"Patience is the key. Patience is the key. Patience is the key." Sakui muttered the words over and over to herself as she tried not to think about that fact that the Weyrling Master was trying not to laugh at her.
I'm not doing this right am I? Athenath was tangled in her dragon saddle. While Sakui had been trying to get it on, the dragon had tried to help. Needless to say it didn't go exactly as planned.
"No." Sakui mouthed the word and shook her head. Her eyes were closed on the chaos the green weyrling had caused.
The Weyrling Master's laughing at us isn't he? The green dragon knew enough to be slightly embarrassed.
Sakui just nodded, eyes still closed.
Athenath actually had the gall to be amused. Guess I can't do this with my eyes closed huh?
Sakui was shocked for a moment, but finally had to laugh. At the Weyrling Master's command she untangled her lifemate and scratched the green's eyeridges to comfort her.
I'll get better with practice. Athenath hoped she hadn't disappointed her rider.
I know love. I'm just still working on this patience thing. Sakui watched as the people after her put their saddles on and took them off. The Weyrling Master nodded at them, their dragons weren't trying to be co-operative.
When do we get to fly together? Athenath wasn't interested in the other dragons, she had a very one track mind.
Sakui smiled. When I can get the saddle on you.
You can get the saddle on me...I just don't like it. The green weyrling's head sank.
Sakui raised a brow. I don't think we could fly without a saddle love. I'd fall off.
I'd never let you fall Sakui. Athenath was very serious.
"You're joking right?" Sakui couldn't help speaking out loud. "I couldn't hold onto your back."
You could hold onto my mane.
"I could fall off and hit the ground!"
I'd catch you.
"You're not that fast!"
The green's eyes whirled blue, faster and faster until Sakui knew that no good could come from this. Trust me.
"You're joking, right?" This time the question was more of a plea.
C'mon Sakui. It'll be fun. Athenath nudged her with her head.
"You're not even that good at flying yet. You've only been in the air a few times!" Sakui tried to back away.
Flying's easy, it's landing that's hard.
"Exactly! Landing is -very- hard, especially after falling for a hundred feet!!!"
"Is there anything wrong Sakui?" The Weyrling Master, not to mention the rest of their class, was looking at her oddly.
"Everything's fine." Sakui glared meaningfully at her green. "Right?"
Athenath sighed. Fine.
* * * Would you please stop fidgeting. Sakui sat nervously in the dragonsaddle. Their first joint flight was about to begin.
I hate this thing.
It's kinda necesary. Sakui rubbed her lifemate's side. She knew that this was uncomfortable for her. This old used practice saddle probably doesn't help much either. Once we get your proper saddle, you'll feel better.
Whatever. The green waited for the cue from the Weyrling Master before she leapt into the air. Sakui squeezed her eyes shut, but Athenath's strong wings beat the air and they defied gravity.
I don't get why you're so nervous. I've never dropped you before.
"We've never flown together before." Sakui wrapped the reins around her wrists again and brushed a strand of hair from her eyes. "Let's hurry and move into formation."
Let's show these guys how to fly! The light-hearted green could never stay upset about anything for very long.
As the almost fully grown dragon banked hard to the right, the most feared and unwanted sound in the world could be heard faintly above the noise of the wind. A leather strap somewhere on the saddle was breaking. The saddle slipped around the side of the green dragon and time seemed to slow down as Sakui screamed and fell from dragonback. She remembered the exact instant she knew that she was going to fall, for that moment seemed to go on forever. The wind whipped past her as she fell. The ground approached faster and faster and Sakui reached out to Athenath with her mind, needing to hear her dragon in her last few moments of this life. To her surprise Athenath didn't respond. She closed her eyes and prepared for the end. Her fall did end, but not with the expected splatter at the end. Athenath had her rider in her claw. The green carefully landed and set Sakui on the ground. The girl collapsed at her mount's feet, arms still around Athenath's leg.
"Sakui!! Are you alright?" The Weyrling Master shouted from dragonback as his own lifemate landed. "I can't believe that."
"Neither can I..." Sakui murmured, still clutching to Athenath's leg as if her life still depended on it.
Athenath's eyes whirled blue. I told you I'd never let you down.
Sakui had regained enough of her senses to swat her lifemate. "Funny, funny. And why didn't you answer me when I called to you before?"
Athenath licked her rider's face. You thought you were going to die. You wanted to say goodbye or something. I wouldn't let you, because I knew you weren't going to die.
Sakui smiled. "I hate dragon saddles."
Finally! You agree with me!
* * *
Read Sakui's hatchling story.
Read Sakui's candidate story.
Sakui impressed Athenath from Tiynarea Weyr.
Background from Enchanted Backgrounds.
