16.May.20, 01:10 AM
The redhead choked on her water at his remark, wondering if he knew how overtly improper he sounded. That doubt lasted all of a half-second. He knew what he said. The man seemed to be more than a bit roguish and knew how to make the best use of his good looks, that devilish smile spreading across his face. He intrigued her, and while she wanted to take a look over the edge, she could see it was likely dangerous and wasn’t sure she wanted to chance falling. Watch your step, girl, she told herself. It was plain to see that he loved this bit of dancing back and forth, on the edge of being respectful and outright rude, and she wasn’t sure whether to applaud his talented manipulation of words and manners or to toss her drink in his face. She instead sipped at what remained of her water, a blush creeping up her neck to warm her cheeks and she she opted for the middle of the social road by offering a small smirk, chuckling into her cup.
He settled into the chair and spoke briefly of women’s roles in the Weyr, and how women had previously ridden other colors and some still do, not strictly limited to the big beautiful queens. Fighting dragons, blues and greens, with lady riders? She had never dared hope to Impress, let alone a queen…but a blue or green? Her breath came out in a heavy, doubtful sigh. Was she honestly even entertaining the idea of Impressing at all? She’d never dared to even think of getting near a dragon this time last year, and here she had ridden blue Edath with R’dal, several times! She’d been to a Hatching, and now she was honestly considering staying here…
A worm of guilt wriggled into her gut at the idea of leaving everything she’d worked so hard for, everything she was so familiar with, when D’hys mentioned speaking to a Searchrider. If she were Searched…she would have an excuse! And her station might even be glad to be rid of her, the awkward, single woman who wouldn’t do as she was supposed to and just settle down to run a home and have babies already. Giving her to the Weyr would be a far better alternative than attempting to set her with a holder boy to get her off of the traces and out of their hair…especially if she couldn’t bear heirs…That thought burned her like a knife in the gut. Her ‘illness’ did weight on her mother, but just as well, it was something that wasn’t spoken of and mercifully hadn’t come up in years. She dreaded that conversation if she were to be married off…And by being Searched, she wouldn’t be abandoning anything, just moving on to something else, something better…
Her voice was barely above a whisper as she looked to D’hys, hoping against hope. “Could we?”
He settled into the chair and spoke briefly of women’s roles in the Weyr, and how women had previously ridden other colors and some still do, not strictly limited to the big beautiful queens. Fighting dragons, blues and greens, with lady riders? She had never dared hope to Impress, let alone a queen…but a blue or green? Her breath came out in a heavy, doubtful sigh. Was she honestly even entertaining the idea of Impressing at all? She’d never dared to even think of getting near a dragon this time last year, and here she had ridden blue Edath with R’dal, several times! She’d been to a Hatching, and now she was honestly considering staying here…
A worm of guilt wriggled into her gut at the idea of leaving everything she’d worked so hard for, everything she was so familiar with, when D’hys mentioned speaking to a Searchrider. If she were Searched…she would have an excuse! And her station might even be glad to be rid of her, the awkward, single woman who wouldn’t do as she was supposed to and just settle down to run a home and have babies already. Giving her to the Weyr would be a far better alternative than attempting to set her with a holder boy to get her off of the traces and out of their hair…especially if she couldn’t bear heirs…That thought burned her like a knife in the gut. Her ‘illness’ did weight on her mother, but just as well, it was something that wasn’t spoken of and mercifully hadn’t come up in years. She dreaded that conversation if she were to be married off…And by being Searched, she wouldn’t be abandoning anything, just moving on to something else, something better…
Her voice was barely above a whisper as she looked to D’hys, hoping against hope. “Could we?”