Post by Narrator on May 11, 2022 16:51:34 GMT -8
Time Reference: Day 20 Quarantine. Early/Mid Morning.
"...so then Jinny tells hi - " In the middle of a word, Jasmine’s mouth snapped shut and she doubled over as she groaned in pain. She wrapped her hands around her waist, squeezing her stomach and abdomen with another groan. When she straightened, her eyes were wide and she searched about with frantic head jerks. When she found what she sought, she rushed to the closest wall and leaned over it. Retching sounds followed...
Protective instinct overwhelming everything else, D’cien followed Jasmine's frenetic path. And he rushed to her in time to grasp her hair. His face scrunched as he watched her get sick.
After the sounds dissipated, Jasmine muttered: "Thank you..."
It was only after she finished that the brown rider realized what he’d done. D’cien took several swift backward steps. “Are you - are you all right, Jasmine?" Images of them both dying on the spot and no one finding them for days like Leora rushed through D'cien's mind and he worried Jasmine had the plague.
“Yeah, I’m fine...” her voice distorted by the wide stone barrier, Jasmine did her best to reassure her brother.
Though her voice sounded sincere, D'cien still had his doubts. Maybe it's because everyone's on edge at the moment. He took a step closer to Jasmine again and reached his hand out toward her. "Are you sure? You're not sick are you?"
"Yeah, um - no, I mean no - no I'm not sick." She fumbled in a pocket until she came out with a handkerchief and she stood as she wiped her mouth. “I'm fine.” Jasmine looked flushed and that concerned D’cien even more.
“Are you sure? What’s going on?"
“It’s just - “ Jasmine looked away and further redness rose into her cheeks. “I’m uh...” she stammered as she sought the words to explain it to him. She wanted to tell him, she just didn't know how to tell him.
Raylenoth, sounding much older than his x Turns and ever-so-smug that he knew something his rider didn't supplied the answer. She is ready to Rise.
“Ready to Rise?” D'cien's tone neutral rather than confused, he echoed his dragon’s words aloud without realizing it. I am seriously having a conversation with my little sister about that topic?
“You brute!” Jasmine shouted as she slapped him on the shoulder.
“Ow!" He flinched away from her. "No, I - “
Jasmine pouted. “I can’t believe you’d say something like that."
“I’m sorry, sis, I am. I was repeating what Raylenoth told me. I didn’t realize I said anything aloud. Swear on the First Egg." D’cien rubbed the injured body part. Now that he knew what ailed Jasmine the situation felt awkward.
The greenrider mollified by both his apology and his explanation crossed her arms. “Your dragon’s a jerk, too.”
Knowing better than to argue with her, D’cien nodded and continued to rub his shoulder. This was one of those conversations he never thought he'd have with anyone let alone his sister but he'd asked so that was on him. Besides, she needed him right now and that was the main thing. D'cien did not like seeing her feeling poorly, no matter what the reason. “Is... is there anything to help it?” He ventured in a hesitant voice.
“No,” Jasmine replied, wrinkling her nose. “Appeala said the first times are the worst but it gets better usually... whatever that means.” Her crossed arms slid down to her abdomen. Her mouth tasted like sick and she hoped fervently that part would go away too.
It made sense to the brown rider that his sister sought advice from the headwoman. She’d been ever-so-kind to the siblings since they arrived at White Sands Weyr as Candidates. “Yeah? Well, she’d know then... if it hurts does numbweed help?"
“Not really. It’s an - an inside pain. But Appeala mentioned a tonic?” Jasmine shook her head as she failed to explain the cramps in any adequate manner, and her cheeks reddened again. Appeala also told her because she was a 'late bloomer' it would be worse for a while. Like her body had to do some catching up. She had not expected to talk about this either but now they'd broached the topic it felt good to complain about her troubles to someone else.
For a few minutes, the siblings walked on the Rim quietly. After a time, D'cien found a place to sit down on the wall with his back to the ocean. “Is uh, is being sick normal?”
Jasmine shook her head. “No, I don’t think so... but I’ll ask when I see Appeala next.”
“Yeah, good idea.”
Then Jasmine moved to close the distance and settled next to her brother. She leaned on his forearm. “I’m scared, D’cien. Jindyth may Rise soon. I -" Despite being four turns old already, the green had yet to Rise. Ja'ryns and the others surmised it was due to Jasmine's physical immaturity rather than anything being wrong with Jindyth. But now, now that this happened.
Not as hapless as some males when it came to comforting women, D'cien had more practice with Jasmine than anyone else for the sheer fact she was his little sister and that meant countless moments of practice. Jasmine fell silent which was fine because she said enough for D'cien to understand what scared her. Another unusual topic for siblings to discuss, true, and Jasmine's overemotional state didn't help at all. As far as how to comfort Jasmine - that was a different problem. The brown rider had had his share of one-night stands and even participated in a Flight now, had O'keff now. So he knew what to expect from a Flight at least from the male dragon’s perspective.
To him, the idea of Raylenoth chasing had never been scary but that didn’t invalidate his little sister’s feelings. D’cien draped his arm around her shoulders and rubbed her opposite arm. “It’ll be all right.”
“It will?”
“Mhm.” D’cien looked down at her, the edges of his eyes creased as he smiled to encourage her a bit further. "It’s all right to be afraid of the unknown, Jasmine. As long as you face it head-on.”
Like Thread. Jasmine nodded. “Jinny says like Thread.”
“She’s right! Like Thread, it is all right to be afraid of Thread, right?"
I do not fear Thread!
Thread fears me!
“Right.” Jasmine agreed even as both dragons asserted their claim that they did not fear Thread.
“Right. That’s what G’naro told us, fear Thread, the unknown, or anything else as long as when the time comes, we face it head-on."
Jasmine smiled as she nodded again. Now she looked up into her brother’s face. “Yeah. You’re right.”
As he squeezed her shoulder and jostled her about, D’cien said, “there you go." He held her a bit longer and then added, "maybe Appeala or one of the folks down in the healer halls will have a suggestion for the pain and erm, nausea?"
"That is a good idea." Jasmine said, her tone surprised though it was tough to tell if she teased him or hadn't thought of it herself until just now. Let's go Jinny, I want to go to the ground. Of course.
Below them, the green dragon stepped off her ledge and when her smooth wings bore her aloft, Jindyth betweened to the skies above the Weyr. Jindyth circled the duo once and then went further along the Rim several hundred meters away. A cloud of dust billowed in all directions when she landed and a secondary one erupted as the young green folded her wings to wait for her rider.
“Well, my ride’s here. Do you want to come?” Jasmine disentangled herself from her brother’s arm. She spared a moment to straighten her clothes and hair.
“No, no thanks,” D’cien scrunched his face again. “I think I’ll sit here a while. We have to report for watch in half a candle mark anyway."
“Coward,” Jasmine said with a playful punch on his shoulder and she laughed. “What about G’naro’s wise words?"
D’cien put up his hands in mock surrender. He laughed too. “My time has not come to face that head-on."
“Fair enough,” Jasmine replied with a wave. “See you later, dinner right? Thank you for cheering me up.”
“Anytime, sis. Yes, see you then. I hope you feel better.”
With another wave, Jasmine turned away from D’cien, leaving him on the stone wall with his back to the ocean.
"...so then Jinny tells hi - " In the middle of a word, Jasmine’s mouth snapped shut and she doubled over as she groaned in pain. She wrapped her hands around her waist, squeezing her stomach and abdomen with another groan. When she straightened, her eyes were wide and she searched about with frantic head jerks. When she found what she sought, she rushed to the closest wall and leaned over it. Retching sounds followed...
Protective instinct overwhelming everything else, D’cien followed Jasmine's frenetic path. And he rushed to her in time to grasp her hair. His face scrunched as he watched her get sick.
After the sounds dissipated, Jasmine muttered: "Thank you..."
It was only after she finished that the brown rider realized what he’d done. D’cien took several swift backward steps. “Are you - are you all right, Jasmine?" Images of them both dying on the spot and no one finding them for days like Leora rushed through D'cien's mind and he worried Jasmine had the plague.
“Yeah, I’m fine...” her voice distorted by the wide stone barrier, Jasmine did her best to reassure her brother.
Though her voice sounded sincere, D'cien still had his doubts. Maybe it's because everyone's on edge at the moment. He took a step closer to Jasmine again and reached his hand out toward her. "Are you sure? You're not sick are you?"
"Yeah, um - no, I mean no - no I'm not sick." She fumbled in a pocket until she came out with a handkerchief and she stood as she wiped her mouth. “I'm fine.” Jasmine looked flushed and that concerned D’cien even more.
“Are you sure? What’s going on?"
“It’s just - “ Jasmine looked away and further redness rose into her cheeks. “I’m uh...” she stammered as she sought the words to explain it to him. She wanted to tell him, she just didn't know how to tell him.
Raylenoth, sounding much older than his x Turns and ever-so-smug that he knew something his rider didn't supplied the answer. She is ready to Rise.
“Ready to Rise?” D'cien's tone neutral rather than confused, he echoed his dragon’s words aloud without realizing it. I am seriously having a conversation with my little sister about that topic?
“You brute!” Jasmine shouted as she slapped him on the shoulder.
“Ow!" He flinched away from her. "No, I - “
Jasmine pouted. “I can’t believe you’d say something like that."
“I’m sorry, sis, I am. I was repeating what Raylenoth told me. I didn’t realize I said anything aloud. Swear on the First Egg." D’cien rubbed the injured body part. Now that he knew what ailed Jasmine the situation felt awkward.
The greenrider mollified by both his apology and his explanation crossed her arms. “Your dragon’s a jerk, too.”
Knowing better than to argue with her, D’cien nodded and continued to rub his shoulder. This was one of those conversations he never thought he'd have with anyone let alone his sister but he'd asked so that was on him. Besides, she needed him right now and that was the main thing. D'cien did not like seeing her feeling poorly, no matter what the reason. “Is... is there anything to help it?” He ventured in a hesitant voice.
“No,” Jasmine replied, wrinkling her nose. “Appeala said the first times are the worst but it gets better usually... whatever that means.” Her crossed arms slid down to her abdomen. Her mouth tasted like sick and she hoped fervently that part would go away too.
It made sense to the brown rider that his sister sought advice from the headwoman. She’d been ever-so-kind to the siblings since they arrived at White Sands Weyr as Candidates. “Yeah? Well, she’d know then... if it hurts does numbweed help?"
“Not really. It’s an - an inside pain. But Appeala mentioned a tonic?” Jasmine shook her head as she failed to explain the cramps in any adequate manner, and her cheeks reddened again. Appeala also told her because she was a 'late bloomer' it would be worse for a while. Like her body had to do some catching up. She had not expected to talk about this either but now they'd broached the topic it felt good to complain about her troubles to someone else.
For a few minutes, the siblings walked on the Rim quietly. After a time, D'cien found a place to sit down on the wall with his back to the ocean. “Is uh, is being sick normal?”
Jasmine shook her head. “No, I don’t think so... but I’ll ask when I see Appeala next.”
“Yeah, good idea.”
Then Jasmine moved to close the distance and settled next to her brother. She leaned on his forearm. “I’m scared, D’cien. Jindyth may Rise soon. I -" Despite being four turns old already, the green had yet to Rise. Ja'ryns and the others surmised it was due to Jasmine's physical immaturity rather than anything being wrong with Jindyth. But now, now that this happened.
Not as hapless as some males when it came to comforting women, D'cien had more practice with Jasmine than anyone else for the sheer fact she was his little sister and that meant countless moments of practice. Jasmine fell silent which was fine because she said enough for D'cien to understand what scared her. Another unusual topic for siblings to discuss, true, and Jasmine's overemotional state didn't help at all. As far as how to comfort Jasmine - that was a different problem. The brown rider had had his share of one-night stands and even participated in a Flight now, had O'keff now. So he knew what to expect from a Flight at least from the male dragon’s perspective.
To him, the idea of Raylenoth chasing had never been scary but that didn’t invalidate his little sister’s feelings. D’cien draped his arm around her shoulders and rubbed her opposite arm. “It’ll be all right.”
“It will?”
“Mhm.” D’cien looked down at her, the edges of his eyes creased as he smiled to encourage her a bit further. "It’s all right to be afraid of the unknown, Jasmine. As long as you face it head-on.”
Like Thread. Jasmine nodded. “Jinny says like Thread.”
“She’s right! Like Thread, it is all right to be afraid of Thread, right?"
I do not fear Thread!
Thread fears me!
“Right.” Jasmine agreed even as both dragons asserted their claim that they did not fear Thread.
“Right. That’s what G’naro told us, fear Thread, the unknown, or anything else as long as when the time comes, we face it head-on."
Jasmine smiled as she nodded again. Now she looked up into her brother’s face. “Yeah. You’re right.”
As he squeezed her shoulder and jostled her about, D’cien said, “there you go." He held her a bit longer and then added, "maybe Appeala or one of the folks down in the healer halls will have a suggestion for the pain and erm, nausea?"
"That is a good idea." Jasmine said, her tone surprised though it was tough to tell if she teased him or hadn't thought of it herself until just now. Let's go Jinny, I want to go to the ground. Of course.
Below them, the green dragon stepped off her ledge and when her smooth wings bore her aloft, Jindyth betweened to the skies above the Weyr. Jindyth circled the duo once and then went further along the Rim several hundred meters away. A cloud of dust billowed in all directions when she landed and a secondary one erupted as the young green folded her wings to wait for her rider.
“Well, my ride’s here. Do you want to come?” Jasmine disentangled herself from her brother’s arm. She spared a moment to straighten her clothes and hair.
“No, no thanks,” D’cien scrunched his face again. “I think I’ll sit here a while. We have to report for watch in half a candle mark anyway."
“Coward,” Jasmine said with a playful punch on his shoulder and she laughed. “What about G’naro’s wise words?"
D’cien put up his hands in mock surrender. He laughed too. “My time has not come to face that head-on."
“Fair enough,” Jasmine replied with a wave. “See you later, dinner right? Thank you for cheering me up.”
“Anytime, sis. Yes, see you then. I hope you feel better.”
With another wave, Jasmine turned away from D’cien, leaving him on the stone wall with his back to the ocean.
