12.Sep.19, 05:45 AM
Jajojin stopped breathing as the creature made her appearance. She was more or less hideous her small, malnourished body and knowing how quickly dragonets could fill out even in one week, he hated to think what she looked like fresh from the egg. Mostly she was hideous for being the creature that had crushed Madiquel's dreams and thrust her into a life she didn't want. Still, this was Madiquel's dragon and his daughter would love her no matter what, which meant he had to try as well. That determination was what had a shaking hand slowly extending to the green snout but he couldn't make contact, leaving it to hang there in the air to be sniffed if she so desired.
When she turned to get some sun like directed, Jajojin lowered his hand to his lap and finally started breathing again, remembering his instructions for deep and slow in and out. He stared at the dragon while she figured out the puzzle before her and a part of him was impressed by the determination but he still couldn't allow himself to love her as more than an accessory to Madiquel. To do so brought pain and fear and he couldn't let those rule him when it concerned his daughter's happiness.
"I'm fine," he reassured his baby girl, and for the most part, he was. For now. He was only hanging on because he had to for Madiquel. He wouldn't let her see him crying again or raging as he destroyed another room. Oh, but to go back to his memories and live in those happy times... no! Madiquel needed him in the present. She would need his support with that dragon--Zezeth--being as sickly-looking as she was. So, like a good father, he shared a story to help lift up her spirits--and keep his mind clearer. For some reason, while he hated talking about Denath, it actually made it easier on him to say them out loud instead of keeping the memories inside.
"Denath was small for a bronze hatchling, you know. He would have been the runt in a feline litter. He barely had any meat on his bones and he was so gangly and tripped himself up a lot." He paused, a smile on his lips as he recalled the day he Impressed and how the coming days saw them getting teased. But when the memory became too vivid, he focused on Madiquel, giving her hand a light squeeze. "But he grew steadily and without complication until he was one of the biggest bronze dragons on Pern." Jajojin sat up straighter, pride evident in voice and posture. Denath had such a commanding presence but he had also been one of the kindest dragons.
"She...Zezeth has you to help her grow big and strong as well. And her silence," was nice, honestly. Some dragons were obnoxious and Jajojin couldn't escape their loud voices no matter how hard he tried to block them out, "means she will be a great thinker as well." Her puzzle solving of the blocked off entry already showed that.
"And you have me. I'm staying in Ista until you say otherwise, baby girl." He hadn't always been a good father before the landslide but he tried since then and Jajojin was tired of Madiquel being the adult and caring for him. She was a weyrling now and really didn't need him anymore, but he wanted to be there for her. Support her, love her, listen as she talked about her day...
When she turned to get some sun like directed, Jajojin lowered his hand to his lap and finally started breathing again, remembering his instructions for deep and slow in and out. He stared at the dragon while she figured out the puzzle before her and a part of him was impressed by the determination but he still couldn't allow himself to love her as more than an accessory to Madiquel. To do so brought pain and fear and he couldn't let those rule him when it concerned his daughter's happiness.
"I'm fine," he reassured his baby girl, and for the most part, he was. For now. He was only hanging on because he had to for Madiquel. He wouldn't let her see him crying again or raging as he destroyed another room. Oh, but to go back to his memories and live in those happy times... no! Madiquel needed him in the present. She would need his support with that dragon--Zezeth--being as sickly-looking as she was. So, like a good father, he shared a story to help lift up her spirits--and keep his mind clearer. For some reason, while he hated talking about Denath, it actually made it easier on him to say them out loud instead of keeping the memories inside.
"Denath was small for a bronze hatchling, you know. He would have been the runt in a feline litter. He barely had any meat on his bones and he was so gangly and tripped himself up a lot." He paused, a smile on his lips as he recalled the day he Impressed and how the coming days saw them getting teased. But when the memory became too vivid, he focused on Madiquel, giving her hand a light squeeze. "But he grew steadily and without complication until he was one of the biggest bronze dragons on Pern." Jajojin sat up straighter, pride evident in voice and posture. Denath had such a commanding presence but he had also been one of the kindest dragons.
"She...Zezeth has you to help her grow big and strong as well. And her silence," was nice, honestly. Some dragons were obnoxious and Jajojin couldn't escape their loud voices no matter how hard he tried to block them out, "means she will be a great thinker as well." Her puzzle solving of the blocked off entry already showed that.
"And you have me. I'm staying in Ista until you say otherwise, baby girl." He hadn't always been a good father before the landslide but he tried since then and Jajojin was tired of Madiquel being the adult and caring for him. She was a weyrling now and really didn't need him anymore, but he wanted to be there for her. Support her, love her, listen as she talked about her day...