[Backdated RP] Leave the Past Behind (D'amir & L'fer)

[DruidTigeress]

It was still strange, sleeping in a Weyr again. After being out for so long, it took some getting used to. L'fer, who was an insomniac on the best of days, had found it difficult to adjust to the change. It brought back memories. Ones that would have been better left buried.

They'd only been at Western a few sevendays. He couldn't say it with any confidence.. but it seemed better than High Reaches at least. They mostly kept to themselves. He didn't talk about where he came from, and no one pressed him on it. They were able to keep up in drills (if nothing else, High Reaches was good for that) so probably no one much cared. He hadn't really made any friends or met anyone in particular, besides their wing leadership and some of the healers, focusing instead on taking care of Morpeth as soon as their work was done. That is, until Morpeth had decided to rise.

Of all the dragons in the Weyr, why did she have to chose bronze? And of all the bronzes out there, why did it have to be that one? He came here because it was as far away from his past as he could realistically get. If he didn't see another rider from High Reaches for a hundred turns, it would be too soon. Why did he have to come here? He wasn't planning to make waves this time.. He was just going to keep to himself, take care of Morpeth, and do whatever he was told to do without standing out. But all D'amir would have to do was spread a rumor here and there to ruin any chance he had of a peaceful life here. No one would take his side over a bronze riders's. It was High Reaches all over again.

He couldn't go through that again. But he couldn't look for a new Weyr either, Morpeth's health couldn't take it. Her mood had fallen in tandem with his, the only difference was, he was more resilient to it. One might ask why D'amir would bother, what he could possibly gain.. but in L'fer's experience, a bronze rider didn't need a reason to mess with a green rider. They did it just because they could. Especially if they came from High Reaches. K'ienn and those other bronzes had wanted to crush him just for doing his job. What would D'amir, who had a legitimate reason for hating him, want to do?

Mine, what are you afraid of? Morpeth said, stirring from her sleep as she felt his mood turn. She nudged his arm with her nose gently and he stroked her neck. He'd always kept his bed besides her couch so she could lay her head on his chest as they fell asleep. It was a childish habit, left over from their weyrling days, but one he wasn't willing to give up just yet.
It's going to be just like before.. he fretted. Everyone's going to hate us again.
It won't! They won't! We will try so hard and do so well that no one can say you're not a good rider.

I don't feel like a good rider, Morp.. he said with a dry laugh. He was letting his issues affect his dragon's health. He left one Weyr in disgrace, joined a brand of mercaneries, and now... Now what?
You are, my L'fer. You are the only one for me. So please, try to sleep. Things will look so much better in the morning!

L'fer laid his head back of the bedfurs, but his thoughts didn't go away just because he closed his eyes. The worst thing was, he knew he'd brought it all on himself. He couldn't deny what he had done. He was a bronze rider, just like every other bronze rider. He had it coming. He tried to argue with himself angrily. You still shouldn't have done it though... the more rational part of him said.

No, I shouldn't have.. he thought, with a wave of guilt. He'd just been so angry at the time, so powerless to stop the ones that were actually the problem, that he lashed out at the only thing he could. He sat up, pressing his palms to his eyes. He'd looked so much older than him. He didn't think... He never expected him to be a weyrling!

What's done is done. Don't worry about it! Morpeth said, nudging and nuzzling his chest until she had chased away his worries. But it was only ever a temporary fix, and they flew right back into his mind the moment hers was gone.


When it seemed clear that sleep was going to elude him for the rest of the night, and the dim light of morning filtered into their weyr, L'fer finally gave up and got out of bed. He headed down to the Bowl with Morpeth, making for the Lake with a mind to to spend the morning washing and oiling her before their drills started. When he couldn't give her what she really needed, like sleep or rest or peace of mind, he tended to overcompensate by doting on her with the things that he could.

The Bowl was mostly empty that early in the morning, but he didn't feel much like socializing anyway. With any luck they'd finish before anyone else showed up. Then maybe even catch a couple hours sleep before drills, if he could forget his worries for long enough..  

[Teiha]

Most mornings, Delfrith woke with a clean slate, so to speak. But today, the first light found him awake and already fretting, his substantial nose probing at the man-sized entrance to his rider’s weyr. He’d long grown past the ability to actually stretch his neck inside to forcibly rouse D’amir; his head alone was taller and wider than most standard door frames. Finally, his impatience resulted in a reverberating rumble that literally shook the furniture in the room – a few smaller items were actually agitated enough to wobble an inch or two out of place.

The bronzerider groaned and rolled over once, twice… a third time, and finally sat up. It would take a very rare ability to be able to sleep with an oscillating thrum quaking the very frame of one’s bed. It was likely that anyone sharing a wall with D’amir’s weyr was also awake now, and probably none too pleased for it. He stumbled out of bed, combing fingers through the sleep-snarles in his blond hair, dressed a bit haphazardly and washed his face in the basin. The cool water brought him to alertness, and then he was ready to address his dragon’s concerns.

Well, as ready as he would ever be, anyway. He already knew it was going to be about that green dragon. What a way to start the day.

Morpeth is unwell, Delfrith confirmed. We should go to her.

D’amir met his dragon at the door, comfortably leaning his shoulder against the beast’s broad snout as he looked into the nearest whirling eye. “Del, don’t you think the dragonhealers would be a little more qualified to take care of her?”

She might like some company. It would ease her to know someone cares. The bronze’s urgent tone left no doubt of his desire to be the one to fill that need.

“But, her rider… Us showing up there might make things worse.”

What bewildered him was the fact that, of anyone in the Weyr, perhaps even anyone on Pern, Delfrith was the one who had the most cause to avoid that pair. D’amir could still hear the piercing keening of the hatchling bronze, and feel the overwhelming bombardment of chaotic terror that was Delfrith’s when his bonded was struck down. Because of a misunderstanding, an instinctive reaction, D’amir and the love of his life had almost been permanently separated by the nothingness of between before they even had a chance to start their new life together. It had been L’fer, Morpeth’s rider, who threw that punch.

She is in need, the bronze insisted, and stepped back from the door. Morpeth, I am coming, he called, his voice soft. Then he held out a paw, leaving D’amir little choice but to step aboard. Delfrith lifted him to where he could grip onto the dragon’s neck ridges and hoist himself astride, then wasted no time in launching himself from the ledge.

The lake loomed large and threatening before D’amir as they began to descend.

DruidTigeress

 

[DruidTigeress]

Teiha

L'fer had just started scrubbing Morpeth's long neck when she set her chin down on his shoulder, leaning her weight against him until he staggered back a little and had to prop her head up with his arms. "Hey, you!" he laughed, thinking she was just being affectionate. But when she didn't lift her head or reply, he started to get worried. Her front legs folded as she lay down on the sandy shore, a little roughly.
Morpeth? he asked, a note of panic in his voice.
Fine. Fine. Just sleepy. Her tail swished across the shallow surf. And she laughed. Feels nice like this, she said but L'fer was not as easily convinced.
I'm going to ask our wing leader for the day off drills. He said, frown deepening. We can sleep as long as you want. Maybe we can go to see a dragon healer too...

Although... It was pointless to pretend this was an issue with Morpeth. Maybe he should see a healer. There were things you could take, weren't there, that could make you sleep? He'd never liked the idea much before, but if that's what it took, he'd do it for Morpeth.

Morpeth's eyes lulled closed again as L'fer resumed scrubbing and oiling her side, still craddling her head against his shoulder with his other arm. She continued to hum pleasantly as he did, to keep him from worrying that she had fallen asleep. She opened her eyes slowly when she heard the bronze's voice, almost sighing. She half didn't want to tell him.. She knew this was going to make him even more upset, but eventually she lifted her head, nudging L'fer's shoulder with her nose.
Mine.. she muttered, shifting her eyes to where the bronze had begun to descend towards the Bowl. L'fer followed her gaze, and frowned.

"You've got to be kidding me." he said, glaring. What, were they stalking them now? He absolutely didn't believe they just happened to want to go for a swim this early in the morning.
Should we leave? she asked, starting to tiredly push herself to her feet again. The waves of thought coming from her rider made it clear that was all he wanted to do, but he quickly shook his head.
No! No.. He forced a smile, tracing her eye ridge with his hand. You stay right where you are, love. It'll be fine, I promise.

Besides, he couldn't run from this forever...