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Post by effluo on Oct 24, 2007 10:34:21 GMT -5
Canora was up early along with the rest of those that slept in the Weyrling Master’s weyr. Folding a shirt for her youngest, Canora spotted the little girl coming out of the wash room.
“Here darling, take your hairbrush and find your father to help you, I think he’s putting the harness on Eznorth.”
“Okay mommy.” She said with a yawn. It was early, but she had been told that she’d be spending the day with the pretty gold rider in her father’s class and had not minded the idea at all. Taking the brush, she hopped off to find her father tightening one of the buckles on the bronze’s leather harness.
“Will that hold all three of you?” she asked, handing the brush to her father without needing to tell him what her mother had asked her to. Smiling Lan’ae took the brush and motioned for her to lead the way back to the main room of the Weyr.
“Of course darling. Ancanis will have his own belt, just like mommy, but will be strapped in on both of our loops since the harness was made for two, but it will hold just fine. Its in good condition.”
“Good. It would hurt to fall off.” Sitting down on the bed, she waited as her father tossed a leg over her to sit behind her. Feeling the brush begin at the bottom of her curls still present from her baby turns, she looked over to her mother as she put her teddybear into the small bag as well.
“She will pick me up soon?” she asked.
“Yes your father told her to come this morning. And her name is Neory. Be polite to her okay?”
“Yes mommy.”
Ancanis’ voice could be heard from the doorway as he greeted the bronze dragon he had grown up playing with before he rounded the corner into the room. He was in the leathers his father had ordered to be made for the boy who often rode with him upon the bronze, his own riding belt tossed over his shoulder. It was easy to tell the teenager was no stranger to riding.
“I’m all set.” He said with a smile. “It’s a pity there isn’t room in that harness for Anistora too, she’d like the beach.”
“Daddy says I can go when you have your own dragon.”
“He did, did he? Maybe he’ll even let you ride with me.” The boy replied with a grin to the little girl. This statement seemed to excite the girl and it was easy to tell she liked the idea of riding with her confident big brother.
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Post by kayla on Oct 24, 2007 16:11:06 GMT -5
Neory had not had a lot of free time to think about what it was that she would do with the eight turn old today, so she hoped that she would be able to find things to do which would not bore the child out of her skull.
I believe she will enjoy the honor of washing and oiling a Queen dragon.
Neory chuckled warmly hearing Sheluth's suggestion. Yes, lovely and vain one, I am sure that she will enjoy that. However, to be perfectly honest, she'd probably enjoy it with any dragon. Her gold was the largest of the clutch, though Neory knew that difference between the Gold and the Bronzes was not much, and that she might always be a "little gold" or at least, she would not be larger than her mother. And yet, Sheluth's Rider was not disturbed by that.
However, Neory was pretty sure that she and Anistora would manage to have a good time even if she did not have a lot specifically planned out.
"I'll be back shortly with Anistora. Be nice to her."
I am always nice.
Neory chuckled and sent a quick, Yes, you are. to the Gold and then headed towards the Weyrling Master's weyr. She knocked on the door, he said before breakfast, so Neory was intending to take the child to her weyr to put down her stuff, and then to breakfast.
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Post by effluo on Oct 29, 2007 9:21:44 GMT -5
Hearing the knock at the door, Lan’ae looked up from his work on his daughter’s hair. “That must be Neory –“ before he could get up, however, Ancanis waved him back down.
“Finish her hair, I’ll get the door.” Nodding his approval, Lan’ae continued to gather the little girls hair behind her before splitting it into three sections and weaving them back and forth across each other with obviously practiced hands.
The lanky boy opened the door with a smile. Despite being only 16 turns old as of that day, he could easily look the young woman in the eyes, he would grow to be a decent height with the coming turns. “Good Morning, Pa’s inside, come on in. He’s doing Anistora’s hair.”
Seeing the young woman in the doorway, Anistora smiled and waved even as Lan’ae picked up the leather strip off the bed and tied it neatly at the end of her braid.
“Now remember, her name is Neory. So behave and listen to her okay darlin’? We’ll be back in the morning.” Canora spoke to the child before turning to Neory. “I’d be surprised if she gave you any problems at all. Let her help you with whatever you are doing and she’ll be happiest. She really does like to lend a hand.” Handing out the small bag with extra clothes, a blanket and her teddy Lan’ae’s wife smiled at the newest goldrider.
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Post by kayla on Oct 29, 2007 10:50:40 GMT -5
Neory nodded to the young man and smiled warmly to him, "Thank you." She had to grin at the picture of the Weyrling Master braiding his eight-turn daughter's hair. It was a sweet picture, though in the weyr seeing a man being quite so tender with a young girl in something so mundane as braiding her hair was rather unusual since most weyrbrats were fostered out and even involved fathers did not deal with such mundane issues.
Neory turned to Canora as she gave last minute directions to her daughter and then to herself, "I'm not too worried about her, ma'am. I believe that we will have a good day. I thought, if she was interested that we'd start by feeding and bathing Sheluth, and then get some breakfast for ourselves." Until the gold dragon could hunt on her own, Neory always saw to her needs before her own. "Unless she's already eaten? But it being a restday, there's likely to be flatcakes for breakfast in the hall."
She accepted the young girl's bag and then smiled to the child herself, "Ready? I know Sheluth is looking forward to you helping wash and oil her."
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Post by effluo on Oct 29, 2007 11:48:34 GMT -5
Yes, it was unusual to see a man so tender with his own daughter, especially in mundane tasks, but with Lan’ae from the Hold and Canora believing strongly in family ties despite being Weyrbred, the two together took extra lengths to keep the family as close as possible. This was one of those simple things that could strengthen the bond.
“No, she hasn’t eaten and I bet she’d love flatcakes.” Glancing down at her daughter who had hopped off the bed and put on her coat, Canora smiled and picked up the little stocking hat, topped off with a fluffy ball and put it on Anistora’s head. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
A short hug and kiss followed before Anistora looked up at the young goldrider with a smile, lifting her hand up to hold the woman’s. “I wanna meet your gold dragon. Papa says they are always the biggest!”
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Post by kayla on Oct 29, 2007 12:07:35 GMT -5
Neory grinned as she took the child's hand, "Well, we're going to put your stuff in my bunk and collect the 'little gold' and you can see her all you want. And she is the biggest in her clutch." Even though she is relatively small for a gold, she was still bigger than the bronzes even if just barely.
Are you bringing the child? I'm hungry and want a bath!
Neory giggled as she lead Anistora to her barracks, "And she just informed me that she's impatient to be fed and cleaned, so I believe she'll be more than ready for us when we get there. ... And here we are." Since the Weyrling Master's weyr was not far from the Weyrling barracks.
Good! Put her stuff down and let us go. Tell her I say she is almost as pretty as you are, Mine, and that she will be allowed to pamper me all she wants. But first I'm hungry and you promised to feed me as soon as you collected her.
Neory laughed warmly, "Sheluth says to tell you that you are very pretty and she will allow you to pamper her all you want. She also demands that we feed her now."
And the goldrider would lead the child and the dragon down to where the meat was cut and prepared. "Anistora, why don't you keep Sheluth company while I cut her some fresh meat. As impatient as she is, she'd be quite angry if I tried to give her anything other than fresh meat." And while Canora had told her to let the child help, Neory was not about to let her help with cutting up the meat!
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Post by effluo on Oct 29, 2007 13:27:00 GMT -5
It was easy to tell the eight turn old’s smile was genuine as it showed every last one of her teeth at the sight of the young queen. Eyes already dancing, the girl paused long enough to give a quick curtsy to the dragon for she had always been polite to the beasts having grown up with Eznorth and the rest of the Weyr.
Bouncing to catch up to Neory after the quick pause, she watched the young woman put her things down before following her as quickly as her little legs would carry her out to where the meat was prepared for the weyrlings daily. Hearing that she should keep the gold company, she smiled and nodded briskly letting the little ball of fluff at the top of her hat bounce back and forth.
Turning back to Sheluth, Anistora smiled again at the young gold. While she had grown up to respect dragons, it was also easy to tell that she was not afraid of them in the least as she spoke to the queen in person, both hands politely behind her back.
“My papa’s bronze says I am good at scratching eyeridges. I can scratch yours while we wait if you lower your head to where I can reach.”
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Post by kayla on Oct 29, 2007 17:20:37 GMT -5
Neory chuckled at the little girl before turning her attention to the meat and the task before her. She was not arrogant enough to try to cut the meat without paying attention as she had no desire to loose a finger. With practiced ease, she filled a bucket of chunks of meat that Sheluth could eat, occassionally pausing to check on he two of them.
Sheluth, for her part, was reather eager to eat, but she knew if she did not wait for the cutting process she would not get the freshest. best tasting meant, and she did not want "stale" stuff. At the little girl's offer, she would look at her closely, with an eye whirring with contentment, and then lower her head the little bit the young girl needed to reach.
I like her. You should have her around for an extra pair of hands to take care of me at all times.
Neory chuckled as she cleaned up her work area. She'd be glad to clean her hands after feeding the Queen. You are truly vain, dearest Sheluth.
"All right, Sheluth's breakfast is ready." She would smile, "If you're very careful you can help feed her, but she tends to get very greedy, so you'll want to watch your fingers and hands."
I am not going to bite her.
"Good, but she still needs to be careful."
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Post by effluo on Oct 31, 2007 9:04:49 GMT -5
Some would have been amazed that Anistora could fit a smile so wide upon her small, round face but as the gold lowered her head after the little girls offer, well Anistora couldn’t help but be happy. Reaching up, she scratched at the eyeridge just as she had been taught, but a little more gently as she remembered that the gold was much, much smaller than her father’s bronze – at least for now.
Hearing Neory say the breakfast was ready, the little girl took a step back to make room. Eyeing the meat she looked up at the young woman and asked, “When does Sheluth learn to hunt by herself? Wouldn’t she prefer it that way?”
Looking back at the gold dragon she tilted her head. “Maybe I can watch you first? I don’t know how to do it.” The little girl was obviously not ashamed of the fact that this was something she did not know, but even so she was hesitant in trying something new when it involved the teeth of a dragon.
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Post by kayla on Oct 31, 2007 12:25:43 GMT -5
Sheluth reaffirmed to Neory that she liked this child, which caused Neory to chuckle and shake her head as she brought the bucket of meat over to the two. "That is because you like the extra attention, Vain Gold." She winked at Anistora to make it clear that she was mostly teasing the Gold.
"And that is a wise decision, Anistora. I had intended for you to watch first anyway. While Sheluth will be very careful, I'd rather avoid any accidents." Neory smiled to the young girl, "As far as hunting? Sheluth won't be able to hunt until she is able to fly. Flight is pretty important to a hunting dragon."
But she is right. I think I will prefer hunting.
"However, Sheluth says that you're right. That she will prefer hunting for herself. And so will I. I would do anything for Sheluth, but I don't love cutting up the bloody meat. Soon she'll be able to eat it without it needing to be cut."
She picked up a piece and held it above Sheluth's mouth. The gold opened her mouth and Neory dropped the meat in. Sheluth greedily closed her mouth and ate the piece of meat. "See, even I don't get my hands near her to feed her." She repeated it couple of times, waiting until Sheluth had swallowed between each bite.
She then smiled to Anistora, "Want to try it? We'll get a chair for you to stand on so that your hand is well above her mouth." And Neory would hold the chair stable.
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Post by effluo on Nov 14, 2007 9:52:21 GMT -5
Anistora couldn’t help but smile – gosh did that smile ever leave her face? – as she was told by the gold dragon herself that she was, in fact, correct. Watching Neory feed the gold dragon, she finally nodded affirmation that yes, she’d like to try. She went ahead and walked with Neory, holding onto the chair as the gold rider brought it over in attempt to help, even though it wasn’t needed.
Scrambling upon the chair, she smiled and waved at the little gold who was now just an inch or two higher than the gold. Taking an offered piece of meat, she stretched to hold it up as high as she could before letting it fall into the waiting mouth. It made the eight turn old exceedingly happy to see the gold taking the meat.
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Post by kayla on Nov 14, 2007 11:29:18 GMT -5
Sheluth was careful not to reach up and snatch the meat from the girl's hand (as she might would from Neory's). The Gold knew that the child was comfortable around Dragons, but she still did not want to scare the girl.
Thank you, Sheluth. I think you're absolutely making her day.
Of course I am. Just as I will be when she washes me.
Yes, I'm sure she'll love the freezing cold water as we wash you. She grinned a bit, making sure to hold the chair steady and watching the girl. "Make sure she chews and swallows before you give her the next one. She's not as greedy as she was when she was tiny, but sometimes she forgets."
Hmmph
Lovely, think you could take a nap after eating? I think Anistora should probably have breakfast herself soon, and then we'll bathe you.
A nap would be good.
Anistora finished going through the meat, "All right, we're going to walk Sheluth back to the weyr, let her take a nap and wash up our hands, and then flatcakes for us! How's that sound?"
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Post by effluo on Nov 27, 2007 8:47:50 GMT -5
Anistora looked up at the young woman and nodded. “I like flatcakes.” She said with a smile as she climbed down carefully from the chair once all of the meat had disappeared into the golden queen. Once again holding the chair in a way that it looked like she was helping the woman, although it couldn’t be denied that Neory was doing most of the work, Anistora followed the chair until it was put away once again.
Bouncing to catch up to Neory once again, she didn’t hesitate to catch her hand to hold as she walked with her. “Do you like flatcakes Neory? They are very good with sweet syrup!”
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Post by kayla on Nov 27, 2007 11:39:03 GMT -5
Neory chuckled as the young girl caught her hand and held it as they walked back to the weyr. "Oh, I definitely like flatcakes. But I prefer them with sweet redberries than syrup, though syrup is good too." She smiled warmly down to the little one as they reached the weyr.
Sheluth gently nudged Anistora and then Neory. Take your time. I am going to take a long nap. But when I wake I want that bath!
Thanks, love.
Sheluth then headed over to her portion of the weyr and contently laid down. She took up much more room than her Green Sisters, but that was only to be expected. She was careful, because Neory always reminded her, not to crowd her smaller sisters out or take up too much of the space.
"All right, Anistora, you and I need to scrub our hands and get that yucky raw meat off them before we go eat anything ourselves." And she lead the girl over to the wash area of the girl's barracks. She would make it so they could scrub their hands at the same time, but she would make sure to get hers done so she could help Anistora if she needed it.
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