If we get one of them dragons
The table has on it two plates, or rather slabs of soft tropical wood roughly shaped into concave dishes; and a bowl, created much the same way. In the bowl a heap of cracked and dripping shells glisten with mother-of-pearl interiors of gray and blue. The plates have each on them a few more mussels, as yet unopened. But breakfast has been interrupted and whoever might have dined with Derek is long gone. The man himself stands by the firepit, where no fire currently burns. The wind off the sea is wet and severe but refreshing, and it fills the long narrow cave with its chilly breath. He stands there staring at the ashes, the soft gooey inside of a cooked muscle squished between thumbnail and curled fingers, evidently lost in thought.
It's morning and breakfast is done for him at least as Laivok slowly makes his way into Derek's cave. Not one to be of much words usually, Laivok clears his throat to makes his presence known and awaits for when Derek is ready to speak with him. No aplogies are given for disturbing him this morning, but the guard stands back waiting for Derek to notice him and speak when he's ready.
The island's leader surely hears the clambering that's required for people to get up the rocks or to take the narrow and treacherous cliff-face path into the Alley. But Derek allows himself some time still deep in thought, brows low while he considers the fire and squishes the squishy between his fingers. Only when Laivok clears his throat does the moustachioed man drag himself out of reverie and turn to greet his visitor. "Mussels if you want 'em," he remarks with a jerk of his chin toward the table. "How's the morning to you?"
Laivok nods slowly at Derek, eyes watching the leader as he replies, "Morning's good I suppose. Same as any other." He shrugs then, not big on expression or words. "I ate some fruits and such, but thanks," Laivok nods towards the mussles when offered. "Not too much going on now."
"You've seen the eggs," supposes Derek, and starts a path from the firepit to the mouth of the cave. He'll go by Laivok at close quarters along the way, but he has a shoulder ready for the younger man if it's needed - which it won't be, most likely. No matter: he'll shove through if he needs to, intent on standing in the cavemouth and staring out to sea. "How old are you, Laivok?"
Letting Derek pass by, Laivok nods slowly as he snorts as he speaks a little gruffly, "Yes, I saw the eggs. Interesting." He blinks then when he's asked about his age, "I'm well into my twenty-eighth year, sir. Why?"
"Who knows that besides you and me?" Derek turns his head, casting a corner-eyed glance back at his guard, then raises a hand to smooth his moustache with thumb and forefinger. The gesture is slow, thoughtful. After it he looks back out to sea, raising an elbow to lean against the rock wall. "And why d'you say, 'interesting?'"
Keeping his eyes focused on Derek, Laivok blinks, thinking, "No one knows, sir. I don't speak much to the others unless there's a need except for a couple little talks with Katric, but no speaking of age." Laivok straightens his back a little and seems almost at attentionn, thinking about the last question before answering, "Different than I expected, sir. There were more than I expected as well." Laivok doesn't seem quite happy with the presence of the eggs, but doesn't say more.
"Thirty-three," says Derek, and is quiet for a while, leaning into the rock at the mouth of the cave. "What's Katric had to say to you?"
Laivok shrugs then, "Not much. I got him some rabbits so he can breed some for whatever experiments he's doing and got afew more for stew. He speaks of the girl waiting on him and that they'll take him back to the mainland." Laivok shrugs then, not quit believing Katric will be returning as he thinks.
"Breed them. Like we need more." But the snort in Derek's tone is not unkind, per se. It has a measure of bemused tolerance to it. He is patient, in some things. Bizarre people do not try him much anymore. "Probably easier than hunting or trapping his own, for him." More silence then, interrupted only by the sigh of the tide, in and out. "We're going to be short on candidates," he says after a while. "You know. Kids to go out and wait for the dragons to hatch."
Laivok nods, agreeing with Derek, "I think it would be easier on him. Plus it keeps him out of our hair some." There's just a flicker of amusement in the guards voice, but otherwise not much emotion. Then a pause and a mention of dragons then and Laivok frowns, "So, where are we going to get more candidates, sir? It's not like there are many more islands." Not the brigtest one here as he looks at Derek, a little confused.
"I got some ideas. Going to have to talk to a dragonrider or two about them." Which would mean, not Laivok. But Derek turns around suddenly, putting his back to the sea and his other arm up, so one shoulder gets a break while the other one works. Also, so he can smile at his guard, that smile that just vanishes into the curl of his moustache. "J'lor couldn't put an upper figure on how old a man can be when a dragon'll stop choosing him."
Laivok shakes his head after listening to what Derek has to say, "No, I guess he couldn't sir. You thinking of having some of the older one stand? or standing yourself?" It still hasn't dawned on Laivok that he maybe considered for standing and just looks at Deerek and blinks.
Derek sputters in immediate response, laughter and a snort warring with each other for dominance. Neither wins, and he has to choke and splutter and raise a hand to his mouth to cover the rest of his shock. "No," he says, low and mumbled behind his hand. "Not for nothing. But you, now you're a young man still." He lifts his chin and looks right at Laivok a moment, hand falling away from his mouth. The stare is steely and narrow, and he keeps the exiled guard fixed in it for just a moment before turning his back on the fellow once more. "And there's going to come a day we'll need good fighting men with dragons. When -I- need them."
Laivok blinks in suprise, first at the laughing and then at the suggestion of him standing. "Me stand, sir? For one of the dragons?" HE blinks then, not saying no and will stand it seems if Derek wants him to. "You want me to sir? Will other guards stand?"
"Everyone twenty-seven and under's standing. If I tell J'lor you're twenty-seven you'll stand, unless someone knows and opens their mouth." A jerk of his chin back toward his shoulder and a steely squint from the corners of his eyes: the look is one Laivok might recognize from ten turns prior, when the island king was a guard captain. Without saying as much as a word, his will is clear. No one better know, and no one who knows better say. "Might be a good thing, learning dragonrider ways from the inside out," he muses slowly, again looking out to sea, changing which arm he's leaning into. "Just something I've been thinking of."
Laivok nods slowly, understanding some, "No one knows sir. If you want me to stand, I will and no one will argue with that." No arguements, just following the orders given. "So, if we get one of them dragons and Impress it as they say, then you want me to learn what I can from them. Correct, sir?"
"If we get one of them dragons," repeats Derek, and Laivok will hear a little of the smile in his voice - probably hear it as approval, too, since he can't see the smirking curl of the man's moustache - "You'll learn how they think. How they train. And you'll be one of them, Laivok - a dragonrider. Destined to fight for the people." The smile must be getting bigger, because the tone is getting softer, the man's incongruously sandy voice gentling with each syllable. "And we need men like that, in these times, Laivok. Because we've got worse enemies than Thread to fight."
Laivok nods slowly, smiling slightly at the approval given as he watches Derek, "I will do what I can Derek in seeing that through and will tell you what I find out, sir. If we get one of them dragons that is." He was one that always do what Derek wanted and nods again, "Worse enemies than thread, sir?"
"The people who sent us here, Laivok, and who'll fight us when we go home." That much is said before he turns around. Afterward he reinvades his cave, passing by his guard again with a wave of a hand. Typically, this means dismissal. But he has one more thing to add, and stops by Laivok to punctuate his words with a steely stare. "And those who betrayed us."
Laivok nods slowly as he listens, "Yes, they do need to pay. sir." He was ready to be dismissed and blinks at Derek and his eyes narrow, "Those who betray us need to pay more than the others, sir."
"Those who betrayed us acted without conscience. Those who sent us here only acted in error." Derek goes on by now, and waves his hand again. "You have great insight, Laivok. You'll be a name in history. Though what name - " A pause, a glance over his shoulder. "L'vok? La'ok? A'vok? - I couldn't say." He walks again, heading for the far back wall of the cave, soft sweet laughter rolling from him. "Visit the eggs every chance you get. Nothing else special this sevenday. Go now; your patrol's probably starting soon."
Laivok nods in agreement with Derek as he listens and a smile tugs at his lips over the compliment of insight. "Thank you sir." He blinks then, just realising he would get a new name if he got a dragon, "I didn't even think about the name..." Then he shakes his head and doesn't worry about it. "I'll visit when I can and every chance, sir." Then he nods and saluts Derek, "Yes, sir. I do need to get to the patrol." Once he's fullt dismissed, LAivok turns and heads out of the cave.
A salute - backwards, because Derek's facing away - seals their deal, and ends their meeting, and leaves Derek to contemplate his work in peace.