Half a World Apart

[Taxx]

L'rey was always, always happy to take moments like these as they came; when he had no lessons to attend, no chores to undertake, and no care for Codrath required. Content to simply be lazy and not risk a scolding. It might have been warmer inside, but in the sun and with the bronze's warmth against his back, the chill was bearable, and he was comfortable. No reason to disturb either of them by moving now.

A repetitive gust of warm air passed over his ankle, timed with the fall of the bronze's side behind him, followed by a breeze as cooler air was inhaled and the bronze's ribcage expanded. It was hypnotic and L'rey was very close to falling asleep, head pillowed by his own arms and quite cozy. Codrath wasn't asleep, even if his eyes were closed; L'rey could sense his alert mind reacting to sounds as they came and every so often, his breathing changed as a scent on the wind piqued his interest, before settling back into the soothing rhythm of before.

It was the softer trod of a human's footsteps that roused the great bronze, and his faceted gaze fixed on the unattached youngling that approached; Codrath's side rose, taking in a great breath of air and letting it out in a warning rumble for the Candidate to keep his distance. L'rey, rousing himself from his near-doze, opened his own eyes and turned toward the new arrival, one hand moving to pat the mossy-bronze stripes to calm the growl, which trailed off into a huff of air. He did not move otherwise, but his gaze was watchful and his eyes a warning orange shade.

"Treyvin?" L'rey recognized the Candidate quickly enough, and he pushed himself to his feet but stayed where he'd risen, hand still braced against his dragon's hide. "Uh, what's up? You need me for something?"
tovaana

[tovaana]

Treyvin;

Ever since his run-in (literally) with Yvinka, his mind’s barrier was on the fritz. He kept losing control as he got lost in thought often. He had kept an eye out for L'rey constantly, trying to remember what the weyrling’s feelings had felt like. It was during candidacy that he had realized that people felt feelings a little differently – the colors and patterns that invaded his mind space were somewhat unique when he focused hard enough. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t remember L'rey's feeling patterns. He’d open his mind both purposefully and accidental – but his own emotions were unpredictable and the idea of his father being in Mavros had his mind and thoughts overwhelm him like repetitive sneaker waves.

Even there on the docks, he felt constantly distracted, tying ropes multiple times before actually doing it the right way. The same knots he could do with his eyes closed if he had to. He was just about to give up on his current project when a voice caught his attention.

“Treyvin, is that you?” He turned to see a familiar girl wandering toward him. He glanced at her weyrling knots and then down at his own feet.

“Yeah, uh. Workin’ on the docks.” As if that explained everything.

Muze’s brown eyes were watching him too intently and his jaw tensed when he felt a mixture of curiosity and sympathy. He hadn’t hung out with her as much as he had No’va and Vitra, but there had been so few people back in time that it would have been hard to avoid people if they had wanted, especially since they had been candidates together. He didn’t want sympathy, especially from those who had known him then. There was a bit of an awkward moment of silence and he knew Muze was about to ask something he didn’t want to answer by the bold color of feelings emanating from her.

He had an idea. “Hey, have you uh…seen L’rey?” Muze’s eyes widened and she closed her mouth, assumedly changing her mind on what she was going to say. After a moment her surprise faded and her eyes seemed to glaze over. Treyvin felt the strange occurrence when feelings leached into people when they conversed with dragons.

“Rylath is up on the cliffs, she says that Codrath is up there with him.”

Treyvin’s clear gaze darted up at the wall cliffs and he dropped the ropes in his hands. He almost forgot that he had been in a sort of conversation with Muze. Well, he did forget – and started to move away, not thinking properly of how long it would take for him to weave through the tunnels to get up top.

“Hey, Treyvin, wait - where you going?”

He stopped, and glanced at the brunette, hating that he had to make small talk. Well, he didn’t… have to… but how to get out of it quickly?

“He’s my brother.” He blurted out, and cringed as he said it out loud for the first time – but mostly because he knew how out of the blue the comment was, especially from Muze’s sharp confusion and shock that came from her. “I uh, just found out recently… So… I’m just gonna…” He awkwardly side-stepped away, motioning to up ahead and cleared his voice. His long legs started to run, forgetting that he should let the other sailors know where he was headed. He was so excited – that his emotions and the emotions around him deafened him from Muze calling out to him. He felt something firm on his arm and it was the determined blunt emotion that stopped him more than the actual physical contact. He jerked away from the sharp emotion, as if he’d been stabbed.

“Sorry – sorry. Rylath is coming… Let me – well, let us give you a ride up.”

Treyvin’s fists uncurled as he caught his breath and nodded. He’d been so excited that he hadn’t even thought to ask for a ride. He almost liked the idea of going there himself, without any help – he didn’t need her help, did he? Despite his confusion, he nodded again, mentally accepting her help, though denying that he needed it. There were also two more contradicting feelings within him: not wanting to ride a dragon that had been in the clutch that was connected to terrible memories, but also wanting to ride a dragon bareback – the thrill that it would be. He had already nodded twice though, and Rylath was on her way, or at least Muze had said so.

They ran to the beach where Rylath could land and where they could mount without too many eyes to notice that the not yet graduated weyrling was taking a candidate on her dragon’s back without any riding gear. Muze’s dragon was hard to resent in any manner, despite the side of his feelings that didn't want to think about the Timing adventure. Her speckled hide was mesmerizing and the feelings that ebbed from her were pleasant. The take-off made his stomach lurch – feeling as if he would slip right off the green’s back, but the green was careful and they ascended carefully and almost too quickly for Treyvin’s liking. He had forgotten how much he missed being around dragons.

After giving thanks to both Muze and Rylath he spotted the mottled striped bronze hide of Codrath in a more isolated spot on the cliffs. He started out at a quick walk, but it crescendoed into a jog toward them. He wasn’t sure what he was going to say, but he supposed saying it as brusquely as he had to Muze probably wasn’t the best idea. Or, maybe Yvinka had already told him, but he hadn’t cared? Why did Treyvin care so much?

The growl from the dragon pulled him out of his turmoil and he came to a stuttering stop with his long legs. If the dragon hadn’t been there, would he have gone in straight for a hug? No… at least, he didn’t think he would have. But clearly with Muze he hadn’t had the self-control he thought he had… Still, he didn't like that the dragon acted as a sort of barrier between the two.

"Uh, what's up? You need me for something?" He had needed him. Him and his father and Yvinka – all of them, the other part of him. He had half siblings from his mother and the man she married, but they had all been younger – and they had their father and mother.

“I uh… I’m not sure.” He took a breath and focused on L’rey’s feelings – but it was a tad more difficult with the dragon’s bolder waves that seemed to dull his senses. He had really hoped to know clearly how L’rey would feel about knowing they were brothers.

“Did…” He cleared his throat, looking at L’rey while finding his determination. He rose his voice to carry over the breeze and the distance between them. “Did you know that Treyjen shipped off recently? I uh, I missed seeing him… I mean, I saw the boat, but then it was gone, so I didn’t see him, just the boat.” He sighed heavily and cleared his throat again, as if it would bring the right words to his lips. “He’s your dad, yeah?”

Taxx

[Taxx]

He wasn't sure? Then why was he here? He had to have a reason for coming up here, especially since it wasn't like Codrath was down on the beach or any place that Treyvin could have just casually come across him. It was something of a relief for the other to go on, and yet the question was so far from what L'rey had expected- not that he had any idea what he expected: help with something, perhaps, some lesson he'd been given, or maybe just to talk like they had before? But the question about Treyjen brought up the memory of a talk that still left him reeling; a memory of talking to a stranger who had become someone who meant a lot more.

L'rey blinked, glanced away toward the docks. He had of course noticed the absence of the Storm's Eye, even while he'd tried to ignore it because of what it stood for, and he hadn't been able to help the twist somewhere inside that pointed out that his father had gone again. Stupid to feel betrayed, he'd cursed himself, because if he hadn't told Treyjen that he didn't want him around then the Captain might have sought him out to let him know beforehand.

He's your dad, yeah? For a moment L'rey gaped, his breath catching in his throat. "How do you know that? Who..." Who knew, besides L'rey and Treyjen himself... "Yvinka? Did she tell you? How do you know her?" And why would Yva have told him that Treyjen was his father? Irritation was quick to follow and he straightened- he felt more than heard the rumble as Codrath growled again, vibrating up through the ground into his boots, and he didn't need to look back to know that the bronze's eyes would have gone red, feeding off his rider's swirl of emotion. "Who even are you?" he demanded, eyes narrowing into a glare.
tovaana

[tovaana]

Treyvin;

Confusion, hurt – and there were a few other subtle feelings that were drowned by the dragon between them. He glanced at the great bronze, wishing he would leave. His eyes flicked back to L’rey, trying to separate the rider and his dragon in his mind – but fear crept up on him. Treyvin realized it was his own fear that had come up to meet the shock that plainly came off his half brother. "How do you know that? Who..." He was mad? No – just shocked still. "Yvinka? Did she tell you? How do you know her?" Now, now he was mad.

Treyvin felt the irritation and assumed it was directed at him for finding out – forgetting that perhaps it was Yvinka he was mostly frustrated at, not him. The rider’s emotion was multiplied in his dragon and Treyvin felt his breath speeding up and his emotions pricking behind his eyes. It took all effort to keep his eyes filling with salty tears. It felt like he was being flooded with the anger and he felt the irritation from both stir his own belly with anger that met his own sadness and fear. He shouldn’t have come. He shouldn’t have said anything. He should have waited for Yvinka to tell L’rey and seen if L’rey cared to come see him about it.

"Who even are you?"

He took a subconscious step backward away from the growling dragon, putting even more space between them. The accusatory question opened a channel and filled his eyes with the beginnings of tears, though none fell yet.

"I –" He stopped, realizing L’rey had asked a lot of questions, and with his emotions loose with his control continually slipping, he wasn’t sure he could answer them. What had he expected in his cryptic words? He’d been afraid of being too blunt like he had with Muze, but had it been too much to expect L’rey to jump to his own conclusions about asking about his father?

“I didn’t know, I swear I didn’t.” He choked out, voice breaking mid sentence. He cleared his throat. “Please, don’t be mad.”

He took a couple breaths and closed his eyes, so he wouldn’t have to watch L’rey’s face or the whirling red eyes of the dragon. “I ran into Yvinka… she said something about Treyjen.” He swallowed at the name of their father. “I didn’t know he was at Mavros, or I would have come to see him – I’ve never seen him before, so I didn’t know – all this time working on the docks. That… that my father was there.” He clenched his jaw and swallowed hard again, to push his feelings down so they wouldn’t release his tears - but it didn't entirely worked like he wanted.

No, no tears! He rubbed his eyes and face with his sleeve to remove the one tear that had escaped and dry up any other moisture that had accumulated. His face was blotched red with emotion, but at least there weren't any more tears. At least he hadn't cried. He cleared his throat and opened his eyes, blinking up at the dragon and at L’rey - afraid of what expressions he would see coupled by their emotions. 

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[Taxx]

Stop that. L'rey didn't look back at Codrath as he spoke, but the silent words for the bronze and the throaty growling tapered off slowly, going inaudible first and then so quiet that it couldn't be felt- L'rey was pretty sure he was still growling, or just on the verge of it, but he couldn't hear it anymore and he settled his attention back on Treyvin as he waited for some sort of explanation for why the other had information he shouldn't have known.

A shake of his head at the plea for him not to be mad but it didn't really help; he couldn't help it. And it didn't really mean anything that Treyvin even knew, except for the biting irritation of the way he'd asked the question, like it was supposed to mean something, like he'd thought asking the question would get a more enthused response. Or, a more happily enthused response. L'rey hardly knew Treyjen; if anyone had been a father to him in his Turns of life, it'd been Reyloran.

And then on the heels of the stumbling reply, L'rey's mouth dropped open again and he stared. Blinked, mind blank except for the news circling through his head, focused on that for a few heartbeats before he could have kicked himself because honestly how could he have not guessed? Unless he'd been intentionally trying not to see the connection, which was all too possible, considering even their names were nearly similar. He couldn't remember thinking about it before, not until the topic was suddenly aired and made too obvious to ignore.

"He's your father." He hadn't known, hadn't seen Treyjen before, had either had no idea that L'rey was his brother- half-brother- when they'd spoken previously or had been good enough to hide the knowledge until now, which really, why would he?

L'rey sucked in a deep breath and then clapped his hands to his face, his palms pressing into his eyes as he let out air in a groaning sigh. Faranth help him, there were too much of these surprise family meetings going around. Hands dropping, L'rey looked Treyvin over again and then lifted his chin. "How old are you?" he asked, sweeping aside polite etiquette for the moment because he had to know before this went any farther. "And... you don't know him? I mean, you've never met him, you said?"
tovaana

[tovaana]

Treyvin;

Since he opened his eyes after he was done speaking, he caught the open mouth of shock as L'rey made the obvious connection. His expression told him more than his feelings did, especially with Codrath’s angry presence protecting his rider. He wished at that moment that he didn’t have his gift of feeling feelings, he wished he could be ignorant of it all. It was too painful that there was no excitement or pleasure at all in learning that he had a brother – even if they were just half brothers. It made him realize that he’d know what his father would be feeling - he didn’t have a dragon to muddle Treyvin’s senses. And Treyvin couldn’t turn it all the way off, even if he wanted to – and even if he could… he knew he wouldn’t.

"He's your father." Not, you’re my brother! A chill went down his back and he stiffened. He couldn’t guess that there were any problems between L’rey and Treyjen, he could only assume that everything was about him also being Treyjen’s son. When the boy’s hands clapped to his face, he might as well have slapped Treyvin with those hands.

Treyvin reeled emotionally, pulling back and throwing up blockades as best he could. He was pretty sure nothing he felt was L’rey’s feelings, as far as he could tell, only the dull anger from the bronze. He glanced at the dragon. A bronze. His brother had impressed the best dragon a boy could – how could he compete with that? He’d have to impress a bronze as well. His hands were already balled into fists, but his knuckles whitened as he tightened them with resolve. He’d get back on those sands for the next clutch – and the next. He’d throw up a thousand times to get a better dragon than L’rey’s.

When L’rey’s hands fell from his face and asked him questions, besides the slight blotchiness of red from earlier emotion, he was a blank page. An interrogation. “I’m fifteen.” He responded, his voice was a tad shakier than he liked, not as blank as his face. But Treyvin wouldn’t ask questions like that, he didn’t care how old L’rey was. He supposed it was to figure out when Treyjen had had a child with a woman that was not his own mother. He supposed that it was to figure out if he had been a father to him first, or to L’rey. He supposed it was for any reason than to actually feel anything for him.

The last question though, it was harder to stay blank. He shook his head, not trusting his voice to stay steady with that answer. He gulped, his fists tightening for a moment more. “Only heard of him.” He breathed out. “And… even that not much.” He wasn't sure his voice was loud enough to cover the space between them. It might has well have been like they were on different continents. 

Taxx

[Taxx]

L'rey wasn't sure how he would have reacted if the reply had been the other way around, and he remembered again that he was older now than he would have been otherwise; he had technically been twelve when he'd left, which left the initial gap of three Turns narrowed to just one, and he shuffled both feet in a momentary awkwardness at how to continue. He wasn't sure why Treyvin had felt the need to tell him, and L'rey wondered if he'd maybe expected a better reaction.

And he couldn't quite help the flicker of guilt when there remained no rush of joy at the thought of him having a brother. He'd never thought about it before; in Tillek he'd had a horde of cousins who'd been as close as siblings, but he'd never known anyone related to him through Treyjen or his mother. He knew Treyvin as a fellow Candidate- finding out he was more than that was a bit much to take in, accept, and welcome in such a short time, if that really was what Treyvin wanted.

He glanced down, grinding the toe of a boot into the sand, silent for a moment as he tried to think of what to do, or say, or something. "Um, sorry about that. I guess if you want to see him, he'll be back. He told me he kinda lives here, between voyages. Dunno when he'll be back, though." He glanced at Treyvin again, gave a vague shrug of his shoulders, and then, because he really didn't know what else to do and just standing around was stupid, he flopped back to the ground. "So, you know, I don't really know him all that well either, but maybe I can tell you what I do? If you want."
tovaana

[tovaana]

Treyvin;

The silence that lingered between them felt eternal, like it would never end, even though in reality it had only been a few moments. He wasn’t sure if his anger was his own, or the grumpy dragon that was between them. Thoughts of his family back in Southern Hold, his mother and half siblings. He felt rather silly expecting so much of L’rey when he had hardly been an involved older brother with them. They had been so much younger though, it felt different finding a brother closer to his age (seemingly) and on top of that, from his real father’s side. He had a sudden longing to visit home and have Vineya give him a hug and tell him it would be all right. He hadn’t really felt the need until then, after this slap of reality. He had been dreaming of the other side of the ocean being bluer and better, when he had had loving family all along… well, at least a loving mother.

While these hurt and cynical feelings started to build in him, L’rey finally answered. "Um, sorry about that. I guess if you want to see him, he'll be back. He told me he kinda lives here, between voyages. Dunno when he'll be back, though." There had been a short leap within his chest at the apology, but it hadn’t been for L’rey’s lack of enthusiasm, it had been an apology on their father’s behalf, or just at the unlucky nature of the situation. He simply nodded, Yvinka had told him that little bit anyways. He’d be back, though he wasn’t sure just how excited he was anymore about the reunion. Perhaps he’d quit the dock job and go back to full time candidate lessons and chores, then he wouldn’t know when he came back… perhaps that would be better.

So, L’rey hadn’t really known him either, it seemed. Despite his new cynicism, he did want to know. He wanted to know everything. He nodded, perhaps more vigorously than his pride had wanted. “I would like that.” He glanced at L’rey’s bronze. “But, uh. I don’t think… I mean, I don’t think he likes me very much.” Treyvin said, his eyes suddenly unable to look away from the frightening size and demeanor of the dragon.

Taxx

[Taxx]

Great, so now they had something to talk about instead of just standing around and staring at each other while not actually making eye contact. L'rey gestured for Treyvin to sit, because he didn't really want to talk while craning his head backward, only to tip his gaze around to the bronze still lying at his back, one massive eye, tinged red, glaring at the Candidate, as he had been doing without pause while L'rey had talked. "Oh, he won't hurt you," he tried to assure Treyvin, scooting backward to rest his body against the muscled jaw, fully trusting his own words.

"I mean, he probably could, but only if he thought you were gonna hurt me, and you're not gonna do that, right? He likes Yva, anyway, though she totally bought his acceptance. Bring him something to add to his hoard and he'll like you fine."

Will I? came the disagreeable grumble as the bronze blinked slowly, never shifting his gaze from Treyvin, and L'rey jabbed him with an elbow.

He just wants to talk, you grumpy, anti-social beast. "We can go back to my weyr, if you'd like? We just came out here to sunbathe, he can stay and I'll walk back with you."
tovaana

[tovaana]

Treyvin;

“Oh he won’t hurt you.” Despite the confidence in the words, the tinged red whirling gaze told him otherwise. His gut told him otherwise. But if he really wanted to impress a dragon, could he justify that if he couldn’t even sit in the presence of a dragon? No matter how large or intimidating it may seem.

"I mean, he probably could, but only if he thought you were gonna hurt me, and you're not gonna do that, right?...” At this Treyvin's stomach dropped at remembering that rule, but he also had to smile and shake his head. If Codrath only knew – if L’rey only knew how contrary he was to that. How could he not? They were brothers, shouldn't he know that? He filed away the tip to bring him something to add to his hoard… though he had no clue what a dragon could want in his hoard. Well, if it was anything like his hoarding flit, perhaps bits of things you’d find on the beach or pebbles or flowers… At first he’d been confused at the pebbles he’d found in his boot, and other random items found clustered around his bunk and the bunks nearby…until he found Shipfish lining up shells at the end of his cot.

He finally convinced his feet to move, taking him around the bronze, giving him a wide berth. “No, no… it’s uh. It’s alright, we can stay here.” The sun did feel nice. Then he paused, realizing that his attempt to be brave around a dragon didn’t discount the fact that the bronze’s bold feelings were actually distracting. What it look strange to change his mind? He glanced up at the bronze and cleared his throat.

“Actually… a walk sounds nice – to your weyr, if you don’t mind…”

He didn’t move away from the dragon though, not until L’rey joined him to move. “You said… that you haven’t known him long?” He asked tentatively, yet curiosity pushing his thoughts. He wondered how L’rey felt about it, he wondered what his story was – and he also realized that maybe he did want to know how old her was after all.

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[Taxx]

There was an agreement at first, that they could stay here, and L'rey couldn't really help grinning as Treyvin circled wide around Codrath to where L'rey was sitting. He knew how intimidating the bronze was, how easily annoyed by everyone he was, how bold and rude and pushy he was. But Codrath was also his dragon and L'rey knew him, adored him, and couldn't think of him in the same way. Like any dragon and rider, they knew each other better than any outside person or dragon could.

When Treyvin changed his mind and suggested they go back to L'rey's weyr, and the young bronzerider agreed with a nod, hopping up to his feet; he turned to Codrath, who still hadn't moved, and spoke to him briefly. Stay here, you pest. I'll let you know when he's gone.

At that Codrath moved, lifting his head just enough to look L'rey in the eye. If I want my weyr, I will go there. If that one is afraid, he's free to leave. I will not stay away to spare the feelings of a nobody.

Wow, you're rude. At least let me know when you decide to come back before you show up?

No.

Hands up in the air with a groan and meeting Treyvin's eyes with a grimace and turning away from Codrath to join Treyvin as they headed back to the weyr, and as they went he replied to the question about their father. "Not really. I... well, I haven't seen him in a long time. My uncle and aunt raised me with my cousins. I hardly remember him from back then. I didn't even recognize him when we met on the beach after we came back to the present. Not until he told me his name did I realize who he was. It was ten Turns between when he left and when we met again."

He was trying not to whine too much, considering that Treyvin had never met Treyjen, but it was different, having those memories, vague as they were, and meeting him again after all this time... and not even recognizing him. "Was there something you wanted to know? I'll tell you what I can, but it might not be much. Like I said, it's been a long time."
tovaana

[tovaana]

Treyvin;

He watched L’rey curiously as the two seemed to have a conversation, or he assumed they were, the way the bronze had turned his great head toward his half brother. When L’rey groaned and put his hands up, like giving up on something. Perhaps he had given up on whatever the conversation had been about? Had it been about Treyvin? He glanced back at the bronze as they started to walk away, feeling grateful that the bronze’s bold feelings were slowly diminishing.

His clear eyes flickered over at the boy as he started to talk about his life and he was more intensely interested the words and the feelings behind them. He relaxed his hold on his mind, so he could ‘hear’ them so to speak. There was a mixture of feelings- but also a more prominent sort of ‘ache’ that emanated from him. The hard part, and Treyvin had never known just how infuriating it was, to know where the ache came from. Was it the length of time between seeing Treyjen? Being raised by his aunt and uncle? Losing his mother – he had hadn’t mentioned his mother at all. What about the moment where they hadn’t recognized each other? Treyvin realized that would be him, Treyjen would have no clue who he was – but he wondered if Treyvin would recognize him. He’d spent enough time on the docks, he just wouldn’t have known it was him. He wondered too many torturous moments: how many times had they passed each other and not even known it? This planted a seed; an idea in the back of his mind for when Treyjen would finally return.

He swallowed back that emotional thought, glancing over as he continued to speak. What did he want to know? Anything. Everything… “What’s he like? Did he tell you any stories of his adventures out at sea?”

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[Taxx]

L'rey frowned at the question, his gaze falling to his feet as he and Treyvin walked along, heading back towards the Weyr; Codrath settled his head back on the ground behind them, a huge sigh gusting after them. He didn't follow, only closed his eyes again and relaxed into his sunbathing. L'rey didn't look back at him either, putting all his focus on his new-found half-brother and the conversation on their shared father.

"I don't remember. And I know I'm saying that a lot but like, I really don't. I only know what I heard secondhand from my uncles and grandfather, and they had a lot to say about what he was like." Most of it less than favorable, but at least Reyloran hadn't shared the same views, and he had some good stories to pass on. "My uncle said he was smart, brave, maybe a little too reckless sometimes, you know, but a good leader, a Captain back then like he is now. Loyal to his crew and easy to like, if maybe not so easy to always get along with but I guess that runs in the family, you know. Me and my cousins, we got into some pretty rough fights sometimes."

He glanced up at Treyvin, grinned while shrugging, only for it to fade a bit as he turned thoughtful again, pulling memories of all the talks he'd had with Rey coming back to the forefront. "Oh, and I heard a bunch of times when Treyjen became a captain for the first time, I can tell you that bit." The memory made him smile, and he flashed glances at Treyvin as he walked, carrying on as they neared the Weyr.

"So it was a new ship, they paid to have it built, and they decided to let Treyjen Captain it, name it and everything. And you know, Rey said he poked fun at my other uncle, Jeylokar, because that's just what he did and, you know, Jeylokar made it way too easy, but eventually he decided to name it the Storm's Eye and he... well, he still has it." He flicked another glance at Treyvin but decided not to explain the event that had led to the theft of the very expensive ship, the very valuable ship, no longer belonging to the family at Tillek.

"And you know, I was going to be like him. I mean... I always thought, you know, that I'd learn everything I'd need to and then go out on the water with my uncles and grandfather and put everything I had learned to good use." And then of course he'd got Searched and none of that mattered now anyway.

"I remember... really fuzzy but I know it happened because Reyloran told me about it, a night he took me out to see the stars. It wasn't too long before he... he left, and then I didn't see him until we met here, and that's all I have, an old, fuzzy memory of a father and stories I get told by my uncle so I have something of my father because otherwise I wouldn't have anything of a parent to have. I know, I know you don't have any memories of him at all, but I have something, and then nothing but what I was told by family for Turns because he had to go and he couldn't take me with him."
tovaana

[tovaana]

Treyvin;

Treyvin tried to be a blank slate, tried not to feel anger of how L’rey had reacted earlier, tried to just…be. There was sick part of him that craved to know how L’rey felt about their father, it was part of the disease of having the ability to feel other’s feelings; it became part of his reality. His focus wavered as L’rey went on about his uncles (again, Treyvin noted that he said nothing about his mother) and started to get lost in L’rey’s nostalgia. A good leader. He took a breath and let it go, imagining his father as a captain on a ship.

He was watching his feet as they walked, not paying much heed of where they were going, just following L’rey. He glanced momentarily at L’rey at his chuckle and found himself smiling in reaction to the amusement that sapped into his mind. His smile was purely out of reaction, but really he felt slightly alienated at this. Treyvin had mostly got along with most people – the fights he had gotten into had not been amusing or with cousins. A pang of jealousy washed him clean of the amusement, his eyes watching the rocky path in front of him, but a weak smile remained on his face – because L’rey seemed to be enjoying himself and he didn’t want him to stop sharing.

He glanced at L’rey again, pushing the jealousy down so he could fully enjoy the story. He realized that L’rey was glancing at him while he told the story, so he tried to glance back and offer appreciative smile as he told it – especially by the precursor smile and feelings – it was going to be an amusing one. But all it was, was telling him how his father became captain – something seemed to be lacking. He glanced at L’rey curiously. Usually when feelings and words didn’t match up, people were either leaving out details or lying. It bugged his mother when he called her out on it – she’d been the only one who knew and could be called out. Others… well, he had to just keep it to himself. He bit the inside of his cheek in frustration, wanting badly to ask him more, but couldn’t come up with a question fast enough before he went on.

"And you know, I was going to be like him. I mean... I always thought, you know, that I'd learn everything I'd need to and then go out on the water with my uncles and grandfather and put everything I had learned to good use." He swallowed hard. He’d always wanted to be like Treyjen too. That was something they had in common. Something poked at him – and it wasn’t anything to do with his feelings of nostalgia… there was something else. Or perhaps there was an undercurrent of feelings he had missed. What was it? Something to do with more missing details in this story, he supposed.

It was hard to figure things out with him talking – but at the same time Treyvin didn’t want to stop him, didn’t want to interrupt anything. There was a part of him that was grateful… he hadn’t seemed excited about learning about being a brother – and here he was sharing all (or presumably all) that he remembered.

“…I know, I know you don't have any memories of him at all, but I have something, and then nothing…” Treyvin’s jaw tensed at this. How dare he compare them two! Was he saying that because his little bit of something was taken away, it was harder than having nothing? His heart raced and it blinded him to any other connection the two had in that moment. It was the last phrase that pulled him out of his anger and look at L’rey curiously. “Go… where? Here? Why?” He let his earlier confusion fill his words, a little frustration from his anger slipped in, but in this context he knew it would be mistaken for frustration that their father had left L’rey.

He still felt resentment that L’rey had pointed out the difference between their circumstances, but he tried desperately to push it away. He needed L’rey. He also wanted L’rey to like him, not as badly as he wanted his father to be proud of him, but despite and underneath the fury, he wanted that extra connection he’d never had before… like cousins – but a sibling. He swallowed back emotion and spoke hesitantly. "I wanted to be like him too. All I knew was they he was part of a ship crew and went out on adventures at sea. I was working with boats so I could work out at sea too, to be like him." And maybe run into him? It was an unlikely thing, but it had been a hope. The irony that both had been swept off to Mavros by dragons, that it wasn't a boat that had closed the distance between them. 

[Taxx]

Treyvin was silent throughout L'rey's reply, his explanation of Treyjen's personality and the telling of the story of his becoming Captain; not until he'd finished did the Candidate say anything, and the question made L'rey twitch. He hadn't really meant to share that; he wasn't sure if he ought to tell Treyvin the full tale of the reason he'd run from Tillek with his sister and his ship, taking what he'd deemed most important in the spur of the moment, never to return.

"It's not my place to say." Better to be sure than risk it, right? If Treyjen wanted Treyvin to know, then he could tell him when he came back. "But I know he thought he was doing the right thing, even if... I mean, no matter what anyone else thought of him for doing it." Which was the one thing he'd clung to over the years, because Reyloran had always told him that Treyjen had taken Nalyra because he'd thought it was the right thing to do. And L'rey wanted to think he'd done it for the right reasons, even though there had been plenty of moments of doubt because, at the same time, wasn't being obedient to a father the right thing? How was it right to obey sometimes and not others, and how did he know when to do which?

"Not here, is all I know. Mavros wasn't around then. I don't know where they went, just that they left Tillek. Him and my aunt." Maybe he could ask, when they were back. Maybe he could start to mend their relationship. And he wanted to, though he wasn't sure how strongly he'd feel about it the next time he and Treyjen were face to face.

"Mostly all I'd learned was mending nets, learning to fish. I was barely apprentice age when I got Searched, so I hadn't really started with the real lessons, you know. Reyloran didn't like it when I tried to climb the rigging." A brief grin crossed his face at the memory, his attempts to follow bigger cousins and his uncle's scoldings to keep his feet on the deck while Treylok told Reyloran to stop holding him back; he wondered what his grandfather thought about his being a bronzerider, rather than following in the family's footsteps and learning the Craft as generations past had. "I would have been happy with it, but here I am now, and I'm just as happy with this. And we're still having adventures, you know? Just not the same kind as my... as our dad is."
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