Twenty minutes later, Apollo and Vainith had finally chosen an oil they liked and had been given a place in the weyrling barracks. Both got wierd looks from the other weyrlings, seeing as neither man nor dragon had been seen before by any of them, but they both figured it was because they were incredibly good looking and ignored the stares.

Where should I oil first? Apollo asked, dipping his cloth into the flowery scented oil.

Vainith thought for a moment and then rolled over, reminding Apollo of a puppy waiting for a belly scratch. Well, I'm not a puppy and I don't want a belly scratch just now, I want a belly oiling, he told his rider.

Apollo chuckled and started oiling. Vainith hummed happily and Apollo started humming as well, except that he was humming the music he'd been walking down the runway to. Within a few moments, dragon and rider were humming the same tune.

What was it like where you came from? Vainith wondered suddenly, not missing a beat in the tune.

Well, I was the best looking man there, Apollo replied after a moment. There was one woman who was almost as good looking as me. And everyone kept clean. Some of the people here, you'd think taking a bath was a crime!

Were there dragons there? Vainith asked, shifting slightly so that Apollo's hand was rubbing a different spot.

Not real ones, Apollo told him. People wrote fairy tales about them though. But those dragons were all mean and ugly.

Vainith snorted. Some of the dragons here are mean. Like that Xenarioth. Always bossing the rest of us around. You can't imagine how horrible it was in there! Two, maybe three oilings a day, and only one bath if we were lucky!

Apollo scratched the little dragon's eyeridge lovingly. Well, you're not down there anymore, Vai. And I'll see to it that you get four oilings a day, and nice long ones too. And a morning and evening bath.

And one in the middle of the day if I get dirty! Vainith added happily.

Of course.
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