You're Gonna Go Far, Kid (Dai's Search Thread)

[holly]

"Stupid cold... it's times like this that I miss the South." Dairine shivered, teeth chattering as she trudged on up the trail she had found, using a long stick she had picked up to test the footing infront of her. An answering chirp came from inside her cloak, Gigo refusing to even poke his nose out into that cold winter air. Granted, Benden Hold was a LITTLE bit further south than the College, but not enough to make a real difference... not with the winter currently slamming the northern continent.

To be honest, usually Dairine wouldn't be out in the cold at all. She was a warmblood at heart, having grown up in the south of course, and the poor thing never really had adjusted to the harsh northern winters. However, the College had had plenty of quiet spots to go to if one needed some personal time. Unfortunately, Benden Hold was a LITTLE bit more cramped, and with more and more people staying inside as winter advanced, Dairine's temper and nerves were both frayed. She needed some peace, and finally it had won out over her dislike of the cold.

Finally the redhead sighed as the field she was traipsing through, silent and covered in white, yielded a nice hollow that had been mostly sheltered from the wind, and only had a thin layer of snow at the bottom. A quick sweep to remove that, and she settled down, tucking her white cloak with black spots tighter around herself. Really, if it weren't for the head of bright red hair, she would almost disappear into the landscape.

Muttering under her breath about something that had annoyed her the other day, the young woman started to pull some of her leatherworking supplies out of the pack she had brought. Might as well get some work done on some patterns she had been developing, while she was out here. At least there wouldn't be any interruptions.

((Author's note: BWAHAHAHAHAHA!))

[saidaltam]

That bright spot of orange-red on the blinding white of the snow would have gone entirely unnoticed by the pale, shivering man scowling at the back of his dragon's head. V'ran did not want to be on the northern continent, scouting for candidates, especially during the frigid months of winter. Further, he did not want to be this far north doing it. Not only was it dangerous to say the least, it was impossibly foolhardy, and he was not happy with Siten's decision to have the searchriders venture north for candidates. If he could just stay entirely out of sight of northern dragons, that would be enough to keep him happy.

Jhamith, however, took their task very seriously, and was carefully scanning the ground for signs of life. It was he who noted the splash of red on the soft white ground, and with a low, cheerful rumble deep in his chest, he sent affably, :Look there, mine! A person--and a good one, too. That shall make a fine candidate.: Without so much as waiting for a reply, the dragon tilted his wingtip downward, spiraling swiftly toward the ground far below.

'Wha--Jhamith, wait! Are you sure?' V'ran replied swiftly, tilting his head to peer down at the splash of color he hadn't noticed before and cursing mentally to himself. 'Normally, you get much closer before you identify candidates.'

:I'm sure, mine.: For Jhamith, nothing more needed be said, and before V'ran could reply, the great brown set himself smoothly onto the ground in front of the girl.

Biting back a sigh, V'ran unbound himself and dismounted smoothly, pulling off his riding helmet and tucking it beneath his arm. Casting a swift, appraising gaze over the redhead, he swiftly decided that the girl--for she was most definitely a girl, that much he could see--was either very young or very small, but, judging by the sort of work she had spread before her, likely very dedicated. Bowing his head politely to her in the heartbeat while he made this brief assessment, he offered the girl a mild, "Good morning. I hope I'm not interrupting anything?"

[holly]

While Dairine DID have a habit of getting absorbed in her work, even she noticed the fact that a SHARDING HUGE brown decided to land right in the same field. She was on her feet in a flash, her tools and the patterns she had been working on scattering to the ground as she did so.

Dairine, surprisingly, had grown up in an orphanage that was only a few days ride from Southern Weyr... barely an hour by dragon-back, flying it straight. As such, while it wasn't common for Riders to frequent the holding, it wasn't a total shock either. She had seen enough riders from the south to know Southern's colors. And they were emblazened all over the brownrider's riding jacket...

"You're awful far north. Get lost?" Actually, he WAS interrupting something, but somehow Dairine figured that that was the least of her worries. She seriously doubted that the rider and his brown had just stopped by for a chat and a friendly cup of klah, after all. Still... "And yes, you were interrupting something. I'd appreciate it if you'd leave me alone."

Seriously, even in the middle of nowhere she was STILL being bothered!

[saidaltam]

V'ran felt the muscles in his back tightening already. This was, he observed again, a task which he had no wish to do, and the girl was clearly unwilling to see it happen. Nevertheless, it was hardly her fault, and it was the least he could do to maintain a civil tone. "I regret to hear that. Unfortunately, I am neither lost, nor at liberty to fulfill your request, against my preferences. I'm afraid that my brown, here, seems to feel that you are... exceptional candidate material, and my Weyrwoman has given orders that I am to see every person of candidate material back to the Weyr. Like it or no, I am bound by those orders, which means that I must make even more of an interruption of myself," he explained in his calmest, most reserved tones, pausing to give her a moment to soak it all in.

As he did so, he contemplated his options. The girl didn't seem pleased to see a Southern rider, and though it was no surprise that she knew Southern's colors, she wasn't panicking, which was an unexpected response. That worried him. Either she was very strong, very collected, very mean, or very influential, and one of these could prove problematic. Passingly, he wondered if Siten realized just exactly what she was getting into by sending her searchriders so far for her candidates, or if his fellows would have the same good sense to show subtlety in their collections.

[holly]

... Oh SHARDS no! Gray eyes darkened right to 'Hurricane' level, and a low, soft growl could suddenly be audible in the frigid air. "No. I'm not going back south, I've worked too hard to get where I'm at, so you and your Weyrwoman can take that candidacy and shove it." With that, the tempermental redhead turned, starting to pick up her tools and leather patterns and put them back in her pack. Wonderful, now she would have to find a new spot.

Gigo stirred from where he had been huddled under his mistress's cloak, squirming his way out to climb up to Dairine's head, perching there and giving a greeting chirp to his much larger cousin, his personality completely at odds with that of his human.

[saidaltam]

V'ran sighed. This was not going well. 'Jhamith? Block her off, please?'

Obligingly, the brown dropped his tail in front of the girl, curling himself around to lay his head against his tail and drape his wing over them like a massive, leathery tent. Blinking one large eye at the girl and her small flitter, he wuffed a mild greeting to Gigo, sending him a soft feeling, something akin to a "hello".

"I'm afraid that I cannot accept that answer," V'ran said in a cool, quiet voice. "I assure you that I like this no more than you, but I am forced to advise you that, if you will not come willingly, I will be required to have Jhamith carry you in his talons, and I can assure you that the trip will be far less pleasant that way."

:I don't want to carry her like that, mine. That's cruel.:

'I know, Jhamith. I don't particularly like it, either, but if we do not bring her, she'll notify Benden that we were here,' V'ran pointed out. Grudgingly, Jhamith sent a wash of discomfited concession. Aloud, V'ran added, "I am sorry for this."

[holly]

Dairine snarled as she whipped around, shouldering her pack even as Gigo squawked and clutched tighter to her hair in an attempt to keep from being flung off. "I'd like to see you TRY!" Obviously, she either believed that the brownrider wouldn't actually go so far as to have his dragon do it, or that she was quick enough to evade a dragon's claws. Of course, she was in too bad a mood to tell, should she have been asked.

Gigo sighed, turning to crawl down and into his owner's pack. This was not going to end well, and he wanted to be out of the way when the dragon dung hit the fan.

[saidaltam]

V'ran was not happy about this particular state of affairs, but he held out some hope that this would not have to end well. "Please, I understand that this is unpleasant, but I am doing everything in my power to make this as ... tolerable as possible. I do not ask you to be happy about the situation, but if there is any way that you can bring yourself to co-operate in the slightest, it would be more than appreciated. I am afraid, however, that we cannot linger for more than a few moments more, and I must ask you to make your decision quickly."

Truly, he hoped that she would see reason enough to co-operate. He did not want to have to carry through with his threat. However, on the same token, he most assuredly would not hesitate to do so. By landing, he and Jhamith had made her attendance genuinely imperative, and he was not about to endanger himself, his dragon, and his Weyr (no matter how misguided) over one girl's displeasure, least of all one unfamiliar girl in whom he had no particular stock. Jhamith was swift, and the girl had nowhere to run. Even if she was exceedingly nimble, she would, eventually, be caught. V'ran only hoped it would not come to that.

[holly]

The girl was fairly bristling, she was so angry. She didn't even notice her fire-lizard creeping into her pack for safety, she was so riled up. After the death-glare she was sending failed to set V'ran on fire, Dairine snarled and whirled around, heading for the narrow part of Jhamith's tail with the intention of jumping over it. "Again. I'd like to see you TRY."

To be frank, she had no fear of the great brown. It was one of the first things taught to children about dragons: Other than at hatchings, only extremely extentuating circumstances would prompt a dragon to harm a human, and somehow she doubted that this qualified.

[saidaltam]

It was, perhaps, good for Jhamith and V'ran both, then, that the request V'ran made of Jhamith then would bring no harm to the girl. Even as V'ran issued the direction, however, he sighed heavily, pausing in advance to issue a mild, "Once more, my dear, I do apologize for this." Having said that, he reached out to Jhamith, directing, 'Take hold of her, please, Jhamith--and tightly, now. We do not want her to fall.'

Jhamith was swift, for a brown, and the area was enclosed, giving her nowhere to run to, but, if she were swift or dexterous, perhaps she might evade his forepaw for a time. Regardless of that, however, he moved quickly, lashing out in an effort to close his massive talons around the girl securely, as his had requested. She would be safe enough in his paws, once he managed to take hold of her.

[holly]

Unfortunately for Dairine, her back had been to the brown, and so she didn't even see the incoming paw... much less have time to dodge it. So, for the first few seconds that she was being lifted into the air, she was actually quiet... mostly from the shock that they had actually done it.

... Then the explosion came.

"YOU SHARDING, MANGY SON OF A SICK, INBRED HERDBEAST! PUT ME DOWN THIS INSTANT!" The swearing that followed would have made a sailor blush, and almost seemed to turn the surrounding air blue with it's intensity.

Dairine. Was. Pissed.

[saidaltam]

V'ran sighed, tugged his riding helmet back on, and mounted up swiftly. Within seconds, the familiar straps were tied in place, and he thumped Jhamith's neck affectionately, his wordless (and numb) signal to the dragon that he was ready to go.

Ignoring the cursing emanating from his forepaw, the dragon coiled his hind legs, launching himself swiftly and smoothly into the air. Some several wingbeats up, he poofed lightly between, to the Weyr face, as his had directed. The heat of the southern summer washed over dragon, rider, and unwilling passenger, and immediately, V'ran wished he were out of his riding gear. That was not, however, immediately viable. First, they had to land. Reaching out, he brushed Jhamith's mind, but the dragon already knew his part.

Slowly, the trio descended to the ground, with Jhamith showing extra care for his awkward passenger. Once he had landed, he lowered his neck and shoulders, allowing V'ran a moment to dismount. The rider was swift to comply, undoing the dragon's straps and stripping off the big brown's harness quickly. After all, it wasn't as though the girl was going anywhere, and there was no reason to keep Jhamith bound up in such a thing unnecessarily. With all the rider's weyrs on the face, it wasn't that far to put the harness and straps away in his weyr. While he did so, he shed his jacket and helmet, as well, then returned quickly to Jhamith's side.

"Alright, Jhamith, let her go," he told the brown calmly.

That didn't seem particularly wise to Jhamith, but on the same token, he did not wish to continue holding the disgruntled girl, either, and so, very carefully, the brown rested his forepaw on the ground and uncurled his talons to let the very angry young candidate free.

[holly]

Fortunately for V'ran's immediate welfare, Dairine staggered and gasped as soon as she was let go. The reason why was easy to guess... in the heat of Southern's summer, wearing clothing meant for Northern's current winter, PLUS her heavy cloak, AND having been held firmly by the great brown... it was a wonder she hadn't passed out already from overheating.

Her first action was to quickly shed her cloak and jacket, letting them drop on the stone with a gasp of relief. While the leggings and long-legged tunic she was dressed in weren't ideal to the weather, they were infinitely better than what she had been in.

After managing to catch her breath, she finally rounded on V'ran, completely furious. "Five years. FIVE SHARDING YEARS in the north, studying my craft, and in five MINUTES you manage to undo all of my hard work! Do you know how long I spent saving up to go to the northern college?! To learn a good craft and make something of myself!! And now you go and undo all of my hard work?! What do you have to say for yourself, you wherry-brained mule?!"

((*Snickers* Wanna toss Siten in there too? I can so see her being alerted by the shouting.))

[saidaltam]

((Already on it. ^-^))

V'ran stood stock-still and silent as the girl ranted. Of course, it was hardly his idea of a good time, but he had been the one to take her, and he could understand her displeasure. As she shouted, he let the words break over him the waves against the shore, reminding himself that he would be better served by his silence than by rash words.

Finally, she paused, and he had his opportunity to reply. "Welcome to Southern Weyr, Candidate. The Weyrwoman would like to meet you," he replied smoothly, barely missing a beat.

:Have yours quiet that screaming monstrosity before I do it myself,:[/color] Isiloth sent to Jhamith snappishly. :No doubt the entire WEYR has already heard her ill-mannered outburst, and if mine doesn't want to meet her, I do. She'd be well advised to stop interrupting my nap, before I eat her.:[/color]

Jhamith's draconic chuckle was a welcome relief in V'ran's mind to the rather sharp tones of the girl's eruption, but the words that he relayed to the brown rider most certainly were not, and V'ran sighed. Somehow, he didn't think that particular message would be well received, under the circumstances. Instead, he opted for a mild, "If you would like to shout at me at length, I'm certain something can be arranged, but, for the moment, if we could proceed, I'd prefer to see this handled sooner rather than later."

[holly]

Oh, Dairine was mad enough at that point to spit fire. The searing glare she sent V'ran should have, by all rights, set the poor, abused brownrider on fire. "Give me ONE good reason why I should go with you, and not just take off for the nearest port to pay for passage north."

By that time, Gigo had worked his way out of Dairine's pack, and after sniffing at the air, gave a delighted chirp and swooped up to perch on his human's head, fairly squealing with joy. They were back south! It was warm again! The brown flitter was positively squirming with delight.

Dairine looked up, tilting her head upwards slightly with the movement. "Traitor."

[saidaltam]

"Because Jhamith is not about to allow it. Now. The Weyrwoman would like to speak with you. Come with me, please," V'ran replied calmly. Before he could speak another word, however, they were dutifully interrupted.

Siten looked more than a little irritated, no doubt because of Isiloth's griping over having her nap interrupted, but she held herself with polite reserve as she walked over. "That won't be necessary," she said, stepping up beside them. "Isiloth ... requested I come out and see you, myself. Who is this, V'ran?" she asked mildly of the brownrider.

V'ran paused, only then realizing that, not only had he rudely neglected to introduce himself, he did not yet know the girl's name. "Ah. Apologies, Weyrwoman. I neglected to ask," he admitted, turning to Dairine. "My name is V'ran, as you've no doubt already heard, and this, of course, is Weyrwoman Siten, of gold Isiloth. Of course, you know Jhamith's name. Might I inquire as to yours?"

Siten's sardonic amusement hid itself carefully behind the polite not-quite-smile on her face. The girl was clearly upset. It would take some doing to soothe these ruffled feathers. Perhaps she'd send V'ran off to tend to Jhamith while she did so.

[holly]

The redhead ALMOST laughed at the brownrider's stuttering over her name... or at least, the fact that he didn't know it. "Journeyman Dairine of the Leatherworking Craft. Not that you would know it, since you were too intent on having your dragon PICK ME UP and carry me off!" Yeah, these feathers would take a long time to smooth down at this rate.

Gigo sighed, finally his mistress's anger penetrating his joy at being back, and he proceeded to slide down to her shoulders, curling around them and nuzzling her cheek with his head, crooning to try and calm her. Visibly, Dairine trembled as she worked to bring her rage in check, finally giving a shuddering breath and reaching up to gently pet her flitter. At least she still had Gigo... he was her only constant in life.

[saidaltam]

V'ran turned to Siten, nodding his head toward Dairine in acknowledgment of her introduction, but Siten was a bit heedless of the gesture, instead arching a brow at him skeptically.

"You had your dragon ... pick her up?" she inquired mildly.

V'ran smiled wryly. "Respectfully, Weyrwoman, I did try to get her to ride along properly," he pointed out.

Siten rubbed her temple and sighed. "I'm sure your dragon could use a good oiling after the northern chill. Why don't you see to him, and I'll take a few moments to speak with Dairine, here?" she suggested.

Nodding, V'ran issued a deep bow to both women and turned to go do as asked. He'd rather be tending Jhamith just then, anyhow. No doubt he'd be sent north, again, but if he could have a few hours with his beloved brown, he could deal with it.

As V'ran left, Siten turned back to Dairine. "I do apologize for the manner of your ... searching, but I'm afraid I cannot apologize for ordering it. However, I understand that you are undoubtedly upset. If you wouldn't mind sparing me a few moments, however, I would very much like to speak with you. There are a few things I would like you to understand," she offered mildly.

[holly]

"There better be a sharding good reason why your rider decided that I just HAD to come. FIVE YEARS of work up in the north to become a journeyman and get a good job in a good hold. And he goes and ruins it in FIVE MINUTES." Even if she did manage to get away and head back north, she wouldn't be able to go back to Benden again. There was enough tension against her as it was because of her birthplace, her apparent desertion would be seen as a betrayal.

Thankfully though, she was a little calmer than before, partly because of Gigo sending soothing waves of emotion over her mind, and partly because V'ran was no longer in her sight.

The little brown gave a sigh of relief as he felt his Mistress start to calm down and think more rationally. She still didn't relax, of course, but then even he hadn't expected her to. Still, now that the immediate rage had passed, he felt perfectly free to swoop over to Siten's shoulders, curiously sniffing at the Weyrwoman's hair with no regard to her rank or that of her dragon. She was a new person, and thus had to be greeted. At least he didn't stick his nose in her ear...

[saidaltam]

Siten ran a finger idly down the flitter's side after he landed on her shoulder. Though she'd never owned one, she'd always had a quiet fondness for the creatures, and she most assuredly didn't mind the creature's affectionate curiosity. Nevertheless, however, the flitter's attention couldn't distract her from the conversation at hand.

For several long moments, she listened quietly to Dairine's complaints, then nodded slowly. "If anyone is to be blamed, it is me, not him. I'm the one who ordered it done," she replied calmly. "I am sorry for what it cost you, but my reasons were, I assure you, very good." Turning, she nudged Isiloth's mind lightly. 'Isi? Would you stand for a moment, please?'

Obligingly--since her nap had already been interrupted, anyhow--Isiloth stood, lifting her head proudly and flaring her wings. It was a melodramatic display, but Siten had to admit that it was an effective show. Though small for a queen, Isiloth was still a large creature, and the impossible gold of her hide glittered beautifully in the sun.

"That is Isiloth, my dragon. She's not long back from her maiden flight, and she'll be clutching before long. It's been barely six months since the last clutch hatched on Southern sands, and candidates are in short supply. Southern has entreated Northern for help and been rebuffed already." Shaking her head, she turned back to Dairine. "I don't know if you've ever seen a dragon die, Dairine, but if you haven't, let me assure you, it is a ... terrible experience. Without enough candidates, Isiloth's young will perish. You may hate me, if you wish, but I will do whatever is needful to keep her children alive." Smiling mildly, she tilted her head to the side. "Besides, it's not as though your craft would not be a more than welcome addition to Southern Weyr. I am sorry for the circumstances surrounding your arrival, but let me assure you that I will not allow you to suffer for our need. There is room yet in the candidate barracks, or, if you'll serve as our leatherworker, there is, of course, plenty of room in the crafter's wing. There will be a place here for you, regardless. I may have my flaws, but negligence of those to whom I owe duty will never be one of them."