Remembering a Memory (Tag: Aki)

[Lark]

Two turns. Two turns and she had only now come to this place. Its very existence had become a bane to her, the mere mention of its name sending chills down her spine. Despite the caves seeming drab and like nothing at all was different about them from the outside, she knew that within would hold glowing yellow and orange crystals. She knew that they sparkled just so when the sunlight entered the cave through different gaps and entrances. She knew that during the nighttime the moon and starlight would make them wash out to be almost silver and a ghostly pale hue.

What she did not know, was how she would react when she arrived. Standing in front of the gaping entrance though, the wind slashed through her dark hair as if trying to draw her in. Behind her a green dragoness sat coiled and on edge. It was easy for anyone to tell that Rudith was not appreciative of her rider's need to visit this place. Inali however just shoved the unhappy prescence of her dragoness in the back of her mind. The green could wait, her desires and needs were ones that had to be given in time.

One could not simply forget their parted dragon the moment the re-impress to another. It had been longer than the two turns she had been with her green, but she still had trouble keeping Loraketh from her mind. Gulping back against and tensed throat, the woman's breath came in short and sharp bursts, her eyes closed tightly as if this was some nightmare she could escape from. When she opened them, she would be safe in the Weyr....

Do not pretend that the Weyr makes you feel safe Inali. I know it does not Little One.

The dragoness' soft croon was silk through the rider's mind, sensually curving around the hardened and sore edges to soothe away any lingering anxiety and pain. No, you are what makes me feel safe. Breathing in a deeper and slower take of air, the woman nodded to herself and finally opened blue eyes on the world. The faint glow of off-white and gold shimmered from the inside just around a corner, but she did not dare go in. Something held her back, was it just because this was no longer her place to come to anymore?

You should be able to take anything you like.

I cannot take my children! I cannot take my weyrmate! I cannot take back my Weyr, or my Queen. I have you, and you took me.

It was not hatred that seethed in her voice as she snapped her head around, but a cold truth that rang and made Rudith hiss in frustration. Two turns. Two turns and Hers had still refused to learn. She would in time, but that time would come still turns from now it seemed. For once Rudith started to put aside her own ambitions in order to formulate a new plan. Her rider needed to be stable before she could truly shine once more and bring the Weyr back to her control.

That meant she needed those things that had been taken from her. The hatchlings, as much as she despised the one. Then her mate as well, as much a she was jealous of any and all discussion they had. Weyrlinghood had saved her from having to tear them apart, and time after that had done the rest of its job. Inali had still been too uncertain and too frightened to go back to T'rian despite the occasional talk they would have. She was more closed off, much more unable to freely give her trust away.

In many ways she was just as she was when her mother had passed and she had come to Trelis. This was how she was before she had impressed to Loraketh. Now that she was gone it was only fitting that she returned to be as such. But you are with me now. Exasperated the dragoness lashed out her tail and quickly ended the beginnings of her new strategy. She would have to get Hers back to herself again, and that would take someone that knew her far better than she did...despite being inside the woman's head.

Stallorth....Mine....It is time that we had her remember who she is once more.

Never had she thought she would be asking the bronze for anything, especially help, and especially with Hers. The very thought that she had just sent for the one person who could surely steal her rider away from her...it made her sick and anxious. Inali still just stood in front of the caves however, distant from her dragon's mind so much so that she had not even heard the call for the bronze that had once been so familiar to her.

[Akira]

Stallorth opened his large jaws and yawned loudly as he readjusted himself on his ledge where he was soaking up the warm rays of the sun. T’rian sighed as he looked over the scrolls he was studying for his job as a wing second. There were times when he absolutely loved his job, and then there were times like these that he wished he hadn’t accepted the post and had just become a wing rider. Stallorth nearly jumped off his ledge with surprise when he heard the call of the green that had bonded to his rider’s weyrmate. T’rian jumped, effectively knocking his chair over, when his bronze dragon jumped.

What in Faranth’s name is going on?! He yelled at his dragon as he righted himself and his chair. The green dragon Rudith is calling for help T’rian. There was obvious concern, not only in his voice, but also in the way he stood and held himself ready for T’rian to mount up. That was something T’rian wasted no time in doing. He abandoned the scrolls he was studying, quickly made sure that all of Stallorth’s riding straps were where they were supposed to be and nice and tight, before finally climbing up and holding on tightly. Stallorth wasted no time in taking off from his ledge.

Where are you? Stallorth’s deep voice called out to the green that had called for help. But both he and his rider had a feeling where Inali and her dragoness would be. Stallorth angled his flight path slightly so that he was aiming in the general direction of the Dark Sun Caves. The large male beat his wings quickly in an attempt to get to their destination as quickly as possible and without wasting any time with trying to conserve his energy. It didn’t take the two of them all that long to reach their destination. Stallorth back-winged as he tried to land without knocking over any trees. T’rian quickly dismounted and just stood there, staring at the woman he loved. He took a deep breath, steadying himself, before carefully picking his way over to stand beside Inali. He didn’t say anything, not entirely sure what to say.

[Lark]

You do not seem to have needed our location after all bronze.

The words were a low hiss as she wound herself up and slunk away somewhat from the other dragon. Stallorth may have been a fine male, but it would have mattered little to Rudith. He was competition, and he was something from her past which made him dangerous competition. Sparing a glance over toward her rider as the bronze's went to Inali, she bit back an agitated warble, snorting instead and padding across the clearing and weaving through some of the trees. Back and forth she went tracing and retracing her steps before she finally ended up near Stallorth a fifth time.

Your mate still causes me trouble. She is between and yet I still must fight her away from Mine's mind. It is not fair...she is mine now. Mine.

Flattening her wings against her sides, the green shook her head and then bowed her head low, an unhappy keen escaping her jaws. She had been through this only one time before where it had been this bad. That had been the day she had hatched, an event she remembered only because of the severity of its memory in her head. She had hatched, and she had known exactly what she had wanted. Hers had come back with a plan, but she had stopped that plan in order to push forward her own. Inali had had to come down the steps to claim her dragonet, and she had been too torn to feed her until after the hatching when her family had come to see the now returned mother and mate.

Even then you were no mine....were you ever mine?

For a moment Rudith felt so alone that it alarmed not only her, but Inali as well. It was enough to break her out of her trance like state, enough to make her turn around. Blue, grey eyes widened in surprise at the bronzerider who was there. He looked so familiar, and for a moment she was saddened. When had the last time been that they had shared each other's warmth? When had it been that they had last hugged...kissed? Where those days truly gone now? Was he even still her weyrmate, or had he found another in her absence? She would not have faulted him if so.

"Tor...T'rian." For a moment her breath just caught, the two names both belonging to the same person hanging on her lips. What did she want to say? What could she say? Everything that she had steeled within herself had crumbled away that day she had met Rudith, and it had slowly crept back, but in a fragile semblance of what she had been. Was she strong now? Was she wise? Was she manipulative? Was she a mother, a friend, a confidant, a lover, a leader, a follower, a teacher, a student, a fighter, a rebel....what was she now? She had been all of those things once, and she had been so much more.

"I..I don't know what to do anymore." Her voice was soft and as breakable as the rest of her, wavering lightly as she kept to herself. Part of her wanted to flee and take Rudith between, to use the green to get to that place where everything had been lost. Maybe it would be better for everyone and everything then....but another part of her just wanted to run forward and into his arms, wanted to be held and whispered to. More than ever she needed him, and yet she knew she didn't deserve what she so desired. Rudith made a heart-wrenching cry at the first thought however, which once again alarmed Inali enough to look at her dragoness.

Why did I never truly bond to you? I have, and yet I have not. Most riders would never even consider what I have...so why can I?

Rudith just took a frightened step back, her eyes whirling yellow and red as she shook her head again and again. No, no, this wasn't happening. Hers was not thinking these things. This was her rider, her own rider! Teeth bared and eyes fully blazing red she flared out her wings, her brighter head coming closer to the two humans. I will not let you throw us away....I DESERVE TO LIVE INALI! Her voice was a shout in both their minds and naturally Stallorth would hear it as well. When it came down to it though, that was what fueled the green now. The simplest need to keep herself alive, and to keep her rider alive.

She deserved to live. Her rider had not been there, she had been deep inside another lost rider in the stands, and she had hoped that maybe, just maybe she could reach it. Rudith was wrong. It was much more difficult than she had ever expected and Loraketh's rider fought back every step of the way. It was only now that she really caught a glimmer of her rider as she stated her strongest desire. Rudith wanted to live...she could not live if Inali kept refusing to be hers and hers alone.

[Akira]

The only response that Stallorth made to Rudith’s words was to bare his sharp teeth and stare down at her with red swirling eyes. He didn’t know why the green hated everyone so much, but it got on his nerves when she hissed at him like that. He couldn’t help but feeling a little bad for the little green though, only recently coming to understand that she was having trouble reaching her rider. He shook his large bronze head, not wanting to even imagine what that must be like. Loraketh was a wonderful Queen, strong and beautiful. She still lives in many a human, and dragon’s, mind and heart little Rudith. You would do well to tread carefully when speaking of her. The threat in his voice was as obvious as if someone had held a knife to someone else’s through and told them they would kill them.

Stallorth looked down at Rudith when he heard the unhappy keen that left the green’s jaws, but what could he do? Nothing, it was up to T’rian now, to attempt to bring this woman back from wherever she had hidden herself. T’rian stared down at Inali, tears threatening to overflow from his eyes. Even after everything they had been through, T’rian still loved her with all of his heart, and knew that that would never change, no matter what happened between them. All that time Inali had been gone he had found that plenty of women were still interested him, but there was only one woman on all of Pern that he would ever love. The tears finally broke through T’rian’s hold on them when he heard Inali say his name.

It felt like it had been an eternity since the last time he had heard his name come from Inali’s lips. T’rian let out a small shaky breath when Inali said that she didn’t know what to do, and was about to respond when he heard the green dragoness’ voice inside of his head. Everyone deserves a chance, some deserve more than that. His voice was a lot steadier than he felt it should be, but was thankful for it anyways. I can’t tell you what to do Inali, but I can tell you what I want you to do. I want you to come back, be my mate again, and be Rudith’s rider. His voice started to brake as he spoke to Inali, completely ignoring the two dragons now. Stallorth had stood and stepped closer to the two humans when he heard Rudith’s shout through his and T’rian’s bond.

Stallorth could feel the pain inside of T’rian as the man faced his love, but the bronze dragon made sure to keep his head clear, and his red swirling gaze on the smaller green dragoness. He now stood close enough to the two humans that he could easily intervene if Rudith were to try something drastic, but otherwise he kept to himself. Either T’rian and Inali would fix things here and now, or they would fix them later, but the large bronze knew that things would be made right again, when exactly he didn’t know, but he was certain things would be made right.

[Lark]

Could she go back so easily? Inali's looked at the bronzerider, sorrow in her eyes for the tears he cried. She had not wanted to make him hurt. She had never wanted to make him hurt. T'rian least of all was someone to push away. So, when he spoke she just listened while standing there. For a few extra moments she just stood quietly, her mind processing what he had said. Somewhere in that same mind Rudith's was fervently trying to attach herself, clinging to her rider like a frightened child.

Hush now Rudith. Quiet down and be calm.

Her voice inside the greens mind was gentle but firm, her eyes flicking up to look at the young dragoness. Chirping a surprised note, the green collapsed suddenly to the ground, her wings spread out around her and head hanging as she took gulps of air. She was okay......she was okay, they were okay! That had done it. It was still strained, but that had tipped the balance in her favor. Her rider was finally starting to come alive.

Had it really just taken the bronzerider to do this? Why had she not thought of it sooner then!?! That didn't matter though. What mattered was that she would live. Looking up at Stallorth, the green turned yellow and orange eyes on the male, taken aback at the threat he had made. Perhaps she was good for you and the Weyr Stallorth, but for me Loraketh means death. It was hard to speak the queens name, and Inali's flinched at it, but the control of Rudith's rider wavered little.

Instead Inali moved to her green, wrapping her arms around the creatures neck. "Im sorry...." The statement was not for her dragon alone though. As she finished saying the two words she looked up at T'rian as well. "Im so sorry...." It would take a while for them to be normal again, but it was a step forward. That metaphorical movement though soon became a physical one as Inali patted Rudith's neck and stepped toward T'rian, her hand outstretched for his, ready to feel some kind of contact again from her Weyrmate.

Rudith meanwhile tensed, her body still on the ground but crouched instead of collapsed. Wings tucking quickly in against her once more, the green crawled back toward Stallorth without realizing it, bumping into the large male. Looking up she flashed frightened and alarmed yellow eyes only barely being calmed into the slightest bits of blue and green. Promise me he won't make her leave. Please....Stallorth.... "She's scared."

[Akira]

T’rian didn’t know if he had gotten through whatever barriers Inali had put up, but he had a feeling that he did when he heard a surprised chirping coming from Rudith, but despite the distraction his eyes never left Inali. Stallorth looked down at Rudith as she spoke to him, not entirely sure he liked his dead mates name coming from her voice. The large male just snorted at the little green, calmly sitting on his hind legs with his tail wrapped around him. There was sadness in just about every inch of his large bronze body, but he wasn’t about to let a painful memory stop him from keeping, not only his rider, but Inali safe as well.

T’rian watched as the woman he loved moved to comfort her green dragoness, the wetness on his face forgotten. T’rian nodded his head at Inali’s words, and stepped forward and took his Weyrmate’s outstretched hand, tears springing anew from his eyes. Oh how he had missed this, and oh how he had craved the feeling of his mate. He smiled as he tried to pull her into his arms, into the biggest hug he had ever given her. He never wanted to let her go, ever, and this time, he was going to make sure that he never lost the love of his life again, not anyone, or anything.

Stallorth turned his swirling gaze down to look at Rudith who had just bumped into his leg. He relaxed when he saw the alarmed and frightened look start to leave her eyes. Do not worry about that now Rudith. T’rian will never make her leave you. Stallorth knew, as soon as the words left him, that what he had said was true, and that T’rian would never try to get Inali to leave Rudith, no matter how annoying the green was to him and to Stallorth. She was now part of their family, whether anyone liked it, or not. Don’t worry, nothing bad will happen. I will do my best to make sure of it. T’rian smiled lovingly at Inali as he spoke, overjoyed at finally having her back.

[Lark]

She tried to believe the bronze and his rider. Still, Rudith needed evidence. She was no simple hatchling that took words like dreams and desires fulfilled. She knew that life took work, hard work. Her plans were in need of this. She certainly could do nothing useful with herself if her rider ignored her existence and caused her to leave this life behind. So, to keep Inali sane Rudith needed to earn Stallorth and T'rian's trust. If she could do that then maybe her rider could as well.

Crooning softly, hesitant in her movements, the dark green let herself pad toward Stallorth. Her body was not low to the ground anymore or hunched like a frightened or scolded pup's. Instead she held herself more confidently now, the only sign of her unease in the softness of her tread and the slight drop of her wings and neck. She nudged Stallorths side first gently. Then, she slid against it until her own side was brushing his, waiting a moment before laying down and curling up partially under his wing. He could move, and she would not beg him to stay. She did wish it though, if only to quench the strange phantom sensation that came from her rider.

Inali couldn't help but breath out a sigh of relief as she hurried her face into T'rian's shoulder. Her T'rian, her bronzerider. He was here and holding her. Nuzzling against him she let herself forget the pain and loss and hatred for a few moments. She knew it would not last. After all there was much to be rebuilt between them, but all in good time she knew as well. For now she could just close her eyes and try to relax. Despite herself though her body was tensing more and more with each passing moment. Subconsciously she was afraid and disgusted by her own weakness at the sight of her mate.

How could she so easily allow herself to be tricked into submissiveness by him? How could she trust him after letting her last dragon die? How could she sit back and know that he would not let the same thing happen to this one, or that there would not be a proper vengeance. How could she trust that he would not baby her and great her unfairly now? She had been stronger then ever in her weakest set of mind. She had been free of pain and heartache, her heart torn from her. Now it was back thanks to Rudith and it was once again in someone's hands beside her own. Not only her dragons but this mans and her children's as well.

So many pieces given once more after hardening and breaking off what she had had left; if they broke again did she still have enough to keep going? How many times could she pull herself apart before crumbling? Or would this time lead her heart to become mended. Could they put the pieces back together healed and almost as good as it was before? She did not know, and she was terrified and all too willing to find out.

[Akira]

Stallorth looked down at Rudith, and watched her cautiously as she padded toward him. She didn’t look like she was scared anymore, but he could tell that she was still uncomfortable. He didn’t know what it was like, having your rider feel like they would be better off if they killed themselves and their dragon. Stallorth shuddered at the thought, and was glad that T’rian was firmly planted in this world. He watched Rudith carefully as she nudged his side before sliding against him and then laying down, curling up under his wing. He didn’t understand what was going on exactly, but he had a feeling that she was still a little nervous about her rider.

T’rian held Inali close, a small ghost of a smile inching it’s way across his lips from one corner to the other. He was glad for this moment, no matter how short it might be. He had the love of his life back in his arms, but some part of him knew that it could only last so long. He had felt that she had forgotten him, and didn’t love him any more for so long, that this moment felt like a dream to him. He felt Inali tensing beneath his arms, and the ghost of a smile that had begun spreading itself across his lips disappeared almost instantly. And just as he knew it would, the moment of peace between them was gone.

T’rian didn’t know what to do anymore, he had thought that he had Inali back, but to him, it appeared that his feeling that it was all just a dream, was true. He wanted to help her, but felt like every time he tried, she pushed him away. Well, this time she hadn’t actually pushed him away, but to him, it felt as though she didn’t want him near her, which tore at his heart even more. Stallorth moaned at the pain in his rider, a pain he couldn’t fix, or make the man forget. Instead, all the large bronze could do was to share in the man’s pain. Stallorth lowered himself to the ground beside Rudith, extending his large wings, casting a very large shadow over, not only the green dragoness beside him, but the two riders as well.

[Lark]

I would never let anything bad happen to you Little One. We are one you and I, please understand that.

Rudith turned more and more gentle and careful eyes to her rider, her head dipping to the side slightly as she sheltered under the bronze dragon's wing. Stallorth perhaps was not so bad once one got used to him. At the very least he did well to protect her and Hers from the sun in this heat. He cared too, so maybe she could find a use for him yet. Something small preferably, after all Rudith had never been too keen on sharing.

Eying the green and then the caverns behind her, Inali pulled on T'rian's arm slightly. There was something she needed to do, one thing before she could begin to move on and try to make things work. If she were to really put her past behind her and attempt what she feared so much, then she needed to be able to walk among those shining golden stones once more. They couldn't haunt her anymore, they just couldn't. She would no longer allow them to. Seeing them should not bring tears to her eyes at the memory of her lost gold, they should help her to remember the person she had left behind...and could become again.

Pulling somewhat more on the bronzerider's sleeve, she turned slightly to the caves and then stopped. She couldn't do it alone, not this time. She needed the support he could give, and Rudith needed someone out here to make sure she did not worry about her rider. The green in question flicked her wings uncomfortably, shifting back and forth until she finally cuddled in closer to the larger bronze. Why does that place bother her so? It is just rock and darkness with some light. It is a place, a thing.... Twitching her tail, the dragoness warbled softly.

Inali however was looking at T'rian again. "Come with me? I haven't been able to go in there since....since she died." There, she had said it. Somehow she had finally said the one word that she had been unable to say before. Flying over to her on silent wings, Ghost chirped once before curling around Hers neck. The firelizard had always been there, always in the corner of her owner's eye. She did not make a sound hardly ever, and she was easily forgotten even after Inali had acknowledged that she was there. The old comfort of something she had had from her last life, something that had stayed through to this one, was nice and she lifted a hand to the green to rub a finger down her spine.

[Akira]

T’rian looked down at Inali as she pulled on his arm, wondering what it was she wanted him to do. Some part of him wanted to just give up, turn around, and walk away, locking his heart away so that maybe he could become numb to the pain that was, and had been, throbbing in his veins. Yet there was another part of him, the stronger part so it may seem, that wanted nothing more than to follow this woman to the ends of the earth and never let her out of his sight ever again so long as he still has air in his lungs, blood in his heart, and movement in his body. No matter what internal argument might be happening inside of him, his body was hard-wired to do as Inali wanted it to do, and it seemed to T’rian like she wanted him to follow her.

T’rian looked over at the caves, realizing that Inali wanted him to follow her into them, but for what purpose he couldn’t imagine at that point, it seemed to him like his mind was moving in slow-motion, everything being processed slower than it was supposed to. Stallorth snorted and shook his head trying to rid himself of the internal turmoil of his rider. He didn’t stop until he felt something cuddling closer to him. He turned his swirling eyes onto the smaller green dragoness beside him, and listened as she spoke. This is where Inali and Loraketh came to teach our hatchlings, and the hatchlings of others. This place holds more meaning that you may ever understand, not only for Inali, but for many of the young in Trelis. His deep voice soft, and slightly sad as he spoke.

T’rian nodded his head at Inali’s words, he looked up and sighed as a familiar firelizard came to land on Inali’s shoulder. Let’s go, together this time. There was a smile on his face as he spoke, reaching out a hand to take hold of Inali’s, and in that one gesture, trying to let her know that he would always be there for her, no matter what. She was his and he was hers, for better or for worse, he would never let her go again, even if that meant embracing the green dragoness that had seem so evil to him upon their first meeting. He would learn to respect Rudith, even though he may never quite like her as much as he had liked Loraketh, but then again, Rudith was part of his family now, which meant that she too would be under his and Stallorth’s protection, whether her or the Weyr liked it or not.

[Lark]

Meaning is lost in time however. If no one is here to preserve the memory it dies away as well. The object of a memory fades, then the names that become legend, and then the myths they leave behind until no one even knows who they are or what they did.

It was a soft thought that she sent her way, filled with a sorrowful remorse. She did not want to be forgotten any time soon. Slowly she knew that whatever she succeeded in would fade away too, but hopefully not for a long time to come. The green set her head down on the bronze's foot, the small creature yawning tiredly before looking toward the caves that they were discussing. How could one place hold so much power though, especially when the dragoness that had caused them to be remembered was long gone? It perplexed her, and she was silently envious of Loraketh for holding a mark on more than her rider.

"I had forgotten how beautiful they were."

Inali marveled in a low voice as she stepped into the caverns, her free hand reaching out to brush against a softly gleaming stone. The light cascaded across her pale skin, sending it into a golden glow. It truly was a place of wonder, and she remembered the lessons that Loraketh had given to her children and even Izanycorth here. Those were days she had missed. They were simpler times, ones where things had not changed. That was before she knew that she had a half-sister, before she knew her children had special gifts, before she had fled to the rebellion, and before she had found Rudith.

"Do you resent me for leaving T'rian? I would not blame you if you did."

[Akira]

Stallorth looked down curiously at Rudith as she laid her head on his large bronze paw, before finally realizing just how tiring this all must have been for the young green dragoness. May as well get comfy, it doesn’t appear as though either of them will be ready to leave any time soon. He opened his large jaws and yawned, before stretching out his back legs, and settling himself more comfortably beside Rudith. There was no point in being uncomfortable for no reason after all. His swirling gaze returned to the two humans as he watched them enter the caves that held so much memory for all but one of the current group.

T’rian tilted his head to the side slightly as he held Inali’s hand and followed her into the caves. He looked around at all the stones, a soft sigh slipping past his lips as he watched the light cascading in through the stones. He had never really had much to do with this place, but there were a few times he could remember coming here, just to try and take a sneak peak at what his weyrmate might be doing, though, he would never admit to any of that of course. He looked over and smiled at Inali’s words. He found himself speechless as he gazed upon the beautiful sight that Inali and the cascading lights were making.

How could I ever resent you Inali? There isn’t a bone or muscle in this body that could do anything other than love you. T’rian’s voice was soft, but he could hear it echoing around in the cave. His eyes were glued onto Inali, and the truth of what he was saying was evident in every inch of his face, and muscle in his body. He may never really understand why she had left, but he would never, Never, resent her for it. He knew that people changed, and sometimes those people needed to get away for a while to figure things out, and that’s what he had been figuring that she had done all these turns since the night he realized she had left in the first place.

[Lark]

It did not take long for Rudith to slip from her unsteady worry to a more gentle nature and then finally to just sleeping. Eyes closed after moments went on and on, and then there was just a sweet nothing. No more pain or confusion, her body could just relax. Sighing her held breath, she curled up in the crook of Stallorth's body, thankful for the shade his large wings brought for her. For a moment before she really faded off to sleep, Rudith considered saying something, but she found that she was too tired to do so. Something about that last fight with Hers had drained her and she needed rest now. It was a good kind of rest however, the kind that brought healing with it.

Inside the caverns Inali turned to look at T'rian, her head snapping up after being worried. Moving toward him, hesitance gone now, she let her body wind around his as it new so well to do. "I missed this...really I did. I think I should tell you why I left though. It's very complicated, and it is a very long story. I did not mean to take Inoria either, she found me when I left. She sensed the unfamiliar dragon. I am not sorry that she came however, she learned much while she was away. She learned how to use her gift and how to be herself and not just a part of Talian."

The younger sibling had always tried to protect her mute half, been there every step she could in their young turns. In the time that Inoria had been away from her twin however she had grown turns in only seasons. Even now as a six turn old she acted much more like that of an eight or nine turn old would. Hands trailing softly up and down T'rian's arms, she let her head rest against his chest, knowing that he would not move away, not after what he had just said. She had him, whether she was ready to want him or not, she had him. She would always have him, and that was comforting and scary both.

[Akira]

T’rian watched as Inali’s head snapped up at his words, and he hoped he hadn’t said something to upset her again. A surprised expression found its way across his face when Inali came to him, and wound her body around his the way she used to. Talian has also grown to be quite the individual, though I still think the two of them conspire against me. T’rian smiled down at Inali as he tried to make the woman smile and laugh, something he had missed dearly in the time that they had been apart. He was doing his best to forget about the time that Inali and Inoria had been gone from his life. The past was the past, and there was nothing he could do to change it after all, so why not make the present seem all that much sweeter?

It was nice to feel Inali’s hands trailing softly against his skin again, and to have her head resting against his chest with his arms wrapped around her. It was only then that he sensed that his dragon had fallen asleep a while ago. I have a feeling that if we turn around and look outside that we will find the two dragons fast asleep. He knew that Stallorth was getting up there in turns, but the fact that he was asleep already made the man start wondering just how lazy his bronze male really was. This realization made him chuckle softly. It’s good to have you back Inali. His arms wrapped themselves a little tighter around her as he spoke, making it pretty obvious that he didn’t want to let her go any time soon.

[Lark]

"It's....good...to be back."

Though she struggled somewhat with the words, she managed to say them. Inali knew that she was not ready to admit feelings yet, it was still foreign to her, still too much of something she had feared for so long these past few seasons. No, there would be no adoring declaration of love and belonging from her, but a struggled yet sincere phrase in return agreement was something she could handle.

So, it was all she gave. That, and a more physical and clear sign of her feelings by snuggling in against the familiar body. If there was one thing she could trust right now, it was that, and only because she trusted it. Words lied, they did it all the time. They sang pretty songs, and held tones that could become millions of tiny facets of the truth. Bodies however, they could lie, but it was much harder. It was even more impossible when another body knew it so well that words could be left unsaid and meaning would still be clear.

Closing her eyes, she let the world finish its spinning and dizzying course around the pair before she settled enough to speak once more. She could do this, it was one exclamation, one thing that she would say that was the truth. It no longer mattered, the last she heard Kytrie had not come back after the rebellion changed. It was no longer to her liking or her use, and her half-sibling was no longer there as well. No, the snake was somewhere in the grass hiding again. Dangerous, but gone for now.

"I found out I had a sister...a half-sister, on my father's side. We wrote, she was there....it's complicated though, and a lot of it I don't...care, to remember." Okay, that had been a straight up lie. She did care to remember, but she did not want to admit what those memories held. There was once a time where Inali had wanted to destroy this place, to destroy all of it. They had let her down, they had changed everything, they had let whispers in their ears remake all she had worked so hard to build. The woman knew it was not necessarily true, but all lies held some semblance of truth, and she was still working out exactly how much Kytrie's words had been falsities and how much were things she really knew needed to be avenged or changed.