Lunch on the River {Lark}

[Zirin]

He felt Kayath sigh as she prepared to take flight. Her disapproval of what went on in Her's mind was obvious enough from the way she ignored him. Spreading her large, orange wings, the topaz took off, no doubt in search of Kelath or another male to complain to. Am not! She replied, offended. No, she was going to the caves to bask among the pretty stones, a pasttime that was becoming more prevalent as she grew older. He felt her cut him off from her mind again. Women, he shrugged, before turning back to the parchment on his writing desk. Finishing off the sentence, he called his fire lizards over. Now... which one would be the most useful. Both had short attention spans, so neither was an excellent choice. Yet, for all his energy, Spazz had been somewhat trainable.

The blue flit in question, was running around in circles on the desk, dragging behind him a scrap of leather. Scooping the blue up, he held the letter out for the blue to grasp, which he promptly did, and help him up at eye level.

"Spazz, orders." He spoke calmly and powerfully, using the key word he had tried to train both flits with. "Take this to Avirith's Weyr. Big Boss Green's Weyr. Drop it on her desk and come back here for a treat. he pulled a piece of dried meat out of his desk, where he kept the treats. Chirping excitedly and unable to stay still any longer, Spazz took off, doing a number of midair flips before blinking between to follow his mission.

The blue came out of between in the Weyrlingmaster's weyr, as ordered, and dropped the rolled letter on the desk before blinking back out to retrieve his treat. Hopefully no one saw him, though he was in and out so quick that it would likely be hard to identify him anyway. Returning to J'dol, the blue happily accepted his treat before fluttering off somewhere in a flurry of wings to eat it. Smirking to himself, J'dol picked up the basket that waited on his bed and headed out of his weyr, thinking of the contents of his letter.

My love,

I may not always express myself properly in my feelings towards you, but let me make it up to you.

Meet me at the river at noon.

When, well if, she arrived, she would find a lovely picnic spread out just for her. And of course, the ever sexy, shirtless J'dol of her dreams!

[Lark]

She was singing, a light half humming sort of sound escaping her lips. She was dancing, a gentle skip in her step as she swirled through her weyr. Ara bent to pick up the blanket that had been thrown off her bed that night. She couldn't tell why she was in such a good mood at the moment. After all, the storm had happened a sevenday ago. Inali had left two days ago, still not back. The weyrlingmaster wasn't too worried though, she had planned to be gone three days.

Yawning slightly, Ara wondered just was the last time she had slept well. Probably since the last time you were with him. Avirith's playful voice swatted at Ara's mind, her tone friendly and slightly flirtatious. Getting close to another mating flight love? It would be about time for her second soon. Why? Are you actually looking forward to this one? I am.

The sunbathing green stretched put her body on the cliff, her tail hanging off the edge lazily. Yawning wide, the dragoness closed her eyes and curled up in a ball. I suppose I'm looking forward to this one more than the last, yes. Before the green could answer though, Aries chirped. The gold had been sleeping on Ara's pillow, and the rider moved to grab a familiar looking shirt from under her. "He was wondering where this went." A smile played at her lips as she pulled it on with some pants and tied a belt around her middle.

Aries titled her head and crooned approvingly, her bronze son still asleep on her dresser. Ara rolled her eyes at this, eyeing the note as well. Was that why Aries had woken before? She walked the distance over quickly, taking the letter in hand. Immediately a wave of horror washed over her. She knew that handwriting from her weyrling class. The words they formed was not much better. The greenrider shook her head, part of her wanting to laugh while the other wanted to cry.

Poor thing didn't even know she....sighing, Ara held up her hands as if to say what can I do to Avirith who had gotten up and was now looking at her through the entrance from weyr to dragon cave. Go, set him straight. At least I can brag about having a bronze now to Kayath. Princess won't even know what hit her LoveMine. Avirith warbles happily as she headed to her cliff again and took to the skies to drift on the wind aimlessly. That left Ara to get to the forest river on foot.

Finally she did get there though, and Ara froze when she saw the feast carefully laid out. She started to tear up....then she doubled over and laughed.

[Zirin]

He was beginning to wonder if he should have actually delivered the meeting request himself as he paced back and forth, waiting for her to arrive. Nerves were starting to get to him, they aways did when he had to do something silly like this too woo a lady. Ara should be grateful, very few women ever got this treatment. Then again, very few women put up this much of a fight. He wondered if it was because she actually didn't like him, or if it was just because he was her student? Well, regardless, he would win her heart, he would become such a presence in her mind that she wouldn't be able to fall asleep without thinking of him.

A quick glance over his shoulder brought the distance silhouette of someone to his eye. She was coming. Quickly grabbing up a rose, he lay himself down seductively, placed the rose in his mouth, and pulled off the most attractive pose he could muster. There was no way Ara would be able to deny him now!

There she was, coming ever closer now. He smirked as she froze, no doubt awestruck by everything he was doing for her. Oh beautiful, she was tearing up it seemed. He began to stand. ready to welcome her loving body into his arms when suddenly... she laughed? His smirk dropped. What? Why was she laughing? Oh wait, she was simply overwhelmed wasn't she? Yes, that explained everything. he held out his arms to her, beckoning her to him.

"It's not nice to laugh, you know." He chuckled, trying to hide the fact that her laughter actually hurt a bit. "Come, beautiful lady. Come enjoy my picnic feast!"

[Lark]

Ara shook her head for a moment, holding up her hand to signal she was in fact trying to compose herself. "Sorry. I know it's not nice. This however is. What's the ocassion? You trying to take my mind off of her too?" Her thoughts wavered again and her smile faltered, her body trembling slightly as she reached behind her for a dragoness that wasn't there. Instead she let herself fall into a sitting position, a movement disguised in fluidity...something Kierah would have been proud of.

"Why are you doing this? Don't you....." Ara couldn't say it. She couldn't say the words don't you know I already am in love with someone else? Perhaps it was because as she looked up at J'dol she realized she felt something for him too. Her head went straight into her hands after this. "Faranth! What the shards am I doing here?" A pop announced Aries and Excalibur's arrival, the gold and bronze landing on Ara's body before she shook them off onto the ground.

"You're my student J'dol. Why do you keep trying? I promise I'm not worth it." Maybe he'd believe her? Maybe he didn't have to find out until hehad moved on. Faranth it was tearing her apart inside. Avirith keened unhappily as she landed near Kayath at the caves. I thought I'd find you hear. You know, they're beautiful, but beautiful things loose there shine after a while. It's the memory of what they were that shines through. The green tucked in her wings and looked up at the sky.

[Zirin]

J'dol took a step forward, intending to help steady her as she composed herself, but she had fallen into a sitting position before he had gotten very far. In the back of his mind, he couldn't help but think the movement had seemed a little awkward, unintended even, but it had been fluid and graceful nonetheless, so he didn't pay it much mind. He was busy trying to think of what she meant about taking her mind off 'her'. Oh.. right. She had lost someone important to her during that storm. He wanted to tell her he would take her mind off of anything she wanted, in a way is was his intention; to become such a distraction that she would eventually fall for him.

"I'm doing this beca-" He began to explain, when she seemed to have a bit of a breakdown, even going so far as to shake off her flits, something that seemed incredibly out of character for her, and then it was no longer about wooing her. Now it was worry that caused him to move to her side, moving a hand to rest it gently, almost nervously on her shoulder as she spewed out words that, to J'dol, were nonsense. He thought the excuse of him being a student was silly. Why did it matter what he was? He sighed and attempted to pull her into a hug, though whether she allowed him to or not he didn't care, he would speak anyways.

"Who says you aren't worth it, Ara?" He asked earnestly, his voice dropping to a quiet whisper. "I see only a strong, beautiful woman. A strong, beautiful woman that I had hoped would join her friend for lunch." He needed to get her away from this self-hatred. He could play the friend for now. He had too, at least until he found out what it was that was causing her such pain. It obviously wasn't him, since he was handsome and wonderful.

Kayath, who had been lounging half-heartedly in the cave entrance, raised her head as Avirith's voice reached her head. She wanted to hiss at the green, to tell her to fly off and leave her be, but she wasn't even in the mood to fight with her teacher. The green's words hit close to home however. She, Kayath, the most perfect example of shining beauty, had been feeling lost and ignored. She had lost her own shine. What would you know about shining, Avirith? She replied curtly, a slight hiss to voice. After a moment, she turned her red-tinged eyes at the green and she continued speaking.Mine is infatuated with yours and I do not like it. I have tolerated his folly long enough. Return him to me.

[Lark]

She let herself be held by him, giving in this little bit. Sighing she shook her head. Shard it it hadn't worked! He thought she was against herself now, and how right he would have been only a few months ago. Alyara had grown since then though, a young woman slowly replacing the frightened girl. "No one's said that." Well, that wasn't entirely true. When S'bel had been risiting her he'd said things like that. Not now of course...

Then J'dol was being sweet and saying all those wonderful things about her with his arms wrapped around her. How could she do this to him? "You shouldn't want me here with you! I'm horrible, if you actually knew....if you only knew." To him it might have sounded like a plea saying he didn't know what she was like. This was partially true, but she was of course meaning if he only knew she was with another. How aweful she felt now!

Avirith sighed as Hers started in again on her melodrama. Apparently it was the wrong time of month for her or something to be acting so drastically. The green snapped at the Topaz though bringing her thoughts around. Her words were cold as ice, sharp as knives. I know far more of shining than you do Little One. I have had Kings and Sub-Kings chase me. Only them! I am highly regarded by our Queen, your mother, and am the mate of a bronze. She hissed as she laid her cards on the table, even resorting to using the term mate though she didn't believe in it that much. Greens were too flighty for that term honestly.

But you will know it too. I only hope that your first flight does not become the tragedy mine was. It's all nice in theory for males to chase you wantonly, it's quite another for them to turn on each other in their blind aggression and lust. Never forget that truly shining is how you act. Not how your hide looks. For even the metallic hide dulls and the normal can shine with health and desire.

[Zirin]

He couldn't decide whether her acceptance of the hug made him happy or not. Something was upsetting her, and as far as J'dol was aware it was self-doubt, especially since she confirmed no one had said such things to her. He ran a hand gently through her hair as she spoke, fully expecting her to pull away.

"You aren't horrible, you're wonderful." He replied, "I will want whoever I want. And you are the one I want. I can't help that." Of course, to the young man he assumed that her words were in relation to herself, and not to the fact that there was another man in her life. He sighed and moved his hand to tilt her chin up so he could look at her proper. "Let me in Ara..." His voice was almost a whisper now. "Why don't you like me...?" He leaned in, not with the intention to kiss her (though he definately would not object to such a thing) but more just to draw her closer. He would overcome whatever she was hiding, he would fill her with his presence. She would not escape him!

Kayath stood now to round on the green, her eyes whirling with anger and distress as she growled. Oh yes, Avirith the wise, Avririth the great. The little green who makes herself feel good by lording over a youngling. Is that what you came here for Teacher? To rub in my face how loved you are? The topaz turned away, feeling ashamed at letting the green know how much her boasting had hurt the now 34 foot long topaz. In her anger she almost missed the comment about a bronze mate. Mate? She unconsciously said out loud. Greens did not normally keep mates, their memories were far too short, so what bronze had managed to keep a green? In the back of her mind, she wondered briefly about the rider, but humans aside from J'dol meant little to the sub-queen.

But the the green had moved on, saying something now that was not coming off as vicious. Was she... actually being helpful? Kayath snorted to herself but calmed enough to actually listen. She gave a half-hearted glance at her own hide, oiled and shining as always. Maybe Avirith was right, annoying as she was, for though her hide was as shiny as possible, she did not feel it inside. What did Avirith have that Kayath didn't? What had this green done to get the praise and adoration of dragons of such stature. The topaz had some male followers of course, but she was not so blind as to see that, much like the gold twerp from Maelath's clutch, Kayath was being treated nicely because of her status at birth. She didn't want that. She wanted to be loved because she was Kayath, beautiful, proud and strong, not just the sub-queen. Her next words were quiet, tickling the edges of Avirith's mind; a thought that hadn't meant to be shared. Why must I always lose to you...

[Lark]

She hadn't meant for it to happen, but when he looked at her like that and when he tilted her chin up toward his....Ara closed her eyes and moved the rest of the way. She didn't know if it would last at all, or if it would even be, but in that moment of confusion and caught up in her sorrows and needing comfort, she kissed him. Her senses dropped out for a moment then snapped back into clarity as she pushed away from J'dol and out of his arms.

She couldn't say it was because his dragoness was too young anymore either. There was nothing but the truth to give him and she blinked quickly and turned away. "I can't.......I should never have come here. I'm so sorry." Ara looked back over her shoulder flicking her eyes up at his face then at the floor again. She tightened her arms around herself and fought the urge to go back to that comfort. It wasn't the one she should be turning to! It shouldn't be on so many levels, so many reasons!

Avirith crooned as Kayath finally saw sense. I've had a few more turns than you my friend. That's why you still loose. Ignorance...and innocence. It will go away in time. One day you will know more than me. You will be great. You will have someone who cares for you too. The green moved forward to nudge the Topaz lightly on her shoulder then tilted her head. Sighing she shook her head. Take Mine for instance. She has learned much, and has grown and has caught the eye of a bronzerider. Yet she still is young and confused. I don't understand why it's so hard for her to choose. It's simple really. Avirith snorted and tossed her head, not understanding completely the complex emotions of her rider.

[Zirin]

She was his! This wonderful, beautiful women was giving in, she was giving herself to him! She couldn't deny him any longer! He pulled her closer, attempting to deepen the kiss as he sang mental cheers to himself. She was His! His his - no~ Get back here woman! His mind complained as she pulled away. Not just away, but out of his arms completely. His expression changed from one of happiness to one of complete confusion. Why wouldn't she just.. give in? She couldn't use the excuse of Kayath being too young anymore!

Kayath watched Avirith as she spoke, feeling.. comforted? It was something she definately hadn't expected from the cocky, in-your-face green. Her words weren't entirely nice; Kayath thought being called Ignorant was a little unnecessary, but there was no point in fighting her. Something about her tone calmed the topaz, and for once she was willing to listen. She pondered the idea of having someone... and while it sounded nice, Kayath wasn't ready to think of One. There was too much of her to have only one! She couldn't tell the green that though, it would ruin everything. Instead, she moved to lightly rest her head on Avirith's shoulder, her own version of thanks. Maybe you aren't so bad, teach.

However, her head shot up a moment later as Avirith went into detail on the aforementioned bronze. Yours is leading Mine on like a wherry?! Her tailed twitched in agitation. One one hand, she wanted to fuss and complain, but on the other, she didn't want to destroy the moment of friendliness between them. Hers came first. She passed on a message, not thinking of the consequences.

"Don't.. Ara..." J'dol was at a loss. Women (and occasionally men) usually threw themselves at his feet when he showered them with attention. He moved closer, unsure as to whether he should give her space or embrace. Kayath's voice reached him suddenly, and he was shocked to feel her unblock him. His arms dropped to his sides and his looked changed from confusion to hurt.

"A.. bronzerider...?"

[Lark]

Yes...S'bel, the last Weyrlingmaster...ours actually. It is his Maerath who may catch me as well. Though that was after Ours had already decided to pursue something. The details were foggy to the green, she wasn't known for her memory like Iliath was after all. Avirith settled against the ground, then stopped and stood up as she felt the distress from her rider. It seems we are needed. She flared her wings, flying up into the air and heading for Hers.

At the river, Ara bit back a whimper. So, he knew. She didn't doubt that somehow it had slipped between their dragons. It wasn't uncommon for Avirith to let secrets go without meaning to. "Yes...I tried to...I tried to tell you before J'dol. I'm just, so confused." She sat down on the ground, followed by her green as the dragoness landed nearby and walked over to her. It formed a wall she could lean against, Avirith's head winding next to her form. "Thank you sweetheart, for coming to me." Of course AraMine. The dragoness looked at J'dol, tilting her head. She did not understand why Hers was so distraught over something so simple.

If you like him, like him. Ara shook her head and looked at her dragon. I like both of them though Avi. The green snorted, rolling her eyes and settling her head on her front paws. "Well, looks like we have some talking to do then...don't we?" She sighed and closed her eyes, opening them up again. "You like me...don't you? More than just a passing fancy....but don't you understand that it's not right. I was you at one point. I was in love with my teacher too.....he was so stubborn. There were times that I was so upset with him, I wanted to just tackle him right then and there and tell him just how much he meant to me."

She laughed, and shook her head. "It wasn't until recently that he finally realized there was nothing to fear anymore. Maybe it won't work...but that's the chance. Maybe, there is one for us too? However, I have waited for my chance longer than you have for yours. Learn about your dragonet, help her grow. If it's meant to be, I'll still be around. So, what do you say my Topazrider?"

[Zirin]

Kayath's tail swished in agitation, not her own, as she cared little about who won whose flight and so on and so forth since it was only her own flight that mattered to the topaz. It was J'dol's emotions that were causing the sub-queen discomfort. He was hurt, hurt in a way she had never felt before, and it was unnerving. Sure, J'dol had hit on men and women alike, sometimes being successful, sometimes being rejected, but this was an entirely different level. Kayath didn't speak a reply, simply sent the green a feeling of confused understanding before rising and taking to the air after Avirith.

J'dol's expression hardened at her explanation. "You should have told me before." He replied. "Good or bad, I don't care, but this is low." His voice held a sorrow that was rarely heard from the young man. He had trusted her, believed she was just shy and unsure about breaking the student-teacher taboo. He had never expected that her reason for being so fickle was because another man was involved. J'dol did NOT share. As she seemed to calm a bit, as her words came out easier, J'dol only found himself getting angry. Kayath had picked him for a reason after all, neither of them took kindly to being second. Yet, that wasn't what had him so worked up. He could handle being second if he had to, seeing it as a challenge; a challenge to win over the girl.

No... this went much deeper than that, bringing back memories of his childhood. bringing memories of the day he had found out his mother had outright abandoned him. There was a reason he couldn't truly love anyone, and now that he had begun opening up, accepting the idea of a small commitment, she had turned around and stabbed him in the back. Ara, his teacher, was no different than the mother he had never know. His expression darkened and his voice turned cold.

"Thanks for the kiss teach. I got what I came for, you can run back to your bronzer now and pretend none of this ever happened, just like you wanted." A single tear slid down his cheek and he turned away, hoping to block it from view, though he had been a bit too slow for that. There, now she could run home to S'bel. The decision had been made for her. Kayath crooned and in front of J'dol, blocking him from view. I am here, Mine. I love you. She causes nothing but pain, but I am here only for you. He remained silent, quickly mounting the Topaz before another word could be said from either of them. With a strong leap, Kayath was airborn and speeding away from the river, away from the things that upset Hers.

[Lark]

Time Skip to present day Southern riders at Trelis/Loraketh has clutched:


Kayath, I'd like you and Yours to go to the river and stay there. I have a special surprise for you.

Ara sighed and kicked off her boots as she sat along the rocks. The river was creeping past at a lazy to nothing speed, and for once she was not quite so depressed as normal. It had been a sevenday since she had broken it off with S'bel, since he had yelled at her after saying how he'd loved her yet couldn't love her because of his duty to the Queens. It made her sick that someone could change so fast! Gritting her teeth, Ara shook her head, putting it into her hands. It was strange feeling the lack of hair there. Before, her hair had reached past her shoulders to her mid back, now it was cut short to her neck.

Yet another thing that had changed since she had taken a couple of days off. She had given K'lin and Panille her last couple of lessons, saying she was ill and needed rest. She was sure they knew the real reasons though. The greenrider wanted to laugh at herself really. She had allowed herself to get into this position, and now the object of her affections hated her. How could she tell him that she had chosen him after all...that she had been confused and hopeful and stupid? Sighing, she cradled her head in her hands again.

Nearby, Avirith crooned and wrapped her tail around herself. Her hide had dulled with the sadness her rider was feeling, and her eyes were now tinged gray. She hadnt even asked to dance in the skies in days, and had taken as long to eat again, not that it had helped too much. No, she was as shadowed as her rider was. Maerath hated her too, though of that she wasn't so focused on anymore. What she disliked was her topaz friend now resented her too it seemed. Sure they has been rivals, but Kayath was someone Avirith held dear to her like Hers. It was an odd stroke of luck that Inali had asked Ara to make sure Kayath could chew and flame as well as J'dol could handle a flamethrower. Sub's could do either, but they needed to know both.

Personally, Ara would have rathered have anyone but her do this. She wanted to see J'dol again, but she was so terrified too. Closing her eyes, she let her head roll back and she hummed a tune the greenrider she had called mother used to sing to her. Beside Avirith, a small bag of firestone lay in hiding under one folded green wing.