Race Day

Writers: Devin, Estelle
Date Posted: 14th April 2025
Series: Guarding Gil

Characters: Gilbek, Tr'vel, I'lek, Terella, D'stan
Description: Gil is ready to race Tr'vel - who will be the winner?
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 3, day 17 of Turn 12

Tr'vel

Gil emerged from the healer's office with a triumphant grin on his face
and his shirt sleeve rolled up to his shoulder, revealing a band of
paler skin on his upper arm where the bandage had once been. The only
sign of his injury now was the thin white line of the one scar he wasn't
ashamed to have seen.

"I'm certified fit and healthy!" he said cheerfully. "And you know what
that means?"

"I can stop telling you to take it easy?" Tr'vel smiled.

"That, too," Gil said, testing out the movement of his arm with a few
experimental stretches. "But it also means I can run. It's time to prove
who's the fastest: you or me."

"Do you want to do it right now?" Tr'vel found himself eager for the
challenge. Gil had come a long way since he first arrived at the Weyr,
and the bluerider wasn't entirely sure who would win.

"Why not? If you're that eager to lose a race," he teased as they left
the infirmary.

Tr'vel snorted. "I better let Lightning Wing know. They'll never
forgive me if I let them miss this."

Eboroth passed along the message to the other dragons. }:I will watch,
too.:{ The blue glided down and chose a spot closer to the Weyrbowl,
his eye whirling with interest.

He was soon joined by I'lek's Lirioth and Terella's green Julath, who
perched on either side of him, Lirioth arching her neck flirtatiously.
Below them, a group of Lightning wingriders gathered, along with a few
other curious weyrfolk.

"The great race day arrives!" I'lek announced, bouncing on his feet in
excitement. "How far will you run?"

"Once around the Bowl?" Gil suggested, eyeing the bluerider. Over a
longer distance he doubted he could match a dragonrider's stamina, but a
single circuit should give him a good chance.

"Sounds good to me." Tr'vel took off his shirt and started stretching.
It wouldn't hurt to put on a little bit of a show.

I'lek sighed in appreciation, a sentiment that was shared by several of
the watching greenriders. After looking his fill, he turned to Gil, and
pouted to see him still fully dressed and carefully stretching his back.

Gil glanced across at the bluerider and felt a moment's envy for his
smooth brown skin and unselfconscious ease. He didn't dare take off his
own shirt. Deliberately, he shook off the thoughts of the damage hidden
beneath and the memories that came with them and looked again to his
opponent, noticing his strength, the way the muscle moved in his
shoulders and back... **Focus on stretching.** Perhaps he'd been too
confident of a win?

"All right," D'stan called, clapping his hands. "Line up!"

Tr'vel took up his position. "Guess we're going to find out if you're
a sore loser," he told Gil.

"Or if dragonriders cry when they come in last," Gil replied, flashing a
grin.

The older bluerider raised his eyes to the heavens. "Once around the
Bowl, keeping to the track. No short cuts." He raised a hand. "On your
marks - set - GO!"

Gil tore off down the track, a good start propelling him to a slight
lead as they approached the entrance to the Hatching Grounds. He felt
his heart lift, enjoying the sensation of strength in his legs, his
heart pumping and the motion of his shoulders and arms, much freer now
after months of careful exercise. For a moment he almost forgot the
race, but soon became aware of the footfalls of his opponent, close on
his heels.

"On your left." Tr'vel caught up to Gil and smiled at his opponent. He
had to work to stay even with him, but as they reached the halfway
point, he put on a burst of speed and got a pace ahead of Gil. Then
two, then three.

Gil gritted his teeth and dug deep as Tr'vel began to edge away from
him. They passed the lake, glimpsing several surprised dragons and
swimmers, crossed the open side of the Bowl, their feet kicking up sand,
and headed into the final stretch past the weyrling barracks with the
faint sound of cheering ahead. By sheer determination he managed to make
up a pace, but he knew he was running out of distance and made a last
desperate effort to catch the bluerider.

Tr'vel was more than a little surprised when Gil caught up to him and
even got slightly ahead of him. For just a moment, he was tempted to
let the man win. Gil had been through so much, and he deserved a
victory. But even if only Tr'vel knew, it wouldn't be fair to the man
to hold back. So Tr'vel put everything he had into the last few
dragonlengths.

As they approached the finish, Gil sensed Tr'vel gradually overtaking
him again, but this time he'd nothing left to counter with. Despite all
his efforts, they sprinted past the little group of wildly applauding
wingriders with the bluerider a few clear strides ahead.

Tr'vel bent with his hands on his knees, breathing hard and smiling.
"Almost got me there. Good race."

Gil was red-faced and gasping as he pulled in gulps of air, but
surprisingly, he was smiling too as he pointed at Tr'vel. "Next...time..."

The bluerider patted his shoulder. "Now I don't have to . . . throw
you in the lake."

"I should...throw _you_ in, but..." Still panting for breath, Gil looked
from Tr'vel's solid, muscular form, across the Weyrbowl to the distant
water's edge, and shook his head. His legs felt as thought they would
barely hold his own weight, let alone a dragonrider's.

"Congratulations!" I'lek came bounding up, followed by the other
wingriders. "That was _so_ exciting! First Gil was in front, then you,
then Gil, then..." He gestured wildly. "You were both wonderful!"

"Glad we could provide so much entertainment," Tr'vel drawled, wiping
sweat from his brow. "You know, a dip in the Weyrlake might be a good
idea."

"It would. Not that you don't both look perfectly delicious, all hot and
sweaty," the greenrider teased.

Gil glanced longingly at the water, but then his face fell. "Oh, I
didn't bring that bathing costume."

Tr'vel's grin was slow and wicked. "I told you, you don't need it.
C'mon, you're weyrfolk now."

"Pleeease," I'lek begged, widening his eyes in hope and anticipation.

"But my back." Gil looked stricken, remembering the scars. He still did
his best to avoid showing them in the communal bathing room, but out
here in the open and the bright sunlight they'd be impossible to hide.
"Could you...stand behind me?" he asked, lowering his voice. "So they
can't be seen, until I get in the water."

Tr'vel moved closer, his voice soft as he asked, "Gil, how did you get
those scars?"

Gil bowed his head and stared at the dusty ground, his breathing
slowing. "It was a punishment," he said quietly, his shoulders hunching
as if to hide the marks of shame on his skin. "I disobeyed an order."

"And what order was that?"

His voice was almost inaudible. "To burn down a cothold with..."

"A mother and her daughter inside," Tr'vel finished for him. "You got
those scars saving people, just like me." He pointed to the nearest
Threadscar on his arm. "Those aren't marks of shame, Gil. They're badges
of honor."

Gil raised his head, seeming startled, as if he'd not expected anyone
might see his scars that way. "I... I don't know. I don't regret what I
did, but..." He thought of the wingriders and the other bathers,
staring. "I don't think I'm ready."

"All right." Tr'vel patted his shoulder. "You could leave your shirt
on? Or I suppose we could . . ." The thought of flying up to Gil's
weyr right now was exhausting.

"Yes, it should dry out quickly enough in the sun," Gil said quickly,
relieved. He glanced over to the lake. "I'd say I'd race you, but..."

Tr'vel laughed. "Let's just go for a nice, leisurely walk down there
and have a nice, leisurely swim."

"Sounds perfect." He relaxed and fell into step beside Tr'vel as the two
of them strolled towards the lake.

I'lek sighed languorously as he watched them go. "Adorable! My heart is
melting. This is better than a harper ballad."

"I've got to admit..." Terella smiled as she turned to D'stan. "I'm
starting to come around to his point of view."

Last updated on the April 22nd 2025

[Prev: Ingrizon's Hearing (2/2)] Series: Guarding Gil [Next: Self-Defense (1/2)]

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Race Day