The Lady Wins

Writers: Eimi, Bree
Date Posted: 3rd November 2006

Characters: Supaka, O'dan
Description: O'dan tries to flirt with Supaka, but is put firmly in his place.
Location: Dolphin Hall
Date: month 13, day 20 of Turn 3

Though walking was still a trial and torment to O'dan, his daily swimming therapy was a real pleasure. After a half candlemark or so spent with the healer working on his leg, he was allowed to spend as much time as he wanted swimming--as long as he stayed close enough to the Dolphin Hall to be rescued if necessary. O'dan never had to be rescued, though. After all, there was nothing wrong with his arms, and his formidable upper body strength certainly did him well in the water.

Today he'd decided to exercise his arms _and_ his charm. As soon as the healer waved him away, he swam in a leisurely fashion in the direction of a pretty dolphineer who'd caught his attention earlier. "Going for a swim?" he asked hopefully as she turned to look at him.

"As you see, dragonrider," she smiled. The dolphineer had seen the man before. He had a rather nasty Threadscar. Probably the worst she had seen so far at the Hall. She hadn't come into contact with Threadscore out on the boat, but they all knew what it could do should their protectors not char the Thread from the sky. Thread could reduce a boat to nothing in a matter of candlemarks. Or so she'd been told. But she had never seen it, nor come into contact with those who had until she and her daughter came to the Hall. She had come to have a profound respect for dragonriders. "How is your therapy coming?"

"I'm told that I am shattering all expectations," O'dan replied a bit smugly. They'd told him he might never walk again for the first few months, but nobody had said any such thing lately. Kizynth had been shocking the dragonhealers with the same determination. They might never end up in a fighting wing again, but Kizynth would fly, and O'dan would walk.

"Well, that is indeed good news," Supaka smiled as a dolphin bumped her back playfully. "You seem to move through the water just fine."

O'dan grinned. "That's because most of me is still in working order!
Twenty-five turns of riding a dragon built enough strength that a little Threadscore isn't going to slow me down for long." Not that anyone could particularly refer to his injury as _little_ exactly, but he assumed anyone who had eyes could figure that out on their own.

She was pretty sure the fact that he was floating rather than standing on his own weight had something to do with it as well. "Well, I'm sure you'll be moving as freely on land in no time."

"Let's hope so. I'm getting a little tired of crutches!" O'dan nodded toward the dolphin who had bumped Supaka again. "Who's your friend?"

"This is... Slip, I'd say." She was still fairly new and learning all the dolphin's names. They had quite a few visitors in and out as well, so it made learning the names that much harder.

O'dan swam a little closer. "Hello, Slip."

The dolphin regarded him with one black eye a moment before squirting water in a long stream out of his mouth in O'dan's direction.
"Hellllllo man! Helllllo! Come to plaaaaay?"

Supaka chuckled. "Looks like Slip likes you. He's a good shot too. I forgot to warn you."

Wiping his face off, O'dan laughed good naturedly. "Well, as long as that's really a sign that he likes me, and not that he's going to try to drown me!"

"Haven't met anyone yet who has been drowned by a dolphin." She smiled teasingly. "Then again, I suppose it would be impossible..."

"I take pride in always doing the impossible," O'dan retorted. "In fact, it's what I'm known best for. Well, perhaps what I'm known _second_ best for." He gave her his most charming smile.

Oh dear. Dragonriders... "Well, I can tell you have more chance with the dolphin than you do with me, dragonrider."

O'dan slanted a look at Slip. "I don't think he's my type."

"Well, I can honestly say you are not my type either, dragonman," Supaka smiled. Her husband hadn't been to sea so long that she had forgotten what a good thing they shared.

"Nicely played," O'dan replied, his voice amused. "I'd insist that you can't _possibly_ know whether or not I'm your type without giving me a try, but I don't want to be given the same ultimatum. So I suppose I'll have to give in gracefully, hmmm?"

"I know you are not my husband, and that tells me right off you are not my type, so I would remind you that I know several commands I could give Slip that would result in you trying the impossible, so giving in gracefully is probably your best option." The dolphineer grinned to take some of the sting out of her words, but she wanted to make it clear that if he wanted to swim with her, he'd better know he won't be playing her.

O'dan held his hands up in a gesture of surrender. "The lady wins.
Please, accompany me on a gentlemanly swim during which I talk about nothing more intimate than the weather."

"I'll hold you to that," Supaka chuckled as she began swimming a slow lazy circle around him.

Last updated on the November 5th 2006

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The Lady Wins