Rodilon
:Story::Search::Hatchling::Weyrling::Adult:
:Draco's Inferno Weyr::Tripaldi Weyr

Rodilon watched the path before his runner’s feet, occasionally glancing up at the clear blue sky. He kept wondering if perhaps Sabriana’s dragon escorts would fly overhead, but no, they would be going between. He gritted his teeth and urged the runner into a jouncing trot. He cursed silently under his breath but forced the beast to keep up the uncomfortable pace. He’d wanted to take one of the smoother, faster beasts, but he’d had to sneak the runner from the stable and he didn’t want to take a runner they’d chase after him for. He didn’t want anyone to know where he was going until he got there and surprised Sabriana.

His heart beat faster at the thought of seeing her and his stomach turned over as a doubting thought drifted through his mind. What if she rejected him? After all, she hadn’t even sought him out before she left. He cursed himself for a fool then as he reminded himself that he had left the day before her planned transfer. He sighed and resigned himself to concentrating on the runner’s path and trying to make the uncomfortable gate as painless as possible.

Two days later he reached his destination. Rodilon pulled the runner up short on the crest of a hill overlooking the Hold. He took a deep breath as he surveyed the place and before he could think twice he booted the runner into a strung-out canter.

He cantered the runner straight into the courtyard, dismounting quickly as he hauled the beast to a stop. Drudges scurried to get out of his way and he filled his lungs with air as he prepared to yell for the Lord Holder to come out and greet him when the stupid beast just about hauled him off his feet as it reared in fright. Rodilon spat a curse at the beast and tried to get it to put its front feet on the ground. It did so, but only so it could kick out with its back feet then go up on its hind legs again. Rodilon saw the whites around the runner’s eyes and he spat another curse as he let go of the reins. The runner bolted then and Rodilon turned to find himself face to face with a blue dragon. Rodilon’s eyes widened as he was momentarily lost in the dragon’s gaze, but he shook his head and turned to once again face the hold.

“Sabriana!” he bellowed at the top of his lungs and drew breath to yell again. Before the words could leave his lips though the dragon nudged him from behind and the breath whooshed from his lungs, his words unuttered. He scowled and whirled around to glare at the dragon but the big blue head had turned to regard his rider as the man dismounted. Rodilon shook his head and turned once more, preparing to bellow again when he saw the Lord Holder and his son striding across the courtyard toward him. He stood tall and proud, keeping his shoulders back as he met the gaze of not the Lord Holder, but the son, Ardan.

“What is the meaning of this?” demanded Lord Ardente as he stopped in front of Rodilon.

Rodilon turned his cool gaze on the Lord Holder and spoke, his voice dripping with hauteur. “I apologize for disturbing you, Lord Ardente, but I’ve a pressing matter to discuss with the Lady Sabriana. If you would be so kind as to inform her that Rodilon is here to see her...”

Ardan cut him off angrily, grabbing Rodilon by the collar. “What sort of mockery is this? My bride to be is not here.”

“What?” asked Rodilon in surprise, shaking loose of the young Lord’s angry grip. “She left her hold two days ago, did she not?”

“Yes, she left her father’s hold, or so they claim. But she never arrived and the dragonriders at Tiynarea have not responded to any of our requests for information. Lord Sartan says he watched the dragons take off and go between but they never came out of between here.”

Rodilon stopped listening. His knees felt suddenly very weak and he felt himself stumbling backwards. Someone caught him before he could hit the ground and he looked up to see curious faces peering over him. Distantly he heard voices speaking about him.

“Tuzuth says he’s in shock,” said a voice from behind him but the words made little sense to him. “I’m going to take him back to Draco’s Inferno with me. Perhaps once the shock wears off he can assist us in finding them.”

More voices and then he was being lifted. He found himself astride the big blue dragon, the green and blue swirling eyes regarding him from the large head. He closed his eyes, holding on tight as the dragon took off. Not even the numbing cold of between roused Rodilon from his shocked stupor. Before he knew it they were pulling him down off the dragon’s back in a large weyrbowl. The rider’s voice broke through his shock once more before he was escorted away.

“He’s had a bad shock, but I want him on the sands for the upcoming hatching. Any way you can get him there, he needs to be there. Tuzuth was most insistent on that score.”

Rodilon shook his head, not quite understanding what that meant, but somehow it made sense to him. Somewhere deep inside the thought of being on the sands at this Weyr made everything seem all right. His mind refused to respond to it though as he sank into the despair of never seeing Sabriana again.