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Post by Xinnai on Jul 29, 2008 15:31:26 GMT -8
She was watching the stars, those great shining orbs of frosty light, their image reflected in gray eyes as she felt her fingers slide from his. She glanced over just as he hugged her closer to his side, hand tucking in effectively about her waist and slowing their pace all the further.
She was content. Gaze went back to the stars and then he was speaking and she took his other hand, fingers lacing with his easily as she smiled. "Really now?" She looked back up at those distantly shining objects, humor suffusing her voice. "Which one is for the new weyrwoman?"
She was fine talking about this, but that was about the extent. There was time for politics after this night, after the celebrations were over. Shouldn't they all be allowed that much? Hand squeezed his lightly at his words. She glanced back at him. "Mmm. I'd say the same, but there can only be one that's the brightest." She laughed lightly, leaning in to his side. "And how is the brightest of them here?"
She was curious to see just how smooth a talker he was. Even in their diminished pace, they'd reached shadows now. She saw the herb garden not far away. They were nearly hidden from the caravans by now. It felt good to be alone, terribly good, with just that little curl of excitement.
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Post by Omnia Munda on Jul 29, 2008 22:13:03 GMT -8
Her first question was easy. J'fel answered without a word, taking the hand that had held hers back so that he could point. What he chose was not a star at all; it was a blue planet, though all but the most educated of harpers would just call it an evening star. So it was, bright and glowing and cool, as frosty as the weyrleader's smile was smoky.
Then he put his hand back over hers, while the one upon her waist slid toward her hip in an easy caress. She'd caught him and he knew it as soon as she said 'there can only be one,' and his mouth crooked a wicked bemusement, full-knowing.
But the young weyrleader was not without some slipperiness. He stopped walking and turned toward Salina, using his arm around her to corral her toward him as well. Again he took his hand from hers, as much as his fingers regretted it; but they found new joy in sliding up the curve of her cheek. His expression was still smirky. "The harpers tell us the brightest of all is the sun," he murmured, sliding his fingers back toward her hair above the ear, thumb caressing the apple of her cheek.
"Nevertheless," he whispered, the smile growing heated once more. "It's the stars that brighten our nights."
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Post by Xinnai on Jul 29, 2008 22:36:04 GMT -8
As directed by pointing finger, Salina eyed the bright glitter of the star in the sky, smile turning appreciative, whether for his very smooth movement or for the fact that hands were joined once more. She heard the soft whisper of fabric meeting flesh and felt the slight warmth of his hand at her hip.
Trapped and turned rather deftly by his arm, she turned face-to-face toward him again, slight smirk lining soft lips. They opened to form a small "o" of surprise as J'fel brushed at her cheek. She watched him as eyes turned just as smoky as his voice, though slightly more substantial that such apparitions. "They would be right in that theory then," she murmured, heat suffusing her face lightly and turning the cheek he caressed from pale to light pink. The same warmth infused its twin.
She pressed slightly closer to him, skirts whispering softly with movement as she took a step to destroy a minute bit of the space that cut between them. Head tilted in her habitual gesture as eyes angled toward his. "Stars and the explosions they come with, I'm sure," she murmured.
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Post by Omnia Munda on Jul 30, 2008 12:45:55 GMT -8
J'fel's gaze strayed from Salina's eyes to her cheek. He could not be sure if it were a trick of the darkness or if he saw a flush there, but his thumb stroked the skin again, gentler, as though he wished to rouse more color still.
Herb garden be damned, he thought as her skirts flooded against his shins and ankles and receded again, and tightened his arm about the captured weyrling's waist to press her body against his. Her skirts brushed his fine trousers again, like ocean waves.
"Let's see," whispered the weyrleader in a tone gone from merely suggestive to one full of commanding intent - and with the soft whickering of a runner bedding down in the stables behind them, J'fel bent his head just enough that lips could meet lips.
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Post by Xinnai on Jul 30, 2008 13:04:22 GMT -8
As his thumb traversed the length of her cheek once more, Salina felt the heat in her face rising in degrees, turning cheeks from a delicate coral to a much hotter magenta. That pleasant crawl pervaded her belly and then she was line for line against him, hands flying to his chest whether in surrender or denial, one couldn't be sure.
As lips met lips, hands tightened within his shirt and she rose on tip toe the better to reach. She heard the soft wafts of the night's activities, a gentle murmuring just on the periphary of hearing that she dismissed instantly, instead concentrating on this, all of her attention focused on the gentle sweep of lips and the feel of his body against hers. Around her, the night went on as she was caught in this one endless moment.
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Post by Omnia Munda on Jul 30, 2008 14:18:07 GMT -8
It was the least of what he wanted. The pressure of her palms on his chest served only to inflame J'fel, but he kept his lips gentle upon the weyrling's - for now. He settled for stroking her back with the palm of his hand, possessive and intense there rather than in the meeting of mouths.
He knew now he'd have more chances to taste her in the future.
One last caress of his lips against hers and J'fel raised his head, breaking the long moment to look upon Salina's face. His expression was perfectly prepared: stricken, delighted, wanting. It was those things he'd let her see when her eyes opened. The satisfaction and the certainty he kept for himself.
"Walk with me more, little star," murmured the man, his thumb still sliding slow to and fro across the woman's smooth cheek. But with the other hand he loosened his grip upon her, that she might actually obey his words.
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Post by Xinnai on Jul 30, 2008 15:09:16 GMT -8
It was a gentle brushing of lips, a meeting that was tenuous and hardly quantifiable. Her inner being craved for more as J'fel caressed at her back, his hand hot through the light fabric she wore, hot and intimate.
When the glide of lips meeting lips was over, eyes opened slowly. They were misted and ethereal as they focused on his. Salina met his expression as cautiously delighted and rather flushed. When she smiled, the motion was pleased and just as hungry as he seemed to be.
She didn't reply to his words, just watched him for a moment before motion was continuing. She took a few hesitant steps forward, reaching out to lightly brush his sleeve with one finger before the smile was sprinting across her face once more.
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Post by Omnia Munda on Jul 30, 2008 15:27:49 GMT -8
A low purr rattled around in J'fel's throat, a wordless murmur of satisfaction and approval. He turned from his prize and began again their walk; this time, they went some distance in silence, little but the little noises of the night coming out around them to match the soft sounds of their steps.
If only he could coax Aderes to walk with him this way!
But it was Salina beside him now, and J'fel turned a sparkling, impatient look toward her in the darkness while they walked. "I should be asking you about Deoneth," he mused, barely more than a whisper. "And how you're looking forward to weyrlinghood, and all the rest."
Above them, one shape in the night watched more closely than the rest. He was oft-distracted by the slide of his queen's hide against his; it had been far too long since Jordeth had shared a ledge with his Pelegaoth, and the hatching's finale guaranteed them at last time to savor. But as much as he could the serpentine beast kept his mind's eye also on his rider and on his golden daughter as she slumbered.
He was not without designs on little Deoneth, himself - but his designs were Pelegaoth's to command. Jordeth knew well by now the bonds that could be made when humans courted, and he was not sure yet if it were unwise to make them with the new weyrwoman. Still, easier to unmake them than to miss the chance, he reasoned - and allowed his rider's sport, so long as Deoneth lay sleeping.
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Post by Xinnai on Jul 30, 2008 15:58:41 GMT -8
As they walked, the goldrider let herself be absorbed by the sounds of the night once more. The hum of humanity was gone now; there was just the sounds of natures that reached for her now, stroking at her consciousness with soft hands. The wind, the runners, the smell of grass under Pern's moons. There seemed a weight to the sky, a presence that demanded to be known.
When J'fel spoke, she turned, eyebrows raised high. "Deoneth is quite well," she murmured in reply, following his lead and speaking softly. "She ate what seemed to be an entire beast by herself and then nearly fell asleep in my arms." She laughed quietly, a musical sound. "As for weyrlinghood...It will be full of lessons and chores and insights. Certainly busy, but not very amusing, I think. At least not the official parts of it." Salina sent her companion one gleaming, impish smile, revealing a little of the hot-blooded woman that carefully hid behind solemn gray eyes.
The little Weyrwoman felt as if her gold were already changing her, even in the short time they'd had to them already. Deoneth emboldened her and made her stronger. She was a full witness to every intimate part of her rider's life and Salina to her. It was a bond that couldn't be broken by anyone. And it was doing the girl good already, she felt. Deoneth gave her a place to belong in and that in itself was an astounding thing.
"How is Jordeth? I assume he's very proud of the hatching. He sired quite a clutch." She laughed once more, head shaking. "It's a very strong class I'm in. I hope I can show those boys a thing or two, being the only female." Smile dimpled and flashed again at her easy humor.
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Post by Omnia Munda on Jul 30, 2008 16:08:59 GMT -8
"The first sleep's the best," smirked J'fel. He remembered a long slumber on Jordeth's behalf a few turns ago, freshly-hatched and freshly-fed. There'd been no weyrwoman in that clutch for the young bronzerider to take a secret starlight walk with. If he'd known then what the rest of weyrlinghood would bring, he'd have made time while he had it.
No matter; he'd made up for it since graduation.
Salina's own weyrlinghood, stretching long (longer than she could know) out in front of her, was the topic. "Well, I'll try to make whatever part I play in your training as amusing as I can," murmured the weyrleader, winding his hand along the new goldrider's waist as he had before, letting his hip bump hers as they walked. It was a tease, but a promise, too - no, two promises, on different levels. One level was appropriate. The other was punctuated by a lick of his lips, tongue-tip tasting the remains of their kiss on his mouth.
"Jordeth's very proud to have sired, yes. To have caught, to be truthful," explained J'fel, turning his gaze out into the night as they strolled past the end of the runners' westmost pen. He could not smell the herb garden yet, but he knew the next breeze that stirred would bring them the scents of thyme and summer sage. "To have made me weyrleader. - You're lucky," he added in a whispery laugh, glancing back at the gold-haired weyrling by his side. "Most classes have no girls at all."
He pulled a pouty frown, then grinned all the wider.
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Post by Xinnai on Jul 30, 2008 23:48:21 GMT -8
"Thank Faranth for it. She's been asleep for hours." The sigh that was expelled was heavy with gratitude and remembered reluctance at the thought of bathing and feeding the small gold. Salina was positive the boys had it easier off; they didn't have as much dragon as she did, even the bronzes, most of them.
She pushed thoughts of the next day away, not wishing to think upon the chores and duties awaiting her. They'd been filed away for later perusal much like the politics she'd deflected from answering, mostly by her own confusion, but rebuffed nonetheless.
"Really now?" It was but a murmured question, though not question at all. It spoke of future meetings and the inner workings of a mind that was much too stimulated to things a weyrling should not be thinking of. Especially in her position. A position that was entirely liked, as bodies brushed slightly and she felt her waist settle into the crook of his arm. Others could be thought of-later.
The goldrider withheld the laugh that threatened to pass through her lips. She was sure Jordeth was pleased to have caught Telgar's senior queen. By the few glimpses she'd seen of the pair-mostly at the Hatching-they'd both seemed quite content within each other's company.
"Ah, my dear sir, surely you jest." She tapped his cheek with two fingers in a parody of seriousness. "It's the boys who are the lucky ones. Like you said, most weyrling classes have no girls." Grin turned slightly wicked before she turned away, looking for the herb garden ahead of them. It was always such a delight to see the tiny plants that sent off their smell extravagantly. She could just smell the lingerings of it in the air.
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Post by Omnia Munda on Jul 31, 2008 13:52:39 GMT -8
J'fel loosed his arm from about the weyrling as she turned to seek out the herb garden in the darkness. He sped his stride, though; if she would hurry, he would as well, and certainly not lose step with her. Not after the tone of that really now she'd given him.
"Right you are," he laughed as he kept after her. "Do you think they've realized yet how lucky they are?"
The sweet waft of tarragon confirmed the path that Salina had taken toward the herb garden, and a graveled trail through the hedges that protected the garden from dust, wind and snow in the bowl abruptly made their footsteps loud with crunching. The weyrleader didn't care; his grin was lupine and hungry, teeth pale in the darkness as he followed her.
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Post by Xinnai on Jul 31, 2008 14:00:02 GMT -8
"One can only hope!" Head turned to look back at him over her shoulder; teeth flashed in the darkness as she sent him a gleaming smile that spoke of the denseness of teenage boys. Salina stepped lightly across the gravel, hedges but dark outlines beside her. Another deep inhale and she could pick out the added scent of mint amongst the other earthy, planty smells.
"Don't you love it?" she questioned softly, dropping back to J'fel and brushing at his arm with a hand. She wasn't bold enough to take his hand, not yet. Her question was of genuine interest no matter the ploy that had been used alongside it. "Just knowing there's this little bit of peace and quiet among so many people." She sighed wistfully, thinking of hectic days when she'd sneaked from the kitchen to sit there, quiet among the tiny plants as she recollected her calm. She wouldn't trade her present situation for those days, but it was a comfort to think of.
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Post by Omnia Munda on Aug 1, 2008 9:28:15 GMT -8
At nineteen, J'fel qualified as a teenage boy. As a Weyrleader, he was exempt - and knew it - from Salina's derision for her agemates. His expression for reply was knowing, full of dark and rich promises they'd be unable to keep until he was in his third decade and she out of the barracks. A lover's look, half-lost in the darkness.
"The herb garden?" The young man's hand was bold enough to make up for what Salina's was not; he took the brush of her fingers as a cue and found them with his own, sliding his palm warm against hers. "It's a nice place. I like the smells."
What an obvious thing to say, thought the weyrleader with a wry smile, and stepped a little closer to the goldrider's side so that he could turn his nose into her hair and make his statement less ridiculous and more romantic by inhaling deeply of her scent.
He whispered into the golden locks, gaze thoughtful. "Will you miss it?" He was barely tall enough to stare into the night over the crown of the girl's head. He wasn't sure of what she'd been before the hatching other than weyr-raised - but that was enough to give him that gentle question to ask.
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Post by Xinnai on Aug 1, 2008 9:40:15 GMT -8
Hands tangled once more and the girl leaned ever so slightly against the body of the bronzerider beside her, a gentle brush of clothes with the press of flesh underneath. It was sweet in a tender way, such as the small green shoots that pushed from the ground not far away, though spoke of promise, the one they danced and skirted about with every meeting.
She laughed softly at reply. "Yes, I like the smells too." A small chuckle escaped before she had to fight against closing lids to make them stay open once J'fel had pressed face into hair. She sighed softly, whether for the action or the question. "I suppose I might. It was a nice enough life. Very routine, which I found now to be very...tedious. It was nice though. Sometimes, I wish for the old anonymity and then remember that in this new life, I have Deoneth. And that makes everything perfectly wonderful in my book."
Eyes did slide closed then. She inhaled lightly, breathing in the smell of grass, sky and herbs. And the man beside her. Man in her book, however many said he was but a boy. Man because he had that elusive title of Weyrleader and those few turns upon her. "What were you doing before you came to Telgar?" It was a softly murmured question, though vital to her understanding. She wanted to know him-wanted to have that small connection to it. It didn't make sense, not to her, because why did she need to know? But she did. "What was your life like before dragons interceded?"
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