A Kindness Repaid [V'riy]

Morith pawed impatiently at the ground as he waited for V'riy to mount. They were at the lake, finishing a quick swim after the day's earlier exploring trip. V'riy and Morith, in search of more interesting places to investigate, had been flying over land a good deal south of Katila proper, and had found something unexpected.

They had spotted a bovine wandering alone in a clearing. Quickly descending upon the beast before any wherries could get to it, Morith had snapped the beast's neck, ending its life. The bronze had sated himself on a wherry earlier in the day and was not interested in eating anything more. Morith preferred to eat smaller meals and tended to hunt more frequently as a result. The pair had dropped off their prize at the kitchens, V'riy requesting only enough of the meat for a herd beast stew that he planned on preparing at his hut later in the day.

Finishing up their refreshing swim, V'riy quickly mounted his bronze partner, and gave the order to /between/ back to the communal kitchens. He hurried inside to pick up his package, thanking the drudge who handed him the bundled meat. He procured an empty basket and headed to the storage area, filling it with a small bag of flour, a small jar containing wrapped portions of butter, a large onion, several tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, a few ribs of celery, and portions of bay leaf for spicing. The rider knew he had everything else for the stew back at his hut.

Smiling in anticipation of the nice dinner he would be having, he left the kitchens, package and basket in hand. He had plenty of time for the stew to cook, it being only the middle of the afternoon. Placing his packaged meat in his shoulder bag, he climbed up Morith's foreleg, keeping a careful hold on the basket on his way up.

The pair emerged from between above their hut and Morith circled and banked left before slowly descending, carefully alighting on the ground of the clearing in front of the hut with a minimal amount of sound. Their hut was slightly larger than most, being that the bronze dragon needed a larger wallow, and that V'riy had built it with his father. There was a decent amount of space between it and the next building as it was on the outskirts of the hut settlement. V'riy enjoyed the location as it was less likely that he would have any unwanted company.

He entered his hut and put his package and basket on the table in the kitchen area. He started a fire in the fireplace and grabbed a large pot. V'riy was just about to go outside to fill it with water from the barrel outside when he heard an amused rumble from Morith.

The one who thinks I'm incredible is here. She's napping in the shade next to my wallow and it looks like she cleaned it of any debris. Should I wake her? Morith's voice was filled with warmth as he projected an image of Arddra with her back against the hut, fast asleep.

V'riy's eyebrows shot up in surprise at his dragon's announcement. Hmm. Let her sleep a little longer. She can have some of the stew I'm making, V'riy replied, grabbing his stew pot and heading to the water barrel. The barrel was on the side of his hut, so he quietly filled it and brought the pot inside, hanging it on the hook attached to the thick metal bar set up over the fireplace for cooking purposes.

I'll keep an eye on her, then, the dragon promised, his voice softer, as if afraid he might wake up the girl. He quietly padded past her and settled in his wallow, placing his head on his forepaws. The bronze was touched that the girl had spent the time to clear out his sleeping spot.

V'riy prepared the vegetables for the stew and threw them into the pot. The meat followed shortly thereafter. Whatever he had said to Quenym about being no expert cook, the man did know how to make a good stew, courtesy of his time at Benden. He sat down at the table and folded his arms behind his head.

So the girl had returned to find him at the hut after all. He hadn't been home, so she could have just left the shirt and avoided seeing him. Maybe she hadn't felt right about entering his home without him there. With her decision to tidy up the wallow, it was obvious that meeting Morith had had a positive effect on the girl. V'riy was curious to find out how she would behave around him after their second meeting.

The bronzerider wondered what he had gotten himself into. It was bound to be difficult to earn her trust, but he was still determined to do so. V'riy wasn't usually fond of women, but this one seemed to have a strength of character that so many lacked.

The rider would have to come up with a reason for her to continue seeing him if he wanted her to be more comfortable around dragonriders, and to feel more comfortable with her life at Katila. But what could he possibly offer her that would keep her interest long enough? The man drummed his fingers on the table as he considered his options.

There wasn't much that he could really offer her beyond flights on his dragon, which she seemed reluctant to take. She was probably afraid to be in such close proximity to him, even if it meant being adragonback. She also didn't seem like the type who would enjoy trailblazing in the great outdoors, and even if she did, he doubted she would want to do something like that alone, with him.

Maybe some lessons then, on how to make riding straps and oiling and bathing a dragon properly. Morith sent his approval for the bathing part to his rider, and V'riy couldn't help but smile. The dragon would be more than willing to accommodate his rider in teaching the girl proper dragon care. Being around an adult dragon AND his rider, the dragon interjected, for an extended period should calm the girl down considerably.

Maybe she needs a protector, the dragon suggested softly.  Those gold weyrlings have the other bronze rider, Morith commented, bringing a snort from V'riy. R'nya. That one was getting a head start on softening up the young female goldriders and surely had ulterior motives. She has no dragon, you could not be accused of doing what he does, the dragon pointed out. V'riy privately disagreed - if she was a gold hopeful, which he wasn't sure she was, then he could probably be accused of being just like him. It really didn't matter to him, though. He knew his reasons for doing it. Let others say what they would.

The pleasant odor of the cooking stew wafting across the room brought V'riy out of his contemplations. He realized that it was getting rather late in the afternoon. It is probably better if you wake her, V'riy told the bronze, not wanting the woman to wake up disoriented in a strange place with her first sight being a man she didn't trust. It is pleasant to watch her sleep, the dragon commented as he pushed his snout gently against her side.

Wake up, dear one, the dragon called softly to Arddra, his voice like a gentle melody playing in her head. V'riy stood up and made his way outside, walking around the other end of the hut, so that he would appear beside the dragon and not behind her. He really was doing his best to be careful around the girl. He just hoped that it would not be all wasted effort.