Why Hello Thar! {Derek/D'sel}

[Elessar]

She agreed, and he melted back in the shadows, watching her. She seemed to lose him momentarily, but then caught his scent. Emiath was completely silent as she neared, prepared to leap and catch him off-guard, but then she shrieked, a sound that nearly made the Garnet roar in protest. The Obsidian thrashed around, and Emiath blinked, simply watching.

D'sel shrugged. He hated that her voice held such a bitter tone. She obviously did not want to be at The Rebellion, did not want her high place of Lieutenant, being groomed for the next rebel leader, did not want anything that she had. She also did not want him coming closer, as she was clearly doing her best to get away from him.

She almost pulled back, but then he was kissing her. Eiko shoved him away, and he let her, even though he easily could have kept a hold on the girl. Either way, it was more like her pushing against him so she could shoot backwards. D'sel didn't move at all. Eiko's eyes were wide, and she was shaking. The Garnetrider almost felt bad for her, but... no, he didn't. Better to learn now than at Nimarath's flight.

The Obsidian was shrieking again, and this time Emiath did roar in defiance, wanting her to stop making that horrible noise. Her wings outstretched, she jumped at him, obviously upset as red swirled in her eyes. Emiath dodged her attack with ease, though one of her wings buffeted him as she missed, knocking him a bit off balance.

Roaring again, he leaped on the smaller dragon, aiming to pin her down and stop her from causing unnecessary harm to herself. She is not only yours, Nimarath! Think about when you fly! A man will have her then, as a dragon will have you. Think! He is not harming her, she just needs a moment to adjust to her fear!

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[Wish]

The dark dragonet cried out when he turned on her, irritated that her attack had done no good, and on top of it all he had pinned her down! She thrashed momentarily, until his words entered her brain. It caused another shriek to escape her, her tail whipping the ground as she cried. I am no one's Princess! Neither is Eiko! She is Mine, I am Hers! No one will have us! Her talons dug in against the earth as she keened, her strength leaving her for the moment.

Eiko.....

The weyrling looked at him still, and then splashed the water agitated at the Garnet's words she heard through her bond to Nimarath. "She's right, I'm not yours, and I'm not anyone else's." Her eyes narrowed as she looked at D'sel, finally that steel reserve covering her again. "You had no right to do that....what were you aiming at? You said you wanted to be my friend. Last time I checked, friends didn't steal first kisses."

She looked away, her arms folding in front of her chest and sighed placing more weight on one hip. When it appeared that Nimarath was still pinned down though she hissed through her teeth, her emotions entirely that of her dragon. "Make him let her go...he's going to hurt her, or she him, or something!" Eiko couldn't look at him for long, or especially meet his gaze though. As much as she hated the Garnetrider for kissing her, had she really liked it?

Noita is going to kill me when she finds out. Sure I'm a Senior Weyrling, but the way I acted...Nimarath's probably torn a wing muscle too if that ache's any sign. Her shoulder, the right one, was sore and she rolled them gently as if trying to loosen her muscles. Nim, how you holding up? The Obsidian hissed again, her tail whipping up at the Garnet as her head swung around toward his nearest leg to nip at him.

Still kicking!

[Elessar]

Nimarath continued thrashing despite being pinned down. She shrieked, wipped her tail around, did everything she could to get the larger, heavier garnet off of her, but it did no good. At her words, Emiath snarled. You fool! Someone must have you both when you fly, or there will be no eggs! Without eggs, the dragons we have will die, and the world will fall to Thread! Are you such a fool as to allow that to happen? They need not control you, only aid you in populating Pern with more fighting dragons!

Eiko stared at him briefly before she spoke, her voice icy. "I wasn't aiming at anything," D'sel snapped. "I do want to be your friend... maybe more." He shrugged. "Or does Noita forbid you to have friends who might be inclined to steal a kiss every once and awhile? Don't deny you enjoyed it, Eiko." His eyes flashed, but there was no anger in his voice.

The Obsidianrider demanded that he order Emiath to let Nimarath go, but D'sel didn't need to give the order. As Nimarath hissed, biting he Garnet's leg, Emiath snarled again and jumped, pumping his powerful wings so that he was in the air, circling. He had the advantage still, with her on the ground. If he needed to pin her again, it would be the work of a second.

"You know, she did say she wanted to learn how to fight," D'sel commented. "You'd do well to learn some lessons of your own. I'm not in this to become Commander, or lord over you or anything. I want to be friends. I like you. You'd probably like me, too, if you'd stop cowering behind all those walls you put up when people are around."

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[Wish]

She watched him retreat, a smug color of green entering her eyes as she craned her neck up. His words confused her though, he spoke of eggs and flights......You're insane....come back down here, unless you want to see me in the air Emiath darling. She spread her wings, waiting a moment before taking to the skies and crooning happily. Hers was doing better it seemed, so the Garnet had been right. Besides, he was much more intriguing than her rider at the moment.

In Eiko's case, she was left to stare at D'sel dumbstruck, her mouth half-open mid-retort. "I didn't...I mean...she....I......" Her chest heaved with each intake as her breath quickened, her eyes widening and her head shaking back and forth. No, no, no! She wanted that safety, she wanted to not feel anything, she just wanted to be left alone! "That was before you tried to kiss me! She's....okay, so she's not angry with him so much anymore, but still!" Her body shivered again, and she took another step backwards effectively backing herself against some tree roots.

"I...I don't..." But she did put up walls, she loved to put them up and hide behind them. Was she really a coward for it though? All her life people had only used her; used her to get to her brother, used her to fight their battles, and now used her for their own gain. "There is no way I'd like you like that. You're arrogant, and head-strong, and you're entirely unpredictable, and you.....you're everything I can't be no matter how hard I try."

They were like fire and ice, entirely opposite each other in every way, and even now she said those words cooly. There was little true emotion to her voice, and her body had at least stopped shaking, her eyes the only thing betraying her feelings. She hated wanting more of this, and yet she did so want more. For once Eiko didn't want to feel dead to the world, she wanted to know what it was like to be held and kissed, to be loved or cared for.

Eiko is not the best with emotions....Yours will have to forgive her for that. She fears, and so I protect, it is the one thing we have already decided between us. I will push her until she almost breaks and she me if necessary, but the moment she becomes frightened is the moment I become her Guardian. Nimarath twisted in the air, her wings sore from being folded up against her side and her legs weak from trying to move away from him before.

[Elessar]

He could tell she was a bit confused. Insane? My dear Nimarath, of course I am. As the Obsidian took flight, the Garnet looped around her, his dark hide shining like a ruby in the early spring sun. He was glad spring had come. The Garnet was no fan of the winter, and was happy to be back outside, flying again. A mischivious glint passed across his eyes, and he shot off into the skies like a bullet. Catch me if you can, dear Nimarath!

At Eiko's accusations, D'sel laughed. "But am I, dear Eiko? I can be arrogant... or I can be humble. Head-strong is nothing to be ashamed of, and being unpredictable is simply who I am. Again-- don't deny you like it." At her last words, he raised his eyebrows. "You can be whatever you want, Eiko." He told her seriously. "You can do whatever you want. You're stronger than you think."

He had stepped closer to her, watching her eyes, knowing she was hiding, that her eyes would be the only thing to betray her emotions. "Stop hiding," he whispered. "Let go... enjoy yourself for once. Let yourself feel something." And with that, he kissed her again, gently, soft, knowing she would tremble beneath his touch, possibly try to flee, maybe even yell.

He pulled away briefly, placing a finger to her lips before she could speak. "Look. The world didn't end. You didn't explode. No one died. Everything is okay. Nothing bad happened." He took his finger away and kissed her again, hoping that maybe now she would let him without too much of a protest.

Emiath corkscrewed, looking back at Nimarath. Mine needs no Guardian. We work together as a team, chaos and death and destruction behind us if it calls for it. If he misbehaves, I make him bleed. But he has his old over me as well, of course. We are a team.

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[Wish]

A team? How intriguing Emiath. She is young though, and for now she needs someone to protect and push her more than someone who will work with her. Someday, but that day is not today.

She wound around him, flying just beyond his reach and crooning for him to follow, to chase. The Obsidian's smaller, lithe form was faster and more acrobatic though, and she showed that off. No one out-flies me Red Prince. My clutchmates can't even hope to compete with me. Except by clutchmates she referred to all her classmates not just those by blood.

Back on the ground Eiko stared at D'sel, unable to say anything in response. He was...being sweet again it seemed, and as he moved in to kiss her she pushed gently at his chest and made a little sound of protest. Why didn't he just stay away from her? Why was he still trying? Except then he broke away and placed her finger to her lips, and she trembled slightly as he had probably expected.

"I......." He was talking instead though, and she shut her mouth to listen instead, listening was easier anyway. Except perhaps for what he had to say. Nothing bad had happened? Did he not feel her heart racing? When he kissed her again though, her body finally short circuited her mind and stepped closer to him, her arms moving to curl around his back. It was then that she felt them, raised lines running all along his skin, and she knew that feeling well enough to understand what they were.

It didn't mean she pointed it out, but she did flinch slightly, and barely relaxed afterward. Instead her mind, what little by now was still functioning, was focused on what she was doing. Was she even doing it right? Did she do this...or that? And what in the world was she supposed to do with her tongue, just keep it in her mouth the whole time? A blush crept along her cheeks, and she broke away breathless, her head falling against his shoulder as she breathed in ragged breaths of air.

Just as quickly though, she was pushing away from him, toward the tree roots again, pulling on them to push herself up onto the perch. She sat there, looking at him, aware that they were about eye level now that she was up higher, maybe she was even taller now. Her breath still came in harsh inhales, and she was at a loss for words. So, she just stared, just stared and didn't move. She was entirely frozen.

Nimarath, feeling her rider's uncertainty growled low in her throat and nipped at Emiath's tail as she went past. Why does he not stop Prince? I do not understand....does he not see that it troubles her, scares her. I should be there with her right now....this is not pleasant for either of us. She hates to be touched, I hate to have to babysit her so often. She growled again, curving so she could fly upside down for a bit before diving somewhere below him.

[Elessar]

The Obsidian was right. Eiko was young, and needed someone to guard her and protect her and keep her safe. Emiath snorted. Soon, Nimarath. She must grow soon.

Her form wove in and out of his, as she was faster, and quicker in the air. She was significantly smaller, giving her that advantage, but he was older, more experienced, and could fly for a longer amount of time. Emiath knew she was showing off, so he corkscrewed around her, bringing their bodies extremely close, but not touching. He could show off, too!

She tried to push him away and trembled, just as he had expected. He could feel her tremble, feel her fear, but ignored it. She must overcome this! So she didn't like being touched... what would happen when Nimarath rose in flight? And she liked it, if she would just let herself admit it, he knew she did!

She started to speak, but then he kissed her again. D'sel was glad when she relaxed, her arms moving to wrap around him. When her fingers touched his scars, she flinched, as did he. She did not mention them, but remained kissing him until she broke away, her head against his shoulder until she pushed at him again, back towards the tree.

D'sel watched her, let her go, and frowned. "I told you." He said cooly. "Nothing bad happened. The world didn't end. You're still alive. Why are you so scared of letting yourself feel something? You're like a block of ice that's impossible to melt no matter how hard I try! Do I really scare you that much? I have no intentions of harming you!"

With that, he reached up and pulled her down from the tree, standing her next to him. He sighed, shaking his head. "Your dress should be dry by now. I'll take you back to the Weyr."

Emiath snapped back playfully as Nimarath bit as his tail. Come. My rider calls me back. He will return her to the Weyr. He sees she is scared, dear Nimarath. He is not a fool. Now come. He twisted, curving back and angling down toward the river, where he landed gracefully next to his rider.

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