Sleepless

Writers: Yvonne
Date Posted: 1st June 2007

Characters: J'nus
Description: J'nus reads a little of the diary he found at Cairn Hold, and does a whole lot of not sleeping
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 4, day 4 of Turn 4

'1164-11-2
The eighth diary.
The oxen stair is progressing nicely, although Pion nearly lost a
finger when his chisel slipped. I am particularly fond of the detail
I've added around the fourth ox's eyes. It makes it look particularly
life-like, I think.
Clyra helped me out a lot today, too. I don't know where she gets the
fabric for her dresses, but it flatters her colours and somehow makes
me look even more drab by comparison.

1164-11-5
Irgis will walk the tables! A letter came from the Hall inviting him
back after his Undersea Lattice was shown at Pebble Brook Hold, and
the Hallmaster is most pleased. He'll leave tomorrow a-dragonback,
and Clyra will go with him. I want to ride a dragon. I wish I could
go.
He deserves it, although Pion thinks that Irgis is still an ass, and
I am inclined to agree.

1164-11-9
A green dragon came to our Hold to pick up Irgis and Clyra. I've
never seen an animal that big before. No wonder you hear all those
stories of them fighting in the sky - what else would they be good
for!? It also said that one of our own was suitable for Impression
and wanted to take him back to the Weyr. Master Elgrim said no, of
course. What a waste of time that would be. And then we'd have to
feed the monster.

~*~

J'nus closed the diary and picked up his glass of redfruit juice. He
sipped it thoughtfully and stared through the darkened door to
Kopth's couch. There was just enough light from the glows to cast a
faint shimmer across his ribs every time the dragon inhaled.

The time before the Pass had been a difficult one for dragonriders.
They served no real, practical purpose save as couriers and scouts,
and the enormous appetites of the dragons fueled a lot of resentment
among the Holders. He, himself, was lucky to have been given the
opportunity to Stand... but then, the Caravan leader would have never
let him go if they hadn't just gotten through a particularly
difficult winter. **Lucky for me,** he thought, rubbing the brand on
his wrist.

It was late. Tomorrow he and D'wrayt were leading an early drill, but
somehow he couldn't quite bring himself to go to bed. Maybe Kenza was
awake... **I doubt it,** he thought. **She's a sensible woman, and
sensible people aren't up at this candlemark.** The diary had left
him restless and he got up from his chair, only to pace. After a
length or two of the room he gave up in disgust and headed for the
top of the cliff.

Outside was cool, but not unpleasantly so. Once again J'nus marveled
at the forgotten technology that had carved the steps from the cliff
and the weyrs from the stone. It was seamless and elegant, and
glimmered faintly in the light from the moons. He stopped near the
edge of the cliff and tipped his head back.

There, near the horizon, glimmered the Red Star. They eyed each other
warily for a while, but J'nus was unable to match its stare. Tall
tales, myths... that's what the Red Star was to him as a child.
Children now were afraid of it. **Rightly so...?** he wondered. The
Red Star was a thing, not a malevolent force, no matter what people
_felt_. It acted predictably and without prejudice. Really, it wasn't
any more frightening than the sea or the wind... and that pair had
done more than enough damage in the last turn and a half.

After a while the biting bugs and a chill in the air drove J'nus back
into his weyr. Kopth blinked sleepily from his couch as his rider
entered, then settled back into slumber with a rumble and an
irritated scratch behind his forearm. }:I will be hungry tomorrow,:{
he murmured after a moment.

J'nus paused, smiling. **Yes, I know. Don't worry. I'll feed the
monster,** he thought, then tossed his tunic into a corner and closed
his eyes.

Last updated on the June 2nd 2007

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Sleepless