"Are you paying attention?" The old man was loosing his patience with his young pupil.
Kiya sighed and tried to look attentive. "No sir, I wasn't. Please forgive me. Continue."
The man sighed and slammed his fist down on the table. "How am I supposed to teach you girl if everything I say goes in one ear and out the other?"
Kiya smirked. "I'm not sure sir."
"Don't get smart-mouthed with me. Your parents are paying good money to have you taught privately."
"My parents can afford to pay good money for me to be taught privately. I'm the Lord Holder's niece!!" Kiya had never mastered the art of keeping her mouth shut.
"Lady Kiya!! You will respect your elders." That tone of voice left no doubt in anyone's mind. The Lady Aila was not to be contradicted.
Kiya sighed and put her head in her hands. "Yes mother."
"Now my daughter should cause you no further trouble. She will sit and learn her lessons. We are extremely grateful, as always, that you would take time out of your busy day to lecture her." The Lady Aila disappeared, trailing servants and the scent of lavender.
The teacher, all pompus and full of himself after Aila's praise, continued his speach, not bothering to notice that his only pupil was more interested in the window than him.
Kiya sighed again, and prayed for Threadfall.
* * * Freedom at last!! The nineteen turn girl wandered the halls of Nyterwyrm Hold looking for some fun. She walked past the classroom where the new Harper, Roden, was teaching the younger kids. She paused at the door to look in on him. He didn't see her because he was busy trying to control the chaos that was the younger children. Kiya smiled as she watched him attempt to work. This Hold has gone through more Harpers than I have. She laughed as a piece of chalk-covered cloth smacked the gangly Harper right in the face. Those kids are worse than me! Poor Roden. She continued on her way, making a mental note to stop by and talk to the poor teacher. It was really unfair the way Merwin and everyone else treated him. It wasn't his fault that he looked so...unintimidating, or that he wasn't firm enough to show the children who was boss. After all, She thought to herself as she entered the kitchens. He's doing the best he can.
"Good afternoon Lady Kiya." Iona, the Master of the Servants, bowed slightly when she saw Kiya.
Kiya smiled. "Don't Iona. It makes me feel all responsible when I'm not."
"Shouldn't you be in classes?" Iona wiped her hands on her aprons and sat at one of the long tables.
"He let me out early." Kiya smirked. "I think I'm driving him crazy."
A few of the younger kids, the ones who should be with Roden, went running by. Iona raised a brow and sighed. "I think the younger children are going to drive that new Harper insane. Three Harpers in less than a turn. My word." The Master of the Servants sadly shook her head.
"Roden will get the hang of things." Kiya couldn't help sticking up the man. She'd talked to him a few occasions and he seemed nice enough.
"I don't think this Roden will last." Iona stood up and began to return to her duties. "He's nice enough, but the children won't listen."
Kiya was about to reply, but Iona had already moved on. The young woman sighed and decided to pay the 'lost cause' a visit. Maybe she could talk some sense into him.
* * * She found Roden's door closed, but she could hear him talking to himself just beyond it and couldn't help eavesdropping for a moment. He was, as always, complaining about his abilities and appearence. Kiya honestly didn't think he looked as horrible as he seemed to think he looked. He was a little thin and his limbs did look like they might be a size too big, but he had a nice smile and a kind personality. And there's always his hair. Kiya supressed a laugh as she thought of the blond mass that sat on top of his head and stuck out in all directions.
A long period of silence followed and Kiya knew that Roden had followed her train of thought and was thinking about his apppearence. She turned the handle and entered the room. Roden never locked his home door. "You are not entirely out of proportion."
"How sure are you?" Roden looked sceptically at her. He did not seem to be surprised that she had entered without invitation, he knew that was just the way Kiya worked. She didn't stop to ask permission or think before she spoke. She said what was on her mind, always.
"Positive." Kiya laughed as she saw the look on his face. "You need more self-confidence Harper. Then the children will listen." She put her hands on his shoulders and led him to his chair.
Roden sat down. "How should I go about getting more self-confidence then?" He smirked. "Beat up the Lord Holder?"
Kiya laughed, an image of her uncle, Lord Merwin, flat on his back flitted through her mind. "If you think you can...but you don't really think you can, do you?" She realized that sentance made little sense and tried to repharse it. "I think you could take Lord Merwin if you believed in yourself."
"You have a lot of faith in the power of the mind." Roden was sceptical.
"I do. I know I do. I believe I do." She smiled. And for some reason I turn into a blabbering idiot. Kiya didn't know why she felt herself attracted to Roden.
"How?" Roden asked.
"It's all in how you look at a thing Roden." She moved to sit on the arm of his chair. She tried to explain to him why she had faith in him even when nobody else did. "If you keep looking at the bright side, things seem brighter." She hoped she could cheer him up.
Roden sighed. "Lord Merwin's going to kill me."
Kiya swatted him. Way to miss the point!! "That's the bad side."
"Then what's the bright side?"
Kiya smiled softly, amazed that he'd actually stepped into her 'trap'. She'd get a smile out of him if it was the last thing she did. "If you're dead you won't have to deal with the children anymore."
The two laughed and sat on the old, beaten up chair watching some flits play outside. Neither of them spoke for a few minutes, mesmerized by the beautiful miniature dragons.
"They're really beautiful." Kiya finally broke the silence, startling Roden.
"No wonder so many songs have been written about them..." Roden's voice was rough and he cleared his throat once. He'd obviously been thinking about something. "...and dragons."
"Ever seen a dragon Roden?" Kiya wondered if he could tell her about the creatures that had captured her imagination ever since she was a little girl.
"Yeah. I rode one here." Roden was obviously trying to impress her. Kiya thought it was cute.
"That must have been amazing. The closest I've ever been to one seeing them above at Threadfall." She stood up and walked to the window. The firelizards were behaving in a most peculiar way. They were diving and twirling all around one spot of ground. "I think the firelizards are in trouble or something."
"Really?" Roden didn't seem to notice anything peculiar with their behaviour. He quickly joined her at the window. "Your right." The Harper examined the flits and Kiya could see his eyes widened as he figured out what was going on. "Kiya! They're not in trouble. They're having a hatching!"
"Let's go down!" Kiya grabbed both his hands in hers, not noticing how red he went. "I'll get some meat." She headed for the door. "Don't tell anyone Roden! This will be our secret!"
She quickly disappeared out the door and ran to the kitchens, not bothering to notice if Roden would follow her or not. She looked both ways before sneaking in and grabbing some of the wherry meat that was sitting on the counter, about 15 minutes away from becoming a stew. On her way out she bumped into Iona.
"What are you doing with that meat child?" Iona raised a brow, always trying to know everything that went on in her Hold.
Kiya found it slightly scary how quickly she came up with a lie. "I found a wild firelizard outside that looks hurt. Roden promised to see what he could do for it and I thought that some meat might help."
Iona obviously didn't want to believe her. "Roden doesn't know anything about firelizards."
"Neither does our healer. Besides, Roden's at least been near flits before."
"You shouldn't go feeding it. It might bite you."
"I'll leave the meat on the ground in front of it."
"I'm going to tell your mother."
Good for you. Kiya bit back the words. "I'm sure she'd agree that compassion is a much sought-after trait in a Lady Holder." Without another word, Kiya left the dining hall and went to look for Roden and the firelizards.
* * * "How did you get that meat without people asking you questions?" Roden knelt beside Kiya as close to the eggs as the angry firelizard queen would let them get.
"I didn't." Kiya smiled. "Iona asked me all sorts of questions, I just faked some answers."
Roden pretended he was shocked. "You lied to the Master of the Servants?"
Kiya laughed. Please don't tell me he thinks that I'm really that innocent. "Doesn't everyone? Look! They're hatching!" Sure enough, the small eggs had begun to crack. Kiya wanted to move foreward and grab the first egg that began rocking, but she knew better. Too close and the little clutch-mother might take it into her tiny head to attack. Most of the flits that were hatching didn't even bother coming over to them, even though they had meat. She watched them begin to fly away and bit her lip in frustration. Pay attention to me you little ingrades or I'll... She trailed off as she noticed the tiny blue flit approaching the Harper beside her. She gasped and Roden's looked at her. She bit her lip and nodded towards the tiny blue creatuer at his knees. Kiya couldn't figure out why he wasn't feeding the firelizard when she realised that he'd forgotten what to do in the excitement of the moment. Not wanting to startle the firelizard hatchling by making noise she pinched him in the arm, hard. She watched with a smile on her face as Roden fed his new pet and impression took place.
Kiya squeezed his arm and smiled at him. "Congrats!" She examined the tiny blue creature, trying her best not to be jealous. Instead of watching the flits I watch the Harper...nice move Kiya.
Roden finally realized that Kiya hadn't managed to impress a flit. "Kiya..." He obviously felt bad.
Kiya read the expression on his face and smiled. It was closer to you. I couldn't take it without feeling rotten. "It's okay Roden. I don't mind. What are you going to call him?" She did her best not to sound disappointed.
"I don't know." He stroked the blue's head. "And even if it is okay, I feel bad. I should have been paying attention."
Kiya laughed. "You mean I should have been paying attention. I'm the one who watched you instead of the flits."
"Are all the flits gone?" Roden looked across the shattered shells, Kiya followed his gaze. Maybe an intact egg was left after all.
Kiya half-smiled, entirely blaming herself for her predicament. "I think so..." She trailed off as she saw movement from under the egg shells. "But they might not all be gone..." She got up and carefully walked over to the movement. Something was underneath the egg shells, trapped. She knealt down, careful not to crush whatever might be moving and gently brushed the eggs shells away. She smiled happily when she saw what they were concealing. The queen of the clutch, trapped in her siblings shells. "Aren't you ironic?" She lifted the flit, much to the gold's annoyance and brought her back to where Roden and the meat were. "I thought the queen of the clutch got away. I'm sure I saw a golden hatchling leaving. I guess you're a mistake." She fed the beautiful creature and felt it's anger leaving, replaced by acceptance of Kiya as a bond. She smiled again.
Roden looked up at her and was obviously confused. He stared at the abnormally small queen and then at Kiya. "What?"
"I know." Kiya smiled as she fed her tiny pet. "I saw the other, bigger golden hatchling fly away too. I didn't know that flit clutchs could have two queens, although she is really tiny."
"She's beautiful." Roden smiled. "Congrats."
Kiya laughed. "Deja-vu." The little queen proved that she was not an over-sight by biting Kiya's fingers. The girl only laughed.
Kiya was focused mainly on her own new pet, but out of the corner of her eye she could see the blue nipping at Roden's fingers. She smiled as the Harper shouted. "Fine! Eat more!" Roden gave the flit a little more food, but not too much. He didn't want to gorge his pet.
He's not really angry. He could never hurt a fly. She smiled softly, this time not about her new pet. Better change the topic girl, you're blushing."So what are you going to call him?" Kiya asked again as they sat beside each other, flits curled asleep in their laps.
"Oshieru." Roden smiled. "It means to teach."
"It's pretty." Kiya smiled back. "I think this little queen will be Chijou." She knew the meaning, but she wasn't about to disclose it.
"Why?" Roden asked.
"Because it sounds nice." Kiya stroked the gold's back. "And she looks like a Chijou." And I don't want to tell you.
Roden laughed, then yawned. "I think we'd better be getting back. Someone might start to wonder where you are." He couldn't help stressing the fact that he was pretty much unwanted around the Hold.
Kiya gave him a sympathetic half-smile. For a while there you weren't such a pessimist Roden. "Things will get better. You'll see."
"They will?" Roden helped Kiya to her feet.
"Of course." They walked back to the Hold together. "Just show the Merwin, and the children, who's boss."
Roden couldn't help asking. "Who is boss?"
Kiya smirked and glared at him. Smart-aleck. "I am." She swatted him.
* * * "Where did you get that thing?" Kiya's mother was less than pleased at the appearence of the flit.
"Outside." Kiya smirked. Driving her mother crazy was easy. Roden and her originally planned on keeping the flit's secret, but the Lady Aila was observant if nothing else.
"Dispose of it." Her mother did not believe sarcasm or wit to be necessary to the proper upbringing of young ladies. "Leave it outside. It'll make it's way in the world."
"Yeah." Kiya said, her voice loaded with sarcasim. "Or, you know, die!"
"Survival of the fittest darling." Her mother didn't care that any type of bond might have been formed. "You'd best give it to someone else than, because your new husband doesn't approve of the creatures."
"My new WHAT?" Kiya's voice must have reached the whole Hold.
"A proper lady never raises her voice." Lady Aila began straightening Kiya's hair. "And your new husband is what I said. I've found the perfect man for your. You'll love him."
"Marks say I won't!" Kiya wished she could hit her mother.
"Not with that negative attitude, no. Now smile and come with me." Lady Aila grabbed Kiya's arm.
"I don't think so!" She twisted out of her mother's grasp. "Chijou's hungry."
* * * Who does she think she is? Kiya fumed inwardly as she stormed towards the kitchens. And who does she think she can force me into marrying.
Chijou cheeped and rubbed her head against Kiya's offering silent sympathy. Kiya couldn't help smiling. "Thanks Chi. Nice to know you understand. Actually you probably don't, but at least you care. Not like everyone else in this stupid Hold." The sight of Roden on his way to the kitchens with an obivously anxious Oshieru brought a bigger smile to Kiya's face. She forgot all about her mother and her problems in the excitement of startling her friend. She snuck up on him, a trait learned from her mother (a proper lady must be silent and graceful as the wind...) "Yours too?" Kiya whispered in his ear.
Roden simply nodded.
Kiya grinned, plan suddenly coming to her. "I'll grab a basket and some food if you get two runners." Roden looked at her blankly and she laughed again. "We'll have a picnic. Disappear for the afternoon."
"I have classes..." Roden trailed off. Kiya assumed this was because he wasn't actually trying to protest. The good guy in Roden couldn't help saying something about shirking on responsiblity.
Kiya poked her finger into his chest, trying to dispel that man. "Cancel them. I'll be down at the stables in a few minutes, you'd better have the runners ready. Or else."
"Or else what?" Roden yelled after her quickly disappearing back.
"I'll make you carry me." Kiya smirked, hoping he'd laughed at her joke.
* * * "Good after noon Master of the Servants." Kiya quickly shoved Chijou under her hair as she passed Iona. The woman gave her a skeptical look, but obviously didn't have the time to drag the truth out of the girl. Kiya smirked. "Guess we got lucky today Chijou. She's busy."
Kiya quickly grabbed somethings from the kitchen. The drudges were preparing lunch and didn't mind if she stole a few of their morsels for a picnic. She stuck them into a basket the cook offered her and hurried back to the courtyard where Roden would be waiting. She wanted to get out of there before her mother knew she was leaving. She walked up in the middle of a conversation Roden was having either with Oshieru or the runners, which he'd acquired after all.
She quickly removed some meat from her pocket and held it in her open palm. Oshieru's eyes were immediately drawn to her. She saw Roden sigh and run his hands through his hair. "So, what do you think?"
"I think he thinks he wants the meat." Kiya smirked. She was beginning to like startling him.
Roden whirled around. "How...Why...What...." Roden trailed off, confused. "How long have you been standing there!?"
Kiya smirked. Wonder what he was talking about that he didn't want me to hear. "Not long. I see you got the runners. Good move. I'm heavier than I look."
Roden faked a laugh and was obvioulsy nervous. "I got the runners."
Kiya couldn't help smiling at his comment. "I can see why you're the teacher." Now I really want to know what he was talking about.
Without saying another word Roden mounted the runner and called Oshieru to him. The blue flit happily winked between and reappeared on his master's shoulder.
Kiya mounted the other runner and fed Chijou a piece of meat. Oshieru quickly leapt to the girl's other shoulder and nipped at her fingers. Kiya laughed. "You can tell where a flit's heart lies."
"Close to it's stomach." Roden smiled. "Where do you want to go?"
A flast of light caught Kiya's eye and she looked up to one of her mother's windows. Suddenly all her problems came whirling back to her. "Away. Anywhere away." She quickly realized that she was acting slightly suspicious and smiled warmly at Roden. "I'm sure you must know someplace with a view."
Roden glanced up towards where Kiya had been looking. He paused a moment and Kiya could tell that he was deciding whether to pry or leave well enough alone. "I have just the spot." He kicked the runner into a trot, Kiya close behind him.
They rode in silence for a few minutes, neither one wanting to say something that they might regret later. Roden was afraid that if he pried, Kiya would leave. Kiya was afraid that if she didn't explain herself, Roden would think she didn't trust him. After they'd stopped at a nice spot near the river, they both finally decided to say something...at the same time.
"Kiya, I don't want to seem nosy but..."
"Roden, look I want to explain..."
Another moment of silence followed, both of them blushing and wondering whether they were supposed to go first. Finally Kiya cracked. "This is silly. I have no idea why I suddenly feel so akward around you. You've been like a big brother...." The girl trailed off as she realized she wasn't exactly saying what she meant. Go Kiya! Tell the guy you like that you think he's your big brother. That'll get him attracted to you!
"That's okay...I know what you meant." Roden stared at the ground and rubbed Oshieru's stomach. He seemed dejected.
"'Shards sake!!" Kiya, the normally calm, cool controled young noblewoman, got frustrated. "You have no idea what I'm talking about because I'm not talking about it right." Kiya decided that stuttering and blushing wasn't her style. She'd never been anything less than totally self-confident and she'd be threadscared before she stopped now. She leaned in close to Roden, making him sweat. "I'm almost 19 turns, my father is a rather influencial person in the Hold and he wants to marry me off to some distant Holder. I don't want to marry him."
Roden blushed and stammered. "I-I-I can s-see why you'd be...u-upset." He gulped. "W-w-who d-d-do you w-want to m-marry?"
Kiya grinned, knowing that she was intimidating him. "Guess." She'd regained her normal calmness and Roden was almost falling apart.
"Ummm...." Roden was wide-eyed. "I-I-I..."
Need a hint? Her heart was pounding in her ears, even she was shocked by what she was pretty sure she was going to do. Kiya kissed him, finally stopping the stuttering.
Roden went wide-eyed, but in a good way. "Oh."
Chijou and Oshieru began to play in the air over their masters heads.
* * * "Where were you?" Lady Aila was not amused.
"Out with a friend mother." Kiya was pleased with herself, entirely smug. Chijou still sat on her shoulder and the Lady glared at the creature.
"You still have that -thing-?"
"It's not a thing, it's a firelizard. And she has a name." Kiya liked being in control.
"I. Don't. Care." Her mother bit the words out through clenched teeth. The Lady Aila quickly took a few deep breaths to calm herself. "Rumor has it you were out today with that pathetic new Harper."
Kiya glared at her mother. "No I wasn't out with any pathetic Harper."
"Good, because..."
"I was out today with Roden." Kiya cut her off, enjoying the insanity she was almost causing.
"YOUR ROOM!!! NOW!!" Kiya was about to argue, but was stopped by her mother's palm. A red mark swelled on her face. "NOW!!!"
Kiya, blinking back tears escaped to the safety of her room.
* * * Where?" Lord Holder Merwin looked the green-rider over again, the name of the weyr she claimed to be from was not familiar to him.
Searchrider Tarymi smiled. "Mountain's Note Weyr. It's not very big, but I'm riding on search for our Sr. Queen's clutch."
"Really." The Lord Holder hadn't remained in power for so long by being very trusting.
Tarymi continued to smile confidently. And I don't get candidates by taking no for an answer. "Certainly it wouldn't hurt to just let me look around. I'll be gone in a candlemark."
Merwin glared at her, upset at the thought of another powerful person in his Hold. "Fine."
* * * Want to continue looking, or are you happy with one? Tarymi sat on a barrel watching some children running by.
It wouldn't hurt to look around, maybe only for a little bit, thought. Zironath was sitting beside her rider, pleased with the one guy she'd found here, but still looking. She felt more potential near-by.
How little? Tarymi was getting tired of the stuck-up Holders and wanted to return to Mountain's Note Weyr as quickly as possible.
The frosted-green turned her head to watch Kiya turn the corner, in quite a bad mood, and storm towards them. About ten heart-beats and she'll be here.
Her? Tarymi stood up and smiled as the girl was obviously approaching her. You haven't even talked to her yet.
Zironath's eyes whirled a bright blue. Let's say, I think she's going to search us.
"Hello Holder, I'm Searchrider Tarymi and this is Zironat and we're here from..." Tarymi quickly began her normal greeting speech.
"I don't care where you're from, I'm coming with you." Kiya put her hands on her hips and glared at the older rider, daring her to say something.
"Umm..." Tarymi was at a loss for words for a moment. "...Mountain's Note Weyr. And we don't just take anyone back with us."
"You're taking me. I need out of here and I need out now." Kiya wasn't backing down. She was a lot more nervous than she appeared, but if this Tarymi was her best way out, she wasn't going to let her slip away.
"Listen girl." The Searchrider couldn't help feeling a little offended. "You're only coming if for some incredible reason Zironath thinks you'd make a good candidate, which I highly doubt you stuck up little..."
The Searchdragon cut her off. Tarymi...I do think she'd make a good candidate.
Tarymi turned and stared, open-mouthed, at her mount. "What?"
Kiya tried not to look amazingly hopeful.
She's a little stuck-up and a lot headstrong, but I think one of Kareneth's children could work that out of her. Plus that other fellow, Roden, the one I searched before, they go together.
"Are you crazy?" Tarymi had never doubted her dragon before, but Zironath was pushing it.
The dragon could tell this and found it amusing. Trust me Tarymi.
"Fine." The Searchrider sighed. "You win. You're searched."
Kiya couldn't help looking a little shocked. "I'm what?"
"Searched. It's what you wanted isn't it?" This kid was really pushing her luck.
"Not exactly." Kiya couldn't believe she'd just admitted that. "I just wanted a ride out."
"Then you're not searched. Goodbye." Tarymi turned and started to walk away.
"No wait!!!" Kiya ran after her. What she had to do now would hurt more than pulling teeth. She sighed and stroked Chijou's head for support. "I'm sorry. I would really like to be searched and stand for your clutch."
Tarymi couldn't help smiling. "See? That wasn't so hard, was it?"
"Speak for yourself." Kiya felt like she was really pushing her luck here, but she had to try. When she'd decided she was running away the night before, she'd given herself one condition: Roden come with her. "Searchrider Tarymi. Would it be okay if I took a friend?"
"A friend?!? Are you serious?" Tarymi was tempted to leave this girl in between
"I won't go if he can't come." Kiya put her foot down.
"I can't believe this...you're really asking for it..."
Once again, Zironath interupted before Tarymi said something she might regret. The friend she's speaking of is Roden.
Tarymi was dying to get out of this place. "I gotta surprise for you kid."
* * * Kiya couldn't help grinning as she waited outside her uncle's office waiting for Roden. "Boy will he be surprise, eh Chijou?"
The gold-firelizd chirped her agreement. They were both anxious.
Finally Roden appeared walking down the hall. At the same moment, Lord Merwin decided to open his door and see if the blasted Searchrider was done or not.
"There you are." Tarymi greeted him with a handshake. "You're late."
"I couldn't find someone." Roden obviously wasn't pleased with something.
"Who?" Kiya grinned as she stepped out of the shadows of the doorway. "Me?"
"What are you doing here?" Roden was shocked, again. She liked him when he was surprised.
Chijou flew to Roden's shoulder and pecked at his ear. Kiya laughed. "I'm Searched."
"NO!" Lord Holder Merwin slammed his fist down on the table. "You are not taking my niece and my Harper."
"I don't think I can seperate them." Tarymi smiled.
"What?" Merwin didn't take a hint very well.
Kiya smiled, leapt into Roden's arms and kissed him. Tarymi smiled. Merwin went white.
"Impossible...Kiya! Get off him!" Merwin hadn't made a move.
"Sorry Uncle. I'll write you." The three began to leave, Kiya and Roden arm in arm.
"This is impossible!!" Merwin ran to the door and watched them walking down the hall. "I demand you come back!!"
Roden smiled happily to himself. "He doesn't do well with the concept of him not being in control, does he?"
"Don't touch my niece!"
Kiya rested her head on Roden's shoulder, loving the fact that they had the power in this conversation. "No he doesn't."
* * *
Kiya is a candidate at Mountain's Note Weyr.
Chijou's picture from Dark Moon Weyr.
Background from Enchanted Backgrounds.
