What Trust Means [Ghost/T'vax]

[Shoki]

Hedara put down her papers. She had gone about as far as she could alone. She had some place scoped out and methods in mind. Ivy watched, without understanding anything at all. The Green pushed her head along Hedara’s arm, getting a modest pat in return. She crooned, feeling today was a good day. Temperanth watched from the outside, not entirely aware of what all was going on in her rider’s head. That was likely about to change, since it seemed to her that the woman had come to a decision.

“Temperanth, would you extend T’vax an invitation?” Hedara rose, and gathered together some Halk, and a few treats. She had prepared them earlier, and had merely been looking over her papers to be sure she knew what she was going to say. “I have something to speak with him about.”

The Ice observed the woman for a moment. So cold, she had been so since the hatching. She could hardly see who it was directed at anymore, it seemed to be for everyone, save a select few. Still, the Queen no longer had a sense of madness that she had before. It was much more calculated. That was much more like her. Very well. The Dragoness collected herself, being dignified but gentle as her mind reached out for T’vax.

T’vax, Hedara wishes to speak with you. That is, if you have a moment for Halk and snacks. Temperanth had little idea how serious Hedara would be, she was trying to be hospitable. The blond woman stared at the door, her eyes cold. Temperanth’s eyes whirled slowly, disappointment coloring them. What would this bring?

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

T’vax wasn’t sure what he’d been trying to memorize everything about his surroundings, or simply dismiss them entirely. Perhaps he’d even just been staring into space. Certainly, he’d been trying to ignore his impending dragon-voice headache. Sometimes, he almost wished that the trauma had destroyed his ability to hear the dragons. The LifeWings had thought at first that that was what had happened, he’d heard the Healers talking. Almost wished it, because the silence, then he’d been partly drugged for them to examine what had happened, was worse; reminding him constantly of that terrible moment when he’d realized that none of the dragons could hear him.

T’vax, Hedara wishes to speak with you. That is, if you have a moment for Halk and snacks.

T’vax started. The voice, addressing him, cut through his shields. Temperanth, it was, he’d known from the first word. He also knew where he could find Weyrwoman Hedara, since it was pertinent to the message and the dragons knew.

Sighing, he pushed himself up, uncoiling his lanky limbs, and started for Hedara’s current location.

I listen.

Sounds good, T’vax replied, raising a hand to knock on the door.

[Shoki]

Hedara turned and looked as she heard a knock. She went to open the door, Temperanth suddenly poking at her mentally. She whirled around to see what was up.

Stop looking like that. Hedara raised an eyebrow. Something about her was wrong? She considered this. She smoothed her expression, only a touch of the iciness in her eyes remained. That done she opened the door and looked at T’vax. He didn’t look happy.

“Greetings T’vax. Would you come in and sit down?” Hedara sounded serious, but slightly lighter then she had for a while now. Temperanth knew that, but it was likely T’vax did not. She moved to her desk and motioned toward a pot and cups as well as a few cookies and treats. “May I offer you some Halk? I also have some sweets, if you wish.” Hedara wasn’t a big fan of them. Actually, she had to force herself to eat recently. More reasons for Temperanth to get on her case. But whenever they butted heads, Hedara dug her heels in and wouldn’t budge. They were both like that. It meant neither of them got what they wanted. There was a chair in the room, which by design was more comfortable than the one Hedara sat in herself. She didn’t really need anything more than a simple chair. Hedara herself moved to the side and poured some Halk into a mug, looking up to see if T’vax wanted her to pour some for him.

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

T’vax stepped back from the door as it opened, lowering his hand back to his side. Cautiously, he proceeded into the room. There was no reason for the caution, really, but he didn’t know what was expected of him in this situation. Dragons he could read, people were harder, and Hedara, he thought, would probably have been hard to read even for someone who knew exactly how to do it.

He sat down, his position a compromise between being ready for flight and his old, relaxed sprawl. Without really thinking about it, he reached out and grabbed a couple cookies, sitting back a little deeper in the chair as he chewed on them.

“Yes please,” he said, looking up as Hedara paused in her pouring, reaching out again to nudge an empty mug towards her, and the pot of that life-giving substance known as Halk. He didn’t bother asking why he was here. She’d tell him, or he’d hear it, or overhear it, from Temperanth, eventually. For right now… the cookies were good.

[Shoki]

Hedara poured the Halk and gave him the mug, placing the pot back in easy reach. The first mug she took for herself, and walked back toward the door with it. She made a brief motion with her hands, and Ivy, who was still watching about, got up and flew over to the hall, pausing to chirp in a friendly way at T’vax. Hedara then shut the door, the flitter remaining outside, quiet for the moment. Though not strictly an order, Ivy would most likely remain outside where she was, greeting everyone that went by. That was what Hedara wanted. That done, Hedara returned to her chair, sitting down and taking a brief sip of Halk. She had likely let the silence linger too long, as she sensed Temperanth was anxious. The Queen wanted to hear Hedara explain herself more than anyone.

“I have a matter to discuss with you. It is a matter outside of my position in the Weyr and something that I wish to be kept quiet.” Hedara paused, looking down at her mug. It was hard for her to go through with this exactly because of her paranoia. However, that was being overruled to do it in the first place after all, she had reasoned out it exactly. “However, I do not doubt that you will know one way or the other, so I wish to tell you exactly what I am doing. Even if you decide you want no part in it, or decide I am wrong.” She looked up to T’vax, her hazel eyes looking intently on the rider. Trust, had changed its definition to her. It was now the act of giving someone the option of betrayal. But she had to. He would find out, one way or the other, if she ever had hope of doing this she must be upfront. Besides, she wasn’t a silver tongue or a gifted liar. She said what she meant, even if I was hard to figure out. Hedara broke eye contact to take another sip of the strong, warm liquid. She was trying to read T’vax as well. He had changed recently, so she didn’t know what to expect.

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

T'vax reached out and took the mug, clutching it tightly in his lab before forcing himself to straighten and take a couple sips. All that he could tell from Temperanth was that she wanted Hedara to speak, so he distracted himself by dwelling on the taste of the Halk. He loved it, the spiciness blended with just enough of the main flavor to make it drinkable, but no more.

His trick worked a little too well, and it was a second or so before he realized that Hedara was speaking.

"...to discuss with you. It is a matter outside of my position in the Weyr and something that I wish to be kept quiet."

T'vax leaned forward, resting his weight on his elbows. He wasn't sure exactly why he was here, but it did, tentatively at least, seem interesting.

“However, I do not doubt that you will know one way or the other, so I wish to tell you exactly what I am doing. Even if you decide you want no part in it, or decide I am wrong.” Hedara looked up from her cup, right at T'vax.

T'vax swallowed. He was interested. Whatever else, Hedara's introduction of this topic had accomplished that much.

"What is it?" The words popped out of T'vax's mouth. He had no control over them, or certainly he would have pulled them back into his mouth.

[Shoki]

At least there was some interest. It was doubtful that what she said next would be what T’vax was expecting, but she never could be sure. She felt transparent sometimes, but that didn’t seem too often be the case. Temperanth’s mind was close to hers, attempting to get closer, so to speak. What she said next couldn’t be taken back, so it was no wonder that the Ice would want to be up close and personal, to hear very clearly what would be said. Hedara put the mug down, the spices of the Halk lingering on her tongue. No longer having a dry throat, she spoke, her expression becoming only slightly more relaxed as she talked. There was something about getting stuff out in the open that still made her less stressed. Still, not overmuch.

“I cannot abide what has been happening to Ice Stone. Doing things…’properly’, they are far too slow, too easy to find out and divert. I cannot trust that someone may overhear plans and that they will be of a mind to subvert those plans. Tiberax and all of his opinion have been free for far, far too long.” Her words turned to ice at the end. The hate radiated off of her. A moment later she seemed to change gears, and was merely intent, as she rested her elbows on her desk and rested her chin on her folded fingers.

“To combat this I will be putting together a group of people who will be willing to…go around such normal measures. Something outside the Weyr. A group small enough to minimize leaking of information but large enough to effectively take down any resistance that we will have to take down. I will use this to take down the threats that have been too long tormenting our riders.” Hedara’s mind of its own accord ran through the images that had been given to her that were not her own. Too much had been out of her control. She wanted to pay back every little bit that had been paid to those under her control. Whatever it cost her to do it.

“I have a place in mind for operations and some people to chat with. Of course, it all starts with you.” Hedara lapsed into silence, and Temperanth was stunned, trying to gather what exactly her rider had been doing recently. She hadn’t expected this, but then again, it seemed very much like something Hedara would do. The Queen rider ignored that, and merely watched, to see what the naked truth would get her. At best an ally. At worst? Well, she would handle the worst if she had to.

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

T'vax sat back, staring. He'd expected something unusual, but this was well beyond what he'd expected. Well beyond what he'd expected. On the other hand... It wasn't as if he didn't have some things that he'd like to "discuss" with the people who'd been helping his fa Tiberax Noixay this time. Of course, this would shackle some of his actions. He'd have to keep to what Hedara thought was reasonable.

Does she look like to be unreasonably restrictive?

T'vax grinned. "I'm in." Had Hedara ever met Tiberax, the hard, determined look on T'vax's face would have been very familiar.

[Shoki]

Hedara waited, trying to read him. Oh she must have caught him by surprise, so she had to wait. She tried to ignore how agonizing the wait was, how every second felt far too long. Until finally, the answer came. She was decidedly guarded for a moment, pulling apart the response in her mind. She couldn’t afford being too quick in this, but everything about this seemed to be exactly what she wanted. Nothing about it seemed forced or fake. So a very small smirk appeared on her face, and she extended her hand.

“Welcome aboard T’vax.”

There were a hundred little things to discuss, Hedara was intent on getting things done, but slowly. Temperanth was trying to process all that Hedara had been hiding from her. Between contacting the minor Holds and all that went with Sanshe leaving how exactly had she had time for this? Then again, she knew that when Hedara wanted something, she could care less for how taxing it was on her. The Ice Queen hoped that things worked out here, and was willing to throw all of her energy behind Hedara, as long as there was a hope for her getting some peace. Peace for Hedara, was peace of mind for the Weyr. Still, for Temperanth, though she had gotten what she wanted today, there was all the more she wanted to get done for her rider. Next time she would be the one with a secret plan.