Search Story of Riaghan Riaghan jogged on the spot, feeling the tenseness in his muscles relax as he rolled his shoulders and loosened up. His coach stood to the side, watching him with his penetrating gaze, and Riaghan smiled. "Don't know why I bother with the likes of ya." His coach said gruffly, crossing his arms and shaking his head as Riaghan swung his arms around. "That's what you said last time, right before I won." "Had no right winning there either. That other boy was faster, you and I both know it." "It's a mental game." Riaghan said with a grin. "I knew I had won before I even walked out onto the field." "Think you're a champion and you will be." His coach said with an approving nod. Riaghan say the fierce pride burning in the eyes and suppressed another smile. Smiles came easily to him, his tanned face already had small lines along the side of his eyes and mouth. And the girls liked it well enough. "You taught me well." Riaghan stated simply, slowing his breathing as he jumped up and down on the spot. "You trained yourself, boy. I've barely been around to do anything with you." Riaghan didn't reply to that, knowing it was true and still feeling that he couldn't have done it alone. The muscles in his lean calves were aching for more, to run over the hills and through the fields, to carry him to places unknown. He ignored them and stretched his neck, his pale blond hair falling almost to his shoulders. "Gotta get that cut." Kajgel said, reading Riaghan's mind with unerring accuracy. Riaghan was happy his mind wasn't elsewhere. Perhaps, say, the gutter. "After the race." Riaghan said absently, bending over to touch his toes and giving a yawn. "Should we head down?" "Probably. They're lining up the other boys." Kajgel said with a nod, watching Riaghan walk over to him and wait. In an odd show, Kajgel gripped Raighan's shoulder and squeezed. "You're good boy. Don't let your head get overly large, but remember that. I'm proud of you." "Thanks." Riaghan said seriously, closing his large, strong hand over the frail one on his shoulder. He smiled and walked slowly to the field, rolling his ankles gently when they reached the track. "You're on a pair of springs, boy. Use them." Kajgel said dryly, winking at Raighan and moving to the finish line, twisting a piece of something in his hands as he waited nervously. Riaghan shook his head. Kajgel was always nervous, but there was nothing wrong with that. Scanning the crowd, he saw plenty of other nervous people, though none that he recognized. His parent's were back at their farm, working the land to make sure they had the food to get through the winter, and his siblings would be there as well. It was too bad that they couldn't get out to watch him, but Riaghan wasn't a fool. He knew that while he was out running, they were back home pulling their load plus his own. One day, though, he'd make it up to them. He waved to a group of girls and smiled, making them coo and giggle, waving their little hankies at him as they smiled back. Rolling his eyes, Riaghan approached the start line. A couple of the shorter, stockier guys laughed at him, as well as the leaner, but Riaghan smiled and nodded. "You showing off to my girl?" One of the runners asked him, looking him up and down as he cracked his knuckles. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize they were all yours." Riaghan said, waving again and winking at them. He would have to make a point to talk to them after, just to show this guy up. "Don't like ya around here, checking out my girl. You better run and leave, farmboy." "And you better just run." Riaghan said slyly, taking his place and ripping up the turf a little, for better leverage. The other runner went to his own spot, and all of them started their final preperations. Riaghan dug his feet in and crouched, raising his hips when the whistle sounded the first time and waiting. As the second whistle went, time slowed and Riaghan shot out of the crouch, his quick instincts putting him a half-step ahead of the others. As he feet pounded on the earth, as the other runners slowly but surely fell behind, as his muscles started to scream and the adrenaline pumped through his veins, for the breif ten seconds it took to run the race, Riaghan forgot about the world. He forgot about the knawing hunger in his stomach, the girl back home he loved fiercely and couldn't wed but might have gotten pregnant, he forgot his sister's grave in the yard beside the other family members who had passed on. For those ten seconds, all Riaghan thought about was the wind whistling in his ears, the grass under his feet and the blue sky above him, the way his heart pounded in his chest and drove him on. Lifting his deep green eyes, Riaghan watched the finish line as he crossed it and looked around. "Well done, boy!" Kajgel was yelling. The girls swarmed around him, shoving their hankies in his face and running light fingers down his arms and cooing in giggly voices. "You ran boy. Time to leave." The other runner said, shoving his way through the crowd and standing in front of one of the girls. Riaghan smiled at her and gave a tiny incline of his head. She blushed and smiled. Too bad Riaghan only saw her smile and not her boyfriend's fist. Landing on the ground with a thump, Riaghan pressed a hand to his lip and jumped up, swinging a nasty righthook at his attacker and connecting with him solidly in the jaw. Shouts erupted around them, a ring forming as people thought they'd be getting a fight. "Riaghan! Save it for someone else." Kajgel yelled, yanking Riaghan by his collar out of the ring and away from the crowd. He waved a final time at the girls and followed. "How'd I do?" He asked, knowing the answer but wanting comformation. "Fastest you've gone yet. Under ten." Kajgel said with a shake of his head. "I don't understand it. You've certainly got the heart and drive, but I never thought you'd get there." Riaghan smiled and put a heavier shirt on, the cool breeze making the sweat freeze on his skin. He and Kajgel walked slowly back to the house they were staying in, letting themselves in when no one answered. A local boy had come in second, so the Clan would be out celebrating. Riaghan was tired, and just wanted sleep. "It was a good purse, boy. Parent's will be proud." Kajgel said, but Riaghan was already asleep. "So am I." ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ "Ma!" Riaghan called, hopping down from the horse and running towards the house. His mother stepped onto the porch, her dark hair pulled back in a bun, and smiled. "Riaghan! Home already?" Riaghan smiled and dropped the purse of coins in her hand, watching her eyes go wide with surprise. "First place, ma. Enough to keep us through the winter plus some." "But it's yours, son. Your father and I couldn't take this." "Take it." Riaghan said firmly, pressing it down in her hand with a grin. "It's more than I'd know what to do with." "After marrying Aohla, you mean." He mother teased, squeezing his hand and nodding towards the road. "Why don't you go tell her." Riaghan smiled and kissed his mother on the cheek, then took off for Aohla's house, forgetting the horse and jumping the fence. He could see her before she saw him, her small waist just showing the first signs of her pregnancy. Her face looked surprised at first, but the smile that melted Riaghan's heart lit her face and he whooped as he scooped her up and spun her around. She laughed gaily and hugged him tight, running her hands through his hair and watching his face. "How'd you do?" She whispered, her eyes begging for the answer she needed to hear. "How does next month sound, once it's warmed up some?" Riaghan asked, kissing her lightly on her fair brow and pushing her dark hair from her face. She squealed in reply, throwing her arms around his neck as she started to cry. "What's wrong?" Riaghan laughed, holding her away to watch her face. "I've been searched, Riaghan. They're coming back later...." She would have finished, had not a large dragon appeared above them and landed. Riaghan's heart sank. A dragoner was an honourable occupation, but he would lose her.... "Aohla?" He asked, placing his hands lightly on her shoulders as he saw the bags by her feet. "Riaghan, my love. I will not forget you, and once I have bonded, I will find you." "Are you ready Aohla?" The man asked, stepping closer, then frowning and stopping. "Who's your friend?" "This is my fiance, Riaghan." Aohla said, turning to him with pleading eyes. "I was just leaving." Riaghan said with a forced smile, wondering when he would ever run his hands through her thick hair again. "Don't." The man said with a shake of his head. "What do you do for a living?" "I'm a runner." Riaghan said, thinking the man had perhaps heard of him. "Can you spare some time?" The man asked, smiling hopefully at the pair of them. Riaghan say a glimmer of hope. "You mean stand with Aohla?" "No. Well, yes, but no. Stand to bond, but not at the same place. The Healing Den has a huge number of eggs for bonding, and you'd make a good bonder." "Riaghan...." Aohla whispered, her fingers wrapping around the material of his jacket. If the two of them were dragoners, they would have plenty of coins to spare for their parent's when the need arose. With a grin, Riaghan hugged Aohla to his chest and sighed. "I suppose this means we won't see each other for a few years." Aohla grinned and kissed him lightly on the side of his face. "Well, run and get your things, Riaghan. We leave now." Riaghan is a bonder at the Healing Den