Battle Scars

Writers: AL, Stasha
Date Posted: 16th April 2008

Characters: Alasha, D'moza
Description: Alasha encounters D'moza for the first time
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 9, day 4 of Turn 4

Loud and obnoxious tended to be the general feel of the table that was composed of young riders and aging candidates. It was no surprise that Alasha felt out of place as she joined the group with A'son, Nikala, and Anala, and her age did not help much either. She was the babe of the group, coming in barely at seventeen, while the next oldest were eighteen. Yet, the age was not the only detail of the group that caught Alasha unaware. The girls at the table were outrageous with their behavior. They flirted, even taunted the men as if it were some sort of game or sport that would be played out later when no one else was around to watch. They gossiped about everything that they had heard about, from which rider got scored, to who was the newest rider that shared the Senior Weyrwoman's weyr. Which bronzerider was dallying with who, and which one would catch the youngest queenrider weyr, who was supposed to rise at anytime now.

"It'll be me, of course," A'son raised his glass of ale before others at the table either laughed at him or with him.

Other riders stepped up with their mugs toasting to their challenge that they would be the ones to who's dragons would catch Onnyth, while some of the girls would sigh in their agreement or roll their eyes in annoyance of their boyish mannerism.

Among all the laughter, another dragonrider joined the group, sliding into a seat next to Alasha. His dark eyes twinkled in amusement as he watched the toast and he chuckled when one of the boy's drink sloshed out and splashed on his plate, raining upon his food. He took up his fork and stabbed at a piece of roasted wherry before turning his smile upon the young woman next to whom he sat. Straight, startling white teeth seemed to pounce out against his bronzed skin. He nodded politely, greeting her with a genial, "Hello again." before eating the bite of wherry that dangled upon his fork.

The rider from the bathing caverns! Alasha found herself staring yet again at the man, before she became completely mortified as she realized what she was doing. The color drained away from her cheeks as her eyes quickly fastened on her food.

"Hey D'moza!" Her brother reached around her to shake the man's hand while the rest of the table called out a welcome.

"Hey A'son." D'moza took the other mans' hand and shook it firmly before releasing it and turning his attention back to Alasha, awarding her with another white-toothed grin. "Enjoy your bath?"

He was not going to let that down was he?

"What bath is he talking about, Ash?" Her cousin, Nikala leaned in curiously across the table as she nibbled on a dry orange root.

A'son seemed just as inquisitive as he sent a raise eyebrow to the bronzerider. "D'moza?"

"It was nothing," Alasha blurted out in an attempt to brush off the incident, and to save herself the embarrassment of her wondering eyes.

"You didn't seem very comfortable. Are you new to the weyr?" D'moza took another bite of his wherry, evidently not daunted by Alasha's hesitant and demeanor.

"Sort of," she honestly did not know how to answer the question. She had been to the weyr before, but this was the first time she had lived there.

"Actually, Ash arrived the day before the last fall," A'son corrected his sister before he proudly added "And she's going to be a candidate for the next hatching."

"Ah, so you know each other?" D'moza's fork pointed from one to the other. "A candidate, eh?"

"Know each other," A'son laughed. "She's my sister."

"Well half sister," Anala threw in with a rueful grin. "And yes, she's a candidate," Anala continued before she looked back to Alasha. "He has a thing for candidates," she winked to the scattered girl.

What was that supposed to mean? Her face contorted in confusion before she looked back to Nikala, and then, Faranth help her, to D'moza for an answer. But the moment her eyes fell back to the bronzerider, into his black eyes, she found that her words failed her.

"So what's your name?" D'moza leaned forward, evidently forgetting about his food for the moment, and resting one hand on the back of Alasha's chair. "I'm D'moza."

Her eyes glanced at the casually placed arm, with its rolled up sleeve before she looked back at him. "Alasha."

"But we call her Ash," Nikala corrected. "So D'moza," Nikala grew tired of the subject of her cousin and decided to change the topic. "I heard you got scored a few falls ago. Care to show us the scars?" she questioned before she bit down on her lower lip and peered at him with her challenging gray eyes.

"Do you think you can handle seeing it?" D'moza began to unbutton his shirt, then slipped it half off, sliding it completely down his right arm where a scar about half a foot long wound its way over his shoulder. "Nice battle scar, eh?" He set his twinkling eyes back upon Alasha.

Though her face brightened into a rich cherry red, her eyes still managed to climb up the shoulder blade, outlining the wound. She had not noticed the scar that morning, but of course her attention was drawn to the other aspects of him. "Did it hurt?" she asked as her mind began to draw yet again on the deadly aspect of the rider life.

"Yes." D'moza's smile faded and his aspect became quite more serious.
"It hurt like nothing I can describe. I hope it never happens to you."
Though if she became a dragonrider, it would be hard to avoid getting hit. Few were the dragonriders that didn't sport some sort of scar, even a small one, from threadscore. "But it didn't kill me, so I think I came out ahead." The smile appeared once more and D'moza began buttoning up his shirt once more.

As he buttoned his shirt Alasha found her eyes trailing over his exposed skin before it was hidden from her once again. It was obvious he was flirting with her, as he kept flashing her a grin and leaning into her, but she was unsure of how to response to the gestures other than to give him a smile of her own with her gray eyes sparkling in mirth.

"So, D'moza," Caya interrupted the two as her eyes narrowed on Alasha, before gazing wide eyed at the bronzerider. "Who do you think is going to catch Onnyth in her next flight? Do you think Berganith will be up for the challenge?"

"Of course. Berganith has a good chance I think. He's strong and fast." D'moza settled his flashing grin upon Caya for just a moment.
"And, of course, after the flight, there will be a clutch." The dark orbs crept their way back to Alasha, amusement dancing within. "And perhaps a dragon for you."

"That would be nice." But she was not going to get her hopes up just yet.

"Well," Anala cut in as the group at the table began to get up. "We're heading to the weyrlakes for a swim. You coming Ash?"

"You should come," A'son nudged his sister.

Get wet? And in what? After careful consideration she decided it was probably best not to. "That's okay, I think I'll stay here. Besides I have to get some crocheting done."

Caya was thrilled that Alasha turned the offer down. "That's fine,"
she forgave the girl with the wave of her hand and shifted her interest to the bronzerider. "D'moza," she playfully ran her fingers through her soft blond hair, " Are you coming?"

"Sure." D'moza didn't even move his gaze away from Alasha. "Are you sure you wont?" He asked her, leaning into her a little more. "It'll be fun."

"I'm sure it will be," her eyes wondered away from D'moza only to gaze back at him again. She did want to go, but something held her back. It was as if she felt like going to the winter lake was against an unspoken rule that she did not want to accidentally break, especially now that she was a candidate. Yet, his brown eyes tempted her to follow. He was close, her heart throbbed. Very close. "But I really shouldn't," her voice timidly admitted as she cursed herself. "Maybe next time?"

"I'll hold you to that." He reached over and gently tapped her nose.
D'moza then stood and looked to his other companions. "Shall we go?"

Caya was quick to loop her arm through D'moza's as they departed, the whole time Alasha wanted to do nothing but kick herself. He _wanted_
her to come with them, but for what reason? Her eyes watched as the group trailed out of the room, and she felt a groan of disappointment escape her.

Trill? Zephyr cocked his head wondering why she was so upset.

She peered out of the corner of her eye and caught the inquiring look from the firelizard. Why was she so upset? his questioning look asked of her. Why was she so upset? she wondered herself. It was not like another chance would not present itself in the future, and besides she had to finish the scarf for K'sper. Very well, she thought to herself as she pulled herself away from the empty table and made her way to the warm hearth.

Maybe next time she would say yes.

Last updated on the April 17th 2008

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Battle Scars