Logs:Can't Do It
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| RL Date: 18 July, 2013 |
| Who: Alida, N'ky |
| Involves: High Reaches Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: Alida tries to prompt a change of heart in N'ky. |
| Where: A Southern plateau |
| When: Day 2, Month 4, Turn 32 (Interval 10) |
| Mentions: C'wlin/Mentions, N'hax/Mentions, April/Mentions |
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| Plateau, Southern Continent A huge, open space, with gently undulating grazing land stretched between the Southern jungle and the distant mountain range. Meandering through the grass is a small, fast-flowing river. From the air, it's easy to spot a flock of ovines, grazing in the distance. High Reaches may be wet and cold, but late afternoon in Southern is warm, with a zesty breeze rippling the grass on the wide plains that lie between the far mountain range and the jungle. Camped out on a spot by the small, fast-flowing river that meanders its way across the land is N'ky and Cailluneth; the latter is lying stretched out but vigilant, while the former is stripped down to just shorts and boots, while he works on the not too pleasant work of harvesting the day's kill by a makeshift pulley system. There's a bit of a mess around the area he works in, given the gory task he's undertaking, but he doesn't seem overly bothered as he frees another hide, and sets about pinning it to the riverbed with large, heavy rocks, alongside several others already weighed down in the same place. High above, Ilicaeth blips into being, his hide instantly shedding the beyond-cold touches of Between that cling to it upon Southern air. Apparently Cailluneth's coordinates were spot on when the blue asked her about finding N'ky. Spiraling slowly down, down - not in any hurry - the craggy dragon finally finds himself alighting predator-light nearby his green sister, then offering her a genial warble of greeting. As his talons flex and tail twitches, Alida's peeling her heavy outer gear off herself, then rolling it into one of the larger packs situated upon his straps. Down she climbs, then sliding the last bit down the blue's forearm just before boots thump soundly against the ground. Striding lazily over towards N'ky, the blonde spares some moments to look all around, even as Ilicaeth splays himself down on warm earth, chuffing his contentment. When she spies Ilicaeth, Cailluneth rolls out of her lounging state to stand up and greet him, growling a rumbling welcome before sidling over to him to nuzzle affectionately at his neck after blowing a warm breath of hello over his rider. N'ky is no less pleased to see Alida, though he does look somewhat surprised - "I didn't realise you were coming now, 'Lida. I, um, would've cleaned up." Himself, no doubt, since the workspace is beyond a simple clean-up while he himself could use a splash in the river to get the ick off his forearms and chest. As Cailluneth lolls down beside her blue brother, N'ky pops down the butchering knife he was setting about the suspended ovine's carcass with and gives Alida a shy sort of look as he goes to the riverbank, downstream from where he's set his hides to wash, where he can crouch down and start cleaning himself off. "What's up, 'Lida? Did you fancy a bit of warmth?" A whuff and rumble are for Cailluneth before Ilicaeth splays out, Alida ghosting a carress over the green's muzzle in passing, if near enough, the blue giving a low groan of contentment as the sun warms his hide. On occasion, his tail twitches, perhaps contacting Cai's form now and again. As for Alida, she's waving off his words of cleaning up, the neutral-faced woman noting while she closes with N'ky, "I finally found a breath between recoverin' from partyin' an' my upcomin' Wing duties. Take it while the gettin's good." She stops outside of easy blood-spray reach, watching what the greenie does with curious eyes...the woma also apparently unmoved by the small gore in the area. "Much as I like the climate, right now... no." There's more seriousness in her, upon features as the bluie notes, "I got word back from my contacts." Cailluneth is as nuzzling touchy-feely as Ilicaeth will allow, flicking her tail back whenever his touches hers, reaching out to play-nip at him, leaning into his shoulder. It's as much an appreciation of his presence as an invitation to play with her, if he will. N'ky, still splashing water over himself, smirks at Alida. "You got tapped right away - that's a good sign, I think?" He finishes up washing away the grossness, standing up to look at the bluerider with his smile faded. "Oh," he comments quietly, resting his wet hands on his hips. "I, um... I have a... something in regards to that, too. But, um... you go first?" He's not super affectionate right now, and not much playful at all, though Ilicaeth bears up under the green's play-nips and leans with brotherly tolerance...that tail of his rarely stopping. He's *sunning*. Vegging. Looking all around at the place N'ky's chosen to set up temporary 'shop,' Alida nods casually to her former wingmate's first words. "Jo got the duty uv' nippin' me up. Guess I'm just as much uv' a pain in the ass as most other Glacier riders, so it was an instant fit." Smirk. At his 'oh,' the blonde swivels her cool gaze back upon him, listening intently as she sizes the young man up. A nod for his words presages her clipped alto, "First uv' all, ya' know how fuckin' serious all this is, don'cha? Killin' people is *never* somethin' anyone with half a brain takes lightly." Beat. "It changes people...and never fer the good. Most people turn out... twisted, afterwards. Never the same again." Green eyes mercilessly pin his own browns. "You seem happy, so congratulations." N'ky allows himself a gentle smile, but it's only brief before things get serious again. "I know, 'Lida. A-and I..." He steps closer to her, a frown drawing his brows low over his brown, concern-filled eyes as he looks down at her. "I know," the greenrider repeats, dropping hands from his hips to dig them into his pockets. His shoulders slump, and he winces briefly. "Something's come up to, um...to maybe change things. Maybe for the better." From his pocket, he pulls out a small pouch, fingering it gently in the palm of his hand to make the metal contents clink quietly together, muffled by the fabric that holds them. "I can pay him off, outright. And still have marks left over, and more, too, when those," he gestures vaguely to the hides being washed by the river, "are ready to sell. That's h-half a turn's wages, maybe more..." He's clearly bewildered by the amount of money he suddenly finds himself with, as he looks wide-eyed down at the pouch in his palm. A simple nod is her answer to N'ky's words of her Wing assignment, Alida then interrupting him when he speaks of knowing about killing. "Do ya *really*? Y' *say* ya' do, but I don't think so." She's stepped up and in towards him, staring deeply into those brown eyes. "Ever see human death before? Up close 'n personal? I don' mean dyin' uv old age, 'r even disease, either." If and after he answers her, she addresses his latter words. "You think killin' people's *better*? Even killin' assholes 'n other killers, much less a wanna-be blackmailer?" She's hard, stern, and looking pretty damned unhappy, now, nearly glaring at N'ky, height difference be damned. "Tell me just what the fuck is *great* about that?" As for all the money he's suddenly come across... the guard simply flicks her gaze upon the pouch like a scourge, then flays it back upon the young man. Waiting. An upclose and angry Alida is something to be wary of, and N'ky is rightly so as he looks down at her. For the most part, he manages to hold her gaze, though there's a flicker away when she asks if he's seen death. "Yes. Twice. The 'Reaches mountains aren't an easy land to work, 'Lida. Things happen." His frown deepens, and he leans in a little towards her, eyes narrowed slightly. "It's not better. Nothing's better. No - I lie. Better would be... be shit," it's not a comfortable word coming from him; not a word Alida would have heard him speak before, "not happening. Better would be a hunky-dory Pern with no-one doing any bad anywhere, but we don't have that." A heavy huff of air leaves his lungs; given their proximity, the bluerider might catch a hint of something minty on it - not surprising, really, if she's sharp-eyed enough to spot the waterweeds nearby that are flavoured as such. "It's not great. It's not what I want. I thought it was the only option, 'Lida, and now... I don't know. I don't know. I just... I don't know." His hand comes quickly up from his pocket to knot into his curls, and he looks away, downriver, both frustrated and confused. "Even that's kinder than what'd be done ta' yer pa'..." Alida notes darkly, though she does seem to acknowledge what he's been through. "The kind uv death I'm speakin' uv' is *planned*...meted out by another human hand. There's calculation, execution. And the taint'll *never* come off ya... 'Cause just as sure as the agent takes that life... so do *you*." He would be just as complicit as the hands-on killer. The tang of mint on his breath registers on her consciousness, but it's not important, right now. Listening to the tall greenrider once again makes the woman ramp down just a notch, has her muttering to N'ky, "I'm tellin' ya' that it's better that ya' *never have* to know. Ever." A small moment for an evening breath presages her clipped, "You've been advised ta take a sevenday ta' *truly* ponder just wha'cher' askin' people ta do...just what the outcome *truly* is. Never EVER take any kind uv' killin' lightly, especially when it comes ta smart creatures." She's stepping back on light feet now, sparing a glance over at their lazing dragons for a long moment, then returning her too-lucent greens back upon the young man. "Somethin' one older guard told me once, Turns ago: don't hurt if you c'n inspire fear; don't maim if you c'n just hurt; don't kill if you c'n just maim. Best guard is the one who doesn't have ta kill." When Alida steps back, N'ky looks to her once more, dropping his hand from its twist in his hair. He listens to what she has to say, shoulders slumped and eyes glassy, and he eventually heaves a deep breath a few long moments after she's finished. "I can't," he whispers, looking down at his toes and shaking his head. Then his eyes close, and his hunched shoulders and slumped stance make him an inch or two shorter. "Can't what?" is noted levelly, Alida continuing to peer at the greenrider. N'ky peers out from behind the curls that have fallen over his eyes. "Can't do it," he confirms, before biting heavily on his bottom lip... which might be quivering, just slightly. The glassiness of his eyes before he looks back down would certainly suggest he's on an emotional edge. She seems to take a large breath, then letting it go slowly, Alida ramping herself down as N'ky does himself. After a few moments, she stepping up, and slightly around him, trying to settle a firm, even hand upon the greenie's forearm to give it a light squeeze. Firmly, though more quietly, the guard notes, "That's fer the honest best, N'ky... especially fer *you*." Withdrawing her hand, the blonde then notes practically, "Ever think uv' just standin' up ta' yer rotten ol' man while you two 'r alone? Tell 'im ta fuck 'imself, back it up with a punch, if needs be?" N'ky takes a sniffly breath or two when Alida touches him, but by the time she lets go he's got himself under enough control to look up and smile a crooked, weak smile at her. "You've not met my dad," he says with a juddery laugh, followed by another sniff. "B-but I had an idea." Chewing on his lip some more, he straightens up and brushes back his curls, taking a deep, thought-clearing breath. "Do you want some tea? Something to eat? While I tell you what I was thinking? I-if you've got time to listen...?" He gives his clutchmate a hopeful look, reaching out his hand towards her, fingers splayed and palm flat to lead her somewhere, if she'll entertain it. Nodding a couple of spare times, Alida quirks her lips into a slightly cocky cast when N'ky speaks of his father, the woman then quirking her head to indicate she's listening. "No thanks; I'm good." Pause. "I made time ta' come down, talk with ya, try ta have ya see sense. Now tha'cha have, I c'n certainly do ya a good turn 'n listen. A slightly confused look presages her shrug, and nod. Lead on, MacDuff. Allowing his empty hand to drop back down to his side with a smirk, N'ky leads them upriver, to where there's a little camp fire set in a ring of riverstones, embers glowing beneath a metal grill. A small stack of firewood is nearby, and N'ky gestures for Alida to sit while he fills up a small kettle with riverwater, adding in a handful of freshly plucked waterweed - the minty type she might have smelt earlier. It's all set up atop the fire, with even a few strips of mutton added to the grill, before he sits down to stoke up some gentle flames. While he works, he talks. "I thought I might go and, um, p-pay him. Get it over with, once and for all, and... um... m-make him sign a Harper agreement. He's got no rights to me just because I'm his son, a-and he's got no right to hassle the Weyr because Cailluneth chose me. And I want to get a Harper to write that up, and have him sign it, and I thought maybe, um, you could come with me when I do it? Or I'll get a Harper. Or both of you. But, um... I'd like you there. If you'd like?" Walking alongside her clutchsib, Alida feels a weight that was growing inside her lighten even more, the woman able to take in the sights, sounds, smells around her with a clearer pleasure. She doesn't talk along the way, enjoying the peace until they come to N'ky's campfire. Hopefully he practices good fire safety etiquette. Settling down to her haunches while he tends the fire, the blonde listens silently as he speaks, her lips pursed a bit in thought. After some moments for cogitation, "I think that's basically a decent way ta go about it. Get that Harper agreement done up before hand, uv' course... and the Harper. If 'e won't sign, you gotta' real, bonafide blue badge ta' back up any claims." Blue badge? Must mean Harper. "If I can, I will. might prevent any deeper nastiness, on *his* part." Smirk. If it doesn't work... well, we c'n still talk about ideas ta quiet his stupid ass down... 'cause honestly, I don' think his claim on you could stand up under closer observation in a conclave." Unspoken: unless the conclave had a massed grudge against the Weyr. Little flames have been coaxed to life and new kindling added to the fire, and N'ky leans back to watch them lick at the fresh fuel while scratching idly at his bare tummy, then at his stubble-shadowed jaw. "I don't know many Harpers," he confides, shrugging. "Not the law type. Just my tutor, really." And the tutor teaches maths, which isn't going to do him any good in this situation. "He'll put up a fuss. My dad. Doesn't trust Harpers, riders, anyone not in his immediate world. B-but I bet he'd respect you." Then, in a much quieter tone that makes his cheeks blush, "Or, um, h-he'll... he'll be, um... he likes pretty blondes." "Neither do I... so ya' go ta' the Hall directly an' commission one fer the deal," Alida notes factually, trying not to smirk at N'ky's scratching. "Let 'im. Man that narrow minded's a toll on everyone." A faint scowl for all such people transitions into a faint narrowing of eyes, and a low, quick, "I'd rather he respected me. If I can't get that, though, I'll settle fer fear." Yes, she's serious. Out comes a knife from N'ky's boot that's used to flip the mutton on the grill over, and he smirks at Alida as he gives her a quick, amused glance over. "I think you'll scare him easy enough." Then he laughs, reaching over to pat and then squeeze her knee gently. "He's a good farmer though, e-even if he's not the nicest person. A-and he's good at heading up the Holding, too. He's just... closed. Here." A finger taps the side of his head - and then he's suddenly huffing in disappointment. "I've only got one mug, 'Lida." And enough tea boiling for two. She watches his handling of his knife, then nodding firmly to N'ky's assessment. "Respect *and* fear 'r decent, too." That pat of her knee is tolerated, though the squeeze is evaded with a slightly irritated expression. "Go squeeze April, man whore..." is noted gruffly, the woman then shrugging at the greenie's words of his father. "Better fer you ta get away, then. I think a closed life's a wasted one." So says the uptight holder gal. A shake of her pale head at word of one mug presages the bluie's standing, her easy, "Gonna head back, now. Got some shit I wanna' take care uv'." A look all around precedes her clipped, "Hold onta' yer coin; that Harper agreement 'n rental 'r gonna cost a bit." "It's a friendly squeeze, 'Lida." N'ky huffs, rolling his eyes at her in exaggerated, mock offence. "A-and April and I don't really... n-not so much any more." He frowns at the bluerider, standing when she does. The observant members of the Weyr might have noticed another green on Cailluneth's ledge lately, rather than Darcielth's blue. Then, in an amused tone of voice, he adds, "I would only hit on you if you'd let me, 'Lida. And I cooked for you and you're leaving before you can eat it." He tuts gently, playfully, getting close enough to bump his hip off hers. "Too friendly..." Alida notes dryly, giving N'ky a bit of a stink-eye, though it doesn't last more than a moment. She has noticed that newer green occupying Cai's ledge, but still... she can only draw so many conclusions. With continued, though minor irritation, the woman notes, "I wanna screw you as much as I'd want to my brother... if I'd ever had one." Smirk. And eeeewwww... which must mean 'not', in Alida-parlance... which also means she must view him like a sibling. As for the cooking, "Pack some in ice, 'n cook it over yer hearth one night, fer dinner. I'll be over like lightning ta avoid the tripe we're mostly eating *now*." Thank you, C'wlin and N'hax. She avoids that hip bump as well, the woman simply lifting her hand in mute farewell, then striding off towards where Ilicaeth awaits her impatient self. Someone's on a mission. "Ouch, 'Lida. You break my heart." A hand is rested over his chest, and N'ky pouts sadly. "You're still welcome to come up for stew, or whatever. I've got plenty of mutton." As is evident around him, in the stack that's already neatly butchered and set aside. He follows a step or to after her, waving back with his own goodbye. Cailluneth doesn't seem so keen to have her leaning-buddy going, and she rumble-growls to him in disappointment; but what to do? She lolls luxuriously over onto her side again, bugling a farewell to her brother, while N'ky stands and watches them leave. No doubt that meat on the grill will be overdone by the time he's back to it. |
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