Save Me From Myself [Kekoa/Kev]

[Zen]

Vasheera

After she’d recovered from the shock of her father’s accusation, Vasheera had sought out Haliya, afraid her father would already be making good on his threat somehow. He wasn’t with her, thankfully, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t following through with his threat. Her brothers had already run off to find some bubbly pies and Liyami was eager to follow them. Haliya insisted she come with them to enjoy a bubbly pie together, but Vasheera had little appetite. She went along anyway and forced herself to take two bites before offering the rest to her little sister. Haliya reached up thoughtlessly to wipe a smudge of dark berry off the side of her lip as if she was still a little girl and Vasheera’s breath hitched with a sudden swell of emotion.

“I think I’d like to dance,” she blurted, “I’ll find you later. Have fun.” She didn’t miss the strange look Haliya gave her as she hurried away. Everything was too overwhelming. She wiped at her eyes quickly, wandering toward the sound of music, a source of comfort. For once she was in no mood to perform herself, but maybe losing herself in the music would clear her mind for a little while. She couldn’t keep thinking about the task that waited for her or she would end up talking herself out of it. You have a right to protect what is yours, she reminded herself as firmly as she could manage.

Haliya… sweet Haliya. How horrified would her mother be if she knew what she was planning to do? No, no, she couldn’t think about that. Vasheera shook her head as if she could shake out these unwanted thoughts. Yet how was she supposed to think about anything else? She should be celebrating, looking forward to the future, enjoying herself, but it seemed like her father had truly ruined any chance of that. Either she became a murderer or she would have to stand back and watch her family suffer as her father fell back into his old habits, and for all she knew picked up worse ones just to spite her. He really left her with no choice.

She didn’t know if she would be able to live with it. She had no idea how it might eat away at her, this stain, this corruption from what she was planning. But she would do anything for Haliya, for innocent Liyami, for her brothers who she prayed did not remember the bad times before Mavros. Whatever happened to her afterward, she would take whatever came if she could spare them a return to that broken family they had been. She had no doubt her father’s death would affect them. They would mourn his passing. But they would have the happy memories of what their family had been since they came to Mavros, memories that could remain untainted. It was a lie, a pretty lie, but her father had always been good at those. It seemed fitting, somehow.

Vasheera laughed softly to herself, feeling like she was going slightly insane as her thoughts spiraled. She couldn’t concern herself with how it would affect her after. There was no other option. Tonight, who was to say if it wouldn’t slip through her fingers once more, but for now at least, she had found her resolve again. She jumped at a tap on her shoulder, was offered an apology by a man who then asked her to dance. She laughed again, at herself for her jumpiness, and allowed the man to twirl her away. She didn’t recognize him, but it wasn’t like she knew absolutely everyone at Mavros. He could also be here just for the gather, perhaps. A trader or a craftsman, maybe. It didn’t matter. He was a decent dancer.

When the song ended they parted ways and Vasheera found herself a cup of wine, which was perhaps a mistake. Wine. She felt ill at ease as she held the cup in both hands, staring down into the dark liquid. In that moment it reminded her of blood and she quickly set it aside, finding water instead. She needed another distraction before her thoughts began to spiral again.

kevna
Vasheera's pretty dress~

[kevna]

Kekoa – Candidate

He had gone from dancing with Sio, to trading partners, to joining the musicians and performing for the dancers, then back to dancing, then again back to performing. He ignored the sharp looks that he was receiving from his fellow musicians for the most part, though he gave them his best stupid smile he could. He knew he was hard to count on, but when you saw a lady in need of a partner, it was just so hard to say no to himself and his urges. He should just let the performers do their thing-but how he loved to play. It was almost a tribute to his mother when he played her old gitar, an opportunity to share her with the rest of the world, and what better time then at gathers?

Playing with the musicians, up on the dais, also gave him the perfect opportunity to people watch. Which was why he caught sight of her, looking lost in her own thoughts. She had such beautiful wavy brown hair, and her dusky skin was accented so nicely by the cream dress she wore. She was flawless. No, stunning was a better word… and something about her screamed innocence and brightness. He couldn’t help but imagine her eyes, they had to be a pure brown-it was the only acceptable color for her in his mind. Dark brown eyes. What was she thinking about?

She jumped when a young man asked her to dance, and initially felt an irritation that her thoughts were interrupted, the perfect picture disturbed, though the irritation quickly fell away when he saw her smile and laugh. His breath caught. Fire and ashes. What a woman. People were wrong about him. He wasn’t the conqueror. He was the conquered. Utterly captured. It really was so unfair. He smiled brightly as she twirled in the other man’s arms, loving the way the light caught on the pink and blue accents of her dress that he had failed to notice earlier.

The song ended and he watched avidly as she was escorted back off the dance floor. Without hesitation he was up. He ignored the sigh one of the young ladies next to him admitted, and the growl from-Garik perhaps? Placing his gitar in a safe position, he jumped off the dais. If only they understood. It really wasn’t all his fault he was this way. He had to tilt his chin up and side to side to keep sight of her. He watched her set aside a cup of untouched something or other and pick up another. Would she take a sip with those full lips? He groaned quietly. Torture. Absolute incarnate walking torture, she was. He ran his hand through his hair, and checked that his sleeves were rolled up just high enough to show off his forearms. He buttoned his harper blue vest, but left his black shirt unbuttoned just enough to tease a look at his bronzed chest. He finished his approach, satisfied that he looked immaculate.

“Excuse me miss,” he said, waiting for her to look at him and bowing low for her, “but you truly are radiant. Like the sun kissing the ocean, causing a dazzling array of breathtaking colors. I would torture myself all night if I didn’t ask for a dance, beg really.” He proffered a hand, giving her his best winning smile.

As they moved onto the dance floor he spun her, then pulled her into his arms. “I’m Kekoa, dragon candidate. I feel like I should know you, and it’s my utter failure that I don’t. Please tell me you are from the holder side of Mavros, and that’s why I was utterly oblivious of your presence? You’ll break my heart if you tell me, you are only visiting.” Shards, it really would. One dance even one night wouldn’t be enough.

[Zen]

Vasheera

Sipping at her water, Vasheera closed her eyes for a moment as the next song started, focusing entirely on the music, appreciating each instrument…. She tilted her head slightly and glanced toward the players as she noted the missing sound of a gitar she was certain had been there while she danced. It hadn’t been the only gitar being played, perhaps most people wouldn’t notice its absence for this song. Someone must have needed to give their fingers a break, perhaps. She really ought to take a turn playing herself later, but she wasn’t sure she could manage it in her current state of mind. She liked to think she was talented enough to play through it, that maybe playing for a while would even put her mind at ease while it gave her something else to focus on, but she’d never been driven to such distraction before, never had to contend with thoughts like these. She sighed, watching the musicians play for a moment longer.

Until a voice interrupted her thoughts. At least she didn’t startle like last time, turning smoothly toward the voice that addressed her. He bowed low, which had her brows furrowing in the slightest at such formality. Or perhaps it was more theatrical than formal she decided as he continued to speak, poetic words of flattery. She imagined he charmed just about any woman he wanted quite easily with words like that, conjuring pretty imagery. Most girls would giggle and blush at such words. Vasheera didn’t giggle, but a short, bright laugh did escape her in her amusement at his dramatics.

“I wonder, do you often find the need to overcompensate so in order to win a dance partner?” Her dark eyes sparkled with humor, teasing him gently as she placed her hand in his. She didn’t actually wonder. She was quite certain that even without lines like that women would gladly dance with him. He was handsome enough and women mostly just liked being asked, even better if the man was charming and handsome. She let him lead them out among the other dancers, a soft smile settling on her lips as he spun her and pulled her into his arms, one hand settling on his shoulder, relaxing into his hold so she might better interpret the prompts of his hand.

A dragon candidate? It was no wonder she did not recognize him at all then. There would be little chance of them passing each other by regularly, not unless he enjoyed helping in the creche. She blinked up at him in surprise. Break his heart? Shards, he really was dramatic. A soft, breathy laugh escaped her lips as she shook her head, indulging in some dramatics of her own, teasing once more, “Fear not, I shan’t disappear from Mavros with the dying sun and deprive you of your radiant ocean’s kiss.” Another laugh, another shake of her head as she had tossed his own words back at him, “I am indeed a holder. Vasheera, apprentice harper. I have the great pleasure of teaching the younger children of Mavros. I’m afraid I don’t spend much time at the Weyr, unless you count the creche. How long have you been at Mavros, Kekoa?”

kevna