El'tedri

Elatedri grinned to himself as he moved about the stables. One soft blonde curl dangled down into his green eyes, and he brushed it away in irritation. No matter how many times Arinas told him that it was cute, Elatedri just couldn't stand it. He made a note to pay a visit to Oliradin to have it cut. The young woman didn't mind giving him a trim every now and then nor did she mind satisfying his other needs. Needs that though Arinas might try, he couldn't always fulfill. Sometimes Elatedri just needed a woman. He certainly didn't try to hide his activities from either of his lovers. Both were equally aware of the other and accepted things the way they were.

The musty smell of the stables filled the young man's nostrils as he moved from stall to stall. He greeted each runner in turn as he refilled their food and water troughs. Gently he stroked the muzzle of his own runner a palomino mare whom he'd called Aphrodite's Golden Apple. Elatedri had gotten the name from a story a harper had told him once. He had said it had originally been told by ancient harpers countless ages ago. The mare whuffed softly in greeting, and Elatedri smiled.

The palomino mare was his own personal runner and the pride and joy of his work. He'd been there when she'd been born three turns ago and had helped bring her into this world. Arinas had been there too and a grin curled his lips as he remembered how they'd celebrated.

He'd been seventeen then and had used all of his charms in seducing his younger friend. Elatedri could tell Arinas was attracted to him even though he had problems admitting it. Liking boys was very much frowned upon in the hold. Elatedri had his bases covered though because he liked girls as well. Arinas however did not. He was a boy-lover to the core, and Elatedri happened to be that boy.

The beasthealer ran a hand through his blonde hair once again brushing the errant curl from his eyes. Reluctantly he left his precious Golden Apple to go check the other runners. Weyrwoman Second Ikara had decided she wanted to breed her mare Nightwind, so as the resident journeyman beasthealer, it was Elatedri's duty to make sure she was in good health.

The young man glanced down at his clothing. It was a good thing he'd dressed in his old red tunic and a worn pair of gray trous. The mare wasn't the best tempered beast he'd ever worked with and often surprised him in the worst ways. In fact she seemed to have a personal grudge against him. She never bothered Mikar or Ralkin or even Arinas... just him.

Elatedri opened the door to Nightwind's stall causing the nameplate to bang noisily and slipped inside. It was a tight squeeze but it was the best way to get the halter on her so he could lead her out and examine her. Deftly he slipped the leather straps over her neck and around her middle. "Alright, girl, here we go. Easy does it," he murmured softly as he led her out of the stall.

Nightwind resisted as she always did when Elatedri wanted her to do something. The black mare could be quite stubborn. Luckily Elatedri was no small man and could almost physically drag her outside into the sunshine so he could give her a proper examination.

He led her outside into the corral and tied her lead to the fence. The beasthealer knew she wouldn't stay in place otherwise so he tied the rope very short. Nightwind tossed her head, snorted in protest, and pawed at the ground. Elatedri wondered again what this runner had against him. Why couldn't she be more like Apple?

The examination was most unpleasant. Nightwind refused to stay still, and as expected when he was below her to check and see if she was a healthy enough female to breed, the mare decided to give him a special sort of shower. "Shard it all, Nightwind, what'd I ever do to you," he roared as he stood up drenched in urine.

A soft snicker erupted from behind him, and Elatedri whirled around to face his... guest. His eyes fell upon a small man with dark hair and dark eyes. A man more familiar to him than any other. "Laugh it up, Arinas," he said with a scowl.

"I am. I am," Arinas was almost rolling with laughter now. His thin arms clutched his middle as he erupted into loud guffaws. It never failed. Nightwind hated his lover for some reason known only to the runner, and she never hesitated to show her displeasure.

Elatedri was not the least bit amused. The runner always found someway to humiliate him. It was inevitable. This wasn't the first time she had soaked him in such a manner. The beasthealer was digusted. "If you're quite done laughing," he snapped at Arinas, "would you take her back into the stable while I go to my room and get bathed and changed?"

"What? I can't come watch," the small dark man replied with a pout.

"No, please just take Nightwind back to her stall." He couldn't stand the fact that Arinas was there watching him, seeing him soaked by Nightwind, and looking such a mess. He certainly didn't want the young man coming back to his room, and he hoped to Faranth he didn't encounter anyone else on his way.

Arinas' pout turned into a frown. "Alright, El. I'll take care of her." Without further ado, he untied the mare and led her away.

Elatedri immediately felt guilty for snapping at his lover. It wasn't Arinas' fault that Nightwind disliked him so. But being humiliated in front of his lover, and by a runner, was more than his pride and vanity could handle. The young man shook his head and made for his room.

The beasthealer scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed again. He scoured his skin feeling as though he'd never rid himself of the stench and cursing Nightwind under his breath with every brush of the soapsand against his skin.

The hinge on the door creaked loudly as someone entered. "Arinas," he called out thinking his lover had decided to come anyway. Elatedri wanted to apologize to him for his earlier behavior.

He was surprised when a soft female voice answered, "I'm not Arinas, but I did just see him in the hold proper talking to a pair of dragonriders rather animatedly. That's why I'm here in fact. I thought you'd want to go down and see them," Oliradin said with an appreciative look as she stood over the nude beasthealer. Her green eyes seemed to caress every inch from the top of his blonde head down his tan face to his broad shoulders, muscular chest, and on down. "It's been a while since you've been to see me, Elatedri."

"Indeed it has. I was just thinking to myself earlier that I could use a haircut among other things." The young man didn't bother to try and hide his exact meaning from the pretty redhead. There was no reason to.

Oliradin chuckled. "We'll see about that later, for now come with me. Arinas is waiting for us. He sent me to get you. Apparently the dragonriders are here on Search, and you know how he's been longing to get out of here.

Elatedri stood up and quickly dried himself off. There was no need to try and be modest. It wasn't as if Oliradin hadn't seen him before. The beasthealer grabbed a dark blue tunic and a fresh pair of black trous and stamped into his boots. "Alright, I'm ready. Let's not keep them waiting any longer. I'm sure Arinas is anxious for us to be down there. I hope for his sake that he gets Searched. It would be better for him to be in a weyr."

Oliradin nodded silently agreeing as he ushered her out of the small room that was his quarters. "What about you, El? What if they Search you? I know technically they aren't supposed to Search journeymen, but if you're needed for the eggs, surely the craft can do without you. The question is... would you accept? Would you leave us?"

The beasthealer thought about it as they stepped out into the bright sunlight. "I don't know, Oli. I've never thought about Impression before, but I don't think I could refuse Search. I mean who on Pern doesn't dream of having the opportunity to Impress? I doubt the dragons will have an interest in me though, so you need not worry." Elatedri gave her a reassuring smile and gently kissed her forehead.

It wasn't long before he spotted a large pair of dragons, one blue and one green. Arinas was still talking to one of them a woman with short dark hair. He remembere her. That was Searchrider Analyssa. He'd seen her a couple of times. The other rider looked to be a man with a long chestnut braid. Elatedri's eyes roamed over him. He was definitely older than himself but not at all bad looking. As they approached, Elatedri gave the pair a charming smile.

"Good day to you, dragonriders. I'm Journeyman Beasthealer Elatedri. Arinas here," he said motioning to the young man, "is a dear friend of mine as is Oliradin. Oli was kind enough to tell me you're here on Search. Have you any prospects? With the way Arinas looks one would think you've Searched him."

Analyssa smiled back. "Greetings Elatedri. I'm Head Searchrider Analyssa. Indeed Greenrider R'del and I have a few prospects. You are one of them. Solath has sensed you several times when we've come, but not until now was he sure it was your time. He's rarely ever wrong," she said gently stroking the blue's muzzle.

"Me? Are you sure, Searchrider," he questioned. One hand involuntarily sought Oliradin's and gripped it tightly.

"Solath is as sure about you as he is about the next Threadfall. We'll be sending you to a place called Ryslen. That is, if you accept. Solath says your friends have potential as well, but now is not the time." Analyssa could tell that the healer was concerned about leaving the other two. They seemed almost like a matched set. "Will you accept the Search, Beasthealer?"

Elatedri paused and thought. He could go be in a weyr with more people like him. He could get away from Nightwind. What was more important he could Impress. Not only that he could better himself as a person. Secretly he'd always harbored a hope to Impress a dragon, but he couldn't just leave his post either. "I will accept, but first I must take care of things here. I have to send word to the Hall that a new Journeyman will be needed."

"Agreed. Come to the weyr when you've seen to your business. R'del and I shall look forward to seeing you." With that the bluerider mounted back up as did the green, but not without another look at Elatedri.

Searched. He'd been Searched. Elatedri looked at each of his lovers in turn. Both of them looked sad and dejected. As important as each of them was to him, something in his heart told him this was right. If there was a dragon for him, he owed it to himself and the dragon and to Pern to be there at the hatching. He would talk to the other two later. First he had a message to send.

El'tedri has bonded Silver-Blue Ydetrith. Isn't he gorgeous??? Wait until Arinas and Oliradin see him. Just look at how big he's gotten. They're going to be soooooooooo jealous.