Swimming Lessons

Writers: Miriah, Yvonne
Date Posted: 17th July 2015

Characters: F'lin, Lanniya
Description: F'lin meets Lanniya and begins to teach her how to swim
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 13, day 23 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: D'lorn

Lanniya

It was a sevenday after he'd spoken to D'lorn when F'lin saw Lanniya and
Anaeryth at the beach. The sun was setting and he and Seneth were headed
down anyway for an evening swim and to see if they could find anyone they
knew. He hesitated on the path, suddenly uncertain if he should go introduce
himself or if he should just avoid her and leave things up to fate.

}:You want to meet the rider, I wish to meet Anaeryth,:{ Seneth said,
interrupting his thoughts. The bronze was staring at the little gold, his
eyes whirling in the low light. Like every bronze, he'd been watching the
queen grow into her own. }:It is time that she knew me.:{

**She's still a baby,** F'lin told his dragon. **Settle down.**

}:But she will grow.:{ Dragonic logic. Seneth swung his head to look at his
rider. }:Why do you not want to?:{

**I don't know.** If D'lorn hadn't approached him and put the idea into his
head, he probably never would have thought to introduce himself to Lanniya
at all until she'd graduated. And now that he'd thought of it... **Oh, flame
it all. Go say hello if you want to.**

Seneth rumbled happily and headed down the beach to where Anaeryth played in
the waves. }:You are Anaeryth. I am Seneth,:{ he announced with an arch of
his neck.

}: Yes, that is obvious. :{ Anaeryth settled in the water and peered at the
older bronze with a flick of her tail, the water splashing over her rider
even as bobbed in the waves and created even more.

Lanniya was wearing a brief top and short pants, her normal attire when she
bathed with Anaeryth. She had gotten used to the other bronzes watching her
gold whenever she was in the lake and some of their thoughts were downright
funny. Laughing as Anaeryth splashed water over her, she pushed dripping
hair away from her face and peered at the new dragon. She was about the call
out to him when she saw the accompanying rider and waved her hand in a
friendly greeting.

"Hi. I'm with him." F'lin nodded at Seneth, who was asking if he could join
Anaeryth in the waves. "I'm F'lin."

"I figured that." Lanniya stayed waist deep in the water and lifted her arms
to pull her hair back into a sloppy knot. "Nice to meet you and Seneth,
F'lin. You coming in for a swim?"

He perked up a little at that. "As long as you don't mind the company?"

"It's a big lake, silly." Lanniya grinned. "It's not like I own it or
anything. Besides, I can't swim, so this is as deep as I'll get anyway."

Anaeryth acknowledged Seneth and graciously bobbed her head in assent. It
wasn't as though she didn't enjoy the attention, after all.

"Really?!" F'lin said incredulously. He peeled off his light shirt and
kicked off his sandals, leaving both in a heap in the grass. If Lanniya
wasn't around he'd have taken off his shorts too, but given what she was
wearing he thought it might not be a good idea. "Can't swim at all?"

"Really, really." Lanniya agreed with a wry smile. "Never learned. Probably
should have, but just have never gotten around to it, to be honest." She
gestured to her gold and his bronze. "I envy them a bit. It comes naturally
for them. But me? I sink."

"Anyone can float." F'lin shook his head, then ran into the water and fell
backwards into the waves. He stood, wiping the water from his eyes and
sighed happily. It had been a hot day, and he could feel some of the
nervousness he'd felt approaching Lanniya start to ebb away. She seemed
really friendly. "Well, if you want to learn to swim, you've chosen the
right Weyr. All the Weyrbred can swim, more or less, and the rest of us are
from Seaholds. I think I learned to swim almost as soon as I could walk." He
paused and looked at her. "Want a swimming lesson?"

"I can't." She replied with a laugh. "I've tried. I sink right to the bottom
for some reason and Anaeryth has to scoop me back up." She waded a bit to
watch him, the water lapping around her hips with a gentle rhythm. She
tilted her head and mused. "You could try, but I can't guarantee results."

"Learning to swim is a process, not an end goal," F'lin replied, trying to
sound serious. "Like dragonriding! And you seem to be doing well enough with
that so far."

The pseudo-serious tone didn't crack Lanniya's smile one bit. "Well, let's
try then." She eyed the water around them. "Do we have to go any deeper?"

"Heck no! Rule number one of swimming-- never go in deeper than you feel
comfortable," F'lin said, holding up a finger.

She blew out a relieved breath. "Oh good. So, " She paused and flicked her
fingers and hands in the water. "What do we do first?"

"Can you hold your breath and put your face in the water?" F'lin asked.

Lanniya took a gulp of air and promptly sat down, crossing her legs on the
bottom of the sand. The water covered her head for a long moment and then
she sprang back up, pushing her now soaking hair out of her face. She
grinned. "Just like bathing."

"Right!" She was further along than most people who couldn't swim. Most were
scared of the water, and F'lin was mildly impressed that Lanniya wasn't.
"Can you blow air out your nose while you're down there? So that water
doesn't go up it?"

She blinked at him. "Well, yeah. Of course I can."

He shrugged. "Lots of people who can't swim do it because they can't keep
the water from going up their nose. Next step-- do you trust me?"

That made her soaked brows rise and her eyes twinkle. "I don't even know
you," she pointed out, but eyed him playfully. "Guess I don't have any
reason not to."

"Not yet!" He felt a stab of guilt at the comment, but he tried to ignore it
as he knelt in the sand. The water lapped his chest as he held his arms out.
"This is how we taught kids to swim at Topaz Sea Hold-- you lay back, and
I'll hold you up as you try to float. And trust me-- I won't let you drown!"

Anaeryth pointedly rumbled and eyed F'lin before Lanniya let out a loud
laugh. "No, you won't. She's watching every move you make." The gold's eyes
whirled with curiosity, but the intensity of her stare left little doubt
that she was observing them carefully. Just in case. Lanniya got into
position, took a deep breath and laid back on his arms, the sensation odd,
but not uncomfortable. His arms supported her, but she wasn't quite certain
as to what to do. "Okay. So how do I float?"

"Take a deep breath and try to relax." F'lin could feel Anaeryth's eyes on
him, but growing up under his grandmother's gold Tabanirth's watchful gaze
meant that it didn't bother him much. His ease meant that Seneth could
crouch nearby, his eyes whirling as he watched the pair. Every so often he'd
dunk his head beneath the waves and release a stream of bubbles to frighten
the minnows that got too close to his toes.

Lanniya's pale red hair tickled his arms as he knelt in the waves. "Deep
breath, stare at the sky, and relax. Think about your belly button floating.
Your floatiest part is your middle. Try putting your arms above your head,"
he added as her legs sank. "Makes it easier."

She did as he bade, tilting her head back and slumping in his arms with
complete trust. Her arms lifted above her head, her shirt lifting to expose
a smooth pale stomach that had not yet been exposed to any sun. She tried to
do as he asked, think about her belly floating, but it seemed as though her
back was bowing and her legs wouldn't cooperate. They just sort of dangled.
She took another deep breath and felt herself rise a bit. She tensed,
surprised and sank back down against his arms. "Did I do it?"

"Yes! See?" F'lin was grinning. "Everyone can float. Try again!"

Lanniya laughed, her eyes lighting with a sort of triumph. She laid back,
closed her eyes, relaxed and took a deep breath, picturing her belly like he
had instructed. Her legs still felt like they were dangling, but she didn't
feel like he was holding her up. She cracked one eye open, feeling the water
slowly lap against her face with minute waves. She kept her breath steady
and carefully wiggled her fingers in the water. "I'm floating!"

The bronzerider slowly moved his arms away from Lanniya's back until she was
floating on her own, although he stayed nearby in case she panicked and sunk
too quick. "You're a quick learner. Floating doesn't always come so easy.
Soon you'll be chasing the fishes."

She held still, but kept her fingers dabbling lightly in the water. Her eyes
flicked over in his direction. "Uhm...what happens if I sink?" Her words
seemed to direct her body to immediately dip under the water. She squealed
in surprise and her legs flailed for a moment before finding the bottom and
she sputtered with water streaming down her face.

"That's what happens: you stand up." F'lin took a step back and wiped salt
water out of his eyes. "You ok?"

The moment water was slicked off of her face, Lanniya laughed, her
expression merry. "I'm great! I actually floated." She pushed her dripping
hair from her face. "Again. I want to try again." She readied herself, the
tip of her tongue stuck out slightly in concentration as she laid back,
fully expecting him to catch her as she fell back into the water.

She caught him by surprise, but F'lin managed to catch and support her again
before she sank beneath the waves. "Give a guy some warning!" he said
lightly. "You might get water up your nose."

She giggled as she let her body relax. "I thought bronzeriders had to have
quick reflexes." Her nose wrinkled a bit as if to test for water, and took
slow breaths, letting the water cradle her. She began to float again and
closed her eyes, a smile lifting her lip corners.

She was kind of pretty when she smiled like that. Less like a kid....
**Shells, no!** F'lin blinked away the stray thought and tried to forget it.
She was a kid, and he was already treading a mighty thin line between being
friendly and trying to use her for her dragon. If only D'lorn hadn't said
anything, that thought wouldn't have crossed his mind and this wouldn't be
complicated. She'd be some funny kid with a sweet smile, and he'd be...
himself. "There you go, you've got it now," he said.

"I know." She said simply, keeping her eyes closed. She paddled her fingers
lightly with a soft sigh. "This is nice. I could just lay like this all
day." Her toes wiggled for a moment before she righted herself and stood up.
"Okay. I get floating now. So how do I actually swim?" Her eyes went to him
and tilted her head. "What?"

"Water in my eyes. Stand up for a moment." The second her feet were under
her, F'lin ducked under the waves and took the opportunity to scrub his mind
clean. He held his breath for a couple of heartbeats, then stood. "Ok. So.
Swimming! This might take you a little longer to master than floating did,
so maybe hold off asking Rhosyn if you can join the waterball team for a few
sevendays."

"I'm a very quick learner. You'd be surprised." She winked. "I'm smarter
than I look." She lifted her arms to pile her hair on top of her head,
whipping it into a quick knot and unconsciously bearing more of her midriff.
"So, what do I do now?"

"Uh. Well." F'lin blinked. "Honestly? Float on your back and kick your feet.
Try to keep your knees straight. That'll get you around a bit-- and out of
deep water if you get swept out into the ocean."

"Okay then." She nodded and waited for him to hold his arms out to start
supporting her.

Last updated on the August 6th 2015

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Swimming Lessons