Tears of a Harper -- (Zizi)

[twitchie]

Harper, your song has a sorrowful sound,
Though the tune was written gay.
Your voice is sad and your hands are slow
And your eye meeting mine turns away.

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What was Mae doing here, just past dusk, you may ask?
Well I shall answer. She was trying her best to get it all back together. The simple fantasy the young girl had masked life with had been shattered, her nearly complete puzzle unraveled.

Her back was against a stone, legs pulled up against her chest. How would she return to the Weyr? What if he was there, to mock her and stab at her with daggerish words?

Mae trembled, suddenly feeling the night's cool chill. She glanced about, seeing how very dark it was getting.

She didn't feel ready to go home. No... She had too much to consider, to recollect upon..

Cayin had told her that their parents didn't matter, but now.. She doubted the words she had trusted.
Without knowing her parents, Mae believed, she couldn't know herself.
Who was she? What was she? The Harper walked around trying to fit in, as a boy. Not the beautiful young girl she was...

Tiide and Violette chittered, warning her of someone, or something...
Her heart leapt to her throat. Uh-oh! Who else would be here at this time?

Startled, she stood, rubbing roughly at her red, teary eyes. This only smudged the tears on her cheeks more.

[Zirin]

A shadow passed over the river as Braymoth swooped overhead, swerving to glide down to the riverbank to drop off his rider. The garnet and His had spent much of the afternoon out in the forest, hunting wild game to relieve stress and now it was time they wash up in the river. Landing, the garnet gave a quick glance at Mae as his rider dismounted. Giving a brief shake, he stepped into the river to clean himself.

“Pardon the intrusion Miss,” Yufa gave a brief curtsy as she watched her dragon step into the river. Glancing back at the girl, whom she had initially mistaken as a boy, Yufa gave her a once over, sighing slightly. The girl had a pretty face, what a shame she was hiding her beauty behind men’s clothes; Yufa herself had spent the day in a light, airy sundress despite being a rider. It seemed the girl had been crying too… if her red eyes were any indication. “If you don’t mind me asking… is everything alright?”

[twitchie]

Mae ducked at the Garnet's shadow after first, and eyed dragon and rider warily.
Oh great, perhaps more abuse...

Yufa's politness made Mae slightly more comfortable, but she frowned at the question.

"No. I am most certainly not alright..."

She sighed, knowing she would have to explain.

"I...I don't even know who I am anymore... I don't know my parents... Cayin may be my half-brother but no one can tell.... If you hadn't already noticed, I have... troubles..."

Intending to splash her face and cover perhaps the red teary look or atleast try and wash it away she went closer to the two.

"I...I'm well I know I'm Mae, however I don't know what makes me that. I'm a Harper, an apprentice."

Her flits lighted on each shoulder, watching Braymoth with very large eyes.

[Zirin]

Yufa had been raised under the ideals that women were seen and not heard. She was used to bottling up her troubles and never mentioning them to others, even when asked. She knew the Weyr was more open about women, but even still the ease with which this young girl started rambling took the garnetrider by surprise. She smiled warmly as Mae approached. She wasn’t used to helping others when it came to the mind, she was a physical healer, but she would try her best to comfort.

“Mae, was it?” She asked quietly, “You can be whoever and whatever you want to be.” She wasn’t really sure what else to say; she had been raised at the Hold by both parents and her brother. Who she was today had been defined by that, and she imagined it would be the same for Mae regardless. “It is the things you do in life that define who you are.” She added before looking at Braymoth. How much had she changed since impressing the obnoxious red dragon?

Sound like a whiny weyrbrat to me. Braymoth cut in, his eyes whirling in annoyance. “Braymoth!” Yufa reprimanded before glancing back at Mae. “Do ignore him Mae, he is like that to everyone." Braymoth snorted and moved deeper into the water, happy to ignore both girls.

[twitchie]

Mae was almost able to take comfort in Yufa's response and she smiled.
But that vanished with Braymoth's retort.

"You do not scare me. I think you are a rather sad specimen of your species! You call yourself a Garnet, but I see you as no better than a wherry. I will not let another person or beast for that matter, try to hurt my feelings. Scoff all you want!"

If Mae wasn't the size of the red dragon's paw she might have tried to hit him. But since he towered over her... she stayed put, glaring scornfully at him.

"I hope I didn't hurt your dragon's feelings."
She said to the rider sarcastically. Hopefully Mae wouldn't offend Yufa.

[Zirin]

Byramoth lifted his head, turning swirling eyes on Mae before turning around with a hiss to stand over her; towering over the young woman. You’re spunky brat. I like that. He hissed, nosing the girl to push her over, You should learn to pick your fights better brat. If it wasn’t for Mine, I wouldn’t hesitate to eat you. The garnet turned back around to continue washing himself, whipping his tail in the water to send a splash at the harper.

“Oh don’t worry... I don’t think you could hurt his feelings if you tried.” Yufa glanced at the garnet, feeling his annoyance across their bond, but another firm command kept the garnet behaving. Of course, the girl’s words did hurt Yufa, she had wanted nothing more than to impress a dragon to keep herself and her brother safe, and had instead landed herself with the difficult red dragon. Well, she did what she could and she supposed that was all she could hope for. “It seems he likes you,” She chuckled to herself wondering if Braymoth would take kindly to anyone who put up a fight.

[twitchie]

Mae fell into the water when the Garnet pushed her.
She sputtered a moment and stood, dripping but smug.
See? The Garnet did not hurt her. She would not fear him. No one would control her in fear. Fools! So many fools...
Trying to bend and break girls.. not this one.

Mae felt she'd upset Yufa, but there wasn't really a sign of exactly how.
"I...I didn't mean to...to offend you... I am only upset and.. I refuse to be treated like a dumb little holdgirl."

She waded toward the red head.
"F-friends?"

Mae held out her hand, timidly.