Aylitan was the first to awake, Yohlisanth's wing still draped over her. The Elf smiled contently, relaxing back into the warm bed, and closing her eyes once more...
She wasn't allowed to sleep again, however. A Candidate entered, obviously on duty, for he bore a tray. And from the smell of it a very appetizing tray. The scent of klah greeted her nostrils as she inhaled, along with other delicious-seeming smells, and Aylitan opened her eyes again. "Ahyan!" she exclaimed, startled as she recognized the Candidate. "What are you doing here?"
"Well, miss," he started, almost shyly, "I heard you had been in a bit of trouble, so I switched duties with one of my friends so I could help." A shy, though faintly roguish smile crossed his features as he set the tray down on the table besides Aylitan's cot. "I hope you're hungry."
Aylitan nodded, carefully sitting up. Yohlisanth's drapped wing slid down off of her as she did so, as well as her covers, causing her to shiver from the sudden exposure to more normal tempatures.
Yohlisanth stirred at this movement as well. First her tail uncurled, stretching out, and being followed closely by her snow-flake dotted body, legs stretching out various cramps from her all-night sleeping position. A yawn caused her to show all her many sharp teeth, before her lids snapped open, eyes whirling a shade between blue and purple. More indigo, than anything else. Good morning, Aylitan. Did you sleep well? Who is this? the questions rolled out with the freshness of spring behind him, the faint scent of wildflowers behind it.
Aylitan gently scratched her green life-mate's eyeridge. "I slept well, thank you, Yohlisanth. This is Ahyan," she replied, still stroking Yohlisanth's head. "He helped me get settled in, though I think I'll be quickly moving out again, though, while I enjoy his company, I don't think I will ever regret what brought it about." The young Elf then began to situation herself, moving the table over her lap, and starting to eat. Porridge, fresh bread and butter, sweetening, klah, and a sweetroll were all there, steamy hot and obviously fresh from the oven. "Oh, this is wonderful, Ahyan, thank you!" she replied after a few mouthfuls.
Ahyan smiled shyly. "Thank you, Weyrling Aylitan," he replied, almost formally. "Can I get the lovely Yohlisanth anything?"
Lovely? Mmm. I think I like him, Aylitan. Can I keep him? Yohlisanth's bold nature showed itself once more in the green's words, and eyes, which were whirling just a hint faster now. And something to eat would be greatly appreciated, as would something to cure this abomidable itching I have on my belly. I refuse to fall beneath my dignity and scratch.
Aylitan laughed softly, eyes going unfocused for a moment. Yohlisanth! she exclaimed through mental giggles. You can't keep him! He's a Candidate! To Ahyan she grinned. "She says she's hungry, for one thing, and I think she needs some oil for another. She itches."
Aylitan! Yohlisanth exclaimed, shocked.
Well, you did say you itched. What else was I supposed to tell him? That you wanted to oil yourself so you looked beautiful? Aylitan quietly smirked, more mentally than anything else, even as Ayhan went off to fulfill Yohlisanth's wishes.
Yohlisanth pulled her wings back to her sides, folding them after a moment of awkwardness brought by stiff joints. It would have been preferable, yes, she replied, almost seeming to look like a bird whose feather's had been ruffled. Did you have to tell him I itched?
Aylitan stiffled a giggle, which wasn't hard as she soon found herself yawning. "Yes," she replied through it. "I think I did." But she quickly hugged her lifemate close, gently stroking Yohlisanth's headknobs and eyeridges, offering comfort and support. I love you, Yohlisanth.
I love you, too, miaylimore. Yohlisanth seemed quite proud of her learning Elven, and closed her eyes, rumbling happily as Aylitan stroked, only partially attacking her breakfast.
Ahyan was quick to return, however, with Yohlisanth's breakfast. A large bowl of chopped meat cubes could be seen, though they varried in size, and slightly in shape. They were all raw, however. He walked over to where Yohlisanth was, and looked questioningly at Aylitan. "Can I just set it down? Will she eat it on her own?" Ahyan's voice was slightly unsure.
Aylitan pondered, and looked questioningly at her lifemate, and got a negative response. "She would appreciate it if you would feed her. She promises not to bite off anything... vital." Aylitan stared at her mount for a minute, half shocked she said that, but a mental chuckling told her that Yohlisanth had taken over for the briefest instant.
Ahyan uhmed uncertainly, but got down on his knees anyway, taking a handful of meat and looking to Yohlisanth. The green turned to face the Candidate, and opened her maw so the meat could be deposited neatly in, and the boy took the hint and let the gobbets slide down onto her spaded tongue.
Yohlisanth, a princess of Dragons, chewed carefully, making sure never to gobble, or make rude noises, instead being as mannerful as she could, and certainly as neat. Would you tell him thank you, Aylitan?
Well, why can't you? Don't you think he'd be honored by being spoken to by a dragon? Aylitan replied smoothly, hungrily devouring her sweetroll.
Oh, very well, came Yohlisanth's slightly irritated reply. She could force her rider to do it, but she didn't feel like being abandoned again. We thank you for your help, Ayhan. We think you will make a fine rider. Yohlisanth almost idly tossed in a few royal "we"s.
Ahyan paused, blinking. "Th-thank you!" he stuttered, shock showing plainly on his face as he held a mouthful of meat in his hand, his slightly tightened grip causing it to ooze blood.
Yohlisanth found herself quite pleased with the result, and opened her maw once again, having swallowed the last mouthful. If you please, she told him.
"Oh, right!" he replied, and gingerly dropped his handful into her mouth, pulling his hand back out rather quickly. Someone still remembered the promise of not biting off anything vital. Hands just might not be considered vital.
Yohlisanth rumbled, chewing. We promise not to bite now. We are not so hungry as we once were. Yohlisanth found she was quite enjoying herself.
Aylitan chuckled, chewing on a slice of buttered bread. She washed it down with a mouthful of klah, rolling it around her mouth for a moment before she did, and tried a few more bites of her porridge, deciding it needed more sweetening, which she added. And a bit of butter, too. "Having fun?" she asked, both of Yohlisanth and Ahyan.
Oh, yes, Yohlisanth replied, her mindvoice a faint purr of delight. I never thought I could enjoy myself ever again. I thought I'd have to go between, remaining forever riderless.
Ahyan could only nod quickly, still feeding Yohlisanth, who was contently chewing. "Yes!" he replied after a few moments, taking to compose himself. "Is this what being a rider is like?"
Aylitan smiled gently at Ahyan. "Yes and no, Ahyan. You see, our link may never be as strong as a first link, though I believe it will come close because I was accepted by her the day after she hatched, rather than as an adult, or even a senior Weyrling." Aylitan sipped her klah. "But, I think when you actually Impress it is so much more incredible and indescribable, that joy of having found your soul-mate. I still don't think I can describe it, even having been a second rider, rather than her first."
Ahyan stared at her wide-eyed. "I had no idea!" he exclaimed. "You have such a way with words, Aylitan. Is this a contant in your species?" He glanced at her pointed ears.
Aylitan shugged. "It depends. Generally on the subject. Most Elves have one thing they can sound absolutely all-knowing about, even if they aren't, simply because they study it for years."
"Years?" Ahyan was obviously unfamiliar with the term.
"You call them Turns here. Back on Earth we call them Years. I'm sure their are many more names for the time it takes a planet to go around it's sun." Aylitan smiled gently.
Yohlisanth gently butted Ahyan. Please don't stop, we are still hungry, she half pleaded.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Yoh!" Ahyan cried, and then blushed. "Forgive me for being so informal, Yohlisanth," he apologized, starting to feed her again.
I forgive you, Ahyan. You don't have to be formal with me. Unless we're in public. Then that's different. I do have an image to maintain. She suddenly yawned, and stretched, and then proceeded to grumble. I itch! she complained loudly to both of them.
Ahyan was quick to produce the large jar of oil and the flat paddle he had brought for spreading it. "You should bathe her first, though. It's better the Weyrlingmaster said."
A bath? In this weather? Well, if you insist! At least I'll be clean!
"And beautiful," Aylitan replied, starting to get out of bed. "Hey, where are my clothes!"
Ahyan pointed. "Over there, on the table. They washed them."
Aylitan quickly walked over there, and started getting dressed, not really caring who saw. She was comfortable with her body, and didn't mind what Ahyan saw anyway.
Ahyan tried not to stare, and so concentrated heavily on Yohlisanth, despite getting glances. Were all Elves that good looking? All willowly and pretty? And muscular?
Yohlisanth butted him, almost playfully. We're almost done. If we hurry we can get me bathed and oiled before I fall asleep. I don't know why I'm tired. Maybe because I haven't moved properly yet. And with that Yohlisanth stood up, backing away from Ahyan and the others to stretch again, trotting about in a circle a few times to get herself loosened up. Oh, much better!
Aylitan grinned at her green. "Are you sure you want a bath in this fridged weather?" she asks curiously, blousing her shirt to hide her physical form in illusion once again.
Yohlisanth finished up the last of her meat daintily. Positive, Aylitan. I am absolutely filthy.
Aylitan looked the green over. What she saw didn't strike her as filthy, but perhaps she just had a warped perception of what a dragon should look like clean. She had found Yohlisanth out in the snow. But the snow was white. Oh, well. "Alright, Yohlisanth, we'll get you cleaned up then."
Yohlisanth all but purred, and started to head outside. Now? Please? the green tried to be polite, even though she wasn't going to take no for an answer anyway.
"Yes, we can go now. That is, if Ahyan will show us the way?" Aylitan amended, looking to the Candidate. He was definately a bit taller than she, though probably younger.
Ahyan nodded. "I can. This way." He stood up, leaving the bowl behind and heading out, carrying the oil with him.
Yohlisanth eagerly followed him, though stepped as daintily as was possible through the snow, trying not to plow, despite it's depth. Aylitan quietly chuckled as she followed, getting a smile from her lifemates antics.
What's so funny? Yohlisanth asked curiously.
You, silly. You're positively prancing, Aylitan replied, a laugh causing her voice to lilt upwards merrily.
Yohlisanth looked at how she was stepping. No I'm not... she replied, trying to alter her stride, but it only ended up looking like plowing, so she continued with her dainty gait.
Aylitan chuckled, and moved to walk beside the white-winged green, laying a gentle hand on the side of her neck, gentle fingers lightly brushing her neckridges.
I love you, Aylitan. I'm very glad you came when you did. The green nuzzled the sixteen-year-old Elf gently, softly purring.
Aylitan gently caressed the green. "I'm glad I came, too, Yohlisanth. Very glad." And with that they stopped, at the edge of the lake. "Oh, no. It's frozen over." Aylitan said with some unhappiness.
You could fix that, Aylitan, Yohlisanth prompted gently.
"How?" Aylitan started, but then remembered her fire magic. "Well, it's worth a shot!" she said aloud.
Ahyan glanced at her. "What is?"
"Stand back and you'll see!" Aylitan told him, and the Candidate quickly moved away from the lake. Aylitan closed her eyes, drawing on herself, and the planet beneath her feet for the energy to cast the spell. She slowly began to feel warm. It started in her midsection, and slowly spread throughout her entire being before flowing through her hands in the form of fiery red energy, which hit the icy lake, starting to melt the ice.
Aylitan didn't stop until Ahyan finally managed an exclamation of shock. "It's steaming!"
Aylitan opened her eyes. Sure enough it was. "Looks like you get a warm bath, Yohlisanth," the Elf commented, a wry twinkle in her emerald eyes.
Yohlisanth rumbled happily, and moved over to the lake, dipping the spade of her tail into the water to test it before walking into the clear depths of Ryslen Weyr's lake. Oh, this feels nice! she exclaimed, now swimming around with delight, first lids closed.
Aylitan grinned. "It does, doesn't it?" She watched her green bathe herself and looked to Ahyan. "Where's the soap?"
"Soap? We don't use soap. We sand." Ahyan told her.
Aylitan gaze him a puzzled look, but the boy chuckled. "Just wait here, I'll go get some and you'll see."
Aylitan shrugged, watching after him for a bit. Deciding that if the water was warm enough to steam, it was warm enough to skinny-dip in Aylitan undressed, and quickly slide into the water to join her lifemate. Nevermind the temperature outside. "You're right, this does feel nice!"
Yohlisanth rumbled happily, playfully pushing Aylitan. Get on my back, Aylitan. Ride me in the water!
"Are you sure?" Aylitan asked. Yohlisanth looked a little to small for that. Granted, Aylitan was lightweight, but she didn't want to hurt her friend.
Don't worry, I'm the size of a horse at least! You ride horses! Go ahead, the water will support us both! Yohlisanth reasured her.
Aylitan nodded, and climbed aboard. She found herself feeling that this was right. That this was where she was supposed to be. Where she belonged. A happy laugh escaped her, even as Yohlisanth began to dive, taking her rider down into the steamy depths of the lake that Aylitan had warmed.
It felt like eternity before they came back up again, but Aylitan felt peaceful and happy, not exhausted, or out of breath. "Oh, Yohlisanth, you're so wonderful... How did I ever survive without you?"
Yohlisanth mentally nuzzled, as well as physically. I don't know, Aylitan. I really don't. The green looked up as Ahyan arrived, trying not to stare at Aylitan.
* * *
You are listening to Nubuo Uematsu, Final Fantasy IX -- Melodies of Life with Overture (7:30)