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Post by Sketchy on Mar 7, 2011 22:04:09 GMT -5
T'ien felt such a rush. He was normally good in situations like this, but he had to blame the long day of Impression for his lack of reactions. Dashing back inside, in mid-sentence to J'ran about something silly and polite, he rubbed his hand on the back of his neck, helping in little ways as he could, though still feeling ineffective and clumsy. T'ienmine, there has been an accident... Of course Minalth would know- the dragons were in a clamorous fury, screaming for blood.
A 'rider he didn't know, some imposing brown who made Minalth look like a small fry was glaring at T'ien as he helpless flailed. In his mind he kept asking what he should do, and all he could manage was to lamely try to help. "Funny that you left right as Inolyn was attacked," the 'rider growled. His fists were balled, stuck in pockets, but T'ien's hackles still rose.
His eyes narrowed. "I don't like what you're implying."
"Oh? Well that's just too bad." Grabbing T'ien by the back of his shirt (which was no small feat), he shoved T'ien along to push him up to Kora. "He's in on it." The brownrider glared at T'ien who was brushing himself off. The brown dragon was herding Minalth, who was telling him in a serious manner that they were wrong.
"You're off your wagon if you think I had anything to do with that," T'ien snapped, arms crossed as he glared at the brownrider.
--------
D'cien was hiding with Jackie. Okay, he wouldn't call it hiding, exactly, but he was definitely cowering behind an overturned table with her, Hiarth pushed up against him.
Hey, at least he knew how to get close to the ladies, right?
The commotion with his brother was what finally cued him to look over the table top. Uh oh... Hiarth's apt warning was all D'cien got before he was dragging himself over the table, hurrying over to T'ien, his mouth drawn in a line. "What the shards is going on?" he demanded, glaring at the brownrider as well. Minalth quickly drew side by side with Hiarth, pressing up against him.
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Post by Sparrow on Mar 7, 2011 22:23:48 GMT -5
Kora looked up with a start when she saw the Brownrider dragging T'ien in. There was someone she didn't think could be in trouble, not at all. But the rider didn't look at all of the same mind. She looked from T'ien to his captor and shook her head. "What's your basis for that accusation?"
It was true that T'ien stepped out just before the whole incident. Could it have been to prepare the murderer? She didn't think so. Kora didn't know a lot about T'ien, but she felt like she could feel confident that he wouldn't have helped bring this about. Someone helping in a plot to kill off queens would not have Impressed a Bronze.
Would he? Could they see that before Impression?
T'ien had said he had done a lot of traveling just previous to being Searched. He hadn't specified where or why. She felt a little tremor of doubt crawl through her. Just how little she knew about T'ien meant that she couldn't dare to side with him just because she thought he seemed like a good person. She couldn't entirely side with the Brownrider either; his reasoning was weak, and it was an abrupt decision to make. Safe, in the circumstances, but abrupt. Kora was not one for making fast decisions.
"I'll take care of this," she told the rider softly, although she felt uneasy as she dismissed him.
Obviously she wasn't about to get a break just for T'ien, seeing as just before the rider irritably left, D'cien showed up. Lilac had meanwhile landed on Kora's shoulder and squawked at the weyrling, voicing her keeper's distaste at the interruption.
"One of our riders found your brother's leaving just before the attack on Inolyn suspicious," she replied carefully. Most likely it was nothing, but she... worried. In front of T'ien's brother, however, she didn't dare hint at that.
---
Jackie was certainly pleased with her hiding spot, although it didn't do a whole lot to cure her fear at what was going on. It was hard to miss the rider dragging T'ien straight to Kora, which didn't help much. "What's going on?" She started to whisper to D'cien, but he was up and headed to his brother's side before she knew it.
Jackie was not in the mood for heroics tonight and didn't want to get caught up in an issue with the brothers. Finth at her side, she scurried to join the other weyrlings, her eyes peeled for Kari.
This was a horrible party, Finth mumbled. The Green was hardly feeling more confident than her rider, however, and stuck to Jackie's side as they maneuvered the hall.
((Slight time-warp here, but whateveeer, it'll all match up xP))
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Post by Sketchy on Mar 7, 2011 22:57:40 GMT -5
(Sometimes time warps can't be helped. xD)
-----
T'ien carefully composed his face, brushing dirt from his jacket as he straightened his clothing, a warm burn of anger in his stomach. It wasn't often he felt anger like this- an injustice such as this stung on many levels.
T'ien was an honorable man.
The brownrider glared once more before exiting, his brown going with him, leaving the two dragonets huddled by each other. D'cien rested his hand on Hiarth's back as the blue trembled.
"I doubt you have any proof behind these suspicions." D'cien, usually so playful, was serious as he leveled a gaze at Kora. Just because she was the weyrwoman didn't mean he was going to take nonsense from her. He could respect her, fear her, perhaps even like her- but he wasn't going to let them beat his brother down. Today was -their- day. "Instead you're just going to slander his good name?"
T'ien rested a hand on D'cien's shoulder, meeting his eyes for a second. Let it drop, he seemed to say. "If Kora has any issues to take up with me, she's allowed to." His eyes flicked to her for just a second. The fact that she was listening to such blasphemy was a little painful. He thought they'd had an understanding, at least on some level. "But she's also allowed to treat such issues with respect. In private. Away from prying eyes."
When rationality set in, he could understand the worries. He wasn't established here like his brother, and he'd come in just to Impress a bronze. But he had nothing to hide from these people. They could judge him all they liked, but he stood by his choices.
Not to mention- he knew he'd had nothing to do with anything that went on.
While he'd been foggy-minded just a bit before, everything was suddenly crystal clear, sharper. "Go with the other weyrlings, D'cien. This doesn't concern you." In the contest of wills between twins, T'ien won this time. Grumbling, and giving one last warning look to Kora, D'cien headed to Jackie and the other weyrlings.
T'ien would figure this out.
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Post by Sparrow on Mar 7, 2011 23:15:17 GMT -5
"If an issue is brought to me, I'm expected to deal with it," she told D'cien stonily. "I highly doubt your brother has done anything wrong, but you can see people already talking. I can't just throw it off as nonsense, no one would believe it."
She wanted to say it was just an issue of T'ien being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and expected she would end up saying that. But a queenrider had just been attacked. People had a right to be wary, and, with that, a right to take their worries to her.
She gave T'ien a tired look. "It's not my issue, it's a rider's. But I will respect it. Excuse me a moment." She picked up the message she had just finished writing to the wherhandlers when the Brownrider had shown up and tied it to Soot's leg. The Tan flew up a bit before popping between and Kora faced the remaining weyrling, leaning forward a bit, hands rested on the table.
"A lot of people saw you leave, T'ien," she said quietly. "And of course everyone saw you brought back. That's what worries me, more than that you were up to anything." He couldn't have been up to anything, it just didn't fit in with the image she had formed of him. Then, Y'xem had seemed perfectly upstanding. So had D'mas. She was done with being fooled.
"It may not help the look of things much right now, but it would probably be better if we talked somewhere private. It would at least please your accuser, make this look official." She had hoped to be able to stay and work things out with Inolyn's attacker, but L'han could take care of that. She would rather not be dealing with dead bodies anyway, not that dealing with this was much of an improvement.
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Post by Sketchy on Mar 7, 2011 23:21:55 GMT -5
T'ien was glad D'cien and Hiarth had left, but he had to admit he missed their solid appearance. Between them a line was divided and it saddened him to see that most people leaned towards the weyrwoman. But of course they would- he was still new, even if he had Impressed high in the rankings. He swallowed the anger. It was just a misunderstanding, he told himself.
We've done nothing wrong, mine. Minalth's dragon-sense calmed T'ien like his brother couldn't. The stubby bronze pushed his head up against T'ien's hand, letting him scratch at his eye ridges gently.
"Of course," he inclined, stiffly formal. Even if Kora wasn't the accuser, even if she would eventually believe him, the fact that the shadow of doubt had hit her would be held against her for a while. T'ien wasn't flamboyant or dramatic- but he did stand firm in his views of people. If they earned trust, they kept it, until it was undeniable otherwise.
This was just a mistake of time and place. But that didn't mean he had to take it well.
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Post by Sparrow on Mar 7, 2011 23:46:21 GMT -5
"Minalth's looking well," Kora said weakly as she led him out of the hall through the nearer kitchen entrance. "Congrats on Impressing a Bronze." Through the kitchens, out, and then it was a brief walk to the room she often used as an office. She didn't think she would anymore. First that fight with D'mas, and now this.
She sat down on the desk and motioned towards a chair, if T'ien wanted to sit. Lilac remained on her shoulder, eyes whirling with much more curiosity than suspicion.
I don't like this, Nayarath grumbled.
Didn't J'ran follow T'ien out? Ask Ekirith if J'ran saw anything, and problem solved. J'ran had been at Nyocia since its formation. If he put in a good word, T'ien was fine. The Brownrider would be trusted easily. A Bronzerider ought to be trusted even more quickly, but circumstances were different for weyrlings, particularly ones that hadn't even spent much time at Nyocia as a Candidate.
"I really don't want to make you feel like I'm just going to up and believe P'can ((because that guy needed a name and I'm eating pecans right now >.>)) and suddenly lose all trust in you, T'ien." Even though it surely looked like that. "But we can't take an attack on a queenrider lightly. That man who attacked Inolyn had already killed Shador and Kelth, or at least we're hoping it's the same person. We really don't have any proof of anything right now. People are jumping to conclusions and I can't help that. I'm sorry you ended up on the bad end of it.
"But I- I really don't think you were involved in this, T'ien." She paused as Nayarath updated her. "Ekirith says that J'ran was right there with you, until he ran off to chase the attacker." Dragons didn't lie, nor did their riders in this sort of situation. "So there you go. But you did.... you did tell me that you traveled before you came here. And we could really use the information if you ran into anything that seemed suspicious while you were out. Most people don't think taking down queens is a one man job." Which was what had brought T'ien here in the first place.
Maybe it would work out, but Kora was still feeling uneasy.
((I'm making gratuitous use of that thread we never carried out, although it is still sitting there under this one so I'm calling it valid. P:))
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Post by Sketchy on Mar 8, 2011 5:25:20 GMT -5
T'ien followed, Minalth questioning him the whole time. Dragons know, mine. Do not worry. "I'm not worried," he mumbled to his dragonet, whose tone sounded a bit worried for him.
Good. We haven't done anything wrong. The bronze was already very tried and true in his view of what was right and what was wrong. "Thank you," he replied shortly to her congrats. Even basic politeness, that had been so drilled into him, couldn't be forgotten over the tang of distrust. It was a bad feeling being on the wrong side of the mob, he decided.
Entering the room, he stood by the chair, hip leaned against the seat, arms crossed. He didn't want to sit. His jaw was thrust out a bit, making him appear slightly more stubborn than usual. He was silent through her explanation. "It's fine. I understand." He really did. He figured if he said it enough, he'd get over that hurt feeling that kept sneaking in to twist his stomach in knots.
See mine, they know. I told those other dragons too, that we didn't do anything. The stubby bronze wrapped around him protectively, smushing T'ien between his bulk and the chair. T'ien didn't mind. It was comforting to feel his heat and bulk.
"There were simply rumors, Weyrwoman. Nothing more. I rarely stayed in a place long enough to sink into the subterfuge there." Titles and formality: T'ien had fallen back on the one thing e was really good at. "I'm glad J'ran got this worked out. He seems like a nice kid." He wasn't really sure how old J'ran was, and even if he was indeed older than him, he still seemed young enough to refer to as a kid. Then again, T'ien had a habit of deciding most people were a child compared to him.
They caught him mine. Oh. Well. He got himself. He's dead. The bronze updated through the line of dragon chat from Hiarth and others, commenting to T'ien.
"Are we finished here?"
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Post by Jenth on Mar 8, 2011 6:26:28 GMT -5
In all this ruckus the last thing L'han expected to hear was a Rider being accused of assisting in the attack on Inolyn. And of all rider, a Weyrling to a newly hatched bronze. Was that really what this Weyr was coming to?! Dismissing the last of the Wingleaders and leaving all else to D'mas who acted as his Second, L'han came marching back into the cavern. While he trusted Kora with his entire being to act for the best of the Weyr and its riders, her authority was best supported by an equally strong voice.
Directed by drudges, who only stayed to clean the now empty room, the tanrider knocked respectfully on the door to Kora's private office and waited for admittance. "Even with the rogues, never have I heard of us turning on ourselves like this. Jumping to conclusions has never done us any good..." L'han commented, obviously disgusted with the allegations against T'ien.
"I believe you're innocent, young man. You've nothing to fear, and I can prove it if anyone wishes to argue." The Weyrleader saw he had their attention, the matter was best dealt with swiftly and stopped before smoke was fanned into flames.
"While Inolyn may be in no condition to speak for herself, there is one in this Weyr that can speak for her and none would dare argue with her. Jorindath would have flown to the Red Star if it meant hunting down the attacker, if she can look you in the eye and speak your innocence that should be all the proof anyone should need. You would not live to see the sun rise if she thought you any threat."
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Post by Sparrow on Mar 8, 2011 8:46:58 GMT -5
Kora almost laughed. J'ran, a kid? "He's older than me, you know." And she was older than T'ien. She stood, ready to have this over with and just send T'ien back to the barracks. Rumors could be surprisingly useful things, but she was too tired right now. It wouldn't do her much good to press him for them.
"We're finished. All the other weyrlings should be back at the barracks by now; I'll walk you back."
Or she thought it was finished, until she heard the knock on the door and L'han appeared, rash and badly timed, as always. "The issue is dealt with, L'han," she said coldly, not in the mood for the interruption. "It does no harm to listen to our riders, no matter how obvious the truth might be." Their rank did not mean they could just jump to these conclusions. Part of their job was to listen to those they were over.
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Post by Sketchy on Mar 9, 2011 9:05:27 GMT -5
Flinching a little inwardly at the "young man" comment, T'ien's face remained blank and he nodded, arms uncrossing as he gave a small dip of his posture in return. "Thank you, weyrleader."
Meeting Kora's eyes for only a moment, T'ien also gave a nod of respect to her. "Weyrwoman," he murmured softly, before turning. Minalth was confused by all the mixed signals in the room and was starting to question T'ien. While he understood the gravity of the situation, he also realized the worst was over.
T'ien made his way for the other weyrlings, letting D'cien wrap an arm around his shoulder after punching his arm playfully. Somehow, T'ien thought this was more likely to follow him about than anyone had thought. It wasn't something to take lightly.
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