[PRP] I'll Stand by You [A'zal + Gr'del]

[TheWishling]

The sound that came rushing to his ears from the cold of Between made A'zal laugh brightly. How he loved the feeling of the warm sun and cold air! His hood flew back, dark hair flowing behind him as he leaned down across the Blue's neck, "Look at it, Maridith, Our Home." It had been so long since the pair had last come, but he'd been in constant contact. After all, with his beloved Gr'del back here at High Reaches, he had every reason to keep coming back over and over. Even now, even today, all he could think of was the Rider that his heart had fallen for all those turns ago. Shards, how long had it been now? Ah, listen to you, going on like this. Your heart is so alight when you think of your Beloved. It is sweet. A'zal smiled in response, nuzzling in to a cold hide, "Do I ever know, my love. Come. We have a ledge to land on."

Indeed, he made sure they landed RIGHT on the ledge where he knew Gr'del would be, if not now, later. He could always give his reports after, blissfully unaware of all that had happened in the weyr in his last turn away. Did it matter though? He was home now, and here to see Gr'del and see if he wanted to get some food, or just spend time together, "Gr'del, love, I'm home~" He crooned softly, sliding in to the weyr proper and looking around.

Uta

 

[Uta]

He had failed them.

Gr'del was indeed in his weyr, but he was already beginning to pack things up. Boxes were open, clothes were thrown in a pile, and there were more than few empty wine bottles open and empty resting here and there. Though it had only been a few days since the Hatching, the browrider's fate was sealed. Though he was still technically the Candidatemaster, he had only a few days left, if that. Rumor had it, Zheria and D'mon had already picked out their newest Candidatemaster and he'd likely be set to meet him the next day. He'd have no choice, really. The Candidates would soon be in a new Master's hands, and he....

He back in some smaller weyr, farther up and away from the Candidate Barracks. The shock of it all, the same of it, was almost too much for the man to bear. In fact, he wasn't handling it well.... though he tried very hard to at least keep himself looking stoic and confident in the presence of others. But back at his weyr? .... Here was a place he could fall to pieces. Here was a place he could fall upon Siriath and weep with the shame of it all.

He was a proud man wounded to the core by a decision outside of his hands. All his Turns spent in the position; all the Candidates he had successfully cared for and tended. All of that...meant nothing. He was too soft, too lenient. High Reaches needed and demanded someone less a soft touch. Oh, they had assured him it wasn't personal and yet.... It had to be. There was no other way. He was no longer fit for the role and they blamed him for his Candidate's outbursts.

...that was the way of things, and he did not begrudge them such blame. Somehow, somewhere, he'd made a misstep. Somehow, somewhere, he'd... failed his poor Candidates. They clearly weren't understanding the lessons, clearly weren't understanding their duty. He as not teaching in a manner they understood. He would not doubt their choice, and yet.... He wondered how he'd failed them all so poorly. He'd let his Weyr down--worse, he let himself down.

The man was settled next to his bed, going through a stack of papers and books, tossing some on the bed, some on the floor, all in various piles. It was covered with a collection of things he was going through--some papers, some trinkets, some clothes. Whatever weyr was given would be substantially smaller than his current dwelling. Perhaps it was the wine, perhaps it was sheer exhaustion from the amount of stress he was harboring. Perhaps it was a mix. While he'd taught the morning lesson, he had taken off the rest of the afternoon--best to let his assistants handle some of the changeover. He had too much to get done both privately and publicly. The sooner his Candidates learned not to look for him, the better.

Siriath was not on his ledge; no, the brown was curled up with W'tarl's green Altoth, though he did send a soft, if somewhat sad, greeting to Maridith. Such timing, Maridith. It is good Yours has come. Still, his words were... quiet. Heavy. Something was quite amiss.

The sound of someone landing on his ledge almost went unnoticed by the man. Still, the sound of a dragon--and not Siriath--did cause him a moments alarm. Who was... Oh. Oh Faranth. A'zal. The timing couldn't have been worse. The spike of alarm and panic caused even Siriath to lift his head, and eyes to whirl a brighter yellow. All will be wll, Mine. It is Maridith's--surely he will help.

Ah, but Gr'del could already imagine what this was going to look like. Could only imagine what A'zal was going to think. Faranth, he'd failed to inform him of the...sudden change in his circumstance. Less marks coming in. A weyr change. A demotion. His fears had finally been substantiated and he'd been let go. Failure. Complete and utter failure. There would be no reason for A'zal to want him now--he hardly understood why the other enjoyed his company. Given the last he saw him was Turn ago.... part of Gr'del simply wondered if the rider was already growing disinterested Who knew what he did outside of the Weyr? Who knew what people he met?

Gr'del had built his life around being a upstanding and caring rider. Now? Now he was just a failure. A laughing stock. Now he was the reason one of the Weyrwomen Second's egg got punched, a Candidate fell asleep, and countless other infractions. No matter all the good he'd doe... this was not retirement or stepping down by choice. This was something every one in High Reaches Weyr would remember... and he'd have to live with it.

Now A'zal was here and he knew he looked afright. He had heavy rings around his eyes, he looked as if he'd lost weight from stress this past Turn (not to mentioned the past seventy-two hours) and he looked more feral than anything. How far he'd fallen.... his usual neat-and-order fashion was completely disheveled. And now....

Well...

"A'zal," he half-croaked, half-groaned with worry. He pushed himself to his feet, ran a hand through his far more silvered hair, and tried to hurriedly make himself look even a minute more presentable. In any other case he would have been thrilled. But here? Now? All he could assume was foreboding and shame. There was no reason for the man to want him now. He'd bring him nothing but shame. "You're...You're back?" It was almost incredulous, mostly.... Mostly the timing of it all.

He wasn't ready for him to return, not like this. He'd been gone one of his most hellish Turns and... and now he was back? Right now? Not even long enough for him to at least have recuperated from the shock of it all? Oh... Oh the shame in his hearts grew, and the man felt sadness and fear grip him. His throat tightened, tears threatened his eyes, but he was determined to keep face.

He wouldn't fall to pieces in front of A'zal.... Or at least, pride demanded he at least try to find some ounce of grace.

-_Wish of Tevarae_-

 

[TheWishling]

It was the tone of the Brown's voice, the sadness deep in that voice, that worried Maridith to begin with. He'd adored the Brown, and his attitude, though he himself sought a Green, and the strange heaviness that twas there? Well....That was something that wasn't good, ....So it seems...If you are speaking this way, all must have gone poorly in the turn we have been gone...We should have come home sooner. Now, the Blue never sounded sad, and yet? Right now? He sounded exhausted and worried as A'zal slipped from the Blue's straps and came in to see...Oh. He brushed a few strands of his slightly streaked dark hair back from his fair and young-seeming face. Why in Faranth's name did Gr'del look as though the air had been pulled form beneath Dragon wing?

His feet carried him a bit closer, seeing the fear and exhaustion on that face, hearing the tone in his voice. That feral pain that was there, it was as though something had completely shattered. Something...Did Gr'del think that whatever happened would make A'zal want his beloved any less? He moved a bit closer, further still as he let a soft and loving smile catch his lips. Even if the other was losing weight, even if he was stunned, or scared, or worried? A'zal would be here, "....Finally." His own voice was a bit shaky. He had suffered, when Thread fell again...he and Maridith were no longer as pristine as they'd been when they'd left.

"I'm home....With you. Where I should've been some time ago, it seems." Whether Gr'del wanted him to or not, the dark skinned Rider made his way closer and carefully let his hands move up to the other's cheeks, caressing his hair and brows carefully with rough hands. Presentable or not, this was his beloved, and nothing that happened would ever change that. Instead of asking, the man made one decision, wrapping the other in his arms, holding him close, tight. Trying not to fall to pieces wouldn't work, when A'zal still read the man like an open book, "I've been too long gone, beloved...but I am here now..."

Uta

 

[Uta]

-_Wish of Tevarae_-

FORGIVE MY TERRIBLE SLONWESS

Siriath heaved a heavy sigh at Maridith's words. Would things have been different if A'zal had been with Gr'del this past Turn? Would his rider have suffered the same fate? It seemed as if the Weyr needed someone to blame for what should have been a happy Hatching, and yet, now his rider felt like he was nothing more than a failure. You are here now. He spoke softly to the blue, trying to sound positive. The two had been dearly missed.

Gr'del wasn't sure if he should laugh or cry. Everything was in shambles... He lost his children, lost his rank, lost his weyr. He'd need to move, need to return to the routine of being nothing more than a wingrider; he lost everything, and now... Now A'zal was here, to see him at his lowest. It had been a Turn, and now he was here, surely to... to what? Would he stay? Would he want to stay after he found out how terribly he'd come to shame? He loved his Weyr and the Candidates he'd tried so valiantly to teach and keep in line... and somehow, he'd lost it all.

Would he lose A'zal too? It had been a Turn since they last met... perhaps the other no longer was interested. "I didn't expect--" he tried to explain, to find words. "I didn't think you'd--" Ever return? The blue rider wouldn't have been the first to abandon the Weyr. His eyes did notice that there were new scars and wounds. Duty had kept the two apart, but what else had been at play? Swallowing hard, he was still incredulous as A'zal wrapped his arms around him. Would this moment fall apart too as soon as everything was explained? "....I've missed you." He finally spoke, allowing himself to hold onto the other, and cling. He'd missed such contact, missed having someone to hold, someone to talk to, someone who genuinely cared. And yet...

Would his fears be realized? Everything A'zal had known a Turn ago was no longer. Where would they even begin? "What...uh.... What a horrible welcome to come home to." Smooth, Gr'del. Very smooth. But the poor brown rider was beaten, emotionally, and hadn't had time to recover.

Uta