A Friend in the Making [V’than/Muze ]

[roz]

Isme :: Blue Valienth

The day was winding down as she walked into the dining cavern. Different, everything was so different from her lifelong home. Perhaps she was feeling a little bit of homesickness but she would not allow herself to regret her decision to come here. She had to find her father and confront him if she was ever going to move on from. So no regrets. She had to adjust and take in her new home with fresh eyes. Sure she had not shared a weyr with another person since she impressed Valienth, it was like having a built in friend upon arrival. Anyway, her new roommates Mizao and Brown Wendiloth seemed nice and Valienth loved them already.

She pushed those thoughts aside and walked to the front of the dining cavern. She filled her plate with meat rolls, tubers, and fresh warm bread. A mug of wine completed her menu choices and she turned weaving her way through the tables looking for where she would sit. The dining hall was a perfect place for one to make a new friend. Of course, leave it to Isme to spot the one person sitting in the back alone. His back was to her but she could still tell he was a brown rider. Mizao was a brown rider! Hmmm that was a sign in her head and she headed that way.

She paused just short of the table. She sure hoped he had a friendly face but shook her head. Of course he would but even if he didn’t Isme was outgoing and unlikely to back out now. She cleared her throat to announce her pending arrival then slipped her tray onto the table across from him. Dropping into the seat there she gave him her best smile. “Hello there, mind if I join you?” she said even though she already had! "My names Isme of Blue Valienth." she added offering her hand over the tabletop.

[tovaana]

V’than :: Brown Saruth

He hadn’t found his sister, nor anyone else he recognized when coming in for evening meal. He’d been spending any spare moment with Riasu, and if not with Riasu, with his sister Muze. As he had glanced around, he realized he was disappointed. It had been a while since he had eaten alone, he’d been making friends and been more social the longer he was at the Weyr. Still, as socialized as he was, he didn’t have the urge to sit by someone new and introduce himself. He realized he was tired from practices and Threadfall as a full fledged rider, so maybe being alone would be okay. While his job as a rider gave him purpose, every once in a while he missed his own home and previous occupation. Riasu had said she was interested in seeing the ship he’d bee slowly working on, perhaps he’d take her on his next trip, it was time to visit his pregnant mother and father anyways.

With these tired thoughts he found a spot away from others to eat his evening meal. He started eating for the sake of eating, not necessarily enjoying the taste, but just to fill his belly so that he could go back to his Weyr, maybe find Riasu…

Then a voice interrupted his thoughts and he looked up as a woman asked if she could join him. He didn’t recognize her, but shook his head to indicate that he didn’t mind if she joined, finishing the food he was chewing so that he could speak. A blue rider – she was pretty, and seemed friendly. He realized that even getting more serious with Riasu, hadn’t meant that he had stopped noticing pretty women, but his curiosity was never as strong as it was when getting to know Riasu.

He swallowed his food before speaking. “V’than, of Brown Saruth. Well met Isme.” He reached an arm and awkwardly shook her hand in a firm hello and then leaned back, picking his utensil back up, but didn’t make to eat more food yet. “How long you been at Mavros?” It seemed a safe question, just because he didn’t recognize her, didn’t mean she was new, especially since he’d been gone for almost two turns in the past to impress Saruth. He scooped up some food and took a smaller bite, in case he needed to talk again soon. Despite having found a spot by himself, he felt somewhat relieved that Isme had decided to sit with him and keep him distracted of how tired he felt.  

roz

[roz]

Isme :: Blue Valienth

She beamed when he said she could join him. It was hard being in a new place and knowing no one after all. A friendly face was a welcome sight. Now sitting in front of him it was very clear he was rather attractive with bright intelligent eyes. Ah, well such a man was likely taken and well she really didn’t have time for such things. Hmm, well she imagined she did now. As a candidate, she had been very careful to stay away from boys, not wishing to follow in her mother's footsteps as it were. Then there was Valienth, so no fella’s then either. Valienth was 2 turns now and while he had not chased as of yet it could happen any day now. The thought made her feel ill, she hadn’t so much as kissed anyone so…

She swallowed the thoughts and shoved them down, she wasn’t here to pick the man up for Faranths sake, she just wanted to make a new friend. It wasn’t always easy what with her having a male dragon, there were those that still didn’t quite approve. This one however didn’t even flinch at the knots marking her as a blue rider or her words that did the same for that mattered. She waited, allowing him to swallow, and smiled broadly at his greeting. “Well met indeed V’than” she shot back making sure her grip was firm as they shook hands. In retrospect, she probably should have offered her hand while standing but what was done was done.

She picked up a meatroll with her fingers but paused before taking a bite. “Oh, little more than a seven day! I must confess I was a little worried about moving here from Igen. The rumors about Mavros are rather unpleasant and a lot wrong. I mean it is odd having to share a weyr but Valienth loves brown Wendiloth and Mizao seems nice. I do rather miss my private bath but there are so many other wonderful things here. The views are breathtaking and…” she paused flushing slightly “You didn’t ask me all of that and here I am rambling on. Enough about my arrival, how long have you been here?” she asked politely then finally took a bite of her meatroll, bright blue eyes locked on his face as she waited for his reply

[tovaana]

V’than :: Brown Saruth

Living in a small hold, not many rumors had reached his home, but having been there for a short time (at least in real time) had been enough time to see how Mavros was a magnet for trouble. Having had the recent gold rising coupled with the death of another gold was enough for that. When she continued on to having a shared Weyr, he found himself taking another bite and listening, content to just listen and to have company. He had never been one for the spotlight and didn’t mind just listening. The name Mizao sounded familiar, only because she was one of the female brown riders – there had been two or more in the clutch that was now younger than his own Saruth. The idea of female brown riders made him uncomfortable, so he was glad when she continued on to the idea of having one’s own bath. He blinked at that idea, he hadn’t known that other weyrs had been so furbished, having a private bath… Even in the hold there hadn’t been private baths, but there had at least been separate times for women and men to bathe, while at Mavros it just seemed to be sections of the spring for women and men…

He hardly realized she’d been rambling, well distracted by her words and his own thoughts, his eyes looking at her blankly as she started apologizing. Women were a bit touchy, his sister often disliked when he brushed off her concerns, so he simply shrugged a little, thinking more about her own question for him.

“Been here for… well, it’s kind of confusing actually. Half a turn, sort of… but then an additional turn and a half… uh, I guess I should have started asking if you’d heard the rumor about the group that went back in time with the twin golds?

“I went back with them as a candidate, came back with Saruth…So, how long would you say I’ve been here for? Confusing right?”

He shook his head as if he couldn’t wrap his brain around it himself and took another bite of food.

[roz]

Isme :: Blue Valienth

She was too new to realize just what she had gotten herself into. Maybe if she had known anything about her father she would have known where he went it was likely trouble would follow! But she was innocent in so many ways she was unaware of! Perhaps she would learn and grow here but only time would tell but for now she lingered in her innocent unknowing way. It might have been helpful if the man before her took the time to correct her thinking about some things, instead he watched and listened. No matter what that was a very nice thing for him to do considering she was just rambling away.

No one had mentioned the recent death of a gold to her which was odd considering how important such a thing was. That might have given her some concern, or well it was the way of things on PERN. Maybe she didn’t know anyone well enough yet. Oh my he really was a good listener and found that most appealing since many had trouble looking her in the eyes with her being a blue rider. Anyway she wasn’t even sure he blinked as she spoke. They just met and he already knew her entire life at Mavros. Oh wait, there it was when she was talking about her old weyr. Just what got a response was hard to say since she was saying so much.

He didn’t stop her from apologizing and simply shrugged it off. Some might have thought that was rude but Isme didn’t care. They had only just met so she didn’t think he was required to care about her rambling or her thoughts for that matter. That came later after they were truly friends assuming that came to pass. If he had a girl she might not like him being friends with another woman for example. Oh but she hoped they could be friends. She liked knowing people, being glad to see them and knowing they were glad to see her. It just made one feel nice!

Now it was his turn and in like two sentences he said so much more exciting stuff than she had. “Wait what? Oh by the red star! You really got to time travel? Why? How far back? Oh wait was it forward?” she forced herself to hush for a second so he could speak. At his question she arched one delicate brow. “Gold twins? Nope nada, pretty sure I would have remembered that!” she said clearly excited “I need to know everything but as for your question. Yes, the how is confusing sure but I’m pretty sure it still equals two turns don’t you think?” she asked, taking a bite of a meat roll before pushing ahead. “So what did your girl do when you were gone? Did you coming back with a dragon freak her out?” she asked before taking yet another bite. 

[tovaana]

V’than :: Brown Saruth

Her flood of questions had him pausing his next bite and almost wincing, well – she apparently hadn’t heard about the timing event. It really was a complicated thing to explain, perhaps he should have just said he’d been there for about two Turns. Just as the bluerider just confirmed and he nodded a little to agree with her – but then he froze, confusion at her last question. Had he spoken about a ‘girl’? Or perhaps she meant his sister? But he hadn’t mentioned her either. Or had he met Riasu already? That seemed unlikely, but possible, but she would have said something upon coming to the table, wouldn’t she have?

Confused still, he frowned thoughtfully, “uhh, well, I had just gotten to Mavros as a candidate – hardly there a seven-day or so before the they let us know what they were going to do… I suppose if I had had someone then, they would have been shocked. My parents were quite surprised.” His face shifted, hoping he’d skirted around that awkward assumption. He did now, at least, but there didn’t seem a smooth way to tack that on to the already strange conversation. He offered a small smile, “but yeah, we went back in time in the morning, and came back on the same day – so for everyone else, only a day had passed – but for us…” he shrugged, glancing at his knots, “…obviously a lot. But yeah, they sent our twin golds back in time, Sularenth and Danovelith. Sularenth is the one that just rose and made Melana our new Weyrwoman...” His mind racked for anything else he should be including or if he’d forgotten any important details. He supposed the other gold dying was an important detail, but it also seemed like he'd already explained a lot and wasn't one to talk endlessly. V’than prodded his food thoughtfully and shrugged. 

“So, what brought you to Mavros then? If all you’ve heard are unpleasant rumors?” He grinned a little, getting more acquainted with such rumors, though perhaps the time traveling one wasn’t as widespread as he thought. He supposed that was good, since they’d been told over and over again how dangerous it was going to be – had been, but Mavros had needed more help, and now as a dragonrider himself, he supposed he could see why desperate needs had led to desperate measures.

[roz]

Isme :: Blue Valienth

Isme was not shy or quiet, frankly, she was often considered too much. She spoke her mind, whatever popped into her head often came right out of her mouth. So she wasn’t overly surprised at the subtle pause in the man across from her motion. She had already spoken so there was no taking it back but she made a note to herself to slow down. But really a time event… sure she had heard stories but to be honest she thought people had been pulling her leg. They agreed upon his time being two years all things considered.

But ever the overachiever she had assumed an attractive fellow like this one had a lady. He seemed confused but covered remarkably well. “Oh, right I just assumed, silly of me. Of course, you had only just arrived,” she said grinning. Yeah her gut said there was a lady now. Ah, but he seemed a bit shy maybe so she let it go for now. “I bet they were. My parents, well my mother would have assumed I had somehow been the cause of the event!” she said with a chuckle. He shared a tiny bit more about it and she shifted chewing on her meat roll before she spoke. “I have to tell you I heard a story or two, very vague, and if I'm being honest I sort of assumed it was made up. I’m pleased to know it was in fact true.” She was leaning in watching him now closely but not invasively. “You’ll have to tell me more about what you did during the no time you were gone,” she said simply since it seemed like he was done with the topic for now.

“Me? Oh well, that’s easy. I was told my father might be here. I want to meet him. I’ve been looking for a long time. But I recently learned he isn’t just a harper at some point he bonded to a wher. It’s amazing how one detail can change everything.” she said almost thoughtfully. Then she gave him a sidelong glance and gave a little snort “It's not like unpleasant rumors mean much to me. Certainly not enough for her to forgo any chance to find my father. I mean people sure do like to start rumors about the female blue rider they don’t even know. Or they did back home.” she said with a shrug. “I like to see for myself. This place is a lot different than I am used to but not so bad. Of course, I just got here so time will tell.” she said, watching him again. “Where do you originally hail from? You said you had just arrived when you went back in time. Was it a lot different there than it is here? Oh, and where does one find a pirate. Honestly, that is the most interesting thing I heard about this place. Oh overrun with pirates or so I heard.” she said clearly amused.

[tovaana]

V’than :: Brown Saruth

He shrugged at her self-deprecating comment that he supposed was an apology, her way seemed a lot more lighthearted than when his sister did it. He did chuckle with her at the idea that her parents would think she was the cause of the event. “Trouble-maker, eh? Hmm, my sister too.”

“It was very real.” He confirmed with a nod, thinking back at it and the time that had passed, but at the same not passed for everyone else. "I'm not sure where to start or what you'd want to know... what questions would you have about it?"

He hummed, frowning thoughtfully after she spoke about her father. That was something he couldn't really fathom. “Huh, yeah – we don’t have many whers here. Do you plan to stay then? Or move on looking?”

“I come from a little fishing hold on the Far Western Continent called Eastern Hold. It has been… different, but I wouldn’t know the difference between this Weyr and another, like you do. Good of you not to judge harshly before knowing.” He nodded slowly in thought at this, wondering what it would be like if he’d impressed elsewhere and had heard of Mavros. Would he have believed the rumors?

His eyes widened at the bold way she spoke of the pirates, as if they were a tourist attraction rather than the desperation and dark part of the Weyr-hold. “Uh, I mean… probably the docks… though I doubt they go around advertising what they do.” He himself did not want to go looking for such trouble. He'd heard the rumors too, but they were the reason they had certain foods and goods that the Weyr would not normally get because of their position... so since he had no say and didn't have to deal with it, he'd rather not think about that part of Mavros.