Like That Once

Writers: Emma, Len
Date Posted: 28th October 2010

Characters: Teseada, G'wen
Description: Teseada meets Galwen in the inner lake
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 10, day 28 of Turn 5

Teseada

After a day of chasing several weyrbrats, spilling most of the Weyr's
breakfast over himself, and washing countless dishes, Galwen was more
than
willing to wander off to the baths. T'bel's little green was preening
on
her ledge which meant that T'bel was most likely drinking with his
mates. As he would be there awhile it meant that Galwen wouldn't have
to go up all those steps to his da's weyr; he could just hitch a ride
behind T'bel in a while. With the bulling in the Candidate barracks
being so bad, he had taken to sleeping in the weyr with the two dragons.
His da wouldn't let him sleep in the same room as the men, but it was
better--and safer--than a darkened room full of Holder bullies and
over-hormoned gay Weyr boys. So now was as good a time to get clean and
to relax in the warm waters as any. And besides, no awkward
eyes would be around to see him bathing.

When he rounded the curve of the bathing cambers and inner lake, there
was
only one person about and it was thankfully a girl. After all of
T'bel's
misadventures with trying Galwen on all of his blue riders friends, the
last thing the small boy wanted to see was yet another man. Out of the
corner of his eye, he caught the pale gold hide of Onnyth.

}:I see a small one,:{ the gold told her rider.

"Who's there?" called out Teseada. She and Onnyth had chosen this time
to
get a bit of peace.

"It's only Galwen," he called out, doubting if she even knew who he was.
He hoped he wasn't disturbing her.

"Galwen," she repeated, trying to put the name and the face together."I
know you don't I? Weren't you in candidate classes with me for a while?"
He did look familiar, "Your father's G'waran?"

He stopped next to her, nodding hello to Onnyth. "Yes, that's my da.
But I wasn't a Candidate before a few months ago. I've served you a few
times
though, at dinner. I work most of the time in the kitchens. When I'm
not
washing someone's dragon, that is." He smiled, a bit dismayed to notice
that she was a few inches taller than him. Well, most people were.

"Then that's where I've seen you before, my Ma is a cook here and I
sometimes slip down to see her during the day."

"Ah, your Ma's Tesia, isn't she? She's a great cook!" Galwen's smile
widened, thinking about Tesia. The realization of something else dawned
on him. "Oh dear, your da's D'nev, isn't it? I think my da's obnoxious
weyrmate was trying to dump me on him." He blushed, thinking about that
evening in the lower caverns.

"My Da prefers the ladies really," there was an odd note to her voice
which someone that knew her well would pick up on. "But most of the time
he's harmless."

"I wish T'bel was," he snorted, glancing up at Onnyth. "She's looking
well these days, isn't she?"

"Indeed, but she's a dragon who needs a bath."

"I know how she feels." The boy glanced up at the queen who, dispite
her
rider's words, looked distinctly cleaner than he did. "Well, I'm not
obviously a Queen Candidate but if you need some help...?" He could get
clean as well.

"She'd love the attention, she's a sucker for it at times," Teseada told
him as she located a second brush. "She always seems to think that more
people is good."

"Less dragon for you to wash!" he teased, taking the brush she gave him
and nodding his thanks. Shrugging out of his dirty shirt and tunic, he
looked up at Onnyth. This would be his first time ever washing one of
the Queens.

}:Tell him I won't bite,:{ Onnyth sounded amused as she gazed back at
Galwen. }:I've seen herdbeasts with more meat on them.:{

"She says to go ahead and start," Teseada's words were more diplomatic,
once she'd have repeated them straight off, but people looked to her to
set an example now.

"Okay then, tell her I might just join her when she rinses off," Galwen
said, rubbing some sweet sand onto her shoulder with his brush. It felt
good to get his grubby clothes off with their porriage stains. "So,
what do you think of the new Weyrwoman?"

"She seems very nice," Teseada said as she lathered up her own brush to
start on a spot on the gold's left flank. "And she's doing a good job
leading in fall."

Galwen nodded in agreement, focusing all his flagging energy on
scrubbing
the Queen. Pausing for a quick breath, he said, "you haven't had any
injuries on her wing since she took over, eh?"

"Don't jinx us," Teseada said. "Like all the rest we try to get through
one fall at a time."

"Oh crap, sorry!" The small boy smiled sheepishly. Looking out from
under
Onnyth's wing, he asked, "do you think she's ready to rinse off yet?"

}:I am,:{ she told her rider, and started to move slowly into the waters
of the lake.

"I think that definitely means yes."

"Thank Faranth for that." Giving Teseada a sideways glance, he quickly
decided that him being clean was more imprtant than her seeing him
naked.
And besides, she was Weyrbred. Slipping out of his trousers, he
splashed in after Onnyth. The water felt warm as he dove under.

"Be careful, she can play rough and she like to splash."

"No problem," he called back. "Are you coming in? The water's lovely."

**You want me to?** asked Teseada.

}:Yes, the little one needs friends, and you were like that once.:{

Sometimes Onnyth's insights suprised her rider. "Just a moment," she
called out. "I'm just going to put the washing things safe, then I think
someone wants a water fight."

Last updated on the November 7th 2010

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