Oh H to the No! (T'kar)

[Cait]

3076.13.25

The previous day, Dalonia had be alerted to the unacceptable behavior of four of her people; well two of her wherhandlers and two guards who were every bit as wary of her as the brats she'd poked and prodded through wherlinghood. There was a reason that Dalonia Jinadrex was able to control the often rough and tumble guard and the night dwelling wherhandlers. It all stemmed from the fact that she had no qualms or reservations about beating a man until he begged. No one had actually seen her do it, but they all knew she could and would.

So when she'd summoned the four men in question to her office before training was to start, there had been a great deal of awkward fidgeting once they had gathered. Dalonia didn't speak, she didn't have to. All she did was stand there with a hand in the hilt of her dagger and lethal look on her face. After only two minutes of silence, one of the men stepped forward. He admitted to having shoved the dragonrider, but not to hurt him, just a friendly nudge to get him to move over. The story that followed was one that she wasn't entirely convinced of but it sounded more likely than her men just deciding to turn on K'rad like a pack of rabid dogs. Certainly they wouldn't be so roughed up if it were a sneak attack like T'kar had said.

She doled out punishments regardless of what had actually happened. They had fought and they'd gotten caught. In this she didn't particularly care what had happened. The wherhandlers were each given a week of Misk duty as the Citrine's handler was mostly useless and couldn't be trusted to remember to bathe himself much less his wher. The guards were given gear cleaning and mending duty, a task that would leave their hands raw. Once that was finished, Dalonia went on the hunt for any other witnesses. She only found one or two that were actually worthwhile and they seemed to corroborate the story of her men.

It was the wee hours of the morning when she finally broke away from her duties to confront T'kar. She'd been sitting on the information for hours now and was seething. That tunnelsnake was going to get a visit from her whether T'kar liked it or not. She would not have some arrogant little transfer rider coming after her men, oh no! The sun was barely touching the horizon when she pounded on the door. She rather hoped that she woke T'kar up as she hadn't had any sleep since before she'd been informed of the attack.

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

A thunderous pounding echoed, ripping through T’kar’s sleeping mind. Swearing, he opened his eyes. He sighed when he saw the edges of sunlight. No point in going back to bed; it was just about time for him to get up anyway. His swearing transmuting to a growl, he rolled away from Ancalanath’s bulk (yes, he still sometimes slept beside his dragon) and strode over to the door. He had a shrewd idea who was on the other side of it, and whatever this was had better be good. He’d dropped by the Aerie, but they had told him that K’rad was sleeping, and had seemed so reluctant to wake the rider that he’d decided to leave them to it. He’d also taken the opportunity to inform the guards and wherhandlers, who were leaving the Aerie at the time, that he’d spoken to Dalonia and had full confidence in her judgement about what to do with them. They hadn’t looked happy. He hadn’t really cared.

He jerked the door open. “If you knock my door off hinges, I’m going to be sorely tempted to have you replace it yourself,” he said. It was hardly the first time Dalonia had interrupted his sleep, and some cynical part of him doubted it would be the last. “Now what on Pern is it this time?” he demanded, too annoyed to care if he was standing here in his underwear.

[Cait]

When the door was jerked open, Dalonia narrowed her eyes. She'd expected just such a reception from the man and rolled her eyes, shoving past him as he harped on about doors and hinges. Never mind that he was half naked or that he certainly hadn't invited her in. She hadn't cared about such things when the man had been in charge so why should she care about them now? Glancing over at Ancalanath she tried to pluck Pest from her shirt to no avail and left Thief to hiss and peck at the little Moonlight until he finally disengaged and found a nearby perch.

"Stop griping and be thankful I didn't just go t' beat th' man witless afore tellin' ya first." Dalonia growled as she folded her arms over her chest and scowled. She was not in the mood for his...everything. Not to mention she was still a bit off in the head about the strange possessive and protect reaction she'd had to hearing that T'kar had been attacked. It was one thing when he was weyrleader and thus the face of the weyr she had more or less sworn to protect and quite another now that he was simply another wingleader...just another dragonrider. And the fact that he wasn't "just another dragonrider" to her was confusing and aggravating and she found herself torn between wanting to throttle K'rad and wanting to throttle T'kar for the trouble.

"The four men and at least one witness say it were K'rad tha' attacked first. The others jumped in t' try an' stop him. Then you came along and they stopped and the sharded fool attacked ya." Fury flashed in her pale green eyes as her fingers curled into fists. She needed someone to take her frustrations out on and it might as well be that idiot Midnight rider. From Igen. She didn't think that place was any better than the one she'd come from. They sounded just as deranged and bigoted as her brothers and Barrek. "He attacked you and his dragon wanted to hurt you. I don't like him." She growled the last four words through clenched teeth.

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

It might be decided by an impartial observer that T’kar had a death wish, because his reaction to the growled words at the end of Dalonia’s little tirade was to throw back his head and laugh. Yes. He laughed. “Dalonia, that’s like announcing the sky is blue,” he got out. “How’s about you only inform me when you like someone; that’s surely the bigger news.”

“As to the rest,” he continued, rummaging around for a shirt. “I don’t particularly care which dimglow started it, and I am going to have a talk with K’rad today about it… probably accompanied by suggestions on how to spend some of his excess energy so that he has less of it for fighting.”

Star came swooping in from the outer room, clearly having awakened and found his human missing. He hovered for a second, then settled on T’kar’s shoulder once the rider had finished putting on a shirt.

“I appreciate the information, but I really want to know precisely why it was necessary to deliver it this early?” T’kar didn’t bother adding that today was the one day per sevenday that he didn’t have Wing practice. The only day out of all seven that he could actually sleep in a little. He knew that Dalonia was already aware of that, and he was unfortunately also aware of how little she cared.

[Cait]

Not in the least amused, Dalonia narrowed her eyes as T'kar laughed. There was nothing funny about this at all. Not only had one of his own riders attacked a guardsmen but they had attacked their wingleader. But what was worse was the fact that she wasn't able to sleep because of it. Had it been any other wingleader she could have just punished her people and left it at that, and that was what was bothering her. And now he was laughing at her for caring if he lived or died.

"Ya know what, fine. I hope ya trip an' fall on yer own blade ya pompous wheery!" Dalonia all but shouted. She was tired, frustrated and confused by her own attachment to the man and now he was laughing at her for showing concern. Why did dragonriders have to be such...idiots!

"The better to irritate ya...precisely." Dalonia muttered as she started for the door. Unlike usual, however, she skirted around T'kar rather than just shove past him. She needed to get out. Not because she was running from him or anything else...just because she had things to do. "Next time just send one of yer stupid little flying vermin with a note."

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

T’kar stared at her, day pants still draped over his arm. The woman was completely impossible! Impossible to understand too! She couldn’t really be mad, or she would have just shoved through him. If she wasn’t mad though, she was doing a truly stellar imitation.

Frustrated, confused, exasperated. T’kar’s face showed almost none of what was going on inside him, but he seriously wanted to slap her, just to see if it got her to just talk like a normal person. Add annoyed, with himself, since he knew he shouldn’t have laughed. T’kar growled quietly. Reaching out, he caught Dalonia by the wrist and forcibly spun her back around to face him.

“Dalonia, what is wrong?” he asked, letting go of her arm and stepping back slightly, toeing the door shut as he did. The last thing he needed was for anyone out in the hallway to be able to hear them arguing. Now at least the hypothetical listener would have to be much closer.

[Cait]

As a hand closed around her wrist and spun her around, Thief hissed and took flight, hovering above the woman's head as she barely resisted the urge to slam her first into T'kar's face. Thankfully he released her in short order and took a step back. What was wrong? What wasn't wrong? Rather than explode or pace or anything else that might be expected of her, Dalonia stood there, her face mostly blank but for the faint crease between her brows.

She wasn't about to admit to her strange attachment, he'd probably just laugh again. Besides, how would she even explain it? She had no experience with feelings that didn't involve pain, fear, anger or hatred. More and more, since coming to the weyr, she was realizing that her life wasn't normal...that she wasn't normal. She was coming to realize just how damaged and unlikable she was and no matter how much she wanted not to care, no matter how many times she told herself that she didn't care, the truth was that she did care.

In her own, twisted, damaged way she cared that no one would ever really like her. But she couldn't say any of that. It was just another one of her many, many flaws.

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

Something, T’kar was fast coming to realize, was seriously wrong. Given previous encouters with Dalonia he would have expected her to haul off and punch him, or at the very least start shouting and pacing. This Dalonia, standing here blank-faced, was something new. Looking her over with his emotions more tightly leashed, he realized that she looked… well… awful. She had circles under her eyes, and from the way she was standing she was upright by willpower alone.

“Dalonia, did you get any sleep at all yesterday?” he asked. He tried to tell himself that it was only concern that she be at top form for her duty that had him asking, but the truth was far more complicated than he was willing to admit to himself.

[Cait]

"I'm fine." She growled, her features settling into a scowl. She hadn't slept but it wasn't anything new. She was used to surviving on small amounts of sleep. She was lucky if she got four hours of sleep each day. Going a day--or had it been two?--without sleep wasn't going to kill her. "What's it to ya, anyway?"

This wasn't the first time she'd gone without sleep for one reason or another and no one had ever cared before. So what if she ran on klah and meatrolls? It was her job, right? Shaking her head, she rubbed at her face with a single hand . "Just go back t' bed."

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

T’kar raked a hand through his hair. He didn’t have much trouble interpreting — correctly — Dalonia’s answer to mean that she had not, in fact, slept. He sighed.

“Dalonia, unlike you, I’ve had sleep recently, and…” he grimaced, “much as I hate to admit it, I was probably going to be up soon anyway. You, on the other hand, look like you haven’t slept for at least two days. So, I believe the first order of my day is going to be to follow you back to your quarters and make sure you actually go to bed. Either that or you can curl up next to Ancalanath for several hours, your choice.”

He didn’t expect it would hold, although he was aware that, tired as she probably was, if she just closed her eyes she’d probably pass out. If he could keep people from interrupting her until she was actually asleep, then with any luck she’d stay that way.

“You can’t possibly continue to make good decisions if you’re exhausted, and if you can’t make good decisions and keep track of things, than you’re going to find yourself with some kind of crisis,” he added, answering her question almost as an afterthought. That was the only reason. The only reason he would admit to, anyway.

[Cait]

Pale green eyes cut across the weyr to where Ancalanath's bulk was still curled up on the stone couch. The last time she'd come anywhere close to "curling up next to" the beast had been when...her stomach churned at the memory. Dalonia attempted a sneer but she was finding that with her anger ebbing away that what manic energy she'd been existing on was also fading. She was to the point that honestly, if it would shut out the confusing thoughts and feeling, she'd sleep anywhere, even next to that over grown, puffed up lizard. Still, she was fundamentally incapable of admitting to a weakness and right now, needing sleep and not being able to do her job because of it was a weakness.

"I'm not a child." Dalonia growled, not liking that he thought he had to follow her around and tuck her in like she couldn't take care of herself. Even if his reasoning was sound, or maybe because of it, it irritated her. "The only crisis I have t' deal with right now is yer stubborn refusal t' let me put th' fear o' thread into that idiot rider of yers!"

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

T’kar sighed. Clearly, if Dalonia was considering that a “crisis” she was far more tired than even he’d thought. “Dalonia…” he took a deep breath. She hadn’t been there, so pointing out that he knew the rider hadn’t attacked him deliberately, had seen the moment of realization in the young man’s eyes, wouldn’t do any good. In fact, it would probably run counter to any good that may or may not be accomplished by other means. On the other hand, it wouldn’t do the situation any favors to involve her, since it was outside her jurisdiction…

“Fine, you can come along when I talk to him and ask him about what happened. Provided that you stay quiet. It wouldn’t be out of character for you to be there, call it double-checking the stories your people told.” He crossed his arms. “The other condition is that you pick where you a going to sleep, next to Ancalanath, in your room, even right here for all I care.” He kicked his bed lightly. “Wherever, just pick it and sleep there for at least eight hours.”

[Cait]

She narrowed her eyes. Either he was trying to con her into doing what he wanted or he was trying to trick her. The second she went to sleep he would go talk to that little tunnelsnake and find a way to keep her away from him. If she went back to her room he would just leave without her. If she slept here...it would be harder for him to leave without her. Her gaze strayed towards Ancalanath again. "And were you planning on going to see him before or after I slept?" Her gaze cut back to T'kar and narrowed. "Or do you just want me to sleep for so long so that you can go without me?"

Maybe he had been right and her lack of sleep was going to affect her ability to think rationally; but she'd always been paranoid. Being tired only heightened her sense of paranoid and mistrust. She might trust T'kar not to physically stab her in the back with a rusty knife but that didn't mean she trusted him not to screw her over.

Wait...trust?

Dalonia blinked and shook her head. Dragging a hand over her face, she sighed. She would cave and sleep but she would do it on her terms. "Fine...I'll sleep. But only for four hours. And you have to swear you won't sneak out while I'm out. Don't think I won't hunt you down if you do." She might have seemed more menacing if she didn't look like a stiff wind could knock her down.

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

T’kar gritted his teeth against any number of annoyed responses. In truth, he had been more than half considering what she accused him of. Certianly it would be easier. However… he sighed. He knew that having given his word, he wouldn’t break it, not without a great deal more motivation than just annoyance and inconvenience.

“I, T’kar Vitarias, rider of RR Flame Ancalanath, swear by the shell of my dragon Ancalanath that I will neither depart these chambers nor seek to communicate with the rider K’rad Jumador by any means, not limited to stealth or third-party messengers until such time as Dalonia Jindarex awakens or has slept for four hours, at which time I shall awaken her and we shall go to the Aerie together, after she eats something.”

[Cait]

Once he was done with his ridiculously pretentious oath at which Dalonia rolled her eyes, she stalked past him to the bed. Her motions were slow and methodical as she began to strip her weapons, vest, belt, boots and pants. She wasn't about to sleep in tight hide pants and lumpy weapons. Practically collapsing onto the bed in her tunic and underclothes, she burrowed under the covers. Groaning, she rolled onto her back and stretched before rolling back onto her stomach and burying her face in the pillows. She thought she would have a harder time relaxing as it wasn't her bed or her room, but once she fumbled around for her dagger and slipped it under the pillow, she let the warmth and softness of T'kar's bed pull her in.

"Don't let 'im squish me." She mumbled into the pillow. A few minutes later, Thief settled at the head of the bed while Pest curled on the center of the woman's back. She grumbled briefly in a weak ineffectual protest and then was dead to the world. Truly, had it been anyone else's room she wouldn't have been able to sleep. But it was T'kar. Infuriating, arrogant, aloof and yet...there was more.