Would you hurry up? Shempath snorted in exasperation. We're already a candlemark late!
Oshieru chirped, obviously agreeing with the dragon. The blue flit sat on Shempath's shoulder. The two dragonkin had been ready two candlemarks ago. R'den, in the middle of a sudden fit of worrying about his appearance, was still fighting with his hair. The fact that he was even bothering to make an attempt at fixing his hair was proof enough that he was worried about his upcoming encounter with Kiya. They hadn't seen each other in almost six months, and although her letters had been frequent and fairly clear about her feelings, R'den was fighting with a growing fear that the beautiful goldrider had met someone else.
R'den, denying the fact that he was being irrational, realized that he was late…he'd have to be pretty late for Shempath to start reminding him. "I'm just trying to…flatten my…stupid…shardin'…"
If the bronze could have rolled his eyes, he would have. And what a wonderful first impression we'll make at Adanuk. Sorry we're late folks…R'den had to fix his hair.
The bronzerider glared at his lifemate. "I just want Kiya to think…"
That you're the same person you always were. She fell in love with you when your hair was crazy, she loved you when your hair was crazy, believe me, she'll still love you and your hair is still crazy. The dragon flopped down on the dragoncouch. Why all the sudden panic about your looks anyways. We've been her for a turn and you've never cared before.
R'den sighed, stuck his helmet on his head and prepared to leave it there, forever. "It's just…Kiya's so much better at the whole making friends thing than I am. She can talk to people and she doesn't get nervous and she's the most beautiful woman on Pern…what would she want me for?"
You don't think she waited for you? The dragon was torn between comforting his rider and informing him that he was leaving.
"Why would she?" Oshieru, obviously picking up on the fact that R'den was verging on depressed, flew to his master and began to rub his head against the bronzerider's chest.
Why wouldn't she? Shempath had made his decision. Seeing the skeptical look on R'den's face the bronze continued. Really. Why wouldn't she? She likes you a lot. She purposefully disobeyed her family to stay with you, she risked the wrath of a dragonrider to make sure she could come here with you. I hate to break it to you, but I think you're being horribly unfair to Kiya. And I think you like wallowing in self-pity. Of the many things Shempath was, tactful was not one of them.
"Unfair to Kiya?" R'den was confused. Suddenly the rest of the speech sunk it. "Wallowing in self-pity? What are you talking about?"?
You're always talking about how you're not good enough for Kiya and how she's going to leave you and how you're not good at this and you suck at that and for shard's sake get over youself. The dragon was verging on exasperated. Grow a backbone. Stand up for yourself. There are a lot of things you're good at and you’re a good person. Kiya chose you. She could have had anybody in that miserable Hold, but she wanted you. Why? Because Kiya is an intelligent woman who knows that looks mean nothing. Absolutely nothing. She wants someone who she likes. Someone who's nice and considerate and can make her smile. She wants you. Better than that, I chose you. I didn't look around the people gathered on the sands and look for the best looking person. I chose the kindest person I saw there. I looked inside all the people gathered there and I liked you best. So grow up! Shempath's tail swished back and forth during the speech. He was obviously annoyed that he had to be teaching his rider this.
R'den was shocked for a moment. "Oh." He tried to be annoyed with his dragon chastising him like this, but he couldn't. He ended up almost blushing. "And how am I being cruel to Kiya?"
You're assuming that just because she looks nice she must be shallow and only want to be with other pretty people. You think that she's such a catch she won't want to be seen with poor you. She's not stupid. She can see that beauty is only skin deep and it isn't worth it. She has never even hinted at not wanting to be with you or ever said anything about your looks. In your little 'I must be the victim' attitude, you make her the enemy and she's a smarter girl than that and a nicer girl than that. The dragon smiled. If I were her and I knew what you were thinking about me, I'd dump your ass.
There was a brief moment of silence as dragon and rider both realized what he'd said. Laughter echoed through the weyr and R'den finished packing and mounted. "Thanks Shempath. I need that sometimes."
Everybody needs that sometimes. The dragon made sure that Oshieru was safely in R'den's arms before he leapt from the dragonledge and their old weyr to fly to their new one.
Will you miss Mountain's Note do you think? R'den couldn't help feeling a little sad that he was leaving the place where he'd first met his lifemate. They had lived here for over two turns. It was their home…or had been. Now they were moving on.
Shempath snorted. I won't miss it at all. It got boring. I'd already bested every dragon there by the time a I was Sr. Weyrling.
R'den noticed that the bronze had waited until he was out of earshot of the other dragons before beginning his boasting. It was tedious having to answer to my 'superiors', they were so obviously inferior.
R'den laughed out loud as Shempath continued to gain altitude. We're perfect proof that opposites attract y'know.
Why? Shempath was waiting for an answer before he betweeened.
I have a problem with finding good in myself and you think you're a god.
The bronze snorted. I don't think I'm a god. The cold of between interrupted his speech for a moment, but it only served as a short pause in the thought. Demi-god maybe…but god no.
* * * R'den raised a brow as Takisha tried explaining it to him once more. "She's looking for her weyr. I'll tell you where it is. She'll join you…eventually."
"Did her weyr move?" This lady is obviously insane. R'den had already met Magika, the Weyrwoman of Adanuk and he'd signed up for a wing. Magika'd recognized his name and purposefully put him with Kiya. He smiled.
I told you Kiya wouldn't forget you. She even talked to the Weyrwoman about you. Shempath was eyeing the small white/gold he'd been told was the Weyrling Master Dragon. R'den could tell he obviously already thought he was better than the white/gold.
He would have sighed if he wasn't still talking to Takisha. The silver-haired girl smiled at his comment about moving weyrs. "Technically, yes. She was sharing a weyr with several other weyrlings, but I just moved her to her own weyr."
"Then how did she lose it?" R'den was beginning to pray that all people here were not this insane.
"I didn't bother telling her where it was." The Weyrling Master laughed at the look of wonder on the bronzerider's face. "It's a long story that I'm sure she'll tell you." She pointed to a dragonledge. "Get your bronze to fly you up there. She'll show up eventually."
R'den tried to thank the woman without sounding like he thought she belonged in a mental institution. I think life here will be ….interesting….if nothing else.
You're telling me. Shempath was still staring at Takisha's lifemate. What kind of colour is white/gold? How do you mix the smallest dragon size with the largest. This place is crazy.
Technically you are a 'frosted' bronze Shempath. R'den pulled himself back into the dragonsaddle. Oshieru gave him a dirty look. The blue flit had been sleeping and disliked continuously being awakened.
So the tips of my wings are a little lighter than most dragons. I'm not a freak. But that Mandaleth definitely was. Shempath leapt into the air, his powerful, oddly coloured wings pulling him into the sky.
You might want to refrain from making enemies immediately. I'd rather have a quiet night tonight. You can take on the entire Weyr yourself tomorrow. R'den began to get butterflies in his stomach. He could be seeing Kiya in only a few moments.
Not bloody likely. Shempath was moderately amused. Mandaleth says she could easily out fly me any day and you won't be seeing Kiya for another few hours…at best.
R'den sighed as Shempath backwinged and landed gracefully on the large dragonledge. "Great." He smiled. "Now Takisha thinks I'm as crazy as she is."
* * * R’den smiled as he watched Kiya enter her new weyr and fall down on the bed beside him. "I hate her." She was obviously tired from her search.
"She said you’d get here eventually." He tried to keep the amusement out of his voice.
"I hate her."
"You’re really stubborn aren’t you Kiya?"
"I hate her."
R’den smiled. "I get that. You want me to go?"
Kiya smiled. "No. I hate her, but I love you."
R’den's heart skipped a beat. Just like that, she loved him. They'd been apart for six months, he'd been worried about her not caring any more and just like that, she told him she love him. He smiled and kissed her. "I get that."
* * *
Read R'den's candidate story!
Read R'den's hatchling story.
Read R'den's weyrling story.
R'den impressed Shempath at Mountain's Note Weyr.
Oshieru's picture is from Dark Moon Weyr.
Background form Enchanted Backgrounds.
