Zaran2

Z'ran sighed as he laid back against the sleeping green. The methodical breathing of the green was soothing. Z'ran closed his eyes as shaded them from the glared of the sun as he tried to sleep as well.
"Hello?" Koja, one of the Apprentice Bards, called from below his Caerlet. "Z'ran, is it?"
He blinked and rolled over, looking down at the girl, "Yeah, I'm Z'ran," He sighed. "What is it?"
"Tuioa told me come up and ask you if you've seena guitar laying about. Luyain lost his so he's going to have to use the Master's old one," Koja sighed.
"I haven't seen one, but you're welcome to come up and look," Z'ran sighed.
"Thanks," Koja chirped, jumping into a long stride as she bound up to Z'ran's Caerlet. "This use to be the Master's. He says that the guitar is in the back of the storage room."
Go help her, Z'ran, Peukth crooned without opening her eyes. She'll need a big, strong man to help her get into that closet.

Z'ran chuckled as he stood, "Need any help?" He called.
"Um...yeah," He heard Koja grunt as something fell. "OW!"
"You all right?" Z'ran asked, rushing over to the closet and throwing back the door.
And avalanche of stuff came falling down onto him. He heard Koja giggle as he pushed all the stuff off of him, "I'm fine. Thanks for asking. Need some help?" She sighed, extending her hand.
"Thanks," Z'ran sighed, taking Koja's hand. "You find it?"
"Not yet," Koja said. "It probably fell out...ah, here it is!" She annouced proudly, lifting the redwood guitar from the pile. "Isn't it beautiful?"
Z'ran took it carefully. The beautifully aged wood had small rose patterns carved intp the neck, there was a lovely finish across the entire guitar. Z'ran couldn't believe how beautiful the the instrument was.
"The Master's Journeyman project," Koja said, taking it back. "Thanks for letting me look for it."
"You're welcome," Z'ran said as Peukth peaked into the room.
"Is..is that your green?" Koja asked, a frown forming on her face.
"Yes, is something wrong?" Z'ran asked.
"No, nothing," Koja sighed, walking slowly out of the room without saying good-bye.
"What was that..."
She thinks you are gay because of me, Peukth crooned. She really liked you.
"I liked her, too, Peukth," Z'ran sighed, "but she insulted you."
No, she didn't, Peukth crooned. Do you want to know what she was thinking when she saw me?
Z'ran nodded slowly as Peukth made her way over to him. She was small enough to fit in his area of the Caerlet.
She said that I was a beautiful green. It was ashame that I was bonded to such a wonderful man, Peukth crooned.
"That insults us both!" Z'ran exclaimed.
Men are so blind! Peukth cried. She's sad that I'm bonded to you because normally, when a male bonds a female dragon, it means he is gay. You, however, are not, but she didn't know how we bonded.
Z'ran caressed Peukth's muzzle, "Should I go explain?"
I certain think so, Peukth crooned, butting Z'ran towards the door. She liked you, and I can tell that you liked her, love. You liked her a lot.

***

Z'ran knocked on the door of the Bard's rehersal room. Koja blushed when she saw Z'ran. The Caer Bard Master Tuioa smiled at the young rider. She knew he had been a bronze Dragoneer once. She also knew he had once been a Bard apprentice.
"Z'ran?" Tuioa sighed. "Is there something you need?"
"Um, Master, would it be all right if I speak to Koja?" Z'ran asked.
"Of course, Z'ran, and you don't have to call me Master anymore," Tuioa smiled. "You're no longer the little apprentice you once were."
Z'ran smiled as Koja stood, looking bewildered at him, "You were an apprentice, too?"
"I almost made Journeyman," Z'ran sighed.
"Then you went and bonded Peukath, and I never got the chance to promote you," Tuioa exclaimed before she realized what she was saying. "Oh, Z'ran, I'm sorry."
"It's all right, Tuioa," Z'ran sighed.
"Peukath? Is that the green's name?" Koja asked.
"No," Z'ran said. "Peukath was the name of my bronze. He died of Rampaging Plant burns. I found Peukth, that's the green, awhile back. We bonded almost instantly."
Koja looked deep into Z'ran's eyes as she smiled warmly, "You didn't seem like the green type, if you know what I mean."
"I do now, after Peukth explained it to me," Z'ran laughed, pulling Koja close to him. "After your lesson, do you want to met Peukth?"
"Go ahead, Koja," Tuioa said, smiling at both of them. "I'm not going to do much more. Oh, and Z'ran," Tuioa sighed, walking over to a small box.
She picked something out of the box and walked back over to Z'ran, placing something in his hand.
"What is this?" Z'ran asked, opening his hand up and looking at the small blue gem in a half moon setting. "Is this a Journeymen pin?"
"I never had a chance to give it to you," Tuioa said. "An added rank never hurts."
Z'ran nodded, pinning the pin next to his two Dragoneer pins. He placed her arm around Koja's waist and escourted out of the room and back to his Caerlet.

Continue...