Oh, sweet Faranth.
D'ren rubbed his temples and murmured something under his breath. What was supposed to be a minor erroand was turning into a serious problem. It has passed the point of B'jin not wanting to make time to speak with him. Now the greenrider was openly flaunting D'ren's apparent inability to control him or do anything about his sharp words and flamboyant behavior. D'ren suppressed his desire to curse and looked to R'nd, the more agreeable of the pair. R'nd wasn't exactly a paragon boy scout himself, but he was being considerably more agreeable.
Ronarth anticipated D'ren's next comment before it came out. But...this is the only time he didn't have work! the bronze protested, recalling well how D'ren had all but scrambled to get out of his hut for lunch, much less this. Unsure what to do, the bronze let out a loud hiss and gave his wings one strong beat, a gesture of frustration that could easily be misinterpreted by those who didn't know him.
D'ren turned around. "Ronarth! Don't make a scene," he called out, immediately prompting the dragon to fold his wings and croon apologetically. D'ren half-laughed, his frustration somewhat diffused by Ronarth's antics...enough to calm him and keep him from saying anything he'd regret.
"Thank you, R'nd," he said, clearing his throat a bit before ripping the sheet of paper in half and discarding it on the grass. "But actually, it can't. This is pretty much the only free time I have between now and the evening meal, but I don't think it's going to be an issue anymore."
His face was shadowed with preemptive regret, already sick with himself over what came next. Katila had been a tight-knit place, a place so desperate for survival that people hadn't questioned orders or argued over petty things...but lately, there had been problems. As the Katilans grew comfortable, they fell into old habits..old, pre-plague habits. They were comfortable fighting, taunting kidnapped candidates, and it seemed ignoring orders as well.
He pondered for a moment what his old Weyrleader at Ista did to obstinate greenriders. He's spoken to Tsuen about it too, and she agreed. If it was right, why did it feel so horrible?
He smothered his concerns and forced himself to speak, knowing that if he didn't come out and start saying it, the thought would never escape him. "B'jin, I'm sorry. But I'm not a fool," he said. "I know about your extra hunting trips and all that. I know you haven't been doing your chores. I was willing to overlook it because I felt bad for losing my temper with you - but instead of speaking to me like an adult, you've snubbed me publicly," he waved his hand, motioning to the other Katilans who were watching the incident from other parts of the gather square, most curious and with scandalous expressions.
D'ren was embarrassed. He hated looking weak like this in front of his Weyrfolk. B'jin had, possibly without knowing it but probably not, punished D'ren over the edge the moment he made his insubordination public. "...Report to the Gather Square for lashing at noon in three days. Forget chores and grounding; I'd decided earlier to release you from those punishments anyhow." His tone was smooth and even, carefully pruned of any anger. He wasn't angry anymore; insulted and frustrated perhaps, but this wasn't a gesture of ill will. It was a statement of authority, which B'jin obviously disrespected.
Ronarth disapproved. But..you don't want to hurt him! the bronze observed in protest. D'ren turned and walked back to his dragon without another word, leaving the two to their games. He climbed onto Ronarth's neck and gave the dragon a reassuring stroke of his fingertips. I don't he said, but Ronarth...I can't let him walk all over me like that in public he explained softly to the dragon. That's part of my job sometimes...doing things I don't want to do
Try 'all the time'. He felt like he was going to be sick. He didn't make it more than a dragonlength in the air before Ronarth vanished between, the pair flickering off to Faranth-knew-where.