I Am In Control
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Aaron, Sia
Date Posted: 6th January 2025
Characters: M'thos, Z'renh
Description: Adamanth is unjustly punished for being a good boy
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 4, day 2 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: Merhaskel
M'thos wasn't alerted to Fianwyth until her anger and impatience pulled him away from the greenrider pair he was working with. There was a disgruntled rumble he instinctively knew as hers and an offended roar of a baby dragon before he caught sight of the aftermath of the event. Fianwyth had smacked Adamanth hard enough to bowl him over and was standing above him, pinning him in place with her front feet.
"Do either of you care to explain what in blazes is happening?" He asked mildly, looking between bronze weyrling and Z'renh.
}:I will not be _restrained_:{ Adamanth roared. }:Demand that she release me!:{
Z’renh was not entirely sure whether the indignance was entirely Adamanth’s, or he was equally offended that anyone would treat his dragon this way. Either way, he would have demanded it whether Adamanth had insisted or not.
“Release him!”
M'thos and Fianwyth cocked their heads to the side at the same time, each looking at the dragonet or rider. Fianwyth snorted, unperturbed by the baby roar. }: Manners, little one. :{
"Z'renh, tell Adamanth that you're the one in charge." M'thos encouraged. "And Fianwyth is in charge, whether he likes it or not. She'll let go when he stops struggling."
**She’ll let you go if you relax,** said Z’renh.
}:Then we shall starve here together!:{ Adamanth hissed at both of them.
Z’renh’s stomach growled. He could feel Adamanth’s hunger every bit as much as he could feel the rising claustrophobic panic in him at being restrained. He had to help. He had to get him free. Dragons would not hurt a person -- dragons never hurt each other either, except golds in flight, but Adamanth's outrage outweighed that fact. Maybe she would move if Z’renh tried to move her. Before he knew it, he was trying with all his might -- and, of course, failing miserably -- to lift Fianwyth’s foot himself.
M'thos stared, dumbfounded and amused. "Well, that's not what I said at all. Z'renh, unhand my lady and come over here."
Fianwyth helpfully nudged Z'renh away like he was nothing, snorting a warm puff of air in his face. }: Manners, :{ She admonished again to the bronze, }: Mine's Littles had tantrums just like this, you know. :{ She didn't, but M'thos did; Merhaskel especially.
}:Does it make you feel strong?:{ asked Adamanth. }:To subdue a _little_?:{
“What?”
Adamanth urged Z’renh toward M’thos with an overwhelming sense of injustice. It was every bit as real to Z’renh as the hunger he felt when Adamanth had first hatched. Fianwyth was being a bully, and M’thos should be stopping her! And he had the nerve to accuse Z’renh of lacking control. He stood before M’thos and looked him in the eye with all of Adamanth’s defiance and his own combined.
M'thos and Fianwyth both looked amused. M'thos set his hands on the young man's shoulders. "Deep breath, Z'renh. You're not your dragon."
}: No, little one. :{ Fianwyth answered, }: But outbursts won't get you anywhere, either.:{
Z’renh breathed. It rankled him to be told what to do, even if it was obvious why he needed to do it, but he doubted holding his breath out of spite would do him any favors.
}:You are bigger than I am,:{ said Adamanth. }:But you shall not always be. If I remember nothing else, I vow to you, I will remember this.:{
“If I say it, will she let him go?”
}:You will _not_ say anything!:{
Z’renh winced. He could have made it a fight. But he had already picked too many battles. So he relented.
"Once he's done wriggling like a fish." M'thos promised. "He's not being held down because you won't listen, it's because he's not listening. Adamanth needs to respect Fianwyth, and he needs to listen to you."
}:We shall see who has the greater patience,:{ said Adamanth.
**You’re going to reach muscle failure eventually.**
}:So be it.:{
**Just let her wi--**
}:I will never _let_ anyone win. I will not give up, I will not give in, and I will not _respect_ anyone whose only claim to respectability is feet large enough to pin me to the ground.:{
“He isn't going to give up.”
}: He will be a problem.:{ Fianwyth echoed M'thos' mind. She leaned back and slowly released Adamanth, sitting back on her haunches and waiting for him to clamber back to his feet. Her eyes still whirled a gentle, warning yellow.
"You're going to need to work on getting him under control." M'thos warned, his voice still low and gentle. "It can be hard, especially when they're headstrong babies. But he'll need to follow Fianwyth when we practice drills, or your classmates when they're assigned leaders. Okay?"
Adamanth got to his feet in the most dignified manner he could manage and matched Fianwyth’s eyes.
}:I am in control.:{
“_I_ am in control,” Z’renh corrected. He rubbed his throat absently.
M'thos' eyes looked far away for a second, then he raised his eyebrows skeptically. "Dinner, then bath and bed, I think." He said finally. "He'll start getting tired before you know it. You and I can talk another time."
Adamanth was exhausted already. Z'renh was both anticipating and dreading his voice quieting in his head.
“Yes, sir.”
Last updated on the January 11th 2025