Oh My Darlin'

Writers: Anika, Leigh M-F.
Date Posted: 12th January 2015

Characters: A'kua, Ilyssia
Description: The best way to deal with the silliness of others is to laugh about it.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 11, day 3 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Nokala

Ilyssia

Ilyssia searched the dining hall as she often did and was immensely pleased
to see the head of wavy dark red-gold hair. She made her way to the table
and set her food down, taking the seat next to Aluka. "I've been looking
for you," she said jovially, barely able to contain her myrth over the news
she had to share.

Surprised by the sudden company, Aluka accidentally dropped the spoonful of
stew he had been lifting back into the bowl. What was with people startling
him lately? He should really start cultivating more awareness. Realizing
who had arrived curbed any irritation, though, and he smiled. "Well, if I'd
known that, I woulda stood up and made it easier," he said, tapping a
finger on his right boot. Maybe those heeled boots were a vanity,
considering how tall he was already, but he liked the feeling of added
inches. In his experience, the bigger someone was -height or build, it
didn't matter-, the less they were messed with. "How ya been, Lys?"

"Oh, pretty good," her lip twitched in an effort to keep a straight face.
"Conidering the stress of weyrling training and planning on being weyrmated
the moment I graduate."

"When did that become part of the plan?" Aluka asked, completely confused.
"No way you're old enough f-" He only noticed the lip-twitch a moment
later. "Gimme a heart attack, why don'tcha," he laughed, giving Ilyssia's
shoulder a light, playful shove with the hand not holding his spoon.

Eyes dancing the brunette continued, "Oh, it gets better, because according
to weyrling barrack gossip, guess who the lucky fella is?" Unable to
contain her merriment the teen chuckled heartily.

For a brief second, Aluka thought Ilyssia might have befriended a male
weyrling, and he hoped it was true; the more support a weyrling had, the
better. Then he remembered the unseen riot one of his visits to the
barracks had stirred up among the female weyrlings, and he dropped his
forehead into his free hand with a groan, the suede of his browband and
glove making a smacking noise. "I am _so_ sorry," he muttered, sounding
embarrassed.

Looping her arm around his she looked up, batting her eyes in fashion most
unlike her. "Oh, my darling, I could never be mad at you," she said in an
affected high pitch before breaking down to gales of laughter. "Don't be
silly. What would life be without a few good laughs."

She had a point. The redhead gave a reluctant laugh of his own and
straightened up. He admitted to himself part of his embarrassment was he
wasn't used to being thought of as attractive enough to get that kind of
reaction. Only one girl back at his home hold had approached him for "fun",
and outside of goldflight flings, no Dragonsfall women had shown interest.
Not being one to pursue where there was no interest -he found that idea
repulsive-, Aluka had shrugged and let it go. The other part of the
embarrassment was Ilyssia was apparently getting teased, and he didn't want
that for his friend. But it seemed she really did find it amusing, so he
would let that slide too.

Besides, if it got the green weyrling to touch him affectionately, even in
jest, he wasn't going to complain. "Well fardles, darlin', if'n ya say so,
I cain' be mad atcha neither," he said in an exaggerated drawl, getting in
on the joke.

Adoring his accent and playful retort she continued the game, "So now that
we're on the same page, what kind of Weyr shall we choose? Of course the
newly graduated don't have much choice, but I suppse we'll need to have one
that opens to a hallway so that you have access when I'm unavailable, at
least until you Impress yourself."

There was that "when" again. At least in Ilyssia's case, she was kidding.
"Well, there's always weyrlin's with lift duty, if Gwynnyth wouldn' mind
strange dragons landin' on her ledge," he said with less exaggeration, both
seriously and as part of the game. Dragons didn't tend to mind the company
of other dragons, but of course some were more touchy and territorial. He
had never seen two golds share a close space, come to think of it.

"True enough. She seems to enjoy the company of her clutch mates. And then
there's the added bonus that I can hold you captive and have you all to
myself," she teased. As usual she was completely comfortable in Aluka's
presence, able to be herself and joke without worry.

That got a real laugh. "Ya can't do that; the Weyrlin'masters would come
lookin' for me when I didn' show up for my chores," the redhead said. "And
so'd Nokala. Maybe ya could just keep a piece of me around?"

"Drat! There goes my plan! Exactly what piece of you could I keep around?"
she demanded, trying desperately to keep a straight face.

"Not the piece your fellow weyrlin's're thinkin' of," Aluka rejoined,
utterly deadpan, and snickered. "I could getcha a leather pouch to hang
over the door, or around your neck, and stick some of my hair in it. I
could use a trim anyway."

"Hmmm..." she tapped a fork against her mouth, thoughtfully. "I suppose
that will do." Then she smiled at their fun. "Honestly, Aluka, you should
have heard the wherries! Of course some of them are reasonable, but there
are a few that I don't think have a brain at all."

"Maybe that's why the dragons chose 'em. Extra storage space for their own
thoughts. Or maybe they just like the echo when they talk to 'em." Kids
often loved having fun with echos. Maybe dragonets did too. "The girls
didn' say anythin' too bad, did they?"

Ilyssia laughed at Aluka's suggestions an then wrinkled her nose. "Not mean
so much as just," she shrugged not sure how to describe the other girls'
speculation. "Honestly I was more bothered earlier on when they thought I
was a young drudge to be ordered around and I didn't appreciate being
called a thief. Being accused of, well, stuff, with you," she gave him a
wry smile. "That's kinda a compliment."

The Candidate fumed for a few minutes. He'd traveled with traders to get to
the Weyr; he knew no one was allowed to accuse them of thievery unless they
had solid evidence. Traders could joke amongst themselves about it -"Hey
old man, I've come to rob you again" and things like that-, but it wasn't
acceptable from outside sources. How Ilyssia had kept her cool, he had no
idea. If it were him, some noses would've been broken. "If they keep
harassin' ya, tell the Weyrlin'masters, then tell me," he said seriously.
"We'll think of somethin'."

"Oh, I'm tough. Besides my foster mother used to say that blows hurt
regardless while words only hurt if you let them." What she did not share
with Aluka was that she had dealt with her share of both blows and cruel
words from the caravan leader. She knew her friend would be further
angered by the fact and there was little purpose bringing up things well
past.

Aluka drew a slow breath, let it out, and looked at Ilyssia admiringly. She
really was tough, and definitely handling it with maturity. No wonder she'd
Impressed. "Everyone has a breakin' point, though, so if ya do wind up
needin' help, please say so," he requested, but his tone made it clear it
wasn't an order.

"I will," she assured him, taking great solace in the fact that she had a
friend who cared as much as Aluka did. Just knowing that made things o
much better.

Last updated on the January 27th 2015

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Oh My Darlin'