back to the same, but different

[tovaana]

Weyrling V’than :: Brown Saruth

The weather was getting nicer and people were naturally gravitating toward the water. It didn’t matter the weather for V’than to be pulled toward the ocean’s steady vibe. The waves were a soothing reminder of his previous life… Previous… Which reminded him, at some point he needed to talk to Muze and see if she wanted to visit home with him. They wouldn’t be able to go between to get there, but flying was allowed… and even with just a letter or two home, his family deserved more for their only children’s disappearance. The letter they had received had been from their mother, so he still didn’t know how his father felt about them leaving… though, he had to constantly remind himself that it really hadn’t been that long, it just felt long because of their trip back in time.

He sighed as he came out on the sand, taking his shoes off in order to take in the fine texture under his feet. A shadow crossed overhead, momentarily blocking the sun. He didn’t have to look up to know it was his brown, but he looked up anyways to take in the size of the growing brown. He smiled to himself, his troubled thoughts about home leaving him in that moment. It didn’t really matter what trouble he had caused, he had Saruth. He’d have Saruth to show off to his father too – much larger and better than a boat.

I don’t understand why you compare me to weak wooden capsules that float. His voice wasn’t cutting as he observed V'than's thoughts, just the simple curious tone that V’than had grown used to. The brown circled down and landed in the ocean’s surf, the waves that would hit V’than’s chest seeming to just lap at Saruth. ‘It’s all I’ve known. I’ll get used to my new life, it’s just different.’ Saruth seem to accept this, but didn’t respond.

He came and sat down on the damp sand where the tide just barely touched his toes. Saruth bathed in the ocean, dipping his head under waves and enjoying the cool embrace of the salty waters. He’d have to give the growing brown a proper scrub soon, even though he had done it recently… His growing and stretching never seemed to cease.

Taxx

[Taxx]

K'zar's gaze was on V'than as he strode down the beach, Lepsuth following close at his side so that his shoulder and Lepsuth's brushed as they walked. The weather was good, warming after the cold winter, and while the water might be cold it would be refreshing. He wasn't afraid to get his feet wet, no matter the temperature of the water. And something in him recognized a kindred spirit in the way he watched V'than look out over the sea.

While Lepsuth gave no acknowledgement of V'than and Saruth's presence, instead sitting down next to K'zar, the man was a touch different. He wasn't going to start in with inane chatter, but he could be decent company. When he wanted to be. "V'than. How's it going? Saruth." He gave a brown a nod to go along with the verbal greeting, but Lepsuth ignored them both, planting her face- eyes squeezed tightly shut- into his back hard enough to rock her rider forward. He pushed back and she relaxed just a bit, letting him recline back a little and then holding him there.

Waves rushed up toward him, swirling around the heels of his boots. Soothing, even if a bit confining given that he couldn't actually get out onto the water, but it was better than nothing. Hands braced on the ground on either side of him, K'zar stared out at the horizon for a moment before turning to V'than. "You miss it, don't you?" A nod toward the wide expanse of water before one hand scooped up a handful of sand and let it spill back out, drifting away in the wind. "I do. For all the good I wouldn't pass up, being land-bound is... miserable."
tovaana

[tovaana]

Weyrling V’than :: Brown Saruth

Saruth saw them coming before V’than, his neck bending to allow an eye watch the green rider and his sister approach. He kept silent, turning back to the ocean when they settled near V’than. He knew his sister preferred silence and this was easy for the large brown and tan dragon. Another wave rolled into his legs, trying to understand what it was about the body of water that his rider enjoyed so much.

V’than had been distracted to notice that his dragon had noticed the pair coming toward him, until they were close enough to notice the movement from the corner of his eye. He glanced toward them and raised a hand in greeting.

“Hey K’zar.” He glanced at his dragon who hardly glanced back at the sound of his name. “We’re doing fine, just odd being back.” He watched as the man plopped down near him, and glanced at Lepsuth who ‘hid’ behind K’zar. She seemed like a sweet green, but V'than was always afraid of spooking her. He was about to return the question of how they were doing, when the man posed another question after a long glance at the ocean.

V’than grinned at the last word. “Aye. Miserable is the word I’d use.” He chewed on the inside of his cheek for a moment as he looked back out at the ocean. “Yeah, I definitely miss being out at sea. I miss working on boats even more, the satisfaction of creating or fixing.” He paused, glancing at K’zar. “What do you miss most?” V’than only knew that the man also had at sea experience, but not much more.

“It’s odd being back. I know we went back in time, but it feels more like we went forward in time and then back.” At least the ocean never changed. He looked back over the familiar blue waves. Sure, erosion was a thing, but the water was always there- rolling in and out. He wasn’t the same. Neither was his sister. His parents would expect them to be the same… His jaw tightened at this thought. On his next rest day he’d need to just bite the bullet and visit them. All he needed was so get permission and talk to Muze, to see if she wanted to go with him.

Taxx

[Taxx]

It wasn't odd to K'zar, really- it was noisier, for sure. He'd only really spent a short time at Mavros before going back in time, and he'd got used to it. Being back was just being around more people and dragons, really, and that was the problem. It was a relief to be able to talk to someone who understood just what he was talking about, and his answer to V'than's question was immediate. "The air, the motion of the waves, even the feeling of being so tiny against the expanse of the ocean."

A short smile crossed his face at a memory- the setting sun turning the sky to blazing, the men below singing and laughing at their tales, and the heavy scent of salt on the breeze as K'zar- Kalzen, then- stood lookout. He might have had nothing to his name but a bronze firelizard, but he'd been content. Not that he wasn't happy now, but it wasn't quite the same. "Think I'll get used to it," he added, his hand lifting to rub at Lepsuth's nose, a quiet puff of laughter escaping him as she dropped her head into his lap. "It's still new. This wasn't really planned, but- well, I'm a rider now."

He glanced over, head tipping a bit to the side. "You worked on boats, like making them? My father, his crew and I, were traders. They still are, I suppose. Was born in a hold but grew up on a ship. Where'd you come from?"

[tovaana]

Weyrling V’than :: Brown Saruth

V’than nodded his head in agreement to the things that K’zar missed. The man let out a quiet bark of laughter, “Yeah, it wasn’t in my plans either. In fact, it happened so fast, we didn’t even tell my parents.” He also didn’t get to make any finishing touches and finish his project either. He wondered if it was still sitting there, since he didn’t know of anyone that was competent that he would trust working on the boat… a boat he hadn’t even named. On the other hand, he couldn’t see his father letting money just sit there… He cringed slightly at the thought of his father finding someone to work on his boat, not that he’d have time to finish it anyways.

“I feel the same, I hope I get used to it… I definitely felt more comfortable at sea.” He looked at the green dragon, smiling softly at the moment between the rider and dragon. His dark gaze turned back to the sea where Saruth was bathing in the waves.

“Yeah.” He glanced momentarily back at K’zar before going back to look at Saruth. “I was in the middle of a project when Muze and I were searched. Faranth knows what my father has done while I’ve been gone, though I guess I haven’t been gone long for him. I’m from Eastern Hold, a small hold on the Far Western continent. You?” He glanced again at the man when he asked the question. He didn’t know a lot about dragonriders, but K’zar wasn’t the type that he imagined would impress to a green dragon. What did he know, though? He’d only been part of the dragon world for a couple of years. “Maybe we should take a day at sea on one of our rest days. I know Muze would like that, too.”

Taxx

[Taxx]

K'zar nodded along, listening without speaking as V'than explained his own situation. And that of his sister's, since they'd come to Mavros together. He didn't know what exactly had happened with the two on their own Search, but from what V'than had said, it hadn't been something he had really anticipated, though he certainly seemed resigned to it now. It felt a bit like his own mindset, and having someone who wasn't absolutely enthralled at the turn life had taken was nice. Just because he had no intention of giving up Lepsuth, didn't mean he hadn't quite pleased with how much his world had shrunk with the skittish green as his partner.

All he offered, on the topic of the project V'than spoke of, was a nod of acknowledgement. He didn't know the brownrider's father, and as callous as it might sound he didn't quite care to be upset on the other's part about his project being taken by someone else. Someone else might had chimed in with scandalized annoyance, but- what good would it do? V'than's father would do what he would do, and no amount of a complete stranger's empathetic outrage, when they were so far away, would stop him. It might make V'than feel better, but if that was what he wanted, he'd have to look elsewhere.

"Born at Tidewalk," he replied, tracing a finger through the sand in aimless patterns. "Was only a few months old when my father met me and my mother handed me over to him. Haven't seen her since; been on my father's ship and traveling since then. Grew up in the fishing and trading life, and I liked it. Never really thought I'd ever be anything more. Until you," he added, turning to Lepsuth and leaning his head against her nose; she puffed out a breath, ruffling his short hair before crooning in reply.

"I'd like that. But, don't know if I'd be able to. Unless you can fit this one on deck." As close to a tease as he'd ever got, one corner of his mouth twitching up. "We don't like being apart, so unless you can think of something, I'll pass. Thanks though."

[tovaana]

Weyrling V’than :: Brown Saruth

He nodded in appropriate places during his story, feeling fortunate that he had had both parents to care for him and his sister – even if his father was… difficult. He wondered what it was like to have only a father, no mother in his upbringing. Not only did it seem inappropriate to ask, but he guessed that K’zar wouldn’t know the difference since it was his normal. Perhaps it was difficult to watch other mothers care for the young when they came to dock, or perhaps not… He didn’t feel like he could make a judgment on this, but he still couldn’t imagine not having his meek mother care for him when he was a boy, their quiet shelter from their father’s storm.

V’than was somewhat distracted by his thoughts when K’zar said, ‘until you’. He half expected him to finish the sentence, until you – what? Then quickly realized with a glance that the man was talking to his green. In a way the green reminded him of his own quiet mother, just not quite so skittish, yet never brave enough to stand up for herself.

The man offered a small smile at his words, reaching to scratch his neck for a moment before leaning forward in thought. Then he glanced out at his brown who was making his way back to them, but kept at a respectful distance- knowing Lepsuth’s comfort level. The brown lay in the sun to let his dripping hide dry. V’than frowned lightly in thought, both at what it would be like to have such a needy dragon, since Saruth seemed almost opposite from V’than’s point of view – and he wondered if they could remedy the boat situation. If he had time, he liked the challenge of making a boat big enough for the green, since she wasn't nearly as big as other dragons, even for greens like his sister's.

“I mean, Saruth is always annoyed with my analogies between dragons and boats… Has Lepsuth done much swimming?” He asked with slight shrug, looking back at the man. “She seems like a sweet green.” He added on, looking at the green dragon thoughtfully. “It’s funny how different all the personalities were that came from the two clutches. One of those things you don’t think about while on a boat.”

Taxx

[Taxx]

This was more than K'zar usually talked, but in a way it was nice. He hadn't really met anyone else who could understand his preferences for the sea like V'than could; unlike the brownrider, they wouldn't understand what he meant when he explained his longing for rolling waves and the sharp tang of seawater that filled his lungs with each breath. His upbringing and V'than's might not have been exactly similar, but the brownrider seemed to have some understanding where it mattered most.

“Analogies?” A question that by itself hinted at K’zar’s request for clarification: aside from size- and color, in the brown’s case- what similarities were there to be made? “No,” he continued, willing to set aside his own curiosity for the moment. “Not since her younger days. She might get in if I do, but she likes it better on solid ground.” His following smile, brief as it was, held plenty of warm for the green, his agreement coming in the form of an affirmative noise as he lightly rubbed at a mossy-green headknob.

“Suppose not. Never really gave much thought to dragons at all. My bronze firelizard was as close as I got before Impressing, and there’s really no comparison. He’s a good pet, but a dragon’s sure not a pet.” A glance and a tip of his head toward the bigger male who had just settled down a little ways away. “And yours- guess I can’t call him sweet. But he seems nice.” He didn’t really know the brown well enough to make anything more than a vague compliment, but at least he wasn’t overly excitable or annoyingly demanding: he seemed quite well-suited to V’than’s own personality, really. “You’re well matched, I think.”

[tovaana]

Weyrling V’than :: Brown Saruth

“Yeah. Like, the feeling of the wind when you’re sailing compared to when you’re flying.” He shrugged a shoulder. “Saruth is simpler…but he catches on that he’s more often than not the boat in my thoughts.” He wasn’t sure why they always came to mind; perhaps it was his way of bridging the gap between the two worlds. Was he afraid of losing part of him, by embracing weyr life? Here V’than was problem solving for K’zar when K’zar had seemed to make peace with their life as dragon riders. V’than wasn’t sure what it would take for him to find that sort of peace. Or at least, he seemed happy. He knew well from the men he had worked around that feelings were the last thing that were freely shared.

He glanced at his own brown dragon that was silently watching. Always so silent. The brown blinked at him. What is there to say? The brown thought at him, not angrily – but with pure curiosity. It was almost not a question – like a statement. If there was something to say, then he’d say it.

“Yeah, he is nice.” V’than frowned momentarily, the frown ghosting away into thought. Were they well matched? Were all matches perfect? There was no known science of how the dragon chose a rider, so how was one to know if they chose well? The point of it all, was to fight thread of course. But K’zar was right – the bond between dragon and rider was more than a flit pairing, it was something deep.

He sighed. Too many thoughts. Perhaps that what was that frustrated him. It had been so simple when it was just building boats and sailing the sea.

“It’d be interesting to see what the dragons thought a good match meant.” He said, his gaze trailing back out to the ocean.

Taxx

[Taxx]

That, he could understand, and he gave a nod of affirmation at the thought. To be honest, he didn’t much like flying; the way his stomach dropped each time Lepsuth sprang into flight was unpleasant, and it made him anxious having nothing beneath his feet; having only a pair of wings that could fail at any time keeping them aloft preyed constantly on his mind, even if he kept it to a corner of his mind to keep from enhancing Lepsuth’s own fears.

But he remembered days up on the rigging, or in the crow’s nest, and the similarities between that and in flying made sense. Maybe he ought to try harder to see it the way V’than did. It wasn’t a bad way to view it, after all- might be harder to do than think when he was actually flying, but he could try.

He cast a glance at the brown and rider and then at Lepsuth. Part of him couldn’t help wondering what it would be like, having the brown- a passing thought that Lepsuth picked up all too easily and which required assurance: he wasn’t at all sorry that she had chosen him and he wouldn’t give her up for anything. It was just a thought, nothing more. He was hers and she was his and that was that.

“That seems to vary quite a bit among dragons. Even among the colors. Seems like that’s a common topic, ‘specially around Hatchings. Lepsuth chose me for- my strength, I suppose. Because she thought I could protect her. Did Saruth give you a reason?”

[tovaana]

Weyrling V’than :: Brown Saruth

That made sense. It was no secret that Lepsuth was more skittish. To have a strong rider that could protect her made sense. But, Saruth did not need his protecting. “He hasn't really given me a straight answer, so I don't know.” Saruth was quiet, and V’than could be quiet, perhaps they were more alike than he either care to admit or even understood. But both being silent couldn’t be all, though.

The brown dragon was watching him quietly. ‘Do you even know?’ There was a pause, and then feeling V’than’s confusion, the dragon pushed a blanket of comfort toward his rider. It felt right. V’than sighed, rolling his eyes slightly, but with a small smile at his mouth.

“Eh, he says it felt right, whatever that means…” He was getting to know his dragon more and more as the days went by. Perhaps, one day he’d know. Perhaps he’d learn more about his dragon. “I can see how Rylath’s sweet demeanor balances with Muze’s bolder attitude…” He mused aloud.