Impromptu Meeting

[Xennai]

It’d been a few days since The Infamous Night, as R’fael had started to call it in his mind. And an infamous night it had been! So much had happened in that night that the brown rider now considered it one of the mile stones in his life.

Quite a night indeed.

Since then, R’fael hadn’t seen Ez but from a distance, and he considered that a good thing. They were both too raw; there were too many memories, to interact with each other with some degree of normalcy. R’fael wasn’t sure what might happen should they see each other face-to-face—he’d narrowed it down to either several awkward moments or a desperate need to find a broom closet and privacy fast.

R’fael had thought about the candidate off and on through the last few days. Thought of all the things he’d consciously learned, remembered and sought. A milestone, indeed, for the brown rider, who’d never accurately remembered his encounters with members of his own sex. But he remembered every detail of that night.

He wasn’t sure he wanted to repeat the experience. He definitely wanted no relationship with the redheaded male because neither of them was looking for it, nor did they want it. But something was there, something undeniable, and he wasn’t sure if the occasion wouldn’t repeat itself. There was just no saying.

Walking down a corridor, musing over such thoughts, Rafe loped into one with his long-legged grace. What he saw made him stop short. The person walking in front of him, back to him, vaguely looked like Ez—but if Rafe’s memory was severely twisted, the man looked much different.

He seemed several inches shorter for one and much more effeminate than he already was. The way he was walking seemed definitively female: the stride was shorter, the hips swayed. His hair seemed more orange than red, but it looked like Ez, it did.

R’fael frowned, feet eating up the ground beneath him in long strides. He seized Ez’s shoulder, the male’s name springing from his lips. “Ez, I was just—“ But when he turned who he thought was Ez around, he realized that he’d been very mistaken indeed. It wasn’t Ez at all but a woman that looked very much like the brown rider’s—friend.

Dark brows lowered in confusion and apologies popped up into liquid eyes. Tanned hand dropped from her shoulder and R’fael stepped back, instantly giving the woman room, some of the personal space that he’d taken from her in that moment. His face relaxed into a frown and his head ducked in a light inclination.

“Excuse me. I’m so sorry.” His eyes flickered to the knots at her shoulder and his head dipped even lower. “Gold handler. I didn’t mean to spring upon you like that. I thought you were someone else. My most sincere apologies.” His head dipped again, his voice soft and melted honey as always. R’fael wasn’t one who objected to the wher handlers, not when he knew that they were the first line of protection. “I am sorry,” he repeated.

[panther]

ooc||I’d like to add, this is before the hatching.[/i]

The day was drawing into dusk, Danae, bleary eyed. She was all off kilter being here. The change was certainly not something she relished. She yawned, and made her way down the corridors. This place was an absolute labyrinth in comparison to the wher hold. Corridors wove like tunelsnakes, crossing and curving and bowing this way and that, meandering more than a river, and with more streams too. Half the time she had no idea where she was going, but, if she wanted to go somewhere populated, generally she just followed the lines of someone else, discretely of course. Feminine wiles won out occasionally, even for Danae.

At current she was aiming for the kitchens. A little breakfast to satiate an unsettled stomach. As she walked, she heard a voice call, a rough hand on her shoulder, turning her around, “Ez, I was just—“ Danae turned, astonished, still quite sleepy, amber eyes opened a fraction wider, showing her confusion and shock.

She waved a hand as he apologized, “no foul, Rider.” Stupid Rider. Should look and think before he acts. gruff morning persona showing. She turned around, freezing as she did…as she paused, sleepy mind just realizing, tacking onto the details of what the man had said. And the name he had called her… Ez. Her brow quirked, eyes curious now, “I’m sorry, rider, My name’s Danae… of golden Danask. And, pardon me, but did you jut call me Ez

---

Admin's Note:[/hr]” She paused, stressing on the name, for it wasn’t a very regular Pernese name, “I don’t supposed that was Ez, as in, Ezieki?” She elaborated, conjuring images in her mind of her cousin, he was younger than her, the last she had seen of him, deep red hair, pretty face, far too cute to be a boy. “Ezieki with the red hair?” She continued her probing. It was almost impossible. What was the chances of him, being at the weyr? Well, it was Azvon’s local weyr, she guessed, but still, it was a bizarre turn of events.

She fell in,Ez, at the weyr? What if he was a rider? What if he was Ez’ki now, as opposed to Ezieki? Her curiosity deepened, as did a little distaste – surfacing for her distaste for riders, not her cousin – what would Ez impress to? Her mind reeled on possibilities.

Stop. She commanded herself, she hadn’t even heard the rider’s answer, she met his eyes, dark really dark, he was actually a pretty darned attractive guy. shame he’s a rider though Danae thought to herself.

[Xennai]

Now he could see the woman, the handler, he reminded himself, R’fael noted that she did indeed look a lot like the candidate he’d thought she was, but she also looked rather half-conscious still and not happy about it.

R’fael tried not to watch her avidly, but she just looked so much like Ez that it was disconcerting. He felt a familiar tightening in his stomach, but willed it down. This was not Ez and what had happened was, more than likely, not going to happen every again. Not for a long time, if ever.

He saw the shock widen at her eyes, several moments late and he nodded at her prompting as she described Ez in more detail. “Yes,” he said simply, the statement nearly a question. She had to be a relative. She had to be. This wasn’t just coincidence. “I mean Candidate Ezieki, with the long red hair, darker than yours, an affinity for decoration.” Head cocked to the side and R’fael took a tentative step forward. “You know him then?”

He wondered how a gold handler from the newly established wher hold at Caspian would know a candidate, formerly a resident of Azvon. The two didn’t really cross. An interesting conundrum. An eyebrow arched slightly at his thoughts and he looked her over. She really did look a lot like Ez…Surely it wasn’t a coincidence…

[panther]

She looked at him, her eyes widening, a smirk picked her features – one that didn’t often, but it was a family resemblance for sure, almost the exact same as he cousins. “Aye, I know him Rider.” The smirk broadened to a fond smile, She was also very glad to hear he was a candidate and not a rider, it settled the flitters in her tummy, “He’s my little cousin, I hope he fares well.” She mused over the fact he still had long hair, he had always kept his hair long, it was something he prided himself on, for a bizarre reason.

Hen her thoughts fell to the other point. He was a brown Rider, and judging by his knot, he was neither the candidate master, nor the weyrling master, nor was he a man prolific to the Weyr such as the second to the Weyrleader. She gave a ponderous hmmm, “But, tell me Rider,” Rank used for he had not given his name yet, “Why would you a brown rider, of no connection to candidates know of my-“ She paused, stopping. Shells and shards. Faranth save her. Ez… What had he done… he hadn’t gone there with the Rider had he? She groaned mentally, disapproving so thoroughly of her slatternly cousin. Well, it was either that, or his trouble making nature had got his name known through the entire Weyr. But judging on how the Rider had approached Danae, believing her to be her cousin and Candidate Ezieki… She wouldn’t say he was known with this one for his troublemaking.

She dipped her head low, apologizing to a Rider, despite the fact it burned at her insides, and produced bile in her mouth as vile as poison, “I apologise for any… poor actions of my cousin Rider, I hope he has not caused offence.” Family was family. And Blood would out, but Ez? Ez was the black sheep in the family, and shards, she loved him for it. But she hadn’t seen him for so long. Ever since her blood pact to Danask she hadn’t seen Ezieki. Her curiousity piqued, she would adore to know how he had turned out.

[Xennai]

R’fael kept noticing similarities, and differences, between Danae and the image he held of Ez in his head. There was the hair for one. Both wore theirs long, and both could accurately claim to be redheads, but Ez’s was darker, more crimson and carnal, while Danae’s was more orange, more blonde, seeming much more strawberry blonde. There eyes were similar, yet different, as well. Both had that strange, appealing, light brown tone, but Ez’s were more tawny, darker, while his relative’s—sister? Cousin?—was lighter, amber as opposed to tawny.

Cousin. She was his cousin. Well, that explained it.

He listened to her and then felt panic squirm up into his stomach. He stopped it from touching his face, but it was a hard won fight. He watched her with blank eyes, watched as her question failed, floundered, and understanding sprang to her eyes. He reminded himself to inhale, feeling like his palms were sweating flits.

R’fael was surprised when Danae the gold handler apologized and didn’t start laying into him, wondering what in all of Pern he was doing with a candidate, of all people. He frowned, dark brows knitting. Head shook and he stepped forward, touching her arm gently.

“You have no reason to apologize, handler. It’s my fault and none of his.” Head hung and he felt like shifting from side to side. He was uncomfortable, extremely so. But he hadn’t ever thought he’d be meeting any of Ez’s family. “And since it’s my fault, it’d be best if you know who I am…I’m R’fael, bonded of brown Keirath.” He sighed softly. “And I’m extremely sorry for what has happened here.”

[panther]

She frowned. The bron rider had manners at very least. So what was a nice guy like this, doing with Ez? Ez didn’t go for these sorts… Least, he never had when she knew him as well as she had. And She couldn’t imagine that the slacker that he was had faded much from the foreground. But, she shirked his hand from her arm, adverse to his touch – though she was unsure why. Perhaps it was knowing that her cousin had had that touch. Or … perhaps something else.

“I hardly believe my cousin was blameless. He never is in these situations.” She shook her head, her cousin hadn’t changed a wink since she had known him. “Yet, it is good to see that Ez doesn’t always pick a tunnelsnake from the clutch, your manners present you well, R’fael.” A gentle smile graced her, “Don’t apologise for something that isn’t your fault R’fael, as I said, my cousin is far from blameless, and well, though I don’t know any of the details – shells I didn’t know he was even here – but I know my cousin well enough to know where a good portion of the guilt will certainly lay. Ez was always a tyke as a child, mischievous to boot.” She smiled, “Guess I might share a tiny amount of it… but not quite in the way he encompasses every element of it.” She smiled, “Now, tell me, how is he? It’s been many a turn since I seen him. I can’t believe he’s a candidate.” She shook her head, her disbelief, and a small amount of dismay displayed by her words and actions.

[Xennai]

R’fael was rather shocked when she practically shook off his apologies as she had his hand and laid all of the blame at Ez’s feet. He wasn’t exactly sure if he thought well of her for it or not. Families, in his opinion, ought to stand up for one another, no matter the circumstances or events that transpired. However, that sort of love, that sort of blind acceptance, often led to blinders in terms to the person involved. It led to bad behavior as far as he’d seen. He supposed he did admire her for it, because she wasn’t blind to her cousin’s behavior and was still affectionate when she talked about him.

The brown rider sighed, one hand rising to grip the back of his neck. Dark head shook and he eyed her, look soulful and a little shamefaced. “While I appreciate that you’re not mauling me and pinning all of the blame for this on me, handler, it was a joint effort and it was I who initiated it.” R’fael grimaced, feeling slightly sick. Families, in his experience, were not his forte. In any way, shape or form. Being around Ez’s cousin was, quite frankly, panicking him slightly.

“He’s been good.” R’fael nodded, shrugging. Shards. He wished they could move along to a different topic. This one was just much too touchy and close to home. He sighed, hands spreading. “I haven’t talked to him lately, but when I did he was lively, in good spirits. And aye, he is a candidate. I’ve a good feeling about him as well. I think he’ll Impress well.” He might have been a bit biased, but it was true. He just had a feeling that, though he didn’t think Ez would Impress high, such as a bronze—Faranth save them, don’t let that happen!—he thought that the redheaded male would Impress well. He had no qualms telling his cousin so. “However, Handler Danae, may I ask why you don’t seem to like that? Being a candidate is a very good thing. It’s a life-changing opportunity.” He’d know that of course. Seven long Turns ago, he’d Impressed Keirath when he’d been a candidate himself.

[panther]

Gaining a wicked grin, “I honestly don’t want to know the mechanics of it R’fael, but, to hear that Ez wasn’t the one who started it? Well it’s a comfort, maybe he didn’t turn out so bad as he might have.” Though she had no doubts that Ez likely would have manipulated the situation into where it was.

She shook her head, “Well, I am glad to hear he’s well. But, as to his candidacy?” She didn’t look positive. Firstly, there was her dislike for Riders, and to be saying that her own cousin was standing for a hatching? Well that wasn’t good, but she wouldn’t say that to R’fael, “He’s not… overly suited to Weyr life I’d suspect. He’s too headstrong, willful, and shells, but he has no problem creating trouble, bordering on havoc if he feels there is just cause for it. And that just cause? Isn’t as reasoned as every ones. He doesn’t take well to authority, and he will shirk responsibility where at all possible. Aye, a dragon might change him. But… Ez is very set in his ways.

“Also, his” She cleared her throat, and for want of a better word, she substituted, “…habits, could be frowned upon – even here – and if he’s not careful, could end up scarring his hatchling. If, of course, he does impress.” She shook her head, shrugged, “He’s a wild one. Always was. I love him to pieces, but I know him better than he does.” She shook her head.

“I mean nothing by it R’fael, it is but my opinion. I just don’t think he’d make a very good dragonman.” Not to mention of course that she rather didn’t want her cousin to become one of the lazy oafs that were Riders. That took what they could, and had given nothing back for Turns on end. “Yet, if he has made the decision to stand here, I’ll support him. He is my family, and closer than most cousins, I spent a few turns growing with him when we were both children, and I hope in a way, you are correct, if he does impress highly? It might be a good influence upon him. After all, a green or a blue, would only increase his… rambunctious nature.”

[Xennai]

R'fael was waiting, almost eagerly, for Danae's reasonings for not being overjoyed about her cousin's opportunity at a new life. He'd never met such a person who, though she hid it subtly, seemed to have such a disdain for Weyrs, dragons, and the men and women who shared their lives with them. To meet such a person, and not only that, but the cousin of his life-changing one-night stand...Well, sometimes roads in life crossed at a junction and the only thing one could do was step forward.

What she said, though, made sense, though it was not the answer he'd been expecting in the least. He'd expected to hear how the Weyr didn't suit Ez, not how Ez didn't suit the Weyr. Frame of mind shifted and the brown rider listened with interest to the outlining of why Danae didn't think Ez suited.

R'fael could admit, though rather reluctantly, that she did have a few points. The conflict with authority, the shirking of responsibility and his "habits", especially during weyrlinghood, could present with situations that would not bode well for their common acquaintance.

However..."I'm not sure that you understand the intensity of the bond between a man and his dragon, Handler Danae. I'm not sure of the mechanics or depth that exists between a wher and its handler, but with dragons...It's all-consuming. When a dragon's rider dies, the dragon takes itself to between rather than suffer through the rest of life without their bonded. When a rider's dragon dies, it's very rare for the man himself to live, but if he does...It's like watching a man who's only half alive.

"Your dragon becomes your primary responsibility. Your own life, your sex life, your wants and needs and desires change and shift. It centers around your dragon, like spokes of a wheel. Your mates are usually determined by a Flight, and if they're not, nine out of ten times they come from within the Weyr. You want as your dragon wants, you need as your dragon needs. What you have listed as liabilities of your cousin will likely change if he does Impress, which I think he will.

"However," R'fael's hands spread and he shrugged helplessly. "You are entilted to your own opinions and, excuse me, I am entitled to my own. You may agree or disagree. It's entirely up to you. And since you are bonded to a Queen, I think you have a good head on your shoulders and realize that as well." Lips quirled and R'fael chuckled softly. "It will all be seen in time."

[panther]

She looked at him, glaring at the Rider. How could he say that? What did he mean by it? Understand the intensity of a bond between a man and a dragon? How Dare he. She held her tongue, and allowed him to finish, All-consuming…. Wherry dung,

“Firstly, rider.” Term given with distaste, “How dare you presume I know nothing of the depth the bond. I will have you know a Wher is a greater kind of being than a flitter, and I assure” Her words bordering a purr and a growl at this stage, “you, R’fael, that such a bond exists between a wher and it’s handler, where the handler is open enough to allow it. No matter your opinion, Whers are not just some creature to line your jacket to guard from the between.” She warned him, her eyes dangerous, and despite her severe lack of height against him, she was being imposing now.

She gave a mocking laugh at his next argument, “And what, if not a primary responsibility, is changing your entire waking pattern about your bond?” Se questioned, her tone still quite level, but her distaste obvious, “my live revolves around my Wher, Danask is as great a part of me, as I am, my mate, is determined by the Run also.” She quirked her head to the side, “So do not presume I know nothing of a Rider’s bond.”

“Aye, it will be seen in time, Wing rider…” The use of his low stationing rank used just to display a small power play, “And personally? I hope my cousin doesn’t impress, at least then he won’t be amongst such bitterly blind creatures such as yourself R’fael.” She gave a quick hmph, turning on her heel, walking down the hallways in the opposite direction of him, determined, poised and with purpose, irrefutably angry also.

[Xennai]

R’fael was shocked, to put it simply. He was absolutely floored. Danae was throwing all sorts of accusations and filth in his face. He frowned, not saying a word, mind whirling. What had he said to upset her? He’d thought he’d been understanding and open-minded. He knew nothing about whers except for what most people did and he was searching through his words, trying to remember what he’d said.

Oh.

He took the verbal slaps to his face, only blinking as they piled on. He’d been right about her disdain for the Weyr and all within. Fully uncovered now, he thought she might actually hate the riders. And that was the biggest shock of all.

The brown rider watched as the gold handler stalked away, full of affront and, to her, righteous indignation. Head shook slightly in shock and he cupped his hands over his mouth, shouting after her. “I never said I understood whers! That’s why I said I’m not sure.”

He hesitated. He wasn’t the kind of person to go after someone he didn’t know or didn’t have a deep connection with. But he owed Ez this, if nothing else. “As for your cousin…It will change his life. For the better in my opinion, for the worse in yours. That’s how it is. But I can tell you, I have a gut feeling that he will Impress.”