Gather Day: Preparing to Par-Tay

[B'kay]

For the third time in as many minutes, Ravyna fished Nuisance out of the water. The meddling bronze hatchling insisted that he absolutely had to help scrub Igrainth, but he was, of course, more in the way than anything. It was taking the greenrider far longer to get her dragon shine-polished than it ever had, because she had to keep stopping to rescue the "helpful" firelizard. She'd pulled him out of the sweetsand twice, lost almost an entire jar of scented oil on the shore after he tried to eat it and spilled it everywhere (though she'd have the best smelling flitter at the Gather), and he simply could not understand that if he insisted on sitting on Igrainth's head when she dunked to rinse, he was bound to get a soaking.

Nuisance screeched his deafening cry from her shoulder, both forepaws clinging tightly to her braid. Ravyna had taken to wearing her long black tresses tightly plaited to keep the little bronze from getting himself tangled up in them.

"Oh, stop, you silly thing! You're FINE. You did NOT drown, nor will you melt. You aren't the first firelizard to get wet, you know." Despite herself, she smiled tenderly and rubbed the tiny headknobs of the flitter, who settled down with an insulted-sounding sigh.

I do not mind if he helps, Igrainth said, her thoughts colored with blatant mischief.

I'm sure you don't, my One, Ravyna responded with a chuckle and rinsed a patch of sweetsand off her dragon's gleaming clean wing joint.

I find him most entertaining, the dragon said, and rolled onto her side, lifting a foreleg. I've some more under here, thank you.

Having rinsed the last of the sand off the dragon, Ravyna bent to the task of oiling, instinctively reaching up to stop Nuisance as he was about to make a dive for the flask.

"Oh no you don't, you little catastrophe. You've helped enough, thank you."

She hadn't been to a Gather in so long she could hardly contain her anticipation. She just hoped her new little companion didn't get them tossed out!

[Kitari]

For the better part of the last few days, as well as the entirety of this morning, Treylis had been in a constant state of muffled outrage. He was fuming over the 'black list' that had been posted at the beginning of this sevenday. The Gather had been his one beacon of light throughout his entrapment at the Weyr, for it was a chance at freedom, a chance to meet with the Lord Holders and warn them of the Weyrwoman's plans. And he couldn't go.

"SHARD IT!" Treylis burst out suddenly, kicking a stone in his path with all of his force. It splashed into the Lake, which was drawing ever nearer, and Panther erupted from his shoulder with a disgruntled screech, for the motion had not only woken him from his slumber but also nearly thrown him from his perch. The Lordling let out a stifled cry of pain, for the blue had been none-too-friendly with the use of his claws. Not that the young man could blame the flitter; it was his fault.

With another stamp on the sand of the beach, the unwilling candidate attempted to quash that small voice that uttered relief at the 'black list'. For ever since his encounter with Igrainth, the green dragon who had bewitched him, even if only for the short time that their meeting had lasted, a part of Treylis had looked forward to a future Hatching with a trace of excitement and hope.

That was NOT how the young man wished to feel about dragons. He wanted to hate them! He wanted it so badly. It would be much easier to despise the entire institution for the disgrace he had been shown, much harder to want to share in their lifemates without being a dragonrider. Had it ever been done before? Could a Lord Holder be a dragonrider as well? This thought had been his compromise, of sorts, as the two parts of his mind warred. His obligation to his Hold and dislike for the arrogant dragonmen made him feel it was wrong to want a dragon of his own, but Treylis was beginning to wonder if he could somehow do both and satisfy all.

However, not even a Lord Holder's son is ever left alone to brood, it seemed. As Treylis rounded a large boulder, his dark eyes flashing upward briefly to scan the Lake, the dragon who had caused him all of this inner turmoil in the first place appeared in the water ahead. She had been blocked from his view by the boulder, not to mention his introverted focus. And now he had stumbled upon one of the riders in the Weyr who might suspect him most (if her dragon had shared his thoughts...).

The young man realized suddenly that he had remained motionless for quite some time now, as he had frozen instinctively and proceeded to stare at the pair, shock plain upon his features. Treylis cursed himself inwardly. Had they overheard his curses? He schooled his features expertly, as all Lordlings must be able to do, and studied Ravyna as if she had marched in on his private affairs rather than the other way around. "How do you do, Greenrider? Off to the Gather, I presume?" he queried, tone cool and distant. He could hardly forgive this young woman, however attractive she may be, for the dragonriders were the ones who had 'blacklisted' him.

[B'kay]

Igrainth was just wading from the water to give her rider better purchase for oiling, when she spotted her friend coming around the boulder.

As the man spoke, the dragon did as well, an excited, childlike squeal that rippled through Ravyna's mind like laughter.

Treylis!

"Treylis?!" the young woman said, and turned, stunned that her dragon had used the man's name. She just stared at him for a moment, as Igrainth left her rider's side, to wade along the water's edge to greet him.

She raised her green muzzle and gently blew a kiss against his cheek. Ravyna blinked, shaking her head, dumbfounded.

What WAS it about this man that the young green was so smitten with?

Finally, as Nuisance grabbed her ear in a painful pinch and leaned toward the newcomer and his firelizard with a piercing cry of hello, Ravyna realized that Treylis had, in fact, addressed her.

"Oh, the Gather. Well, yes, we were planning ... that is, I have to get changed still ... I mean, Igrainth's almost ready-- "

He can help finish my oiling! Oh, I would like that very much! And I will share my oil with his little cousin! My little one already smells pretty.

It would be impolite and hurtful to the green to not relay her thoughts to Treylis, so, trying not to sound reluctant, Ravyna invited the man to join them.

"I mean, of course ... you probably have more important things to do, I'm sure, but if you.... Um."

At that, she just held out the oil flask, and shrugged.

[Kitari]

The reaction to his appearance seemed instantaneous. Ravyna's bewildered exclamation of his name, spoken before she even turned to face him, informed Treylis that the dragon must have spotted him first, and the green's immediate movement towards him confirmed this. He froze in surprise as the dragon bore down on him, leaning her snout in close to him. For a moment, he wondered if he had angered or frightened her with his sudden appearance, but she lightly touched his cheek with her nose in greeting, and his apprehension vanished.

The Lordling smiled despite himself, reaching up to stroke her eye ridges in return. "Hello, lovely," Treylis murmured, watching her beautiful whirling eyes. Falcon, sensing the new calm in his person, ceased in his anxious fluttering and settled on his shoulder perch once again. He warbled a friendly greeting to both Igrainth and the other fire lizard, his tone proud and cool, a perfect semblance of his person. Unfortunately, it appeared that Treylis had rubbed off on the little guy.

"Hm?" Treylis murmured absently when he heard someone speak. His brown eyes lifted for a moment, and he started in surprise at the sight of Ravyna still in the water. He had forgotten she was there! He coughed slightly to cover his embarrassment, glancing down at the oil flask in her hand. This was entirely out of character for the Lord Holder's son. He was usually fully on guard in the presence of others, and to have let that slip so thoroughly as to have forgotten that a dragonrider was watching him...

The candidate proceeded to stare blankly at Ravyna's outstretched hand. He had failed to comprehend her jarbled speech, and his eyebrow rose ever higher as he grew more perplexed. It dawned on him suddenly, and Treylis felt a sudden wave of indignation mixed with excitement. It was so typical of a dragonrider to shoulder a task off on a candidate (who may as well be a drudge), and yet, at the same time, Treylis was excited at the prospect of spending more time with Igrainth.

He pondered this for a moment, brow furrowed, and he studied the greenrider. Her apparent awkwardness led him to decide, though begrudgingly, that this was not an order. In fact, if anything, it looked like she fully expected him to refuse, suggesting that he had more important things to be doing. Hah! As a candidate, there could be nothing more important for Treylis to be doing than spending time with a dragon in preparation for a potential future Impression. Not that he believed he had that potential, but...he would get to spend time with Igrainth.

After a moment longer of silence, and another scratch for Igrainth's eye ridge, he regarded the dragon once more. "Would you like that, dear Igrainth?" He didn't wait long for a response, though, almost as if he was fearing her rejection. Treylis stepped forward to take the oil. "If you need to dress for the Gather, I can finish this on my own. That is, if you would trust me to it." There was a slight challenge in that statement, for Treylis was utterly confident in his abilities. As if he couldn't oil down a dragon...that task would be far simpler than discussions of Hold diplomacy!

"After that...I wish you an enjoyable Gather. It is my day off, even if I can't attend the festivities, and I plan to spend it as far from chores as I may." There was no suggestion in this that he would rather spend the day elsewhere; the candidate was merely reminding the dragonrider in a polite manner that he did not want to be saddled with more chores on her way out of the Weyr. Of course, he did want to attend the Gather...but he would not show weakness. If this was the punishment he must endure for being the son of a Lord Holder, so be it!

[B'kay]

Ravyna was totally taken aback by Treylis's words, and without thinking, released the flask of oil into his outstretched hand. Take over the task? Oiling HER dragon? Why of all the...

It is all right, you go dress, Treylis will do a good job, I will be fine, you go dress and then we can go play Gather and hear the music and dance! Treylis will help and we can get there faster! Igrainth interrupted her rider's thoughts, and reached out to give her a nudge with her muzzle in the direction of their weyr.

The greenrider was stunned, and Nuisance picked up on the conflicting emotions and began to chatter, scree and squeal loudly to add to the confusion. Without thinking, Ravyna reached to the top of her head ... for that is where the flitter had decided to perch ... and gently clamped his mouth shut with her fingers.

"I, uh ... oh. Well, um, thank you," she said, and turned, slightly dazed, to head across the bowl to their weyr. She stopped after several paces, turned and said, "She'll show you were her itchy spots are...."

I am fine, you go dress, this will be fun!

As her dragon's odd comfort in the presence of this unusual man infiltrated her emotions, Ravyna's walk turned to a jog, and she took the stairs to the outer ledge of her weyr two at a time.

Igrainth, filled with content, watched her rider retreat, and held lightly to the feel of Ravyna's mind. She then turned to Treylis and gave him a gentle nudge as she wandered further onto the shore. She lowered her head to him, and said softly into his mind, All along my neck ridges, please, starting near my head. The young green half-closed her eyes in anticipation of the massage and added, Will you come to play Gather with us?

***

Ravyna had brought with her to the Weyr one fine gown -- it had been bought with the winnings from one of Renny's races, and she had carefully packed it into her few belongings, for she knew that the allure of a well-clad woman could sometimes be a tremendous asset. She'd shaken it out, cleaned it up, pressed it crisply, and now threw it over her head in haste, eager to return to her dragon. Her dragon, being tended to by a man she hardly knew but whom, for some bizarre reason, Igrainth had taken a shine to!

The deep cranberry red of the silky folds set of her gleaming dark tresses perfectly, as Ravyna admired the effect in the glass. She wound her braids around her head in a regal style, not to mention one that it would be difficult for Nuisance to get tangled in. Adjusting the gown, she tightened the lacing of the cream-colored front inset, and nodded approvingly at the way the bodice showed off her figure. The gown had a gathering at one side, that lifted the skirt in a ruffled 'v' and, when she twirled, would cleverly expose a length of shapely leg. Satisfied, she pulled on her dance slippers, gathered up her skirts so as not to trip herself up, and raced lightly back down the stairs and toward Treylis and Igrainth.

"There," she called out as she approached, "That didn't take long, did it?"

[Treylis may feel free to play Igrainth as needed to enjoy the oiling experience :-) ]

[Kitari]

((I wouldn't dare presume to know the workings of such an intricate mind as Igrainth's, lol. But I know what y'mean and I'll do it a bit, thanks!))

Treylis waited expectantly as Ravyna continued to stand in the water, not moving. He uncapped the oil and held the flask loosely in one hand, but didn't proceed to oil Igrainth. He wanted to ensure that the greenrider had no objections; the last thing he needed was to incur the wrath of another dragonrider. After a moment, though, Igrainth herself lowered her snout and prodded her rider into action. If the screeching of that bronze fire lizard was any indication (it nearly made Treylis cover his ears, standing so close), she might not be okay with the situation at all.

The Lordling felt a sudden uncertainty rise in him, once again. He had started to relax around Igrainth, looking forward to spending some time with her and giving her the joy of an oiling after she had given him so much reassurance himself. And yet, if it violated some unspoken dragon and rider code of conduct, Treylis did not want to do anything that would jeopardize his chance to spend more time with Igrainth.

But then, Ravyna proceeded to step onto the beach and walk some distance, voicing no objection whatsoever. The young man shrugged, attributing her hestitation to a moment of thought. It was not uncommon of women to spend hours pondering what dress they would wear to an important event, and her sudden freedom to go and get changed immediately had likely caused her to start thinking on this. The sooner, the better, he supposed, rolling his eyes slightly and moving to Igrainth's side.

Thus, his back was turned to Ravyna when she halted but a few steps along before continuing again. He nodded absently as she called out regarding itchy spots, moving to pour oil onto Igrainth's shoulder. Just then, Treylis was the one who received a nudge, and he looked up with surprise, wondering if he had erred in some way. That calm, soothing voice that delighted the senses entered his mind once again, and the Lordling visibly relaxed. She had been encouraging him to the right spot, was all.

Smiling unreservedly for once, Treylis reached for Igrainth's neck ridges, pouring the oil liberally along all of the hide he could reach. He was quite tall, but it was still a bit of a stretch. He felt her lean into his caresses, and the grin on his face merely spread. For once, labour he would have considered far beneath him didn't feel like work at all. Quickly, he lost himself, working along her back and side before moving around to oil the other side, responding to all indicated itchy spots.

That is, until a new thought touched his mind. 'Will you come to play Gather with us?' Treylis froze in surprise, staring up at Igrainth, who was too busy enjoying the caresses to notice. She was either a very intuitive dragon, sensing what he most desired, or he was just the luckiest fellow on Pern.

"Yes, I'd like that very much," he murmured, genuine excitement glittering in his eyes.

He had been finishing one of the last patches of hide on Igrainth's leg at the time, and Ravyna also chose that moment to stride down the shoreline to meet them. Treylis turned abruptly to face her, and his eyes widened at the sight. That flowing gown highlighted her figure most admirably, and the colour was a rich complement to her dark hair, which she had arranged neatly in a dignified up-do. The Lordling was suddenly glad that she had spent so much time in thought on her dress for the day. He stood for a moment, openly admiring her when he would have typically hid his throughts (Igrainth must have loosened him up too much).

After a moment of dumbfounded silence, Treylis suddenly lowered his gaze to the ground, somewhat ashamed and embarrassed. "No, not at all," he replied, having made quick work of the oiling job himself. "You look very…lovely, Ravyna." His voice was low, even hesitant, before he raised his eyes, confidence returned. "Shall we go, then?" he asked. At this point, he didn't even care how he was dressed; he just wanted to get to that Gather!

[B'kay]

Ravyna was used to dressing for effect, and in fact had chosen this particular dress for just that reason. But, when she noted Treylis's admiring eyes on her, after having seen him in such intimate communion with her own dragon, and heard his gentlemanly compliment, she actually blushed.

She was so busy trying to work out this rare wave of slight discomfort, that she almost missed what he said next. It was her dragon, looking intently at her like a puppy hoping for a scrap of meat at the dinner table, that brought her around.

Shall WE go?

She stood quietly for a moment, grasping on to the fact that the only way Treylis could have shifted from wishing "her" a nice Gather day, to "we", was if Igrainth....

You invited Treylis to go with us? She asked, trying hard to cloak her expression, as she turned to her dragon.

Yes, of course, he is my friend. Gathers are for friends to have fun together. You look very nice together!

We ... I ... WHAT?

Igrainth visibly jumped, and her eyes whirled with startled yellows. You are upset? I do not understand. Treylis is my friend, he is nice. I wanted him to go with us. You don't think he is pretty? I did something wrong?

The plaintive tones of her dragon's mind, and the obviously hurt and disappointed expression, gripped Ravyna's heart. How could she hurt her sweet dragon? Igrainth was noble and pure ... and it wasn't the first time, nor would it be the last, that Ravyna couldn't help wondering why such a good-souled dragon had chosen her out of all the people gathered around the sands that day.

Yes, my Love, she said softly, and stroked the soft hide of the face that had pressed close to her. Treylis is very ... pretty. Don't worry. You didn't do anything wrong. She sighed and turned to the man in question.

"Apparently my dragon has invited you to join us," heart softened with the sweetness of Igrainth, Ravyna shrugged slightly and smiled. "And of course I would never disappoint my Igrainth," she added a little chuckle. "However, I did see your name on the banned candidate list ... If I bring you with us, would it be an ... imposition ... to ask you to stay, well ... in sight?"

[Kitari]

Growing up as a Lord Holder's son, Treylis had always made Hold matters his first priority and personal relationships a distant second. Thus, he was entirely unpracticed in the courtship of women and couldn't tell one bit from Ravyna's blank expression if she had at all appreciated his compliment. Aclaryn was much more suave in that area; his priorities had been reversed, foolish lad that he was, as his younger brother had spent every social event in intense flirtations with women. Treylis almost wished, for a moment, that he and Aclaryn were closer; it would be nice to be able to seek someone's advice.

Not that he was seeking to court a woman! What a silly thought, Treylis inwardly chided himself. Even now, his Hold must be his priority. There would be time for that frivolity once he was home and securely in his title. ...If he wanted to leave the Weyr to go home.

Much to Treylis's discomfort, the blank expression on Ravyna's face persisted for a painfully interminable span of time. It didn't take a Starsmith to realize, eventually, that she was no longer simply reacting to his compliment. This left the young man momentarily puzzled, until he recognized the look. She was communicating with Igrainth.

A low sigh slipped from his lips, and Treylis relaxed visibly, suddenly curious about the apparently lengthy conversation they were having. He wished it would end soon; he didn't like to be left alone with his thoughts and the feeling that had only continued to grow as he oiled Igrainth: that there was nothing he wanted more than a dragon of his own.

The greenrider's sudden return to reality and accompanying address actually caused the Lordling to twitch in surprise. He quickly smoothed over the startlement on his features, although his eyes widened at the realization that Igrainth had invited him to the Gather without her rider's permission. Now it was Treylis's turn to blush slightly, although it was embarrassed disappointment rather than surprise that caused it. Ravyna hadn't wanted him to come at all. Didn't want to disappoint Igrainth, hm? How kind.

For some reason, anger bubbled up inside of him, and this was only added to when she mentioned that horrid 'list'. Treylis's features regained their typical coolness when she made her 'request', and he nodded stiffly. "Fine. If that is what you wish." His tone easily conveyed the upset he felt over Ravyna not wanting his presence at the Gather, and if one listened closely enough, there was even a touch of hurt in there.

As to staying in sight...well, the square in front of the Hold where the Lord Holders tended to Gather was typically within sight of much of the Gather. He could abide by that rule quite adeptly.

Despite his feeling of bitterness, Treylis had still been raised a gentleman, and he moved to assist Ravyna in mounting Igrainth, though the smile had vanished from his eyes.

[B'kay]

The smile on Ravyna's face slowly faded as the expression on Treylis's changed. Confusion flitted through her mind, as she tried to sort through what she had said to bring back the coldness.

Certainly, the young Lord was fond of Igrainth ... she could easily see that, though it somewhat baffled her that her dragon had taken such a shine to the man. She'd expected him to be delighted to have received such a compliment from the dragon ....

But no. She closed her eyes, and sighed. Of course he wouldn't fully comprehend... After all, it had taken her this long to understand the workings of dragons, and for that matter she was learning something new every day.

Especially with THIS dragon.

She stepped toward him, but did not immediately accept his formal offer to help her mount. Instead, she allowed the tender heart of her dragon to fill her own soul, and spoke softly.

"Treylis, I'm sorry. I've obviously ... disappointed you ... though, I confess I'm not entirely sure why. But I suspect," here she turned to Igrainth, the wonder lighting her eyes for just a moment, "That you didn't realize the invitation had been Igrainth's idea. The truth is, she does things that startle even me, and it seems that she does them tendfold whenever you're around. My mind's been so preoccupied trying to understand her unique affection for you....

"Wait, that didn't come out like I meant it. It's got nothing to do with YOU, please understand. It's just very unusual for a dragon, ANY dragon, to develop such a fondness for any human other than their own rider." Again that touch of wonder, as the young woman reached out and stroked her dragon. "She's so special ... she just amazes me."

Once again, Ravyna was lost in the emotions Igrainth brought to her heart, and it took a moment for her to realize that she'd lost her train of thought. She turned to Treylis, and smiled. "As a matter of fact, I'd be very happy if you'd accompany us. Please forgive me for being ... somewhat dense."

At that, Nuisance, who had been snoozing upside down on Ravyna's chest with his tail wrapped around her neck, woke and let out a screeching warble. He flapped his wings, knocking apart Ravyna's carefully wound braid, and then, in an effort to help, began pulling at the long, dark tangle and trying to put it back on her head.

"Oh, YOU!" she cried out in exasperation, her hands flailing in an attempt to catch the little bronze. Leave it to her annoying little friend to ruin her efforts to make amends!

[Kitari]

The sudden look of concern that touched Ravyna's features was entirely unexpected for Treylis, and he unconsciously remained frozen in the position he had assumed to help Ravyna mount as she spoke, her tone soft and reassuring. It touched him with nearly the same power that Igrainth's voice held, for it was a mirror of her dragon's own heart. This held a new moment of surprise, for the Lordling hadn't been aware that dragon and rider could be so similar.

His blush only deepened with her apology, for Treylis hadn't realized his disappointment had been so obvious. It also came as a bit of shock that his emotions had been so on display. It seemed that, despite his belief to the contrary, he was not handling these interactions with Ravyna as he would a meeting with fellow Lord Holders. For some reason, around her, he was slipping up.

As she proceeded to explain how strange Igrainth's behaviour was towards him, the candidate's expression became quizzical. With dragons so newly returned and having little knowledge of them to begin with, Treylis had simply assumed that the behaviour he observed in one would reflect all of the others. He had known, when she spoke to him, that there was something special about Igrainth, something that set her above other dragons, but he hadn't realized just how unique it was for her to be communicating with him at all.

The revelation that Igrainth was fond of him when dragons didn't usually care at all for humans other than their riders was even more startling, though it made a slight smile reappear on his hard features. Treylis couldn't help but wonder what the wonderful green could possibly see in him that would draw her affection. Maybe his 'Search' hadn't been entirely political after all...

As if his spirits hadn't been raised enough by this information, Treylis was even more thoroughly pleased by the greenrider's follow-up statement that she would enjoy his company at the Gather. He waved a hand, brushing off her apology immediately. "No, I was the one being foolish," he sighed. This was a huge admission coming from the Lordling. "I had no idea that Igrainth so unique from other dragons. I should have been honoured enough that one lovely lady requested my presence at the Gather." He reached out to stroke Igrainth, wonder in his eyes.

Suddenly realizing that he had just called Ravyna 'lovely' for the second time in as many minutes, Treylis began to flush uncomfortably, suddenly wishing for a distraction, and it was then that Nuisance chose to begin screeching and entangle himself in the greenrider's hair. In the candidate's eyes, that flitter was anything but a nuisance at that moment! "Hey, you!" he cried, trying nobly to aid Ravyna's efforts by grasping at the fire lizard. Panther hissed in displeasure, for he was always a very dignified flitter and disliked such antics. However, sensing his person's struggle, he winged up in an unusual decision to try and offer help, grasping the braid of hair and yanking it in the other direction to foil the bronze, only creating a greater mess in the process.

"PANTHER!" Treylis hollered, causing the blue to squeak in surprise and disappear between. "I'm...terribly sorry..." he told Ravyna meekly.