Post by kevna on Aug 11, 2019 18:17:10 GMT -5
Tak'ril ~ Bronze Agureyth
He had scoured the beach looking for the right blue. But not just the right blue, the perfect pearly blue. It didn’t help that it had to be the right size and shape as well. It had taken time. A lot of time, and a few scolding’s from S’bol for being late to lessons. Agureyth had loved the extra sand and sun baking, had even joined in the hunt for the stone, and in the end, they had found it. All the time, the extra chores, and unhappy S’bol had been worth it. He palmed the lustrous blue agate, looking for a good place to place the hole. It had to be far enough from the center, so as not to take away from the pattern of shimmering blues, but not too close to the outer rim to unbalance the bracelet.
He took the needle and placed it upon the chosen spot, taking the heavy end of his knife, and preparing to gently tap it. He felt the warmth on the back of his neck right before he came down on the needle, and stopped midair, looking over his shoulder with irritation.
What? I couldn’t see from over there.
“Yes, but from over there, you can’t bump me and mess the whole thing up.”
I wouldn’t mess it up.
“Not on purpose maybe, but you, my friend are still getting used to your ever growing neck, and with one mistake we would lose the agate.”
We could always find another. Or use one of the thousands you picked up.
“There are four others, and they will be a part of the bracelet to. I thought you wanted a nap.”
I did. I do, but I want to watch.
“Ag, then please watch from over there. I can’t concentrate with you breathing down my neck.”
His dragon rumbled unhappily, but did as asked, moving back to his slab of rock for a bed. He was getting big. Really big. But the slab still made his Bronze look like a dwarf dragon.
Once Tak’ril felt secure that his agate was safe from his bumbling dragon, Tak’ril turned back to the task at hand. His steady hand had not moved the needle throughout the whole conversation, and he brought down the handle of his blade gently on the back of the needle, repeating the action until he felt the pop. He pulled back to see the small hole he had made, and with the steady hands of a fisher, took the cream string he had ‘borrowed’ from the weavers, and looped it through the hole.
With practiced ease, he performed the dropper’s loop, the agate secured in the loop, and the twists and ties to finish the knot on either side. He stopped to study his handiwork, making sure that both sides of the knot were perfectly even. The young man caught and held the color of the agate in his mind, closing his eyes as the color recalled the blue eyes they nearly mimicked. Joia was special. She had depth and personality that most women lacked. She had morals, and a kindness that was rare to find.
But she wanted to leave him. He recognized the fact that he couldn’t make her stay. He also knew that asking her to stay would only hurt her. So he wouldn’t. Not because he didn’t want her to; Tak’ril desperately wanted her to stay. No, he wouldn’t ask her to because he couldn’t bear to be a cause to her pain. An addition to the pain she obviously already bore.
So instead, he would gift her this. And in this, she would always remember him, and he would know that she always had a piece of him with her.
He studied the agate a little longer, tightening the ends of the dropper’s loop. With deft hands he placed a feline paw knot on either side of the dropper’s loop, making sure each equaled in size to the other. He strung the next two prepared agates onto either end of the bracelet, appreciating their color as well. They weren’t the lustrous blue of the larger centerpiece agate, but a creamy blue that accented the larger nicely, and in no way would detract from the centerpiece.
He ensured each of the stone’s placement with three clinched knots, spaced apart nicely, and looped the last two agates onto the bracelet. If he had sized her dainty wrist right these last two would lie flat on her inner wrist, flat enough not to snag her clothing or be in the way of any chores. They were slightly darker than the other small agates, but still not as shimmery or iridescent as the first.
He was nearing the finish and had to stop to appreciate the last of the knots he was about to place. He started the knot on the left side with expertise, closing his eyes, enjoying just the feel of this knot. It was strange using this knot with so fine a strand. It was called the Uni knot, used mainly for holding in place the heavier gear for fishing expeditions, and if tied incorrectly, could kill a man by releasing the heavy gear to all sorts of mayhem.
He could remember all the times this knot had saved his life, had grounded him and his supplies. Now, he hoped they would be used to ground Joia, ground her here, to Mavros, to… He shook his head, and started on the right side, again tying the uni knot, eyes closed. He pictured her this time. Her haunted eyes, her hand gripping his, her smiles. He hoped this knot would ground her, no matter where she went.
With the right side in hand, he laid one more knot, a simple non-slip loop. He stood, stretching his legs, wondering how long he had crouched there working on the bracelet. The nearly finished bracelet. He glanced at his bonded to find him fast asleep. Obviously, the bronze had grown bored or watching the small movements, and his desire for a nap had won out.
Quietly, Tak’ril rummaged through his chest for his sack of hooks and pulled them out. He dumped them out, and looked for a small, clean, silvery hook. When he found one to his satisfaction and began rubbing the sharp end against the cave ground until it was sufficiently dull, then with strength he bent the hook inward, so it didn’t have much of an opening in the almost loop it made. With a finality that felt strange he looped the pinhole on the side of the hook that originally was meant to be closed and looped through string and knotted it in place. With his knife he almost cut off the excess string but stopped himself. While he was fairly confident this would fit her, he dared not be too cocky.
“What are you doing? You missed your lesson today Tak’ril.” Tak’ril jumped at the quiet intrusion of male voice, clearly hearing the anger in it.
“Er, S’bol, I’m sorry, time must have gotten away with me.” He hid the bracelet behind him back and glanced to see his slumbering bonded still out of it. “Agureyth was exhausted after our run and his bath, so I thought I would let him sleep.”
“You have responsibilities, and your dragon can nap when you don’t. Don’t you understand that you could lead your own wing some day? You have to take this seriously.”
“I know, I-I’ll make it up, I promise.”
“Yes, yes you will. Next time I catch you skipping lessons, I’ll have you on dish duty until you aren’t a weyrling anymore.”
Without another word S’bol stormed out. He was angry, and Tak’ril was in for it. He grimaced and turned to see his bronze awake and watching the door.
We should not have missed our lesson.
“No, I suppose not.”
Tak’ril moved the bracelet into view and showed his bonded the finished product.
It is beautiful.
“I hope she thinks so too. Come on, time to feed you.”
Tak’ril got up and placed the bracelet in the trunk, then decided against it, and grabbed it again, placing it in his pocket. It felt heavier when is was there, prominent, like anyone could see he hid something in his pocket. But better to have it with him then to lose it. He cleaned up the hooks, while Agureyth stretched his wings and shook out his sleep.
Yes, eating is very important. We definitely cannot forget food.
Tak’ril smiled, agreeing with his companion. First, he would feed Ag, then it would be time for dinner, and he was sure S’bol had signed him up for dish duty tonight. He wouldn’t miss it. And, he wouldn’t let anything else distract him from his duties. He was sure Agureyth wouldn’t let him.