Double Date ((Lakeen))

[Wolfy]

Th'orn frowned down at the lake, momentarilly missing the salty warmth of Southern's ocean. It was a far cry from the comparatively still, chilly water here. He had the absurd notion for a few seconds that all water in this world must be the same, that there was little warmth to be had in the once dragonless world. He shook his head. "Fool," he muttered to himself. There were oceans here just like those of his one faraway home. Just not at this particular weyr.

There is, of course, nothing much like your memories of your old home to cheer the day,[/i] Equinoth murmured beside him. If the comment had come from anyone else, the Healer wiuld maybe have slugged them. But it hadn't, and equinoth had no trace of sarcasm in his mind-voice. Truthfully, Th'orn often wondered if the dragon had knew what sarcasm really was. He wauld be willing to bet that he did not. It was a rather curious topic.

"Oh, shut up." Th'orn glanced down the trail again, wondering if Lakeen would come. He had asked her to come up here the other day, but hadn't been able to talk to her since. Things were fairly hectic at the moment, with a possible graduation in the Weyrling ranks and the many hatchings that had gone on recently. Not to mention the coming infants in the next few months. The Weyrleader himself was to have two children, he knew for a fact.

The sun had set in clear skies, only a few wispy clouds were stained cranberry red in the approaching darkness. Birds were singing thier lasts songs and crickets were beginning thier eerie chorus.

Th'orn was not exactly a romantic man. He knew only about the health of them, and other things a Healer might know. Yet he had made an attempt, even if, at the last minute, a rather unfortunate occurence ocured. The sharding Storm wanted to come, and you can't very well say no to a dragon like him when he has his heart set on something.

[FaizahPandora]

Lakeen walked slowly towards the lake, glancing behind her often to watch Lakeesk as he followed her. She was worried about bringing him, knowing his temper, but he had refused to stay in the weyr. She sighed, knowing that there was no convincing the bronze to stay behind.

She saw Th'orn up ahead, and she smiled. It had been a while since she had seen him, and it was nice to see him now. Not to mention she felt slightly better once she saw his dragon next to him. Good, she wouldn't be the only one who's bonded had tagged along. But almost immediately her smile faded. She hoped Lakeesk would behave himself...

I know. No bite. No claw. Lakeesk said indignantly.

Lakeen nodded. "That's right. Not biting or clawing anyone." she said sternly.

She turned to face Th'orn as they finally reached the bank of the lake. She smiled at him, feeling happy at being able to see him again. She approached him and gently hugged him, taking a step back as soon as she released the man. Then she waved at Equinoth. "Evening, dragon." She said cheerily.

[Wolfy]

Th'orn's frown lifted as he saw the Wherling ambling slowly towards him. Paying no mind toward the grotesque creature behind her, he smiled at the girl, a rare crack in the stone of his face. He had been smiling more often lately, and he had not cared to listen to his dragon's more cryptic, scolding words on the matter. His strict regime had no room for a lovesick rider. Not that he had a choice in the matter, really.

Equinoth bowed his head slightly, casting a reproving glance toward the stoic man as Lakeen greeted him. As you will not listen to me, Th'orn, I believe I will lay here and watch quietly,[/i] he said with a final tone of voice. The Storm collapsed onto the ground, repositioning himself so that he could see them, the wher, and the surrounding.

"Forgive him. He's perhaps as protective of me as the wher is of you, if I have heard the stories correctly," Th'orn said with a wry look. Turning to look at the Bronze Wher, he bowed his own head slightly as he murmured "Greetings, Lakeesk," calmly, as if he had no fear of being mauled by the bad tempered creature.

Turning away after a moment, he faced the Wherhandler and grinned, an amused twinkle to his pale eyes. "Couldn't throw him off the scent, or did he just get jealous of your time away?" He leaned in for another slightly longer, tighter hug on a whim and recieved a huff from the dragon in return.

[FaizahPandora]

Lakeen frowned when the stories of Lakeesk were brought up. "Yeah... I wish he hadn't taken it to that extreme. He is more bad tempered than most whers." She smiled almost apologetically at Th'orn.

Lakeesk grunted at the man. Well, it was really more of a growl that cut short, due to a stern glance from Lakeen. After his slight greeting he copied the dragon, laying down and keeping an eye open to watch the humans, the surroundings and the dragon.

Lakeen sighed. "I'm sorry he's in such a bad mood. He doesn't like to share me." She laughed slightly at the end of the sentence.

[Wolfy]

Th'orn's grin faded slightly as his friend's frown. "I've dealt with bad-tempered Whers before. Though I have to admit, with the glare he's giving me, he definately makes the top of the list."

Equinoth growled when Lakeesk issued his barely-disguised grunt. Red wisps bled into his slowly swirling eyes, a warning against any threat that might be made toward the Healer Weyrling. Equinoth, enough! Th'orn snapped, glaring angrilly at the images flying through the Storm's mind.

Th'orn, after one last scowl in the direction of the grey mass lying on the lakeside, withdrew a small, plain looking box from one of his many pockets. "It's for you," he said. "Open it." Inside was a dainty gold charm bracelet, complete with only three charms: a paint palette with set colored stones for paint, an ornate L, and a hand-carved wooden likeness of a Wher.

"I'm not very good at carving, or at picking out gifts," he said apologetically.


((Little muse left now! Ack!))

[FaizahPandora]

Lakeen rolled her eyes as the wher grumbled at Equinoth. "He's horrible..." She muttered to Th'orn. She laughed slightly when he said Lakeesk might be the worst. "He bit Kain once." She muttered, glaring down at her wher. She felt slightly better when the wher fidgeted.

She looked slightly perplexed as Th'orn handed her a small box. "A gift?" She asked at his apologetic statement.

She opened the box slowly, looking down at the beautiful charm bracelet. It was gold, with three charms even though one of the charms was a wooden carving of a wher. The ornate gold L and the paint palette, with what appeared to be a diamond, ruby and sapphire for white, red and blue paint, were beautiful as well. She was so surprised, and so appreciative, of the gift that tears came to her eyes.

Lakeen hugged Th'orn again, this time a little more fiercly. "Thank you. It's beautiful." She murmured.

((Sorry for my crappy post. My muse refused to work.))

[Wolfy]

Th'orn, if he had been almost anyone else, would have and congratulated himself for a job well done in the picking/making of thr gift. He had, after all, spent weeks thinking about it. He could have gotten something far more or far less traditional and/or run-of-the-mill, but he wanted it to count. Seeing as he was not one of those'other people', he merely settled with a happy, gentle grin.

"I'm glad that you like it," he grunted as the girl squeezed him. He frowned down, a hint of concern leaking into his features. "You're crying. Why?" he asked, bothered.

He had little dealings with people and their emotions, just as he had little experience with women in romantic lights. He had never been unlucky, or lucky, enough to be the one to deal with people when family members had been hurt, or when a babe was born, or anythi ng else. He did his work quickly, efficiently, and disappeared after that. He had in fact, been something of a recluse before he begun working in the Weyrs.

After a moment of frowning down at the girl, his eyes lit in a possible understanding. "Happy tears?" That was something he had, again, little to ni experience with. Disengaging an arm from around him, he slid the bracelet onto her wrist and fastening the latch. The gold twinled lazilly in the dying light.

((Little muse and little to go off of.))

[FaizahPandora]

Lakeen nodded as Th'orn put the bracelett around her wrist. "Yes. Happy tears." She smiled at him.

She looked down at the bracelett, noticing the gold twinkling in the dying light. The bracelett really was gorgeous. She had never seen anything more beautiful in her life, let alone owned something this beautiful. And for it to have been given to her? That just made the bracelett even more precious to Lakeen.

She wondered vaguely how he had managed to get the bracelett. She leaned back from hugging him, looking up at his handsome face. That thought surprised her slightly, however. Did she really think Th'orn was handsome? Well, there was no disputing the fact that he was handsome. To her atleast. But she decided she would think about it later.

"How did you manage to get this bracelett?" She asked.

[Wolfy]

Th'orn grinned sheepishly. He had broken several rules in order to get it, even though these particular rules were often broken. "Well..." he said, drawing it out, "I ordered it online and had it sent to a local jewelry store. I snuck out a week or two ago to get it."

The good thing about this government was that it gave everything that may or may not be needed, including money and identification, to the Pernese. It had been a simple thing to get the money. He payed in cash, and showed a printed reciept to the store owner - a rather nice old man that hadn't stopped asking question - , and had been back to the Weyr before he had been missed by anyone, including his sleeping dragon. Only the flits had really noticed.

"I would appreciate it if you didn't say anything to they Weyrwoman," he added, with a face. Unlike some of the other riders, he cared if his standing went down in Faizah's eyes. It was not something he would ever look forward to happening, and he said as much.

"But enough about dragons and whers and rule-breaking. I managed to start a fire in a clearing not far from here. I have some - what do you call them? Shishkabobs? - roasting right row." He had asked one of the cooks if he could have something, and when she asked for what he had said that he was going to eat outside. For that she handed him half a dozen steak, pepper, and mushroom shishkabobs and lots of marshmellows, graham crackers, and pieces of chocolate, as well as a sealed pitcher of lemonade. After explaining what to do with each, she sent the bemused Weyrling away.

[FaizahPandora]

Lakeen smiled, nodding to Th'orn. "I'm not going to tell my sister." She assured him.

She liked the idea of sitting by a fire and eating shishkabobs with Th'orn. It sounded slightly romantic, and then she mentally shook herself. She didn't need to be thinking of Th'orn in that kind of way... He was a friend. A very good friend, but only a friend, and she shouldn't be thinking of him in any other light.

Unless he thought of her as more than a friend...

Lakeen secretly hoped that was the case. He had snuck out of the Weyr, against the rules, to get her a bracelett that had probably cost half a small fortune. And he had spent a lot of time to carve the little wooden wher too. All for her. Lakeen smiled at the thought.

She hugged Th'orn again, a large smile on her face. "We should get to your fire. We don't want the food to burn." She laughed slightly.

[Wolfy]

Th'orn grinned, holding his arm out in a very gentlemanly manner. "Shall we?" he asked as he bowed slightly. Taking her hand, he straightened, and headed off toward a small trail on the right.

Th'orn led Lakeen down the trail, with the wher and the dragon close behind. The last rich rays of the sunset over the mountains turned the shadows of the trees mysteriously inviting as the leaves and exposed branches turned colorfully bold as they stepped into the clearing.

It was small, large enough to fit them all comfortably, but only just. They high grass that grew there had been carefully tramped down earlier in the week, with a pit dug into the center and surrounded by stones. In the pit sat a blazing fire that complemented the sound of crickets and frogs with its pops and crackling. Toward a break in the trees, they could see the last golden shimmer fade off of the lake and turn the waters violet in the dusk. There was a stone bench, old and cracked, overlooking it all, so it was obvious that once upon the time this had been a hang-out of sorts.

"Here we are." Th'orn swept his arms out in a grand gesture. Taking Lakeen's hand in his, he led her to a blanket he had spread out by the fire. Frowning, he took the shishkabobs away from the fire and carefully looked the steaming things over. They looked about like the cook had said they would look like when they were done, so they probably were.

He offered the first to Lakeen before sitting back with his own. He bit his lip, suddenly unsure. He felt as if he was supposed to do something, but wasn't sure what that something should be.

[FaizahPandora]

Lakeen smiled as Th'orn led her down a path and to a small clearing. When they arrived to it, Lakeen smiled even more. It was absolutely beautiful, and romantic, and wonderful. Lakeen took a seat on the blanket that was set out, took the offered shishkabob, and looked out towards the lake.

"It's beautiful." She told Th'orn as he took a seat next to her.

Lakeesk didn't seem too happy about it, but he didn't say anything to Lakeen. He could tell that this made her happy, and he wasn't such a grumpy wher as to make her unhappy. So he laid down, watching Lakeen and Th'orn carefully.

Lakeen, after the shishkabob had cooled somewhat, took a small bite of it. She smiled, still watching the colors on the lake change. She wondered what she should do now. This was nice and all, but surely there was more that would make it better...?

[Wolfy]

Th'orn watched Lakeen, watched as she smiled and looked at the beauty of where they were. He could tell how much she loved this place; even he must admit, it was beautiful in all of the right ways. "Yes, it really is, isn't it," he responded after a moment.

Equinoth would have rolled his eyes if he cared enough to. His rider for all that he was smart and quick, had become, in a matter of minutes, so very annoyingly awkward. He huffed again, causing sparks to swirl into the air above and around the fire, before he turned his head and closed his eyes. He stayed aware, of course. He wouldn't the foolish boy alone with Lakeesk, or even Lakeen for that matter.

It was as Lakeen took a bite that Th'orn decided to take a chance. It was, of course, a chance that could very well end with him being mauled and friendless. It was also, of course, a chance that could end with Lakeen as something for than just a best friend. Either way, there would be some sort of repurcussions. He decided, quite firmly, that he would take those chances.

So, when he felt the swkwardness biulding up, he acted on his decision. He leaned over and placed a light kiss on the corner of her lips.

"Sorry," he mumbled. Th'orn began to turn a fascinating shade of pink as his suddenly embarassed face blushed. What had he been thinking?! That was perhaps the stupideat, most unsmart thing he had ever done. And he and his dragon both knew it!


((Forgive me, but I couldn't think of anything else to put!))

[FaizahPandora]

Lakeen was wondering what she could do when suddenly, and very pleasantly, she felt Th'orn lean over and press a gentle kiss to the corner of her mouth. She looked over at him, a shocked expression on her blushing face. She noticed that Th'orn was also blushing, and she couldn't help but laugh. That expression was too funny, especially to see the serious weyrling blushing.

Lakeen, still laughing slightly, leaned against Th'orn. She rested her head on his shoulder, scooting slightly closer to him. She wasn't mad. She had been hopeing for something like this to happen, and she was more than glad that it had. As she had her head there she decided that she was going to teast Th'orn a little.

"You're cute when you're blushing." She said.

[Wolfy]

Why, oh why, had he done it? What insanity had taken a hold of his mind in order to do such a thing? What idiocy did he possess to make him kiss her? While all of these questions were good, none of them held any real answer to them. He had done it on a whim, for no better reason than he had wanted to.

He knew she was blushing, too; he could see it out of the corner of his eyes. Her shocked, then amused expression only made his face heat all the more. However, it wasn't until Lakeen began to laugh that it all truly struck him. With a moan, he collapsed backward, pulling the girl along with him.

"It really isn't that funny," he mumbled as he hugged her with one arm and covered his face with the other.

Equinoth snorted. Unfortunately, Th'orn, it really is that funny,[/color] His voice was tinged with amusement and laughter, and he had the audacity to broadcast his statement to Lakeen.

"Yes, well, no one asked you!" Th'orn growled sheepishly. "I'm never going to be able to live this up, am I."

[FaizahPandora]

Lakeen shook her head, giggling slightly from Equinoth's statement. "No, Th'orn, I don't think so." She answered him, tilting her head up to be able to look at him.

He had turned a funny and charming shade of crimson. She didn't mind. In fact, she snuggled closer to him, resting one of her hands on his chest where she could feel his heartbeat. She sighed slightly, happily.

"This feels nice." She muttered only loud enough for Th'orn to hear her.

[Wolfy]

Th'orn smiled and lowered his arm from his face. Though some of the color gelt as if it would never leave his face, he felt a little more at ease now that he knew Lakeen was definately fine with him in the light he had cast himself. Her easy acceptance of his sudden kiss put him a little more at ease.

He turned his head so that it rested comfortably on her hair. "Yes, it does. It feels very, very nice." He smiled into her hair, eyes dancing with giddy happiness. "Earth suddenly seems much more inviting and warm, now."

Th'orn had been of the seriously mistaken belief that this world was cold and quite lifeless, at least in all the ways that mattered. He felt as though there weren't enough people that a dragon might find worthy, nor were there many that had a true heart. Pern, for all of its downfalls and weaknesses, was filled with life of so many kinds. And now that the Red Star would not make another Pass, and girls were accepted openly into the crafts, culture had made a type of Pernese Renaissance. Now knowledge was again key to Pern. What Earth needed was what Pern had.

Lakeen, at the very least, made Th'orn feel welcome and at home.

[FaizahPandora]

Lakeen smiled at Th'orn's comment. She felt somewhat the same, except to her it was simply Rocky that had become more inviting. But she decided to remain silent, and just enjoy this.

Yes, enjoying this would be the best right now.

((Sorry. Little muse.))

[Wolfy]

((Completely understand. I believe, as niether of us have any muse left for this particular thread, we should end it.))

[FaizahPandora]

((And just assume they made a baby? Instead of leading up to the assumption.))

[Wolfy]

((gah, forgive me! i know not what I do now... I have no experience in such threads or in real life so...))

[FaizahPandora]

((It's fine. We will just assume they made a baby. Not a big deal ))