Alone...(Open!)

[ramba]

Reeva took a plate of food over to a small table. Although the food wasn't bad, half of it she didn't like anyway. But she knew she needed to eat so she slowly picked at it...whatever 'it' was. As she glanced around the messhall, it occured to Reeva that although she had been a prisoner for a while, she hadn't actually made any friends. Sure, she'd talked to people, but for some reason, she just never seemed to accumulate people around her, like perhaps some of the more 'goody-goody' prisoners.

Admittedly she would like to say to someone that it wasn't her fault she had stolen, but then that would be lying. She had done it because she had found it fun, although unlikely to steal again, when she...if she ever got out of this place. Reeva felt stuck in between groups of people, those people who had stolen for food, those people who had stolen for dust, the murderers, the Dust dealers, the rapists....

Reeva felt like she didn't really belong in a catagory. At least not yet. She would if she Impressed a dragon though. She'd be n the group of unwantedweyrlings. The prisoners who 'forced' the dragonets to Impress. No doubt that's what any Impression to a prisoner would be called later down the line. Reeva mentally slapped herself. What was with her sour attitude today? Perhaps it had been the fruit juice the other night?

Whatever it was, Reeva didn't like it, so she lowered her head to her plate and forced herself to eat whatever it was she had been given to eat. Maybe someone would come over and sit by her, just this once?

[Zen]

It was lunchtime and Ever was hungry. She had been working away in the fields all day and, in addition to, of course, being hungry, she was also dirty and really needed a bath right now. If she weren’t so hungry, she probably would have been at the bathing springs right now scrubbing off all the dirt and grime. Instead, she made her way to the mess hall in hopes of finding food that was at least somewhat ‘food.’

No such luck.

Today’s meal: a disgusting assortment of grey and green glop with what could have been taken as meat but was probably a ten sevenday old piece of bread. She opted for water to drink instead of whatever the drudge was given out, also opting to fill the cup herself. Prisoners were allowed some freedoms, after all, except for, you know, choosing decent food. Perhaps she’d live to see the end of this place unless the food killed her first.

The blond woman scratched her cheek while she decided where to sit to ‘eat’ her meal. Perhaps she’d just let Bailey gulp the whole thing down, for he didn’t seem to mind any sort of food. Ever spied an open seat across from a woman she thought she knew but wasn’t quite sure of herself. So, being Ever, the blond made her way to the table and sat down across from the woman. Reeva was older than her, but age didn’t really matter here. Besides, it was only by three Turns.

“Reeva, is it?” Ever asked as she sat, “I guess I should have asked before sitting down, but you look like you need the company.” Ever had a low voice and, compiled with her nearly perpetual sad-looking face, it made Ever sound like she might start crying at any time. This was not the case, and Ever had not truly cried in many Turns. Bailey, her Bronze, sat on her shoulder. He chirped inquisitively at the woman, wondering why she was hunched over her food.

[ramba]

Reeva looked up as the other woman sat down. She blinked as she recalled her as the one who had asked so many questions the other night at the candidate lesson that wasn't. She straightened up a little, and nodded, forcing back a grimace as she swallowed a mouthful of food. 'Aye, it was failry quiet on my own. Yes, I'm Reeva, forgive me, I don't know your name.' She said, before kicking herself. Why so formal? She was in prison after all.

She glanced at the bronze firelizard, somewhat warily. As long as he didn't want to steal her...well, gloop of 'food', that was fine. She turned her eyes back to the blonde-haired woman, before putting down her fork. She supposed she should attempt conversation, simply because they might end up being fellow Weyrlings if they were lucky.

'Food's really great here isn't it?' She said. A slight smile on her face showed her sarcasm, before shaking her head at the dismal food. 'If we're lucky enough to Impress dragons, I hope we won't have to continue eating this...well...' Reeva couldn't think of a name to give the food. She picked up her fork and took another mouthful, hoping that by some miracle it would suddenly taste a lot better.

The slightly wrinkled nose a few seconds later revealed that she was wrong. Gruel tasted better. And she didn't even have any meat in her food, how bad was that?

[Zen]

“I’m sorry, I forgot you didn’t know me,” Ever apologized as she stabbed her fork into that sevenday old-looking piece of bread-thing. Surprisingly, the fork went through. More surprisingly, the fork broke the meat-bread-thing in half with just the simplest of pressure. Ever’s face crumpled into disgust. She looked back up at the other woman as she took the piece that still clung to her fork and held it up for Bailey. Happily, the Bronze firelizard grabbed the whatever it was in his paws and crunched happily on it.

“I’m Ever. I’ve been here since the place opened so I guess you could say that I know a lot more of people than people know of me.” She said as she leaned the arm that had the fork in it on the table. “I guess if Bailey likes it, it must be great,” Ever drawled out the last two words. “But then again,” the woman admonished, “Bailey likes anything.”

If only they’d been given fruits or something. Ever’s stomach growled at the thought of fruits. Even the meatrolls from the candidate lesson-that-wasn’t-a-lesson was better than the food today. The cook, Jora was her name?, she did a very good job in creating the most repulsive foods Ever had ever eaten.

“If we’re lucky enough to Impress dragons, we’ll probably eat like the other Weyrlings. We’ll have to be a bit different, you know, ‘cause we’re prisoners and all, but I sure hope the food’ll be better.” Ever picked up the lone piece of bread-meat-stuff in her hands and gave it to Bailey, who promptly squealed his pleasure and took the food right from her hand (nearly inhaling it even as he took it).

“At least the color’s a bit better today. Or perhaps it’s a bit greener from mold…” Ever said, poking the… mash? What was it? “What do you hope to Impress, dragonwise.” Ever continued in an attempt to keep the conversation flowing.

[ramba]

Reeva wrinkled her nose again. 'I swear firelizards are just some minature form of waste disposal.' She mumbled, before glancing back at Ever. 'It's nice to meet you. Shame it has to be in prison though.' She said before tilting her head and looking down at her food. She wasn't going to eat the rest, there was no way she would be able to without it coming back the same way it had gone.

Reeva smiled grimly at the thought of becoming a Weyrling. 'Any prisoner Weyrlings would definitely have to stick together, regardless of how close they are now. And with young dragons it's probably far too dangerous for us to eat anything from here.' Reeva said. She wrinkled her nose as the firelizard ate whatever it was that he was being fed.

'Admittedly I thought this food would be bad enough for even a firelizard not to eat.' She said, before toying with her own dinner again. 'It could be mold. I wouldn't be surprised if it was and the guards were trying to kill us off so there would be no prisoner's to Stand.' Reeva added, before shaking her head slightly. 'Although maybe it tastes bad because we got fairly decent food the other night?.' She suggested, more to herself than anything.

Ever's question made Reeva think. 'I don't know. Any colour would be great, and not just so I get out of the prison either. I know it's impossible, but I'm half hoping their's a Gold in the clutch. Not for myself, but definitely one that Impressed to a Prisoner.' Reeva's eyes glinted mischievously. 'Imagine the mayhem that would ensue if a Prisoner Impressed a Gold!'

[Zen]

At the mention of waste disposal, Bailey chirped an alarm at Ever and flapped his wings. Ever laughed at the proud and vain firelizard, shushing him with a hand on his back, which crumpled both his wings and settled him. “Sorry, he’s a proud brute, but he won’t hurt you unless you come at me with a knife or something similar. Even then, you might want to not do it, as this is a prison and you’ll probably be cut off from being a candidate.” Ever said, laughing to show Reeva that what she said was a joke.

Ever stayed silent however, picking at her mash with a disgusted face, while Reeva continued. She kept envisioning some sort of fruit, anything that would stem her hunger for the night, and suddenly Bailey jumped between, reappearing only a couple heartbeats later with two fruits cradled in his arms. He dropped both fruits with images of the wild flashing across Ever’s mind, and Ever once again felt that Bailey was the one to save her life. “Bailey says he picked them up from the wild,” Ever said as she took the fruits from the Bronze, who happily handed him over. “Bailey wants you to have one.” She said, placing the fruit on Reeva’s side of the table while biting into her own fruit. “Relax, Bailey does this all the time. It’s not stealing and the guards turn a blind eye.”

She should know; she knew all the tricks of the trade in this prison, this Weyr. Then she mulled over what Reeva said next. “I think it’s extremely unlikely that Semith produced a Gold, though the guards have been speaking about a ‘shiny’ egg that she fusses about. Of course, every egg, including that one, is covered in sand, so no one knows what type of shiny it is. However, if a Queen Impressed to a prisoner, I’m sure the Queen would be crippled or culled.” It was a sad fact of life. The Warden probably would blow his top and make sure that the prisoners were not allowed freedom like that. Perhaps ‘one Queen’ was enough. “I don’t want it to end up like that, honest,” Ever included, her eyes sad, “And I’m not exactly sure what would happen. The Warden is a strange man—all the times I’ve spoken to him, he’s been different.”

After a minute of Ever scratching her head and wondering what exactly would happen, she remembered her first meeting with the Warden. It was her hair that reminded her. Luscious and long now, Ever’s hair had been, like all of the Weyr’s prisoner’s hair, shaved off and she had been forced into a spot she didn’t want to be in. “Of course, only time will tell, huh? Oh, and why wouldn't you wish a Gold Impresses to you?"

[ramba]

Reeva chuckled. 'Well to be honest, if I'd have wanted to come after you with a knife...or rather a fork, I'm pretty sure I'd have done so.' She replied. Then she pulled a face. 'I'm suprised talking isn't on the guard's list of offences. Then she frowned thoughtfully.

'To be honest, if they don't want us to Impress dragons, why let us Stand at all? Why not just get some of the outside world to come and Stand?' She mused. Reeva was somewhat startled by the disappearance and reappearance of the firelizard, although gladly accepted the fruit. 'Why thank you! I'm sorry I called firelizards waste disposals, it must just be the non-metalllic colours.' Reeva said to Bailey, wondering if he did actually understand what she was saying.

Reeva almost said that stealing didn't bother her, and that it was actually quite fun...but then she would likely lose any chance of making a friend, and lose candidacy all in one. So instead, she merely shrugged. 'Hey, wild fruit is free. I just wish we were given the option of living off of it.' She smumbled before biting into the fruit whilst frowning slightly.

'I doubt that the Queen would be culled. Semith may be child-like in mind, but I'm sure she's still as good a mother as any. And I don't know a lot about dragons, but I'd bet almost anything on the fact that no dragon would let their rider willingly stand by whilst a Queen is killed. Crippled is definitely more likely, but I'm sure that, like Semith, she would find someway to Rise.' Reeva said, before blinking. 'The Warden scares me, and not a lot does. I often wonder if he has identical brothers all with different personalities.' She chuckled before she tilted her head and shrugged.

'Well for all my faults, power-mad is one of them. I would love to ride a Gold Dragon, don't get me wrong, but I would worry that I'd be a bad Weyrwoman, even if it was only a junior. From what I've seen of you, if there was a Gold, you would be more suited for it then I.' Reeva replied, before taking another bite out of her fruit. 'What about you, what colour dragon do you hope to Impress?'

[Zen]

Ever nodded appreciatively when Reeva told her about coming at her with a knife (fork). If she hadn’t done it yet, then it probably wouldn’t happen, and that was the truth. Even more truthfully, Bailey probably would have seen the attack coming straight for her and probably would have attacked Reeva before her fingers had grasped said knife (or fork). But Ever wouldn’t say that.

“They don’t want us to Stand, that’s why. L’vey wants us to Stand because there aren’t enough Candidates… well, traditional Candidates. You saw the numbers, Reeva, there simply aren’t enough Candidates and dragons would be left behind. And it’s a no-go for outsiders—once they Impress at this Weyr, I’ve heard that they have to stay here and guard. Not many people want that task.” Ever explained after Reeva spoke about the firelizards being waste disposals. Bailey puffed up at the compliment, flaring his wings slightly, which got caught in Ever’s hair. This annoyed Bailey and he shook himself free with an undignified snort, but Ever ignored him, smoothing her hair down absently with the back of the hand that held the fruit while pushing the food tray away from her with the other.

There were a lot of people Ever knew to be power-mad and others whom she suspected fell in that category. From what she had heard of Reeva (which wasn’t a lot, but she lived with the little knowledge she knew), she hadn’t suspected the woman to be anything of the sort. Then Ever had to choke down the piece of fruit she was chewing on as the woman opposite her said she might be a good candidate for a Gold. “Are you serious? Me? A Gold?” She asked, but perhaps it was the way that Reeva looked at her made Ever realize that she really thought that Ever would fit a Gold. “I’m honored, really,” Ever said, waving an arm as if trying to wave away an embarrassing ordeal. “I never thought myself as a Goldrider, though, not that I wouldn’t wish upon a star to ride one… even if she wasn’t mine, you know?”

But Ever took another bite of the fruit Bailey had given her and mulled over Reeva’s latest question. Her eyes darkened a smidgen as she remembered her father, the look on his face. ‘You are less than dirt’ it had managed to convey to her, and she swallowed her bite of fruit before answering. Her voice was lower now, filled with an emotion close to regret, “If I could, I would love to ride Gold, but I’ve never thought myself able to ride Gold, what with the position I’m in now. I had always thought Green, but not Blue and possibly not Brown.” She said, and shrugged, but it was halfhearted, as if she didn’t really believe in what she was saying. What the shards, she wanted to ride Gold just to spit in her father’s face, but if it were just for personal gain, she wouldn’t be a good Goldrider. A Gold needed someone who would be selfless, not Ever, even if she was from a good bloodline, even if she had been on good terms with the Weyr for three Turns, even if ‘everything bad happened,’ though that was not true, as good things had happened, too. For a moment, Ever had self doubt.

[ramba]

Reeva nodded. 'Hm, I guess you're right. Although they have to bring outsiders in at some point, as I doubt prisoners will be allowed to have kids, and only the non-violent people are allowed to Impress. Either that or the dragons are going to run out of candidates.' Reeva said. She doubted she was making sense, she was more distracted by Bailey's antics. She would have to find a way to get her a firelizard, they were a lot cuter then she remembered.

Reeva jumped when Ever nearly choked on her fruit at the mention of becoming a gold-rider. She didn't pay much more attention to the subject as the other woman began to talk about what colours she thought she might get. Reeva nodded again, before frowning slightly. 'Not a blue or a brown? Whyever not? Do you not like the idea of those dragon types?' Reeva asked. She didn't mean to sound like she was reprimanding Ever for not thinking she might get those colours, Reeva was just curious aas ti why.

'I really do think that us prisoner candidates have a chance of Impressing as the traditionals. I just hope that this hatching and after it doesn't turn ugly. No one knows what might really happen after this hatching and, to be honest, I hope it's nothing bad.'

((Hm, sorry for the short post, my brain isn't working today.))

[Zen]

Ever shrugged, “I don’t see myself as a Blue or a Brownrider, it’s as simple as that.” She said with another bite of the fruit. Her throat still hurt from the previous moment of coughing and somewhat choking, but the food felt so good in her stomach. “I am a woman who likes men, and to have a blue or a brown would mean my blue or brown would Chase greens, most likely I’ll be paired with a female rider. I see nothing wrong with those colors, I just would rather not have female on female… stuff.”

“I think that if the prisoners, the other prisoners, know what’s best for them, they won’t even think about messing up this Hatching. If not I’m sure they’d be imprisoned for life, not like we’re much better off. I hope it’s nothing bad, too.” Ever continued, her voice growing lower. “It would be horrible if something bad were to happen and we were caught in the middle of it.”

Another contemplative bite of the fruit. With a start, Ever realized that it was finished and she’d almost eaten through the core. She set it on the glop of food before her and drummed the table with her fingers. “Perhaps onto something lighter? How are the guards treating you? How long have you been here?” Well, not exactly 'lighter' but a change of subject.

[ramba]

Reeva blinked at Ever's reason. Oh! She hadn't even thought of that! 'I think I'd have to agree with you there. Unfortunately the thought hadn't occured to me until just then. Although, I do wonder if a dragon could be persuaded to only chase those with a male rider.' Reeva mumbled before shaking her head. She really was just showing up how little she knew of dragons and their habits and she knew it.

Reeva listened to Ever. She hoped they wouldn't be caught in the middle of anything either. Or the eggs. It would be a tragedy if any of the dragon babies were hurt before they even hatched. The thought made her eyes and nose tingle so she quickly dropped the matter, focusing on the questions Ever had asked.

'The guards are treating me fine. None of them like to talk to me though, I think I scare them. How do the guards treat you?' Reeva asked before contemplating the second question put to her. Oh, just how long had she been here? With a small start, Reeva realised that she was in fact twenty six turns old and by some cruel plays of fate had missed her birthday! She frowned slightly.

'I've been here just over a turn I believe. Sadly I turned twenty six without even realising it. Have you really been here since the prison was first opened?' Reeva asked. Admittedly it would explain why Ever's hair was so long. Reeva liked her hair the length it was, and managed to persuade someone to cut her hair when it needed cutting.

[Zen]

“I don’t have a dragon,” Ever consented to Reeva’s wondering, “so I wouldn’t know if you could rein your dragon in when the female’s rider is male or not.” She wondered if it worked that way or if a dragon chose who it wanted for itself and took no consideration in for its rider. Perhaps there was some dragon chemistry or perhaps there was just dragon. Ever had no idea, at least not yet, anyway. Whether she Impressed or not, she’d keep trying. There was little else for her to do but contemplate.

“That’s good, the guards can be a hassle sometimes but prisoners have to stick together. As for me, I’ve been here long enough that the guards let me do certain ‘things’ behind their backs, like take more softsand to wash with or eat fruits or something from outside—like what Bailey did.” She shrugged and cracked her back, “For the most part, they’re nice guys—and girls. They’re fun to play cards or dice with, though if you even think of cheating they’ll rat you out right quick.”

“And happy belated birthing day, Reeva. I’m sorry you missed it.” Ever said, bowing her head toward the woman, “Perhaps that means you aren’t really twenty six, but still twenty five?” A small joke, but with Ever’s voice, the inflection of ‘joke’ might not have gotten across. After Reeva’s last question, Ever nodded. “Yes, I’ve been here since it opened, though perhaps not the first day or so, more like the first month.”

“It’s not that bad here,” Ever continued, and Bailey nodded sagely as if he understood the gravity of the blond’s comment. “I mean, you labor a lot, but when you are able to escape from parents—specifically for me my father—then this place is like a whole new life. You just have to get used to, you know, being a prisoner.”

[ramba]

Reeva sighted. 'I guess we'll just have to find out.' She mumbled. 'I wonder what it's like to fly without restraints on? Just to be free with no specific destination, and no allocated time to be there?' She mused, before shaking her head clear. She felt it was far to soon to start wondering about things like that. Optimistic she was, but seeing the eggs and touching them would be what she needed to convince her that this was in fact happening.

There was more talk of the guards, and Reeva felt a pang of jealousy. The guards would probably run and tell as soon as she even looked at them wrong. But the jealousy passed fairly quickly. With luck, none of that would matter so much. 'Thank you for the happy birthday - I wish that time did work like that, because then I would make it a habit to miss my birthday every year just so I could stay young. Sometimes life isn't long enough...'

'Wow...nearly three turns is a long time. Even with as many prisoners as there are in this prison, I bet all the guards know who you are.' Reeva said. Then Ever spoke about getting away from her parents, and Reeva winced, visibly and mentally. For a few seconds, Reeva couldn't see or hear anything other than those of a memory. Then it passed, leaving Reeva to shudder and force a small smile.

'Is your father really that bad?' Reeva asked, curious. Being a prisoner here wasn't all bad she supposed, at least it was shelter, even if the food was bad.

[Zen]

“Sometimes,” Ever said, shrugging in response to Reeva’s thoughts of time being too fast. “Sometimes I think life is too long.”

Another shrug, “The guards know me, at least most of them do. They know I’m good and won’t do anything.” There wasn’t anything else about it. Ever had always been there, since before most of them. She was simply a constant, something many people took for granted. At some times it was a good thing; at others it meant she was just there to stay. To think about that was horrible, just about as horrible as thinking about her future. However, now Ever guessed her future wasn’t going to be as horrible now as it was before. There was a hatching happening soon and she was going to be there.

“As for my father, you know Fort Hold’s Lord?” She asked as Bailey climbed off of her shoulder, landed clumsily on the table. Flailing wildly, his wing got caught in the gruel on Ever’s plate and he fell. With a squawk that could have been taken as a curseword, Bailey jerked sideways and landed with his face in the gruel. Instantly, the Bronze was happy as he slurped up his new meal.

Distraction over, Ever coughed, “Anyway, you’ve at least heard of Fort Hold’s Lord, underwein?” It was meant to be rhetorical, “He is…was my father. When he caught me stealing one too many times, he told the whole Gather we were at that I’m no longer his daughter. Don’t be sad for me—when he estranged himself and my family from me, I felt uplifted. Living under his harsh rule is something I’d never wish upon anyone in the world.” Ever concluded, watching Bailey lick the gruel off of his wingtip.

[ramba]

Reeva blinked. How could life be too long? True, somedays seemed to pass far slower than others, but just the knowledge that there were more things to do which you might have done, to experience things that you might not have imagined...but then there was a more bitter side to that fact. Once a person had died, what would happen then? Everything would be forgotten, only to be re-experienced by an entirely different person.

It was sad really. The only people to be remembered were the ones who did great things. Faranth for example. Surely there had to be a bronze in the equation? Reeva couldn't recall anything about him. Soon she realised that she had been silent for a while, and zoned back into the conversation in time to hear Ever ask if Reeva knew of the Fort hold's Lord. Reeva was about ready to say know when Ever's flitter half-landed in the gruel which was sure to be stone cold by that point.

Reeva chuckled. It was definitely one of the most hilarious things she had ever seen. Ah laughing, laughing felt good after a while in this place. Then they were back on subject again.

So Ever's father was a Lord Holder? No wonder the guards liked her. Even a disowned daughter was still important.

'Hm, your father sounds like a Thread-bitten wherry for what it's worth.' Reeva said. Then her thoughts turned to her brother and she added, 'If my brother knew I'd been stealing, he'd freak out, but he wouuldn't disown me. I'm his only sister, I think he still thinks of me as a young child.'

In some respects, Reeva probably was, but she wasn't likely to admit that.