World of Pern
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2023/08/04 Hello loves! While I haven't been writing, I have been working on updating some issues that have been hanging around on the layout! The Character change box is now at the bottom of the page, beside the up/down arrows! Green and Gold dragon flight dates have been shifted to the bottom of the page, where the (useless!) discord widget was located. Where the dragon flights were in the header, is now replaced by a Monthly Event box! This will be updated at the start of each month, with a fun mini-event you can take part in, if you want to! Thistle!
2023/01/07 Welcome to the New Year! We are now ELEVEN years old! Thank you, all of you, for your love and writing! I am looking forward to spending another year with youall! In addition, a new Default colour scheme is in progress and will hopefully be available soon! All my love! ThistleProse
2022/07/29 Gold Malvayth and Bronze Xyxyth clutch is Hatching! Come and join the shenannigans 743.08.03 | NIGHT STALKERS HATCHING and bring the popcorn!
2022/05/11 Gold Malvayth has Flown, caught by Bronze Xyxyth of A'tay. Their Hatching will be PC, and take place in Telgar in August around the 20-22nd! Update your Candidate Applications and prepare for some fun!
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05/JUL It’s Hatching time!! Come take part in the shenanigans here
30/JUN Gold Thallyath of Ista Weyr has laid a clutch! More information here
27/JUN A bluerider, and then a greenrider, are found dead. More information here
25/JUN The Touching is up! Take part here
30/MAY After the Touching, many Candidates found themselves preyed upon in the form of their food. More information here
18/MAY Another goldrider - Ameris of Benden - is attacked. More information here
05/MAY Multiple individuals are attacked whilest out of the Weyr! More information here
04/MAY Take a chance OOC and guess who you think the murderer is! You can win prizes! More information here
03/MAY Goldrider Cazan and her twin brother Cazelarias are attacked. More information here
24/APR Goldrider Ashara of Fort is murdered by two brownriders. More information here
12/APR Searchrider B’jin was attacked at Telgar Weyr, surffering a slash to his throat. While in Benden, bluerider B’dor is found dead in his weyr. More info here
05/APRMore attacks occurred today. More information here
03/APRMultiple individuals found their death this day; more information here and here
28/MAR Tragedy has struck again! Across all the Weyrs, multiple people - primarily dragonriders - have fallen ill after eating muffins. There have been multiple deaths, and others are in criticle condition. More information here
24/MAR Weyrwoman Ameris and her son, Rislan, poisoned! More information here
18/MAR Benden’s Weyrleader M’ris and his children have been poisoned! Resulting in sickness and death. More information here
18/MAROn 18.03.742 Bronzerider A’dris of Vyaniorth was found dead in his personal bathing pool. He appears to have drowned after drinking an excess of alcohol. Afterwards it was realized that Machiya of Gold Cameth from Telgar Weyr had disappeared. Having never arrived at her destination, it is suspected she had an accident between.
11/MAR Gold Racoth of Donmaline went between taking Bronze Beruth of T’rel with her shortly after she had been caught, due to T’rel strangling Donmaline. He did not survive. more info
25/FEB Congratulations and thank-you to Guest for taking on a moderator role! <3
14/FEB Stars Above PC Hatching Link
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01/JAN Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!




Currently: Winter 01.745 al
Monthly Event
2024-February
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Welcome to the Month of Lovetm! This month's Monthly Event is all about Romance, whether it is asking someone out on a date, or getting sweaty between the sheets! Anything and everything counts, if it even looks sideways like it could be related to Valentine Day -- including lover's spats, or breaking up, Flights Wins (or Flight Losses!). Honestly, this month has a huge opportunity for interpertation, so go wild!



2023-December
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Ahh, the fresh snow, the crisp air, the naked trees... welcome to Winter! Or, just the Colder Months for those in the more Northern Weyrs, while Ista is just... not as hot. But it is time to enjoy the end of the Turn, so folks should get together, spend some time gossiping, and drinking Hot Chocolate (alcohol and marshmallows opional)... does Pern even have marshmallows????? (they do now!)



2023-November
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Feel like bitching? Wanna take part in a brawl? Or bet on someone? Take part in Brawls and Bitching this month! Boo-yeah!



2023-October
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Thistle flunked this month; You can still post until the end of November as a result <3
Experience, tell or hide from a Spooky Story!



2023-September
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The flu is running rampant, colds are clogging noses, and someone might have lost a limb?



2023-August
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Partake this month by going fishing... or anything that occurs while fishing, or dealing with fish!



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[G] [C] 734.11.12 | Hard Truths Will Out
2 PM | J'tir

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Free time.. It seemed like a luxury these days and after the last few months Alicona was determined to enjoy every last ounce of it she managed to find. On this particular day, she had been given a bit of leave from her duties in the new creche and had decided that it was time for some much needed peace and quiet. The old Katila Weyr was a ruin, the move was finished, and the rumors had started. At some point in the helter skelter of moving into the new Weyr, the partially finished letter she had written to J'tir had gone missing. With the grief that had swallowed the residents of Katila, it was easy to chalk it up as lost to the landslide. Alicona couldn't simply be that lucky, it just wasn't fated for her. Someone had found her letter, either by snooping or by chance, and had shared its contents.

The rumors had started shortly thereafter. Did you hear J'tir fathered a whelp on the quiet blonde in the creche? Does he know? Then came the looks, the sidelong glances and hushed conversations when she entered the kitchens or the communal area. The jumpy one. You know, the one that sits alone and doesn't talk to anyone? It hadn't bothered her at first, but she knew what the letter had contained and what had yet to be written within its pages. As if it hadn't been enough that she opted to stay apart from the masses living at Katila, the rumors had distanced her even farther it seemed. Funny, how solitude could be stifling in a place full of people.

Since the weather was beautiful and there were several heated pools a bit farther into the woods, she had informed some of the others of her destination and trekked out into the trees. It wasn't a terribly long walk and a nice breeze whispered over her bare arms and played with the wispy blonde hairs that had come loose from the bun at the nape of her neck. Spring had well and truly sprung on the southern continent, and the leafy canopy above left the path before her dappled with little patches of sunlight. The light, cream colored skirt swished merrily around her ankles and the dirt beneath her bare feet was warm and comforting as she padded to the edge of the steaming pool.

She stripped off her shirt, draping the pale blue garment over a nearby bush. The skirt followed in short order, tossed almost carelessly over the shirt. After a quick glance around the woman shimmied out of her remaining garments, placed them with the rest and sank happily into the pool. This was her favorite spot outside; a small pool just large enough for herself and perhaps another person and far enough from the larger pools that she wouldn't be bothered. Not that people generally followed her out to the hot springs anyway. It was still nice to have some quiet after the noise that accompanied working in the creche, be it wailing babies or the shouting and laughter of older children.

Ona sank deeper into the water, letting the warmth seep into her bones with a content sigh. Birds chirped and sang overhead, and a smile appeared on her lips. Sitting in the water, letting the heat sink into her bones; it felt like all her worries and sadness could just melt away and drift off on the rising steam. The rumors would pass eventually and everything would go back to what it had been before. The blissful monotony of routines. Her head tiled back, resting lightly against the edge of the pool. Ona took in a deep breathe, reveling in the scents of the woods. What a lovely day! She hummed softly to herself, eyelids drifting closed as the humming gave way to singing.

“When I trample on my destiny
I'm cutting out the best in me,
With an unskilled hand and heavy heart
Been beating back what blades won't carve

I'm not wishing to see better days
Just someone to help collect the pain
I was blind but now I surely see
Was deaf, now I began to sing

And I can promise you that
Everything will be all right
Then I will think on all these years
I’ve kept up this fight
Oh I could scream until my lungs turn blue
Try to change these walls protecting you
But the ice, that runs within their veins
Won't they see I've changed
Can they say the same?”

She sang quietly, but there was no doubting she had inherited her father's voice. The words drifted into quieter tones until only her lips moved and no sound left her throat. Her thoughts drifted back to the rumors, pulling a soft sigh from her. She had passed through the eye of the storm and come out unscathed, only time would tell what would happen next.

The song is modified from Shaman's Harvest -Say the Same

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Hmm.. the bronze murmured in the background of J'tir's mind. There are whisperings from other dragons. The man shifted, his blankets muffling his groan of displeasure. You are awfully gossipy lately, he groaned inwardly, are they anything worth listening to? The morning sun streamed in through the makeshift blinds he had made, a precaution against morning hangovers and his migraines. Blessedly, he didn't seem to have one that morning. Get up lazy man, I have been nice about my itching today. The sun has been up for quite a awhile now. Alright, alright. You're lucky I love you. he said, with a smile in his voice. J'tir flipped the blankets aside, and rolled off the edge of the bed. The room was a bit dark as he made his way across to the window. Late afternoon sun streamed in when he opened the curtain, warming his bare chest. Running a hand through his hair, J'tir cast his gaze around the room and eyed the clothes on the floor. "I really should clean this place," he grinned, picking up a clean shirt and pulling it over his head.

We should fly today. Vleyth commented idly as he waited for his oiling. I'm outside, the sun is warm. J'tir gave himself a moment of silence as he listened to the bronze, and quickly gathered the dirty clothes from the floor, tossing them into a basket near the door to wash later. Maybe he would take them to the hot springs and kill two birds with one stone. On the table by the window he found a pitcher of water, condensing water on the outside and he grinned. One of the women who was sweet on him always kept it there in the mornings. J'tir poured a glass and drank it down quickly before striding to the door, retrieving the oil and soft rags and greeting his bonded in the sunlight. "Is it your head again, Vley? You really do have to stop being such a messy eater." he teased. There is a rumor about you. They say there is a letter to you, written by a woman you were with. You have a son, somewhere.
  Shock emanated through their bond as the man took in what his bondmate told him. A son? Was it true? He knew he had been with plenty of women, but none of them had come forward. And where was this supposed letter anyway? "A son... I'm a father." he grinned, "Do they say who the mother is?" No, I haven't heard a female's name. I heard it in passing while I ate.

His day immediately brightened by the rumor, true or not, and he made it through Vleyth's oily patches in almost record time. The bronze rumbled his pleasure, and the itchy sensation through the bond disappeared. Afternoon had rolled around while he worked, sweat dripped down his back and his hair was plastered to his head in a most unattractive manner. None of it diminished his mood though, and his grin lit his face as he gazed at the wonder that was his bonded. How did I ever get so lucky to have Impressed you? As if to remind him that he had woken later than usual, and his own dragon had already eaten, his stomach growled loudly. Perhaps you will learn something from the other riders there. the bronze all but purred, shifting so that J'tir could climb on. The man set the oil and rags against the wall of the hut, slipped his feet into a pair of leather moccasins and obliged. Strong wingbeats later and he was airborne, feeling the hide of the bronze move beneath him as they flew the short distance. Let's go to the creche. If I have a son, they may know something.

His stomach would have to wait, J'tir decided, as Vleyth landed carefully near the Weyrfolk Housing. He slide from his dragon's back and landed with a gentle thump on the ground. "Go soak up some sun, my dearest." and walked in the building. The creche was a place he actually liked to go when he had time. Holding the infants calmed him. The thought made him wonder if he had ever held his own son and not known. One of the women watching a group of kids smiled at him and he went over. "Hey mister bronze," she smiled, "You here to hold a baby?" J'tir made silly faces at the youngin' in her arms, and made it giggle.

"I'm actually here about a rumor Vleyth heard this morning. Do you know if any of these are mine?" he asked, gesturing around him to the children.

She looked at him sideways, and he couldn't read the expression she was giving him. "They all are." Her straight faced scared him for a moment and he panicked looking around at them all before she burst out laughing, "I was kidding," she sputtered. "But you should go to the hot springs. You may find some answers there." And she walked away, still laughing as she gently lay the baby down to sleep. Shaking his head at the mystery of women's humor, the rider left quietly so he wouldn't wake any sleeping babies. Reaching through the bond and sensing his dragon, he could tell the bronze was sleeping. Deciding against waking him, J'tir walked back to his hut and grabbed the basket of laundry, sweetsand, and a rough bristle brush to clean with.

The short walk was pleasant, and didn't take him long to arrive. Steam billowed from the pools and obscured most of the area. The bronzerider set the basket at one of the more private pools and stripped off his dirty clothes just as a bit of wind blew through. The clothes scattered from the basket and the man ran around gathering them up from the ground, trees and small bushes. Grumbling, J'tir grabbed the first things on the top and absently began scrubbing them with the cleaning sand and brush before dunking them deep in the hot water to rinse them. As he lifted them from the water to wring out, he noticed that they were not actually his clothes he had just washed. What man wears a skirt, after all? Deciding there had to be someone there he had missed, J'tir was forced to break the peacefulness of the small pools and call out, "Hello?" It wasn't loud, and almost as if it were a response, he heard a woman's voice singing.

Had that creche woman meant that he would find a woman here who could answer his question? Sheepishly he draped the clean shirt, skirt and... lady items over his shoulder and forged ahead slowly to another small pool where the farthest of his clothes had been blown. "Uh, hello..." he said, by way of announcing himself to the back of her head. "I seem to have ahh... washed your clothes. I didn't mean to take them, I apologize." As he spoke, he moved around to the front where he could see her face and almost dropped the newly clean clothes on the ground. He knew this woman. There had been a dragonlust filled night of passion, resulting in bruising to the both of them.. she had been fiesty with her teeth, and he had been fueled by the loss of the Flight. They had parted in the morning, and he had never heard from her again.  Close your mouth, you are making us look foolish standing there like a lackjaw. The not so sleepy Vleyth cut in. Eavesdropping again? J'tir sent, while closing his mouth and composing himself. The bronze was right, he was making a fool of them. "Ali? I haven't seen you since... that night." he stammered. "I... you.... how have you been? he finished, trying not to seem like a deadglow.


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What to do about these rumors though? No matter how relaxing the day was, or how bright the sun was shining, the thoughts still crept into her mind. Eventually they would spread beyond the weyr folk and word would reach dragon rider ears. When that happened she was certain he would hear it, but what would come after that was still a mystery. J'tir and she had spent only a single night together, caught up in the wildness of dragonlust. After they had parted ways the following morning she hadn't spoken to him again, going out of her way to avoid him after she had lost Alictiryan. The women of the creche had mentioned he came down to hold the infants sometimes, which meant she had taken a handful of children to the kitchens to have them help there while she supervised. So far it had worked. I wonder if he would even be bothered to find out. Would he even want to KNOW about a child he sired on a weyrbrat? She sighed, dismissing the thoughts as unhelpful.

The birdsong had stopped, catching the woman's attention and causing her to open her eyes. Alicona said nothing, straining a moment to listen, but hearing nothing that seemed too far out of the ordinary for a day like today. She could distantly hear the splash of water that signaled she was no longer alone, but quickly dismissed it. There was a reason she had chosen a poll this far out, and most people would be courteous enough to keep that distance when the other pools had been unoccupied. A quiet sigh passed from her lips, relaxing once more into the heat of the water. Stormy eyes closed, thinking nothing more of it than someone else had come out to enjoy the afternoon. Between the sound of her own humming and the renewed chirping from above her resting place, Alicona was completely oblivious to the approaching Bronze rider.

“Ali?” Her name broke into her reverie, startling her into sitting upright. Her eyes flashed open, taking several heartbeats to register the face looking down at her. What passed over her face would be an unreadable mix, though the sudden loss of color in her face couldn't be missed unless he had gone blind during the interim. Her mouth worked, opening and shutting like a fish on a hook; no words making their way past the hard spot in her throat. Not only had he shown up while she was thinking about how to approach him, he had done so while she was in a bath and they were both naked. Fantastic, this was just fantastic. Just what she had wanted to happen. Not. Ona shut her mouth, much the same way he had done, dropping her gaze in the same motion. She swallowed hard, the ache in her chest returning with a fierceness that left her struggling for a full breathe of air.

“J'tir...” She managed finally, sinking into the water until it was midway up her neck. Her voice was quiet, tinged with shame and sorrow as well. It was as if she had wilted at the sight of him, drawing in on herself out of habit and hiding her face behind the fall of her hair. Ona cleared her throat, quashing the urge to just burst into tears. When last they had been together she had been vibrant, outspoken; full of laughter and ready to take on the world. The past years had not been the kindest, and just when she had figured it was time to approach him, he had appeared out of no where like a ghost of days long past. “It's been a long time... A very long time.” Alicona schooled her expression into the gentle smile she used with the children, pushing her hair back from her face as she looked up at him. He looked just as surprised as she felt, though he couldn't possibly know the thoughts running rampant through her head.

How do I tell him? Is this even the right time to tell him? Half formed thoughts bloomed and evaporated, riding on the coattails of the previous one. Did he come because of the rumors?Did one of the others tell him about Alictiryan? Blood thundered in her temples, but the smile never faltered. It seemed like this was it, the time for her to be brave. To face the father of her child and tell him what he had missed. She opened her mouth to speak,only to shut it again immediately. Will he understand why I waited so long to tell him? Her spark of bravery shriveled; mouth going dry as she stared at J'tir. Ona licked her lips, the happily blank expression beginning to crack the longer she looked at him.

“I've seen you from time to time.. Not up close, but I've seen you in the skies. Vleyth looks like he is in good health.” Small talk, just start with small talk. Work your way up, she reassured herself, reaching up absently to tug at the lobe of her right ear. “You look well. You've not changed at it it seems. Still the same...” The backs of her eyes hurt, keeping the hurt from her face even as it leaked back into her voice. Little Alic had looked so much like his father; the same mop of dark hair and skin a few shades darker than her own. The hand at her ear moved to tuck a few loose strands back before returning to worry at her ear. “So.. uh.. You're doing your washing...” Of course she had noticed her own clothes draped over his shoulder. “Do you need any help?” If the woman was going to work up the courage to tell him the truth, she was going to have to keep him close at hand, otherwise she would back out.

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He had shocked the woman as much as she had shocked him it seemed... Nomrally J'tir wouldn't have cared that he had come upon one of the women he had slept with, but the rumors about him made him even more curious. The creche woman said he would find answers here, but it was only he and Ali at the hot springs at that moment. Was Ali the answer? And the mother of his son?  The man's mind whirled, a confusing mass of questions and memories of a single night. Well, if she really was the mother, and he had a son, he would let her tell him in her own time. Do not mention the rumors.  Vleyth commented, choosing that moment to land near the pair and settle himself. Stretching his long neck, the dragon gently touched the woman on the forehead before curling around and laying on the ground. In the woman's mind, for her own ears, Vleyth spoke. He thinks about you often. I think he cares for you. It is good to see you again, Al'ona.   Vleyth saw a rider's heart in the woman, and named her with an affectionate nickname. The bronzerider took that moment of his dragon's unexpected affection to compose himself and look back at the woman. He nodded, it had been a long time indeed.

Shaking out her clothes and laying them flat on a nearby sun-covered bush, J'tir tried to think of what to say. "Vleyth grew well, and fast! I adore him," he started, genuine love for his bonded coloring his tone, his grin spread across his face, "And yeah, I thought I was doing my own washing, but it seems I was doing yours. I still have a basket of my own over there." he finished, teasing her lightly and gesturing to where his pool of wash was. He schooled his face into straightness as he lay her undergarments on the bush as well, hoping to refrain from embarrassing the woman. "I won't make you help me, but maybe you can keep me company? Vleyth is great, but usually he starts chattering about his last meal, and I'm pretty sure every fat wherry looks the same. He insists that it's not true." It's not! This morning, one of them was so full of meat that I only needed a small second one to fill up!  the bronze broadcast to both of them. The man smiled indulgently at the dragon, and looked back to Ali.

The woman looked as if she were trying to compose herself, Is my presence so scary to women? he sent, concerned that their night together had been more violent than he remembered. Did he scar her emotionally after that? Some women couldn't handle flightlust. Ask her, she was there.  J'tir cleared his throat, "I... I hope I didn't hurt you that night. I regret that my duties have kept me from spending much time trying to find you." he said, the regret clear in his voice. He usually tried to check up on the women who were the recipients of flightlust couplings, but he hadn't been able to in her case. Guilt racked him as he convinced himself that he was a bad person. I had many boys to choose from when you Impressed, but I chose you. You are not a bad person.  Quit eavesdropping! the bronzerider scolded, halfheartedly. But instead he was grateful to his bonded. It helped to hear those words. "I missed you."

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Seeing the dragon did bring a hint of that smile back to her face, and when the large creature touched her forehead she laid a gentle hand against his snout. Her eyes had closed briefly during that short contact. “It's good to see you again too, Vleyth.” She murmured back in response, turning back to watch the dragon's rider. So that was why he was here, to wash clothes. Maybe he hadn't heard the rumors then. It would give her a little more time to prepare herself to speak up. He even began speaking of his foul up, and for the moment relief settled into her chest. He hadn't come to confront her, or ask questions. He had simply come to do his laundry. Right? For some reason she couldn't shake the feeling that there was another reason he had come on today of all days.

“I don't mind helping. I do laundry all the time in the creche.” She didn't mention hearing about his visits to the creche. If she had then it would be obvious she had been avoiding him. “I don't know if I'll be much better company though.” She smiled at him, genuinely smiled, then turned to pull herself out of the pool to retrieve the basket. The chatter of the dragon built her up just enough to feel confident that there was nothing more to this than laundry. At least until J'tir spoke again. She had just finished bracing her hands against the side, her body angled to the side away from him. The little bubble of confidence was popped in an instant as he brought up the night they had spent together. It was as if her heart had just been violently ripped from her chest, shown to her, and then crushed. It wasn't just the memory of their night that came crashing back, it was the entire nine months of struggling and the early morning that had left her a shattered wreck of a woman.

Alicona hunched forward as if she were in pain, pulling her hands to her mouth and biting down hard into the meat of her palm to stifle the noise that tried to escape her mouth. Hot tears flooded her eyes, rolling down her cheeks to drip off the line of her jaw. Her shoulders heaved once, twice and again as she tried to draw breath without making sound. With one hand still lodged firmly between her teeth she ground the heel of the other against her eyes, turning her face away from him while her body remained still. Alictiyan... he was going to be the brightest spot in her life. “You didn't .. didn't h-hurt me.” Her voice was barely audible, trembling as she shuddered. There was pure agony in her voice, in the way she held herself; curled in on herself to fend off the world.

“I... I got pregnant.” Alicona had wrapped her arms around her middle, small frame shaking despite the heat of the water. “But you were busy, a Bronze rider. I d-.. didn't want to burden you.” She ran her hands through her hair, eyes wide with despair. She couldn't face him, even after all these years. “A boy... Alictiryan..” Her heart hurt but still the love pervaded her speech, marred by the sorrow she still carried. “Dark brown hair... Just like yours..” She had dropped off to a whisper, the tears still falling freely from her eyes but not nearly as hard as before. “He was stillborn, J'tir... Everything was ready for him... But he never even got to take a breath.. Never got to open his eyes..” She closed her eyes, face pointed squarely downward as she wiped at her eyes. “I'm sorry J'tir...”

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Go to her! Now! Quickly!  shouted Vleyth in his mind, What? Wh-. He was cut off asking why when the dragon forced himself to be heard, Move now!  Clearly there was a reason he was being told to move, so he looked back to the woman. She stood as if poised to get out of the pool, but her face was contorted in pain, barely hiding the tears streaming down her face. J'tir slid into the pool and wrapped his arms around the woman as her body heaved trying to breathe. She turned herself away and trembled as she spoke, "You didn't.. didn't h-hurt me." she said, barely audible. His heart ached at the sound of her voice, straining to get the words out. If he hadn't hurt her, why was she suddenly a wreck when she had been smiling moments before. Did she hate him so much?

"I... I got pregnant." he heard through his own tumbling thoughts and emotions. At that moment his chest filled with emotion. Happiness, anxiety... anticipation. If she was crying like this, so obviously in agony, there was more. His mind began preparing for the inevitable horror of the story, and Vleyth filled their bond with sympathy as if he already knew what was coming from Ali. “A boy... Alictiryan.. Dark brown hair... Just like yours.. He was stillborn, J'tir... Everything was ready for him... But he never even got to take a breath.. Never got to open his eyes.." His world shattered at that moment, but it couldn't have been anything compared to what the woman had felt when she heard her son was stillborn. He pulled her tight against, him, wrapping his arm around her waist and pressing her head against his body as he stroked her hair and let her cry. He let his own tears fall as he mourned the loss of the son he had never had. I am here.  the bronze dragon sent to both of them, suffusing the words with comfort as his eyes whirled in concern for his bonded and the woman. J'tir felt the comforting feelings, and hoped Alicona had too.

"Never be sorry for that. Do not feel guilty. I can see that you loved the baby as much as you could while he was with you. You, and Alic, would never and will never, be a burden to me." The woman was curled against him, tucked in on herself within his arms, and he tried to get the words out without letting his voice break. It was a futile effort though, and it broke often with emotion. He lifted her chin to look into her grey eyes, "I am never too busy for a child and a woman I care deeply for." Not wanting to scare her, or make her feel forced, he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, in exactly the place Vleyth had touched her. "I can see you wanted him, you would have been an amazing mother." Vleyth rumbled his affirmation of the statement. He let go of her chin and wrapped his arm around her again, letting her cry against his chest. It never occurred to the man that they were both naked, surrounded by hot water. He only wanted to comfort the woman, let her know he was there and that he shared her pain.

The creche woman had been right. He found the answers at the Hot Springs, and he had found emotions he had hidden deep within himself. At that moment, he realized how deeply his fathering instincts ran and that he would give this woman a child if she wanted another from him. J'tir would support her through it, and be there where he hadn't been before. "I will always be here if you need me." he murmured into her hair, "I promise."  See? You are a good man.  Vleyth whispered in the back of his mind as he watched the two comfort each other.

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#7
Only vaguely did she feel his arms encircle her, or his hand stroking her hair. She buried her face against his chest, arms tucked up between them as the hurt poured out of her. It had been building up for years; the sorrow she had felt every time she had seen him about the weyr or flying overhead. All of the times she had avoided being near him or even thinking too much about their brief encounter. Of course she had wondered if he had even remembered her and here was, reassuring her and telling her it wouldn't have been a burden. In the far reaches of her mind she admonished herself for not having told him sooner. She had just been so certain that he wouldn't want to claim a child that came from one night of flightlust fueled passions.

His hand lifted her chin and her eyes found his, the blue gray color intensified from the tears and a host of emotions played through them. He kissed her forehead and she nearly broke into tears again, closing her eyes to keep from breaking into sobs again. Of all the reactions she had anticipated, this had certainly not been it. Alicona unfolded her arms, following his motions and putting her arms around his middle before tucking her head back beneath his chin. While her tears had not dried fully, the ache in her chest had lessened, sharing the pain with the one other person who had taken it as hard as she had. The woman could feel the comfort coming from both the rider and to an extent the dragon as well, and for the first time spoke openly about what had happened that day.

“I knew the chance was there that I would lose him.” She had laid her good ear against J'tir's chest, listening to the steady thump-thump beneath. “It was a difficult pregnancy, but I was so sure...” She let out a hard breath, focusing on the sound rather than the throbbing in her skull. “When the morning came that he decided to come I was so excited, and so very scared. I didn't know how I was going to raise him on my own, but he was already the jewel of my life. I had made sure everything was ready... I had blankets, a crib.. I wanted him so very badly.” She paused a moment, recalling the details from those early morning hours. “But when he was born I didn't hear him cry... The healer had to break the news to me.. I couldn't think, couldn't breathe... I held him for what felt like hours. Memorizing his face. Holding his tiny hands.”  There was a sad kind of peace that had settled over her, but the tears had stopped and a bittersweet smile had formed on her lips.

Ona drew back from him a bit, pushing loose strands of blonde hair back into her bun. “When I found out I was pregnant.. it was like a dream come true. The start of my own small family. In my heart he always will be.” She gave a short laugh, shaking her head a little. “I've been too scared to try again since, even though I had always wanted children.” Ali gave him a wistful smile, looking up to meet his gaze. “I am glad it was you though. You will make an excellent father to whatever living child a woman could give you."

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Written By: ZZZ Archived
#8
Alicona returned his embrace, wrapping her arms around him and laying her head against his chest. He continued stroking her hair as she spoke, telling him about the loss of his son and how she had taken it. More and more as she spoke, J'tir wished he had been there for her at that emotionally fraught time. He felt her sobs start to abate, and finally stop as she spoke and while her voice was stained with grief, she still seemed to be recovering from their mutual breakdown. The bronzerider listened, never judging and murmured responses where appropriate. He wasn't sure if he said anything intelligible, but he didn't care. He wouldn't let her hurt alone any more. Finally she pulled away from him and looked up into his face. “I am glad it was you though. You will make an excellent father to whatever living child a woman could give you."

As she gazed up at him he leaned down and kissed her, this time on the mouth. It was spontaneous, and he hoped it wasn't too forward. Vleyth had become quiet, and through the bond he could sense that the dragon was carefully listening for anyone who may decide to come to the springs. "It's true, I may be the father of a few children around here... but none of them have come forward nor have their mother's come to me with them." he said, after breaking the deep kiss. "Are you afraid to try again? I can never bring back our son, but I can try to give you another. And this time, I will be there for you." He lifted her bodily onto the edge of the pool and wrapped his arms around her waist to look up at her.

It was time for a confession of his own, it seemed. "I have always wanted to be a father, but I am pretty bad about keeping up with the women who share my bed. Sure, I see them around and I ask how they have been. Some of them even want to come back to my bed... and I don't always tell them no." Vleyth snorted from his place around their pool, lidding an eye at them that swirled with amusement at J'tir's white lie. "Okay, okay... annoying beast. I don't turn them away. Just like Vleyth can't help himself chasing greens for fun." he teased his bonded, who grumbled loudly, before turning back to Ali. "But none of them, even given the chance, have ever told me they had a child by me. You are the first. Knowing that he didn't survive, and that you wanted him so badly... How much you seem to want to be a mother? I want to give you that chance again. I want to be there for each and every rough patch." And when the time comes for everyone to come to Telgar, I will fly you there. We will go the long way. There will be no between for you.  Vleyth interjected. J'tir was a little shocked by his dragon's offer, it was a long flight to Telgar from where they were in Katila. His voice broke with emotion as he turned his attention back to Alicona. "Do you want to try again? Do you want to be a mother again? Do you... do you want me to be its father?"

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Written By: ZZZ Archived
#9
The kiss was a shock, something she had been totally been unprepared for and never in a million turns would she have anticipated it right then. After spending so much time alone, after having been celibate since she had given birth; it was like a candle coming to light in the darkness. The first stirrings of a fire that she thought extinguished years before. It left her dazed, her ears ringing when he broke the kiss. She bit her lower lip, starring at him wide eyed while she tired to take in what he said. It wasn't uncommon for dragonriders to have several illegitimate children, it was just the way of the weyr. Holders and Hall folk might not understand it, but she was neither of those things. She was weyrbred, like her mother before her. And if it so happened that he did have other children that passed through the creche, she had not been aware of it either.

Alicona was so caught up in her shock and thoughts that she jumped a little in surprise as she found herself being lifted onto the edge of the pool. From her new found perch it was she who was looking down into his face and listening to him spill his thoughts. Even the bronze dragon behind her interjected into the conversation., which caught her off guard as well. Could she bring herself to try again? Her mind raced as she could only stare at the man that had offered her the one thing she hadn't thought would happen. Was it a second chance? Her heart thudded hard in her chest as she mulled it over, thinking about the possibility.

“I know that you want to be a father..” She said slowly, a calmness she hadn't felt in a long while settling into her chest. “And I've already failed in providing you with a child.” She took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly as her hands left her lap. Placing her hands gently on each each side of his face she smiled down at him. She leaned forward just a bit, pressing a soft kiss to his brow much like he had done for her. “If you want to try again.. to have a second chance at fatherhood..” She pulled back just enough to watch his face as she spoke, a small smile curling her lips. “I couldn't ask for a better man to have that second chance with.”

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Written By: ZZZ Archived
#10
J'tir grinned up at her, his face a mixture of teasing her and pleasure that she seemed to enjoy his spontaneous burst of affection. He couldn't help but watch as she chewed her lip and he tried not to get too distracted. The bronzerider discovered that he rather liked when she did that; it was adorable. When she finally spoke, after waiting oh so patiently for him to stop rambling, J'tir dragged his eyes from her mouth and back up to hers. He was about to protest that she hadn't really failed him, but when he opened his mouth, her hands cupped his face and she was smiling down at him. The words stopped in his throat, and she dropped her bombshell. “If you want to try again.. to have a second chance at fatherhood..” She pulled back just enough to watch his face as she spoke, a small smile curling her lips. “I couldn't ask for a better man to have that second chance with.”

Elation and happiness surged through the man, and Vleyth, caught up in the emotions through their bond, bugled the man's pleasure and his own; more thoroughly than J'tir ever could have in words. The man hugged Ali to him, his head resting on her stomach where his future child would grow, and he kissed her gently. He couldn't help but grin like a deadglow, "I am glad we get this chance again." Strong hands moved down her back and over her thighs teasingly before he dropped them into the water and splashed her lightly with the warm water. "But, for now... Let's get clean and get caught up? Yeah?" Laughter bubbled forth, loosening the knot of mixed emotions from their talk, and he moved away to pull himself from the hot spring. "Come on, I have some sweetsand over there, and I am more than happy to share. You can wash first while I attempt to do my dirty laundry."

You will be a good father. I hope your clutch has many eggs.  The bronze sent, watching his bonded as he moved quickly to the other hot spring pool. You goof, you know how human babies work. Just one, usually. The man responded, grinning at the absurdity of a woman laying a clutch of eggs. You are no fun. the dragon teased back. Gathering up his basket of clothes, the sweetsand with lavender in it and the cleaning sand for his clothes, J'tir waddled back awkwardly with his load. "Ever bathed with lavender scented soapsand?" he grinned at Ali, opening the container and holding it out to her. The gentle scent wafted in the damp air, making their area smell better than it usually did. If any of the other riders thought it was off for him to smell of flowers, J'tir didn't care. He was arguably one of the best smelling ones after a bath, at least until the light scent wore off.

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Written By: ZZZ Archived
#11
The bugling bronze startled her, jumping slightly in surprise even as a wide smile broke across her face. J'tir had hugged her middle and the woman leaned over to wrap her arms around his shoulders and planted a kiss on his steam dampened hair. A weight had lifted from her soul, knowing that the sorrow she had shouldered alone for so long was not just her own burden. With the way he had reacted to the news, she knew that in truth she should have kept him informed from the very beginning. He was different from the other riders she had dealt with, ever since the beginning. The morning after their night together he had apologized for having to run off so suddenly, rather than just booting her out. Alicona had understood of course, when duty called that was the first priority. It just had happened that things had taken an unexpected turn and it had taken this long for their paths to truly cross once more.

“True, a rider can't go running about in dirty clothes.” She chuckled, slipping back into the water once she had the room to do so. The day had taken a most welcome turn and the lift in her spirits was practically visible as she splashed water on her arms. She flashed a grin at the dragon before adding, “Especially when such a splendid Bronze has to claim him.” As J'tir went to gather the rest of his things  she loosed the tie from her hair, letting the white blonde length spill down her shoulders. Deft fingers gathered it all back up, twisting it quickly back into a bun and retying it. While it wasn't as loose of a style as before, the fine hairs around her face had still managed to escape and returned to frame her face.

“Lavender?” She asked, arching her eyebrows just the slightest as she took the offered, sniffing at it a moment. “This smells good. Better than the stuff I keep around.” She set it to one side, reaching up to help him unload his armful of things. “And a lot better than these clothes smell.” For one reason or another it was just so easy to relax around him, to remember what it was like before she had clammed up. Without missing a beat the woman had started the process of washing clothes, dunking them into the steaming water and applying some of the cleaning sand to them. With all the clothes she had helped wash in the creche she had developed a rather efficient way getting things done. Once everything had been thoroughly wet, she started in with the sand, letting each item foam a bit before returning to the first to scrub. “I'll wash these while you bathe. You can hang them up when you're done... since it seems you have already washed mine I don't mind washing yours.” She smiled at him, that sweet smile that wrinkled her nose just a bit.

She hummed while she worked, forgetting for a moment that she was working on his clothes. She broke into song again as she scrubbed at his garments, taking care to ensure they were left with no stains or patches of dirt.  It was a song she often sang to the children, something that she had written while carrying Alictiryan as it was going to be his lullabye.

“Dragons flying high,
Shadows dancing on the ground,
Looking up to see them soaring,
Blue and Green,
Bronze and Brown,


The Golden queen takes to wing,
Shining bright as the sun,
Werylings at lessons;
Their training just begun
If Thread should come again
Weyr be on your guard;

Hold and Hall will need you;
Keeping safe the ones below,
Dragonmen ride swift,
Fly steady as you go.
Between and back you come,
The fires fill the skies.

And I will wait among them,
The ones left left far behind;
To greet the weary faces
with food and spiced wine.
And if he is among them,
Proud silence I will keep
For he has come home safe
And that is all I need."

The "song" is original.

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Written By: ZZZ Archived
#12
J'tir blinked at the woman for a moment as she gathered his clothes and started washing them. There was really nothing he could do right them, she had them all in hand and was washing them rather effectively, and much faster than he had ever done. Shrugging, and realizing he was naked still, the man slid into the third pool, not far from Ali and the wash, and ducked under the water. When his hair was fully soaked, he came up and reached for a handful of the lavender soapsand. And she has good taste in bronzes, too. commented with a smug tone, as he always did when someone gave him a compliment. It took a moment for the man to realize the bronze had broadcast to the woman as well and he smiled in her direction. Careful, your ego is showing. he responded. Long strands of hair fell in his eyes and he brushed them away before scrubbing the soapsand through his hair and making a mighty lather. From the corner of his eye he saw the woman smiling as she worked, and could hear her humming along to something.

Slipping from the water, he walked over to the woman and took the clothes from her hands. They were cleaned and rinsed, and would not dry funny in the time it took them to bathe. He put a finger over her lips to forestall any argument and he led her back the pool he had started his bath in. His hair was a foamy mass of bubbles, standing straight up in the air as he carefully helped her into the pool and waited for her to duck under the water. When she had finally come back up, her long tresses still bound in a bun, he moved behind her and freed the blond hair. "There! Now we can wash your hair too." he grinned, grabbing another handful of sand and working it carefully into Alicona's hair without dripping it into her eyes. When it was as lathered as his, he dipped another handful from the container and scrubbed it down her shoulders, back and arms before turning her around with a playful grin. Winking, he repeated the process over her stomach, sides and chest while being extremely careful of the woman's sensitive breasts. It was with great restraint that he didn't try to start anything in the pool. Using gentle fingers, J'tir also washed her face while looking into her eyes. His hands trembled slightly as he lowered them, an effort of will to keep himself in check and he had to clear his throat before he could speak, "Okay, you can rinse now."

I could use a bath too, but not in those tiny pools. Vleyth mentioned, having watched his rider bathe the woman. Let's go to the lake with her. The man was about to agree, but as he turned to ask the woman if she wanted to go, his stomach rumbled loudly and reminded him that he had detoured from the Dining Hall in order to track down the source of the rumors. Sheepishly J'tir ran a hand through his hair, and grinned wickedly as it came back covered in the foamy soap lather. The bronzerider flung the handful of lather at the woman and reloaded his sudsy ammo by scraping more from his hair. "Gotcha!"

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Written By: ZZZ Archived
#13
Alicona worked quickly, unaware J'tir had slipped from the pool to begin washing though she didn't miss the comment from his bronze. A small chuckle left her as she shook her head a little at the great beast's preening. Like rider, like dragon it seems, she thought to herself. There was much to mull over while washing his clothes and she did just that, going over the events from the beginning. Not only had she spilled her deepest hurt, but had found out that when confronted with the news he too had shared in the grief. He was a good man, that much was certainly clear now, more so than she had thought. The prospect of a future devoid of children had been shattered, and in the empty parts of her heart hope had begun to bloom again. Even if he didn't follow through with promises of helping her raise a child it wouldn't matter. It wasn't just a second chance. It was like starting again.

It was then that J'tir reappeared, taking the clothes from her and hanging them out to dry. As if  reading her thoughts he pressed a finger to her lips, effectively silencing the protest before it could ever be voiced. Following his lead Ona climbed from the water, following him to the shallow pool he had vacated. The breeze flowed over her bare skin, raising prickles across her arms and carrying the smell of lavender to her nose. She didn't protest as he helped her down into the water, grateful to be out of the breeze before she grew too cold. Heated water deafened her completely as she dipped below the surface, holding her breath for several seconds to ensure she was fully soaked. She surfaced with a gasp, wiping water from her eyes as the man moved to stand behind her.

Ona could feel the tie in her hair loosen and pull free, wet hair flopping down her neck to lay plastered to her shoulders. It was out of habit that she tilted her head a bit, ensuring that whatever he said would be heard as she couldn't watch his lips moving. The soft scent of flowers enveloped her as he began to work on her hair. Droplets of water dotted her lashes as her eyes closed, head angled forward under the attention of his hands. Deny it all she might, she had missed this particular kind of companionship over the years. It had been a very long time since Ona had allowed herself to be this close to her and in truth as far as she could recall it had been this very same man that had been the last to get this close. Unthinking, her shoulders relaxed and the tension could be seen flowing out of her.

Skin met skin as she leaned back just so, her back resting against his chest. J'tir was easily a full head taller than she, and wider in the shoulders too. While it had the effect of making her feel smaller than she were, it wasn't the bad kind of feeling that usually followed when dealing with someone larger than herself. It was a nice change of pace for once.  Once he had finished with her hair he moved  on to her back and shoulders, illicting a murmured sound of contentment from her lips. When he had completed scrubbing her back he moved to her front. Blood flooded her cheeks, a light pink blush spreading across her cheeks and over the bridge of her nose. Alicona chewed her lower lip, standing as motionless as possible while J'tir worked his way up her front. The blush darkened just a bit as he washed her face, gray gaze locked on his lips with a surprising amount of attention.

“Ah-- er-- I suppose I should.” Ona mumbled, suddenly flustered. The woman stepped away from him intending to wash the foam off but yelped in surprise as soap bubbles splattered against her shoulder and neck. His wicked grin was equally matched by her dirty look as she splashed water at him, the moment of tension broken. She dunked herself in the water, wiping off the excess suds. “I do hope you are planning on using that handful to start washing yourself, and not throwing it at me. A girl is disinclined to help a man get clean if he is throwing things at her.” She scolded, though it didn't stop her from returning to his side and gathering a handful of the scented sand. “Now then..  Should I start at the front or the back? Because I am getting a bit hungry and am already getting wrinkly fingers from being in the water.” Alicona smiled, looking up into his face as she spread the foaming sand between her hands.

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Written By: ZZZ Archived
#14
Acting as if using the suds for just that purpose had been his intention all along, J'tir started in on his face. He tried to hide the amusement from his face when she scolded him.. he was used to taking orders, following them in the course of practice in flight, but being scolded like a creche-child was something he hadn't experienced in years. He thought about teasing her back in the manner of a wingleader at practice, but instead just nodded to her as she picked up a handful of sand. "You can start on my back, I'll do my front and then we can both down our own bottoms so we can pick up a picnic lunch and head to the lake so my poor, spoiled bronze can bathe." From behind the pair, the dragon grumbled, but said nothing. The silence was a bit unusual for the pensive bronze, and J'tir absently wondered if he was jealous of Ali. I am not jealous. I am just glad to see you happy.   His words were punctuated by a light tapping as his tail thumped the ground like an angry cat. That action alone gave away his jealousy and J'tir grinned, You know you are the love of my life, dear Vleyth. You made my life better when you chose me, and I couldn't be more proud to be worthy of such a handsome bronze dragon. The flattery was enough, and Vleyth rumbled his contentment as his tail stopped its rhythmic tapping.

"Vleyth, you know if she and I spend a lot of time together it just means another person to love you and dote on you." he said aloud, for Ali's benefit. The dragon didn't respond, having discovered a more still pool and was looking at himself in its reflection. Getting back to his bath, he peeked at the woman and saw her skin was pink and wrinkly from the heat in the pools and from washing his clothes. The slightly gritty sand scrubbed the dried sweat and dirt from his body, while it foamed and released the scent of lavender around them. When she started in on his back, his skin tingled from her touch. They finished about the same time, and she gave him the okay to dunk into the water to rinse. While he was under, he scrubbed at his hair to get all of the sweetsand out. When he came back up for air, he climbed from the pool and turned away modestly from Ali and began washing his legs and bottom half.

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Written By: ZZZ Archived
#15
"Your back?" Sherepeated, slipping past him to take her position behind him. The woman worked the sweetsand into a lather between her palms before applying it to his back. He was taller than she was and in the end Alicona stood on her toes to rub the sweetly scented sand across his shoulders. Thin, deft hands worked over the lines and contours of his back, allowing gentle fingers to follow the ridges of muscle there. It didn't take long to finish washing him down, from neck to hips and along his sides. When he stepped away to rinse, Ona took the moment to wash her most private of areas. In a way, she was glad he had left that to her.

"If I have been keeping you from your tasks you should have said something!" Having his Bronze upset with her was exactly what she didn't want. "If you'd like we can always try having lunch another time." She couldn't imagine the bond that existed between dragon and rider. It wasn't something she was inclined to tread upon either. So if the big bronze wanted time with his rider Alicona would gladly step aside. It wasn't as if she ever went far anyway. But by that same token, if Vleyth didn't mind her presence, she wouldn't be adverse to spending more time with J'tir.  Especially if she was going to follow through with her hasty decision. It would mean that they would eventually end up sharing a bed. That thought alone had her freezing up, anxiety taking hold of her. Ona lifted her fingers to her mouth, worrying at her nails. What had she agreed to? How was she going to manage even getting that far?

Alicona dressed in a rush, pulling her hair back and twisting it back into a very damp bun. She had been so caught in the moment that when the nervousness finally broke it came crashing down on her in a malign wave. She glanced to where J'tir was dressing, chewing her lip and a look of regret in her eyes. As much as she wanted to say something to him, words had failed her. As quietly as she could manage she began to back out of the area, finally turning to walk back to the Weyr as fast as she could. Ona didn't look back, lifting the front of her skirt with one hand and cursing herself for a coward the whole time. She had agreed to another baby and then run off. What was he going to think of her? Alicona bite into her lip hard, brushing her forearm across her face in shame. Why did she ever think she'd escape the anciety?

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Written By: ZZZ Archived
#16
The man smiled with his back turned, but he knew it could be heard in his tone. She was worried about his tasks? "You certainly aren't doing that, Ali. Vleyth is just a big, jealous baby." He reached for his clothes, pulling on his cropped pants and a light shirt and was turning to look at Ali again when Vleyth whispered in his mind again, She leaves. Do not follow.   It was his tone that said he was up to something, so J'tir remained turned away and let the woman walk away without showing that he was aware. She was an obviously anxious woman and he wasn't about to push her - especially after she had probably just gone farther since losing their son than any other time. The man knew better than to pressure a woman, and made a mental note to move slower with her if he saw her again. He sincerly hoped he would. Absently he heard Vleyth rise and leave, and affected not to notice that as well.

Gathering his clothes from around the pool where they had been lain out to dry, he folded them neatly and piled them in the basket. He also closed both containers of cleansing sands and tucked them on top with the brush. It was an unexpected turn of events to see Alicona there, and it was bittersweet, but J'tir was glad that he knew what had happened since their separation years prior. Hefting the basket, the bronzerider headed back toward the Weyrfolk Housing to put away the clothes before he made his way to the Dining Hall. Reaching through the bond he could sense Vleyth searching, probably for the woman, and he let the bronze be. If he wanted to talk to her, J'tir would not stand in his way.

It didn't take long for Vleyth to find where Al'ona had gone, he had watched her back away and walk swiftly in that direction and his huge bulk and long strides quickly outpaced her. Al'ona. What troubles you? he sent, waiting a few paces ahead of her and turning his head sideways a bit, giving him an inquisitive look. He did not want to scare her, so he tried to keep his voice light, welcoming. He had witnessed her chewing worried look, and the rushed dressing. The clearing he had stopped in was large enough for him and left enough room for the woman to escape if she really didn't want to talk to him. Is it something I can help with?

The exchange went unheard by the man, who had made his way back to the Weyr proper. The massive hall that was the housing for all living at Katila loomed ahead of him and he lamented that he had to return to the real world after such an enjoyable time at the hot springs. His stomach, apparently tired of being ignored, rumbled angrily at him again so he quickly dropped off the basket of clean clothes and made his way to the nearest kitchenette. Smells of freshly made klah greeted him and he inhaled deeply, the klah punctuated by the light scent of lavender. J'tir wanted to make it up to the woman, sensing that he had caused her to run, but he didn't want to push, and Vleyth had told him not to follow.

A motherly looking woman, probably as old as himself, smiled warmly at him as he borrowed a mug and poured himself some of the warming drink. "Ya feelin' peckish honn'?" she asked, bustling over in her oversize dressed, "What canna make ya?" chuckling, and deciphering her accent, the bronzerider smiled down at the short, squat woman. "

"I'll take whatever you have handly, and enough for two if it's not too much trouble? There's a pretty lady I aim to take for a picnic at the Lake."

When she started moving quickly around the little kitchen, with more speed than her size would suggest, J'tir sat at a nearby table. He desperately wanted to know what his dragon was doing with Ali, but he refused to interfere. Sometimes Vleyth was more wise than himself in matters such as these, and he trusted his bonded implicitly. The woman, Nary was her name, set a plate of cheese, bread and meat in front of him, chattering that it would take her a little bit to put together his picnic, and that she would loan him her wicker basket to carry it in if he returned it. The bronzerider ate slowly, letting her constant talk flow in one ear and out the other as he waited for Vleyth to summon him.

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Written By: ZZZ Archived
#17
Ona halted a moment, hearing the projected Vleyth in her mind. How did she even explain that she couldn't explain the nervousness? After several long minutes the woman joined the bronze in the clearing. By the first egg he was massive! She approached slowly, scrubbing her hands over her face before wrapping them around her middle. Bare feet carried her closer before she finally picked a spotand settled to the ground. Alicona sighed quietly, trying to get a grip on the thoughts and feelings that had so overwhelmed her. "I...." She started haltingly, shaking her head a moment in a desperate attempt to clear her mind.

"I don't know, Vleyth." She lamented, her voice quiet. It was rare that she was loud in any event, but as the day progressed it was lile she was headed more and more towards silence. "It's been like this since I lost the baby." She swallowed, pushing hair from her face. "Everything will be fine.. and then I start thinking. And once they start I can't get them to stop." Stormy eyes looked to the face of the dragon, holding the look for a second before she cast her gaze downward. "Ever since I was a little girl I wanted children of my own. And then... that happened. It was like watching every dream, every goal I held onto came crumbling down."

"I was too scared to ever think of carrying another child. And then the Weyrleader banned women without children from the Sands." It was easier to talk to the dragon than it was to talk to another person. It was the same with children, they didn't seem to judge when she couldn't make her words come out right. "I have done so much to avoid seeing J'tir again. He is a good man, but seeing him was a reminder of what I had lost." The woman pulled her knees up, resting her chin on them and wrapping her arms across her shins.

"I know I am not brave. Or outspoken." Her expression was thoughtful, looking at and through the dragon in front of her. "I want another chance, to give J'tir a living child. He seems to want one, and the fears I had back then about him being the sire were apparently wrong. It's just been so long... How can I give him that if I can't get past the anxiety? The last time it was flightlust that fueled us. Its not that simple this time." She snorted at her own thought process. "If you jnow of any sure ways to keep from panicking like this, I am all ears. I know what I want, but... I don't know how to get past the panic."

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