Skin Deep (1/2)

Writers: Aaron, Avery
Date Posted: 27th November 2017

Characters: K'don, Saheni
Description: Kedon tries not to patronize Saheni
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 2, day 13 of Turn 9

K'don

Kedon was tired. It had been a long day. Apart from his assignment to
shadow K'ran, Kedon had also made it his business to wash and oil
Vikarath and then to report to L'grel on how he was doing. He had a
quick bath after Vikarath's to make sure he was not still leaving oily
handprints, of course.

He had brought with him a wooden box held together with hinges and a
metal latch. On the outside was an enameled checker board. On the
inside were the pieces for chess, checkers, and backgammon, along with
a felt lining marked with the backgammon board.

"Saheni?" he called in once he had confirmed that visitors were
permitted. "It's Kedon. Can I come in?"

There was a sigh from behind the curtain drawn around the bed, and
then some quiet muttering. Then there was a clatter of sound as she
drew the curtain back and peered out.

"You're actually here," Sehani said with some puzzlement.

"I know I made you mad before, and if you want me to go I will," said
Kedon. "But I brought games, so if you're still bored, I hoped you'd
play." He held up the box of games, unsure of what else to say. He was
wary of upsetting her again, and K'ran said she might send him away.
But there was only one way to know.

She looked down at the bed when he said that. It was true. She had, in
fact, been somewhat rude to him. It was just that she hadn't known how
to react to a boy showing any kind of interest in her. Not after what
had happened to her face.

"You're not just doing this because the Wingleader asked?" she asked
after a moment, fidgeting with the sheet.

"He didn't ask me," said Kedon. "I asked him. He said you might say
no, but I wanted to try anyway. It sucks to be stuck in a bed all by
yourself all the time." He offered her a smile and opened the box.
"What game do you wanna play?" he asked.

"Did that ever happen to you? Getting stuck in bed?" she asked.

She only knew checkers, so she said softly, "Checkers."

"I've never been stuck in bed for that long, just a bit of a cold here
and there. But I can imagine how I'd feel," said Kedon. "And I know it
has to be hard to be so far away from your dragon, not to be able to
touch her. No rider wants to go a whole day without touching their
dragon." He had seen the affection between his parents and their
dragons enough to know it was something special.

He began to set the board up for checkers. "You can go first," he said.

"You're right," she said, impressed by his knowledge of dragons
despite still being a Candidate. "I miss her so much. Her back's all
torn up, and her wing, and..." She blinked back tears and hiccoughed a
few times.

Kedon's eyes misted up, too. He took a deep breath. "She's going to be
OK, though," he said. He sounded as though he knew it was true.
"You'll both be on your feet before you know it. Thank you, by the
way."

"For what?" Saheni asked, genuinely puzzled.

"Well, for fighting, of course," said Kedon, blinking as though this
were obvious. "You got hurt keeping us safe. Thank you."

She'd picked up the first checker to move, and then held it in the air
when she stared at him. "I got hurt because I was stupid and not
paying attention. It's not – flying isn't noble it's just what you
have to do. You don't have a choice when you ride a dragon."

"You're not stupid," said Kedon. "Everyone makes mistakes. And it's
not any less noble just because it's what you have to do. So. Thank
you."

The greenrider continued to stare at him. Her wide-eyed, open-mouthed
shock pulled at the vivid score across her face. It was painful but
she was too stunned to consider that.

"I've never heard anyone talk like you before," she finally said. "I'd
say you were some naive holdbred idiot but – I've seen you around
before..." she trailed off.

"I was born here," said Kedon. He tried not to take too much offense
at what was effectively an insult. "Maybe I'm just a naïve weyrbred
idiot." He barely knew what naïve meant – knew it was not good. But he
knew what an idiot was. He smiled.

Last updated on the December 10th 2017

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Skin Deep (1/2)