Taking it Easy [Jazira]

I'shan wrapped a protective arm around Ishadhe as Ilveirath lifted off. It was a nice day, chilly but not uncomfortable, with just enough sunshine to warrant a trip to the lake. I'shan smiled, holding the boy close as the dragon climbed higher. I'shan could feel Jazira and her little bundle tucked behind him, and while he knew they were safe and sound in the riding straps, he still felt a pang of guilt that he couldn't hold them as well.

Protective emotions were still new to the predominantly selfish bluerider, but as with anything else in life, he took them to an extreme. He wanted dearly for this little excursion to go well.

Ilveriath crooned softly as he took off, skimming slowly over the trees. The flight was leisurely, nice and slow to avoid upsetting either of the children. Ishadhe giggled excitedly as he placed his hands on the dragon's neck, pretending he was flying on his own dragon. Squee chittered excitedly, clinging to I'shan's neck and trembling as they went. Fun! Flying! Excitement! Fun! I'shan giggled, amused by the joy of not only his son and his fire lizard, but also his dragon. Ilveriath was in a pleasant mood, looking forward to a relaxing (or amusing) excursion with hopefully no drama. Besides, he always loved to fly.

They touched down a short time later. Ilveriath was exceedingly careful in his landing, making sure not to jostle the little ones. I'shan quickly unhooked everyone and slid down, afterwards reaching up to help Ishadhe down. The child immediatly took off, laughing joyfully as Squee darted around him. The two made good playmates, much to I'shan's delight.

"All right, Jazz. Hand him down to me," I'shan said, smiling as he reached up to take Jazzpur.

Jazz if anything, was more concerned than excited being on the back of Ilveirath. With an excited wiggling bundle of Jazzpur, who was busy trying to see everything with his wide baby blues. She thought back as the blue made his way towards the lake, it hadn't been so long ago that I'shan had refused to admit being a father, worrying he'd mess things up and now here he was saw, taking them all out for playdate of sorts with his newly claimed son! Her chest all but swelled, okay she didn't have everything to do with, but she liked to think she got him to look at the situation in a different light. Her grip tightened around Jazzpur as the blue touched and she couldn't help the giggle as Ishadhe took off running like a loony up at the beach with a blue firelizard circling around him. Letting her legs dangle over Ilv's shoulders, she carefully turned herself to hand I'shan the bundled up Jazzpur. Who was in fact giving the cutest scowl, Jazz had ever seen [maybe she was biased or something... but either way, he was cute!]

"Careful I'shan, he's a wiggler." She added, making sure he had hold of Jazzpur before letting go. Okay... now.. dismounting. Err. She looked over Ilv's shoulder and pressed her lips together. God he seemed taller than he seemed getting up to his shoulder. Drawing a breath, she tossed one leg over and slid down Ilveirath's  shoulder, landing somewhat heavily on the ground. With a slight stumble, she slowly straightened up. Well she certainly wouldn't be doing that again.

"I think.. you're gonna have to show me how to get on and off a dragon without looking like a wherry." she said, leaning to rub her legs.

I'shan was initially intimidated. He didn't hold babies. They were gross, wiggly little things that liked to vomit and would undoubtedly break if dropped. There was no turning back now, though! The bluerider reached out, taking Jazzpur in his arms, and held the baby close to his chest as Jazira climbed down. Ilveriath rumbled softly, seeking to reassure all those present.

Ishadhe had already made his first lap of the immediate area, returning at full speed with Squee close behind. The little boy threw himself at Ilveriath, arms wrapping around the blue's nose as Jazira touched down. I'shan wanted to to catch her, but that required the use of at least one arm, which he quickly thought better of.

"That was close," he said as he handed the baby over. "But you can use his leg as a step-down, if that makes sense. He always holds it up for people," he said, motioning as the dragon's paw returned to the ground. I'shan smiled, then looked back to his beast. Ilveriath was eager to get to the water, but he had to be unloaded first! I'shan pranced over, quickly removing the bags from the dragon's neck, before finally removing the straps and stetting Ilv free to swim.

Squee chirped, settling on the dragon's back as he crawled into the water. The brown creature watched with increasing surprise as the water raced up to meet him, finally cheeping in shock as it rose up beneath his feet. He took off, skimming over the water's surface and trilling loudly.

I'shan laughed. "Aw, you startled him, Ilv!"

The wherries are watching was the blue's only reply, voice worried yet mild. Ilveriath liked the little fire lizard and didn't want to see him harmed. I'shan bit one lip and whistled loudly. Squee, of course, did not return.

"Um," I'shan grunted. He dove into one bag and quickly removed a meatroll, which he held up before whistling again. Now that was more successful! Squee dashed over, latching on to the roll and crooning lovingly at the offer of food.

"I need to train him better," I'shan muttered. He gave the flitter a pat before he started unpacking the food, all of which he'd prepared that morning. I will not allow harm to come to him Ilveriath assured both I'shan and the guests, all of whom he assumed wouldn't want to see the creature harmed. Then, lifting his head from the water, Ilveriath let out a low growl at the watching wherries. They squawked and scattered.

I'shan beamed. "Looky there; your big brother is protecting you," I'shan said, giving the creature a scratch under the chin. I'shan shot a look at Jazira. "Does Jazzpur wanna see him?" he asked. Kids liked cute little critters, right?

I'shan was no longer paying attention to Ishadhe, who had waded out into the water to play with Ilveriath. Ilv gently offered his tail for the child to hold on to before giving his rider a mental nudge. I'shan spun around. "Oh, shards! Hey Ish, you can't just go in the water like that without telling me!!" He cast a panicked look back at Jazira before taking off for the water, which Ilveriath assured him was unnecessary.

It is oddly pleasing to see him worry so the blue whispered playfully to Jazira.

Jazzpur gurled softly, freeing an arm to gnaw on his knuckles as he watched I'shan before he babbled at the older rider, seemingly trying to have a conversation with him. Once I'shan tried to hand him back to his mum, he actually gave a little whine although once back in his mother's arm he settled again.

"Ah makes sense. Guess that's why I didn't use his leg." Jazz giggled softly, heading over a nice spot partially shaded and placed Jazzpur down, unrolling the blanket from him so he had room to roll around. Jazz headed over to him, taking her own bag and pulling a large blanket and spreading over the ground before retrieving the rolling Jazzpur who was at the end of his blanket, staring wide eyed at the sand as he went to stick his now saliva hand into the ground.

"No, you don't Jazzpur. You are not eating it. It'll take you poorly." Jazz stated, lifting him up earning a squeal of rebellion from the baby. Moving Jazzpur to the larger blanket, Jazz pulled her bag over, pulling out some baby toys which she placed Jazzpur who instantly rolled over to gnaw on them.

Jazz couldn't help but laugh, "Well it shows who he thinks is in charge." She giggled, settled cross legged on the large blanket,  "I think he may. Although he's teething at the moment so better not hold him too close otherwise Jazzpur may try to use him a chew toy." Jazz chuckled, her gaze shifting to her son who was currently dribbling up a storm and gnawing on a favored toy. With I'shan panicked cry and the words from Ilveriath Jazz burst into a soft laughter. Ilveriath was right, the parental worry oddly suited the hyper bluerider. She waited until I'shan was beside Ishadhe before she stripped down to her swim gear, picking up Jazzpur, she padded to the lake's edge, holding onto Jazzpur's hands as they wadded inot the water.

Jazzpur squealed in delight, stamping his little feet with childish excitement.

"How about I get a fire going and heat up some klah?" She asked, keeping hold of her little one as he tried to dance away wobbly.

Jazira and Ilveriath may have been pleased, but I'shan was not. Wardening the child from accidentally drowning himself or becoming wherry food was exactly the sort of responsibility that I'shan didn't want, but his wide smile would never suggest such a thing. He laughed nervously as he pulled the wriggling 6-turn old back into the shallows.

"Klah would be great!" I'shan said. There was little reason for him to get into his swim gear now. He was already soaked and hadn't brought any extra clothing. He finally released Ishadhe, who was content to immediately attempt to paddle to Ilveriath again. The dragon moved in closer, positioning himself in the shallows so the children could not go too far. Relieved, I'shan moved to the bank and kicked his shoes off. At least he wouldn't ruin everything he was wearing!

"That got interesting fast," he mumbled. Still, it wasn';t all bad. He could hear Ishadhe giggling as Squee darted around him. It was pretty cute...

With a warm maternal smile, she scooped up Jazzpur who shrieked in defiance about taken from the splashy stuff and placed on the blanket again. With a soft whine, he attempted to roll, however it seemed one of his mother's limbs where in the way. With a adorable he grunted in annoyance and returned to gnawing on his toys in his baby like sulk. Carefully getting a mug of klah for I'shan, Jazz made sure Jazzpur couldn't get to fire before padding over to I'shan, holding a mug for him.

"Fatherhood suits you." She said with a smirk, her eyes twinkling in withheld amusement. Jazzpur gave a squeal having realised his mom wasn't near by and preceeding to roll over towards them, his chubby fingers spraying sand as he moved.

She waited until he took it before she lengthened her stride to meet her son and scooped him up, nuzzling the now rather sand covered child. "Oh you little terror!" She playful growled, twirling neatly and carefully laying him on the floor before 'attacking' his belly. The sound of raspyberries being blown on Jazzpur's stomach, sent the child in a giggling hysterics. However, Jazz did keep an eye on Ishadhe as she played with her son. I'shan was being brilliantly, but this was meant to be relaxing.

"I'm not sure that I agree," I'shan muttered as he took the mug, taking a long gulp and shaking his head. The words had come out harsher than he meant them. He loved his son, but he quickly found that the fun and games that he was accustomed to came with a hearty dose of stress and unwanted work as well. This was exactly what I'shan had feared, but well...he'd signed up for it, and he didn't regret it. It was worth it, even if it wasn't the sort of thing he was accustomed to spending his time on.

"Ilv is happy to look after him, it looks like," I'shan sighed. It was sweet, how careful Ilveriath was with the child. Iishadhe was at that age where he liked to run around and get into all kinds of messes, but big enough that I'shan could turn his back when he needed to as long as Ilveriath's watchful eye was on the child as well. Still, I'shan's nerves were oddly shot. He'd been so convinced that he would be a bad father and that he and a child would ruin each other's lives! It was hard to relax, even when he knew everything was all right.

"Jazira, do you remember me telling you about the little girl? The one whose mom won't let me near her?" I'shan asked as he watched Ishadhe splash in the water. He supposed he probably should have changed the child into swimwear, but shards...nothing he could do about it now.

Jazz just chuckled softly, she thought it was plain to see that the bluerider had a certain paternal glow about him when attempting to keep Ishadhe out of mischief. Bouncing Jazzpur on her knee, she watched over Ishadhe, her own maternal instinct reaching out towards Ishadhe. With a swift shake of her head, she averted her attention back to I'shan.

"Like rider, like dragon." she smirked teasingly at him, that twinkle in her eye speaking of all sorts of untold mischief she had planned for the day.

"Vaguely. Why? Whats up? Has the little girl's mom approached you?" Jazz rose an eyebrow, what on pern brought this on?

[[ooc: sorry for lack of reply. I'm working 60 hour weeks at the moment. It should ease off after christmas.]

I'shan groaned. "Of only that was it," he grunted, flopping into the sand and scowling comically at the thought. The whole situation was just so frustrating! He crossed his arms like an angry child, frowning even more as Squee fluttered over and started rolling in the sand. Normally the action would be cute, but right now I'shan wanted nothing less than more sand flung onto him.

He picked the creature up and held him away from his body, watching as the tiny brown wriggled and chittered happily. Attention!

"It's so much sharding worse," I'shan continued. "I heard a rumor floating around the dining hall and had to go check it out. Turns out Isharyn is a sharding boy!" he said indignantly. He threw his hands up. "That bitch has been telling me for turns that it's a little girl,and men don't have any right to raise little girls! And now I sharding find out her boy child is the one whose actually mine. I went to one of the damn lessons and picked him out easy...sharding looks...just like me."

He slumped miserably into the sand. "I wonder how long she sharding thought she could keep me off the trail like that..."

Jazz laughed softly as he flopped down and scowled. "OH I'shan, it can't be that bad." She said, touching his arm lightly in a gesture of comfort as she watched Jazzpur try to figure out how to sit like his mommy.

Her lips pressed together as she listened. With a sharp push to the shoulder, she stared at him intently. "I'shan. Listen to yourself. IT wasn't that long ago you wanted nothing to do with your kids. Yes, she's a bitch for hiding him from you, but now you can show yourself to be a true daddy." Taking hold of his hand in the only way she could figure to reach him.

"Listen I'shan. You can show her you're a good parent. And now you've claimed Ishadhe and have Ce'lie's back up on your newly acquired skills. She can't deny you access to your other son." Jazz smiled, gripping his hand.

"I can't believe I fell for it," I'shan moaned. "For all this time." Granted, a large amount of it had come from simply not caring. He didn't care that he had a child by that evil woman, and whenever he happened upon her he just made a point of ducking and running. It was best that she kept the sharding kid away from him! Now that he had one, he wasn't even totally sure that he wanted the other. But what could he do? And why did he feel so betrayed over this whole mess?

"I hate that woman so sharding much," I'shan grunted. Squee hopped onto I'shan's belly and curled up before taking a button into his mouth and chewing like a canine chewing a bone. I'shan idly patted the baby brown while he thought the situation over.

"...I just don't know, Jazz. I never wanted kids. I never wanted to give up my lifestyle to have them. I mean, Ishadhe is great, but do I want another one?" he spoke softly, but fortunately it wasn't a concern. Ishadhe was squealing with delight as Ilveriath splashed water at him. He wouldn't have heard if I'shan screamed it.

"And the mom is just...ew. Just ew, she's horrible!" he groaned. "And she lies to me all this time about the kid being a girl, and now he's big enough that any fool with working eyes can see, and...Oh man, I guarantee that little fucker hates me already!"