A Dragonweight of Fun
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: AJ Kraier, Emma
Date Posted: 18th February 2007
Characters: D'val, K'reyel
Description: D'val unexpected gets pulled into a game of catch with Wingsecond K'reyel's family.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 2, day 14 of Turn 4
It was a pleasant day, warm and sunny, and just the right humidity where you were neither parched nor feeling like you were trying to breathe under water. Having finished logging his candlemarks in the Infirmary, D'val was now relaxing on the beach near his weyr, enjoying a tall cup of fruit juice, and people watching.
}:You like him.:{
**No, I don't.**
}:Then why do you keep watching him.:{
**I am not.**
}:Yes, you are.:{
**I am not watching him -- at least not in particular. I'm watching everyone on the beach.**
}:You keep thinking of him.:{
**I am n---** "Argh!" **Go to sleep, okay?**
}:As you wish.:{ There was a brief pause before Ayleth added, }:I like Erdenth,:{ and then she finally went quiet.
D'val sighed deeply, as he returned to his people watching. His gaze passed over the whole length of the beach visible to him, and then returned to K'reyel. He sighed again. The bronzerider was easy on the eyes, and he did like to look at him, but the attraction was one of convenience, not interest. Bronzeriders were safe. A male greenrider always knew were he stood with them. **No promises. No expectations.
No drama.** They were the men you took to bed in your dreams when you weren't taking anyone to bed when you were awake.
Draining the cup, D'val left it on the ground beside Ayleth and got to his feet. **I'm going for a walk.** A mental smile was the green dragon's only reply.
~*~
"Catch!"
The child threw the ball back to her father, who deliberately missed it, sticking his tongue out at her as she ran to get it.
"You never manage to get it Da! You're just no good at this game," she laughed at him.
"Kerranna!" Her older sister wagged a finger in mock anger. "Don't talk to Da like that."
"Smartiepants Reyela knows best," said the little girl smugly as she got the ball and threw it at her unsuspecting sister.
"Why you!" The older girl scrambled after the younger one, precisely as Kerranna had intended, leaving the bronzerider stood watching them.
Although he hadn't consciously intended to go there, D'val's walk brought him down to where K'reyel and his daughters were playing. He stopped at a slight distance to watch K'reyel watch his daughters.
**Predictable and safe. Pity...**
The ball tumbled out of the hands of Kerranna, bobbling along the ground for a bit. She scrambled after it, before grabbing it, and looking up at the greenrider. "Hello," she said.
D'val was startled out of his thoughts by Kerranna, but quickly covered this with a warm smile for the little girl. "Hello to you, too," he said, brightly.
"You want to play with us?"
"Umm..." D'val stole a glance in her father's direction. "...I guess
-- if your father doesn't mind..."
"Da! Can he? Pleeeeaaaasee." The girl drew out the last word, whilst trying her best smile on her father. "Please Da!"
"I suppose so, so long as we're not keeping him from anything, it's his restday too," was K'reyel's response. These days, he had little enough time to spend with the girls, so he did tend to over indulge them sometimes.
Not that weyrbred children were ever really spoilt with most of them growing up fostered. It was a rarity that had children growing up with their parents, especially if both were riders.
D'val shook his head. "No, I have nothing else to do." **Not a sound!
Not so much as a snicker,** he said to Ayleth, as he moved toward K'reyel. "What were you playing?" he asked Kerranna.
"Catch," she smiled up at the greenrider, reaching for a hand to drag him over faster. "You know how to play catch? Don't you?"
"I'm sure he does," said her father as he watched the scene.
"I think I do," said D'val. "Catch is when someone throws something and someone else tries to catch it. Right?"
"That's right." Kerranna beamed up at him. "I throw it to Reyela, she throws it to you, and then you throw it to Da. He's not very good at catching it though."
"Is that so? Should I throw it gently to him then?"
"Throw as hard as you like," joked K'reyel with a laugh. "Why don't you let Kerranna see me try to catch it?"
"Da!" The girl looked up at her father. "But what happens if you don't?"
"Then you and Reyela can run after it."
"Well, if you're sure, Sir..." Turning to Kerranna, D'val said, "Shall we start the game?"
Kerranna nodded, tossing the ball sloppily to her older sister. Reyela then threw it underarm to the greenrider.
D'val caught it easily enough, but then hesitated, uncertain of just how hard he should give it to K'reyel.
"Go on! To my Da!" egged on Kerranna.
"Okay." D'val threw the ball hard and on a high arc toward the bronzerider.
He was going to need both hands, that much was clear from the way the ball was coming in. But given that it was much lighter than a sack of firestone it shouldn't be too hard to catch, or so the bronzerider thought. With sand beneath his feet, it was all to easy to slip as he caught it, and drop the ball as he stumbled to catch his balance.
Kerranna couldn't help it, "Da!" she giggled. "You look funny!"
D'val did his best to choke back a laugh, but accidently turned it into a snort of laughter. He cleared his throat. "Uh... Sorry, Sir, but was that too hard for you?"
"Too high maybe." The bronzerider had to cling onto some dignity after all.
"Sorry. I'll go lower next time."
"Do you want to play some more?" asked K'reyel of his girls.
Both nodded. "Looks as though there will be a next time then."
"Then let's play. I believe you throw it to her now," said D'val, gesturing to Kerranna.
It was a soft tap to the girl, who passed it on to her sister and then in turn to the greenrider.
D'val was gentler this time, tossing more so than throwing the ball to K'reyel.
"That was too easy greenrider," remarked K'reyel as he passed it onto the girls.
His third time throwing the ball D'val used as much force as the first time, but threw it with less of an arc, aiming at the center of the bronzerider's chest.
"That's much more like it," was the reply.
"Da! This is fun, isn't it?" shouted Kerranna, before turning to the greenrider, waiting for him to say something.
"It's a dragonweight of fun," said D'val.
"Yes!" yelled the girl. "It's lotas fun!"
Last updated on the February 19th 2007