Imagine That

Writers: Danielle, Eimi
Date Posted: 23rd May 2006

Characters: Gilsha, E'dian
Description: Gilsha and E'dian discover they do not fit the stereotype...
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 11, day 28 of Turn 3

He'd been watching her for a sevenday now, memorizing first the simple way she moved, the angle of her head when she laughed and the way the light caught in her hair. It was difficult, at times, to keep his observations hidden, but he managed simply by doing as he did now, sitting in the dining hall with his sketchbook and mingling rough practice sketches with little drawings of other people. The pages ended up being a jumbled study of faces and textures and light and shadow. He rather liked the chaos of it, since the rest of his existence was so orderly and precise.

Slowly the composition had emerged, he'd been working on it in his weyr, but he practiced on the pages of his sketchbook. He was, after all, a perfectionist. He'd even worked Palialohath into the piece, the green sharing the focus of the drawing with her rider. It wasn't finished yet, but no means, but at least it was well on its way to becoming a very good portrait. It had the potential of being among the best. Of course, choosing the right subject helped.

Gilsha had noticed the bronzerider's eyes on her more than once that sevenday, but everytime she thought she had caught him, he was looking at someone else. It had become an amusing little game, trying to catch the artist looking at her. But it was a game she hadn't yet won. She quickly realized she wasn't his only subject. That didn't bother her.
In fact, it made her feel less followed and more like one of many. Soon she started following his eyes to see who his current subject was. It was almost a glimpse into his own thinking to study the people he was studying, trying to see what it was about them that attracted his artistic eye. Was it the high bridged nose of the harper? Was is the young candidate's rosy cheeks or long slim fingers? Was it the extended belly of the pregnant woman, or the sweet smile on her face as she looked down at it?

But this time, finally, she had caught him. This time, he was looking at _her_. **Ah ha!** she thought as she gave him a wave and grin.
**Caught him at last!**

He waved back with a smile. There was an empty chair nearby, and he gestured at it, if she wanted to join him, the invitation was open.
Besides, he did have a steaming pot of klah at hand, fresh from the kitchen.

"Hello there. Were you looking at me?" she asked as she slid down in the seat next to him and reached for a mug.

"You caught me. But not only you, I have to admit. I was just sketching random people in here," he said.

"You're lucky I'm not the jealous type," Gilsha smiled as she filled her mug. She used leaning over to refill his as an excuse to get a look at his drawing. "Can I see?"

"Oh...of course..." he said as he tilted the book so she could see. Each page had miniature drawings of various scenes, people, places or objects. There was no rhyme nor reason to it all, only images that had somehow caught his eye.

"You know, I think I saw you drawing her," she said as she pointed to a small child's face. "Down by the Weyrlake, right?"

"Have you been spying on me?" He smiled. "But you're right. I did.
Something about the light when it reflects off the water, it made an interesting pattern on her dress. I don't think I captured it very well."

"I only looked at you because you were looking at me first," the greenrider amended. "But I see what you mean about the water's reflection. I suppose the light came from just the right direction."

"Just like the light from the glows caught your hair a moment ago," he flipped the page forward. "See?" E'dian looked at her sidelong with the hint of a smile. He pointed to the miniature drawing of the greenrider.

"Wow, does my hair really look like that from the side?" she asked curiously.

"It does, truly. It's pretty, the way it falls and the light highlighted it like that."

"Well, I suppose lighting really is everything," she laughed as she touched the side of her hair. "So do you ever leave the sketch book at home? Or do you feel naked without it?"

He blushed a bit. "Oh, I leave it at home sometimes. But everything is still so new here- I always find myself wanting to put it on paper." So he could preserve the memories when the people around him disappeared....No. No he wouldn't think about that now. He shook his head and closed the book, picking up his klah instead, only to find it had grown cold since he'd poured it.

"I suppose that would be a good reminder of your beginnings here at the Weyr," Gilsha nodded as she reached for her own steaming mug. "Do you often talk to the people you draw?"

"Sometimes, not so much anymore. I think it makes some people nervous, in a way. Or self-conscious- to know that someone was likely sketching you. A person never acts as they normally would- or rather, most normally don't. They tend to be too worried about the way the light catches their hair if I'm watching." He winked at her.

"Well, you know, I didn't necessarily mean if you talk to them about the fact you're sketching them. Do you talk to people _period_. I've seen you with your book around a lot, but I don't think I've ever seen you actually having a conversation with someone, other than myself."

"Oh. Well. I talk to people. In the infirmary, during drills..." She was right, he really didn't talk to many people here. He smiled ruefully. "I guess I'm just shy, most of the time, unless I'm working."

"Imagine that, a _shy_ bronzerider," Gilsha chuckled. "Are going to tell me you have a purple flit too?"

"Oh...no. She's green."

The greenrider just grinned to herself as she stabbed a piece of wherry with her fork. She wasn't entirely sure he had caught her sarcastic barb, but it didn't much matter. He was certainly different from the _other_ Dragonsfall bronzeriders she had met...

E'dian chuckled softly. He'd caught the sarcasm, of course. She was different than the other riders he'd met. He rather found her biting wit and unique way of looking at the world rather...refreshing. "Thank you, Gilsha."

Last updated on the May 23rd 2006

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