Post by Zen on Feb 26, 2022 16:50:58 GMT -5
Yvinka was attempting to have a decent time exploring Tidewalk while her father was off on business and not around to breathe down her neck, but she honestly found the Hold to be a rather dreary place. Ever since Thread started falling things had taken a turn for the worse in Tidewalk, and she’d never particularly enjoyed visiting the Hold to begin with. She much preferred the warmer climates of Southern and Cove, Ista and Southern Boll. The beaches of Tidewalk tended toward rocky rather than sandy and the water was freezing, enjoyable only for a short time in the summer months. And it wasn’t summer on the southern continent.
She’d often heard some of the men mutter that Tidewalk was hardly worth visiting anymore. Two of their three largest industries had taken a massive hit when Thread fell and the Weyr hadn’t been there to fight it. Much of Tidewalk's lands had been stripped bare by Thread, leaving little left for farming or raising herdbeasts. Fishing was about all the Hold had left, for that at least was largely unaffected by Threadfall. Some ships had been damaged, she’d heard, but most of those had been repaired quickly enough. It was honestly all a bit depressing. It had been several turns and the land was beginning to recover in some places, but it was going to take a lot of work to rebuild all that had been lost.
Yva felt bad for the people that lived in Tidewalk and often found herself wondering just how terrifying it must have been when Thread fell over their lands unhindered, without warning. She didn’t like to think about how many people might have been trapped outside without shelter. Giving herself a whole body shake, she pushed those dark thoughts away. This was why she hated coming here. She wanted to have fun, not be drawn down depressing paths in her mind. As she came to an open square, she stopped as she noticed the crowd gathered around a green dragon. Her eyes grew wide as she’d never seen a dragon this close before. She had to get closer.
Slipping through the crowd, pushing a bit where she needed to, she finally made it out to the front where there was nothing but several feet of open space… and a green dragon staring at her. Her breath caught in her throat. They were so much bigger than she’d imagined. And this was just a green! Just a green? Well excuse you. She started and glanced behind her to see who had spoken, who could possibly have read her mind, but no one was paying her much attention. There was a warm rumble, a feeling of amusement pressing in on her somehow, and most of the crowd backed up a little, mistaking the rumble for a growl rather than the laughter it was.
“You…?” Yva stared up at the green, thinking she must have gone crazy.
Me, the green agreed, with more amusement.
Yva laughed, drawing some strange looks from those around her, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that… but greens are the smallest dragons aren’t they?”
More amusement, Usually. The green lowered her head, turning slightly to train one huge eye on her, And I was only teasing.
Yva laughed again, “That’s not very nice.”
“Nimi enjoys teasing a bit too much sometimes,” a voice that was not in her head interjected and a woman walked around from the other side of the green, “I’m Kenessia, and this is Nimiath.”
With a grin, Yva dipped her head slightly in greeting, “Nice to meet you. I’m Yvinka. Yva. I prefer Yva. She was… really talking to me?”
She was, Nimiath confirmed with that amusement clear in her voice. Kenessia shoved the green’s nose playfully, not that it moved the dragon in the least. “Indeed. She thinks you have potential as a candidate. Have you ever thought of becoming a rider?”
Yva’s eyes grew wide once more, “Me? No… I mean… maybe, as a kid… I don’t know…. Really?” Her gaze shifted to the dragon again, “How does she know I have potential?”
I just do, the green responded simply. That wasn’t a helpful answer at all. Kenessia shrugged, “Some dragons just have a knack for it. A special sense. We can’t really explain it, but when we trust it, it tends to work out more often than not.” The greenrider watched her for a moment, “Is it something you would consider? Becoming a rider? Thread is falling, if you Impress you’ll have to put yourself and your dragon at risk to protect Pern… but there’s nothing quite like a dragon’s love, or the ability to fly.”
The ability to fly…. Yva could have that. She could fly wherever she wanted if she had her own dragon, faster than any ship could carry her. Sometimes she liked to stand at the prow of her father’s ship and spread her arms out and pretend she was flying. Wings were kinda like sails, weren’t they? She wasn’t sure about having a dragon’s love. It seemed an odd notion. Maybe it was something you had to experience for yourself to understand. She wasn’t really sure how she felt about the possibility of fighting Thread, protecting Pern. She didn’t feel particularly called to be so noble. The freedom of flight, however, was becoming more and more tantalizing the more she thought about it. Her father was starting to talk about finding her a suitable husband and she wanted no part of that. If she could fly…. “When can we leave?” It was an impulsive decision that struck her suddenly. She wanted to get away. If she stayed much longer her father really would start pushing marriage on her and her mother could only keep him at bay about it for so long. If she didn’t obey him about it, she had no doubt he’d drop her back in Tillek and leave her there, and she didn’t want to be landlocked, trapped in one place. This was her best chance to get away.
Kenessia blinked in surprise at the girl’s sudden decision, “Ah… as soon as you’re packed and ready, I suppose… do you have parents I could talk to-”
“No!” Yva shook her head, then wished she hadn’t sounded so desperate, “I… I mean… it’s fine. I’ll get packed and meet you back here soon?”
The greenrider studied her for a moment, but nodded. She didn’t know what the girl’s situation was but if she wanted to come to Mavros then- “Wait I haven’t even told you where we’re going!” But at the rider’s nod Yva had already turned and hurried away. Oops.~~~
On her father’s ship, Yva found two bags and started shoving clothes into them, a few trinkets she didn’t want to leave behind, and one of her finer dresses, because one was all that would fit. She was sad to leave the others behind, but it couldn’t be helped. Maybe Neyia would grow into them.
“Yva?”
She whirled around at her mother’s voice, eyes wide, and had no idea what to say. Her mother took in the bags she was packing and she blurted, rather unnecessarily, “I’m leaving! Don’t… don’t tell father.”
Her mother’s brow furrowed, “And where are you going, exactly?”
“I got Searched. There’s a green dragon in the square. She said I have potential. I could have my own dragon. I could fly. I…,” she realized she didn’t know what Weyr they were from, but did it matter? It was probably Tidewalk Weyr. That would make sense. “Please… please let me go.”
“Searched…?” her mother’s eyes widened in surprise, “Is that… is that what you want?”
“I don’t know,” she admitted, glancing down at her feet, “I’d like to fly. I don’t… I don’t know about the rest. But it sounds like a fun adventure. I’d like to try, I’d like to see what it’s like, maybe. I just have to get away from him before… before I can’t anymore.”
Yvinnia sighed and closed the distance between them, pulling her daughter into an embrace that Yvinka returned tightly, “I love you, Yva. From the day you were born I wanted more for you, you and your sister, more than what my father planned for me, and what I know your father plans for the both of you.” She loosened her hold to look down at her, “Go. Make your life your own.”~~~
It was growing dark and Yvinka still hadn’t returned to the ship. Jeylokar stood on the deck, watching the docks for any sign of his daughter, growing more irate as the sky continued to darken. “Jeyvin! Do you have any sharding idea where your sister might be?” He turned to his son as he spotted the boy coming up from below deck.
Jeyvinkar paused at the top of the stairs and shrugged, rolling his eyes, the words leaving his mouth carelessly, “Who knows. Probably off playing whore with some boy again.”
“What?” Jeylokar stalked toward his son and the boy shrank back a step uncertainly, “Just what do you mean by that? You know she’s been meeting with boys and you’ve not thought to try to put a stop to it? You’re her brother, for Faranth’s sake!”
“W-well, what am I supposed to do?” Jeyvinkar insisted.
“Protect her from herself! She’s a silly, stupid little girl! How am I meant to find a man who will take her if she’s thoroughly used? At the very least you should have told me sooner! Is there anything at all going on in that thick head of yours?” He didn’t give his son any time to respond to that, “Go find her, now! And don’t come back without her if you have to throw her over your shoulder and carry her back!”
Jeyvinkar hurried off and Yvinnia appeared in his place, quirking a brow at her husband as she paused on the top step, “I thought I heard you yelling, but as I wasn’t around for you to yell at I wasn’t quite sure I was hearing right. Surely your son could do no wrong worthy of such shouting?”
“I’ve no need for your lip right now, woman,” Jeylokar growled, “That girl has been given far too much freedom she hasn’t earned. She’s not to leave this ship again without supervision!”
“That girl? There are so many girls. Which one are we speaking of?”
“Your daughter,” Jeylokar snarled, “She could be out there spreading her legs even now. Does that not concern you in the least!?”
Yvinnia rolled her eyes and turned back down the stairs, tossing over her shoulder, “Not in the least.”
“With how little you discipline her, no wonder she’s turning herself into a little whore!” he called after her, furious.
Below, Yvinnia sighed and shook her head. “Momma? Is father mad at Yva again?” She turned to see her youngest looking up at her, worry clear on the little girl’s features.
“So it seems, but that’s nothing new, hm?” she gave the girl a soft smile.
“Will she get in trouble?” Neyia’s eyes were large with concern for her sister.
Yvinnia laughed softly, “Not this time.”
