Subtle Signs of Spring

Writers: Eimi, Yvonne
Date Posted: 19th March 2006

Characters: K'far, Firsa
Description: K'far comes across Firsa on his ride back to the stables, and they end up riding the remaining distance together
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 10, day 6 of Turn 3

Rainy's hoof beats were regular, but slow and lacking the bounce they did at the beginning of a ride. Firsa patted her runner's neck affectionately as she ducked a low-hanging branch laden with snow. A slow afternoon spent in the arena near the Weyr, and then a wild ride through the snowy trails - of course to check the far pastures, and not simply for the pleasure of feeling the wind against her face. Of course. The Stablemaster was smiling none the less as she turned onto the mail trail and pointed Rainy's nose toward home.

K'far brought Leaf to a halt as they reached the crossroads. He knew that rider lazily approaching. It was the pretty stablemaster who seemed to take an instant dislike to him. He never let little things like that bother him. K'far was pretty sure he was a likeable guy once someone gave him the chance. "I didn't know you rode for pleasure," the brownrider called as she approached.

Firsa looked up, recognizing his voice. He must have checked Leaf out while she was away. "I go riding because I can't seem to do anything else half as well, or enjoy it half as much."

"Nothing?" the brownrider asked, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"Nothing else I'd talk to you about, anyway," she said breezily.
Intrusive, innuendo-laden questions were to be expected at the Weyr -
especially from dragonmen.

"Fair enough," K'far chuckled. "At least you're a woman who is not afraid to tell a man to mind his own business. Do you mind if I ride back with you?"

Firsa shrugged. "There's only one road, and I couldn't stop you if I tried."

"I don't know," the brownrider grinned. "You seem pretty formidable to me."

The Stablemaster gave him a sidelong look, not sure how to take that, and then decided not to reply at all. The rode in silence for a while, breathing in the air that seemed to have lost the cracking chill that it held before. Now it brought smells that promised spring on the air. "When does winter ever end?"

"In a month or so it really looks like spring, but if you look closely you can see spring sneaking up on you," Firsa said with a shrug. There wasn't much you could do about the seasons.

"Oh really?" he asked pulling his collar tighter around his neck. "Which direction is it sneaking in from? I'd love to meet it half way."

The stablemaster smiled and reached down to give Rainy's neck another pat. "You've been spoiled for subtlety at whatever Weyr you came from. Things happen here slowly, and when you least expect them.
Small things. You have to keep your eyes open."

"Well, there were two seasons at Dolphin Cove - hot and sunny season, and hot and a rainy season. I'm still not sold on this whole _four_
season idea."

"It'll grow on you." Personally, Firsa loved the changing seasons.
She loved how the clouds changed, how the trees grew and died before her eyes, how a barren land grew soft and green. She loved how snowflakes felt as they melted against her cheeks and her breath puffed white into the wind, and the sound of melting ice rushing over rocks. The few times she'd gone to warmer places, it had felt overblown and slightly claustrophobic.

"Well, it sure doesn't seem to phase you. What do you do to keep warm in these cold winter months?" After he said it he winced inwardly, knowing she would probably assume it was another stab at flirtation.

And rightfully so. Firsa suppressed a sigh. They were all the same.
"Mind your own business, brownrider."

"All right, now see, I knew you were going to think that," he said with a frustrated shake of his head. "All I meant was do you have any _hobbies_. Like reading or singing, or roasting riders over a fire and feeding them to the canines. You know, things you do to entertain yourself."

Firsa gave him a hard look. Yeah, right - more likely he was backpedaling... but she couldn't find it in her to brush him off. "I deal with runners, not canines. They won't eat meat."

"Well, that at least is a comfort," K'far sighed. Shards, this woman was _impossible_! "Anything else I am allowed to know about you? Or is the fact that you work with runners it, and the rest is none of my business?"

The Stablemaster was secretly pleased with his discomfort. "I read. I do a little leatherworking. I'm not that interesting, though. Sorry to disappoint."

"Reading and leatherworking is a start," the brownrider replied with an encouraging nod. Thank Faranth, he was afraid they would have to ride on in silence the rest of the way. "What do you read?"

"Histories, mostly. Sometimes Craft books, but not so much now that I've walked the tables. Do you read at all?"

"I lost my taste for reading after I Impressed and didn't have to read any more of those boring healer hides anymore. But I've started picking it up again recently." At least, he _intended_ to... He would have to get to the Record Room and see if there was anything interesting when he got back.

"It's not a bad way to spend the time," Firsa said. She ducked a low-hanging branch and managed not to dump it's burden of snow down her neck.

"I don't suppose you have any authors you can recommend I read? Like I said, it's been a while."

"That depends on what you like." Although she was very tempted to recommend something especially dense...

"I honestly don't know at this point. Like I said, I shied away from reading for a while. I was more interested in sailing, hiking, riding." Among other things that he was sure she would conclude on her own without his help.

"I've never been sailing," Firsa said, then regretted the slip.

"Really?" he asked surprised. "Well, I suppose there isn't much sea around here to go sailing in."

"No." She was quiet a moment, thinking. "'An Account of the Voyage of the Inquisition.' You might like that."

"That's a book title, right?" he asked with a grin to let her know that he was only teasing.

She raised an eyebrow. "There's hope for you yet."

"Well, I sure hope so," K'far chuckled. Perhaps there was hope yet for her as well?

Last updated on the March 19th 2006

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Subtle Signs of Spring