Kiss it and make it better
Who: W'ton and Hattie with Dasarth and Elaruth
Where: Hattie's weyr
When: Right after this scene where poor W'ton is hit.
What: W'ton seeks out the one person he can be mostly sure of listening with sympathy. She doesn't hit him! Dasarth is Very Mad, but Elaruth helps him out.
Dinnertime, you see, is when people eat dinner. Which is why the Weyr in general are in the living cavern right now sharing food, wine, and gossip. Especially the new gossip about the weyrling brawl in the commons. Hattie might be aware no matter where she is because W'ton got hit and Dasarth was very much Not Amused. So despite what the gold might have been doing she got a bronze with poorly suppressed anger invading just long enough for him to realize that was not a good idea before withdrawing. Now he's curled up into a tight ball on his ledge with angry red eyes whirling into the night and his tail whipping about behind him. His rider? His rider made his way quickly away from where he was at and since he didn't want to try to get his dragon to come get him he heads for the only weyr on the ground he might find someone he knows. To Hattie's weyr he goes and steps inside just far enough to see if she's there and if so is she alone?
What's to be found is a concerned Elaruth midway through the journey to pad carefully outside and onto her ledge; to look up into the dark of the evening and attempt to locate Dasarth physically rather than mentally, at first. With her senses, even if she knows full-well where he lives, it's a task accomplished quickly and only then is the sense of an enquiry to be felt. Without words, more emotions and badly reined-in ones at that: does he want to join her here or shall she visit him there? Or neither? Hattie remains behind, leaning against the doorway to her living quarters, blanket around her and pen lodged somewhere in her pinned-high hair. When W'ton's in sight, she takes one step forward immediately, then stops herself and only looks across at him; folds her arms. "What happened to you?" tries to be a demand, tries to be stern and fails, something the goldrider must know, for then she gives up the pretence and takes further steps his way.
Swish, swish, hit the stone on the wall behind him as Dasarth glares into the night. His talons scrape into the ledge where eventually he'll have some nice channels set the way he goes. Unaware of eyes on him he almost doesn't acknowledge when he gets a touch to his mind. Slowly with plenty of churning emotions hidden beneath a veneer of calm, he sends an invitation to her to join him. Maybe he doesn't trust himself off his ledge right now. His poor face. W'ton's jaw must hurt because he lifts a hand to rub it and as soon as it connects he winces and drops his hand. The question goes unanswered at first as he steps farther in to save her having to move that much closer to him. "Got hit," he finally says and if his voice is a little tight, well, he's got furious dragon in his brain to deal with as well.
Elaruth sits on her ledge a moment or two longer for the move to be hesitation, more consideration, though then she's off into the night and headed for Dasarth's ledge. Landing made carefully and wings tucked tight again, there's another pause from the young queen; a look with yellow-flecked eyes for the bronze, then slowly, slowly she stretches out to try and brush her muzzle against his neck. Calm. "I gathered that much," Hattie responds, a little sharply. "Why? Who?" And about a billion other questions hang in the air, from the look of she who doesn't speak them. "Come here." Now that's an order and she reaches to close fingers around one arm of his and not quite tug, but definitely lead or draw him into the weyr proper and the glow of the hearth, shadows cast across the room.
Despite being near full grown when he curls himself up Dasarth leaves plenty of room for another nearly grown dragon. His tail stills before she lands and he holds himself tightly wound up mentally and physically until feels her muzzle on his neck. Then he unwinds just a little bit and even extends one wing up and out. An invitation to stretch out beside him as best they can on the ledge. It surely was bigger before. "Kai," comes out and while some men might say the name with something in their voice he just says it. It was Kai who punched him. W'ton allows himself to be drawn in and it's not until they're closer to the hearth that he says, with wryness in his tone now, "Because he did not like what I said."
Gold regards bronze for a few seconds more, then Elaruth dips down and folds herself up beside him, curling just a little around him where she might, even if she is only barely the bigger of the two of them. << Do not let whoever did this win and aggravate you so, >> she says, voice a murmur. << You are better than this. >> For whatever the reason, Hattie doesn't seem surprised at the news of whose fists did the work and she simply mutters something derogatory under her breath. "I used to think he was misunderstood, you know. Used to think he had some sense. I assure you such thoughts are long gone now," are all words uttered quietly and at the same, evenly low pitch. "What did you say?" she questions, as she reaches to gently hook one finger under his chin, to try and tilt his head so she can make some assessment of what damage has been done in the light of the flames.
There's a tenseness to the bronze's muscles that only goes away after she's beside him and even then it's such slow going. Like someone geared for a fight they didn't get to have. Dasarth curls in return for comfort and warmth together. << He hurt him >> rumbles out with no trace of refinement to his voice. It's all loud brash soldiers aching for a fight and beating their weapons on their shields. << He hurt him and- And you are right. But it infuriates me so that someone would do such a thing! >> His tail swishes once and only once. Not a fighter in the least W'ton's having a hard time dealing with being hit even once. Poor baby. "I told him if he hadn't acted alone he was a sharding idiot taking the fall. I was /tryin'/ to help the bastard." His choice of words was maybe not so great. Or just the attempt to begin with considering their past relationship, but hey! "I don't care if he did it alone or not, but if he didn't then there's a coward somewhere we have a right to know about. I ain't trusting someone like that with my life it comes to it." It's not that bad yet, but he's going to have a fat lip and big old bruise come morning. His jaw's a little swollen right now and obviously tender by the way he grimaces.
<< He hurt him. And he will not go unpunished. >> Elaruth gets no joy out of the thought of there being punishment involved, but it's a balance somehow, so maybe it works somewhere. She mentally holds her ground, though the effort against the noise has her blinking to keep focused and hold steady. << You are right to be angry. But do not hurt yourself or him further with this, >> the queen implores, nose aimed to brush against bronze again, gently. "The bastard doesn't want help," Hattie states, still in an even-enough voice. "He's made that much clear even before this. He's made his bed, let him lie in it." She shakes her head and sighs quietly. "If he didn't do it alone, then we have two idiots, let alone a coward. You can't go around mistrusting everybody because there might be another cretin in the ranks. It's not your place - or mine - to call anybody on it, not yet, so don't go signing yourself up for more punches." She pauses, gazing steadily up at him, then takes advantage of the tilt of his head and presses a kiss to his neck. "Please."
<< We will be punished as well >> Dasarth is not really pleased with this at all. /They/ were not doing anything wrong. << He tried to help. There should not be punishment for helping. We should be assisting. >> But it's not worth being furious about. It's not worth upsetting her about so he hides it away to let go slowly away from her. << I apologize for disrupting your evening. >> There's the polish in his words again. Polish W'ton doesn't have because he's had to not try to hit someone back and then walk calmly like nothing happened from there to here. His voice is gruff, rusty like he's not used it in a long time which has to be a ridiculous though if ever there was one. "I'm not trying to act with any authority I don't have," he tells her with a weary sigh. "I just had to try. I won't make that mistake again don't worry." Then he snorts, but it turns into something softer when she kisses his neck. "I was afraid you'd be hitting me too," he says softly to her as he wraps his arms around her. "For being a sharding idiot and all. I like this better. If I made up some other places I was hurt would you kiss those too?" He must be feeling fine.
Ripples stir the surface of still water: Elaruth in a minor state of confusion. << But he did not hit. Why would he be punished? For provoking the hit in some way? >> It isn't fair, not really, from that confusion. She curls a little more closely and stills. << You have not disrupted anything, or I would not be here. >> There. Simple. "Just not with him," Hattie counters. "Don't give up on everybody." Which must be odd, coming from the woman who dismisses most people before she's even met them. "Maybe I'll hit you when you least expect it," she murmurs, arms sliding around him. "Maybe I'm becoming accustomed to you being a sharding idiot." She must have been joking, or trying to, so far, because her voice changes again and goes fainter when she says, "Or maybe I just don't like people hurting my..." She's never uttered the word 'boyfriend', it being a childish word, and when a more suitable word isn't found, she just kisses him again instead. "Don't have to make things up. If you think I'm letting you go back out there again tonight, think again."
<< He did not provoke. >> On this he is sure, but then Dasarth would be. Still he sounds truly sincere when he says it and because it's not a good topic. He just presses tight against her and finishes calming himself down by the contact. << I am glad you are here. >> Again with the suaveness there. The bronze must be nearly grown up. Probably closer to it than his rider. "Good. Then I don't have to stop being one," W'ton teases and squeezes her softly. "Big, strong, sexy bronzerider?" Hey, if she can't say something he'll fill it in. "Shells," he mutters. "Wish this hadn’t happened before Cirse talked to me though." Shaking his head he drops the topic of one weyrwoman to focus on the one he's with. "When it empties out in there I'll run grab us some dinner," he offers as he takes a step backwards towards where her bed might be. "Until then we'll have to find some way to pass the time." Some naked way goes without saying.
<< Then he should not be punished, >> Elaruth quietly insists, as if the decision is hers to make. Which it is not, as she must well know, so she simply stays snug against Dasarth and keeps to what is within her realm of capability. << I am glad to be here with you, >> she returns, muzzle running over him again en-route to her settling her head on her forepaws. "Like you would," the goldrider teases through something like low laughter. But then Hattie blinks and peers up at him. "What does Cirse want with you?" she asks, voice stronger. Whilst she steps forward after him, she still seeks an answer from the way she remains focused all the same.
It does not make sense to Dasarth either. After all W'ton's better than most anyone else! There should never be punishment. Although his tone might imply this he doesn't come out and say it. It's only a hint. His wing curls in a bit and then relaxes. << Then we shall spend some time here. Being glad. >> Simple enough. "I could, but yea. Doesn't mean I would I suppose. I need to give you something to complain about. Can't have you getting sick of me." Step, step, step. Tug a little on her arm when she asks the question, but he answers. "I don't know. Before that mess at turn's end she came up to me and said we'd be talking and to not let it ruin my evening. To be honest I forgot about it until a day or so later what with the whole old woman calling me a thief and all."
Elaruth's not going anywhere for a while from the way her eyes fall closed and how she tips her head against Dasarth just a little. << Being glad... >> she echoes softly, serenely, not really sleepily for all that she looks like she might just drop off to sleep. Maybe she's just that relaxed. Or trying to encourage calm. Hattie abandons her blanket to the floor, leaving her in her trousers and a little top that doesn't leave much to the imagination. Still following, she manages to frown and utter aloud, "I wonder what she..." before dismissing that line of thought. Following further, she looks up at him again, hesitant. "I don't want to hurt you," she quietly admits, which might be a ridiculous concept, yet apparently a concern nevertheless.
Dasarth'll be sleepy before too long. All that anger drained him of a lot. It won't take long before Elaruth's got a snoozing bronze beside her. As eyelids droop and his mind goes still his tail snakes out to rest atop hers. W'ton looks relieved when she doesn't keep wondering out loud at least. "Not going to hurt me," he promises as he takes in the new view. "Got punched in the jaw. Not the first time. I know that shocks you, love, but don't get distracted. It'll hurt tomorrow. Just numb and funny right now. Never hurts me the day it happens. Besides, woman, don't you know when I'm with you I'm invincible but for your stinging wit?" The back of his legs bump into her bed and he stops before toppling over then gets a gleam in his eye that maybe he shouldn't have. Grabbing her tighter he says, "Oh, no! I'm going to fall." And down he goes taking her with him.
The young queen drifts even if she doesn't really sleep, staying quiet, settled and comfortable. And there she'll stay beside Dasarth until one or the other of them has to leave his ledge for summons or otherwise. Even with her eyes closed, her other senses remain sharp and she keeps her own little watch over the Bowl, over him for when he might wake. Hattie falls without an exclamation or squeak that one might expect of a girl toppling so, and tumbles quite purposefully into bed in the end. "Trust me," she says, once she's regained enough balance to look down at him, wicked edge to her gaze. "I'm not distracted." That, she seems intent on proving, with little care shown for his clothes - which are, after all, just in the way - and much more concentration on distracting /him/, from the fate of his clothes and from what transpired earlier that evening.
Where: Hattie's weyr
When: Right after this scene where poor W'ton is hit.
What: W'ton seeks out the one person he can be mostly sure of listening with sympathy. She doesn't hit him! Dasarth is Very Mad, but Elaruth helps him out.
Dinnertime, you see, is when people eat dinner. Which is why the Weyr in general are in the living cavern right now sharing food, wine, and gossip. Especially the new gossip about the weyrling brawl in the commons. Hattie might be aware no matter where she is because W'ton got hit and Dasarth was very much Not Amused. So despite what the gold might have been doing she got a bronze with poorly suppressed anger invading just long enough for him to realize that was not a good idea before withdrawing. Now he's curled up into a tight ball on his ledge with angry red eyes whirling into the night and his tail whipping about behind him. His rider? His rider made his way quickly away from where he was at and since he didn't want to try to get his dragon to come get him he heads for the only weyr on the ground he might find someone he knows. To Hattie's weyr he goes and steps inside just far enough to see if she's there and if so is she alone?
What's to be found is a concerned Elaruth midway through the journey to pad carefully outside and onto her ledge; to look up into the dark of the evening and attempt to locate Dasarth physically rather than mentally, at first. With her senses, even if she knows full-well where he lives, it's a task accomplished quickly and only then is the sense of an enquiry to be felt. Without words, more emotions and badly reined-in ones at that: does he want to join her here or shall she visit him there? Or neither? Hattie remains behind, leaning against the doorway to her living quarters, blanket around her and pen lodged somewhere in her pinned-high hair. When W'ton's in sight, she takes one step forward immediately, then stops herself and only looks across at him; folds her arms. "What happened to you?" tries to be a demand, tries to be stern and fails, something the goldrider must know, for then she gives up the pretence and takes further steps his way.
Swish, swish, hit the stone on the wall behind him as Dasarth glares into the night. His talons scrape into the ledge where eventually he'll have some nice channels set the way he goes. Unaware of eyes on him he almost doesn't acknowledge when he gets a touch to his mind. Slowly with plenty of churning emotions hidden beneath a veneer of calm, he sends an invitation to her to join him. Maybe he doesn't trust himself off his ledge right now. His poor face. W'ton's jaw must hurt because he lifts a hand to rub it and as soon as it connects he winces and drops his hand. The question goes unanswered at first as he steps farther in to save her having to move that much closer to him. "Got hit," he finally says and if his voice is a little tight, well, he's got furious dragon in his brain to deal with as well.
Elaruth sits on her ledge a moment or two longer for the move to be hesitation, more consideration, though then she's off into the night and headed for Dasarth's ledge. Landing made carefully and wings tucked tight again, there's another pause from the young queen; a look with yellow-flecked eyes for the bronze, then slowly, slowly she stretches out to try and brush her muzzle against his neck. Calm. "I gathered that much," Hattie responds, a little sharply. "Why? Who?" And about a billion other questions hang in the air, from the look of she who doesn't speak them. "Come here." Now that's an order and she reaches to close fingers around one arm of his and not quite tug, but definitely lead or draw him into the weyr proper and the glow of the hearth, shadows cast across the room.
Despite being near full grown when he curls himself up Dasarth leaves plenty of room for another nearly grown dragon. His tail stills before she lands and he holds himself tightly wound up mentally and physically until feels her muzzle on his neck. Then he unwinds just a little bit and even extends one wing up and out. An invitation to stretch out beside him as best they can on the ledge. It surely was bigger before. "Kai," comes out and while some men might say the name with something in their voice he just says it. It was Kai who punched him. W'ton allows himself to be drawn in and it's not until they're closer to the hearth that he says, with wryness in his tone now, "Because he did not like what I said."
Gold regards bronze for a few seconds more, then Elaruth dips down and folds herself up beside him, curling just a little around him where she might, even if she is only barely the bigger of the two of them. << Do not let whoever did this win and aggravate you so, >> she says, voice a murmur. << You are better than this. >> For whatever the reason, Hattie doesn't seem surprised at the news of whose fists did the work and she simply mutters something derogatory under her breath. "I used to think he was misunderstood, you know. Used to think he had some sense. I assure you such thoughts are long gone now," are all words uttered quietly and at the same, evenly low pitch. "What did you say?" she questions, as she reaches to gently hook one finger under his chin, to try and tilt his head so she can make some assessment of what damage has been done in the light of the flames.
There's a tenseness to the bronze's muscles that only goes away after she's beside him and even then it's such slow going. Like someone geared for a fight they didn't get to have. Dasarth curls in return for comfort and warmth together. << He hurt him >> rumbles out with no trace of refinement to his voice. It's all loud brash soldiers aching for a fight and beating their weapons on their shields. << He hurt him and- And you are right. But it infuriates me so that someone would do such a thing! >> His tail swishes once and only once. Not a fighter in the least W'ton's having a hard time dealing with being hit even once. Poor baby. "I told him if he hadn't acted alone he was a sharding idiot taking the fall. I was /tryin'/ to help the bastard." His choice of words was maybe not so great. Or just the attempt to begin with considering their past relationship, but hey! "I don't care if he did it alone or not, but if he didn't then there's a coward somewhere we have a right to know about. I ain't trusting someone like that with my life it comes to it." It's not that bad yet, but he's going to have a fat lip and big old bruise come morning. His jaw's a little swollen right now and obviously tender by the way he grimaces.
<< He hurt him. And he will not go unpunished. >> Elaruth gets no joy out of the thought of there being punishment involved, but it's a balance somehow, so maybe it works somewhere. She mentally holds her ground, though the effort against the noise has her blinking to keep focused and hold steady. << You are right to be angry. But do not hurt yourself or him further with this, >> the queen implores, nose aimed to brush against bronze again, gently. "The bastard doesn't want help," Hattie states, still in an even-enough voice. "He's made that much clear even before this. He's made his bed, let him lie in it." She shakes her head and sighs quietly. "If he didn't do it alone, then we have two idiots, let alone a coward. You can't go around mistrusting everybody because there might be another cretin in the ranks. It's not your place - or mine - to call anybody on it, not yet, so don't go signing yourself up for more punches." She pauses, gazing steadily up at him, then takes advantage of the tilt of his head and presses a kiss to his neck. "Please."
<< We will be punished as well >> Dasarth is not really pleased with this at all. /They/ were not doing anything wrong. << He tried to help. There should not be punishment for helping. We should be assisting. >> But it's not worth being furious about. It's not worth upsetting her about so he hides it away to let go slowly away from her. << I apologize for disrupting your evening. >> There's the polish in his words again. Polish W'ton doesn't have because he's had to not try to hit someone back and then walk calmly like nothing happened from there to here. His voice is gruff, rusty like he's not used it in a long time which has to be a ridiculous though if ever there was one. "I'm not trying to act with any authority I don't have," he tells her with a weary sigh. "I just had to try. I won't make that mistake again don't worry." Then he snorts, but it turns into something softer when she kisses his neck. "I was afraid you'd be hitting me too," he says softly to her as he wraps his arms around her. "For being a sharding idiot and all. I like this better. If I made up some other places I was hurt would you kiss those too?" He must be feeling fine.
Ripples stir the surface of still water: Elaruth in a minor state of confusion. << But he did not hit. Why would he be punished? For provoking the hit in some way? >> It isn't fair, not really, from that confusion. She curls a little more closely and stills. << You have not disrupted anything, or I would not be here. >> There. Simple. "Just not with him," Hattie counters. "Don't give up on everybody." Which must be odd, coming from the woman who dismisses most people before she's even met them. "Maybe I'll hit you when you least expect it," she murmurs, arms sliding around him. "Maybe I'm becoming accustomed to you being a sharding idiot." She must have been joking, or trying to, so far, because her voice changes again and goes fainter when she says, "Or maybe I just don't like people hurting my..." She's never uttered the word 'boyfriend', it being a childish word, and when a more suitable word isn't found, she just kisses him again instead. "Don't have to make things up. If you think I'm letting you go back out there again tonight, think again."
<< He did not provoke. >> On this he is sure, but then Dasarth would be. Still he sounds truly sincere when he says it and because it's not a good topic. He just presses tight against her and finishes calming himself down by the contact. << I am glad you are here. >> Again with the suaveness there. The bronze must be nearly grown up. Probably closer to it than his rider. "Good. Then I don't have to stop being one," W'ton teases and squeezes her softly. "Big, strong, sexy bronzerider?" Hey, if she can't say something he'll fill it in. "Shells," he mutters. "Wish this hadn’t happened before Cirse talked to me though." Shaking his head he drops the topic of one weyrwoman to focus on the one he's with. "When it empties out in there I'll run grab us some dinner," he offers as he takes a step backwards towards where her bed might be. "Until then we'll have to find some way to pass the time." Some naked way goes without saying.
<< Then he should not be punished, >> Elaruth quietly insists, as if the decision is hers to make. Which it is not, as she must well know, so she simply stays snug against Dasarth and keeps to what is within her realm of capability. << I am glad to be here with you, >> she returns, muzzle running over him again en-route to her settling her head on her forepaws. "Like you would," the goldrider teases through something like low laughter. But then Hattie blinks and peers up at him. "What does Cirse want with you?" she asks, voice stronger. Whilst she steps forward after him, she still seeks an answer from the way she remains focused all the same.
It does not make sense to Dasarth either. After all W'ton's better than most anyone else! There should never be punishment. Although his tone might imply this he doesn't come out and say it. It's only a hint. His wing curls in a bit and then relaxes. << Then we shall spend some time here. Being glad. >> Simple enough. "I could, but yea. Doesn't mean I would I suppose. I need to give you something to complain about. Can't have you getting sick of me." Step, step, step. Tug a little on her arm when she asks the question, but he answers. "I don't know. Before that mess at turn's end she came up to me and said we'd be talking and to not let it ruin my evening. To be honest I forgot about it until a day or so later what with the whole old woman calling me a thief and all."
Elaruth's not going anywhere for a while from the way her eyes fall closed and how she tips her head against Dasarth just a little. << Being glad... >> she echoes softly, serenely, not really sleepily for all that she looks like she might just drop off to sleep. Maybe she's just that relaxed. Or trying to encourage calm. Hattie abandons her blanket to the floor, leaving her in her trousers and a little top that doesn't leave much to the imagination. Still following, she manages to frown and utter aloud, "I wonder what she..." before dismissing that line of thought. Following further, she looks up at him again, hesitant. "I don't want to hurt you," she quietly admits, which might be a ridiculous concept, yet apparently a concern nevertheless.
Dasarth'll be sleepy before too long. All that anger drained him of a lot. It won't take long before Elaruth's got a snoozing bronze beside her. As eyelids droop and his mind goes still his tail snakes out to rest atop hers. W'ton looks relieved when she doesn't keep wondering out loud at least. "Not going to hurt me," he promises as he takes in the new view. "Got punched in the jaw. Not the first time. I know that shocks you, love, but don't get distracted. It'll hurt tomorrow. Just numb and funny right now. Never hurts me the day it happens. Besides, woman, don't you know when I'm with you I'm invincible but for your stinging wit?" The back of his legs bump into her bed and he stops before toppling over then gets a gleam in his eye that maybe he shouldn't have. Grabbing her tighter he says, "Oh, no! I'm going to fall." And down he goes taking her with him.
The young queen drifts even if she doesn't really sleep, staying quiet, settled and comfortable. And there she'll stay beside Dasarth until one or the other of them has to leave his ledge for summons or otherwise. Even with her eyes closed, her other senses remain sharp and she keeps her own little watch over the Bowl, over him for when he might wake. Hattie falls without an exclamation or squeak that one might expect of a girl toppling so, and tumbles quite purposefully into bed in the end. "Trust me," she says, once she's regained enough balance to look down at him, wicked edge to her gaze. "I'm not distracted." That, she seems intent on proving, with little care shown for his clothes - which are, after all, just in the way - and much more concentration on distracting /him/, from the fate of his clothes and from what transpired earlier that evening.