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D'orn and Gina finally end it..
Lal is outside of her weyr, sweepimg. She looks up. "Oh...'lo there." And smiles. Gina waves as she passes, smiling a little. "Heya, Lal. How're you and the little doing?" Lal gently pats her stomach. "Which little, th'one realized er th'one one s'way?" She winks, and leans on her broom. You say "Both!" Lal smiles. "Both're movin' along, movin' along." She cocks her head. 'An' yerself?" You say "I won a few things at the Benden gather. And I got to see one of my friends from growing up. For all we live on one island, we never get to see one another." Lal smiles, and nods, 'Tha' seems pretty good...I'd ha'gone t'th'Gather mseself, but m'supposed t'be grounded from goin' between. Too far t'be on dragonback th'whole time..." Gina nods sympathetically. "It was nice, I had fun, but it's not worth risking sickness for." Lal wrinkles her nose, shaking her head. "Naw, it ain't, really. M'pretty sure I cin handle it, but still, why bother if'n yeh dunna ha' t'." She swallows, and makes a few small sweeps around her entrance. "I wanted t'say s'nice t'see someone scritchin' Falsanath s'nicely--young dragons need tha' kind o'attention." You say "Fals is a big sweetie. Last night I was attending to Trinoth too. It's like, well, I didn't Impress any of them but they all adore me." She smiles. "I can live with that just fine." Lal nods. She shrugs. 'Sometimes, naw Impressin's th'best thing fer a person, y'know? I often wonder how me life'd been different if'n I hadna Impressed." She pauses, thoughtful, leaning on her broom again. "Although I do love Areseth." Gina says softly "It was like being in a storm, with lightning striking all around you but missing you." Lal chuckles. "An' yeh wanna get hit?" You say "I don't know if I did or not. I'm a little ashamed to say it, but when the queen egg was left last and didn't move, I didn't know whether to be relieved or paralyzed with grief." Lal ahhs softly, and purses her lips, considering. Lal says "I'd say....I'd say tha' s'too bad tha' such a thing happened. Why would yeh be relieved, 'xactly? 'Cause nawbody go'it?" You say "No. Because it wasn't me. Does that make sense?" Lal says "n other words, yeh didna wanna Impress th'queen?" Gina shakes her head. "I wasn't sure what to think after.." she sudden;y shuts her mouth, then rephrases her statement. "After the Hatching started." Lal peers a little, cocking her head. Her expression is sympathetic, as well as prompting. "G'wan Gina, this's between us." Gina shrugs, crossing her arms under her breasts as if cold. "I didn't let myself hope until then." "Neither did I," Lal says bluntly. "But when Areseth came outta tha' shell, I knew. Even afore he looked into me eyes." She shrugs. "If'n yeh dunna /know/ it when they come, Gina, then I cin tell yeh tha' hopin's naw fer naught." She chuckles. "So yer reaction were good." You say "I said then that it was an honor to try, and I still believe that." Lal says "If'n yeh believe s'mor eo'n honor t'Stand than do anythin' other things t'help Pern. S'n hoinor in its place, Gina. Yeh seen how hard things cin be fer th'weyrlin's?" You say "I've seen. But my place isn't there, right now, it's making sure they have someone down here to back them up when they come down. When all of you come down. If that means making baskets to hold reedthorns and numbweed urns, that's what I'll do." Lal chuckles. "Ain't there somethin' t'be said fer just makin' naskets, an' naw 'backin' us up' as yeh say? Naw everyone inna Weyr even's here t'serve us." Gina chuckles softly. "There sure is. But it's how I see my place. If I didn't, I might as well go back to the Hold. But I don't want to." Lal says "Why? Gina, wha' yeh do fer us s'in exchange fer wha' we do fer yeh!" She laughs, "We're doin'a service, just as yeh do. Dunna get into this subordinate mess n'honor mess. Wha' we do's a job. True, it has its perks. But yer services an' subordinance ain't part o'it." Gina tilts her head. "Do you think I think I'm subordinate to you? Far from it!" Lal says "'Course I dunna think it! But when yeh say th'only reasons yeh stay're havin' t'do wi'backin' us up, wha're yeh thinkin' m'thinkin' here? About how yeh feel abotu yerself?" Gina shakes her head. "Are ground crews subordinate? No. I'm a different kind of ground crew. Lal says "Naw yer naw. Yer a basket maker. Yeh choose wha' yeh wanna do. It may turn out yer a brilliant artist, an' folks liek tha' mean just s'much t'Pern. Wha's th'point o'protectin' Pern if'n we dunna ha' artists, historians, writers, basket makers?" Gina laughs. "Art can be practical. Tapestries keep out drafts. Wine is nothing if no one tastes it." Lal nods. "All part o'a life tha' means nary a thing in terms o'dragons. We protect yeh, we serve yeh. Just 'menber tha'. Ridin's a life o'servitude. Yeh cinna get out o'it, yeh cinna do too much outside o'it. We fight everyday t'be somethin' else asides riders. An'..." She sighs. 'We're stuck." You say "Did you know that, going in?" Lal shakes her head. "Nope. Didna know a thing, really." She sighs. "An' I tried t'tell yeh, 'member alla tha' screamin' I did? T'let yeh know tha's wha' happens when yeh Impress?" Gina says quietly "I listened. I don't know who else did." Lal smiles briefly. "I cin think o'one right off. An' he's payin' fer it. A couple o'th'weyrlin's're. But They cinna turn back." Gina laughs softly. "Which one, G'har?" Lal shakes her head, and wrinkles her nose. "G'har's playin' mister serious, an' I knew he would. He needs t'lighten up, but I ain't worried about him an' responsibility. True, he's go' naw life, but I hope that'll change s'he gets older. T'lot's one--G'har friend from th'Smithcraft. He were ahvin' a rough time o'it. An' well...I think D'orn's a little overwhelmed, by a lotta things." She pauses. "I watch 'em both closely," she murmurs. Gina regards you for a moment. "I know," is all she says. Lal's eyes slide to you. Her lip quirks. 'I guess G'har might ha' mentioned it." You say "I did see you toss him the other day." Lal laughs. 'He needed t'be brought off his big runnerbeast. He were tryin' t'play formal on me, an' I dunna take tha' well a'all. I get enough o'tha' mess from M'hryn. I dunna need Grego doin' it." Gina nods. "Hard for me to think of him as G'har sometimes," she admits. Lal says "He ain't gonna be G'har when he acts like tha'. Although I recognize he shows sarcasm when he cares, I ain't gonna let him get all high n[mighty on me. Er anyone else who ranks him." You say "He'll learn. I just hope Falsanath doesn't have to get scored for him to get it." Lal says "He willna get scored th'first time. Mebbe th'second, when he's in wing. We'll see." She pauses again. "I ha'a few other things t'worry about." Gina debates with herself for a moment, then asks "Like?" Lal says "Well, m'pregnant, gotta try t'figger out stuff about tha'." Her face screws up. "M'naw sure how much yeh know, Gina." You say "I'll tell you if you insult me, I promise." Gina smiles a little. Lal chuckles. "I ha'a feelin' I willna be inclined. G'wan." You say "What do you need to figure out? Fostering?" Lal says "I dunno. Tha' actually...depends. I'll prolly need a sitter. There're a few things tha' need t'be worked out afore I say tha's a definite." Gina nods. "What else, then?" Lal peers again. "Yer promptin'. G'wan n'say wha' yeh intended? It'd be easier t'just get it out n'over wi'. Yeh want somethin'?" Gina shakes her head. "Not me. I was more wondering what you had on your mind." Lal pauses. "Somethin' specific? I saw how yeh seemed uncomfortable when I mentioned Kalameth th'pther day." Gina debates with herself again, fingers twitching toward her belt pouch. Lal's eyes follow the hand to teh belt. She shrugs. "I ain't scared o'yer opinion, er yer wrath, Gina." Gina touches the outside of it, but then she looks up at you, startled. "Huh?" Whatever her train of thought was, it wasn't going that direction. Lal watches. She chuckles. 'Wha' yeh thinkin' about Gina?" Gina looks up finally, choosing her words carefully. "Sometimes it's hard waiting even when you know you must. It gets harder when you're not sure whatever you're waiting for, is waiting for you." Lal nods slowly. "Yah...I cin imagine tha' t'be true. But...I guess I'd counter just s'vaguely: somethin's er worth th'wait." You say "That's what I thought too. But if there's going to be nothing at the end, I'm wasting my time." Lal pauses again. She is thoughtful, and twirls her broomstick, clicking her tongue. "I cinna be sure, Gina, if'n there's somethin' er nothin' inna end, wherever tha' end is." She sighs. "But. If'n yeh mean waitin' fer someone--an' if'n said person s'who methinks, well. I'd say mebbe s'naw worth waitin'." You say "Why would you say that?" Gina's voice is a bit unsteady. Lal is blunt when she asks, "Wha' has D'orn told yeh Gina?" You say "That's he's confused." Lal nods. "Did he." She folds her arms, thoughtful. Lal puts her broom down, and crooks her finger. "Come wi'me." Gina reaches into her belt pouch and pulls out a note, passing it to you. It reads, in essence, that he's confused, couldn't stand to share Gina, but doesn't know what to do about what's going on. Whatever THAT is, the note gives little context except to say that he loves two. Lal sees the note, but keeps walking. "This ends here," she says. "Come wi'me." Lal leaves northwest, toward the corrals. Gina follows. You head northwest, toward the corrals. Ista Weyr Bowl -- Northwest The bright, intense light of mid-day cascades over the corral's fences to the west. To the southeast, the bowl widens out as it approaches the far side of towering black rock and the high fingers, five jutting peaks, high above. The black and gray rock of the bowl is devoid of any green or colour, except for the hundreds of dragons seen on ledges all along the Weyr walls. The Weyrling Barracks to the north open wide in a double-arch. Thick clouds blanket the overcast winter sky, over the bustle of the active Weyr. A slight drizzle hangs in the air. Light breezes waft playfully around the peaks, through the forests, and along the beaches, causing frothy whitecaps on the surf. The temperature hovers in the sweltering range, while visibility is poor. As has been occuring for the past several days, a dusting volcanic ash darkens the sky and settles lightly on everything. Contents: Lal Blaze Tesith(#275Vaepqs) Obvious exits: Weyrling Barracks Center of Bowl Corral DragonWeyrs Lal shouts out to teh barracks. "D'orn...get out here!" D'orn walks out of the Weyrling Barracks to the north. Gina trails about three steps behind Lal, her expression neutral. Lal has her arms folded, holding a note. Her foot taps. D'orn comes out, face white and he looks between the two, holding his hands up. "Now now, I can explain, I think." G'har walks out of the Weyrling Barracks to the north. Falsanath emerges through cavernous opening of the Weyrling Barracks. "M'naw lettin' yeh exaplin a shardin' thing, D'orn. I dunna need a n'explanation." Lal's voice is not icy..it's patience. Deep. D'orn shakes his head. "Ye dinna understand! I've been thinkin on this ever since I wrote tha note." G'har hovers by the entrance to the barracks (courtesy of Gina), apparently having some sort of quiet conversation with Falsanath. Gina looks between the pair. She wasn't sure until now, but Elle's prediction seems to have been correct. Kalameth emerges through cavernous opening of the Weyrling Barracks. Lal says "More lies, D'orn?" She raises an eyebrow. "Yer word means nothin', D"orn. THIS s'wha' happens when yeh try t'play too many sides. Just like a bronzerider, kid. Yer a boy. yer confused. I /told/ yeh tha', an' I ga'yeh a chance 'cause yeh seemed t'wanna be a man. Yeh DUNNA." D'orn blinks and naws on his lip till it's raw. "Gina" he says, turning around to the girl, not wanting to do it quite this way. "I dinna care for ye anymore teh way I once thought I did. An if the one whom I do love, won't listen...I have ta explain it to ye." Gina's face goes white. "You could have been honest with me before now," she whispers. "Score you raw, you could have." Lal comments, "Yeh shoulda told her earlier. An' yeh shoulda been honest wi'us both. I wouldna ha' cared if'n yeh ha'been. It doesna matter who yeh choose--it matters tha' yeh keep yer honor inna process! Yeh ha' naw honor, D'orn!" D'orn frowns and places his hands over his face. One eyelid twitches as he holds his breath, face turning bright red. Not sure whether to explore or cry, he just wilts on the ground and sighs deeply. Kalameth lets you a buldge of displeasure and lunged towards his lifemate, feeling his distress. Lal shouts "D'orn! Get up n'face this, an' comfort yer lifemate--he's th'most important in alla this--an' yer naw thinkin' about him! Get up, shard on yeh!" Lal charges forward. G'har, attention caught by Kalameth's bugle, looks up just in time to see the charge. He blinks several times, slipping somewhat behind Falsanath to watch. Gina shakes her head. "I KNEW I was going to have to share you. You're a rider. You said you couldn't share me? Fine. You don't have to. But now I'm free to court who *I* want, too." D'orn staggers to his feet as best he can and places a hand on the bronze's muzzle, eyes blurry with tears. He doesn't seem to hear eather of the women now as his mind is entwined with that of Kalameth's, trying to sooth the dragon's throughts. Lal holds up a hand, and says "Waitaminute, we need t'see tha' Kalameth's well--we'll deal wi'this inna minute!" She reaches for Kalameth, to try to soothe him. Kalameth stamps his foot and continues a nervous warble, eyes whirling with a tinge of orange on blue. Gina stays back from Kalameth, her anger melting into pity for the poor bronze, who's really innocent in all this. Lal keeps stroking Kalameth gently, murmuring, "Calm down love...s'okay...just relax...D'orn! Open up n'comfort him! Stop thinkin' about yerself--yer upsettin' him!" Gina skirts around to the edge of the archway, looking up to see if Falsanath is picking up Kalameth's distress. D'orn blinks a couple of times and wraps his arms around the great muzzle, the dragonet's movements becomming less ragged. "Tis all right Kala, ye dinna do nothin, tis I tha's been the fool" he murmurs for only those close to him. Lal's glance hits the entrance of the barracks. Her eyebrows raises, and she mutters to herself. Falsanath doesn't look to be distressed. Curious, concerned, he's both of those, but he's not upset. G'har, resting against one massive leg, doesn't say anything, though he doesn't try to hide the fact that he's watching. "This's gonna ha' t'be reported," Lal says matter-of-factly. She sighs deeply. "Shards. D'orn, I wanna report on Kalameth's condition." D'orn sighs again and looks to Lal. "I'm naw a very good rider am I." Lal eyes D'orn for a moment. Her repsonse is a gentle and patient as she can make it. "Yeh cin be. But yeh think more about pleasin' yerself n'pleasin' Kalameth. Tha' DOES happen, though s'rare. Yer prolly gonna need t'be isloated t'spend some time wi'him." Gina closes her eyes and stills herself. Kalameth senses "Gina cares for you, if you can hear her. She's so sorry she upset you. she is sending images of her comfortingly scritching your eyeridges." Falsanath starts to move towards Gina, then pauses, slow-whirling gaze resting on G'har. He croons, very quietly, and subsides. D'orn blushes a bit and nods his head. "Wha ever is best for Kala is wha I'll do then" he whispers, his voice seems to dry up in his throat. "Then, I bid thee fare well Lal, an Gina" he adds as he starts back towards the Barracks. Lal pats Kalameth's flank. She smiles at him. "Good boy. Now doncha worry, we're gonna make sure yeh n'D'orn're safe hon...just may take some time, hmm?" Her tone is a bit sad, but her determination never subsides. "I'll ha' a full report o'this t'Merien by th'next candlemark D'orn. I want yeh t'think abotu wha' yeh ha' done here." Gina steps out of D'orn's way, knowing he's not even really seeing her right now. D'orn waves his hand in the air, showing that he heard Lal, but doesn't turn his head to look back. "Tha's fine" he mutters as he strides towards the entrance, brushing past G'har, whom he doesn't even see. D'orn walks into the huge opening of the Weyrling Barracks. Gina looks over at Lal and sighs. "Lal, I'm so sorry." Lal exhales. She rubs her temples. Still, she pats Kalameth. "G'wan an' be wi'him, hon." From the barracks, D'orn calls to Kalameth, but the bronze snorts for a moment and turns back to Lal and Gina, eyes whirling a gentle blue. Lal is stern with Kalameth as she raises a hand for Gina to wait a moment. "Kal...s'just th'two o'yeh...he's gonna treat yeh right, an' were gonna help yeh both." G'har looks after D'orn, a small furrow appearing between his brows. Kalameth croons and warbles before turning back towards the barracks. Kalameth lumbers off into the Weyrling Barracks. Lal watches Kalameth leave, chewing on her lip. Her concentration is on the matter at hand, and she murmurs, finally, "Wha' yeh sorry fer, Gina." You say "I should have taken it and dealt with it away from poor Kalameth. He didn't deserve this." "No, he didna." Lal shrugs, still watching the barracks. "But onna same mark, perhaps this s'wha' D'orn needed t'get his head on straight, an' t'start actin' wi'a shred o'decency." She turns to Gina then, and exaplins, 'D'orn did a lotta lyin', even t'himself. He an' Kalameth've gotta face tha'." You say "I hope they'll be all right. I was so careful not to even think around Kala until just then." Lal sighs. "T'be honest, Gina, yer thoughts shouldna be n'issue if'n D'orn's doin' his job. I cin see he wasna doin' so, an' he needs t'be reprimanded n'dealt wi'fer this. M'suspectin' he used his supposed status s'a bronzerider t'think he could slack. He cinna. Naw allowed." The wingleader flicks a glance at the barracks. "he's young," is her only comment. Gina finally lets her shoulders droop from their former stiffness. "We all are. Maybe that's why it hurts so deeply." G'har finally stops watching the pair, as he's only able to catch maybe one out of every five words that they're saying, and turns his attention to Falsanath. Lal smiles. "M'naw." She chuckles. "An' I've gotten s'used t'feelin' tha' type o pain it bounces offa me. I suspecte"d it, an' expected it. I cin do wha' best fer D'orn n'Kalameth wi'out blinkin'." Gina takes a deep breath and shrugs. "It could be worse. I could have gone and gotten espoused or something, and then had something like this happen." Yazric heads towards you from the southeast. Yazric strolls along from the centre of the bowl, humming softly under his breath. Lal says "Espoused? yeh mean weyrmated?" She shrugs. "He'd just be another duplicitous bronzer. It'd be yer choice as t'whether t'put up wi'him. I personally see naw point. I'd rather be alone'n lied t'." You say "I don't mean weyrmated. I mean espoused and stuck in the hold." G'har, from his expression, catches the wrong two of Lal's words. Then he spots Yazric and offers a grin, making some odd gesture of his head that is perhaps intended to get his friend to join him, rather than Lal and Gina. Lal says "Oh--oh tha'. true, I guess." She calls over her shoulder without looking, "G'har, yeh done eavesdroppin'?" Yazric heads over toward G'har with a wave, "Heyla, how're you and Falsanath?" he waves to Lal and gina as well. G'har doesn't even bother to deny that he was eavesdropping. "Yes, ma'am. Could you speak up if you're going to say something interesting, though? I wouldn't want to miss anything." His voice is quite courteous. As Yazric approaches, he grins once more. "Just fine, the both of us." Lal spins around and walks up to G'har, suggesting in an equally polite tone, "Did yeh consider, weyrlin', tha' eavesdroppin's naw behavior befittin'a rider?" G'har shakes his head. "No, ma'am," he says equably. "Daresay it's not really behavior befitting anybody." Yazric opens his mouth to say something but closes it again as he re-thinks his position. Lal nods. "Then yeh willna mind me reportin' said behavior t'th'Weyrlin'masters fer reveiew?" G'har sighs quietly. "Well, I guess I don't have much of a choice, hmm?" Gina looks into the barracks and then quietly nods to everyone. "If you'll all excuse me?" Lal smiles almost ferally, "Naw." Smiles wider. "Yeh dunna." She turns and nods to Gina, saying, 'We'll talk, 'kay?" G'har nods to Gina, offering a small smile to her. Gina nods. "I really need to go finish that hamper, though. All I need is to have that nosy bluerider asking why it's not done." Lal nods. "Tell him I said if'n he gets in yer face too much, he'll ha' t'deal wi'me." You say "Is he in your wing, Lal?" G'har takes advantage of Lal's distraction to ask of Yazric, "How're the dragonhealing studies going?" Lal nods. "Yup. An' even six months pregnant, I cin whup him." She winks. Yazric ahrugs, "Some as usual, D'zel yells, I ignore him or hide depending on what he's holding." Gina gives her first genuine smile in a while. "Then I'll be sure to tell him you said that." Lal nods. 'Twice if'n yeh need t'." G'har grins faintly at Yazric. "Well, you're still in one piece, at least. That's good." Gina nods, waves to the others, and makes her way toward the living cavern.
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