[PRP] Consolation Prize (Teohe/Haraven)

[Meepfur]

Teohe had been hoping with all her heart that Haraven would Impress, and though she knew there was really no predicting such things, had really thought that he would. There was so much to like about him, how could a dragon not want him? But, unfortunately, it seemed that none of Kleoth's babies had shared the bluerider's opinion. While she knew it wasn't dire, that he had plenty of time yet to Impress, she also knew how hard it was to be left standing once the last hatchling had left the Sands with their rider. She'd put no small amount of pressure on herself, with a bronzerider father of her own, and one who to her eye was so well-liked and popular. She'd pined for even a fraction of that. She had Tiossith now, and he'd put such feelings well behind her, as well as doing everything a dragon could to see that she had everything she could possibly need, but she'd not forgotten what it was like.

The dark blue walked with her down the beach, having insisted that yes, they should walk, so that her dress wouldn't be mussed by climbing on and off of him. He was quite pleased that having a word with Hyglath about what the young woman most needed for her nameday had been passed on to her father, and with such excellent results. It was perhaps a bit better suited to an evening affair, but that couldn't be helped - babies hatched when they hatched, and if she looked particularly stunning for the breakfast Feast, well, that wasn't a bad thing. Even if her interest in looking so was for a certain Candidate.

Sigh. Maybe someone else would swoop in and st-

Oh, stop it, Teohe interrupted his thoughts, shoving gently at his snout. I like him whether he's a rider or not, and that's all that matters.

Was it though? Tiossith grumbled to himself, but wouldn't argue; it was just that he wanted His to have everything, and a Candidate simply didn't have the means to provide for her the way he thought they ought. Still, she was happy, so he would at least tolerate it.

Make sure you eat a good breakfast, he said finally, nudging her towards the Dining Hall, Plenty of protein and vegetables. Not just sweets and a pause for mild distaste, Kisses. You still need a good start to your day, even if it is a party.

x Uta

 

[Uta]

Another Hatching, come and gone, and Haraven was doing his best to rally his spirits. Even though he understood it sometimes took many Turns for a dragonet to find his or her rider, there was always an underlying worry that somehow, maybe, he wasn't meant to Impress. While he had at least a decade of Hatchings to stand for, it was very easy to remember the stories of Candidates who never once Impressed. Many workers at the Weyr were Candidates who failed to find a dragon.... and while Haraven didn't think of them with pity or somehow lesser than the riders of the Weyr, it wasn't a future he wanted. Such feelings were always at their peak immediately following a Hatching, and this morning was no exception.

Once again, he was left alone without a lifemate to call his own. The title of Candidate remained, and his life remained unchanged. Returning to the Barracks to change out of his robes, and process the reality, he made note of all the cots that were now empty. Matotoka, Odellet, Natiri, Ciriane, Surel, Valendyr, Tihrokat, Nemeryn, Aneirin... and so many others. While he was absolutely thrilled that no one had gotten hurt, and each baby found his or her match, it was hard not to be a little jealous. A lot jealous. Such feelings weren't things he usually felt though, and while he slowly changed, he did his best to think of the positive. At least he had a few Turns left. At least there would be a feast, and family, and .... a certain girl.

Perhaps that's where most of his disappointment had welled from. Teohe was a very pretty, very nice girl and he couldn't help but have his head a bit turned by her. But she was a blue rider, and while rider and Candidate relationships were far from taboo, he couldn't help but want to be a rider for her sake, too. Somehow he felt a little...lesser. He had no marks to spoil her with, had to send her off during Threadfall's to do all the dangerous work, and he was stuck on the ground feeling helpless and useless. Maybe he had thought that he would have found his at this Hatching, because it was Kleoth's flight that brought them together... but such romantic notions hadn't played out.

He would simply need to impress her in other ways, until he finally found his proper match and began earning marks.

By the time he made it down to the Feast, he was cleaned up, and in his Gather best. While his clothes weren't the latest fashion, his father being the Weyrman and his step-father being the Weyrlingmaster did rather help. Ryara and Ky'ra were also quite fashionable and helped ensure his clothes weren't unbecoming, so even if he was re-wearing a few pieces, he liked to think he looked quite nice. If he fussed a little more than usual, and took a little longer styling his hair, and had even broken out a small bit of scented oil his father had gifted him the Turn prior--it was entirely for one reason and one reason alone.

Teohe.

He was determined to put on a good face and make sure he looked more than presentable. No matter how heartsore he might be, he didn't want her to know, or think less of him. Besides which, he was quite eager to see her. Assuming she still wished to see him.

Puddles and Evergreen clung to his shoulders as he made his way down to the feast. He would seek out his family a bit later--especially as he knew A'ral would be comforting Candidates much like himself, and R'mor would need to make the rounds congratulating and meeting each new pair individually. As it was, he brightened immediately when he finally caught sight of a particular blonde, and immediately made a beeline for her. "Teohe!" He greeted, trying very hard not to look absolutely eager. The dress she was in did make him stop well in his tracks. "You look amazing," he greeted, more than a little floored. If he drank up her figure, could he really be blamed? "Er, not that you don't look great everyday, because you do! " He hastily replied. "It just... You'll turn every head in the room, I'm sure of it." Faranth help him, he always got so tongue-tied around her now that they were .... together.

Remembering his manners, he did bow low--well displacing both Puddles and Evergreen, who swept around the trio with little objecting chirps. "Hello Tiossith," he greeted amiably, not wanting to be rude and neglect the blue either.

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

Not that Teohe had been keeping track of Haraven's attire at Feasts - after all, this was their first together! - but even if she had been, there was certainly no harm in re-wearing things, especially for boys. They could wear exactly the same thing at every party for Turns and not be judged for it, as long as they were clean and kept up. For girls, there was a little more perceived pressure, and they ought to at least have a couple of outfits to alternate so it wasn't the same thing every time, if they had the means. And, well, she had added an inch or so of height and filled out a bit more in the time since she'd Impressed Tiossith, so she'd been due a new dress...which had needed to be blue, for obvious reasons. Her previous standby had been more greenish, and while Tiossith didn't find anything inherently wrong with green, he was blue, and she was His and ought to flaunt it. Granted, she still wasn't one for flaunting, even if he had bolstered her confidence significantly when he'd chosen her.

When she heard a familiar voice call her name, she brightened immediately - and she certainly noticed the appreciative look she earned, and paired with the compliments, she flushed with pleasure. She'd known the dress was nice, but in that moment, she'd never felt prettier. She was used to being cute - a little short and quite soft - but not pretty. Her eyes all but sparkled as she looked up at Haraven, who was himself looking exceptionally handsome. "Thank you."

"You look really great, too," she returned the compliment, blushing even further when he bowed. While he might worry otherwise, as far as she was concerned, he was very dashing.

Knowing well that His was watching him, Tiossith returned the Candidate's greeting with a nod and a polite rumble, his eyes blue-green. He'd spoken to him plenty earlier, in his own estimation, so this was the right amount of courtesy, in his opinion.

Not wanting to overstay her dragon's patience, she slipped her hand around Haraven's arm. "Should we go see what they've put together?"

Her stomach was a bit on the fluttery side, as this was her first proper date...well, ever, but after the day's exceptionally early start, she really was rather hungry.

Uta

 

[Uta]

Though he might well have been disappointed not to have found his match, but Teohe was proving to be an immediate balm. Not, of course, that he wanted to use her in such a fashion--but she was very stunning in the blue dress, and the way it hugged her frame was quite fetching, indeed. The fact he had someone to spend time with exclusively at the Feast was a change in his usual post-Hatching routine, and he was determined to have a nice time. Thankfully, if past Hatchings were anything to go by, his spirits would rally soon enough and he'd have nothing but a nice time.

His smile broadened when she moved to slip her hand around his arm. "Sounds good to me! I'm a bit famished," he admitted, but who could blame him? He woke up and had been immediately ushered to the Hatching Sands.
There hadn't been any breakfast--and the hunger of the dragonets had only echoed his own, especially near the end.

While most people had moved to the tables to participate in the feast, the Harpers had already made some room on the dance floor set up in the Bowl. The weather was amicable enough that the festivities spilled both into the Lower Caverns but also outside in the Bowl. Participants had their choice on where they wished to linger, with food and drink on many tables. Tithes were still tight, but the Weyr made sure there was enough to keep everyone fed for this celebration. Even if the dishes were still very heavy on the seafood.

"What did you and Tiossith think of the Hatching?" He asked as he guided her over to the closest spread.

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

"I can imagine," Teohe sympathized. Kleoth's babies had decided on an early morning for everyone, the Candidates especially so - she remembered that rush quite well, and was glad that now that she didn't have to be on the Sands, she at least had a few minutes more to get herself together. She didn't miss all the tension and adrenaline, either, and hoped that one day soon, Haraven would be able to say the same.

"Tiossith's never been very interested in babies," she admitted as she looked over the available offerings. Seafood and more seafood was, unfortunately, still a fact of life, but she understood why, so she couldn't in good conscience complain. "I thought they were wonderful, though! There were some lively ones for sure, but I'm glad there wasn't any real trouble." Even the disagreement between the two browns had resolved with little issue, and all in all it had been a rather peaceful affair, which she certainly appreciated, with someone she cared about to worry over.

As for the food, "Anything look tempting?"

Uta

 

[Uta]

"Doesn't he?" He asked, surprised. "I guess I thought all dragons like them, though... I know they're all unique." Perhaps it was just an assumption he'd made after growing up with such close ties to Zinath and Junenth. Faranth knew the two dragons were incredibly interested in any sort of dragonet that cracked shell--so to meet a dragon that seemed relatively disinterested was surprising to him. Logically, he knew that every dragon was unique with their own interests, but sometimes it was easy to stereotype or assume.

"What's he like, anyway? If you don't mind me asking, that is..." Given he hoped to spend ample time with Teohe, it would mean spending time with Tiossith on occasion. Besides being one of the younger dragons in the Weyr, he didn't know much else about him--at least not compared to some of the dragons at the Weyr, like his sisters' dragons Suryanth and Zultoloth.

"I'm glad you had a nice time though. They're always such a rush, it always seems over too soon. All those months of anticipation and then..." Well, he wouldn't talk about the great disappointment that had, thus far, followed. "At least this way it means I've more time to spend with you. Candidate life might not be glamorous, but at least the schedule and routine's convenient." Especially given they were only just starting to date. While she was on a rider's schedule, for the most part, Haraven's routine was set in stone. Not to mention, holding hands, or kissing, weren't off-limits.

"I think there's some roasted porcine a few tables down, from the looks of it. I was hoping there'd at least be some herdbeast," he confessed with a grin. He didn't like to complain but surely the tithes could be better. "I saw some spidercrab cakes that looked tempting, and some sort of wherry and vegetable pie that looked nice. At least I like to think it was wherry. With how much seafood we've been having, I'm not sure I trust it to be such a treat." Still, no matter what, the food was enough to feed the masses. It might not have been a typical breakfast, but there were some egg dishes, and some fruits and pastry on other tables, and some warm cereals and granolas for those who weren't in the mood for something richer. But if there was one thing Haraven knew, it was not to skip a feast, no matter the hour; the rest of the day would be lighter fare and leftovers, so enjoying it fresh was best. "What about you? See anything that calls your name?" He was curious what she might prefer, or what her favorite foods might be. Coming from High Reaches, he wondered how she was enjoying the selection of seafood.

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

"He doesn't not like them, not really, but I think all the fuss over them annoys him a little," she clarified. "Not that he'd ever admit it, but he lives for attention." As for more about him that that, she certainly didn't mind sharing - she did adore him, after all, even if he could be a bit much, in his own way. It was just part of who he was. "Well, he has quite the opinion of himself, obviously, but he's not all hot air about it. He's smart, and he works hard, and does his best to help if he thinks someone needs it."

"He's a little bit of a busybody that way, honestly, even if he is nice about it. He'll tell me how I oguht to fix my hair, or remind me to eat my greens," she admitted with a laugh, all of this said with nothing but fondness. "It helps that he's usually right." Not always - like his skepticism about her choice of boyfriend - but he did have an eye for certain things.

"It always seems like forever in the moment, then once it's over it's like it was no time at all," she agreed about Hatchings, before going on to blush a little at the silver lining he found, very much pleased by it. "There is that!" Teohe hesitated for a second, caught briefly in the moment where what she wanted to do became what she decided to do, then stood on her tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek.

Ahem. "It might not be herdbeast, but porcine sounds amazing. Or that pie, especially if it is wherry." The bluerider really wasn't a picky eater, aside from a limited tolerance for spicy foods, so just about everything on offer was appetizing. "It's nice to see some variety - and I'm sure it'll taste all the better after we've had so much seafood for so long." Hunger was the best spice, and all that! "The pastries look awfully good, too, but I promised Tiossith I'd save the sweets for last and not spoil my appetite."

Not that she was one to consume pastries and only pastries in a meal, even if that meal was breakfast or a Feast besides, but much like the roasted porcine, they seemed especially exotic and appetizing today.

Uta

 

[Uta]

Haraven smiled as Teohe spoke about her dragon. It was always a delight to find out what each dragon was like, for they were as varied as the riders the chose! It was easy for Holdfolk and Crafters, and even some Weyrfolk, to assume a dragon mirrored the personality of the rider they Impressed--but that really wasn't the case at all. Sometimes, he supposed, it must have happened--but certainly it didn't seem to be in Teohe's case. "It's nice that he fusses over you and those who need him. Better than not caring, at any rate," he mused aloud. "I'm probably closest to Junenth and Zinath, but I don't think they've ever reminded me to eat my vegetables or care two bits about my appearance." Now he had half a mind to ask his father's whether that was something that happened to them. Obviously, a dragon loved their rider more than anyone else--perhaps his parents were getting fussed at more than he realized. Something for him to consider, at any rate.

The kiss of his cheek had Haraven beaming, and he took the opportunity to slip his arm out of her own, and move it about her waist instead. They were dating, after all, and he wasn't about to be shy. It was nice to have a pretty girl on his arm, and to get to show her off. Even if he was just a Candidate, he had every intention of finding a reliable and solid match. It was just going to take some time and patience. Besides, there was no shame in Candidacy--even if the worst happened, and he did age out, he had every intention of supporting and staying at the Weyr. He'd find some craft or some training and do everything he could to make sure his family, and Teohe, could have a good life. The Weyr wasn't made up of only riders, after all...

Thankfully, he had quite a few Turns aheadof him before he had to worry about that, and he wasn't going to spoil the mood by sulking. Already his spirits seemed lifted, and that was just from having Teohe near.

"Had you been standing long before you Impressed? Did he seek you out early on during the event, or closer to the end? If you don't mind me prying, that is," he added. He was disappointed he hadn't Impressed, but that didn't mean his interest in dragons had waned. While there was nothing to be said about his experiences, he could at least try to get an idea of what hers had been like. He had stood along with Teohe--but at the time, she'd been nothing but a stranger.

"It's a party after all. Let's go wild and get some of each then!" It wasn't that he was sick of seafood, but he figured the visitors and guests could enjoy it on their behalf. Surely, the other meat dishes would go fast! "Why not pick out the pastries and sweets, and I'll get in line for some of the savories? We can share, if you'd like--and I won't tell Tiossith if you sneak a few before I get back." The sooner they had some dishes of food, the sooner they could sit down and eat... and the sooner he could be back in her company. She was proving a delightful companion, and he was eager to enjoy the day feasting and dancing. Assuming, of course, she liked to dance.

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

"He does mean well, at least, even if he is a little pushy about it. My entire wardrobe would be blue if he had his way about it," she said with a laugh. "Hyglath's never been one to fuss like that, either, though." It probably didn't even occur to him, bless his hearts, as the big bronze had little but fluff and cheer between his headknobs. He was delightful.

Teohe was more than happy to have Haraven's arm around her waist, and leaned into him a bit even as she blushed just slightly. "A couple of Turns," she answered, just avoiding the 'only' she'd almost tossed onto the start of her answer. "He took his time, but he wasn't the very last. It didn't seem like much of a wait, though, since I didn't realize I was waiting. My friend talked me into coming so she'd have company, I really didn't think I'd end up staying. Not that I mind, of course!"

It had been an adjustment, but she was happy to be here, to have Tiossith and now a very handsome boy. At his suggestion that they 'go wild' and split up to get some of everything they wanted to share, she grinned. Sure, it meant splitting up, but it would be faster and they'd probably get a good pick of the best things. "That's perfect!" she agreed, pecking another kiss against his cheek before semi-reluctantly pulling away so that she could venture off on her assigned mission for sweets. "I'll get everything I can fit on a plate."

The bluerider winked, but she wasn't entirely joking. Her dragon could fuss all he wanted, but this was a day for indulging and she was going to make the most of it. Pastries, here she came!

Uta

 

[Uta]

Haraven couldn't help but yearn just a little as Teohe talked about Tiossith. It wasn't enough to douse his spirits, of course, but the way she spoke so lovingly about her blue, and her experience, made him wish he had such a story to share. It would have been nice had any of Kleoth's brood looked his way and been His, but... He'd simply have to wait. He could be patient, for all that he had no choice about it otherwise. He would stand until he could stand no longer!

"So what you're actually saying is that, to butter up your dragon, I'd do well spoiling you with blue-hued gifts?" He was mostly teasing, but Haraven would keep it in mind for some occasions. He was certain to want to try to spoil Teohe, and that would mean buying her all sorts of things. And getting a rider's dragon's approval would be more than beneficial... So if that meant having a preferred color, than so be it.

"I'm glad you decided to come," he eagerly confessed. "I mean... I have no doubt Tiossith makes it all worthwhile, and it would have been more problematic had you not been here for his sake. But... I know not everyone from High Reaches is very keen on us Westerners. You thinking of staying long-term or just 'til your few Turns fighting is up?" Haraven tried to make it sound a bit more casual than it appeared, realizing too late that it might come off poorly. Their relationship was very new, and neither of them knew what the future would hold-- he didn't want her to feel stifled by the question, after all, or push their relationship into something serious too quickly.

Faranth, he wasn't very good about any of this. He didn't think of himself as awkward or silly, but something about Teohe made him over-eager and, probably, more than a little foolish. Perhaps it was the excitement of a new relationship, or it was just because Teohe was pretty. Either way, Haraven was eager to impress her, and anxious that he was doing no such thing.

Thankfully, there was food, and distractions, and she'd even pecked his cheek. He almost went to pull her back in for a proper kiss for the road, but she was out of his arms on the way before he had a chance to do so. Well, the sooner they had plates full of food, the sooner they could find a table and share the bounty.

Puddles and Evergreen appeared, circling twice, before settling on his shoulders. Their little wedge shaped heads pushed against his cheeks, and he was glad for their company. "You two hungry too?" He mused as he waited in line. It wasn't just to shower him with affection, he knew--but so they might get some scraps. "You're gonna have to wait," he explained, as if the little creatures might actually understand.

Though it did take some time to get through the various queues, by the time he sought out Teohe, he had an entire tray of goodies. One plate hadn't quite been enough, so he'd managed to juggle two, each covered in slices of wherry, herdbeast, meatpies, meatrolls, and even a small bowl of stew. He'd done his best to avoid the seafood, and hoped Teohe had brought a healthy appetite.

Meepfur