The New Girl(Deltontai)

[Rowen]

Vasrilin walked into the unused smithy making sure to glance around for anyone. He was alone, at last. It had taken near a candle mark to make the last girl stop talking. Her latest rant over another woman stealing her dance partner right out of her hands. It was the same, most women could only think of themselves instead of putting themselves in the others shoes. He could care less, he wasn't involved with the woman but she insisted on talking to him whenever she saw him. He was becoming tiresome.

She removed his jacket and set it down not caring that it would get dusty. He would likely be dusty by the time he left here. With it he set a second sword with a sheath he had brought with him, just in case he managed to ding up the one he was using currently. He rolled up his sleeves not quite to his elbow his dark brown shirt open just slightly the way he liked it so that he could feel the air cooling him. He pulled the sword from his side carefully he moved into a well known position.

By now his muscles had the motions, and the timing nearly mesmerized. He'd been practicing for years, and now he sought relaxation is this time alone. He could ignore the problems of the weyr, the problems of his family, and the problems of the women who cared only for themselves. The truth was he wasn't supposed to be, and as far as his father knew, he wasn't. Vasrilin however did exists and he did know who his father was. It's why his mother always shoved him behind a corner whenever she saw his father coming, and why he choose not to get involved with women. He wasn't going to have the same situation his father did. He would know if he sired any children.

Sweat dripped down around him as she swung around with the movement shifting his feet to the side. He could do this at least, practice and never slack off on his abilities. If he did meet a woman.. The thought intruded and he paused a moment then resumed his practice letting out a laugh. He would worry about that when it happened, for now. No one cared, not in the least.

[E]

Deltontai found herself alone and lost in the huge Weyrbowl. After many turns of letting her sister run to her hearts content, Del finally found it almost painful each time her sister left to run. They were strangers here, outcasts and lowlifes. It was easy to see in the way the weyrfolk looked at them over their shoulders. People went out of their way to avoid them it seemed – either that or went out of their way to confront them. Del wasn’t sure what was worse.

She had finally had enough of the lower caverns and had gone in search of her sister. Finding the fresh air on her face helped, even though it was hinted with the spicy smell of dragonhide. It was a smell Del found she liked, even if it had taken her days to get use to. Smelling it deeply now mingled in with the afternoon breeze.

Standing out away from the walls of the bowl, she looked around. She couldn’t see her sister, and if she wasn’t running in the bowl she wasn’t sure where she would be running at all. Lost to her own devices, she decided to explore. It was not long until she found herself at an open door. The building itself marked it to be a smithy, though there was no smoke coming from the chimney.

Taking a peek inside, she found a man at practice with swordplay. He was tall, though not nearly tall enough to intimidate her. He would only have an inch, if that, on her for his reach. He was, however, not build with bulk, but rather lithely – which Deltontai knew from her own body would be just as deadly because it was quick.

Leaning her shoulder on the doorframe, she crossed her arms and watched him for a short while. It was easy to see that his movements were practiced, and that in itself piqued her interested. Here was someone who was a fighter, and here he was training. It was not the style she fought with, but it was interesting to watch all the same.

[Rowen]

Feeling eyes on him he slowed his movements. Finally stopping and letting out a sigh as he turned toward the door. Finding a woman standing there that he had never seen before he stared. Looking her up and down carefully. Lithely built, brown hair, a inch or so shorter and eyes like hers had been described several times over the past few days. She was the latest rage to nag about by the other women, her and her sister. Deltontai and Itona the two who had come here by the wing of the weyrleader. He made a guess at which one it was judging by the build of her arms and the stance she was taking she seemed to be the fighter type which screamed the one that the other women loathed quietly. "Deltontai right? Something you looking for?"

He tilted his head with his question as he watched her carefully. He rested the tip of his sword in the dust grasping the handle with both hands. Between them lay his coat and his extra sword, but he didn't look toward it instead finding out what she would think if he got her name wrong, or right. He wouldn't know until he saw her reaction, as it was he could only guess, and she couldn't blame him if he was wrong, after all they had never met.

[E]

Deltontai was not surprised when he slowed his movements, eventually stopping and turning to her. Many people could feel eyes upon them and unless she was lost too deeply in her own world, she would feel them too. Unmoving as he looked her up and down, she wondered what his thoughts were. He had been surprised at first – probably expecting someone he knew.


Then he said her name easily, asking if she was looking for something. Now it was Deltontai’s turn to be surprised. Raising her eyebrows, she stood straight again instead of leaning against the door frame. Looking behind her as if this was some trap, the area remained as clear as it had been when she came to the door. Turning back slowly, her hazel eyes fell upon him again, this time far more guarded than they had been a moment ago.

“No, not in here.” She answered slowly before her natural defenses kicked in more fully. “Who are you and how do you know my name?” She asked her own questions much quicker than she had answered and with a bit harder tone of voice. Who was this guy? Had he been watching her and her sister? If he had been watching Itona…. He was going to be in for a good beating.

[Rowen]

Vasrilin watched her become defensive as if he had attacked her. He lifted the sword to his shoulder resting it there as he looked at her. "One thing you'll learn about the weyr is that word gets around fast." He smiled more to reassure her than out of happiness on his part, though he did find her reaction quite amusing. "Many people of the weyr have ears everywhere it's just a matter of time before every little detail about someone comes out." He gave a shrug to the inevitable, he was no fool and had lived in the weyr all this time, he knew how things worked.

She'd checked behind her and he wondered if she'd done it out of habit, to see if he was talking to her, or to see if someone was there. Why she had looked, he didn't know, but maybe he'd find out. He slid his sword back into place at his waist as he watched her taking his hand off the handle. "My name is Vasrilin no one special in this weyr, just another breathing body who takes up space." He moved forward his eyes never leaving her. As he bent down to pick up his jacket and spare sword he asked calmly as if he were asking the weather. "Do you fear people that much? I've heard much about you, I think the words were.. 'always looking for a fight'?"

[E]

Listening closely to the man’s words, Deltontai relaxed a little, leaning against the doorframe again with her arms still crossed. That made sense, it did seem that people loved to talk in the Weyr and she had heard people talking of many things including herself and her sister. It would only stand to reason eventually everyone would find out if those she had not yet meet talked as much as that candidate boy they had eaten with the other day.

Watching him put his sword into its shelth actually made Del relax a little more. She was not one fond of blades for many reasons. Hearing his name, she put it into her memory as best as she could with so many others she had been told and quickly forgotten in the past few days. Vasrilin…. It was another strange name on her tongue.

Hearing his next calm question, however, had her straightening her back once again. Narrowing her eyes a bit, she wondered if he was mocking her or not. It was impossible to tell with the calm way he spoke. Perhaps he spoke that way because he thought he was better than her? Higher born maybe, but that meant nothing.

“I fear no one.” She said a little tartly. Eyes searching him, she decided to counter his questions. “And what about you, you are obviously a fighter, do you claim to fight no one?”

[Rowen]

Vasrilin found himself smiling. She really was an amusing one this woman. She gave as good as she got and seemed to be able to handle some of a decent conversation. What else could he possibly find out about this one? "I make a hobby of my sword play. I've been practicing a long time, but it is not often I look for a fight any more. When I face an opponent that is obviously better than me, I judge my chances and if I think I'll lose I tend to decline. I don't need any more scars." He brushed his thumb under his scar to point it out.

"What preference of fighting do you have? Fists or blades?" He moved toward her stopping beside her to set the sword against the wall and let it rest there while he dusted off his jacket. He doubted very much that he would get much practice today, he didn't mind. He'd found a new interest that if he was careful he was sure wouldn't run away. She said she was a fighter and had the body of one, but something told him if he pushed the wrong thing he'd never know a thing about her, and that would just be a disappointment...

[E]

Any anger she may have been feeling previously was slowly turning into curiosity and enjoyment of the conversation she found herself in. Something about the man before her was… what was it? Challenging? And not in the sort of way that felt as if it was an endangerment to her. It was like racing her sister. A sort of… fun… challenge. Deltontai couldn’t help but find herself unconsciously accepting it.

“I never fight with blades – weapons can always be dropped or taken from you and used against you.” Even as she said it, her mind flashed back in time. She pushed it away with practice, however, and continued. “I am a fist fighter. I fought in the betting caves near the hold and the booker would give me a split of the profit. It fed me and Itona well enough.”

Tilting her head to one side as she watched the man before her dust off his coat, she found herself wondering how old he was. Her words spoke differently, however, “And you? Do you only dance behind the point of that sword or do you have the courage to face an opponent without a weapon in your hands?”

Deltontai found herself actually enjoying the game they played and it was a strange sensation, but she couldn't help herself.

[Rowen]

Vasrilin gave her a glance from the corner of his eye as he slid on his jacket. "I engage in fist fights on occasion, I find it's better than stopping at first blood when you need a bit more than a thrill of seeing blood and out maneuvering your opponent." He gave a shrug. "Taking away ones blade is part of the game in a sword fight. My scar was given to me with my own blade. Quite a memory."

He folded his arms across his chest and leaned his shoulder against the wall while facing her. He found himself looking at her contemplatively. She'd been holdless, he'd heard, and she'd taken care of her sister from the sounds of it, by fighting. She was strong, but she didn't seem to like blades, she'd relaxed when he'd put his away. She'd been the one to mention a blade being taken away so she might have had that experienced, he could understand not like blades after that. "Do you like it here?"

[E]

Deltonatai raised her eyebrows in surprise at the mention of the scar being used to make his own scar. It made her wonder all the more as to why he still used them. She pondered it as she watched him take up a stance similar to her own against the wall across from her. The change of topic was almost disappointing and she couldn’t help but roll her eyes at the question. How often had she been asked that question in the past sevenday?

Looking back at him, she sighed heavily. Being strangly comfortable with the man, she finally gave in and spoke her mind rather than what she was sure everyone wanted to hear. “Its ridiculous here. Too crowded and too many people who are too worried about who you are, where you’ve come from and what you could be. Everyone is worried about bedding the next rider or wrapped in their own little dramatic lives. And they look at me like I’m a plague. Everyone here disgusts me.”

[Rowen]

He couldn't help himself he found himself laughing outright. His head falling back with his laughter as it echoed around them from the empty room. He finally stopped but his smile didn't fade as he regarded her. "That's the weyr for you. If you think it's crowded here, you no nothing of crowds. There are quite a few empty weyrs that need to be filled. As for the people of the weyr." He gave a shrug. "That is just how they are."

He gave her a smirk as he placed a hand on his chest dramatically. "You only just met me and already you are disgusted with me. You wound me. Surely I'm not too disgusting, I don't bed riders, and I don't think you have the plague." He waved his hand as if to brush away the thought. "People will accept you at least while your in their company once you've been around a little longer. I make no promises about what they do out of your company. Are you always so out spoken?"

[E]

Her eyes had opened wide as he made his dramatic gesture and she found herself rolling them shortly after at how ridiculous he was. She did, however, have a smile stuck on her face afterwards. Thinking on his words, she found him speaking sensibly again even if she thought the notion dumb.

“Should I not speak my mind?” It was Deltontai’s turn to shrug. Dropping her arms from her chest, she planted her hands on her hips. “People should not be one person now and another later, that’s lying and lying always gets you hurt in the end. As far as what I say, yes I speak my mind, if people don’t like it they can TRY to hit me. It won’t turn out well for them though. Like I said before, I’m not afraid of anybody.”

Looking the man up and down, she wondered what he would think of that. He seemed to agree with her about her last statement and that only encouraged her more. Perhaps there were some people who thought properly in this sharding Weyr. It was refreshing.

[Rowen]

Vasrilin smiled as he watched her smile and then put her hands on her hips. She was full of fire and fight. If she made it to the sands, she would make a good rider, at that moment she seemed just like a dragon to him and he couldn't help chuckling. "Speak your mind all you like. There are some people who will not appreciate it as much as I however."

He gave her and up and down look. "I doubt many will try to hit you, fighting is not often welcome in the weyr unless it is for sport. There are those who do call others out but when it is a lady the lady often has a champion who goes in her place, since not many know the way of a blade, and it usually bladed fights that are held. At least the ones I hear about." He lifted a hand to his chin and looked up and slightly to the side thoughtfully before looking back at her. "Well that's what the people who tell me about the fights always claim." He shrugged. "I'm never in those fights so it's only interesting if I get to see them and watch. I'm a pretty good eye when a bet's to be made over who wins a sword fight."

[E]

Deltontai found herself blinking at the man, unsure if she should be offended or just plain lost in surprise. She decided on the offended part after he stopped speaking and she realized she had heard nothing beyond ‘lady’. Looking down at herself then back up at him, the fire and anger were back in her eyes.

“Lady? Do I look like a lady to you? Am I in skirts and powder? Do NOT loop me in with those whiney and slutty whores. I am not too proud to get dirty and I will NOT rely on a man to keep me fed and clothed. Men only ever want one thing from women that call themselves ‘lady’ and that’s the goods they have beneath what little clothing they wear.”

Her anger had gotten the better of her and she found herself wanting to desperately hit something. Strangely enough, she managed to keep it from being him, instead hitting the doorframe squarely with a grunt. Lady. Hmph. Typical Man. Turning her back to him, she began to storm away.

[Rowen]

Vasrilin watched her anger come to life in her eyes. He'd struck a nerve without trying. She seemed to have an interesting view on what a 'lady' was. Watching her hit the door frame then start leaving he paused to pick up his spare sword and follow after her. "I don't recall saying you were a lady. You are a female, a woman certainly, but I didn't say you were a lady." He chose to try appeasing her anger instead of pushing it.

"Though you have me curious. You're view of a lady is different from mine." He brushed at some dust on his jackets sleeve. "Another thing. I don't recall saying you were like the women I spoke of. Why you jumped to such a conclusion is... interesting. Do you not like 'Ladies' of the sort you described for some reason?" He found himself asking why since he genuinely was curious, but he didn't know if she would answer.