So... Weyrbred

Writers: Miriah, Yvonne
Date Posted: 5th December 2021

Characters: J'ackt, Alina
Description: Alina complains to J'ackt about her new Wingmate, Iskara
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 12, day 19 of Turn 10
Notes: Mentioned: Iskara (NPC), M'gan, Elana

J'ackt

Alina

Alina stripped off her riding gloves and threw them into the basket by
the door with more force than strictly necessary. She pulled off her
riding helmet and turned to J'ackt with a stormy expression. "It's
official. I absolutely _despise_ Iskara."

J'ackt barely looked up from his straps as he checked them. "Who's
Iskara?" He didn't recognize the name, but he didn't make a habit of
getting to know too many people.

"A new greenrider in our Wing. I told you about her, remember? M'gan
asked me to show her around, and let me tell you-- my first impression
has not changed _at_all_." Alina sighed and sat to pull off her boots.
"I'm not surprised her old Weyr got rid of her. Pity she had to come
here, though."

He had to pause as he searched his memory for the conversation. He
vaguely remembered her speaking about a new greenrider, but the truth
was, he hadn't been paying _that_ much attention. But, he knew better
than to admit that little gem. He looked up at Alina and arched a
brow. "Oh, right. Is she a bitch or the like?"

"You could say that." The greenrider's tone indicated that she
definitely _was_ the like. She sighed again and came to sit next to
her weyrmate, leaning her cheek against his shoulder. "She's _too_
weyrbred, you know?"

He put down what he was doing, understanding that she needed his
attention more than his straps did. He wrapped an arm around her waist
and gave her a brief squeeze. "What's too weyrbred, anyway? Just
too...open about things?"

The greenrider shook her head as Stumpy came over to put his head on
her knee, wagging his tail as she scritched his ears. "More like...
haven't you noticed that some weyrbred people are... they have this
attitude, like they're better than the rest of us? Most of the time I
can tolerate it, but it's exhausting. And Iskara is by _far_ the
worst."

She was answered by an arched brow. "I'm kind of used to both Holdbred
and Weyrbred thinking they're better than me." He shrugged at the
thought. "Key is not to care what they think." Looking down at Alina,
he stroked her side lightly. "Besides, since when do their opinions
really matter or affect us? They don't."

"All day today Iskara was making these snide comments about how awful
it would be to be weyrmated, or how dull it must be to live in a
Holding. I wanted to slap that stupid smile right off her stupid
face." Alina sighed, leaning into J'ackt's touch. "She's just so...
so..."

"Weyrbred?" He chuckled softly. "If you remember, I was against
weyrmating for a time myself. " He kissed her brow briefly. "Sounds
like she was trying to get to you and she did. You've got a sharp
tongue so don't be afraid to use it."

Alina leaned back to give her weyrmate a sharp look. "I am _not_ going
to stoop to her level."

J'ackt returned her look with brows raised and his lips curled in
answer. "You sure about that?" He knuckled under her chin and flashed
a quick grin. "You forget, I know you pretty good."

The greenrider sniffed. "I would _never_. She's awful."

The grin grew wider at the sniff. "Let me know when it happens. I
might like to watch." He winked. "Besides, it's been a while since
I've seen or heard you flay someone open....that's not me."

"Don't be so mean! I am a perfectly nice person!" Alina protested.

J'ackt's fact shifted to become mock-solemn, but there was laughter
dancing in his eyes that he couldn't hide. "Of course. I never said
you weren't."

She narrowed her eyes at him, considering. "No, you didn't. And I'm
going to pretend that you didn't imply it either, because I _am_ a
nice person. Anyway. Iskara. I think I hate her. She's so smug... do
you know that M'gan put out a call for wingriders with _experience_?
Iskara thinks she's so much better than the rest of us because he
allowed her to transfer in. I think, if you want to say you have
experience, you should be... old. Older."

"Perfectly nice. Yes. And I'm perfectly sociable and all that." He
nodded with a smothered chuckle, then squeezed her lightly. "Maybe she
Impressed young and when Thread started, they had to use who they had
to. She might have plenty of experience or she looks younger than what
she is." He kissed her crown again. "You know you don't _have_ to like her."

"I'm _well_ aware of that. And I would be content to ignore her except
that she just won't shut up and leave _me_ alone." Alina dug her elbow
into J'ackt's side. "And I _am_ a nice person."

He grunted softly at the elbow directed at his ribs. "She's singling
you out in the Wing? Sounds like you need to speak up. Or just punch
her in the nose when no one's looking."

"It's not just me." It was mostly her, Alina thought. "She's just
awful to a lot of people."

J'ackt knew better than to offer to speak to this Iskara; Alina had to
cope with this on her own and wouldn't want him inserting himself into
the affair. Besides, what could he do about it? If it were him and he
was dealing with a man, he would wait until they were alone and work
it out privately. He eyed Alina and cleared his throat, making the
suggestion that she do so, but then adding, "But I mean...you'd have
to know how to punch..."

Alina couldn't hold in her laughter any longer. "Good gracious, I'm
not going to-- to resort to _punching_ each other in a closet
somewhere! Elana and I learned long ago that words are _far_ worse
than fists. You'll see."

"Mmm...M'gan might have words for you, I suppose, if you _did_ resort
to punching her." J'ackt replied, his own lips curling at Alina's
laughter. "I'm sure I'll hear all about it."

"Well you won't, because I'm not going to," Alina said primly. She
stretched and then tugged off the tie at the end of her braid.
Unbraiding her hair for the evening felt like letting go of the day's
worries. "What I _am_ going to do is go for a bath. Care to join me?"

J'ackt immediately set aside what he had been working on, his interest
immediate. "Of course. I'll wash your back."

She raised an eyebrow. "You'd better. And find that nice, scratchy
washcloth before you come in. Oh-- and those lovely scented oils that
smell like flowers? I think that would be lovely today."

J'ackt sighed at the mention of oils; he was going to end up smelling
just as much of flowers as Alina. But, he reasoned, it was something
he could bear considering what usually occurred in the bath. "Sure."
He went to gather the requested supplies, stripping off his shirt and
tossing it over the bed as he went.

She took a moment to admire his retreating back, unable to help the
thought that no matter what Iskara said J'ackt was _hers_ and she
liked it that way. A small, half-moon smile tugged at her lips as she
turned to go to the bathing chamber. The day might have been rotten,
but the evening was looking up.

Last updated on the February 10th 2022

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So... Weyrbred