Racing the Caravan (Itona)

[LyricalBlue]

Both copper-bronze dragon and his rider looked down at Itona as if she had suddenly grown two heads. The rider narrowed his eyes, an expression that was only just visible from where Itona now stood.
"I can understand you just fine. So can Xialanth. What do you mean the herdbeasts will make them sick? Do be kind enough to explain exactly what is going on."

The Weyrleader took the moment then to wave his hand at the other bronze who currently held Deltonai a safe distance from the now extremely scared looking man. Not only was he being held a good ten feet off the ground. The elderly rider dismounted from his beast and waved to the younger, who let Deltonai down slowly. The man however, he held on to, though he looked more like he was apt to feint than run away.

The elderly rider set a firm hand on Deltonai's shoulder with a grip that said more clearly than anything else that he was not infirm. His dark eyes fixed on the girl, saying more obviously than any words could that any more swinging of fists would be a poor choice on her part. He cleared his throat and nodded to the rider atop the smaller beast, no, that other man was not being let go anytime soon.

[Rowen]

Itona turned her gaze slowly to the rider, and she felt a moments fear and panic but pushed it away, if she didn't explain then the dragons might eat the herd beasts, and Itona didn't want anything bad to happen, but she knew they were supposed to make the dragons sick.. She had to tell the rider so he didn't let his dragon eat the beasts..

"Don't eat them, they're bad. To poison the dragons, they want to hurt the dragons." Itona felt herself sliding into hysterics, but one look at the dragon had her eyes snapping back to the rider. She looked around until she spotted the man, and she pointed. "He wants to poison the dragons. He gave the herd beasts something while the holders were distracted, and it's supposed to make the dragons ill!"

Itona spun to face the holder and glared as she moved until she stood toe to toe with the man. "And you're stupid for not listening! Just because we don't live in a hold doesn't mean we all lie. What would my sister and I want with herd beasts when we were coming to see the dragons in the first place?!" Itona pointed to the dragon without looking. "You're an idiot for even RISKING hurting them. Even if it's a lie you could at least think about the consequence of it being the truth!"

Turning to face the dragon again she didn't look up but lowered her gaze as she tried to calm herself moving back to the dragon prefering to be close to the large dragon then the holder who had less brains then a wherry. Her gaze lifted to find her sister and spotting her Itona let out a sigh, she would probably have a cut or two unless she was lucky. Itona looked back up at the rider on the dragon 'Xialanth' Itona told herself, "Is that clear enough for you? Or shall I find a way to make it clearer?"

[E]

Putting Deltontai at eye level with the older bronze rider was quite possibly a bad mistake. With the dragon no longer holding her, her terror subsided slightly and her voice calmed down out of its angry hysteria. Her eyes, however, narrowed at the man holding well onto her now. If the man was giving her a dark gaze, it was a shadow to the fury and threat she sent back at the man wordlessly with her own glare.

Deltontai found herself honestly considering swinging on the man in front of her with who she had gazes locked. The sound of her sister’s voice, however, stayed Del’s hand. Without ever moving her eyes off the man holding her shoulder, she listened to her sister explain.

“We asked among those we could after seeing them poison the beasts.” Del said, her voice quiet and cold enough to match her gaze. Her skin tingled under the man’s touch. “It is a poison you can’t see when examining the herdbeasts they said.”
Eyes narrowing, she still glared at the older bronze rider, slowing lifting up a hand to lay it on his wrist and begin pushing it off her shoulder. She was done with the contact and if he meant to continue it she didn’t think she could keep from swinging much longer. All of her life in the fighting pits told her to swing…

“It sterilizes them so they cannot breed. They hope it will be passed to the dragons when it is eaten so the dragons will no longer be able to breed either.” It was all she could do to keep from swinging at the older man. “And if you keep holding me I will bloody that crooked nose of yours, dragon or not.”

[LyricalBlue]

E'dian found himself listening with his usual dispassionate demeanor. Claims of wrongdoing were common enough around the Weyr and it usually fell on his head to sort out such matters. These two girls were clearly as wild as wherries, not raised in a hold... It did not take the brightest glow to figure that one out. The Weyrleader was fairly sure that if he asked, these girls lived in a cave with a herdbeast or two as company. He tapped Xialanth's shoulder and the bronze extended his arm so that his rider could dismount. Once on the ground, he pulled off his riding helmet. Cool, grey eyes examined both the girls and then the caravan leader who was back to groveling on the ground.

His gaze lifted up to the man still in the youngest bronze's grasp before going back to the girls.
"That is quite enough display of temper. These charges you make are deadly serious." E'dian had heard rumors of such a group, but that was it, they were just rumors. If this were really true... it turned his blood to ice water just to think of it. Poisoning the dragons... it would explain many things. Why their population was so small, why the Queens rose so little... and why that after Gaelle had started feeding Aliath outside of the Weyr, the young Queen had grown nearly a full dragonlength.

Now the man in Seth's arms... He did not exactly look like he was up to any talking, as pale as he was. That alone was enough for E'dian to make his decision.
"Can you prove what you say is true?"
Not that the dragons alone were not proof, a pang hit his gut at the thought of his Xialanth and it turned into an icy ball of rage. No, no matter what he thought, he had to handle this as was right. They had to have proof, for all he knew, these two wild girls could be part of something else entirely.

[Rowen]

Itona found herself almost glaring at the man. "I've seen it with my own eyes, the only other proof you might find is whatever he used to poison the beasts." Itona gestured at the man still held by the dragon. Taking a careful breath Itona forced herself to calm, which she realized was a mistake the moment she realized she wasn't comfortable with so many people around her. "Why don't you try talking to the man yourself?" Itona took a carefully measured step away from the people around her and closer to her sister.

'Ishe really ready to take that risk? To risk his dragon for what? Even if he's lying why is he questioning ME?' Itona kept a careful eye on the man in front of her, while keeping her ears open for anyone moving from their position. As long as they all kept their distance Itona would remain calm. 'Stupid brother, he's made me less than comfortable around people, and mother made sure to get rid of the trust. Well I have no one to blame but myself, I wanted to see the dragons again..'

[E]

“Or attempt to breed them.” Del blurted out after her sister. Her eyes had finally left the bronzer beside her to look at the one who was obviously in charge. Del was not so uncomfortable around people as her sister – she at least knew she could bloody them up if they did not amuse her. One glance at her little sister, however, and Del knew how stressed she was over the situation.

Looking around for the first real time at the dragons, each in turn, Del forced herself to take a deep breath. She didn’t need to put any extra stress on her sister by antagonizing these people. This is what her sister had wanted, had dreamed of so much – to see the dragons again.

Shifting her gaze to the man being held, then to the herdbeasts, she repeated herself. “Breed them. Or try to. What we had learned is that you can’t see what the poison is doing by merely looking at the animals. It doesn’t hurt them or make them ill, just in able to have babies. That way you would never suspect the poison being transferred to the dragons.”

Taking another breath, she looked back to the one in charge, looking into his cool grey eyes with her deep brown ones. “No, it’s not a fast solution but look at that coward.” She said motioning to the man held by the dragon, “He is going to faint at the first hint of questioning. You don’t have many options and the risk is too high to not look into it. Surely you have a beastcrafter?”

[LyricalBlue]

It was a long, tense few minutes while E'dian listened to what these girls were saying. And it was several minutes longer before the Weyrleader outwardly showed any reaction at all. What these girls were saying had a ring of truth and certainly the man in the young bronze's claws had blanched even more as the girls explained. E'dian waved to the equally young rider.
"Take him back to the Weyr. We'll deal with him there." The young beast backed up and leaped into the air with remarkable agility in so tight an area. It was at that point, that the man in his claws feinted entirely. With several strong flaps he was above the trees, and then he abruptly disappeared.

The steely gaze of the Weyrleader flicked back to the girls, he waved once more to the rest of the bronzes in the air.
"Escort the remaining caravan to the Weyr. Leave the beasts here." As they spread out to escort the remainder of the caravan, the now sheepish looking Caravan leader inclined his head to E'dian before moving off. The creek of the wheels and the dust nearly blotted out the sound of the waterfall and in a few minutes, the clearing was nearly empty again. Save for the old bronze and rider, The Weyrleader, Xialanth and the two girls.

It was only then that E'dian spoke to the girls once more. Xialanth lowered his six foot head to sniff the top of Itona's hair and rumble softly, clearly in approval.
"He says thank you for the information. We'll deal with the man in our way." He glanced over the ragged looking pair and was fairly sure that they were holdless. But, it did not hurt to offer some protection to them no matter where they lived. Surely here, they were rather far from any hold, legal or otherwise. "You will be compensated for your time. Is there anything else you know? And do you need an escort back home?"

[Rowen]

Itona's gaze lifted to the dragon and she smiled. Her focus was so complete that she almost didn't hear the man speak. Blinking she glanced at him then back at Xialanth. "Home? I'd rather not go home." Stepping closer to Xialanth she raised her hand but paused before touching giving Xialanth the opportunity to lift out of her reach before placing her hand on him to feel his hide. 'I wonder if Xialanth was in the flight we saw..'

Glancing at her sister Itona couldn't help speaking her mind even though she felt it sounded childish. "I don't want to go back." Her opinion known, Itona turned her gaze back to Xialanth. 'We get something for our time? What would a dragonrider give to a pair of holdless to pay them for time? I'm beyond understanding what he'll give us, it's not like we did it to get anything anyway.' Anger and fear gone Itona relaxed slightly as she watched Xialanth.

[E]

Having always been so close to her sister, Del could feel the tension slowly sweep from her sister. It had a relaxing affect on Deltontai as well. Shifting her weight, she crossed her arms over her chest, letting her fingers relax out of the fists she had been holding. Watching the dragon, Del tilted her head. Itona is so comfortable with him… she’s not even the least bit scared… The rumble that emitted from the bronze brought Del’s head back slightly but a smile tugged at the corner of her lips as even the holdless woman who had never been around dragons felt the approval in it.

Even with as little as I know, it almost seems as if Itona is meant to be here… Hearing Itona’s childlike mention of their home made her sigh sadly. Bringing Itona to the dragons to see them again was one thing, but where else would they find a safe cave not infested with the large felines that were known to be all along this mountain range?

Turning toward the man speaking, Del answered him, “We don’t know much else, we are not even sure if that man was the only man. I have a feeling that there were more involved though. The more I have thought about it the more I’m certain there must be a few. I know that man personally and he would know nothing of a poison you could not see.”

Letting her arms fall again, Del looked at her sister who was so enthralled by the dragon. “Perhaps you have a bit of food? Or even a place for us to stay for the night.” Deltontai knew the next words would hurt her sister, but they were holdless and never had they been welcome for very long. “It’s a long walk back home."

If we even go back. Maybe I could grant Itona her wish, we could find a cave maybe closer to water than we have now. Somewhere not far so we could watch the dragons. I don't know how to hunt though... And Deltontai knew it would be the lack of ability to get food that would bring the two hungry sisters back to the caves where they had always been. Del knew how to fight and she knew how to steal. She did not know how to grow food, how to farm or hunt or fish... It hurt to know that she would not be able to keep that smile and calm on her sister for long.

[LyricalBlue]

The copper colored bronze lifted his head from just over Itona, large faceted eyes whirling bluely.
They could come back with us. They might have a chance when Aliath has eggs again.
E'dian found himself staring up at his bronze once again. They were nearing on sixteen turns together and still the dragon never ceased to surprise him. Of course, today was not most days. He looked back at the two scruffy girls in front of him and let out a long breath. Bronzes didn't Search... but if Xialanth thought they would stand a chance... he really should bring them back.

In his typical fashion, he ran a hand through sweat damp hair as he thought. They had seen the bronzes already. Though they had no way of knowing that those few were the entire compliment of the Weyr, normally they would only be enough for a single wing. Neither of them had been frightened either, which in comparison to the groveling traders was enough information for the Weyrleader.
"Well girls... Considering how much you've seen already. If you would like, the Weyr could offer you a home."

Xialanth rumbled before lowering his head back down to Itona once again.
Tell her that I won that flight she saw. That was Aliath's mating flight.
E'dian quirked an eyebrow and almost smiled before he relayed the message to the younger of the two girls.
"Xialanth says to tell you that what you saw was Golden Aliath's mating flight." The Weyrleader found himself actually smiling a the second part of the message. "And that he won it." More information could wait until they got back to the Weyr, provided they actually decided to come.

[Rowen]

Itona jumped when she heard the riders proposal, she was so startled by it. Looking up at Xialanth when he rumbled she wondered what it was he was saying. She found she didn't have long to wait, the rider told her, and she turned wide eyes on Xialanth. She smiled, "Well aren't you the charmer?" She continued her strokes on the willing Xialanth.

She'd let herself get distracted but now her thoughts quickly strayed back to the riders offer. A home where her mother and likely their brother wouldn't bother them again... On the other hand, if they agreed they would have to live with both the dragons.. Itona's eyes moved back to the rider who still hadn't given his name, and the dragon men.. The Dragon's Itona was sure she could live with, but the men or others who lived in the wyer?

Itona tilted her head slightly to the side trying her best to way the pro's and con's as best she could. Her gaze wandered to her sister, unaware that she had an almost helplessly pleading look on her face. She really did not wish to return to their old home, to their mother or their supposed brother. Itona wasn't unknowing of their situation, if they said no, there was only one place to go, back to the caves and the fights that Dela constantly had.

It wasn't something Itona wanted to go back to, but she couldn't find herself agreeing readily to the rider. His dragon may be kind, but even though she'd had near to no contact with dragons she'd had more than enough with men. Agreeing would mean she would have to trust him enough to not hurt her or her sister. How could she do that? She didn't even know this mans name!

Her gaze remained focused on her sister and her expression shifted to one of questioning. Itona couldn't make this choice without her sister, if her sister decided to go back to the caves, then that is where Itona would go as well.

[E]

Deltontai watched as the man stared at his dragon a moment then seemed to size them up yet again. Del couldn’t help but tense under his gaze as he ran a hand through his sweat damp hair. If the fighter didn’t know better after reading her opponents movements so often, she’d swear he was giving into some idea. It didn’t take long to learn exactly what that idea was, but once she had Del found herself speechless for a moment.

Deltontai did not look back at the man before them as he continued talking, but at her sister. She could see her plainly conflicted with emotions at the prospect. The pleading eyes that turned back Del’s gaze almost stung. Softly, as if the words might scare the great beasts away, Del spoke under her breath.

“But we know nothing of Weyrs Itona…” Wincing at her own words, Del dropped her gaze to the sand at her feet. Her boots were well past need of replacement as they had been well used even before they came to possess them and even now were held together by bits of thread tied around them. What would it be like to have a life they did not have to scrape and grovel for?

Wrapping her arms around her midsection, Del finally raised her eyes back to the bronze rider before her. She took a moment to really look at him. It was not often Del found herself needing to look up at a man, and even while she could look him in the eyes now, he still held nearly 5 inches on her. He had one of the darkest tans she had ever seen and he was thin, but not the sort of thin that came from lack of food. It was easy to see that there was muscle beneath his clothes and his strange grey eyes seemed to hold a storm inside.

Despite it all, however, he was clean shaven – another rare trait among the holdless, and it was easy to tell by his leathers and face that he took good care of himself. He was healthy and not lacking in anything he needed. Deltontai did not need to look at herself or her sister for a comparison. The sudden longing for a similar life, a life without wondering where their next meal would come from and who lay beyond the next corner ready to kill them for what they had, was strong indeed.

Gaze catching the man’s unsettling grey eyes, Del held them. “What would we do at the Weyr? Nothing is free, that is something we have learned all to well. What would we do to earn this ‘Home’ you offer us? I have no skills outside the fighting pit to sell.” Her eyes suddenly steeled themselves and narrowed as another thought came unwelcomed to her mind. “And I sell nothing under my breeches or those of my sisters.”

[LyricalBlue]

As the two girls processed the information, E'dian found himself studying them once more. Like feral beasts they were. Had they never known what it was to long for hearth and home, likely not. He rather thought these two had never even had the chance to sit in front of a low burning hearth and relax. They were children by the look of them... no older than his own daughter and E'dian found himself worrying patrimonially over their future. At least at the Weyr, they would have a chance to make something of themselves. Once the Weyr had been highly regarded, Holders would scramble for the chance to send their children there. Now... now Pern did not even know that its last Weyr still existed at all.

Xialanth lowered his head so that Itona could easily reach the ridges over his huge eyes. As she rubbed, the lids lowered until they were half closed and even his rider was distracted for a moment, looking at the pair. She was as comfortable with the dragon as he was with her. Yes, these two belonged in a Weyr... well at least the younger certainly did. And as his gaze slid back to Deltonai, he was rather sure that they came as a package. That one had protector written all over her too thin frame.

He paused before responding to her questions, half in shock from what Deltonai had just said. E'dian shook his head roughly, disgust written clearly on his face.
"No, your breeches stay on unless you want otherwise. Such things are not for trade at the Weyr. But you will be asked to help as much as you're able. There are many people and dragons to care for. They need food made, clothes mended, quarters cleaned. You'll have ample opportunities to earn your keep."

E'dian paused once more, thinking about how estranged he and Gaelle had been lately. The excitable Weyrwoman was nearly his opposite in every way. But they worked well together, well, when they actually could work together. He rather thought that it wouldn't be turns between Aliath's mating flights. She was so young, but so much more vibrant than Arizith had ever been. And as for Nisurath... small and sickly as she was, there had not been more than a single Queen in the Weyr since the last pass. It spelled out hope to E'dian and that was something that the Weyr was in desperate need of.

Girls were not traditionally Searched... but if Xialanth liked them this much, they deserved the chance to stand the next time around.
"And maybe in a year or so, the next time there is a clutch, you would be welcome to stand as Candidates for it. Xialanth thinks that you'd do well."
In full Weyrleader mode, E'dian stood silently to see what their reactions would be. It really was the worst part of this job, all this talking.

[Rowen]

Itona listened but had turned back to Xialanth to watch him closely now. A up close encounter with a dragon like Xialanth didn't come everyday after all, so why waste it? A smile spread her lips as Xialanth's lids lowered. The eye ridges seemed to be the place he most enjoyed being rubbed. He was such an amazing creature, yet if he wanted to Itona was sure he could eat her easily, but why would he? Itona was sure he had no reason to.

It took a moment for the riders words to sink in, when they did she froze. Confused first she looked into Xialanth's eye wondering how he would know. Was it because she wasn't afraid of him? She wasn't aware she had stopped rubbing but she was stunned and uncertain. The two emotions started a conflicting war inside her as she tried to piece it all together.

The prospect was exciting Itona admitted, but this wasn't why she had wanted to come see the dragons again. Itona didn't want one, didn't want a bond with a creature that was entrancing but still so dangerous. Itona wanted nobody nothing, but her sister. Dela understood her, knew what she had been through, and still loved her and stayed with her. She couldn't ask that of anyone else.

No Itona realized, trying to make claim to a dragon was not something she would do. Would the rider be angry if she told him this? Maybe he was only offering a home because Xialanth said they might do well as.. Candidates had he called them? From the wording Itona was sure she wasn't drawing the wrong conclusion. He meant for them to be candidates for dragons. Definitely not, Itona's gaze strayed to her sister again. Dela had always been there for Itona, even when their brother had attacked her, but Itona hadn't been there for Dela when she'd needed her... Maybe a dragon would be able to protect Dela, because Itona was all to aware of her short comings to her sister. Dela deserved better.

Itona smiled at her sister wanting her sister not to worry about her, she didn't speak. Her sister would do what was best, but if her sister refused the offer as Itona planned to.... Later. Then Itona would just have to change her mind, if it meant having a long persuading talk with her sister then so be it. Itona resumed her rubbing finally noticing she'd stopped she let out a soft hum to apologize because she didn't want to speak, she wanted to know what her sister would say to all this.

[E]

Deltontai listened to the bronze rider before her, her gaze shifting to the great dragon so near to them when he made mention of the next clutch. Her jaw was steeled shut, clenched against falling open in wide surprise. Surely there must be a catch, or perhaps a misunderstanding. Holdless girls did not stand for dragons, it was men who rode dragons. Even as her thoughts searched for an understanding, she could not take her eyes off the bronze… There was a hunger there, and it remained as her eyes finally slid down to her sister.

Look at how calm Itona was so near to that fearsome beast. If anyone in the world deserved the chance at a dragon, it was Itona who had lived through so much and still remained so pure. Deltontai knew herself as tainted; she felt that taint every time she got exhilarated from a fight. But Itona… It was enough to make up Deltontai’s mind for her.

“We will stay, then.” Her voice was still thoughtful as she returned her sisters gaze. Even if the chance to stand for dragons was an empty one, the calling of warm food for them both was still tempting. They didn’t know what it was like to be around people, but Del was willing to brave it if it simply meant they knew where their next meal was coming from.

“I don’t know if things will turn out the way either of us imagine, but for the moment I think it would be better for us to stay. At least for a while. Perhaps you can teach us things we don’t know so if we do need to leave later on we will be better off.”

And if we leave with a dragon at our side to protect the both of us, then nothing would dare to harm us again…