Logs:Payments Made, Payments Owed
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| RL Date: 30 November, 2012 |
| Who: R'hin, Oriane |
| Involves: Monaco Weyr, High Reaches Weyr |
| Type: Vignette |
| What: R'hin tries to deal with I'kris' death, but first he's called to task by his Weyrwoman. |
| Where: Somewhere Remote / Monaco Weyr, Southern Continent |
| When: Day 22, Month 5, Turn 30 (Interval 10) |
| Mentions: I'kris/Mentions, M'kris/Mentions |
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| They didn't keen, but they didn't have to, and this was worse -- a wave of grief, intense and sharp, flowed over Leiventh from the others, and through him, to his rider, too. R'hin had grown to hate the sound of keening, during the Comet Pass, but this outpouring of expression was worse in a different way, leaving him raw, open and exposed. All things he despised. Could he have? Saved the boy? He wished, but even he couldn't fake the passing of a dragon. And they would know. There was so much more than him riding on it. A boy's life for a future possibility? Even he wouldn't have taken that bet, if he could've found a way around it. He'd tried. He wasn't sure how much time had passed while he curled up around the half-empty bottle, while Leiventh pressed in against him. It was long enough that the tears had dried, and the shaking had mostly subsided. These were the moments when he wondered whether this whole experiment was the right thing to do, whether he'd made a mistake -- when he second-guessed everything he'd ever done. « Let us go to them. They grieve together; we belong with them. » "Yes." Leiventh knew what was best, what he needed right now. He needed company, companionship, needed to forget. He rose unsteadily to his feet, pausing only long enough to pick up the knife, to catch sight of his own reflection, briefly. Shuddering, he climbed up onto Leiventh's neckridges, felt the dragon tense and launch aloft... In the air, as they hung suspended, things seemed easier. For a moment. « You will come to us. Now. » It was Oriane's queen, furious enough to address them both. Even had Leiventh not shuddered, he would have known that the words were not request, but command. He felt Leiventh's acknowledgement of Evielth, and against his will, they went not to join the others, but to Monaco. When he arrived in the council chambers, Oriane was there, waiting for him. Making him wait, while she finished whatever report she was in the midst of. When he lounged into one of the chairs, she finally focused on him with a twist of lips, "You were supposed to do it on High Reaches' ground, R'hin. Not in the middle of nowhere. This wasn't what we agreed." There was a clunk, as R'hin set the heavy bottle of rum onto the table. Another, as he laid the knife down beside it. Oriane stared at them for a beat, then at him, eyes narrowing. Her tone changed, not angry, but more intent. "Don't forget what you owe us, R'hin." "I haven't forgotten." The words felt thick, like he had to force them, leaden rather than angry. "After today, what I owe you is a little less." Brows rising, Oriane dismissed him with a wave of her hand. On some level, she knew, or suspected, he was sure. Why else would she have Evielth prevent Leiventh from leaving the Weyr that night, except to punish him for disobeying? The next day, when they were allowed to travel again, they headed towards the Honshu border. Leiventh approached low, and M'kris didn't notice him until the last minute. King-hitting him felt vaguely satisfying, even if it was only momentary. He'd pay for that later, as well, but it was worth it. For the boy. |
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