Visiting after duties (Tag Ame)

[zenith]

Malchan had been at the hold for a few hours already ... and the two runners he had brought along from the weyr were loaded down nicely, the parcels secure and ready to move out.

Everything was ready to go. Except Malchan. He didn't want to leave for the weyr just yet ... no. It was not often anymore that he was able to wander about. He had relished the trip to the Hold, and now that he was here, he was enjoying being here. He would go back to the weyr soon enough with the purchased supplies. But ... just not right now.

Feeling a need to explore some, he made sure the runners were both securely tethered well, thier loads doubly secure, and then he wandered off, deeper into the hold. He had ridden the runners in, but would have to lead them back again. That didn't bother him in the slightest ... walking was good for a body.

Even if the trip would take a week or so.

All the more reason to spend a few hours or maybe even the day hanging out at the hold, meeting people, learning things maybe ...

Malchan looked around to see if there was anyone not overly occupied to talk to, thumbs tucked into his belt in a very relaxed stance as he meandered.

Wandering about smartly he was not.

[amejisuto]

Lunesta had been in the Hold for about a week. She stretched her arms above her head and turned her head towards Thorn. He screeched at her for a moment, and she smiled at him. He landed upon her outstretched arm and then crooned at her. She chuckled and crooned back and nuzzled him on the muzzle. The joy that this creature brought her was just as great as that of which Verran could bring her. That little boy was such an amusement.

Currently speaking, he was off and playing with the other boys of the hold. While Lunesta, Lunestathe outcasted one... was finding something to do. So she was in the Courtyards shadows. She had managed to find a harp, and had been practicing with her few talents. She had been training just a little, as of late, and it was helping her playing.

She was doing the commonly known duty song. Working herself through the patterns, and then she turned herself towards 'The Question song'. The females voice was clear and strong, and had it not been for the fact she had a habit of cracking after long singing... She could have been a harper.

But her father would have refused to lose her to the Harper Hall. He had other plans, if he could ever find someone for her. Her head tilted back, blue eyes watching the sky for a moment, and then she stared at her hands. Thorn cocked his head, and she crooned to the brown... and returned to singing and playing.

((I apologize, I am having a museless moment.))

[zenith]

Hearing music coming from a discreet corner of the courtyard, Malchan wandered over with curiosity. Public bits of music were more often than not accompanied by a gather. But as far as he was aware, there was no gather on at the moment. If there was, the crowds were distinctly missing. As were all the smells and sounds to go with.

So ... apparently it was just someone playing. Which was an oddity that bore looking into! Hands in pockets, Malchan wandered over to see who and what was going on. Spotting a girl sitting with her harp and her flitter, the healer smiled slightly, and finished wandering over. "Practising for an event?" He asked, lightly.

[amejisuto]

Startled, she was startled from her little world... The world in her mind where people knew and fully accepted her. Her eyes became shaded, as she closed her eyes mostly and stared up at the male in a half-eyed manner. Just barely the pale nearly colorless tone of her eyes could be seen. She leaned back a little more, and Thorn's eyes whirled with worry for a moment. She placed a comforting hand on his head and just stared at the male. She slowly placed the lap harp down a little.

"No just playing to pass the time... chores are completed... and I am not capable of occupying myself in other manners. It would be seen as... unseemly..."She said in a cultured and controlled voice. Oh how... how she wished she and Verran could go to the weyr. She would love that more then anything in the world! To be completely out of her fathers realm of influence. But even if Verran was searched... Lunesta would be required to remain at the hold. She rested her hands in her lap now, and stared up at the healer. "It's a pleasure meeting you Healer. I'm the Eldest Daughter of Half-Circles Lord Holder, my name is Lunesta." She said softly.

[zenith]

Malchan's dark eyebrows bounced upward. The Lord Holder's daughter? "Uh ... Hi." He said, having been blind sided by that revelation. "I'm Malchan." he said, shifting his stance so he might seem a little less slouchy and a tad more presentable to someone of her station. "I'm a healer ... from the weyr." He admitted. "I didn't mean to disturb you like that." Malchan apologised. "But I heard your songs, there, and I must say they were very nice."

Ach, but dealing with stationed people was not something he did very well. A silver tongue he did not have. His skill was in patching thier silver tongues back together again, when they got them bit in half! That didn't take any kind of ability to be presentable. But now that he'd gotten himself into this predicament of talking to the Lord Holder's daughter - shards, he'd even interrupted her - he was going to have to figure out how to extract himself again, without pissing her off and getting thrown to the local wher.

[amejisuto]

Lunesta smiled softly and weakly, turning her head up so her eyes fully focused on him. "It's alright... Malchan, you don't have to be afraid of me. I'm nothing but a girl..." She stated as she stood. And it was true, though she acted bigger then she was... When she stood she was indeed a girl in height. Definitely on the shorter side of life. "It's a pleasure to meet you... this is Thorn..." She directed to the brown on her shoulder. Her eyes lighting up with pleasure as she smiled at the gorgeous creature.

Thorn crooned and stretched out his head towards the healer. "He likes his eyeridges scratched..." She commented as she held her harp under one arm. "Thank you for your compliments, but I am not harper gifted, just a lady with a few talents." She said softly and then turned to look up towards the sky for a moment. "The Weyr you say..." Was that a wistful tone in her voice. But alas, the Weyr was not for her.

"I've dreamed of being searched..."She admitted softly. A almost vicious tone in her voice. "But my eyes prevent it."

[zenith]

Malchan reached out and scratched the flitter's eye ridges gently. "I have a flitter, too. But he's not with me, today." He said. "He's staying at the weyr - hopefully - so they can send for me if I am needed. At least, that was the plan." He shrugged lightly, before looking at her eyes again.

"Why would your eyes prevent you from being Searched?" He asked, wondering why they were pale as they were. She didn't look blind, soo ... ? Color had nothing to do with whether or not a person could see. But he could admit he hadn't ever seen eyes quite that pale before.

Malchan stepped back a step as she got up, to avoid crowding her any. "A few talents wer better than none." he pointed out, helpfully. "You play better than I can." He admitted. What he did not say was that he couldn't tell one string from the next. Much less be able to extract any kind of po-dunk ditty from it.

[amejisuto]

Lunesta smiled softly and weakly as she pushed her hair back from her face. Using a leather tie, she made sure her hair was pushed back. She looked up at the healer now, and with the hair out of the way, and her stepping into the light... It was obvious she was quite pale. "My eyes... are damaged... by the sun. I may have trained to fix this problem, but the fact that far distances are blurry to me... Prevents the dragons from searching me." She said softly as she chewed on her lower lip. Her hands tightening in the fabric of her skirts.

Thorn crooned at the scratching, and then turned to nuzzle Lunesta's cheeks. Sending her images of warm things, happy things. Hoping her mood would increase. She always got like this at the mention of dragons. "But I am nearly too old, and my father sees of me as nothing but a brood mare... for whatever male is dumb enough to take me to wife." She said in soft tone. Though inside it was acidic, more so then the most corrosive tunnelsnake venom. She turned then and stared up at the healer, letting the wholeness of her pale skin be seen.

"I am... different... leave it at that. Healer... do you have the sun cream that healers often carry? The sun burns my skin something horrible, if I am in direct contact of it." She commented softly.

[zenith]

Malchan just looked at her in silence, as she spoke, listening. He could see she was pale ... far paler than most people. Indeed, she looked as if she would be one crispy critter if she walked out into the sunlight. But that wasn't really imperative to being a rider ... when they flew, they were all wrapped up tight, anyway. And for the rest of dragon care ... well ... things could be done in the shade. As for her sight, he couldn't see why that would disqualify her, either. She could see, that was good enough, wasn't it? Long range vision was for the dragon ... all dragons saw further than humans, anyway.

But he wasn't a dragon. So he really couldn't say. But he could tell right off that she was in a bad way ... not physically so much, as mentally. Beating herself up with every word she uttered. Somehow, she came across with the idea that she was a totally worthless creature. Malchan cleared his throat, and thought for a moment. This really wasn't something he could ... or should ... mess with. But he had to try. Being a Healer, it naturally pained him to see someone in such dire straights.

"I really don't see why a dragon wouldn't want you, just for that." he said, honestly. "As for someone being stupid to take you ... I don't think that's quite true, either. You play well, you speak well. You seem to have a head on your shoulders. You're not dragondeaf." a small hand gesture indicated the flitter on her shoulder. "You're obviously capable of love." Again he indicated the flitter. A flitter would only act like that to his if the person he was bonded to was just as loving in return. Of that Malchan knew well. "All the signs point to you being a very decent and nice person, it seems to me." He, too, spoke softly. But with the intent to heal somewhat.

"Sun cream ... I have some. But not on me. It's in the packs on the runners. Would you like me to get you some?" Malchan offered. He decided at that point that it would probably be best to keep his mouth shut about one other thing ... he didn't think she was all that bad looking himself. In fact, he found the pale girl rather attractive. Which was really funny, considering how dark he himself was. But that was not something he would tell her. That, of all things, would probably get him beheaded by the Lordholder. If she didn't do it first.

[amejisuto]

Lunesta laughed softly as the healer spoke to her. Many had tried to make her feel better. It made her feel warmer inside that he was actually looking on her in a kind manner. Not a manner of pity or the others that have happened. She tucked her loose hair back, and wished that had stayed in the tie. She smiled weakly at them and then tilted her head back.

"Thank you for your words Healer, but to the riders my eyesight leaves much to be desired. A candidate must be of sound mind and body. My body lacks, even if my heart and mind are open." She said softly as her fingers flew over Thorn's features. "The sun cream is much appreciated, I am running out. I use it up rather quickly. I use a full months set for other people... in about a two week span." She admitted with a weak smile. Her head tilting down.

"The more I am outside, the more I use..." She said lightly. He was acting so oddly, did he think her someone she wasn't? "Malchan, you don't have to act so on eggshells around me. I am just a Fosterling sent from Half-Circle. That Hold is not so much important as other holds. My father won't hurt you for talking to me, or taking interest... It would be a first..." She commented lightly.

He was taking interest, wasn't he? Or was she just being a stupid and hopeful girl?

[zenith]

Malchan started to tell her to wait right there so he could go get the cream she wanted, but his words were stayed by what came out of her mouth next.

Oh, shards.

Had his own thoughts been that horrible obvious? He really needed to get a grip on himself, if that was the case!! Shards! He was cruising for a bruising, the way this was going ... it didn't matter if she wasn't this Lord's daughter. "Uh ..." He cleared his throat uncertainly, and shifted his weight to his other foot, looking for all the world like he wanted to turn invisible. Wait. A first? That was rather hard to beleive. "I don't see why..." he started, before shutting up again. Shards.

Yes, shutting up was a good idea. Before he got in too deep. "I ... I'll be back. I'll go get you that creame." Malchan said, finally, before leaving quickly.

[amejisuto]

Lunesta chewed on her lip lightly, and watched as he reacted. Was he interested? She really hoped he was. She tilted her head a little and stared at the healer. Malchan seemed just as flustered as she was. She blushed darkly, very darkly. He was speaking again and she looked down. Thorns eyes swirled with confusion, and she felt the urge to quiet him. "You don't need to see why... just know it is." She admitted softly.

He took off, and she was left alone. So she sat back down and the harp under her arm was put back in her lap. She sighed softly and tilted her head down. Her eyes closing as Thorn consoled her. Was she heading down heartbreak lane? Or was she going to end up in a relationship that would cause problems? She was the oldest of her fathers daughters... the only if she knew correctly... and he was a Healer... not even a master.

Her father wouldn't be happy at all, but she couldn't let this chance pass her. A male was actually interested in HER... not in some other girl... but in her... She started to play again, the duty song... as she waited for his return.

[zenith]

Malchan trotted easily across the Hold, to where he had left his runners tied up. It didn't take him but a minute to get there, and only a few more minutes to scrounge around in his rather well-packed bundles to find what he was looking for. Thankfully, he had packed them himself, and knew exactly where everything was. Or he might have been there all day, annoying the runners to no end as he rummaged. But he found the creams quickly … he spent a moment considering which ones would be best. His Healer-trained mind soon made a quick decision, though, basing it upon what he knew of the girl. Pale skin, easily burned, went through a lot of cream…

He selected a more potent cream for her … one that most people didn't use, because it smelled funny. Malchan didn't know why … he rather thought it smelled of the dried flowers it was made from. But it would take far less to have the same protective effect, as well as quickly heal any burns she already had. On top of that, this particular cream was one that wasn't going to bead up and stay greasy. Instead it would be soaked in quickly. It wasn't a cheap one, but … Malchan didn't care. He was a Healer, and cost was no issue when it came to any patient.

Not that he was thinking of Lunesta as his patient. He just … cared. Cost wasn't any issue to the weyr anyway … He plucked out both small tubs that held the cream. It wasn't the cream itself that cost dearly … it was the herbs that went into it. And since the herbs were so bulky to transport, he had taken the time to turn it into creams before carrying it back. He could always make more. It wasn't hard … or even time consuming.

Re-fastening the bundles securely, Malchan took the two tubs, and trotted back to where he'd left her. On the way, he sort of wondered if she'd still be there. On one hand, he hoped she was. So he could see her again, and give her the creams that would help her out. But on the other hand … he was terrified of making a totally fatal blunder. He obviously wasn't any good at keeping his own thoughts to himself. She could read him like an open book in bold print, apparently. That was a little disturbing … if she told anyone about what she even suspected about him …

He'd better leave the hold quick, before things got out of hand. So much for hanging out for a few hours or so. Oh well … those supplies needed moved to the weyr anyway.

Malchan found Lunesta was still right where he'd left her, and he slowed to a walk well before he actually reached the spot. "Here." He offered, stepping close just long enough to hand her the two small tubs. "I hope it helps." He said, sincerely, before backing off again.

[amejisuto]

Lunesta found as he was gone, her mind turned towards other songs. Her fingers flying across the strings as she played the melody that was in her mind. Her eyes half-closed and her voice half-raised in it's tone. Not too loud to be overly noticed, but loud enough that it wasn't silent.

" The little queen, all golden
Flew at the sea.
To keep it back,
To turn it back
She flew forth bravely.

As she attacked the sea in rage
A holderman came nigh
Along the sand
Fishnet in hand
And saw the queen midsky.

He stared at her in wonder
For often he'd been told
That such as she
Could never be
Who hovered there, bright gold.

He saw her plight and quickly
He looked up the cliff he faced
And saw a cave
Above the wave
In which her eggs he placed.

The little queen all golden
Upon his shoulder stood
Her eyes all blue
Glowed of her true
Undying gratitude."

He had returned, and she finished up her song. She smiled at him brightly and then accepted the tubs from him. "Ummm...Will you stay and talk to me?" She whispered softly and blushed even more a little. Her head tilted down as she remained silent and sighed softly as she put the items on the floor next to her legs. She looked at Thorn and then at her. "So... ummm... What... what are we to do?" She asked softly.

She tucked her hair behind her ear again and stared up at him. Her cheeks flaring brighter as she nuzzled her cheek against Thorn's head. The brown was crooning in surprise and concern.

[zenith]

Malchan had been prepared to not only step away, but start on his long journey back to the weyr. Stay? Talk to her? He really needed to be going ... but he found he really wanted to stay too. She had smiled. And it had been amazing! She wanted him to stay ... she asked.

Well ... the decision wasn't a hard one to make. Not only did he want to, she had asked, and she was a Lord Holder's daughter ... no one in thier right mind refused something of the Lord's family. So, while still slightly uneasy, Malchan did stay. He moved into the shade where she was sitting, and folded up like a house of cards that had suddenly had a base card removed.

The motion was controlled, however it looked, and in a breif moment, he was seated cross-legged on the ground not terribly far away from where she was sitting. "What was that you were just singing?" He asked, curiously, looking up at her face.

She kept blushing ... why? Though, it did add some nice color to her face ... she didn't look nearly as pale when she blushed. But yet, it also emphasized that she was pale ... the blush was far more visible on her.

What were they to do?? How was he supposed to know a thing like that?? "Eh ...?"