M’thew felt horrible. Someone, probably Media, had told Feena about Serenth chasing a green and now she wouldn’t even talk to him. She just moped around her weyr with Olyth and Kaye. M’thew sighed. It was the day of the flight and he would be leaving soon. Every other participating rider is probably nervous and excited. I’m moping. Jeez, something’s wrong with me.
Serenth sighed. The blue had been being nice to his rider, realizing that M’thew really didn’t want to do this. The blue knew that his rider would never back out of it, and that M’thew would never ask Serenth not to try for what he wanted. Serenth really liked this green, but he didn’t want to hurt his rider. There most definitely is something wrong with you. The dragon informed his rider. You don’t like this other green-rider. If you don’t want me to fly, just say so! Serenth had tried this tactic before with no luck, but there was no harm in trying again.
NO! M’thew said. You like this other green. I told you that you could chase her if you wanted to. I signed you up for the flight. I’m not backing out. I won’t break my promise. Serenth sighed. Suddenly the dragon didn’t really want to fly either.
Feena sighed and looked out her window towards the Weyrbowl. M’thew and Serenth were getting ready to leave. Kaye sat sympathetically on her friend’s shoulder. Olyth sighed. Feena? Are you alright?
Feena rubbed her eyes with her sleeve. She stopped crying. Why should I cry over him? He can go and chase every other green-rider on the planet for all I care! He’s not worth it. I don’t care what he does! She removed the shell necklace and threw it against the wall. She flinched as she heard it shatter. She ran and picked it up. It had broken into a million pieces. She regretted doing that, but didn’t let herself cry again. Instead she swept the pieces into her hand and stormed into the Weyrbowl.
"M’thew!" She called.
He turned to look at her. He smiled, surprised and glad to see her. "Feena..." He started walking over to her. "I want to talk..."
He stopped dead when he saw the look on her face. She held out her fist and he opened his hand. She dropped the pieces of the shell necklace into his hand. You could see M’thew hope die with every bit of shell-dust that fell through his fingers. Feena felt sorry for him and felt like a monster herself. What have I done? Tears returned to her eyes and she quickly spun around, storming back to her weyr. I don’t care if he’s upset. She decided. At least he got the message.
M’thew stared stunned at the shell fragments. He’d got the message alright. He’d given Feena the shell necklace right before he left for Xaviea Weyr. It had been his promise that he would return. No matter what happened, he’d be back to get his shell necklace. Now he was leaving again and that self-same necklace was dust slipping through his fingers. He mounted Serenth and ordered the dragon sharply to take off. He clenched his fist, not wanting to cry. The pieces of the shell dug deep into his palm and he started bleeding. He watched uncaring, with an odd sort of fascination as the blood ran down his arm. I guess that’s it.
The green roared and killed the sheep. All the male dragons anxiously bobbed their heads and curled their tails, just waiting for her to fly, waiting for the chase to begin. Most of the male riders were watching their dragon, or the green’s rider. Why can I never remember her name?" M’thew demanded of no one in particular. His hand was bothering him. As soon as he’d arrived here, the healer had seen his hand and pronounced him sick. She’d dragged him down to her infirmary and bandaged his hand. She’d told him it’d probably sting like hell for a few days. The shell dust had entered the cuts and was infecting it. It should heal fine, as long as he soaked it once a day and kept it bandaged. He sighed.
Serenth was just as excited as the other male dragons and, truth be told, M’thew bet Serenth could outfly them as well. M’thew just hoped that he didn’t look too unhappy to be here.
The green blooded her last sheep and leapt to the air. The males quickly followed her. M’thew watched for Serenth in the sky, but couldn’t find him. What the hell? A cry broke out from the crowd. They talked among themselves and pointed. M’thew looked to them, then the object of their interest. It was Serenth. The blue hadn’t took off. He wasn’t going to chase the green. M’thew ran to him. "What are you doing? You can take them. Fly!"
The blue snorted. You can’t make me.
M’thew was stunned. "But....why?"
Serenth smiled kindly at his rider. I know I may act stuck up and uncaring sometimes, but I’d never do anything that would hurt you.
"But this isn’t fair to you." M’thew didn’t know why he bothered, he’d already lost the argument.
Serenth snorted. I could have caught her so easily, she wouldn’t have been worth the effort. Besides, we deserve better.
M’thew smiled and mounted Serenth. Serenth walked off the Flight Fields to leave no doubt in anyone’s mind that he didn’t want to chase the green. M’thew left a hurried explanation with the Weyrwoman and they were off to Adanuk Weyr.
M’thew smiled. Thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me.
That’s the fun of an empathetic link. The blue smiled, right before he popped between. I do.
"Feena! Have you heard the news?" Mala ran up to the sulking green-rider and grabbed her arm.
Feena was not in the mood to hear Mala’s latest gossip and tried to brush the Jr. Headwoman off. "Look, Mala. I’ve got lot’s to do and I don’t really care about gossip...."
Mala grinned. "It’s not gossip and you do care."
Feena sighed. "What?"
"M’thew didn’t win his flight."
Secretly Feena was glad, but she still hadn’t forgiven him. "So?"
Mala smiled, enjoying the fact that she knew something Feena didn’t. "I guess I could have phrased that better. Serenth didn’t even try. The green rose, all the other males rose, but Serenth didn’t leave the ground. The blue even walked off the Flight Field. The Weyrwoman demanded an explanation and rumour has it that M’thew told her that Serenth couldn’t chase the green unless his rider’s heart was really in it and that his heart was with someone else."
Feena stared incredulously at the Jr. Headwoman. "What?"
Mala smiled. "I guess I should tell you what I came here to tell you. Serenth didn’t fly and M’thew’s back here looking for you."
Feena nearly fainted with shock. As soon as the news sunk in she raced off, looking for M’thew. Olyth smiled. I thought you didn’t care about him.
Feena laughed. Did you hear that? Serenth couldn’t fly! M’thew didn’t even try for her!
The dragon just snorted. Told you.
Feena looked over her shoulder in the direction of her dragon. She quickly turned the corner and opened her mouth to say something when she was stopped. She’d ran smack into someone. I’ve got to start watching where I’m going. She quickly accepted the hand up, "Sorry." She started to rush past whoever it was, but was stopped by his reply.
"Entirely your fault."
Feena looked up into M’thew face and smiled. He looked like he would try to explain, but she didn’t give him a chance. She kissed him before he knew what to do with himself. He pulled away and smirked at her. "Guess this means you forgive me?"
She smiled. "Maybe." She grabbed his hands and he flinched. A look of concern flashed across her face.
He explained. "The shell. I sorta crushed it. It sorta hurt."
Feena felt awful. "Oh, the necklace. M’thew I’m so sorry. I know that meant a lot to you. I shouldn’t have done that. I’m sorry."
M’thew grinned and reached into his pocket. "That’s the great thing about shells. Although each one is unique and special, they’re tons of them." He pulled out another necklace. Another shell hung on the end of it. It was a white, spiral shell coated in a sheen of silver. A small hole had been punched on the larger end and a thin piece of white satin was strung through it. Feena gasped, it was beautiful. M’thew put it around her neck and tied it there. "I guess they’re a lot like friendships. They’re all over the place, but you only stop to notice and cherish a few. They’re really fragile and one bad move can break one forever." His smirk faded and he stared at the floor. "I screwed up Feena. I can’t put the other shell back together, but I can get a new one, a new chance."
Feena put her fingers on his lips to stop him. He’d said enough for her. She tilted his head up so that he was looking at her again. "This shell is prettier than the other one." She kissed him again.
Olyth smiled as she watched Feena and M’thew talking. Serenth walked up beside her and they both eavesdropped on their riders’ conversation. Finally Olyth broke the silence between them. That was a nice thing you did for them.
Serenth shrugged. He didn’t even like the other green-rider. I wouldn’t do that to him.
Olyth smiled, teasing her friend. So you must at least like me then. The two dragons stopped eavesdropping and look right at each other. Both were thinking about the odd comment. Olyth quickly added, I’m never rising.
Serenth nodded. And I wouldn’t chase you.
Olyth nodded. Agreed.
The two dragons smiled at each other, then turned around to continue their eavesdropping.
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