All references to worlds and characters based on Anne McCaffrey's fiction are copyright © Anne McCaffrey 1967,2000, all rights reserved, and used by permission of the author. The Dragonriders of Pern(r) is registered U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, by Anne McCaffrey, used here with permission. Use or reproduction without a license is strictly prohibited. For more information, visit the Worlds of Anne McCaffrey.
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22-12-01: Soothing the troubled
Flights are often upon the minds of the troubled when they turn to Lydiere -- and that includes G'wain.
"Eggs need -- er, sunlight, too!" Lydiere is probably just about to give up arguing with her lifemate, as the pair return from outside - evidently, a bath was convinced to be a good thing. "And candidates are important, for their health." The queen seems unconvinced, moving directly back to her usual space, with the pile of covered eggs close to her grasp, Lydiere shrugging her shoulders as she moves back to the platform. "Have it your way, dearest."
G'wain sits on a corner of the platform, looking over the eggs, looking deep in thought about something. In fact, he's not even looking at the eggs. He's just staring into space. Ahreluth rumbles lightly to Llysereth, moving out of the way to allow her access to her usual spot. Hearing Lydiere's voice, G'wain turns his head and attempts a smile, be it doesn't quite get there - He's still thinking.
Lydiere, as she attempts to sweep some sand off of the platform with her hand - scratchy, painful work - glances across at G'wain, smile crossing her lips. "Faranth, do you always go so distant when you're thinking? Must be hard work." She gives up her thankless task, and hefts herself onto the platform, stretching out as she attempts to shield her bare skin from the scratchy sand. Llysereth's response to Ahreluth is congenial, if nothing more: he *did* at least manage to protect the eggs whilst she was dragged away.
Of course Ahreluth did. And now he'll pass control to the rightful protector. "It's hard work, this... thinking stuff." He starts to pick himself out of his 'thoughtfulness' as he speaks, placing his concerns to the side. "I didn't realise... I got distant. It's just how I think?" He doesn't seem to sure about that, really. his eyes grow distant once more, this time only briefly. "Ahreluth says I do... so I must..."
"That it is," agrees Lydiere, crossing her legs in a final attempt to get properly comfortable without becoming too sandy. "Everyone thinks in different ways. I suppose we all go distant, sometimes, when we're very involved in our thoughts." This particular thought trails off, as she turns her glance towards G'wain, "Must have been pretty involving stuff. Interesting thoughts?"
G'wain sighs softly and nods to Lydiere's words. "Involved in my thoughts," he repeats, quietly. "More like... lost in them." Turning to look at Lydiere, he weighs up whether to tell her for a few moments... then decides that he should. "Well, you know how I had to go to Fort? J'ran's orders, to brush up on tracking skills?" He assumes that she does - if she doesn't, she can ask. "Well, a green took to the skies there. I was just thinking about... the consequences of that." Vague.
Lydiere hesitates, then offers, "Congratulations? I'll assume that the flight was successful, if there are consequences. Ahreluth's doing himself proud, I can see that." Her head nods, as if to affirm this statement, as she goes silent again. Smiling, though.
Ahreluth isn't smug or anything like that. Just... passive, at the moment, and watching his rider. G'wain frowns a little. "Yes..." The rest of what he was going to say after that is lost to that void of thought for a time. Finding himself, he continues. "At times... I wish he wouldn't. The rider was... E'van." At least he didn't get someone pregnant!
"E'van. Don't know that particular greenrider." so muses Lydiere, stretching her shoulders in a moue of lazy lethargy. "Male, then? I suppose I can understand your...wish. I mean, I guess riding a male it's liable to interrupt far more often than it would for me. Could become annoying, if nothing else."
G'wain licks his lips, wetting them. They're a little cracked and today - All day on the sands'll do that to you. "Male." He nods his head. "It... /is/... the dragons that cause a person to be... amorous... right?" Contrary to popular belief, he's still learning. "Not... me?" He's confused, and if the expression on his face didn't tell you that, the breakup of his sentences and words would. "He said I enjoyed it... But I don't really remember." Repression, perhaps.
Lydiere raises her eyebrows, and then lowers them again. It's all just exercise. "Yes," she agrees, her shoulders shrugged. "In my experience, anyway. At least - I'm not attracted to W'yn at all, but I think we both enjoyed that one plenty." Shaking her head, she notes more softly, "Most people enjoy it, even if they're frightened beforehand. Nothing wrong with that, either."
G'wain scratches at the back of his head, teeth clenched. "But..." He says throguh them, before returning to a more normal pose, "That was you and W'yn. I mean, would it have been the same had it been Bri'na, or something? This was E'van." He doesn't know E'van that well, either. Maybe it's the fact that E'van's male. "I barely knew what was going on. There I was... then there was the green..." He seems apologietic.
"For me, certainly. I--I don't see that I'd be horrified by it, and I'm fairly sure I'd enjoy it, because of the emotional closeness envolved." Lydiere's gone thoughtful, however - she's gone to staring off at the sand, and the galleries, and further, as she thinks, speaking her thoughts allowed. "That's how flights are, I guess. It all happens suddenly, and one can't really think."
G'wain looks puzzled, exactly how he feels. Never was good at hiding things. "I know... But if I had been able to think... I don't know whether I would have pulled Ahreluth out of the flight... found an alternate... Or something else." Trying to inject a little humor, he smiles quickly. "At least E'van couldn't get pregnant?"
"Why, though? Shouldn't *Ahreluth* be able to get some satisfaction? Should what you feel impact him?" Talk about Deja vu. Grinning, the woman nods her head, agreeing, "Small mercies. See - there's something good in everything."
G'wain bites his lip, considering this. "Yes... I know what you mean. Next time, I'll hope for the presence of mind to find an alternate." He's still musing, but it's not as deep and 'depressing' as it was. "Or something along those lines. I probably enjoyed it... Only now do I think about it. I'll just... take it for what it was - dragonlust?"
Lydiere's head makes a firm nod, her grin rueful, if nothing more. "Or just go with it. It can't do you any harm, really. But yes - anything is possible, if you're thinking straight." She rubs at a stain upon her breeches, adding, with another nod, "Dragonlust. That's all."
[G'wain had to leave - RP ends]