Saved from the cold.

[littleangelamy22]

Lotus woke up suddenly. She was no longer frozen. Her eyes blinked rapidly as they adjusted to the new light. She was in the infimary. In a sick bay. Her toes were still numb, but she was much warmer now. She gratefully huddled up to her blanket. Then she heard a familiar voice inside her head.
"Lotus, are you okay? What happened? I was contacted by Fierth."
It was Pryeth talking to her, from inside her own head. Lotus still had'nt quite grasped the mind-speaking stuff. She was new to this world, having always looked in from the boudraies in the past.
"Pryeth, I'm fine. Just a bit Chilly. Fierth and Sh'dar saved me." She said aloud. She hoped Pryeth could hear. Lotus did'nt know if she herself could mindspeak. Some people could, others could'nt. For now, she would have to talk to her dragon as if she was there herself.
"Why were you in the mountains Lotus? You could have died! Thank-goodness that Fierth and his rider, Sh'dar you said, where there to help."
Lotus nodded. Her head sank down into the blankets of the warm hospital bed.
"Pryeth, I know. I don't know how I got there, I just sort of did. I got lost." she answered aloud. By now she was sure that Pryeth could hear. Part of her also hoped that Sh'dar, who was still there, could'nt hear either. It must look quite odd.
She let her body sink back down into the pillows on the hospital bed, and smiled at the warmth they brang. She'd go home soon, but not without thanking Sh'dar properly. She just needed the guts to do it.
He was still there. She could hear and feel his breathing. It would'nt take much to tell him how grateful she was, but she felt she did'nt have the strength to do it. Why was she so shy? After what seemed like hours, but must have only been seconds, she decided she had to tell him, or at least try. And to tell him right now.
"Sh'dar, thank-you for saving me. I'd be dead if it were'nt for you and your magnificent dragon. I can't tell you how grateful I am. I'm Lotus by the way, Lotus Di'Rylli. I'm very pleased to meet you properly, as apposed to uum.. Well being rescued. Thank-you again."
She had done it. She had thanked the marvellous man who had saved her. And she knew that she truly meant every word of it.

[Khaliall]

Sh'dar, however, who was sitting just out of sight while waiting for her to wake up, did not find her talking to nothing the least bit strange.
He was used to the Weyr after all. Any Dragonrider would understand, since many riders did it.
She's awake Fierth told him unnecessarily. His rider rolled his eyes.
I can hear that for myself, thank you he replied dryly.
Well, shouldn't you go talk to her?
I'm letting her talk to her dragon.
Sh'dar had always liked speaking mentally to Fierth. He liked the fact that nobody could hear you when you did--and since he talked to himself in his head anyway, it had come with ease in the days following his Impression.
However, he was extremely curious about this young woman and her Dragon whom he'd never heard of. He thought that he knew everyone in the Weyr!
And the nature of her relationship with her dragon puzzled him. Where had her dragon been when she was lost? Why had she not contacted her to let her know?
How long ago had she Impressed? He would have thought that she was a Weyrling, in training, but...she hadn't Impressed at any of the recent clutches or he would have known her. Perhaps she was a Transfer rider, come from another Weyr?

With these thoughts running through his mind, he got up, stretched his long legs, and reluctantly ambled over towards the bed where the girl lay.
She wasn't looking quite so...frozen. That was good.
"You look better," he said grudgingly. "I hope you're feeling...uh...better."
Now that the emergency was over, he'd lost his ability to speak coherently, apparently. This was another reason he didn't like being around people.
"Oh...you're welcome." He raked a hand through his sandy blond hair, embarassed.
"Couldn't just leave you there. And it was all Fierth's doing."
I like her. said Fierth. She thinks I'm magnificent!
You'd like anybody if they complimented you he grumbled.
"Nice to meet you, Lotus." So that was her name. "Properly." A ghost of a smile crossed his face and was gone. "So, how long've you been in the Weyr? 'Fraid I don't recognize your name."

[littleangelamy22]

Lotus was now listening intently to Sh'dar voice. It seemed strong but reluctant, a bit like her in many ways. In response to his question, she answered:
"Not long. I always used to live on the borders, looking in. In many ways I still do. Meeting Pryeth was good luck. I did'nt count on it happening and never thought that I could one day ride a dragon...
I don't actually know Pryeth that well to be honest. I've only met her recently. I'm really new to all this." and then shut her eyes. She did'nt quite know why, It cam as a sort of natural reaction to what was going on. Sh'dar was still there beside her hospital bed. Part, well most, of her was surprised at that. He seemed like a reluctant hero, who would'nt stick around for long if he could help it. Yet he did. She shrugged involantarily.
"Lotus, are you sure you're alright? Fierth has got me worried."
"I'm Fine Pryeth. Don't panic. The hospital staff, Sh'dar and Fierth will look after me." She replied aloud. "I'm fine. Trust me."
It felt weird talking to herself. No-one seemed to mind, which helped. If her mother was alive she could only imagine what she would think of talking aloud in such a way. Nonetheless, she was safe now and that mattered. It mattered a lot.

[Khaliall]

Sh'dar was frowning faintly, his oddly coloured eyes focused just beyond the girl's head. He had been sitting against a wall earlier, now the lanky dragonrider folded himself into the chair beside her bed.
He had resigned himself to the fact that he wasn't leaving. This girl confused him, and seemed so different from all the riders in the Weyr he knew.
"So..." He thought, tried to put his thoughts into words, and trailed off, feeling stupid. It was not a feeling he was accustomed to.
"You Impressed here, then?" She must've, 'cause Moon dragons didn't hatch anywhere but Misuri, but he couldnt for the life of him place her. "Riding a dragon's pretty spectacular, isn't it? It takes a while to get used to sharing your mind that way--to having a second self." After a moment, he realized he was sounding sentimental, so stopped and sat very straight.
She is different, Mine Fierth told him.
"I didn't expect to Impress either, but I grew up around here. Are you from around here?"
Sh'dar felt a twinge of alarm as she told her dragon that he'd look after her. Fierth probably would be happy to, being his gallant self but the rider felt distinctly nervous at that idea.
"How long've you and Pryeth been together, then? A dragon graduates from Weyrlinghood at two Turns [years] but it sounds like you two've been elsewhere..."
And that intrigued him. He couldn't imagine Impressing, and then not being in the Weyr. Was that what she was saying, or had he misunderstood her? He couldn't help his curiousity.
It didn't occur to him that such questions could've been considered rude.

[littleangelamy22]

Lotus listened intently to Sh'dar's questions. Had she been him, she would have asked the same questions, she thought. She knew that living on the edge had made her a sort of outcast, but That did'nt matter very much. Not to her. She thought on answers to Sh'dar's questions. It would be hard to explain, but she would have to, nontheless.
"Me and Pryeth have been paired up since she was born" Lotus began, "about 2 and a half years ago. It was my 17th birthday. I had never really known the wyr itself, I had always been an outsider. On that day however, I decided to go in and see what life in Misuri Weyr was really like. So I impressed here I guess. It was kind of an accident, I had no idea where I was going. Apart from that I was going South, so that I could easily turn around and go north if I needed to go back home, or when it got dark. Somehwo I wondered into the hatching sands. It thought it was just an ordinary desert, I had no idea that these sand were the sands where baby dragons hatched. I sat down on the sand, having gotton lost despite trying to go south, and while I was, Pryeth hatched. And for some reason, she decided then that I would be her rider. She guided me back home, and I she's my greatest friend but I often feel scared to go back into Misuri. I never knw what would happen. It's a strange place. So until recently, we lived on the very borders of Misuri, on the outside looking in, just as I had done most of my life. Pryeth then decided that the trips into Misuri would be longer, and more often, until she picked up our little shack of a house and moved it so it was just inside the border. And then we went explotring, but today Pryeth said she needed to do something, I could'nt guess what. I got lost, and ended up in the mountains. I thought I would die of cold, till you are your magnificent dragon Fierth appeared. That's it. I don't think I have anything more to say."
"That's exactly how it happened though is'nt it Lotus. Do you know when the hospital will let you out?"
Lotus shook her head, and vibrant red hair, as a response to Pryeth's question. She knew she'd understand.
"What normally happens then?" Lotus asked Sh'dar, "How do people normally meet there dragons? I know my expiernce was'nt normal."
She puffed up the pillows and waited for him to reply. It had been a long day, and as the sun set outside her hospital window, it was going to be a long night as well.

[Khaliall]

Sh'dar sat very still as he listened, head tilted slightly to one side. He said nothing until she had finished her narration, and nodded his head slightly to show that he had heard.
His eyes were thoughtful.
"I see." Then a half smile caught at his lips. "All riders meet their dragons the day they were born."
He was quiet a moment, remembering his own Impression to Fierth. How many Turns ago now? Probably about three...he couldn't remember, quite.
"Well, for whatever reason she Chose you. It happens like that a lot. I never expected Fierth to choose me, but one moment I was a Candidate, and the next I'd become a Copper rider. Did you come to lessons here, then?" His voice was curious. He couldn't imagine raising a Hatchling without a Weyrling Master to guide him...He though, wryly, that he'd probably have wound up killing Fierth or something if first Weyrlingmistress Khaliall, then Weyrlingmaster K'ral, hadn't guided them.

"I guess it is a bit of a strange place," he mused after a moment. "You just get used to it. But there aren't a lot of us. It's probably as well you haven't been here. A couple Turns back, there were some Renegades who attacked us, and killed our Weyrwoman of the time. Then there was the Chosen Plague, then the Earthshake (though I think that would've been outside of the Weyr too) and most recently another plague. We lost some good people. Nearly lost the Weyrleader."
He was surprising himself with how much he was speaking.
You haven't spoken this much since you met Anarriima. I wonder where she went?
Sh'dar tensed at the mention of the Illusionrider, a Junior Weyrwoman, who had vanished a Turn or so ago. There might have been something between them. He'd never know, or admit it. Fierth was instantly contrite. His rider ignored him, responding to her question.
"Normally, you get Searched by a dragon and taken to the Weyr, somewhere between the ages of...oh, 13 and 20. I was eighteen, when the Searchdragon came to my home and told me that I was suitable to become a dragonrider. I was a Candidate at the Weyr for a Turn, taking lessons about becoming a Dragonrider. I stood at two clutches, waiting for a dragon to hatch that found me suitable. At my third, Fierth hatched and wandered over to tell me that I was His forever, and that he wanted to be fed now, please. It's usually like that. I don't think that his Clutchmother, the dragon who laid his egg, liked me much, but that didn't affect him. "He smiled slightly, recalling, then was appalled that he'd started to talk about himself.
"The Weyr would be happy to have you," Sh'dar said quickly instead. "As a Rider, I mean. We're all accustomed to dragons and odd stories, here. Being unusual is almost normal.

[littleangelamy22]

Lotus smiled at the last thing Sh'dar had said and smiled. So it was normal to not be normal.. That made sense, in a way...
"What does he mean, being strange is normal?" Asked her dragon. Lotus shrugged in reply. "Then ask him!"
"How exactly does it work to have starnge be normal? I'm sorry, but I don't quite get it. Neither does Pryeth." Lotus asked. She however, did'nt wait for a reply. She had'nt had a conversation this long since her mother died, and probably before that as well.
"I never had a weyrmaster or anything. Maybe dragonriding was in my blood or something, cus once we were both ready, we just took a deep breath and flew to the stars. But came back in time for supper, of course." She smiled. The biggest and happiest smile she had smiled in years.
She could tell that in some way's, Sh'dar was quite like her. They both had odd pasts, she could tell that something had ahppened to him, they both rode magnificent dragons, and they were both kinda shy sometimes. But thankfully not all the time. She was starting to really like Sh'dar. Maybe they could stay friends after she recovered? She certianly hoped so. It had been ages since Lotus had had any real friends, unless you included Pryeth. But that was'nt quite the same.

[Khaliall]

Sh'dar was worried that something he'd said had offended her (he couldn't imagine what it might have been, but he did that occasionally) when she didn't speak for a moment, but nodded gravely once she did.
"I'm serious!" He was rarely anything but. "Almost everybody here has something about them that's not normal. I mean, our Weyrwoman Kisa, the leader, is a Chosen and can read peoples minds. Our WeyrHealer disappeared for two Turns. One of the Weyrlings used to be Holdless, and another one is totally insane. Two of the girls from the latest clutch ride male dragons, and THAT'S not normal. Half the dragons here are odd, too. It's not just the riders. I thing not being normal is a prerequisite for becoming a dragonrider." He shrugged. "But maybe that's just me."

He listened intently, still finding it hard to believe.
"You must've been fast to get away from here with a barely hatched dragon, and not have people come after you," he remarked. "I don't think any Weyrling's ever left before!" But he thought about the Weyrhealer he'd mentioned and wondered. But that hadn't been directly after the hatching.
He couldn't help but smile back when she did, and lifted a shoulder in a half-shrug.
I'm always right said a self-satisified Fierth. His rider would have glared at the Copper been there. Fortunately for him, he wasn't.
What? She'd be dead if not for me!
How lucky I am that you're so modest he replied sarcastically.
"So," he began carefully. "How are you feeling? Better? I mean, you technically SHOULD be a part of the Weyr, but you obviously haven't been, and since you're here, you could stay...We lost a lot of riders in the Plague. I mean, you wouldn't HAVE to, but it'd be nice..."
What had gotten into him?

[littleangelamy22]

"I think that would be cool. I mean, It would be cool to be able to persuade myself to, well let myself actually integrate into the coomunity. You might have been the push I needed. Pryeth has been pushing my house closer and closer to the border, so... I think I will stay." Lotus took a deep breath and smiled after she had finished speaking. It was something she had secretly wanted to say for a long time, but had never really dared. Pryeth had always wanted to move to the wyr, though she wanted to stay with her rider Lotus. Now she was delighted.
"Thank-You Lotus. The Weyr, oh the weyr, I know this is where we belong Lotus." Lotus smiled at her Dragon's comment, but did'nt reply. It was almost like she did'nt need too. Maybe soon she would be able to mindspeak with Pryeth. That could not happen too soon.
Lotus realised that she had starting drifting, off to planet Lotus, the world of her mind. She shook her head and stepped out of it. Back into the real world. Where she belonged.
Her mind was now set. However much persuading she had needed, she needed no more. She would live in the Weyr with Pryeth, and hopefully fully integrate with the community and have a happy life with lots of friends. One of them being Sh'dar.

[Khaliall]

Sh'dar, much to his surprise, smiled when she said that she would stay. He was unexpectedly pleased. He had thought that he would've been happier had she said, 'no, thank you, I think I'll go home.' After all...the Weyr was a different place when you'd been living on your own.
"That's great," he said casually. "I'm sure the Weyrleaders would be happy to have another competent rider join us. You could just say you're a transfer from another Weyr to stop any questions."
Or she didn't have to say anything; that was the other possibility.
He watched, recognizing the look in a riders eyes as they spoke to their dragon, and was quiet so as not to interrupt her.
He remembered something she'd said about not being able to mindspeak her dragon, or maybe she hadn't said it but it had been implied...
"You know, all you have to do is think at your dragon for her to hear," he said cautiously aloud in case she would be offended. "She can hear everything in your mind anyway, so..." He trailed off and shrugged. "Just takes practice. Not everyone can do it right away, and I still haven't got used to thinking to myself and getting a reply."
Haha...Are you saying that to be nice or are you serious?
Be quiet. It'd be nice to have a thought to MYSELF every once in a while. he grumbled to the Copper.
"Great," he said aloud, feeling redundant. "Erm...I could show you around if you liked? If you're well enough to get out of here that is."

[littleangelamy22]

"I think I will be able to escape here soon." She laughed. Somehow it seemed funny. She could'nt think why, it just sort of was. In the wierd way, as if the whole day had been nothing but a dream.
"My legs are still a bit wobbly though. I might trip, but my toes are'nt completly numb anymore." She slowly flung her legs over the side of the bed, which was surprisingly high, and wobbled onto the floor. She reached out and grabbed Sh'dar's hand for support. She was almost surprised he did'nt react. Not visually anyway.
She blushed, and hoped he did'nt see. She pulled herself up and put the hospital blankets back on the bed, organizing them perfectly. She then turned and smiled at Sh'dar. It was time to go. And also time to, try, to talk to her dragon, without saying a word aloud.
"Pryeth, can you hear me?"
"Yes I can thank-you. Is this the food delivery service?"
Lotus chuckled, "No silly, It's me. Wow, It's working, I'm actaully talking to you, without saying a word aloud!"
"Oh Wow, that's so amazing! Why don't you throw a party, or call the ambulance service."
Lotus rolled her eyes. Pryeth could be, well so Pryethish at times. Anyway, no it was the time to escape from the hospital. Escape, becuase she had'nt been allowed to leave yet.

[Khaliall]

((Italicize when rider speaks to dragon so we can see the difference))

"Good." He didn't like the infirmary much. In fact, it was one of Sh'dar's least favourite places in the Weyr. It wasn't exactly a place you'd go for fun. It was so white and sterile, and it smelled like death, or the absence of anything...
"Moving will probably help get feeling back in them, since the Healers worked on warming you up."
The bed was piled unusually high with blankets, and there were hot stones at the foot to keep it warm.
"You were out for a little while, but not too long," he remarked casually, and inwardly flinched when she reached out to support herself on him. He stayed perfectly still, allowing her to get her balance. He was just suprised by the touch, was all.
He wasn't used to it.

He might have blushed, but Sh'dar never blushed. He just stood there a moment, then nodded, watching as she remade the bed.
"You didn't have to do that," he said, glancing about. The Healers would've done so, and since there wasn't much illness at the moment, probably wouldn't have minded.
Then again, they probably would prefer it to be done for them. It wasn't exactly an important task.
"Did you try it?" he asked eventually, wondering.
Hah. Why are you asking?
I'm curious! he said defensively. Shuddup.
Fierth snickered in his mind. He ignored him. It was one of his favourite strategies when the dragon was being unbearable.
"C'mon. Let's go talk to the Healer on duty right now to release you."

[littleangelamy22]

Lotus nodded. It would probably be a lot more sensible to ask the healer than just sneaking out. Not quite as fun though.
It took longer than expected to find the healer. They just seemed to drift around. And they were also angry when they relised that Lotus had been out of bed. But fortunatly with some charm and some persusion from both Sh'dar and Lotus, she was allowed to leave. She stumbled outside into the cool fresh air and took a long deep breath. It felt good to breath the real air again, rather than the manufactured air of the hospital.
"Real air feels good." she said, smiling at Sh'dar. A long smile, that she really meant.
"Pryeth, I've left the hospital, I won't be long."
"Good. What took you so long?"
"Chief healer, regulations, all that baloney. It feels good to be out though."
"I'm glad. Maybe you won't run off next time."
"I did'nt run off!"
"You would say that. Looked like running off to me..."
"I got lost. Can we talk later?"
"Okay, okay. See you then, but don't take long.."
Lotus smiled at Sh'dar.
"So my rescuer, what do I owe you? I think the eternal servitude is going a bit far, but what would you like?"
She smiled and looked up at him, and waited for a reply.

[Khaliall]

Sh'dar did not like infirmaries. It was not a well known fact. There was just something about those stifling white walls, and the rows of identical beds, occupied by the sick, injured or dying. They were so...oppressive. He much preferred to be outside.
It wasn't as though he liked people in the first place, but being surrounded by sick ones was even worse than ones who would chatter at him.
Once they were free, after a bit of hunting for Healers (he couldn't find K'lern, the main Weyrhealer or Jafen, another of the main ones but had to settle for a stranger) he breathed a sigh of relief.
He could have gotten rid of the girl, he supposed, but that seemed downright rude.
In the Weyrbowl, he folded his arms across his chest and felt a little bit awkward. What now? In saving the girl he'd forgotten about his characteristic shyness. In wanting to help her, he'd pushed it aside.
You ought to do that more often laughed Fierth. His rider would've rolled his eyes, but he didn't want Lotus to think that he was rolling his eyes at her.
You wouldn't like it if I did he pointed out. You're no extrovert either.
You have a point. Fierth fell silent, considering this. Then, in an attempt to set an example for his rider, he said Pryeth, if our riders are going to be wandering around the Weyr, would you like to join me in sunning on the Weyr ledge?
Sh'dar closed his eyes, took a deep breath to steady his mind, then opened them again.
I'll get back at you he warned. Fierth just laughed, and he turned towards Lotus with a hesitant smile.
"Well, firstly, please do not call me your rescuer," he said very gravely. "It really was not I who did anything, and while I am glad to have saved you, you do not need to feel like you owe me anything."
He paused for a moment.
She'll feel hurt if you don't say something his Copper told him slyly.
Since Sh'dar hated hurting peoples' feelings, he said, "Well, I suppose that you could let me show you around the Weyr a bit. If you like, of course. But you owe me absolutely nothing." He said this firmly. "There's no need for you do feel indebted in any way."

[littleangelamy22]

"Sounds good to me Fierth. We'll leave them to it."
And Pryeth wandered slowly off.

"Are you sure?" Lotus asked him. "I mean, I'm sure any other man would want me to do something for him, or any person for that matter. Maybe I'm just being weird becuase I'm not around people often. Or maybe you are not like a normal person. Like nicer or something."
Lotus smiled.
"Sorry if I'm rambling. I have'nt spoken to anyone in ages." She smiled again and tripped over a stone and landed spalt in a pile of mud.
"Oh buckets!" she yelled and winced as she tried to rub some mud out of her eyes. She secretly hoped Sh'Dar had gone, so she would'nt be faced with the embaressment of him seeing. But of course he had'nt.
She pulled herself up and took a deep breath, cursing herself for being such a fool.
"I'd like to be shown around, but could we stop at my house first. I think I need a wash."