Most people say J'kar should have been a harper. If you've ever seen J'kar with Millith you know that's not true.
J'kar's song rang out over the entire weyrbowl. His pipes were in perfect tune, and the melody of the song was slow and rhythmic. Zanari, J'kar's blue firelizard, chirped and trilled slowly to the beat and Millith hummed.
Most people were amazed by the giant bronze's actions. Very few dragons hummed unless a hatching was about to occur. But Millith was different then most dragons. His humming accompanied all of J'kar's pieces.
The young man finished his song and lay back against the flank of his lifemate. Millith continued to hum softly. The rumbling in Millith's chest soothed his rider. J'kar was almost 19 turns now, and had changed a lot from the young 13 turn old who had impressed a hatchling Millith. He still had a thin build, but was no longer pale. He wore his charcoal black hair to his shoulders and his bangs cut to above his eyebrows. His eyes were dark and secretive, but also carried an inner light. He had a deep voice, but rarely spoke out. When he talked with people, his voice was deep and quiet, but when he was mad or needed to be heard, his deep baritone shook the foundations of Adanuk Weyr. He rubbed his hand along Millith's side. Even after long hours out doors with his dragon, his skin was still light coloured and fair.
Millith, on the other hand, was huge. He was easily the biggest bronze at Adanuk and enjoyed that fact. He was just as quiet as his rider. What astounded everyone about the large bronze was his humming. His humming wasn't like most dragons for two main reasons. Not only did he hum whenever he felt like it, he could also hum tunes. His range was amazing, stretching from lower than most baritones to higher than most sopranos. When J'kar played, Millith hummed and Zanari trilled, it was a sound to be remembered. The trio was fondly known as Adanuk Weyr's orchestra.
J'kar smiled as Millith finished his song. "You sound better than I do."
Not likely. I just sound different. Millith replied cooly. Millith was very calm for a dragon his size, especially a bronze.
J’kar closed his eyes and leaned on the bronze hide. The sun felt good on his face. "Fair enough. You and I are different."
Millith snorted. You make that sound like a bad thing.
J’kar sighed and watched people running around in the weyrbowl. "Maybe it is. Maybe it isn’t."
Millith was concerned. This type of sulking behaviour wasn’t much like his rider. What’s the matter?
J’kar gave Millith a half-smile. "You can see right through me, huh?"
Easily. Don’t avoid the subject. What’s the matter?
The bronze rider sighed. "I was talking to my father last night."
Oh, That was all the bronze dragon needed to understand. J’kar’s father had been a harper and everyone had expected the boy to follow in his father’s footsteps, especially the father. J’kar’s dad had been happy and proud when he’d first impressed, but now.... J’kar sighed again. He was getting more and more messages from his father asking him about harper things. It was obvious to J’kar that his father regretted J’kar choice of profession.
Why don’t you just go tell him to soak his shardin’ head?
"Millith!" J’kar was shocked. Nothing normally excited the mellow bronze, but now Millith’s tail was flicking back and his eyes where whirling and annoyed red.
The bronze was really angry. I’m dead serious J’kar. If he suggests that we weren’t supposed to be together one more time, I’ll...I’ll ...I’ll flame him!
J’kar laughed. People in the Weyrbowl who knew J’kar looked up in amazement. The quiet youth rarely showed any emotion. He barely smiled, let alone laugh. But there he was, laughing so long and loud that his sides hurt. He wiped his eyes with his sleave.
It was Millith’s turn to be astonished. What?
"Y’know Millith." J’kar continued to smile. "I think I’ll do just that."
Millith was beginning to wonder if he was really looking at his rider. What?
J’kar laughed to himself. "Tell my father to go soak his shardin’ head. We were meant to be. Let’s go get some lunch."
The bronze, still confusedly shaking his head, followed his rider to the Feeding Grounds.