Rattling the Chains/15.09.24/PLOT!

[Lark]

Mine....please answer me....A'mirLoveMine please!

Sayurith fluttered her wings, pulling against the chain that wrapped around her neck. It was useless though, and the movement only proved to weaken her further and add to the sores along her neck. Taking in deep, panting breaths, the Silverlight tried again. Her wings flapped, the long bird-like lengths flaring and folding again and again as she tried to gain leverage against the locks and pins that held the chain to a dull wall. It was too strong though, they had learned in the first bit to be careful.

A'mir please!

Crying a high, whining sound that echoed along the walls in a sort of bell-like chime, the dragonet hunkered low to the ground and keened. She was made to stay silent if she wanted to see Hers, but that didn't stop her from trying to contact the young man. Again she tried, and again she received no answer. It was hopeless, they had been here so many days she didn't even know how long it had been. Or perhaps she had never really been counting and they were still on the same day. Every moment without her rider was a lifetime though.

In another cell only a few lengths away, A'mir sat curled in on himself, his white blonde hair the only thing showing on his head. Instead his eyes were closed and down toward his feet, his face covered by bruised hands. He too had lost count, he had stopped at seven. No one was coming to help, even Keira didn't visit anymore. The sound of voices and footsteps though alerted him to the coming of another. The question was...

.....was it friend or foe?

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

Tiberax strode down the hallway towards the cells, his boots striking the ground loudly with every stride. “Which cell’s got this so-called Silverlight rider in it?” he demanded of the young man guiding him, his son, Taver.

“The one furthest down,” Taver replied. “We had the dragon try to break out a couple times, and so we put the rider where she can’t get to him.” The last word was said with a sneer, but Taver knew he didn’t need to worry about a reprimand; his father was the Leader, the one who would show all others that this foolishness of male Queenriders and female Kingriders had to be stopped.

Tiberax said nothing in response, only strode to the farthest door and flung it open with a resounding thud.

“Well boy, you feel like talking yet?” he said into the gloom, his eyes focused on the prisoner’s white blonde hair.

[Lark]

Well, well, if it wasn't the "Friend-stealer" himself?

A'mir couldn't help the sneer that crept onto his features, he honestly couldn't. Tiberax just was a sore spot with the younger man. It was odd actually how similar they were in both history and appearance. Both had white-blonde hair, smaller frames that were elongated, both had been sons of Lord Holders. I could have been him in another life. A'mir looked back to his hands that had dropped into his lap, a defeated and yet hateful sound in the sigh that followed.

"Talk about what Tiberax? I'm not going to talk at all until I can see her....I need to know that her voice isn't just my imagination. She's young, she needs to be fed and oiled.....she needs me." His voice held a slight hint of necessity and pleading, wanting the older man to understand that though they may be his prisoners, all A'mir really wanted was to have his dragonet with him again. Sayurith did need him; at only two months she was too young to be kept away, no matter how close that was. Mine...Mine please....Mine.

It's okay, quiet now Sayurith. Hush and be good.

MINE! Oh MineLoveMine, A'mirMine I'm so happy you finally said something. I hate them, I want you, I hate them for keeping me like this! Her voice was punctuated by a shriek as she rubbed the cold steal of her collar against an open wound on her neck. Still, the Silverlight struggled, her wings flapping as she tried to get free from her bonds. Stop Sayurith, you're only going to hurt yourself more! No, I will never stop! We must be together A'mirMine, we must! Her cries ricocheted off the walls from her cell, bouncing down to where A'mir and the other man were, the sound of it breaking the weyrling's heart bit by painful bit.

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

Tiberax snorted. There was no doubt in his mind that the Silverlight that was such a perversion of the natural order thought that she needed her bond-mate, but the young man’s weakness, to so plead for them to be together, disgusted him. True men of the North didn’t plead, they took. That pleading, even if only barely present, stoked Tiberax’s temper further, giving it a focus.

This is what the North is coming to, he thought. Pleading and begging instead of taking, and fighting. This is what happens when boys Impress Queens. A stray thought recalled the resemblance between himself and this boy, even down to their frames, but he shoved it aside. What was this one’s father thinking, leaving this boy as his heir? At least my father had the wit not to acknowledge me when I wasn’t built right. Tiberax felt a flash of sympathy, but he quickly buried it. His was the right path; the Unnatural Dragons must be removed from the North, starting with this one. He smiled grimly.

“Certainly you can see her,” he said. “Just as soon as you convince her to stop her useless racket,” he paused for a second, “and tell me where the Weyr keeps weapons stockpiled. If you’re feeling helpful, you might even add more information how you and the nosy girl fell in with some of my agents at ISW.”

[Lark]

It is not useless you pathetic, whimpering, slime-ball, piece of...

"Sayurith stop it!"

I was only going to say wherry-poo, honestly Mine, I'm still a lady even if I do want to tear off his head and squish it between my jaws.

That's gross...

You'd be thinking it too if someone chained you and hasn't fed you in almost a day....wait, that is you...why hasn't this thought crossed you mind then?

Because I'm not a weird, starving dragonet like you...I however am worried, I can't just tell him where they keep all the lovely, sharp weapons.

Well, at least we're in agreement on that...so what are you going to tell him?

A'mir had to think that over for a bit, weighing the hatred that he felt from his lifemate and the fear they both were trying to forget carefully. It was not an easy decision, though none of this was supposed to be, after all they were sharding prisoners. "Why...why do you want the weapons? Obviously you're not planning on dancing around and doing a sun-dance with them." The tone was jeering, not the least bit serious, A'mir trying to keep his composure through poking fun at the person holding his chain so to speak.

"She will stop making noise as you can see, but she won't stop forever....she's hungry. As for the nosy girl are you meaning my 'friend' Keira or Sayurith over wherever she is?" He looked around, a distasteful sneer edging into the word friend when he thought of the midnightrider that had turned traitor on him. "I was trying to get things to change, just like you are....unfortunately we had a difference of opinions...they wanted me to take all those 'Unnatural Pairs' out of the North, I wanted them to stay....they thought I was helping your cause, I thought they were in for mine. Now I just want out period; out of here, out of the North, whatever....I have a dragonet to care for, not a war to fight."

The boy let his head roll down again, a defeated and tired sigh setting into his voice as he ran a hand through his white-blonde hair. Nearby where Sayurith was chained, the Silverlight flicked her tail and snapped at a hand that tried to push a bucket of food into her cell, the dark jaws parting in a hiss as she turned red eyes on the shadowed form of whoever had decided to finally give her a meal. Darting forward she shrieked as the chain snapped against itself, keeping her barely from the door, but it was close enough, she had been growing slowly these last seven days, and her fangs met flesh for a simple moment before she let go, a bit of blood trailing off her tongue as she snaked it out in a satisfied sneer.

(It could be Tiberax or his son or just a random lacky, don't really care. She just wanted to bite someone. lol)

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

As soon as the word “sun-dance” left the captive’s mouth, Tiberax took two steps forward, closing the distance between himself and the boy, and backhanded him across the face. “Keep a civil tongue in your head boy!” he snapped. He drew his hand back again at the boy’s next words, but decided that it wasn’t really necessary. After all, there was more than enough time to do things right.

“Don’t be stupid. If I meant the Silverlight, Sayurith, is it?” he paused and then continued: “I would have said Silverlight. Girl implies a human.” Tiberax remained where he was for a few moments, then turned and strode back to the door as the captive finished talking. He placed a hand on the door frame and started to step through, then turned and glanced back at the captive.

“It’s interesting that you pretend to care so much about that little Silverlight,” he said with a fake sigh, “and yet so stubbornly refuse to obtain permission to see her.” He would have continued, but just then a yelp sounded back up the hall, and two boys stumbled away from the door to the Silverlight’s cell. One of them, Tiberax was displeased to note, was the younger of his twin sons, Tivax. The other was a weakling who sympathized with the Unnatural Dragons, though Tiberax could never remember the nuisance’s name.

“What are you doing down here?” he demanded.

The nuisance spoke first. “Feeding the dragon,” he said, defiantly glaring at Tiberax.

“On whose authority? and it's your just punishment that the beast took a piece of your hide,” Tiberax growled. When neither boy spoke, he continued: “That beast is going to be fed, as soon as her charming rider cooperates.” He shot a quick glance over his shoulder, assessing the effect of those words on the young rider, ignoring the look of horror which the nuisance was now regarding him with.

[Lark]

The sting of Tiberax' hand hitting A'mir's cheek was barely registered much more than, hey look I actually got a rise out of the guy. It was a means to an end, the end being some sort of response being elicited from his captor. The fight was temporarily taken out of him though, simply because he knew he had to play the game right, and partially because A'mir was growing tired of trying to fight again. He could try, but he could never keep that up for long. Letting his face turn away from him, protecting the now sore part of his cheek, A'mir took in a rugged breath before looking back at the older man.

"Yeah...it's Sayurith." He played nice despite the act of the other man saying his dragon's name sending shivers down A'mir's spine. It was wrong, so very wrong to hear it being said by his voice. "It's simple, I'm weighing what will actually happen versus what you are 'promising'." It was true, A'mir was close to doing practically anything to get his Silverlight out of that cell and back into his arms, but at the same time he knew that Tiberax was speaking of nothing more than empty lies. Pretty things to make him feel better. When the two boys came in, one holding an injured hand, A'mir sighed.

Did you really have to bite off his finger?

Yes, I did. I didn't exactly like it, though he deserved it. If he really liked us he would have helped us escape, not just give food.

Sayurith apparently was beyond being nice or sympathetic to others at this point, she wanted Hers with her right now. You listen to me, and you listen good. We will speak of whatever you wish, but you will listen to us as well. You want my kind gone? Fine, consider it done, but only if we have a place to go where we are more welcomed. We won't be in the North, we will go South where such idiotic views are seen as exactly that. You will give me my rider, and you will give him to me because I know something you want to hear. I know where the silver-talons are, those ones you humans use to hurt each other because yours are too dull and short. Shame that, that you don't have a dragon to do your dirty work, its talons would be much more useful.

"Sayurith...." No, I'm done Mine.....either he lets me go and we see each other again, or he never will find out, because I'll suppress it from your mine. I'm a Queen, I can do that. I can also cry out and tell our WeyrQueen.....she will hear me. I have tried, but I've been afraid...too afraid. I am no longer scared by you Tiberax. A'mir is Mine, now had him over! Her voice was punctuated by a hiss, her fangs baring as she whacked the side of her cell with her tail. You're lying Sayurith, you can't make me forget. No, but I can make him think I can. Just play along...please, we're are getting out of here one way or another. We just need to be together, or have me unchained.....something.

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

Tiberax laughed. “If you could have called the Queen, silly dragonet, you would have done so already. Besides, what would you tell her, that you’re underground and you don’t know where?” Despite how certain he sounded, he was a trifle uneasy. If the Silverlight could somehow reveal their location to the Weyr, it would put a major crimp in the plans. After a few seconds of silent deliberation, he stepped forward, detached A’mir’s chain from the wall and, using it to hold the boy’s hands behind his back, marched him down the hall and into Sayurith’s cell.

“Here’s your bond-mate,” he said. “Now, about those so called silver-talons, or I’m taking him right back out of here.”

Behind him, Tiberax heard muted voices, which he ignored, having established that it was only Taver and Tivax arguing about something. He already knew that Taver would win, Tivax was still too soft-hearted to succeed in ventures that, like arguing, took hardness.

[Lark]

I would tell her exactly that, and I would show her images, I would show her images of every man and woman I see. They will find you, and they will make you tell them where we are. Do not underestimate me...human.

Sayurith bit back the hiss that she wanted to punctuate the word with, and instead went for scratching the earth beneath her with her talons. Her wing itched, that was the thought that was numbly put into her mind as she felt A'mir coming closer, and then the weryrling was there in front of her, and Sayurith no longer was the strong Queenlet, she was a young dragonet needing Hers.

MINE! Oh LoveA'mirMine! I am here, we are here, we are together.

Her voice was still open for them all to hear, the joy in it obvious as the words themselves as she swept herself around the boy's form as best she could, snuggling her dark silver head against his chest until mechanically, A'mir finally wrapped his arms around her neck. "I'm here now sweetheart, shush and let me speak." The dragonet crooned, delighted to once again have her lifemate with her, and the croon grew into a warble as he took up the tipped bucket of meat and started handing her pieces to have.

"You never answered my question Tiberax...why do you want them? Whether I tell you or not has nothing to do with it, I just am curious. Either way, I'm out of here as soon as you see fit to release me."

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

For some unknown reason, Tiberax allowed the boy to hug the dragonet. Perhaps it was simply that he didn’t want to, or even couldn’t, admit the reason to himself. He was very similar to the young rider, so perhaps it was nothing more than memories of a better time, of long ago days before his family had vanished, there one second, gone the next, dead on the ice because… because the Sharding Weyr had never cared enough to protect them.

All of his momentary consideration gone, Tiberax growled. The sight of the boy and his dragonet, a moment ago almost lovable, had now become once more the focal point of rage. “One, I ask the questions, not you. Two, it’s none of your business why I want the weapons. Three…” his voice trailed off as he dragged the boy away from the dragonet. “You won’t be staying here another five seconds if I don’t hear where they’re at!”

[Lark]

MINE! How dare you...you....you....Ugggh!

Sayurith hissed as the man pulled A'mir from her, her tail wrapping around the younger man's legs feebly as a way to try and keep them connected. Pulling against her chain the Silverlight screamed mentally and vocally, the sound shattering a few ice crystals that had hung from the ceiling. "Sayurith please....calm down." The defeated, and yes frightened, sound of A'mir's voice was enough to quiet the young Queenlet until she simply keened with swirling red, grey eyes.

I want him back!

If a dragon could throw a temper tantrum, the Silverlight was being the poster child for such a thing right now. Her body was curled up in on itself, her eyes glaring a fierce red where before they had been dull, her tongue snaking out to taste the air as if she were a tunnelsnake. A'mir could only stare at the usually prim and proper dragonet, amazed by how a sevenday had changed her, them both to be honest, so much. "Where do you think they are Tiberax? They're in the cellars, close to the guardtowers around the Weyr. Easy access for the Watchdragons and riders to get to."

He shook his head, feeling weak and uncertain. What had he done? That question still swept through his mind even though the pull to be near Sayurith was stronger. The weyrling was practically falling over to his knees with how little strength he had left. He didn't want to fight them anymore, he just wanted to sleep and never wake up in the careful and comforting embrace of his dragonet's tail wrapped around him. Give him back.....please. The Queenlet had stopped her hissing for now, the dragonet's form unwinding to cower down like a disciplined puppy, her eyes looking from A'mir to Tiberax again and again as her eyes swirled yellow and green.

[Ghost of Fire (Fëanáro)]

Tiberax swallowed at the dragon’s display of potential violence; he’d forgotten how intimidating even a young dragonet could be. However, the threat of separating them once more was apparently an effective one, for he quickly had the information that he had come to get. From the young man’s reaction, it might even be the true information.

“This once, I’ll trust you,” Tiberax said, releasing A’mir so that he could go back to his Silverlight. “If the information isn’t accurate, you won’t be allowed near each other until I have all the weapons in my hands.” Without another word, he turned and strode from the cell, slamming the door behind him.

“Go fetch the other commanders,” he told his son Taver. “Tell them to assemble a strike force to fetch the weapons.”

The plan was progressing well indeed, he thought, as he and Taver left the prison area.

[Lark]

Mine...we're...he left us together.

Sayurith keened as she let her head bump up gently against A'mir's chest, the weyrling wrapping his arms around the dark head while sending soothing thoughts. "Yes, yes he did. We have to get out though. We have to send word and shard it I'm starting to regret I don't have a firelizard now. First thing's first, we get out, and then when this is all dealt with, I'm getting one." Nodding and letting himself give a little chuckle, he rubbed Sayurith's cheek with the tips of his fingers.

How are we getting out? I want to see the sun again so badly. Her wings tucked in against her sides gently, her tail wrapping around her feet. "Well, I suppose this always helps things." A'mir waved a glint of silver in front of the dragonet's eyes, careful to keep it from swinging too much. After all, it wouldn't be good to have the keys to their freedom jingling right after A'mir had slipped them from Tiberax's tunic.

Had they gone through a lot to get close enough to the man that had captured them? Yes. Had A'mir finally told the location of the weapons? Yes. It was worth it though, because in those few moments when Tiberax had pulled A'mir off of Sayurith, the boy had been able to grab onto the keys and get them from the older man, slipping them into his own tunic as he spoke. I don't hear them...they'll be searching the cellars now...it's time to leave this place.

My thoughts exactly. Come here, time to get that chain off of you.