Post by Cait on Jul 8, 2019 10:05:27 GMT -8
In the months following the impression of her Skiath, much had changed about Elysif Poulin. Gradually the softness of her body was worked away until all that was left was a lean figure with only a hint of the curves she’d once possessed. While she’d always been slender, she’d now ventured into the territory of lean. Simple dresses had been traded for even more simple trousers and tunic as they were far more economical. The only thing outwardly that had not changed was Sif’s long, medium brown hair and her calm demeanor.
Inwardly, there had been change as well, as might be expected when one formed an intimate bond with another being. That bond had been largely skewed when it had first formed, her focus entirely on Skiath in the first couple months. But as the dragon grew, so did their bond to the point where now, at nearly eleven months in age, the sunlance was becoming more adept at detecting the subtleties of his rider’s emotions. The balance of their bond was nearly even, though often Skiath’s needs came before Elysif’s and would for some time yet.
Today, however, Skiath was acutely aware that his rider needed a reprieve. For all that she was congenial and sociable enough, the sunlance had begun to notice that overexposure to the rigors of society tended to tire Elysif and leave her emotionally exhausted. It had been a long week of lessons and talkative weyrlings with not nearly as much down time as the woman might have preferred. But now that they had free time to spare, the sunlance had made up his mind.
We are going to the beach. Gather your things, Elysif.
Sif blinked and looked up from the book she’d been reading, trying to ignore the chatter around her in the common room. Generally if she looked engrossed enough in a book or task, she was left alone but it was never guaranteed.
The beach?
Yes, I could use a good scrub and you could use some quiet.
She couldn’t argue with the dragon. He rapidly coming to know her better than anyone else on Pern. Some days she wondered if one day the sunlance would come to know her better than she did herself. Tucking the scrap of lace she was using as a bookmark between the pages, Sif rose from the chair she’d been curled in and quickly made her way to their room. It only took a matter of minutes before she had everything ready. She’d changed into a swimming kit made up of a sleeveless tunic that fell to her waist and a pair of short pants, both made out of an undyed cotton. Over that she’d pulled on a pair of brown trousers.
Once the supplies were attached to Skiath’s harness, the young woman climbed up with ease and the pair set off on their straight flight to the beach. Lessons on travelling between had only just begun and she had no intention of being a “lost one”. Besides, the combination of the sun beating down on her bare shoulders and the cool wind tugging at her braid was intoxicating.
Before long the sunlance landed on the sandy beach and Elysif slid down his neck and began the efficient removal of the bags as well as his harness. Once free of the leather straps, Skiath snuffled the woman briefly before turning toward the waves and marching rather deliberately into them. Shading her eyes from the harsh sun, a small smile twitched on Sif’s lips as she watched the young dragon sink beneath the waves until only his nose remained above. Sometimes it was a bit disconcerting how much he acted like a beast but spoke like a person.
I will swim for a time. You should relax.
Very well. Let me know when you wish to be scrubbed.
Elysif had to say that she was grateful that the dragon was nearly done with his growing. There was much more of him to bathe but the frequency had decreased. Small blessings she supposed. Smile still in place, Sif began to divest herself of boots and stockings, carefully tucking the later into the former and setting them well above the wave line, though, as she observed her dragon who was now crashing head first into waves with reckless abandon, she ventured to move them a bit further away from the water.
On her way back to the line of smooth sand that marked where the waves stretched onto the land, she rolled up the legs of her trousers nearly to the knee and stepped forward. Once she’d reached a point where the water came up to her ankles in its rush to land, she wiggled her toes until her feet were fully covered with the wet sand and peered off shore once more. Skiath was having a grand old time and again that smile twitched on her lips. He was such a good dragon.
With a content sigh, Elysif tipped her face toward the sun, arms loose at her sides as she simply allowed those rays to warm her skin. She was beginning to understand a dragon’s obsession with sunning. Between the warmth of the sun and the gentle tug of the waves, pulling from her a little bit of stress with each retreat to the sea, Sif felt her body begin to relax.
Inwardly, there had been change as well, as might be expected when one formed an intimate bond with another being. That bond had been largely skewed when it had first formed, her focus entirely on Skiath in the first couple months. But as the dragon grew, so did their bond to the point where now, at nearly eleven months in age, the sunlance was becoming more adept at detecting the subtleties of his rider’s emotions. The balance of their bond was nearly even, though often Skiath’s needs came before Elysif’s and would for some time yet.
Today, however, Skiath was acutely aware that his rider needed a reprieve. For all that she was congenial and sociable enough, the sunlance had begun to notice that overexposure to the rigors of society tended to tire Elysif and leave her emotionally exhausted. It had been a long week of lessons and talkative weyrlings with not nearly as much down time as the woman might have preferred. But now that they had free time to spare, the sunlance had made up his mind.
We are going to the beach. Gather your things, Elysif.
Sif blinked and looked up from the book she’d been reading, trying to ignore the chatter around her in the common room. Generally if she looked engrossed enough in a book or task, she was left alone but it was never guaranteed.
The beach?
Yes, I could use a good scrub and you could use some quiet.
She couldn’t argue with the dragon. He rapidly coming to know her better than anyone else on Pern. Some days she wondered if one day the sunlance would come to know her better than she did herself. Tucking the scrap of lace she was using as a bookmark between the pages, Sif rose from the chair she’d been curled in and quickly made her way to their room. It only took a matter of minutes before she had everything ready. She’d changed into a swimming kit made up of a sleeveless tunic that fell to her waist and a pair of short pants, both made out of an undyed cotton. Over that she’d pulled on a pair of brown trousers.
Once the supplies were attached to Skiath’s harness, the young woman climbed up with ease and the pair set off on their straight flight to the beach. Lessons on travelling between had only just begun and she had no intention of being a “lost one”. Besides, the combination of the sun beating down on her bare shoulders and the cool wind tugging at her braid was intoxicating.
Before long the sunlance landed on the sandy beach and Elysif slid down his neck and began the efficient removal of the bags as well as his harness. Once free of the leather straps, Skiath snuffled the woman briefly before turning toward the waves and marching rather deliberately into them. Shading her eyes from the harsh sun, a small smile twitched on Sif’s lips as she watched the young dragon sink beneath the waves until only his nose remained above. Sometimes it was a bit disconcerting how much he acted like a beast but spoke like a person.
I will swim for a time. You should relax.
Very well. Let me know when you wish to be scrubbed.
Elysif had to say that she was grateful that the dragon was nearly done with his growing. There was much more of him to bathe but the frequency had decreased. Small blessings she supposed. Smile still in place, Sif began to divest herself of boots and stockings, carefully tucking the later into the former and setting them well above the wave line, though, as she observed her dragon who was now crashing head first into waves with reckless abandon, she ventured to move them a bit further away from the water.
On her way back to the line of smooth sand that marked where the waves stretched onto the land, she rolled up the legs of her trousers nearly to the knee and stepped forward. Once she’d reached a point where the water came up to her ankles in its rush to land, she wiggled her toes until her feet were fully covered with the wet sand and peered off shore once more. Skiath was having a grand old time and again that smile twitched on her lips. He was such a good dragon.
With a content sigh, Elysif tipped her face toward the sun, arms loose at her sides as she simply allowed those rays to warm her skin. She was beginning to understand a dragon’s obsession with sunning. Between the warmth of the sun and the gentle tug of the waves, pulling from her a little bit of stress with each retreat to the sea, Sif felt her body begin to relax.