"Xynoth!" Aliana cries as she enters the weyr. "What do you think you're doing?!?!?"
The giant green, not much impressed with her rider's behaviour, sticks her nose in the air. She brings her tail up onto the dragon couch and lays lays her head on her flank. I'm taking a nap Aliana. I'm not going back out there!!
Aliana sighs. "I was worried about you. You weren't answering me. I thought you'd gotten yourself knocked unconsious or sent between or...or..."
Xynoth looks down at her rider. You have an overactive imagination, Ali.
Aliana's anger returns, remembering why she was worried. "Well what in the name of the Red Planet was I supposed to think?!?!? You just dissappear on me, don't answer my calls. Then you tell me not to worry!"
Xynoth sighs and looks up at her rider. I didn't mean to worry you. I just didn't have time to talk to you.
Aliana sits down on the dragon couch beside her life-mate. She begins to stroke the green's head, just like she used to do when Xynoth was small. "You can't talk to me Xyn, because you're too busy sulking."
The dragon shrugs away from her rider. I'm not sulking. I'm tired.
Aliana stiffles a laugh, not wanting to hurt her dragon's feelings. "Xyn, you went to sleep early last night and you slept late this morning."
I'm a growing weyrling!!! Xynoth tries.
Aliana raises an eyebrow and studies Xynoth
"Xynoth, you haven't been a weyrling for at least two turns now." The green dragon flops her head down on the pillow.
Maybe I was a little embarrassed, but I wasn't sulking.
Aliana gave her green a small smile. "We're telepathic, remember? I know."
The green looks slightly embarrassed. You do?
Aliana gives a small laugh. "Of course. You saw Succeth showing off in the weyrbowl for her suiters. You were jealous of the way all the brown and bronzes were looking at her. You're older than she is and figure if any one should fly it should be you. You then extend your wings, hold your head high and try to out-do Succeth." Xynoth gives her rider the impression of blushing. "One or two of the males notice you and you get even more haughty. Instead of walking boldly through the gates, you walk stubbornly into the wall. Succeth snorts and you pop between to your couch so you can sulk."
Xynoth looks hopefully up at Aliana. Do you think any one else noticed?
Aliana smiles. "I don't think so." She spares her dragons feelings. She glances across their small weyr to a giant mirror. The mirror covers the entire east wall and windows along the west and north sides let the sunlight reflect in. She looks at herself and Xynoth in the mirror. "There's really no reason why you shouldn't fly, Xyn."
Xynoth gives her rider a curious look. You're serious, Ali?
Aliana continues to study herself and Xynoth in the mirror. There are no doubts in her mind that Xynoth could fly. The green is in excellent health, and is very dexterous in the air, if not fast. She hasn't faught thread yet, and hasn't chewed firestone. She'd make a wonderful mother. Aliana gave an inward sigh. Xynoth's ready to fly, no doubt. But am I?
To her surprise her question is answered. If you really don't want to you don't have to, Ali. But I think you're ready. I think you're pretty too, as humans go. And don't try to tell me that you're not ready for a man right now. I've seen you tossing your hair at K'rik and flirting with the last searchrider. You look just as stupid as I did today, laughing at jokes that aren't even that funny.
Aliana gives her dragon an incredulous look. "What..how?"
Xynoth gives a draconic smile. Telepathic. Remember?
Aliana looks over her reflection in the mirror. Although she doesn't possess amazing looks, she's not hard to look at either. She is wearing an old, ripped brown dress whose only benefit is that is shows off a nice figure. Her hair is sticking out in all directions, as usual. Life in the weyr can get hectic at times and her long, dark, brown hair refuses to stay put for longer than an hour most days. She's always had a bright smile and her dark brown eyes reflect that smile. One of Aliana's many crushes had even commented that it should be a crime to make her face frown, her smile was so beautiful. She blushed remembering. Aliana nods her head and jumps to action. If she doesn't move quickly she may change her mind.
What are you doing, Ali?
"Finding some descent clothes." A quick seach through the weyr and she finds a long, green dress and a shorter, red one. Discarding her brown disastor in favour of the green dress, she attempts to bring some control to her hair. She pulls it back into a tight bun, holding it in place with long, fatal-looking, pins. She sighs, knowing that it will be all over the place in fifteen minutes. "Xyn, come on. We're going to talk to Weyrwoman Magika. You're going to fly at Talor Cliff Weyr. Where you were hatched."
I am? Xynoth gives a creel of content. I can't wait.
As Aliana prepares what she is going to say to get the Weyrwoman to give her another leave of absence, she looks back to the mirror. What if I don't like who Xyn chooses? She questions herself.
Xynoth snorts from somewhere in the weyrbowl. Don't you trust me, Ali? Don't worry. Only someone nice, funny and compassionate will catch me. I'll make sure of that!
Aliana smiles, a sudden feeling of peace coming over her. Somehow she knows this will all turn out right. She walks up beside her dragon, who is now preening herself. "Xyn," she smiles, in a much better humour, "you left out handsome." The two share a laugh.
