Part Of Being A Dragonrider

Writers: AL, Cali
Date Posted: 5th February 2010

Characters: B'lamick, Briata
Description: B'lamick and Briata are back home. She admits a fear and B'lamick makes a suggestion.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 7, day 15 of Turn 5

Briata

Briata breathed a sigh of relief. She was surprised she hadn't gotten into more trouble than she had. As it was, she had extra work that she was going to have to do, mainly because she had missed her first class. Perhaps her bedraggled appearance had helped give credit to her story. She hadn't bothered to shower or anything before rushing off to classes. Fortunately, she had only missed the first one. She must have looked a fright, hair tangled and falling in her face. She'd worn two tunics, so the torn one was hidden beneath the other and she had simply piled the extra clothes in the back of the rooms out of the way in each class. Still, she was glad it was over, glad that she and B'lamick were safe.

Oh, but the thought of him merely brought to mind what had happened while they had been away. Her cheeks turned pink and she ducked her head to keep anyone she might recognize from taking notice and possibly asking. Those thoughts had been coming to her on and off throughout the day and it had made paying attention in class rather difficult.

** Tell Briata I have a private bath if she wants to use it.** B'lamick offered when Latarth informed him she was out of her apprentice class.

The dragon relayed the message and it made girl pause in the middle of the hallway. After a moment's contemplation, she passed her own along, **I don't know if that would be a good idea.**

**Tell her I'll leave her alone and pick up some dinner.** He didn't think he could resist the tub if he knew Briata was in it.

Now there was an idea. It wouldn't be so bad if B'lamick was there, and she wouldn't have to worry about the public bathing rooms. **All right. Tell him I have to get some clothes and will be there soon.**

Briata picked up her pace as she made her way back to her quarters, though she didn't realize it. She hurriedly grabbed some clothes and made her way to B'lamick's weyr. She paused at the door, her heart skipping a beat, then gathered her courage and rapped upon it.

B'lamick opened it immediately. Had it only been a few hours since he'd last seen her? He leaned over and gave her a gentle kiss, brushing her cheek with his thumb before backing up to let her in his weyr. "Did they give you a hard time today?"

"Not as hard as I expected." There was that blush again and Briata ducked into the Weyr with a pleased smile. "I think the way I look made them take pity."

"You do look pretty dreadful." B'lamick commented with a laugh. "But I like it. It reminds me of last night."

Briata felt like she could melt right then and there. "Yes, well, um." Her hold upon her clothes tightened as she hugged them to her chest. "So...dinner?"

B'lamick grinned, loving the reaction he had on her. "Yes, dinner. I'll go down and wrangle up something to bring up and you just let Latarth know when you're out of the bath. Take your time though, I don't mind waiting."

"All right." Briata watched him as he left, a grin still plastered across his face. She glanced around the weyr, though she'd been there before, and then made her way to the bathing room.

Oh it was so nice to have a private place to bathe and not have to do so in the middle of the night! The water was so warm and she bathed quickly just so she could have some time to lounge. She was loathe to get out even after she had soaked for some time, but there was only so long Briata was willing to keep B'lamick waiting. She dried herself off, folded the towel neatly, then moved back into the weyr to dress. Once her clothes were folded, Briata noticed the mess. "Well...he let me use his bath, I guess I should at least pay him back." How could he just toss stuff about? How could he find anything? Briata laughed softly, thinking of her brothers' rooms and began to tidy up.

B'lamick took the last of the stairs carefully, already almost knocking the small pitcher of juice off the tray. He kicked at his door, since he didn't trust himself to try holding the tray one handed, and smiled when Briata opened it for him. "There's my beautiful girl, feel better?"

"Much, thank you." The new braid was quite a bit neater and her hair, still wet, plastered against her head. Briata smiled and moved back into the weyr where she continued pick up things off the floor. "Thanks for getting dinner."

"Oh not you too!" B'lamick groaned as he sat the tray down on his small table. "What is it with you girls and needing to clean my Weyr?"

"Girls?" Briata straightened from where she had just picked up a pair of socks off the floor - one of the pairs she had made for him. "What's wrong?"

B'lamick sighed, resigned. "Nothing. It's fine. You don't need to do that though, you're a guest, not a drudge."

"I don't mind. I cleaned up after my father and brothers all the time." She had evidently found where the socks belonged for Briata moved into the bedroom with them and returned without. "I just wanted to help." She stated softly when she had returned.

"Well thank you." he replied, coming up behind her. He placed his hands on her shoulders and gave the back of her neck a quick kiss before guiding her to the chair at the table.

The kiss sent a shiver down her spin. If he kept doing that, Briata was going to have to run out of the weyr before she did something she shouldn't. She cast a smile to B'lamick as he came around from behind her and then gazed at the food he spread before her. "I see you didn't forget any bubblies."

"I have a friend in the kitchen." he replied with a smirk.

"And how do we become friends?" Briata relaxed visibly as she picked up her fork and speared a piece of fish. "Maybe it will work for me too."

"Well, I made friends by taking her to her cousin's wedding." B'lamick remembered the day because the groom's holder father had been quite unwelcoming, perhaps thinking that he would sweep the bride off to the Weyr? "Since you have no desire for a dragon though, perhaps she'd like some socks?"

Briata giggled and had to cover her mouth so she didn't do something unladylike, such as splatter the fish all over B'lamick. "Do you think she'd want some?" Of course, she could do more than just socks, but socks were easy, quick, and it was fun to do them in colours people didn't normally think to do them in.

"Who doesn't like socks?"

"Those who live where it's always warm?" Briata suggested. Her gaze rest upon his hand which had been wrapped by someone with more skill. "Does it hurt?"

"Nope." B'lamick assured her, flexing his fingers. "The healer said it could have used a stitch or two but it was too late. I can't even feel it, honestly, the numbweed is a savior."

"Why is it too late?" Briata could have stitched it if they'd had materials. It wouldn't have been a healer's work, but it would have done until a healer could have gotten to it.

B'lamick shrugged. "I don't know. He just said it was. Maybe because it's already scabbed over?"

"Maybe I should craft as a Healer, then I wold know the reasoning behind such things." Briata nibbled at her food. She wished it had never happened. Then again, if that hadn't, then the other wouldn't have and then...shards, she had to stop letting her mind wander to that! She regretted the act, but she did not regret that she and B'lamick were now in a relationship. She just hoped she didn't do something to mess this one up. "Do you think it will scar?" She asked in an attempt to get her mind onto a different subject.

"If so, not much." B'lamick looked at the wrapped hand though he wasn't really concerned. "It wouldn't be my first scar, nor my last."

"Have you...Threadfall score?" Briata shivered despite the fact they were simply discussing it. Threadfall frightened her to no end.

B'lamick gave a dismissive shrug. "Nothing major. I've been lucky on that front. Everyone gets tipped from time to time. You shouldn't worry about it, it's just part of being a dragonrider."

"Yes, it is." Briata looked down at her plate and began to pick at her fish with her fork. B'lamick didn't seem afraid. She was. Was that the reason why she didn't want to Impress? Briata couldn't deny that fighting Thread frightened her like nothing else could. "Do you ever get scared?"

He laughed. "All the time. But it's also a kind of excited rush. It's you and your dragon versus the Thread you know? If you don't beat it, it'll get to the ground, and that's not an option, so you just _have_ to do it. You _have_ to win."

Briata shuddered. She honestly couldn't imagine going up there and fighting. She wasn't a fighter. She wasn't a rider - and glad of it. Oh she loved the dragons and felt so lucky that she had the link she did. Her time in the Weyr was helping her control it too. She just wasn't rider material and she knew it. She just wished the Weyrwoman would realise it too. "It makes me afraid for you."

"I have an idea." B'lamick replied after a bite of the baked fish. "With the Hatching soon, there's going to be a few classes for the families of candidates, you should sit in. Maybe it'll alay some of your worries and misguided ideas about Weyr life."

The young woman blinked up at B'lamick and frowned. "What do you mean misguided ideas?" What ideas did she have that were misguided? Briata couldn't think of any.

"Like the fact that you think you need to be afraid for me." B'lamick said with a sympathetic smile. Thread was a part of life at the Weyr. If she was going to stay here, she needed to understand that.

"I fear Thread." Who didn't? Briata thought anyone who stated they didn't was a fool. Thread was no joke, no game. "Since coming to the Weyr, I've seen what it can do. I've _heard_ what it could do." And it was times like then that Briata was glad she had gained control over her ability - though she at times used it to help calm the dragons as well. She was always exhausted after a Threadfall. "How can I not be afraid that something might happen to you? To anyone I care about and rides the skies?"

"Because you can't live your life like that." B'lamick replied with a sad smile. "When I go into Fall, I don't want you afraid I'm not going to come back. You just have to think that I will. Or else you'll be miserable, and that's no way to live. Just go to that class. It won't hurt anything, and maybe it might help a bit."

"I will think about it." Briata wasn't sure, but if B'lamick thought it might, she supposed it wouldn't hurt. "In the meantime, I shall enjoy our time together."

Last updated on the February 6th 2010

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Part Of Being A Dragonrider