Friendly Conversation

Writers: AL, Len
Date Posted: 19th December 2010

Characters: Jaylene, Briata
Description: Jaylene runs into Briata, literally
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 12, day 14 of Turn 5
Notes: Meantioned: P'veas

Jaylene

Briata

Briata admired the green's hide as it sparkled in the sunlight. She was familiar with the dragon. She may not know everyone at the Weyr, but she knew every dragon. She knew each voice, the feel of their minds. And somehow, it was much easier to remember them than it was to remember people - though she had a good memory for that as well. Still, there was just something about the dragons. Most people would admit that. And for her, it was twentyfold. She greeted the green warmly, then turned, her basket of fabric swinging upon her arm as she moved away from the dragon and toward the Weyr proper.

Swinging around Reanth, Jaylene plowed right into the girl. "Oh, I'm sorry! I never saw you there!"

Briata stumbled back but was nimble enough on her feet to keep from falling. She straightened and reached up to tuck an ebony strand of hair behind her ear as her startling green eyes fell upon the woman who had collided with her. "It's all right." She offered quickly, hands sliding down her skirt to smooth out the fabric. "No harm done."

"Sorry, sorry, I'm just a big klutz." Jaylene fussed over the girl like any good foster mother would. Straightening up to inspect her handiwork, she said, "there now, you look back to your normal lovely self. Just what you need, a big lump like me running you over, eh?" She grinned and eyed her dragon. "Of course, you _could_ have told me who you were talking with."

}:You didn't ask:{

Briata's gaze skipped between Jaylene and her dragon. Her ability to speak with the large creatures was difficult to hide in the Weyr, especially with dragonriders. Not that she minded. It was easier now that she had some control over it, and at the Weyr, it wasn't looked upon as odd. "I'm Briata." She added by way of introduction.

"I'm Jaylene and this green lump is Reanth." The green lowered her head to Briata for a headknob scratch. "Watch out, she'll beg as many pets as she can from you."

"I know Reanth." Briata stated matter of factly as she reached out to scritch behind the green's eyeridges. "But it is nice to meet you, Jaylene. I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"Oh, no, we were just waiting around for P'veas. He had said something about sun bathing." She watched the girl and tried to place all the gossip she had heard with the living creature that stood before her.

"Sun bathing?" Now that was not a concept Briata was familiar with and her expression didn't show it. Well, she was familiar with it in regards to the dragons, but people? "Why do you wish to bathe in the sun?"

"No, no sweetie, we just lay in the sun, same as the dragons, and soak up some of the sun's warmth. It's just my excuse to be a lazy git. And Reanth here likes the company." She gave her lifemate an affectionate pat on the shoulder.

Briata smiled a little. She was not quite as unintelligent as the question had made her sound, but alas. "Yes, I figured what you meant but...I suppose the answer is it's an excuse to be lazy. Aren't you afraid of getting burned?"

"No girl! I'm not going to lay out there that long! Pfft..I'll just hide in this girl's shadow when it gets too hot." She grinned at her lifemate and eyed Briata curiously. She didn't look like the type that laid much in the sun. "So are you our resident 'can hear all dragons'?

"I have that ability, yes." Briata inclined her head. It was difficult to hide who she was even in such a large place as the Weyr.

"Ah, I hope this one doesn't gossip in your ear too much." She smiled to let the girl know she didn't mind her abilities.

"Truthfully, no. There are others who gossip much more." Briata's smile returned, eyes twinkling. Even though she didn't plan on Standing, she did have a special place in her heart for the great beasts with whom she could commune.

"I'm sure my brother's green could talk your leg off." Jaylene's eyes twinkled as she thought about her little brother and his equally gossipy green, a much taller girl than her lifemate.

"There are some that do like to talk. But generally they take little offense if I excuse myself...and fortunately, on the rare occasion that they do, they don't usually remember in a day or two." Briata's voice was tinged with amusement but also with a certain fond hue that was indicative of her feelings for the large creatures.

"Yes, hearing one is bad enough, but the whole Weyr...!" She shuddered and patted Reanth to let her know she was only joking.

"It was pretty bad when I first arrived." Briata admitted with a half smile. "But...I've learned to control it since then. Now I don't have to hear the entire Weyr unless I want to."

"Ah, that's not so bad then." Jay glanced at Briata's clothes and added, "do you need an extra arm--or dragon--with those? I think we're going in the same direction."

Briata turned her gaze down to the fabric. It was brightly coloured, recently dyed by her own hand. She had washed and dried it and was now taking it back to her room to start working on some designs of clothing she had drawn. "I've got it, it's not heavy. But...if you wish to join me, I wouldn't mind the company."

"Great, I love meeting new folks. Where are you headed?" Jaylene matched strides with Briata, whilst Reanth stretched her almost translucent wings and flew to the beach.

"Back to my quarters." Briata explained as she reached down to finger the fabric. "I've got some tunics I want to work on." And there was a particular reason for it as well, but that Briata didn't care to share just man.

"Great, I'll let you lead the way."

Briata nodded and turned to focus back on the path she had originally taken. She had long since learned the way around the Weyr, something she thought would never come to pass. It did...and now she skimmed through the hallways like someone who had been born and raised there. "Do you sew?" She asked, casting a glance toward the greenrider as they walked.

"No, I used to fiddle, but not much anymore." Jaylene grimisced. She was ashamed to say that she let her mother do all her sewing for her! Even her brothers were braver about it than her. "Have you been a weaver long?" she asked, noting Briata's shoulder knots.

"No, not long. Only since I came here." Briata shook her head and thinks a moment before adding softly, "That was...eight months ago." How time had flown! And yet it seemed as if turns had passed, not months!

"Eight months?" Jaylene smiled, thinking about all the upset when the girl had arrived. "So, how does it compare after Holder life?"

"It's...very different." In ways expected and ways unexpected. "But...it's not necessarily a bad difference. It just took some getting used to. Even now...well, people can tell that I am very obviously hold bred." As if her name didn't give that away from what people knew about her.

"Ha! Don't let them get to you...most of them are Hold-bred as well." It was a funny little game the Hold kids played, pretending that either the Hold way was best and so they hung on to that, or the Weyr way was best, and they went overboard in_that_way. It could get amusing at times.

Briata laughed and shook her head, ebony braid swinging about. "I shall have to remember that." She came to a stop before a door and turned to the dragonrider. "These are my quarters. I thank you for the escort and the friendly conversation. It was very much welcome."

"No problem! Come on over to the tables by the Harper's stage sometime, my brothers and I are always there, when you're feeling lonely." Jaylene nodded to Briata, her mind a bit on what she still had to get done today before she could relax on the beach with P'veas and 'the girls.'

"You are very kind. I will certainly keep that in mind, thank you." Briata wasn't sure if she would actually take the woman up on her offer, but it was nice to know, especially since it had been so lonely. But their sort of company couldn't fill the dark void that had been cut into her heart. No one could do that. Not even a dragon.

Last updated on the January 22nd 2011

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