Well, I am just so anxious to get to Elliath's mating flight. Is that bad? So, I'm going to put up this one, and then you'll probably get the flight scene (nothing too bad, lol). If you think there should be something else tossed in here (like...I honestly don't know, that's why I'm asking you), post it in a review. I'll definately try to get it in. And I've decided to not have anyone get seriously injured in this (like with Elliath's wing). Ugh, short author's note. Nothing to say. I bet you all love that.
Disclaimer: Same as always...yadda yadda...blah blah...obviously not Ms. McCaffry here...you're not paying to read so I'm not getting paid to write...etc. etc. ...enjoy!
Chapter 7: Eighth Interval (Turn 197)
The hard-packed dirt of the Weyr Bowl seemed somehow more solid to Marra, perched somewhat precariously on Elliath's whithers. Even secured with brand-new riding straps and settled on the smallest of the dragon colors, the ground was still far below her and very likely to hurt when she fell. Marra was careful to not let any of her doubts reach Elliath's eager mind. The green had barely been able to stand still while Marra was mounting, and now she was doing a sort of forward-backward, shuffling-in-place movement that was not altogether comfortable. Dragons were peering out of their weyrs from higher up, eagerly watching their comrade as she looked up at them. J'lir stood at Elliath's side, one hand resting on Marra's foot. She glanced down at him worriedly, not reassured one bit by his knowing smile.
"Don't worry so much," J'lir said. "You won't fall."
"Is it that obvious?" Marra replied with a faint smile, her voice trembling a tiny bit.
"Not really," the Weyrlingmaster said, shrugging one shoulder. "Every rider feels that way the first time they fly their dragon."
Marra snorted, looking at him pointedly.
"Yes, I was scared, too," he said. "Believe it or not, it took nearly two hours before I got the courage to let Mendith in the air. Of course..."
"...I know, you didn't fall, and were never afraid again," Marra finished, rolling her eyes.
"Not at all," J'lir said with a laugh. "I fell on the third downstroke and broke my arm in three places. I flatly refused to fly for almost a sevenday, until I felt so bad for Mendith I went up again. Then I didn't fall and wasn't afraid of flying anymore."
Marra couldn't manage more than a short, breathy half-laugh in response.
"That's not comforting, you realize," she murmured. "I could still fall."
Elliath took that moment to notice her rider.
You won't fall, she said confidently. I won't let you. Just don't jump.
Marra wasn't sure if that was a joke or not, even though J'lir was grinning; Mendith must have passed on his charge's comment.
"I know you wouldn't let me fall," she replied. "But I might anyway."
J'lir slapped her leg sharply.
"Don't say that!" he said. He sighed heavily. "Marra, do you have any idea why this has to happen?"
"So that we can fly?" Marra asked, not quite certain what he was asking.
"Not just to get you flying," J'lir replied. "It's to get you flying together. Any holder or crafter can ride on a dragon as passenger. The real point is for you to learn how to trust your dragon implicitly. You're supposed to be afraid right now. You're supposed to fly despite that fear, to realize for yourself what your bond with Elliath means. You will do what is necessary for her health, happiness, and safety, and she will do the same for you. Until you take this first flight, you won't be able to understand that fully. Do you understand?"
"I hadn't thought of that," Marra said slowly.
But it did make sense, she supposed.
"Whenever you're ready, Marra," J'lir said, stepping well away from Elliath. "Just remember that Elliath won't let you fall."
Marra nodded, turning her face up to the empty airspace that Elliath would shortly occupy. She took a deep, shuddering breath that was meant to calm her, and gripped the riding straps tightly. She could do this. She wouldn't fall. Elliath wouldn't let her fall. If nothing else, she had to believe in that.
Can we fly now? Elliath asked wistfully, her wings half-opening.
Let's fly!
Elliath took a moment to gather herself before pushing off with her powerful hind legs. Her wings made their first few crucial downstrokes, just clearing the ground as she rose into the air. Marra held her breath and counted the downstrokes. One, two, three. The small group of weyrfolk and riders were beginning to blur into unrecognizability. Marra could just make out J'lir beside his bronze, and there was L'valler with some of their friends. She was surprised at how many people had turned out to see this flight. Four, five, six wingbeats. They had risen to the highest level of weyrs, where no one lived anymore. Elliath beat her wings a few more times before leveling out, the cool air reddening Marra's cheeks and making her breath mist in front of her. Marra looked straight ahead of her, not daring to look down.
You should look, Elliath said. It looks very pretty from up here. Much better than from down there.
Elliath wouldn't let her fall. She had to cling to that thought. She couldn't fall because Elliath wouldn't let her. There was no danger in just looking, right?
I can't, she told her dragon frantically. I'm scared.
Don't be. I'll help you.
With only the barest hint of warning, Elliath dropped her left wing. For a moment or so, Marra found herself looking straight down with nothing but air below her. She clutched desperately at the riding straps, but Elliath leveled herself out again. Marra's heart was pounding, and her breath was coming quicker. She blinked furiously, and, holding her breath cautiously, she looked over Elliath's shoulder.
It was pretty. Marra had spent her whole life on the ground levels of High Reaches Weyr. She had memorized the Weyr from every angle and every view...from the ground. Now she could see it as every dragon and rider saw it. There was a certain satisfaction in seeing the exact layout like a wonderfully detailed, unlabeled map. She could almost forget how high up they were. A gust of wind buffeted them, and Elliath was thrown briefly off balance before correcting herself. Even before Marra could ask if she was all right (she was always wary of situations like the one that had injured her green in the first place), Elliath was assuring her that this was normal. She dealt with it every time she flew, and it was always different. The wind simply forced her to be more aware of herself and her surroundings.
Mendith says to come back now, Elliath reported presently, her tone making it obvious that she hoped Marra would contradict the order.
Instead, Marra merely directed her to come back their starting point. Landing was just as bad as taking off; worse, even, because they were coming toward the ground at rapid pace. If Elliath were to falter (and she devoutly assured Marra that she would do no such thing), Marra would be able to see it coming. But Elliath would not endanger her. She held her breath and braced herself as Elliath held out her wings, slowing her forward motion drastically. Her back feet connected with the ground as he wings steadied her. As she settled to four feet, Marra found herself suddenly aware of disappointment. It was not Elliath who wished to be back in the sky; it was Marra. She glanced up involuntarily, wondering where exactly they had reached their highest point. As J'lir approached, a smile on his face, Marra knew that he understood completely. He could see that she wasn't afraid anymore.
"Well done," he murmured as she dismounted.
"Thanks," she replied. "For everything."
Okay, so the ending sucks. And I guess it might be filler, but it is technically important to the storyline, so sue me. Oh well, I just want to get this updated, so I'm not even going to think about it that much. Remember that. I didn't think before updating.
As always, if you read, review. Just press that button at the bottom here. It'll make everyone a lot happier. If you like it, if you hate it, if you couldn't care less. If you see some bit of inconsistency. If you have advice, questions, odd little thought that pop into your head. I'll take it.
