Storyteller [Shoki/F'mil]

[Shoki]

“So I do.” F’mil straightened up and considered for a moment what to take from their travels. Aweirgan, anticipating something, relaxed from sitting up lay down. Not perfectly relaxed, but as much as he ever seemed to in public. Something flashed across F’mil’s face, apparently having decided what to tell for his tale. He leaned forward, hand holding his chin, almost like he was going to tell a secret bit not quite.

Well of course it would seem that way. If there was one thing F’mil was good at, it was gossiping.

“So this one starts the exact same way all search stories do. I pick a small hold to start at and a direction to go in and Delgeth takes it from there. It’s easy to go searching at the big holds. Everybody wants to crowd in and come on down to get a chance, but it’s more exciting further from everything. So I pick a direction and Delgeth just goes.

“Now this time we end up following a river. Head up for half a day or so. Then Delgeth tells me there is a good one close and a fair number of people nearby. So we find a spot and I head over with Delgeth trailing.
“Now I was about to ask Delgeth how much longer when, fwee,” He snapped right past his forehead, “a mug flies right by my head. Before I knew what was what this man, barrel chested and face as red as Delgeth’s hide comes out yelling. ‘I tol’ ya to stay of my property ya no good tunnel snake!’. He was winding up for round two, and probably would have got me with the boot he was brandishing if I hadn’t very quickly insisted that I wasn’t from around here and did not wish to be a bother other than do a little searching. Of course that makes most people a lot sweeter, at least until you tell them you want someone they don’t think should be searched.

“See he had two older sons, and when everyone was out Delgeth told me it was the youngest daughter. If you ever go on searches, you will run into a lot of people trying to put words into your mouth. Not fun, but once you let them know your dragon’s really the one talking it usually gets easier. I was half way into explaining this when a different man comes walking onto the scene. Apparently this was the guy I got mistaken for earlier. That’s when the real fun started.”

F’mil chuckled, remembering more fondly the profanity and violence now that it was all over. Aweirgan didn’t roll his eyes. But F’mil felt a little mental jab. Right right…

“Anyway, long story short, dragons are very convincing even if they don’t say anything. The other man was convinced that just now was not a good time to be around and the father got it round his head that dragons want what they want. So one more excited candidate for Telgar.” He settled into a smile, remembering how pleased Delgeth was once it was just the candidate and them in the sky. He loved searches.

[Kaya]

Emmeline mused, listening. She was Weyrborn. Candidacy was her birthright. How strange it must be to be Searched. Some so excited, some willing to do anything to be brought, or anything to be left alone. She wasn't sure of the particulars. She was glad he had a story to tell. She was certain of dragons' convincing ability, though: Rioth was just such a soul, at least when it came to her own decisions. A sweet request from a growing Rioth, the only answer was yes. So it was with weyrlings, the Master told them.

"Did she Impress?" she asked, wondering. She didn't have terribly much to add. Em sat in the afterglow of the told tales. The little thrill of associating with someone her aunt probably wouldn't really like. But she did.

[Shoki]

F’mil made a strange smile at her question. It flickered over to thoughtful though. They searched a lot of people, and it was hard for him to track who had impressed what. However…

“Probably a White, Delgeth seems to search a lot of White riders.” He merely gave Delgeth the mental equivalent of a quizzical look and the red and white dragon let out a long sigh.

[smear:c82009]Bioyoth is a Sunlance.[/smear:ffffff]

“Sunlance then, apologies. We avoid hatchings as a rule, so it’s hard for me to remember who might have impressed recently.” He rather had to rely on them telling him later that they had impressed, which didn’t always happen. Even being grateful for the search only went so far. Busy weyrlinghood was spent with new dragon partners, it was easy to forget.

[Kaya]

"Is that so?" her eyebrowns raised, "Well, a Sunlance is a nice color," Emmeline stated relaxing to a neutral expression. Unusual habit, avoiding Hatchings. Was it the crowds? Noise? Delgeth's preference? They seemed curious enough to know who Impressed - maybe it was painful to watch those who didn't? She wondered if Rioth would take to Searching. A reason to be in the sky, but all the drama was on the ground. She wanted that rush in the air. "Why do you think he picks White Riders?"

[Shoki]

F’mil gave a pleasant nod in response. Sunlances were fine dragons. Perhaps novel only to him, but he liked all sorts. It was his nature to find all dragons fascinating, but the more unusual the better. By Ista standards, of course.

A silence from the rider fell in response to the question. Not because he didn’t have an answer, but it rested on wanting to give it. Well, after a moment he started to speak, as smooth as anything. He didn’t mind the answer, but he had to double check that Delgeth didn’t care either.

“Delgeth…sympathizes well with the people that usually impress White dragons. Dragons tend to search who they think would impress other dragons, which means they have a bias to people who they like for various reasons. Delgeth’s preferences align with the sort of natural tendencies of White dragons. At least, among the most commonly hatched dragons, since their numbers are higher and he has a large pool of searched candidates.” Searching was good for both of them and Delgeth was good at it. So they had pretty good search numbers.

“Then again, it could just be that sticking away from major holds give more White riders. Who’s to say? I just do the easy part and relay from Delgeth who does the real work.” Delgeth gave a pleased snort. Of course he did. F’mil just gave slightly wider smile.

[Kaya]

Em listened, added in her own idea that perhaps it was because Delgeth had some White in him too. He Searched for the Weyr but maybe was more drawn to those that resonated with that part of him. And like F'mil said, White was a fairly common color the world over. What was it they said about White Riders though: pensive and thoughtful, shy and timid, standout yet laidback, sensitive to their Rider and the world? Some of those, at least, she was sure. As far as Pinks, all she ever heard was 'those are the musical ones, right?' for as musically inclined as Rioth was - she was more of a music appreciator.

"Do you think that's how it works? "Natural tendencies" and all that?" Em wasn't sure. As a hopeful Candidate not too long ago, she had spent more time in lessons and work than in trying to analyze matches and speculate colors. Wasn't that what the busybodies and those deep in the political game spent time on?

[Shoki]

F’mil let a little chuckle escape him in response to her question. It was an interesting thought, one that he thought of from time to time. Then again he had been that kid to think about long and hard. What did a dragon want in their rider?

“I can neither say yes or no. However, when I think about who I was when I impressed Delgeth, I think that I was exactly the sort of person that ‘should have’ impressed him. If you look at the stereotypes.” A bit of nostalgia washed over him, along with the less fun parts of looking back at those days. He still smiled though. “It’s just it’s the reason I have that I think explains it best. Still, I doubt I would like dragons as much if they didn’t have their own little mysteries to them.” He absentmindedly started petting Aweirgan, who stayed perfectly upright but seemed pleased enough to be stroked.

[Kaya]

That so? She reflected if her feelings when she Impressed Rioth were the same. While she didn't pick those exact words, or any at all really, she knew that Rioth felt right. There was no doubt in her mind that this one dragon was...well, Rioth. It could only be her.

Are you thinking about me? the Pink's voice bloomed into Emmeline's thoughts. Her brows raised a quick quarter inch, before settling into the smile on the rest of her face. Yeah, actually, she explained.

Oh! Rioth delighted at the topic. The way all the pieces fit, the way the events align just so from Search to Candidacy to Hatching - and Weyrlinghood! And for us, how could there be any doubt that you are my Rider? Your insight, a navigator's spirit, skilled and ready to make sure others know what is yours.

Are you sure you're not just describing yourself? a sly remark.

Hey! Rioth protested, dragging Delgeth into the topic with a hurried and less than clear explanation. See? It's obvious she's supposed to be my Rider the way that funny looking one belongs to you!

"Well Rioth agrees with you," Em wrapped F'mil back into the conversation. "I just think it's useless to describe something so- you know? I couldn't have told you before that I'd have a Pink, or that it'd be Rioth, or when, or any of that. No Rider really knows that before - anyone who says so is lying. But once it happens, it's so clear it cannot have happened any other way."

[Shoki]

Delgeth’s connection to F’mil didn’t quite warn him he was going to be dragged into conversation by a Pink trying to make a point. Still he caught roughly what was going on here. He huffed.

[smear:c82009]Of course. None of the other candidates would have ever accepted me. F’mil has always been mine.[/smear:ffffff] He snorted, confident as always in that choice. His guard slipped a little bit. [smear:c82009]She is yours as sure as he is mine.[/smear:ffffff] He could feel a little extra affection from F’mil directed squarely at him. He was pleased at that.

“Maybe. But I know that before it all happens, it can be fun to dream. Imagine what dragon might fit you, or someone else. I did that sort of thing when I was little, imagined a dragon whisking me away, that it would be this or that, depending on how old I was. Sometimes it works out.” He paused and then leaned over conspiratorially. “I always imagined that if my older brother went to a hatching he would impress a Bronze. And my sister a Citrine. Darkblue for Egel, and Iron for Olgiar. Well, maybe Egel and Olgiar have a shot at a dragon, but then again, I doubt if Father would risk me happening again. Hah!” It was all so morbidly funny he had to chuckle. “I take it you never had a dragon you were set on when you were younger?”

[Kaya]

"Oh, no," Emmeline pushed the thought back firmly. "Aunt Coralee did. So of course I didn't." She hesitated a second, wondering if she ought to have been so forthright. Then she decided it didn't matter (maybe). But her posture released some of its tension and she gave the question a second thought. Maybe not color - more an idea. That bond that all Riders spoke of so fondly. The support and love and confidence. An extension of the self, but different, more affirming because it was something on the outside that could look with clarity to the inside.

Something like that. "I mean I wanted all the things people talk about that are wonderful - the companionship. I imagined she'd be a female like me I suppose, I never considered that otherwise. But you know my aunt always had really high expectations and it was exhausting. I did want to Impress, just, on my terms, my merit. Not hers. I don't know if it was crushing like that where you grew up, but I imagine the Holder life might be comparable."

[Shoki]

F’mil listened, interested in this sort of flip to what he thought of as ‘normal riders’. Well, all riders were as they were but she was weyrborn it seemed, and he was used to the hold born, or outside of hold born sort. He was a searcher and a former lordling. So he thought that way. It made sense he supposed.

“Expectations, huh?” A small, wry smile slipped onto his face. “Yes, and no. They were crushing, but not at the same time.” He sighed, chuckling at the end. “Ah well.” He seemed thoughtful and then snapped his fingers.

“Would you like to trade stories again next time? We can trade impression stories.” Aweirgan looked back at F’mil, who seemed confident about this. Impression stories were fun, they involved dragons after all. Plus, he suspected that like him, Emmeline didn’t just have the fact that she impressed but… other factors surrounding it. Those crushing expectations as she so neatly put. He was curious.

[Kaya]

"I'd like that," Em agreed, wondering what he meant exactly by his expectations. She supposed it was complicated, as it always was. Maybe some had wished him to come back. Well, perhaps she'd find out next time. "Same time next sevenday, then," she planned, turning to tidy the space and the papers and realign a book that had slipped on the shelf. She was hesitant to tell her own tale, but she wanted to hear his very much. Enough so that she was willing to trade.