A Plateful of Change
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: AL, Clancey
Date Posted: 12th March 2009
Characters: J'darin, Meledei
Description: J'darin checks in on Meledei.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 1, day 18 of Turn 5
A lovely day, indeed, had dawned, and the tall bronzerider stepped down off of Hasaarth's shoulder to the ground of the Weyrbowl. The newest class of weyrlings were busily bathing their dragonets. He had drills soon, but first he wanted to look in on the new weyrlings. Especially one in particular.
He approached Meledei and Elleth with a friendly smile on his face, nodding to her. "Need a hand, Meledei?" He offered with a gentle wink. He was not being nice to her simply because she rode a gold. He had known her for turns, now, and he felt certainly responsible for her in a way he couldn't describe. He simply felt it was his duty to see that she was settling in alright, especially without a Weyrlingmaster.
"Hello J'darin." Meledei's smile of greeting was bright as she paused in the scrubbing of her lifemate to let it settle upon him. "I'm fine, but I won't complain if you really want to help."
Elleth turned her whirling eyes upon the bronzerider, one eyelid coming to close, muting the bright blue.
}:Hasaarth's rider?:{ The little gold asked.
**Yes, former Weyrleader.**
Elleth didn't reply to that, but her eyelid rose and the jewels facets shined brightly once more.
"I haven't often had the chance to scrub a gold, lass." He turned a beaming smile on Elleth. "You are lovely, Elleth. You chose well. Do you mind if I help?" He reached a tenative finger toward her eye ridges, intending to scratch.
Hasaarth was very curious about her, and said he would like to come too.
}:Of course.:{ The gold replied amiably to the bronze, then butted her head against J'darin's hand.
"She says you take too long." Meledei stated with a grin as she resumed her scrubbing. When the bronzerider finally began scritching, Meledei commented, "A little more to the left, she says."
**Bossy, aren't you?**
}:He offered.:{
J'darin laughed out loud. "They are all so sure we will make much of them at their barest crook of a talon." But he did as requested, then took up another brush and began to wash. "Its funny, isn't it, Meledei, how they take over your hearts and lives so immediately?"
"Funny, yes." Meledei agreed. Funny, but in a very good way. She wished she could explain to others who asked her what it was like, but words honestly failed her. Even her father, who had been a woodcrafter before his impression, could do no justice to the bond between dragon and rider. "But I wouldn't have it any other way." Except maybe to have found Elleth earlier. But if she had impressed earlier, it wouldn't have been Elleth, would it?
"No, and none of us would, once we Impress."
}:No one would have filled my life but you. No one! :{ Hasaarth sent fiercely, as he landed nearby to play with the gold, splashing her with water - and her two bathers.
"Ahhhrg! Big bronze oaf! There are delicate ladies here!"
He began to scrub with a laugh. "How is your training going, then? A sevenday into it?"
"I'm hardly delicate." Meledei assured him with a laugh. She wrung her hands, letting the water that had splashed upon her drip lazily from her finger tips. "And really, Elleth's gotten me wetter than that." The weyrling continued wash her lifemate who had started wriggling in anticipation. She wanted them to finish so she could play! "My training is going quite well. I haven't done anything wrong - yet anyway."
He chuckled dryly. "Don't worry, lass. Trouble will find you, it always does." He winked at her to show he was teasing. "And if its wetting you want...." He fell silent and sent a message to Hasaarth. A huge splash of water washed over them all, drenching J'darin, Meledei, and Elleth in one stroke.
"Gyaaaaaah!" Meledei stood there for a moment, long tendrils of dripping hair plastered to her face. She stared at J'darin, looked to the bronze and then let out a long, loud laugh. "Just you wait! Just you wait! As soon as Elleth is bigger than you, we're going to get you back!" The gold didn't seem to mind the drenching one bit. She
snorted as if laughing and pounced toward the bronze.
He laughed out loud, and it felt so good. It had been months, he thought, since he'd laughed...
He stuck his tongue out at her, though, and left off scrubbing, dripping there in the lake. "We will look forward it to it, Meledei." He winked at her, and his words became serious for a moment. "If you need anything, anything at all, please don't hesitate to ask, lass. You've a plateful of change coming, and no mistake. Just remember, hmm?" He smiled then, and started toward the shore. He had allowed himself enough of a break for today.
"Yes sir." Meledei answered just as J'darin bid her farewell. She watched the former weyrleader make his way, then turned back toward her lifemate and watched her frolic. She felt sorry for J'darin, but he seemed to be coping fairly well. N'vanik seemed a capable leader and while she didn't agree with some of the decisions he had made - well one of them anyway - she thought he would be good for the Weyr. Of course, it was nice to have the former leader's invitation for help. The more people with experience she could go to, the better, she thought.
Last updated on the March 14th 2009