Goodbye my Heart

[Wish]

Well, I know the feeling
Of finding yourself stuck out on the ledge
And there ain't no healing
From cutting yourself with the jagged edge
I'm telling you that, it's never that bad
Take it from someone who's been where you're at
Laid out on the floor
And you're not sure you can take this anymore

The night stung. It was cold despite the growing warmth, after all it had just rained that afternoon. So, the night was chilled and a breeze crept along the WeyrBowl, whistling eerily despite the general good mood that was kept within. Both Queen and Sub-Queen had clutched now, and the Senior Weyrwoman's child was finally among the Weyrbrats. It was a beautiful baby girl, and she had only been able to see her for a few moments before being reminded of her own twins' birthing day.

That, well that was then though, and the memory of those that had been with her at the time had cut deep into Inali. She had tried to be so strong, so very strong. However, it seemed a fruitless attempt at normalcy. She needed to get out, she needed to leave. She had only needed the right circumstances. Could the dragonless woman leave while the sands were still empty? No, and neither could she while Iirla was so frail and with child. Now though, now she was able to leave with little difficulty.

Her mind even strayed to consider her weyrmate and children, but it was far behind her already. Inali had made this choice a while ago, and nothing had been able to change her mind since she had decided it. A gentle sigh escaped her lips as she looked at the sleeping form of her Bronzerider, a hesitant fingertip tracing the line of his jaw. She remembered the day they had met, so long ago as Weyrlings...Loraketh and Stallorth had proclaimed each other best friends long before they even had.

Hadn't it always been like that though? Those two had always taken the lead, even when it came to them officially being together that night when Mivinth had risen and she had ran to him instead of go with Loraketh, no she had let Maelath lead her Queen away then and the young rider had fled to the Bronzerider's weyr before he had a chance to leave and meet the rising Queen's lifemate. It had been in that moment that they realized they were meant to be together, and now a deep ache still settled in her heart.

There was a deeper one however that lingered, a break that was far worse than anything leaving her family could cause. She needed to get away from the Weyr, from the memories. For that, she would have to go south to Rindell. It had amazed her when she had received the letter, but a few return letters and some well done research into the archives had told her that the writing she had seen was true. She had a half-sister on her father's side. Kytrie...well, there was more reason to go to Rindell now than just to get away.

Slowly she untangled herself from her 'mate's arms and waited for a few moments to make sure he was still asleep, and after that she kept going. Her feet were quiet, soundless, on the floor as she called mentally for Ghost to accompany her, and the Green was thankfully herself today. She kept going..she kept going..she refused to look back into the weyr. Inali ran a nervous hand through her dark hair, her eyes closing on silvery blue irises. You can do this...you have to do this...you can't stay here anymore, you know how much it hurts you.

She didn't get very far, because only a few more minutes had passed and she was out in the WeyrBowl when a little voice broke out.

So just give it one more try to a lullaby
And turn this up on the radio
If you can hear me now
I'm reaching out
To let you know that you're not alone
And if you can't tell, I'm scared as hell
'Cause I can't get you on the telephone
So just close your eyes
Oh, honey here comes a lullaby
Your very own lullaby

"Momma...please...don't go." Inoria's eyes were watering, she had already heard the unfamiliar voice of the Blue. He wasn't far off, circling high above in the clouds of the night sky. The disturbance was enough to wake her up, and just as quietly as her mother had the four turn old girl had followed. The black and white pup she had gotten during the gather came as well, quiet thankfully until Inoria finally stopped at the entrance to the WeyrBowl and turned tearfilled eyes on the form of her mother.

"Inoria, go back to you father and Talian...please, just go back." Inali's eyes were narrowed, her lips pursed as the Blue landed and the rider gave an odd look to her and the little girl. "Just a moment K'vr, just one moment." She walked closer to Inoria, and the girl stepped backwards. She didn't understand, she just didn't understand! Why would her mother leave her? Looking at the blue she probed his mind, asking him question after question, but the dragon refused to give her answers. "Momma..."

Her voice was wavering now as tears streamed down her cheeks, her little form shivering as a stronger gust of wind whipped their hair around. In a quick movement Inali was on her knees though, pulling Inoria into her arms and hugging her tight. "No leave...tell....tell all of them. No leave me too!" Her words were broken, confused and angry. There was no way she would allow the woman to leave her here, no way at all. They had to be together, that's what they were always told! She had to stay with her, she just had to!

Finally, Inali sighed and nodded her head. "Okay...okay sweetheart, we're going on a little adventure okay? You can't tell anyone though, you have to be brave. We're going on a nice ride alright, she can even come with you. Just hold her tight and don't let go." The puppy wagged her tail oblivious to the fact that they were leaving, Inoria shook her head though. "No, she stay. Talian need puppy." Nodding Inali scooped the little girl in her arms and handed her to the young man astride the blue, waiting to get up herself until the little girl was secured in the straps.

"Remember, no telling anyone Inoria. There are plenty of new dragons to talk to when we get there okay?" The girl nodded her head, her tears finally stopping as she nuzzled between the unknown rider and her mother, her heartbeat finally calming down. As the dragon rose into the air, the puppy started to howl however, but they were already too far up to hear it. With one circle, the rider gave his bonded an image, and then they were gone. Just like that; no note, no warning, nothing...they were just gone.



Except for one little phrase whispered despite her mother's warning. One tiny little voice caressing a hundred friendly minds. I love you.

Please let me take you
Out of the darkness and into the light
'Cause I have faith in you
That you're gonna make it through another night
Stop thinking about the easy way out
There's no need to go and blow the candle out
Because you're not done
You're far too young
And the best is yet to come

[Akira]

Stallorth heard the familiar voice and slowly woke himself. Something was right but at the moment he wasn’t sure what that was. He turned his large head and took in his surroundings. The bed that his rider shared with his mate had only one human on it, and then he turned to look at the little girls that had been born to the man that he shared a life bond with, and the woman the man had given his heart to. There was only one in the bed and then the words came back to him. He turned his head to the sky, stood up and roared as loudly as he could, sending his farewell back to the little girl he had claimed as his own egg child even though they were of different species. He wasn’t happy that they were gone, but he and his rider had known for a while that Inali was leaving, but Inoria’s leaving was something completely unexpected.

T’rian woke at his dragon’s lonely and mournful roar at the skies. He knew then that Inali had left, but that didn’t explain why Stallorth was so upset. It was true that the large Bronze had taken it upon himself to take care of Inali. But they had known for a while now that she would be leaving. He sat up suddenly and saw Talian sitting on the edge of her bed, holding Princess in her lap with her two firelizards crooning softly to her. No...please no. He knew his twins were close to their mother, but had Inali really taken Inoria with her? He quickly got up and walked to his daughter. He knelt in front of her as she wept silently for her missing sister. He didn’t know what to do, or say that would make the girl hurt a little less. He knew what she could do, and was wondering how long it would take her to reach out to all the firelizards and rouse them with her feelings.

To tell the truth Talian had reached out mentally for the comforting familiar feeling of the firelizards of Trelis as soon as she woke up to Stallorth’s roar and found her sister, and her sister’s puppy gone. Even Princess was upset that her littermate was gone. Chef and Ruby were trying their best to make Theirs happy again, but the sudden emptiness that Talian felt was hard on the two firelizards who were so sensitive to their little girl’s feelings. Chef was crooning and licking the tears that fell down Talian’s cheek whereas Ruby was sitting on the girl’s shoulder opposite to the white firelizard, and was crooning to herself but was growling a protective warning to T’rian. She wanted to help Hers, wanted to protect her from whatever it was that was making her so upset.