Who

Erissa, K'vvan

What

K'vvan and Erissa talk. No characters were harmed in the making of this scene.

When

It is the 13 day of the third month of the 12th pass. The sunset casts brilliant tendrils across the sky.

Where

Porch outside Oasis Inn

OOC Date

 

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Oasis Inn

Tucked into a small fold of foothills along the road leading from the Weyr to the Central Pass, this inn truly is just what its name implies - an oasis for travelers coming from either direction. Stabling and board are available - though the boarding comes at a price, since there isn't much of it. The most well known part of the Inn is the tavern - a rustic bar built of solid skybroom and furnished in dark, oiled wood, leather, metal, and glass. Though well used and sometimes abused, the furniture is also well cared for and maintained, and the food and drink draw many a rider in alongside the travelers. The decor is eclectic, consisting in hangings, rugs, carvings, and other things from every region of Pern, bestowed upon the owner in barter for lodging. The atmosphere isn't one of a dive; it's cozier than that, though there is just a touch of harmless shady to be found - particularly in the evenings.


Characters

Log

K’vvan stands right at the edge of Nadeeth’s ledge, arms crossed tightly across his chest, eyes watch the sun slowly make its way down. Already skinny tendrils of colorful light cast themselves across the view, tinting the clouds a bright pink. Completely lost in his thoughts the greenrider reviews the last few days, the frown upon his face growing as dissatisfaction and the curling self-hatred rolls itself up. «We lost none.» Nadeeth’s mindvoice is ever helpful, as she attempts to pull him back from that physical and mental edge. «Even the little ones,» here she weaves images of Ivy and E’bert, the newest Arroyos who had joined them just a scarce seven before the heavy fall at Keroon. «Better than before.» This time the images are fuzzy, more colourful emotion than actual pictures- she doesn’t remember who they lost, just that there was loss in that place before.

“I know. It’s not that.” The cool stone of the ledge presses against his barred arm, the weather finally warm enough for him to cast off the long sleeved garments for his preferred no-sleeved counterparts.

«Tell me?» The bond between dragon and rider is better, healthier then it was. But the walls K’vvan has learned to build means that his thoughts are no longer wide open for the inquisitive green. Rather, they stand fuzzy. Only general emotions have been breaking though.

“Cha’el, Erissa…” The scowl just speaking the annoying bluerider’s name crowds its way across K’vvan’s face. It fades soon enough though, as another name makes it onto the list. “Mayte. I don’t even know what to say to her. F*ck honor. I don’t want her on those sands… it could be her in that next fall. Unless she gets the gold and then…” K’vvan shakes his head, bangs swaying in the slight breeze that tickles across the ledge.

Nadeeth’s ribbons sooth, twining among thoughts and testing the chords between the greenrider and vintner-turned-candidate. «You can do nothing about her now.» Words of wisdom, ones which K’vvan doesn’t want to hear at all. “I know. I know, but damn it…” His arms uncross and he pushes away from the ledge to turn and look at Nadeeth. « Maybe though…» The image of Cha’el swims up, surrounded by a halo of yellow ribbons.

“No. I’ve screwed that up enough.” Nadeeth knows well enough that tone of voice. She withdraws the picture, tucking it back out of sight in her basket. A few imageless seconds before another image is woven, this time in blue and white. «Her.»

“No!” This time his reply is a full yelp as he looks at Nadeeth, green eyes flashing with the surge of temper that comes every time he thinks of the blond haired demon. “I have nothing to say to her. As far as I’m concerned I never want to see her again.” The vehemence isn’t there though, and unease tinges his words as he thinks back to their conversation days previous.

Nadeeth’s ribbons curl about the picture, the weaving seeming to come to life. Pink ribbons twinge their way in, a reminder of the good that the rider had done. Then Cha’el’s voice, asking him to be nice. K’vvan remains standing stock still for long moments before a sigh finally escapes his lips. “Fine. I’ll try to talk to her. Can’t make me feel any s*tier then I do right now.”

Nadeeth wastes no time reaching out for ocean winds, «Mine wishes to apologize,»

“I do not!”

«Where are you?»


“I could get used to this place,” Erissa muses aloud, tipping back in the rocking chair she’s currently occupying. The view is splendid from her perch upon the front porch of the Oasis Inn, as is the entertainment factor in watching people come and go from the domestic establishment. With her boots propped up on the porch railing and a mug of warm cider in hand she watches and muses on the various folk in quiet amusement, only Danorath witness to the ridiculous notions that drift through her imagination.

Not far off, but not close enough to concern the people or beasts that approach the inn, Danorath lies sprawled on a barren hill. He has a good view of the activities below, but his great eyes shut with relaxation rather than remaining watchful. With the steady distraction of Erissa’s good humor the blue dragon has a good idea of what’s going on and has determined that a nap may be in order.

That is, until the familiar touch of colorful ribbons brushes his mind and immediately he opens himself to the connection. Nadeeth! Before he can say anything she speaks first and what she says leaves him suspiciously astounded. «Truly??» A pause. Ocean-fed winds churn with both suspicion and hope. «That would be good. We are at the drinking/sleeping place outside the weyr.» An image accompanies the comment, an aerial view of the Oasis Inn.

As for alerting Erissa, the blue opts for silence knowing the walls that she’ll automatically slam into place if she knew might prevent what good might come of the other rider’s effort. Carefully keeping his thoughts veiled from hers, he remains alert and ready.

So much for his nap.


“I’m going to regret this.” K’vvan’s muttering and complaining last all the way through putting Nadeeth’s riding strap on, and their brief journey ::between:: to arrive in the skies above the Oasis Inn. Anger and anxiety clench in his stomach, and rather than land directly Nadeeth circles in the air for a few minutes to help him war with his emotions. Her smooth ribbons twine around thoughts and attempt to pry them away, thrusting Cha’el’s voice before him to help make up his mind. “Fine. I can do this.” With his decision made Nadeeth spills air from her wings to spiral downwards and alight several dragon lengths away from the blue. He gets happily dancing lengths to twine about ocean zephyrs.

K’vvan slides from Nadeeth’s back and stomps up to the Inn, only to draw abruptly short when he realizes that Erissa isn’t inside, but outside, and their confrontation is only going to come that much more swiftly than before. “Erissa.” Well, at least he didn’t call her a b*tch again?


At first Erissa assumes it’s a mirage. Then she gives her head a little shake in case she’s fallen asleep and is having a nightmare. But no, when the image noisily making it’s way up to the porch speaks her name it’s clear that this is no illusion or dream. Her nemesis has arrived.

“What’re YOU doing here??” she blurts, piqued that her peaceful solitude has been interrupted. Immediately an ocean blue presence presses wordlessly on her mind, clear winds gently nudging her toward calm. It’s enough of a reminder. The sneaky blue had recently pointed out some good points in K’vvan’s favor and, coupled with Cha’el’s repeated attempts to do the same, she actually feels a twinge of regret for her snapped response. It isn’t enough to retract it, however. That would require better control over her pride. Instead she makes a solid attempt to smooth the scowl from her face, which settles pretty features somewhere in the range of a blank slate.

On the nearby hill, Danorath remains at attention as an efficient on-duty protector should, though mentally salty sea winds twirl those happy strands that reach for him. «It is good you came.» Silvery humor limns the play of wind. «Though I do not know how you managed it.»


K’vvan doesn’t have quite that amount of self control to have a blank slate. Rather, his expression has settled into a slight scowl as he mounts the steps upwards onto the Oasis Inn’s poarch. “Danorath said we could find you here,” he doesn’t mention Nadeeth’s interference- she can do no wrong. He falters slightly as his steps stop several paces away from the bluerider.

Anger still simmers in the pit of his stomach over their last encounter, and he can almost still feel the sting from where her hand had connected with his face. It makes it difficult to speak, so there is awkward silence for long moments as he looks at the bluerider. Finally, his eyes shift away and he turns to direct his gaze upwards at the mirand of colours streaking across the sky as the sun descends downwards. “I thought,” pause, “we should talk. Clear the air. For the weyrsecond.”

«He feels bad.» Nadeeth uses K’vvan’s walls to her advantage now, no hint of her private conversation leaking through to her rider. However on-duty Danorath may be, Nadeeth has no intention of keeping her distance. Careful of what lays upon the ground she steps close to her blue friend, brushing against him gently.


Erissa’s first reaction is to fling a string of colorful curses at her out-of-sight blue. The marked silence that greets her tirade is frustrating, Danorath’s solid presence felt but non-responsive as he simply absorbs her anger.

In the silence that follows, many less-than-amiable comments directed at the greenrider float to the surface but before she can vocalize them the press of ocean depths smothers the inclination. «Tryyyyyyy…..» The single word rolls through her mind like a strong undertow. Erissa growls under her breath, wanting to resist out of pure stubbornness. Blue-gray gaze meets the dark green of K’vvan’s directly, her jaw tight as she grudgingly sees a glimpse of what might appeal to the brownrider; though her own exposure to the man’s acid tongue colors the view.

When K’vvan finally speaks Erissa blinks. And blinks again. He wants to talk?? But then he throws Cha’el out there as a reason and the frown slips back across her features. Protective instincts rise, along with her chin. The burly brownrider can’t possibly mean that much to K’vvan!

“Why do you care so much?” she asks suddenly.

Watchful from afar, Danorath rumbles from deep in his chest as the lovely green brushes against him, turning his neck to bob near hers. Winds churn in welcoming coils but are shadowed in the distance, like a hovering storm; the distraction of his close bond with his rider and the dark emotions it entails. «If only they could communicate like we do they would see each other differently.»


K’vvan leans up against the railing of the porch, the pose of nonchalance totally put to lie by the tension breaking across his shoulders and the rigidness of the posture he assumes. He cannot meet her eyes, and instead directs them away, putting himself sideways to the woman.

Answers flicker though his mind at her abrupt question. Mouth opens to deliver the snapped answer, I don’t care, but Nadeeth gently reprimands, and he forces the words back. So the truth, or at least enough of the truth. “The weyrsecond has enough to worry about without wondering if next time we meet one of us will beat the s*it out of the other.” It rolls out roughly, and still isn’t quite the truth, but Nadeeth allows it to go.

Hands clasp themselves together tightly as K’vvan continues to stare upwards at that sunset. “What you thought you saw- it wasn’t anything. Look,” he comes to an abrupt stop, frustration colouring his words as he struggles to figure out exactly what it is that he means to say. »Damn it. This was a bad idea.«

Comforting support continues to roll in from Nadeeth, though the words he wants are not supplied by the dainty green. Settling herself beside Danorath, with wings tucked in tightly, she watches. «Perhaps,» is her simple reply to her fellow watcher.

“I don’t want anyone,” well, except Sienna, since that cat was so out of the bag already, “to know. About… him… and me. I’m not going back,” poor Cha’el, “so just… don’t say anything.” The roughness in K’vvan’s voice doesn’t leave, though there is faint indecision there. “Please.” He almost chokes on the word, and it comes out in a half croak.

-----

Erissa watches K’vvan struggle and a part of her is glad. As caustic as she’s seen his personality be she figures he brought it on himself and deserves it. Another part, minutely small, cautions against judging him unfairly and is summarily ignored. Danorath, on the other hand, isn’t letting her off the hook that easily. His presence increases, salty winds blowing over deep, dark, ocean depths. «Maybe not,» is said to her assumption. «You can not blame him for what the others did. Maybe he has been through a lot too.»

That’s no excuse!……. Erissa’s plaintive complaint is flung.

«No, but maybe it is enough of a reason to give him a chance.»

Annoyed at the blue’s logical reasoning Erissa casts her chin aside toward the entrance to the inn. Picking up a pebble from a small pile in her lap she absently tosses it in that direction, watching as it comes to a skittering halt amidst a scattering of other such stones. Apparently she wasn’t /just/ idly rocking on the porch.

K’vvan’s next words leave the bluerider in shock. The flutter of a vtol’s wing could knock her over as dark blue hues widen on the greenrider. The offense that instantly spiked at his insinuation that she would talk of Cha’el’s personal matters to others is blown away by his use of a single word. It tempers what she was going to say, suspicion and dislike still prominent but without the usual biting sarcasm.

“If it was nothing that day in his weyr then why don’t you want anyone to know about it? He’s been messed with enough, K’vvan. He doesn’t need someone dragging him through it again.”


K’vvan’s temper has begun to rise, but he forces it back. The large breaths are probably more than noticeable, as are the fact that his hands have recurled from where they lay at the poarch before him. Except… he’s not mad at Erissa, and it is that one thing that is keeping him from snapping back at her. As the rock skitters past him he flinches, but it misses him by a wide enough mark that even his ability to blow anything out of proportion doesn’t assume she’s flinging rocks at him.

That doesn’t at all, however, uncurl the scowl that lingers upon his face. If anything it deepens. Staying still is impossible and he pushes away from the rail. “I won’t drag him through anything. I know what people think of me,” and he glances at the woman, his lips taking on a bitter sardonic twist. “I’m not some f*king happy s*it who makes people feel good about themselves. I’m a f*king bastard, and I’m not about to change- I have my own s*it to deal with.” He shuts his lips before the sudden word vomit gets out of control. A kick is aimed at one of the poles of the poarch receives a kick of frustration as he gathers the next set of words.

“Cha’el doesn’t need that kind of vitriol around him, so I’ll stay away. He doesn’t need to be linked to me. So just…. don’t say anything.”


No, Erissa isn’t throwing pebbles at the other rider, but what she is doing remains to be seen. Her attention shifts back to K’vvan as he speaks again and she stills as his verbiage goes right into the middens. Not so much because she’s shocked by coarse language but at the degree of emotion it reflects in the greenrider. When he kicks the porch she snorts wryly, understanding that particular emotion all too well.

“Well,” she starts on a sigh, giving her chin a jerk as a stray breeze stirs white-blond locks. “I hate to break it to you, but Cha’el doesn’t think you’re nearly as much of a full-of-shit bastard as you think you are. HE keeps telling me you’re a good man and to give you a chance.” There’s the slightest pause as she almost inserts a comment on her own opinion to the contrary but a spike of pressure from Danorath curtails those thoughts. Instead she switches which foot is over the other on the railing and fits the greenrider with a dark look. “So if you’re really all that bad he isn’t seeing it and I’m glad you’re planning on staying away from him. The question is - are you really going to do it or are you just shoveling a bunch of that shit you love to claim so much?”


Erissa’s comments about him being not-quite-as-crappy as K’vvan is pretty sure he is simply earns a snort. He doesn’t turn to look at Erissa, though he does begin to pace down the porch, careful enough to step over those pebbles she has been throwing and avoid an ankle twisting which would totally just put the icing on the cake. He paces to the edge of the porch, almost as if he is about to actually leave without continuing the conversation further. One hand wraps around the pole connected to the few steps downward. “I don’t lie.” He says before taking that step downwards. “At least not well. I’ll stay away from Cha’el as much as I can, and Nadeeth knows that she’s suppose to tell Sikorth not to allow him to come by unless it is related to weyr business.” Because… he is the weyrsecond. And there is only so far he can keep the other rider away. “So will you do it? Keep quiet?” He finally turns as his feet hit the solid ground and looks upwards at Erissa. The scowl on his face has faded, replaced with determination, his mouth set in a flat line of neither happiness nor sadness.


K’vvan wasn’t Erissa’s intended target with the scattering of pebbles, but seeing him slip-slide across them might have provided some amusement. A chiding roll of deep blue pressure makes the point that would not have been conducive to their conversation. Still…..

But then the greenrider’s pacing reaches the steps and he takes one as if to leave, but then pauses. His repeated request immediately grinds Erissa’s ire. Immediately a voice much like her own inserts itself into her thoughts.

«See? He only wants to protect the brownrider. Just like you.»

Whatever!….. she snaps back…. He’s already messing with him and I don’t like it!

“Of course,” she says aloud, tone sharper than need be, and emphasis pointed as she finishes, “/I/ would never do anything to hurt Cha’el.”


K’vvan catches the emphasis on the I, and it takes a great deal of effort for him to snatch back the angry words that rise up on his lips. What the f*ck does she think I am doing?! Nadeeth’s ribbons curl tightly, and tug K’vvan back towards her. He has said his piece, it was time to go before he did say something to ruin the moment. Instead he grinds his teeth together and forces him to put his back to the bluerider and take the steps towards his dragon.


Erissa watches K’vvan go, a cocktail of confusing emotions making her lips turn down, the bottom one briefly caught in her teeth. Grudingly she has to acknowledge that the more time she’s around the greenrider the more she sees things both admirable and aggravating. More aggravating, she adds with a petulant spark. Much more. It’s confusing, and sorting it out would require a lot of deep self-examination, something which she was not fond of doing. In fact, she went to great lengths to avoid it.

Flipping her wrist she throws another pebble though dark blue eyes remain on the departing back of the other rider rather than watching where it lands.

Danorath’s touch thickens supportively, deep blue depths icy clear, while strong winds above buffer and bolster. «You listened. That is good.»

He’s made it perfectly clear what he thinks of me. Why should I try??

«The effort is never wasted.»

Erissa huffs aloud and tosses her chin, uneven layers of white-blond locks shifting into further disarray.

I’ll believe it when I see it, Dano.

The blue doesn’t answer that, instead he turns his attention to the dainty green at his side. With her departure imminent he rumbles encouragingly and turns his neck to fix her with expressive eyes awhirl with color. Ocean breezes caress ribbons in farewell. «It was good you came.»

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