Getting Fresh

Writers: Leigh M-F., Miriah
Date Posted: 7th February 2014

Characters: A'kua, Ninaine
Description: Aluka makes a good impression on Ninaine
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 5, day 19 of Turn 7

Ninaine

"No." The voice was cool and a little ill at ease. "Look, I do not
appreciate your attentions and I have no intention of going anywhere
with you, before or after our chores." There was a murmur of voices
and then a gasp. "That is certainly not an option! How dare you even
suggest such a thing!"

That chattering around the corner was really starting to get
distracting. Aluka tried humming louder and sweeping the corridor
harder in an attempt to block it out, but it did not work. In fact,
the talk was getting a little louder, and the young man realized he
recognized the voices. One was Ninaine, and she sounded alarmed. The
other was another male Candidate known for being a little randy, and
he was sounding impatient.

"Come on, it'll be fun!" the male Candidate said. "What's so bad about
getting some wine and seeing where it takes us? Don't be so stiff!"

A red haze crept around the edges of his vision. Aluka rolled his
eyes, put his broom and dustpan aside, and went around the corner.
"Hey, Renolt!" The other male Candidate turned around, and Aluka
cracked his knuckles. "She said no. Take the hint."

Renolt was immediately affronted. "Hey, just because you can't get any
tail doesn't mean you can interf-"

Aluka threw a punch.

"AAAH!" Renolt threw up his arms, covering his face. When the expected
blow didn't land, he cautiously peeked out to see the redhead's fist a
millimeter from his skin. Aluka's index and middle fingers uncoiled
and flicked Renolt sharply on the nose, prompting another, smaller
"Aaah!"

"That was your _warnin'_," Aluka said sternly. "Next time I hear ya
harassin' some poor girl, I won' be nearly as nice. Go work somewhere
else. _Now._"

The other Candidate grabbed his own broom and dustpan and made tracks.
Aluka let out a breath, the redness fading from his sight, and looked
to Ninaine. "Ya okay?" he asked in a gentler tone. "He touch ya
anywhere untoward? If'n he did, I'll report him to the Weyrlin'master
straight away."

Ninaine covered her eyes with a gasp when Aluka drew back his fist,
but when she heard no thump, peeked through her fingers. She watched,
her fingers curling against her cheek as Aluka drove off the overly
friendly young man. Her heart thumped rapidly against her chest as she
watched the boy scramble away and then she turned slowly back to
Aluka. Brown eyes were wide and she slowly nodded. "He..you... thank
you." She sucked in her lower lip and her hands lowered to lay against
her stomach. "He pinched my bottom." Her cheeks flushed.

Aluka groaned, raising eyes and palms to the ceiling. "'Course he did.
I fardlin' hate my gender." He lowered his hands. "All right, let's go
to the Weyrlin'master. I think he's a few corridors down."

She blinked, surprised taking over her rounded features before she
shook her head. "Oh no...It was my fault. I should have been properly
escorted and I wasn't. " She glanced around and wrung her hands. "I
don't want to get in trouble and I don't want my reputation sullied.
I..I shouldn't have been alone with him. I knew better."

The redhead resisted the urge to palm himself in the face. "You're a
weyr woman now. Ya don' need an escort," he said very seriously. "Ya
can go wherever ya want with whoever ya want an' no one's gonna care.
An' if'n ya don' say anythin', Renolt's just gonna keep doin' that to
other women. I won' always be around to stop him. Ya won' get in
trouble, an' your reputation'll be squeaky-clean as ever. I swear it
on my honor as a Candidate of Dragonsfall Weyr. An' if'n that's not
good enough, I'll swear it by whatever ya want me to."

"Yes, yes I do..." She looked down at her hands. "If I don't Impress,
then I have to go home in good standing." She took a deep breath and
looked at him imploringly."If there is even a hint of impropriety or
even a rumor that gets back home, and I have to go home to it, I'll be
ruined." She bit her lower lip, torn. If that boy did that to another
girl, or even her again and Aluka wasn't there, what would she do
then? "I can just tell Lady Yanley's hus..weyrmate. I'm supposed to be
under his protection now..I..."

"See, that's where you're wrong. Ya don' ever haveta go back if'n ya
don' wanna." Aluka crossed his arms. "I haven' Impressed, and there's
no way I'm ever goin' back to the Hold I came from. I wouldn' go back
even if'n every single resident begged on their hands and knees. Now,
I dunno this Lady Yanley you're talkin' bout, but if'n ya think her
weyrmate'll help, then go ahead. I'll talk to the Weyrlin'master
anyway, justa keep everythin' covered." He did not say it cruelly,
just matter-of-factly.

"Well..that's you. My mother has expectations of me and I have a duty
to my hold and my father to marry well if I don't Impress. Duty comes
before what I want." Her hands clutched at each other and she stood
straight, struggling for composure as she closed her eyes and took
several deep breaths to calm herself. Slowly her back straightened as
she exhaled and her hands released from their nervous clench. "I'm
sorry. I shouldn't have become so frantic."

"No, ya don' haveta apologize. It's okay. Ya can feel whatever ya
wanna feel." Aluka hesitantly touched Ninaine's shoulder, giving it a
reassuring squeeze. Ancients, he wished he knew what to say to undo
all the mental damage her menfolk had done to her. "D'ya wanna find
this Yanley now?" he asked quietly. "I'll cover for ya, finish your
part of the chore."

At the touch, her first reaction was to pull away and chide him for
his presumption, but she didn't. He had helped her and stood up to the
other boy for her. She finally relaxed her stiff posture, just a
little, and smiled. "No. I won't ask that of you. You've already
helped me enough. My chores can come first. " She glanced at her broom
and then back at him. "I know I shouldn't ask and it's very improper
of me, but would you stay with me? Just in case he comes back?"

"Oh, he won'. He's one of the smart ones." That was said with confidence.
"But I'll stay anyway. Just lemme get my broom, all right? Won' take a
minute."

Last updated on the March 15th 2014

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