backwards farther than she had come forward. She looked so hesitant that he felt the need to prompt her again not to apologize. Her eyes had flickered up to meet his then, and the Bluerider couldn't have stopped his small smile if the world had depended on it.
It wasn't an instant before N'ryl's lips were pulling down again though, as Toni's eyes shut and her face took on a tortured expression that he knew only too well. For a moment he simply stood there, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, debating frantically what the best thing would be to do. Yet, when a single tear escaped the girl's eye and slid soundlessly down her cheek, instinct took over. He didn't feel that she would appreciate the affection of the hug that he truly wanted to give her, for really, he wanted to hold her close to him and chase all of the demons in her past away. So instead he settled on simply reaching out to wipe away the tear. He moved his hand to do just that...
And she did it herself.
The boy was so startled that he froze, his hand a few mere inches from her cheeks, his eyes wide with surprise. But he let his hand drop. She hadn't needed him after all. He should have realized. He only caused more harm than good, after all, as the story of his life told.
His brooding lasted only a minute, and an unconscious smile was on his features, there because she had fought off the demons of her past. But he was startled out of his own moroseness by the unfamiliar sound of his name, spoken hesitantly for the first time, even though he had asked for it before. Jade eyes focused on her as a brief pause ensued, and the smile on his lips became genuine and lifted some as he waited patiently.
And just as suddenly as he had been unhappy a second before, a laugh escaped him now. It was a sound mixed with relief and happiness, and he slowly shook his head at himself as he forced the sound away. Though he could not rid himself of the somewhat lopsided grin that he wore.
"Of course!" N'ryl answered, and his words contained a lilt in them that hadn't been present for quite some time as he turned to the wonderful Green lounging in front of him. "My apologies, Lady Mosawyth. I did not intend to keep you from your bath."
|
|
|
Post by .K.aci on Jan 7, 2009 23:13:37 GMT -5
One hand. One distance that stretched so much farther than it should have, between two people who needed each other more than they would know. A distance that spanned ages and eons, both literally and figuratively. History she did not remember, only flashes of blue and jade and black and shyness. Mosawyth saw, and mourned for the lost chance there. What would have happened if Her's had felt him touch her cheek, what would have happened if she saw the caring that shone so clearly through the clear jade without the time to dull it in her own mind? She wouldn't have flinched away, Wyth knew for certain. And the only thing the Green could do was let the moment pass, shifting in the sand to edge closer to the Blue and butt her head gently next to his, like a young kitten begging attention from an older tom.
Emotions, even as she peered from behind copper bangs to watch his face. If he was mad, his face would give it away, wouldn't it? She'd be able to have a warning when he hit her, if in the subtle shift of muscle or the flash of emotion across his face. Of course, nothing ever goes quite the way she expects in this new world, does it? Because even as he looked at her, even as she shifted one shoulder up as a defense... He smiled. And then... She made him laugh. The noise startled her, confusing the young girl, but trembling lips lifted up into their own smile. She liked making him laugh.
He didn't seem to do it enough.
'Of course! My apologies, Lady Mosawyth. I did not intend to keep you from your bath.'
The Queen rose, shivering her hide so that any water that had not been dried off by now.
//Of course, young N'ryl-of-Mine's-Heart. You are forgiven.
Her neck slipped down to nudge the Blue on his side, drawing attention to herself as if rightly should be now that they silly humans weren't making specticals out of themselves.
//Come, please?
Leaving Toni to flicker her eyes up to the taller male, even as she grabbed the woven basket and followed her Green into the water. Generally, she went into this ordeal much less clothed, but now she made do with the cut off tunic and breeches seeping in the water, clinging to her. Letting the basket rest on the back of the green, she picked her way deeper in, again too timid to watch the male as she followed Mosawyth deeper in. Shaking her head, the girl dove under water, ridding herself of any prickles she felt, knowing that he was watching her although he might have not been. Under water she twisted, opening her eyes to the clear bottom, where the only stirring was Mosawyth settling herself. Under the water, the silence pressed down on her, and words were worthless... A place she stayed until her lungs were screaming for air. And then back up she flung herself, up to breath in and only then start work on her Green, the chiding in her mind going unheard. A handful of sweetsand from the basket as Wyth dropped fully into the water with a contented sigh, and she began to rub. It was a long task, but one that left room for to much thought.
Now she turned to find him, eyes flickering to his own and then off again, to shy to meet them. Instead they slipped down his face, falling on... His lips.
She would like him to kiss her.
Astonishment struck her face, and she ducked her head fully, a blush staining ragged. Where had that thought come from? But she would. She remembered almost nothing from the aftermath of the dragon flight, something she didn't know weather she was grateful for or sad... Of course she was grateful, what was she thinking? With an odd twist of mouth, she attacked the twitching hide again - only to have it disappear from under her hand.
//Come, Heart-of-Mine! Play! Gryth, come swim with me?
"Wyth?" But the Green was already off, gamboling in the water and splashing them all, disappearing underwater to tease her's and nip at the Blue. "Why did you ask for a bath then, if you just wanted to play?" Only dragon laughter filled her mind, and rolling her eyes she looked at N'ryl. "Can you believe her, My Lord? A nuisance, if nothing else." But a smile tugged her lips at the pure giddiness of her dragon, and she swiped at her wet hair in shyness. "I'm sorry Gryth, that you had the misfortune of Catching that."
//Misfortune? I think not! He is the luckiest of them all. I had a Bronze in my first Flight, and don't you forget that!
Her speech was broadcast for all of them, and Toni shook her head, even while muttering, "Yes. And thank Faranth that you didn't let it Catch you."
//But of course. Only this one was brave enough and bold enough and worthy enough to catch one of my beauty. Preening as she surfaced next to Toni, she herded the girl with a menacing play act, and pretending to cower, Toni played along... Of course, until an unexpected snort of air made her flinch back, loose her footing - and fall right against you know who.
Mosawyth was quite pleased with herself.
|
|
|
Post by Cilnah on Jan 10, 2009 16:55:04 GMT -5
Gryth, for his part, had seen fit to simply stand guard over the pair for the duration of their display. The was a slight tint of worry in his eyes, overshadowed by an only slightly greater sadness, but neither of them projected much beyond his own mind. His might have picked up on it. If he hadn’t been so wrapped up in his own thoughts and feelings. The Blue’s eyes moved for the first time from the humans as the sands shifted, and his head turned to look at the Green as she moved closer, tolerating her playfulness with little more than a chuckle. And then his tail started to flick slowly back and forth, mirroring her own feline impression. Heaving his weight up onto his four limbs, he tensed and crouched, looking for all the world like a predator in the midst of stalking his prey.
He had taken a few slow, slinking steps forward, an amused, if smirking, expression across his features. His wings were just barely beginning to open, preparing to push him forward and pounce the younger dragon into the water, when His laughed. The sound was so unusual, dare he say foreign, to Gryth that instead of jumping forward for the tumble, he jerked straight up, nearly loosing his balance. He had to flap his wings a few times to steady himself, and even then he had danced a few steps back to keep from tripping snout first into the Bowl. A growl of mixed curiosity, displeasure, and astonishment escaped the Blue as he swung his head around, focusing whirling eye on His, but he quickly settled as he felt the calmness emanating from the boy.
Well, this is a change.
“Hush, Gryth!” N’ryl answered, nodding his head to the Green. The blush may not have been on his face, but it was evident enough in his tone and posture as he dipped his head, allowing the black shag that he called hair to fall into his face. This simply caused the dragon to let out an even louder chuckle, making the ground tremble as if an earthquake was running underneath their feet. Leaving His to watch the sands resettle around his feet, the dragon turned and bounded into the water, sending great splashes of water up and around him, even as far as the shores in his first few leaps.
One such splash caught the boy full in the front, and the wave of sudden chill caused him to look up, opening his mouth to playfully tirade the giant Hatchling for his childishness. But the words were choked off by a soft hiss of air, and then the clink of teeth as he snapped his mouth shut, afraid to be caught staring open mouthed at the picture before him. “Shards, but she is beautiful,” he muttered, and watched until Toni disappeared under the water. Only then did he follow this dragon into the water, threading his way past the waves that were created as the Blue settled, just visible, under the surface.
He had just reached Gryth when she surfaced again, and had begun slowly working his fingers over the Blue’s hide, his focus on that for the moment, and his mind surprisingly blank. It was a nice feeling, to be able to rid himself of the disgusting thoughts that usually floated through his head. It wasn’t until the sapphire under his hands blinked away that he came out of his reverie, and his eyes followed the shimmering movement blankly until it disappeared under the surface deeper out in the lake. “What?” he asked, sounding almost simple in his confusion. It had been long since Gryth had shown this much enthusiasm for a bath.
Lady-heart has requested I swim with her. I must oblige.
Slowly, N’ryl shook his head and moved through the water to stand next to Toni, listening to her tease her Green while his eyes watched the pair play. His eyes darted to meet hers as she addressed him, and his lips pulled up just slightly, but as quickly as she was looking at him, those eyes of hers had moved again, focusing on the Blue. “N’ryl,” he corrected quietly, but he wasn’t sure if he was heard over her apology to Gryth.
But he had no time to despair at the loss of attention, as Mosawyth boomed her claim to a Bronze at her Flight. Not that Gryth was at all happy about it, and he wasn’t at all shy about that fact. A growl rumbled through his chest, vibrating through the water until there were more ripples marring it’s surface then there was on the surface of the ocean.
You are proud of them?
The anger in the Blue’s tone made N’ryl flinch. He was hardly ever upset. Like Mosawyth, he was projecting for all of them to hear.
A Hatchling barely taken to his wings and a lustful busybody who Chases anything with wings?
A snort, and a single flap of wings was the length of aggression Gryth would show, as he agreed silently with Toni’s thankfulness.
Neither of them wanted you, Mosawyth-love. They simply wanted the Catch. Neither of them deserves you. They would not know how to treat a Gold cloaked in green hide.
A bit harsh, yes, but he did not want the Green to be thinking of those other dragons. Of course, the dragon was so busy with his ranting that he didn't notice the antics of the two humans. For as Toni fell back, N'ryl reached out to catch her, inadvertently placing himself in the line of the fall. Shoulder connected with chest, and his arms came around her, protecting her from harm as both of them tumbled into the water with a resounding splash. After a moment of feeling his breath caught in his chest, though whether it was at the sudden chill of the water or the grace of the person now seated on his lap he wasn't sure, the Bluerider shook his head, causing his bangs to send a small spray over the two of them.
Peering carefully down at the girl, eyes filled with concern, he asked softly, "Are you alight, love? Not hurt?"
|
|
|
Post by .K.aci on Jan 11, 2009 22:58:09 GMT -5
Mosawyth, excited he would play with her, lashed her tail back and forth much like the felines they were copying, peering coquettishly at him from the corner of one amused whirling eye. One paw danced up to bat the air in front of his face, a mock growl vibrating her throat as the tail lashed quicker and eagerness slipping in to make the whirling faster. His next actions, however, created just as much confusion in her as they did him, although the reasons were different. Surprised from her crouched position, her own face started backwards, her long neck rising in the air to avoid the sand that stirred from the few powerful strokes of his wings.
Mosawyth watched under the water as he joined her in the deeper part of the lake, a fine line of bubbles streaming from nostrils as she hummed a melody of joy. //Come silly Blue! Catch me if you can! And off she shot, flying though the water, up and out to splash at with wings and then back down.
The young girl missed his smile, unable to meet those brilliant jade eyes for any number of seconds.
‘N’ryl,’ he murmured, and she almost looked at him, almost asked him what he was talking about, until it hit her. She had called him My Lord again. Biting her lip, and ducking her head slightly, she wished she could have taken it back and fixed it… But the past was the past. It helped, of course, that a distraction presented itself. Gryth was not happy, and Toni could see why very quickly.
Mosawyth was startled by the intensity – she was proud of the fact that a Bronze had seen her pretty enough to Chase her. What was wrong with that? Immediately Toni was there, soothing the hurt Green. “Nothing, my love. Nothing.” The compliment, paid even as he snorted his irritant, made the Green stand a bit straighter as she slipped back underwater, back over to the Blue. Slinking up to him, she twined around Gryth, cooing a softer apology. //There is a reason I let you Catch me, Gryth-Heart. You are My-Dragon-Heart, and you are the only one who would ever be that. Her head came over to butt against his, neck twining. //I do not mean offense.
As the dargon’s dealt with their problem, Toni found herself worrying about her own. Even as Mosawyth danced away, leaving her falling back, the girl closed her eyes for the splash and cursed her Green. She was already wet, there was no point in this! Except… A warm body clasped her, and although the splash still came, she found her face tucked into a shoulder, and not as wet as she thought she would be. Lips parted in confusion, she tightened her own arms around her stomach and held perfectly still, trying to understand were she was. Cool mist settled on her face, smelling of N’ryl, and she peered up at him, straight into jade eyes that were so much prettier up close. Warm breath, and words.
‘Are you alight, love? Not hurt?’
She blinked, mouth tumbling open. “Love?” The word slipped out as her mind fought to catch up with the fall, not meaning to voice her astonishment, even as she noted that his arms didn’t uncurl from around her shoulders. “You caught me.”
Then it all hit. She was sitting. In his lap. In the water. With his arms around her. Because? He had caught her. Because Wyth had pushed her backwards. Wincing and throwing down her hazel eyes to the water, she cursed her stupidity. “I am going to kill you, Mosawyth.” The Green ignored her, and Toni was on her own. “No. I’m fine. Um. Thank you.” She couldn’t just order him to release her, and didn’t want to offend him and struggle, so she sat there, eyes flickering back and forth from his face to the water lapping around her diaphragm. “Are you alright? I didn’t hurt you?” The concern was out before she could think, voicing her own hesitant fears to him. “I’m sorry.”
|
|