New Territory, New Hope

[Kitari]

The past sevenday had gone by in a blur. The change that had occurred in Brinne's life was so drastic that she was still floating along in shock and wonder, buffeted by new discoveries and realizations at every turn. Her arrival at the Weyr had been as unceremonious as it was for all Candidates, yet Brinne strode the halls as if she were long-lost royalty returned to her realm. The exasperated sighs and derisive snorts of the kitchen workers went unheard, as the girl conducted herself about her chores as if absorbed in a graceful dance. Although these duties were far more strenuous than any she was used to, the girl was surprisingly unconcerned and had yet to complain. A light had flickered on in her mind, and her existence now made sense.

Everything fit! The revelation that she was dragonrider material, with the innate qualities that could lead to Impression and a lifemate, Brinne suddenly understood her entire life up until this point. There was a reason why her plans had failed at the Hold; she was not meant for such a simple life. Her place was in the sky, riding a dragon. A gold dragon. She would be Araelen's next Jr. Weyrwoman, would eventually take over as Weyrwoman, and instead of ruling by a man's side in a pathetic Holding, she would have all of Pern at her fingertips!

A loving sigh slipped from her lips, and Brinne closed her eyes for a moment, standing at the Lake's edge and bathing in Rukbat's rays. This was her first day off since her arrival, and the young Candidate was ready to enjoy it. Her chores had introduced her to a number of the Weyr's inhabitants and locales, but she had yet to explore the Bowl in its entirety.

Thus, she had devoted enough time to thought. Brinne opened her sea green eyes and turned, strolling along the Lake's edge towards its far, forested shore. Although she normally wouldn't venture into the woods alone, she did not fear an attack in the Weyr and was eager to discover what sanctuaries the trees might hide. After all, the girl was not known for patience, and the twittering girls who crowded the female Candidates' Quarters were already starting to wear on her nerves. If she was to survive this wait before the Hatching, she would need to find a place to relax in her free time.

[Shikai]

Farallen raised a tanned hand to his brow to shield his eyes as he looked up at the sky. Rukbat’s brightness forced him to squint, but he had no difficulty noting the particularly lovely shade of blue the sky had taken. It was a nice day, perfect to go out and explore. Since his arrival, Farallen had been caught between homesickness and excitement. He missed his friends and siblings, and the familiar halls of Artemis Moonlight Weyr, but the allure of life in such a new, exciting place and time made up for it. He had never been one to dwell on the past, being rather fixed in the present, so he did his best to put all negative feelings from his mind as he made his way out of the weyr, into the open air.

Farallen took a deep, grateful breath, glad to be outdoors. The caverns of the weyr were so stifling. He moved out further, walking toward the lake, but stopped. He hadn’t really given much thought as to where he was going to spend the remainder of his day, other than ‘outside’. Farallen wasn’t much for planning.

Life certainly had been different for him since he came to Araelen. He was the sole dragonhealer apprentice at the weyr, and one of few non-dragonriders to make the jump forward. There were many people about who were his age, but they were either weyrlings or candidates, leaving him hopelessly out of place. Not that he had given much effort to communicating with anyone yet, as he had been left somewhat dazed by the moving process, and taken a little while to settle in. Plus, it often seemed as though the candidates were busier than he was! The majority of the weyr’s dragons were young and in their prime, many with hides not yet marked by the telltale scars left by thread. He knew that once threadfall began, he would have much more to do, but for the time being, work was slow. No matter, it gave him more time to explore and situate himself in the new weyr.

Farallen decided to head for the treeline, unable to resist the beckoning branches of the unknown forest. Yet as he walked toward them, he realized that he was not alone in his goal. He jogged a few steps forward to catch up to the redheaded girl, smiling cheerfully as he introduced himself.

“Hello, I’m Farallen. Are you headed for the jungle?” He inquired, waving a hand in a vague gesture in the direction of the trees.

[Kitari]

The crunching of sand behind her alerted Brinne to the arrival of another, but she did not glance back. If the other person wished to converse with her -- if it was a lad, she certainly hoped he would -- he would have to come to her. She imagined frivolously that her striking figure outlined by Rukbat's rays had drawn out one of the handsome young bronzeriders, eager to make her acquaintance. Since it merely emphasized her position of power (in social interactions) when she forced others to seek her out or speak first, Brinne continued on as if unaware. Even when the person -- it was a lad! -- drew level with her, she deigned not to glance at him, awaiting his introduction.

Immediately, her hopes were flattened by the delivery of his name, for she heard no ' in it. Brinne cast an appraising eye over the lad, sweeping from the innocent friendliness on his face down his long limbs. At least he wasn't dressed like a drudge...and he was young enough to be a candidate. Yes, that was probably who this Farallen was: one of the few male candidates she hadn't caught the eye of yet. Well, a candidate may not be a bronzerider yet, but that wouldn't necessarily be true after the Hatching. Thus, Brinne decided to grace him with her usual, suave attentions, although she wouldn't be nearly as focused as if he'd been a bronzerider. She was pleased to note, though, that Farallen wasn't bad looking at all. Maybe this would be worth her time...

Although her face had remained smooth and critical up until now, it suddenly broke into a warm and playful smile. "Farallen? It is a pleasure to meet you. I'm Brinne." She extended her hand slightly, curious as to how he would react. It could reveal quite a bit about a man's upbringing, for the most uncultured would clamp her frail hand in a ham-like fist and shake it like a dragon dismembering a wherry.

"And I would hardly call that a jungle," Brinne murmured, a sprinkle of laughter dusting the humid air. "How could a wild jungle grow rampant in such an ordered Weyr?" The girl had learned quite a bit about Weyrwoman Sitareh's rigid ideals, and she found them quite exacting and proper thus far. "That little stand of trees couldn't hide anything too exciting, not like the jungle that surrounded my Hold. But if you think I should have protection on such a journey, might you be able to suggest someone?" Her thick lashes shrouded her green eyes in a demure, innocent manner, while she glanced from him to the trees. Brinne loved playing such games.

[Shikai]

Farallen looked on, still smiling hopefully, as he waited for the girl to respond. She was quiet for a moment, but Farallen did not let himself become dismayed, for he supposed it was likely that he had interrupted her thoughts, and she needed a moment to collect herself. Oblivious to the path of her eyes, scrutinizing him, he let his own gaze slip to the tree line again, wondering what the forested areas of Araelen were like. However, his attention returned to her at once as her demeanor changed, and the playful smile that spread across Brinne’s face served to widen his own.

“It’s nice to meet you, too.” He replied, and extended his hand to take hers, shaking it firmly once. Perhaps just a bit too firmly, but he was excited – this could be a chance to finally get to know someone in the weyr!

Farallen paused thoughtfully at Brinne’s words, looking back to the trees.

“Well, maybe it’s not a jungle – I’m just used to it being a jungle anywhere there are trees, I guess! This is the Southern Continent!” He replied with a laugh. “But you’re right, things do seem to be kept in order here. The Weyrwoman seems to care a lot about the weyr! She watches it closer than a threadscored dragon!”

“Hm, protection?” Farallen repeated, and paused again in thought. “Well, I haven’t actually been at the weyr for very long, so I don’t really know anyone yet.” He said, with an apologetic smile. Then, his eyes lit up. “I could go with you, though! I was headed that way anyway – I’d like to see what it’s like around here.” He offered, grinning. After all, Brinne did look like she needed protecting! She looked so very innocent.

[Kitari]

((*coughhackchoke* *blows nose* Ok, I'm ready to post now! lol))

The grip on her hand was quite firm, not much to her liking at all, but at least the lad demonstrated self-restraint by not shaking it repeatedly in a frenzied state. Although Brinne was somewhat disappointed by this turnout, her hopes bloomed once again. It was possible that the boy was simply made nervous by her beauty and squeezed more tightly than he had meant to. Recovering from this momentary doubt, the girl returned his grin with a radiant smile. She even deigned to toss her red mane teasingly in the wind, for men always delighted in its flowing appearance. Well, at least that was what Brinne believed.

As Farallen rambled on about the forest/jungle argument, the girl began to lose focus. After all, she had only been trying to impress him with her wit, not start an all-out discussion. How dull. His mention of the Weyrwoman piqued her interest somewhat, but he only confirmed what Brinne had already come to realize. The rigid structure of the Weyr was a result of a loving hand, as any proper leader would bring harmony through control.

At last, the lad's response to her query arrived, but rather than being pleased at a bashful outcome on his part, Brinne's eyes widened and her step faltered ever so slightly. The candidate was quite thrown off by this unexpected turn of events, for Brinne had been certain that she had played it just right. By now, Farallen ought to be stammering an offer of protection or nobly offering his arm or... Anything but try to suggest someone else! That he only offered to guide her himself upon realizing he knew very few others in the Weyr was a stinging blow to the girl's pride, and she turned away from him quickly to hide her displeasure.

This wasn't making any sense! She had flirted with countless lads over the years, and her charm had yet to fail her. This wasn't an all-out rejection, or he wouldn't have offered to accompany her at all. Either he was feigning innocence to lower her defenses, or he...truly was oblivious to her intent. Was that possible? He didn't look so young.

Quickly, Brinne returned her scrutinizing gaze to Farallen once again, this time analyzing his facial features and build with great detail, but he still appeared to be her age. Another possibility suddenly appeared in her mind: Perhaps this Farallen was a little bit slow... Ah well. If he Impressed bronze, she was hardly one to be picky. It was time to become a little bit more obvious...

Hoping that the slow lad hadn't picked up on her moments of distress, Brinne smiled sweetly and shifted her stride to walk more closely beside him. "I do appreciate the offer, Farallen. I am very new here myself and somewhat overwhelmed by all of the novel sights." Her voice was soft and flowed like liquid honey. Smoothly, so smoothly he might not even have noticed, she looped her arm with his as if he had offered it. Her green eyes gazed almost fearfully at the forest, a ploy to distract him if he happened to glance over and notice her proximity and touch.

"These dragons are all so grand and impressive, I hardly know what to do when one is looking at me. They're not at all like their sweet little fire lizard cousins. What dears they are...I suppose you've never Impressed one?" Brinne glanced about him and saw no sign of one, but greens and blues often disappeared on occasion for extended periods.

[Shikai]

Farallen watched as Brinne tossed her hair, causing it to flow back behind her in the wind. His expression appeared to be one of interest and awe, and he turned to her and spoke.

“Wow, your hair is really long!” He paused briefly, then his expression took on a look of concern. “You might want to get it cut, though. Long hair is dangerous for dragonriders – it’s hard to keep under your helmet, and worse, thread could get caught in it!” Farallen informed her in a genuine attempt to be helpful, and shuddered slightly at the thought of thread caught in hair.

As oblivious as he was to her advances, Farallen was conscious of her eyes upon him, scrutinizing him. He shifted a bit nervously, wondering what she was doing. Perhaps she was sizing him up, thinking that he would not be a suitable protector. Well, he was young, no older than her, but he was used to being in the jungle! Perhaps it had been arrogant of him to suggest himself as an escort? Surely she had a strong dragonrider in mind. But he hadn’t lied, he was not familiar enough with anyone to procure a guide for her!

However, his discomfort was ended as Brinne smiled, and did indeed seem grateful for his offer. He relaxed and nodded, smiling, as they continued toward the forest. Farallen did not notice, however, as she looped her arm around his. He fixed his eyes on the forest for a moment, speculating fondly about what it would be like, and failed to notice as his foot collided suddenly with a medium-sized rock, causing him to pitch forward. Taking a few stumbling steps forward, he managed to regain his footing without falling down.

Not noticing what may or may not have happened to Brinne, he stopped, thinking. “It’s amazing, isn’t it? That dragons and fire lizards are so closely related. No, I haven’t had the pleasure of owning a firelizard.” He said, sighing slightly with regret. “A few eggs were given out to the weyrbrats once, back at Artemis. I got one. Used to carry it around. But then I left it on my bunk one day, came back, and it was gone! One of the other kids must’ve taken it.”

[Kitari]

Ah, so he isn't completely unaware! Brinne thought to herself, pleased at the expression on Farallen's face as her flaming hair tossed in the wind. She smiled at the...almost compliment. She had been hoping for something more along the lines of 'ravishing' or 'alluring', but 'long' would do. After all, it did take lots of time and energy to care for such luxurious locks. Yes, she would take that compliment indeed.

However, the pleased smile vanished in an instant, and the colour drained from Brinne's face at his next words. Cut her hair?! The indignation was plain on the girl's face, and her eyes flashed dangerously while her lips curled into a snarl. How dare he! Thread could get caught in it, indeed! This thought did give her pause, though, for Farallen did seem genuinely concerned (the expression on his face had quickly gone from admiration to horror). However, she quickly brushed it aside. After all, there was no sign of Thread all across Pern, and she wasn't going to be a fighting dragonrider anyways. She and her gold would bask on a Threadfree beach while the others did such unpleasant work. No, she would never shear off this proud mane!

Her face was still fixed in a scowl, uncaring of whether or not Farallen was looking, as Brinne continued to be distressed by the comment. Thus, she was taken completely by surprise when Farallen, whose arm she had entwined hers with, lurched forward suddenly. The unexpected jerk sent Brinne pinwheeling to the ground, where she lay crumpled before jerking her face out of the sand/dirt. She proceeded to spit furiously, although there was no sand in her mouth, and she emitted a small noise of pain and outrage.

The lad stopped, seemingly to assist her, yet didn't turn around! He kept droning on about fire lizards, as if she cared anymore, and about having an egg stolen. It merely confirmed her growing suspicion that he was a fool; who would leave such a precious commodity lying around?! And what was this nonsense about Artemis? The Weyr's name was Araelen!

Finally, Brinne could stand it no longer. Was he purposely ignoring her, or did he truly not notice that she had fallen? "Excuse me," she said through gritted teeth, her voice falsely sweet. "Would you help me up?" The indignity of it all. It wasn't as if she was about to stand up on her own!

[Shikai]

“Hm?” Farallen said as he heard Brinne’s voice come from strangely far behind, as she had been beside him but a moment ago, hadn’t she? And…low? He spun around, and his eyes widened as he saw her on the ground. When had she fallen? He had been so temporarily wrapped up in memories that he hadn’t noticed!

He moved to help her immediately, bending down and proffering and outstretched arm. “I’m sorry! Didn’t notice you’d fallen!” Farallen exclaimed, his expression a mix of concern and sheepishness. “Are you…alright?” He asked.

Once she was up, Farallen sighed, and smiled wearily. “I’m sorry. Not being much help, am I? You wanted a guide and company and all, and here I am blabbering about firelizard eggs at the old weyr when I was seven!” He chuckled somewhat sadly to himself, looking out at the forest for a moment before returning gaze to Brinne.

“Ah…so where are you from? You’re not from my time, I take it? Not many our age are.”

[Kitari]

Finally! Brinne thought to herself as Farallen hurried back. So he hadn't noticed that she had fallen; he had simply stopped walking, maybe only unconsciously recognizing that she was no longer beside him. Her feathers were still quite ruffled, though, and it took quite a feat to soften her features when he offered his arm. Her smile was more bared teeth than curving lips, but it would have to do. She gripped his arm with dirt-smudged fingers, hauling herself unceremoniously off the ground, and her gaze finally turned to meet his.

There was true concern there, much to the candidate's satisfaction, and Brinne couldn't help but puff herself up slightly at the attention. She wondered briefly if she ought to play the 'injury' ploy, but it was doubtful that he would catch on even then. He truly was...oblivious to her attentions. "Yes, I'm fine," she rejoined, brushing herself off before tucking back the hair that had fallen into her face. With all of this dirt everywhere, she would certainly be requiring a luxurious bath later. Ahhhh, that was something to look forward to.

Now that she was properly on her feet, Brinne was a little more inclined to accept his apology. It was sincere, and the lad did appear quite upset over the matter. A part of her felt this was rather just, as he had been failing miserably in his reception of her attentions, but this consideration was tossed aside immediately as the girl finally clued in to the mystery of his words. The 'old weyr'? 'My time'? Was it possible that she was speaking with one of those who had jumped forward with Sitareh to grace Pern with dragons once again? She had simply assumed that only dragonriders would have made the leap, but it made sense that they had brought some staff already educated about running a weyr, as well as potential candidates of their time who hadn't had a chance to Stand at a Hatching.

Her former indignation long forgotten, Brinne didn't bother to hide the surprise and wonder in her wide, green eyes. "You're from...the past?" she murmured, astounded by the very notion. She hadn't actually conversed with one who had made the leap. And she had thought leaving her home to come to the Weyr was difficult enough; he had left all of his friends and family (unless they had also jumped forward) to come to another world! Oh, he was certain to Impress bronze, indeed! "Oh, I'm just from a Hold. My father bred runnerbeasts there. But tell me more about...Artemis!" That strange name suddenly made sense!

The forest and her plans for the day forgotten, Brinne guided Farallen over to a nearby boulder. She partly wanted to sit due to a throbbing pain coming from her ankle (she must have twisted it in the fall) but also to listen more comfortably to Farallen.

[Shikai]

Farallen’s eyebrows raised in surprise as Brinne expressed awe at the fact that he was from the past. He hadn’t mentioned it? Probably not, for it seemed sort of an awkward thing to start a conversation with when talking to someone he had just met. He grinned, surprised by her reaction, but enjoying it as well. He had never given anyone reason to think him special before, and her sudden (or so it seemed to Farallen, who had failed to pick up on the great deal of more subtle interest she had been lavishing on him thus far) interest in him was pleasant, while it caught him off guard.

Unaware of where his feet were going as he was guided, Farallen suddenly found himself beside a boulder that Brinne was settling herself upon. Farallen hoisted himself up beside her, one leg slightly bent to support his position on the rock and the other relaxed, stretched out along the rough surface. He ran a hand absently through his thick, red-brown hair, not used to being put on the spot to talk about himself. “Well, yeah. I’m a dragonhealer, see. Apprentice; been one for…several turns now. I took a break to stand as a candidate for a while. Ah…anyway, a brownrider offered to bring me here, since with thread gone, there wasn’t much use for dragonhealers in my time. It was a stupid craft to go into, I suppose, given the circumstances, but I was born in the weyr, and did want to stay close to dragons! But I don’t know what I would have done with myself if the brownrider I’d been tending to didn’t hear about the jump, and offer to bring me along. I can’t stand having nothing to do. Makes me restless.”

He relayed, somewhat awkwardly. He hoped he wasn’t blabbering or boring the girl! She had been such good company to him so far. How nice she was!

“Bred runnerbeasts? I like runners!” Farallen replied, smiling. “They’re good beasts. I never had one; not many people do at a weyr! They don’t care for dragons much, ‘cause dragons care plenty for them as a meal!”

Still feeling a bit awkward, especially given his close proximity to Brinne, Farallen lowered his eyes, first glancing at the nearby trees, and then down at the ground. However, he frowned as he noticed Brinne’s ankle. “Hey, are you alright? Your ankle looks a bit swollen!” He exclaimed, worried.