08.Mar.13, 05:00 PM
The hug was awkward, Isscer hunkered in on himself, body rigid. It had been a very long time since anyone had been kind to him--the gold Flights meant nothing, and were certainly not gentle. He didn't know how to react, what to do; was he supposed to hug back? It was no matter: he could have moved even if he had wanted to, as good a frozen, an astonished look on his face.
Beneath the surprise, the stiffness, there lurked an emotion Isscer couldn't name. It was more than hope, more than relief--both combined couldn't express how he felt, how it felt to know that finally someone understood. Someone cared that he was drowning in despair, out of sight of land, and growing more and more despondent with every Turn. The lump was back in his throat, and Isscer swallowed hard, carefully composing himself.
When he spoke, it was quiet, tone coming off as almost weary. Isscer wouldn't begrudge Oahvakeen his questions, but there were so many of them! "You Stand because they expect you to. You can't just escape from that--you're not a woman, so pregnancy is out of the question. I just... hope that I make it out of each Hatching unscathed; Impression hasn't happened yet, and I couldn't tell you why." Isscer shook his head, unable to speak for a long moment, composing what he wanted to express in as clear a form as he could.
"I never wanted to be a dragonrider. I never wanted to leave the North, and when they brought me here my entire life changed. I just want things to be normal again and I sharding hate the heat." Isscer looked away, gnawing at the inside of his cheek, before he sighed. "I can't let them win--if I Impress, I'll never get to go home again."
Beneath the surprise, the stiffness, there lurked an emotion Isscer couldn't name. It was more than hope, more than relief--both combined couldn't express how he felt, how it felt to know that finally someone understood. Someone cared that he was drowning in despair, out of sight of land, and growing more and more despondent with every Turn. The lump was back in his throat, and Isscer swallowed hard, carefully composing himself.
When he spoke, it was quiet, tone coming off as almost weary. Isscer wouldn't begrudge Oahvakeen his questions, but there were so many of them! "You Stand because they expect you to. You can't just escape from that--you're not a woman, so pregnancy is out of the question. I just... hope that I make it out of each Hatching unscathed; Impression hasn't happened yet, and I couldn't tell you why." Isscer shook his head, unable to speak for a long moment, composing what he wanted to express in as clear a form as he could.
"I never wanted to be a dragonrider. I never wanted to leave the North, and when they brought me here my entire life changed. I just want things to be normal again and I sharding hate the heat." Isscer looked away, gnawing at the inside of his cheek, before he sighed. "I can't let them win--if I Impress, I'll never get to go home again."