Kindred Spirits

Writers: Anika, Leigh M-F.
Date Posted: 15th November 2014

Characters: A'kua, Ilyssia
Description: Aluka gets an earful when Ilyssia accidentally smacks her head.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 9, day 17 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Nokala

Ilyssia

Ilyssia put the last of the supplies on the shelves with a contented
sigh. Done! Which meant that she had free time for awhile. In her
haste she stood too fast and cracked her head on one of the heavy
shelves.

"Scorch it! Mother humping son of a two headed tunnel snake!" She
exclaimed her hand going straight for the back of her head to feel for
blood.

At a sound behind her, the girl spun to see a handsome young man with
red gold hair and midnight blue eyes. She recognized him as another
candidate, and tried to bring his name to mind as her face flushed at
her language. It was a bad habit she'd picked up from the caravan
guards and had been trying to break since coming to the Weyr.

The noise had been Aluka choking on a laugh. He was just the next
aisle down, and when he'd heard the thump, he stepped over to
investigate. The cursing had taken him by surprise, but the fact it as
a slip of a girl doing it was even funnier. Despite the fact he had
stifled the laugh, his amusement couldn't be contained. "That's one I
haven' heard before," he commented. "Mind if I borrow it? I normally
say stuff like-" he made his accent as broad and trashy as possible
"-uncle-suckin', throat-humpin' sonuva-mange-festerin' wherry!" He
reverted to his normal voice. "And I could use some new material."

Mouth lifting in a grin, Ilyssia dropped her hand from her head. There
was no blood - she'd live. "I don't think I heard the caravan guards
ever use that one, at least not altogether like that."

"I'm an artist, and profanity's my medium," Aluka joked, and held out
a hand to help her up. "Ya look okay, but what happened?"

"Oh, I just conked my head on the shelves," she replied accepting his
help. "You must have some interesting songs to sing if profanity is
your medium," she teased.

For a second, Aluka wondered how she had known he composed. Then he
figured she must have noticed the callouses on his fingers from
playing so much gitar. "Most of my songs're actually free of
profanity. Gotta go with what sounds best and all."

Ilyssia laughed. "So you weren't joking about being an artist? Are
you an apprentice Harper then?" She hadn't seen any indication in his
dress, but then perhaps that was different here at the Weyr. "And you
truly do compose your own songs? I love music. Some of my favorite
memories of the caravan were nights we gathered for music and
dancing."

Aluka shook his head. "Candidates can't officially craft, but we can
pick up lessons here and there if we're serious," he said. "I take
lessons from Harper Nokala these days, and I'm finally gettin' a
challenge. So you're trader-folk? They're good in my book. We usually
got the honest ones where I lived."

"I loved the roving life," Ilyssia agreed, her blue-green eyes alight
with thoughts of the open skies and the constant promise of adventure
beyond the horizon. "Can't say that _all_ the traders are folks I'd
recommend but many were and I'll miss it. Of course it was over for
me anyway and I'd far sooner be here than facing my fate at the Hold."

That sounded bad. Aluka tilted his head and sized her up. "Lemme
guess: Some whershit of a man wanted ya wedded and bedded even though
you're too young for that?" he said in a tone of disapproval toward
his gender. Of course some holders still held on to the proverb of
"once they've bled, they can be wed," but that idea infuriated him.
Girls needed to be at least sixteen before they could accept marriage
offers, in his opinion, and Ilyssia didn't seem to be that old yet.

"You got it in one. Or close enough anyway. Common enough tale I
suppose, but mine had a happy ending at least. The leader of the
caravan never liked me much so when he married my foster mother, he
was quick to set up a betrothal that landed marks in his pocket.
Granted I was to stay with the intended crafter's parents until I was
of an _appropriate_ age," she explained, the sarcasm obvious in her
tone. "One of the best days of my life, thumbing my nose at Dukaard
while I flew away on that Searchdragon, knowing he'd get no sharding
marks from marrying me off."

"Well then here's to pissin' off the folks in charge and gettin' what
ya want," Aluka said, quite pleased by the tale. "'S good to have ya
here 'steada there."

"I'd drink to that, if I'd a cup. So where do you hale from?"

"Nowhere important. It was such a bad hold, if I got news it was
devoured by Thread, I'd dance in victory," Aluka said in a tone that
perfectly conveyed how much he hated the place in question.
"Unfortunately, it's on the fringes of Dragonsfall territory, so it'll
never happen."

"Well, maybe a natural disaster will do you the service instead," she
suggested. "Have you been a candidate here long?"

"Oh, I hadn' thought of that," Aluka said. "Good thinkin'." He liked
how this girl's mind worked, but the question made him pause. "Huh.
Guess it's been 'bout two Turns now," he said, surprised by how much
time had passed already. "I take it you're fairly new here? Findin'
your way 'round okay?"

"Ha! Like a watch wher in the daylight I'm afraid. I'm used to open
spaces and all these corridors and caverns takes some gettin' used to.
I've gotten turned around more times than I can count, but I'll get it
figured out," she assured him with confidence.

"I'm sure," Aluka said, and paused a moment. His next statement came
out a little hesitant, and he only said it because Ilyssia was not a
threat. "If ya find ya need a guide, or anythin' else, really, lemme
know. I'll help."

Ilyssia smiled at the handsome young man, locking eyes with him as if
to judge his sincerity. Somehow, he put her at ease like no one else
at the Weyr had yet to do. "My thanks, Aluka, I might just take you
up on that.

Aluka relaxed a little and smiled. "You're welcome," he said, and hoped
Ilyssia would indeed do so. He wouldn't mind in the least.

It was too bad she was so young; with that hair, that mind, and that
mouth, he could easily get a crush on the girl.

Last updated on the November 16th 2014

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