[PRP] A Springtime Song (Sylfie/Theo)

[Meepfur]

Meepfur

The young goldrider was hardly surprised by the rejection; she was, after all, just Sylfie, whereas Z'tir was a wingleader and Zelaya's father. Of course she would stay with him. And she was very nice about it, which was...nice. She swallowed the lump in her throat, nodded, "I'll s-see you after, then. Or...sometime." With such a high-ranking parent, there were probably much better and more interesting people for her to be around. She nodded again, a little more firmly this time, and choked out another, "Wingleader."

And took her leave, making her way carefully away so that she didn't look to be in as much of a rush as she was. She just...needed away. In spite of her words, she didn't make a beeline for Hesperith, but meandered aimlessly in that general direction and tried not to bump into anyone on the way. Which was made a little tricky by the fact that she was walking with her eyes to the ground.

ShinosBee

With his book clenched nearly to his chest (and quill half-bent as he still struggled to write even so!) Oseathiol was just, simply entranced by all that was happening. Babies here, cracking eggs there, he'd seen the little golden snout, nostrils flaring on that last attempt to break free! The man was as starry-eyed as Pern's night sky.

Which is probably why he didn't notice the young woman, similarly distracted, wandering aimlessly across the beach. "Just wonderful, look at them all!" He muttered under his breath...and then froze, just in time to stop a collision. "O-oh! Oh my! I'm, I'm so terribly sorry!" He babbled, immediately taking a step back, and ducking into an awkward, off-balance (thank you, sand!) bow. "I'm afraid I was...well, a bit distracted there." His smile was genuine, and rather self-deprecating. He'd never been the least clumsy fellow. Or the best with social interaction. Or women. His fingers drummed along the back of the book he'd clapped shut a moment before, eyes flicking between Sylfie and the eggs. She wasn't in robes...did that mean she was a rider?

Oh Faranth. Who'd he gone and tripped over this time?!

Meepfur

It was her own fault for not watching where she was going. It was silly and daft and there was no excuse for it, really, and if Hesperith had been paying better attention instead of admiring all the handsome males and cooing over the babies, her dragon probably would have scolded her - and not just for not paying attention to her surroundings, but for turning tail and running from further interaction with a ranking rider. A bronzerider. How embarrassing.

As it was, Sylfie had no idea whatsoever she had almost walked into someone - and/or been walked into? - until that someone had laready realized what she hadn't and babbled a startled apology as he took a step back out of her space. Or to...regain his? She looked up at him in wide-eyed, mortified alarm, opened her mouth, shut it again, gulped. Stared. Felt horrible. Just...the worst. Could today get worse?

At even more of a loss for words than usual, she did eventually squeak out, "I'm s-sorry. I...wasn't looking."

As if that wasn't obvious.

ShinosBee

"Oh, oh no, honestly it's all my fault!" The man insisted. "I admit I was a bit transfixed by the hatchlings, and I've always been ever so clumsy, heh..." Oh, he was making even more a fool of himself. Realizing he still had the book in his hands, and the now semi-smashed quill, dripping ink...In a flurry he stuffed them into a pocket (and rest in peace these trousers) and offered a hand. "O-Oseathiol, harper, at your service...?" It was then that he realized there was a rather large smear of ink still on his hand. The hand he'd offered to a rider. Blanching and blushing all at once some how, he hastened to wipe his palm down before offering it again. "...Terribly sorry," He mumbled again, smile firmly in place, if somewhat shaky.

Meepfur

Sylfie continued to stare for a long moment, at even more of a loss than usual. This was...this was not at all the sort of reaction she had been expecting or was used to. All full of apology and awkwardness and things that she was used to feeling herself, not being the cause or on the receiving end of. O-oh dear. And...and he was a Harper? Oh. That was so very lovely and important, stories were wonderful and-

And there was a rather angry hatchling, broadcasting its displeasure with one candidate at absolutely everyone, candidate or rider or otherwise. The interruption to her thoughts delayed her scramble for words to create...and even longer pause. Could she sink down into the sand, now, please? "I, um, it's...it's okay," she stammered finally, and reached out to accept the (re-)offered hand. To be honest, she would have taken it in the first place regardless, ink or no. "Sylfie, I'm...Sylfie. Of Hesperith."

ShinosBee

My my, what a pair they were! When at last the woman took his hand, rather than shake, he managed a practiced if clumsy bow, dipping to gently kiss the back of her hand. "W-well Miss Sylfie, of Hesperith...thank you for not minding my blunder. Which, if you don't mind my asking, uhm, uh, which w-weyr was it you were from, again? Oh look...both bronzes sorted and gone!" His attention was a darting, eager thing, fixing on her, the babies, the eggs, her, the eggs, the gold mother, the eggs, her in succession. What had started as a blush at his own foible now seemed more...permanent, thanks to the sun over head, but he either didn't notice or didn't care.

Meepfur

This was just...every flavor of awkward, wasn't it? She still felt like a fool for almost plowing into the poor, sweet Harper, and she honestly couldn't tell if she felt worse about it than she would have if he'd been annoyed or rude. But however she felt, she could say with confidence that she was nowhere near as uncomfortable as she had been when confronted with a wingleader. Not that she wasn't an out-of-sorts mess regardless.

"I'm from, um, High Reaches," she answered, a bit more promptly this time, although with a hesitance in her tone. Sylfie didn't feel properly from High Reaches, but that was where they lived now, so. That was the answer. As to the bronzes, she blinked and looked over fleetingly. "O-oh, they did?"

She had really not been paying nearly as much attention to the clutch as she should have been, all wrapped up in one awkward interaction after another. When she looked back to Oseathiol, she did notice that he was looking rather pink, and she was...feeling rather pink herself. "I was going to, ah, go back. To Hesperith, I mean. Get a better view...or just some shade. W-would you like to..?"

That would be a good apology for almost running into him, right?

ShinosBee

"Oh! Really? Well, that'd be quite the treat!" He was all a flutter at the thought! Getting to sit with a rider atop their...what? Green? Maybe a fine strapping blue? It was like a dream! Sure, his brother'd let him atop his bronze several times before, but that didn't matter. Any time, it was just a treat. "Has, hasn't the clutch been just splendid!" With the awkwardness passed (or perhaps with the prospect of dragon interaction filling his mind) the man seemed almost...well. On earth he'd have seemed like a bit of a nerd, really. Just ready to gush about his favorite obsession. It was somewhat tempered at least by his continued sense of propriety and decorum. "That charming little gold, and the bronzes, and now those brothers, walking almost arm in arm. Or is it, ah, tail in tail?"

Meepfur

With a nod, Sylfie proceeded to lead a somewhat-meandering path towards her dragon, glancing over frequently to politely keep her eyes on Oseathiol as he spoke. "I'm glad it's all...gone so well," she said, "Good for her. Harder for people to s-say bad things about her, when it's...when everything's gone right, and there's lots of metallics."

Yes, good on Susurinth for making it all work, somehow. A part of Sylfie was envious, the tiny selfish part of her that regretted choosing to affiliate. It was for the best that they had, she knew, but it had been and still was a struggle. She missed freedom. She missed home.

Approaching the great bulk of gold dragon, sitting in companionable nearness with the other dragons on the beach, she waved. "Hey, Hes! Th-this is Oseathiol. He's gonna sit with us for a bit."

"Oseathiol, this is Hesperith."

Hesperith took her eyes from the Hatching to peer down at her rider and the young man with whirling blue-green eyes. Good afternoon, she greeted him pleasantly, never shy about speaking for herself, and then addressed Hers (but still included him, for politeness' sake), What a fine clutch! And our Renose Impressed a very lovely green!

ShinosBee

He'd been so caught up in watching either the babies or keeping his attention (respectfully) on Syfie that Theo hadn't quite realized when they'd crossed into the shadow of a...a GOLD dragon. Oh Faranth between I tripped over a goldrider!! His mind ran rampant for a moment, panic and thrill melding into a mania that left him chuckling weakly (and about an octave above his usual range) as he was introduced. "P-pleasure's all mine, H-Hesperith!" He choked out, offering a hand out of instinct before slapping it back down, stiff-armed to his side. You don't shake hands with a dragon!! he chided himself.

"It's, well, it's certainly been a thrill for me too! I don't see near as many as I'd like," He chimed in, the returned nervousness making his words race and stumble just a bit. "Not being partnered closely with any weyr, you see, it's a nice treat to get to see the, the emotion of it all. New lives and, and that perfect bond. My brother impressed once, you know, and, and he's told me all about it. I can't even begin to imagine it, I'm sure—though of course you two'd know all about it!—but seeing it happen's almost as nice, hmm?"

...Should he stop babbling now? Yes, yes probably. Oh gracious.

((JUST COMPILING HERE. Actual tag....incoming.))  

[Meepfur]

Oh, how darling! Hesperith was absolutely tickled when the man offered her his hand as though she were human. How adorable! Charmed, she purred, crossing her forelegs sphinx-style as she peered down at the young man with his book and his ink-stained trousers. What an interesting fellow Hers had found!

"I haven't seen many myself," Sylfie shared. "Hes's and, well...Hes's. So this is only my third." She looked between gold and Harper with a twinge of anxiousness, hoping desperately that they would like each other, and that Oseathiol wouldn't...wouldn't be uncomfortable because her dragon was gold, or treat her differently, or...or...! She didn't even know exactly what she was worried about, only that she was worried. He was very nice, after all, and a Harper-

Catching her rider's thoughts, Hesperith went from amused to intrigued and absolutely thrilled, and before Sylfie could inquire after the man's brother or follow any other line of conversation, gushed at him, You are a Harper? How delightful! Is that what is in your book? Do you have songs?

ShinosBee

 

[ShinosBee]

The creature was gorgeous. Unearthly splendor and unknowable grace, her every move poised and perfect and she was looking at him. Was the tremble in his spine from fear or excitement? Had he remembered to bow? The memory of having offered a hand haunted him, and oh! If it wasn't one of the strongest motivators to just hunker down in some no-name cothold somewhere and live out the rest of his life in anonymous shame!

Thankfully the Harper Hall had gone a fair way into breaking him of his stage fright...or at least giving him ways to muscle through it. Staring dumbly at a goldrider's dragon wasn't the ideal way to present yourself. He managed a shaky grin at Sylfie, trying to reassure her that, no, he wasn't a madman leering at her dragon. And then? Then the gold talked to him. And if he'd been any weaker a man he'd probably have cried out.

"I-it's an honor to hear, hear you, madam gold, uhm Hesperith." He clutched the book a bit closer, a rose pink flush creeping up the back of his neck and over his ears. "No, n-no, I'm afraid not. Is she particular to son—are you particular to songs, Hessssp," He gave a fluttery, strange breath, as if perhaps he might still pass out from the sheer awe of talking to a goldrider and her dragon. His knees felt just terribly weak. "Hesperith? I might, I could, I mean...w-well, here! See?"

He hastily opened the book, thumbing through pages of very small, very tidy (if slanted somewhat from his clear excitement at the time of writing) writing to come to the pages where he'd begun to hastily sketch scenes from the hatching. Each was well-crafted, if not quite on par with what a harper trained solely to paint or draw would produce. They would be good enough to jog his memories later for more detailed writing, but hopefully the dragon and her rider would like them well enough. "I was, well, it's silly, but I was thinking of writing a play about the hatching. One out of a weyr is rare enough these days, but, I mean, one with no hold or hall, either? It's, it's interesting enough, well maybe, to make something of...isn't it?"

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

Oh, but he was so precious!  So polite, and so properly in awe of her!  It had been quite some time since a human had been so affected by her presence, not since they'd settled at the Weyr.  At the farm, oh, there had often been enthralled visitors, but never a Harper!  Though she retained her regal poise quite carefully, inwardly the gold was all a-flutter with delight.  The ongoing Hatching became little more than background noise to her...babies were all well and good, and cute, but since they weren't hers, not nearly as interesting as the Harper.

I do enjoy songs, but I appreciate any good story!  I have never seen a play, though I would very much like to one day. When he opened his book to flip through pages for her, she leaned her head down to peer at the contents - as respectful of his personal space in doing so as was physically possible for her to be, but when you were a very large dragon trying to look at a book someone was holding, well.  Close proximity was unavoidable.  She cooed over the sketches with purplish-blue eyes, perhaps just a bit envious of the fact that Susurinth had someone to draw and write stories about her clutch. I don't think that is silly at all.  I know that I would be honored, were a Harper to pay such tribute to a clutch of mine.

Every bit as curious as her bonded but far less cavalier about leaning in close, Sylfie peeked past the Queen's snout to steal a glance at the sketches as well. "Those...those are really good," she admired. "You draw and write?"

Knowing Hers was just as interested, and quite intent on keeping the company of this Harper now that she 'had' him, Hesperith noted, Oh, but my dear, this tropical sun may have done wonders for the eggs, but it is far too harsh for fair complexions such as yours and Mine's.  Come, sit beneath my wing, and tell us more about your stories.  Do you often write of dragons?

ShinosBee

 

[ShinosBee]

He gulped at the gold lowered her great head (and wasn't her eye nearly size of his own head? Whirling and colorful and, oh!! He'd never really looked at one so closely before. Beautiful! If ever a jewelcrafter could replicate the look, they would be lauded as the greatest of mastercrafters on all of Pern, wouldn't they? His slightly slack jaw clicked quietly as it clenched, the sudden urge to confirm that he'd not said all that out loud (as he'd made such foibles before!) rushing through him and increasing the pink glow of his ears. He let slip a tiny whimper when the gold spoke to him again; it was all very wonderful, if slightly overwhelming for his poor faint heart.

"W-well, perhaps if I were to be given word when, when your own glorious eggs harden on the sands?" He often made a point of visiting all the clutches he could, but she was so kind, and interested, and...and it would be just rude to spurn her apparent interest, would it? Hearing Sylfie's voice (oh, she was looking too, he was just so embarrassed to show off his eccentric little hobby, and couldn't the sands just swallow him up right now?) also pay his efforts compliment did not help his articulation. He made several half-started, quickly aborted attempts to return the praise, ever more frazzled until, at last, "Th-thank you...I just...try to do the hatchlings justice?" He definitely didn't spend literal hours later pouring over them, remembering the hatching, and daydreaming of what it must be like to be chosen like those lucky candidates had been.

That would just be silly. And childish. Wouldn't it?

Thankfully he was 'saved' from that humbling line of thought by the gold's...offer? Did any one even say no to a gold dragon? He looked to Sylfie for additional confirmation and then went stumbling over the uneven sand to duck into the shadow of the gold's wing. He'd been so excited, he hadn't even noticed that the red of his blush was more...permanent. And well-spread. "I write, mostly, but drawing helps me to, to be able to stay in the moment longer? To come back to this scene once it's days gone, if I need to. I'm passable at it, but...but writing is my real specialization." He offered, every note in his voice trembling with humility. His works were fairly popular...but really, he was sure there were plenty of harpers more talented than he was.

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

That is a marvelous idea! Hesperith agreed eagerly, eyes alight with glee at the very thought. There might even have been a hint of a wiggle to her movements as she re-settled herself in the sand to better suit extending her wing just so for the Harper and Hers to enjoy the shade. I will make sure that you are notified immediately. I do not feel that it will be anytime soon, but...one just never knows until it is time! Well, a day or two before, but that is very little notice. Oh, would you like word about that, too? It will be quite a spectacle, I'm sure!

That was- Was her dragon inviting the man they'd just met to watch her Flight? Nevermind that much of the 'spectacle' would end up quite out of sight of the Weyr, goldflights were...well. People were usually a little too distracted to watch, anyway. Mortified, Sylfie chose to pretend she hadn't heard that offer, and said absolutely nothing about it as she moved to sit in the shade of the gold's wing. "J-just passable?" The young woman blinked. She couldn't imagine doing one artistic thing 'passably,' so someone capable of more than one was just a marvel, and she was maybe just a tiny bit envious. "If...if that's just p-passable, you must be an amazing writer."

ShinosBee

 

[ShinosBee]

Oh goodness, of Faranth, he would just, just firmly tell himself he'd not just heard that second offer! The one good thing about a sunburn was that it hid the truly shocking levels of blush-inducing terror he'd imbibed at imagining being present for a goldflight. Surely the sight of gold and bronzes twisting through the sky would be a stunning one, but, but, but...! "O-oh, well! I do what I can!" His voice came out in a strangled squeak at first, necessitating himself ducking to clear his throat and give himself a mental shake. Now was not the time to come down with the vapors, nor the company! Now, he'd been made an offer, and a lady deserved a gentle rejection at the very least!

"I, I would love to come see your eggs, Hesperith, if that remains agreeable to you. Without a dragon of my own, though, I fear, well, I fear I'd be more of a hindrance than an appropriate spectator. Just one more person getting in the way, gawking up—not, of course, to say that a stunning thing like yourself ought not have all the awed stares she would like!—I just, I mean, oh, oh dear..." He fumbled to a stop, fighting tooth and nail against the urge to bury his face in his hands or flee the scene. Could he possibly insert his foot any further down his own throat?

Thankfully Sylfie was doing the proper thing and just forging ahead. He'd follow her lead and mentally sing her praises for doing a far better job than he about keeping a cool head. He'd been so horribly improper, he was certain. "I'm quite, quite sure you'd be unfamiliar with any of my works. Mostly small pieces; scenes for caravan mummer groups, the rare poem? Nothing at all mastercraft-worthy, but I, I'll admit to some selfishness in that I mostly do write it for myself. So I'm a bit of a biased consumer...right?"

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

You would not be in the way at all, Hesperith assured him brightly, not oblivious to his flustered state, but actually enjoying it just a bit because it was positively adorable. And he was still so gentlemanly regardless! Yes, he was a very fine man, and she was very glad he and Hers had tripped over each other. But if you prefer to just see the eggs, I do understand. My last clutch was very fine, and I expect no less of my second.

After all, she was a fine dragon herself, so of course her offspring would all have that in common with her. And at High Reaches, she would have such a selection of males! Jorgoth had been a good, attentive mate, certainly the best of her suitors at the time, but she quite looked forward to having a larger pool of suitors, perhaps a bit closer to her own age.

Hes, could you not- not run the poor man off, please? she entreated, full of sympathy for the Harper, but the gold brushed away the concern, leaving her to cross her fingers and hope that her dragon didn't make Oseathiol so uncomfortable that he left. She'd feel terrible! "That makes sense, writing for- for yourself. Why do something you don't love, r-right?"

Mine and I read many books, Hesperith chimed in, But poems are very beautiful. I like those, too.

ShinosBee

 

[ShinosBee]

Not in the way at all he was just going to choke on his own breath and crumble in onto himself, now, certainly. He was honored. And he was horrified. Not with Hesperith, no, he could never be upset with a gold dragon speaking to him! She could frankly insult his work and his family going back six generations, and he'd patiently listen and feel little beyond awe and wonder. More he was horrified that he'd managed to apparently warrant such attention. And that he had not an inkling of what to do but nod and agree meekly to whatever it was she wanted of him.

Thankfully Sylfie, the brave woman, came to his rescue, pulling the conversation back towards things he at least felt comfortable talking about. If, well, someone selfish. Just going on and making it all about him, wasn't he? At least the two ladies seemed entertained to hear of his work.

"Well! I suppose that makes sense, putting it like that. Puh, projects of p-passion, and all that," His voice wavered a bit on the word 'passion', the warmth of the gold so near dragging his mind back to her earlier invitation. No, no, he was not going to blush again! "Oh, really? You r-read books, do you?" He somehow hadn't thought that dragons might enjoy reading. At most, he'd expected they might 'see' the story as their rider read it. Though it would have to be a very good book, he decided, to so engross a rider.

Oh. He hoped no dragons had been offended by his depictions of them over the turns!

"What, uhm, that is, if you don't mind my asking you both, sorts of things do you prefer to read? Maybe I could...I could, well." He could find whomever wrote it, or maybe would know them, and either procure something new for them, or...something. Oh. He was not good at this at all. Friendship. Surely a goldrider didn't need a lowly harper to fetch her books!

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

"I miss having...having things to do that mean something like that," Sylfie said wistfully. "It feels like all I do now is study and practice. And besides, it's- I can't really grow much of anything in my weyr." Maybe if she put something out on Hesperith's ledge for some sun, but it would be doomed come winter.

We do, Hesperith answered proudly, Mine has read to me ever since I was small! It is so wonderful to read, to go to and see places that you otherwise might never. The gold sighed happily before answering his next question. Oh, we finished the most delightful story just last week, about K'lann and Elliah! Do you know it?

Sylfie paled and nearly choked on embarrassment. Faranth, she hoped he didn't know it! It was hardly the sort of fine literature a Harper would consume, and if by some chance he had...oh, how silly he'd think them. "I don't- I don't think he reads those sorts of things, Hes."

ShinosBee

 

[ShinosBee]

Hearing that there was an aspect of her life that was going unfulfilled, that she missed about a time or place before the Weyr, it was enough to temper some of Theo’s wild romanticisms. He’d heard the rumor that most golds chose non-natives for their riders—had she come from a hold before? She was right though in the thought that little would grow in a weyr. High and airy and stone, what could take root that wasn’t some hardscrabble patch, and even that would be dead to dragonfire or frost in mere months. He offered a sympathetic smile, unable to do much more, and thinking that perhaps a pat on the shoukder would simply be too familiar. “You have so much more though, right? Your very splendid Hesperith. I can’t imagine a life without my books and pens, but...but I think, had the search dragon come for me, then maybe I’d have been just as happy.”

“...Oh Faranth, forgive me if that sounded impertinent or, or if I’m talking of things beyond what I could understand!” Of course Sylfie felt her dragon was worth it all, he was certain! And he was a fardling idiot as well, most likely, she would think.

But really, not even his again-panicking mind could keep him from attending the gold’s words, and that was a revelation that left him feeling as if his tongue had literally tangled in his mouth. They had read his book...! And not just any of the, the silly, indulgent, embarrassing ones either—his masterwork, if ever he’d written one, though he’d burn in dragonfire before he ever put his name to it or showed it to a crafter council. “Kuh, K’lann and Elliah, you said?” Breathe normally, it’s just a coincidence! “I can’t, can’t say’s I have.” They can’t know you wrote that, that...! “You said it was, ah, delightful?” Just keep it together, Theo old boy! “I’ll have to have a look at it sometime then!” ...Fardles!!

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

"I- I do have Hes, and that's...she's wonderful, she is." The young woman glanced up at her dragon with a fond smile. She could never think to give her up, no more than any rider could their dragon, but their life had gotten much more complicated once Thread had returned, and when they'd finally decided to join a Weyr. "It was just...easier, before. I could have her, and- and home. When we didn't have to choose."

"No, it's...it's okay. I'm sorry, it probably sounds silly, c-complaining when I have a dragon." It was what almost every Pernese child dreamed of, after all, grew up on tales of and was assured there was no greater honor. Especially when the dragon was shiny. "I just get homesick, sometimes, is all."

Oh, you should! Hesperith encouraged the Harper. I think it is one of the most romantic things we have ever read. The gold gave a deep, dreamy sigh as a hint of purple mixed with the happy blue of her eyes. And the dragons aren't merely incidental, as they so often are in tales. It's so rare that authors give us our own stories, instead of relegating us to plot devices. We have out own lives and loves, too!

Oh, dear. Here she went, off on a tangent that Sylfie had heard many times, but she supposed it was better than focusing on the human elements of the tale. Which, well. There were some very human elements, as it were, and she was rather glad he hadn't read it. Although, after Hesperith's encouragement, maybe he would, and he would read it knowing that she had read it, and... She blushed at the very thought.

ShinosBee

 

[ShinosBee]

On some level, Theo's rattled mind pointed out that, ah, yes, of course, she must have been an unaffiliated rider before. The blessing of a dragon and the passions of her Hold or craft life...And she'd given it up. Given up that perfect life in order to safeguard Pern, hadn't she? He felt a swell of heat in his chest and behind his cheeks—dragonriders surely were the best of the lot, the very best of all of them. Such noble sacrifice...! "No, no," his voice wasn't squeaking, thank Faranth, "Not silly at all. Do, does the Weyr at least, I mean, of course they would, but, you are able to visit, at least? I'm certain that your Hold would be simply delighted to see you and Hesperith come back now and again. I know that were I Hold-stationed, I would!" Aaaaand he'd gone and embarrassed himself again.

And then the gold was gushing again to him, and he felt the thrill of hysteria come creeping back. He spared himself replying for a moment, thanks to the timely hatching of another one of the clutch's eggs (he'd nodded along, hastily sketching and scribbling as he did so—was that rude? Oh Faranth, oh fardles!) and then gulped, hoping to all that was good in this world that he simply seemed besieged by the heat, and not certain he was actually dreaming this whole situation up. "W-well of course! What, what self-respecting harper would make the dragons a, a footnote, hmm? Each being as individual as a person, each one being a person, being as intimately alive and, and vivid..."

He managed to n** his potential rambling in the bud before too long. He, ever the dragon fanatic, obviously had been almost more interested in the dragons of his tales than their riders, but in truth it was the combination, both together, that mattered most. One couldn't be without the other, after all, and besides. Pern had ample records and songs of the great riders of history. But what of their dragons? All of Pern knew of Moreta...but what of her gold? What had she been like? What had the great Faranth been like, and done, and thought?

No one had written of it, and so no one knew. And while most of his own works were simply fanciful romances...at least it was something. A step. Perhaps, he reasoned, he should do a more serious piece next. Maybe...something he'd not mind admitting to having written.

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

"I can. I-I do, sometimes," she said, turning her head to look wistfully into the distance: not at the ongoing hatching, but past it. She did go home now and then, but not as often as she could have...should have, maybe. It was hard to go back for just a day, then have to return to High Reaches when all she wanted to do was stay in Nerat. "It almost makes me miss...miss it more, though. Do you- do you ever miss your home?"

At least she had a dragon and could go home with relative ease. Yet another thing that made complaining seem silly.

Too many! Perhaps they have simply not been fortunate enough to know many dragons, and do not understand the scope of who we are. Hesperith thrummed in thought, letting her forked tail curl and uncurl. Or maybe they do not realize that we dragons enjoy tales, too. I wonder, if they did, would any write some for us? Maybe it was a hint, maybe not, but it was a wish she'd always had. Stories about riders and other humans were all well and good, but she could do with a few more brave, strapping bronzes and browns to read about.

Or better yet, some real ones to treat her properly, even though she had no rank and might not Rise for turns more. Was it so much to ask to be wooed, for a little attention even so? She had been an object of curiosity when she'd first arrived at the Weyr, but the novelty had rather worn off, it seemed, leaving her in want of more.

ShinosBee

 

[ShinosBee]

A small chuckle, warm and affectionate at the thought of his home Hold, erupted from the man. It was a hearty laugh for such a soft man, but sweet in its genuine nature. "I don't know a soul that doesn't think on their home with wistful yearning from time to time. I, well, of course I miss my parents and my siblings, but it wasn't a fit for me." His smile had gone soft, vacant as his mind cast back through memories and across miles and miles of Pern. "It was...well, always too cold for me there. Colder than High Reaches, at least, as far as I would know having only visited a few times." For clutches of course...and to research certain aforementioned stories...

"It was my home, but now all of Pern is. Why, if I'd stayed there forever I'd never have seen such wondrous things as I've been gifted to see!" His eyes slid across the clutch, the young dragonets, along the gold dragoness, to Sylfie's bright, attentive face...his ears flushed bright red as he tugged his stare back to the hatchlings. Obviously they were what he'd meant!

Once again Hesperith came to his rescue, diverting the conversation and giving him a reason to turn towards the giant golden dragon (and away from Sylfie, at least for a moment!) "Why, I would, well, I'd say that any harper worth his salt ought to think of dragons as equal audience members!" Of course he would, fanatic that he was. "I should apologize to you on behalf of my fellows for our broad and general ignorance to you and yours, great and lovely Hesperith!" He would have been laying it on rather thick...except of course that he blatantly meant every word of it.

Meepfur