Lines of Communication

Writers: Avery, Eimi
Date Posted: 9th November 2007

Characters: Ishek, Gilsha
Description: Ishek and Gilsha send messages to each other.
Location: Garnet Valley Hold
Date: month 7, day 8 of Turn 4

How could he do this? Ishek wasn't sure what to say or how to say it, but he knew he wanted to contact her, to see her again. She hadn't been by since that day when they'd gone off to go swimming up North. Granted, it had only been a sevenday, and she had duties, and he had duties- but he missed her. He'd been thinking about her over the last few days quite a bit.

So here he was, a hide by his side with a picture of Dragonsfall Weyr, a hide on his desk, and a writing tool in his hand, unsure of what to write. 'I miss you, please come visit me?' Too blunt and pleading. And if someone else intercepted this letter- how did he know this would even work?- then that would be bad. 'I enjoyed our last meeting, are you intending on coming back?' Same problems. 'I have need of your services' could sound professional, but it also sounded _wrong_; that wasn't at all why he wanted to see her!

This pondering went on for nearly a half-candlemark in which Ishek got no work at all done before he decided. 'I enjoyed your company when you last visited my Hold and wish you to know that you are welcome back at any time' There. It sounded professional and like how a Lord would thank a guest whose company he had enjoyed. He hoped she would get the hint.
That should work. He signed it and tied it to Yimas' leg.

He looked very seriously at the brown flit, and then at the image of Dragonsfall. It had taken him some searching of the records to find a few hides about the different Southern Weyrs- he hadn't wanted to ask for help. He hoped between the image and his own image of Gilsha, the flit could do this. "Go here." he instructed Yimas, picturing the image of Dragonsfall very clearly. "Go here." he repeated. "Find Gilsha." He imagined the greenrider and couldn't help but smile.

The brown firelizard cocked his head, cheeped, and then lifted off the desk and flicked *between* on his errand. He made it to Dragonsfall and chirped again in pride. He'd made it! Now he had to find the person that his owner liked. He remembered the person, but he also remembered the big green cousin she'd had. There were some green ones over there, on a rim. he landed near them and sent a querying image of Gilsha to them.

}:A little cousin is here with a message for you. It's not one of the usuals,:{ Palialohath informed her rider.

**A customer?** Gilsha asked as she set her mug aside and began searching for her reading glasses.

}:No. It is the Hold-man's little friend.:{
**Hold man...** Ishek? **Well, send him down.**

Gilsha hurried over to her desk and pulled out a pouch of dried meat.
She always kept some on hand for when a flit came with a message. It had strips of jerky, perfect for occupying a flit for longer than a few minutes. When the little brown flew in through Pali's weyr she had a few scraps in hand. "Come here, little one. You have a message for me?" she asked, holding out a piece.

It didn't take much coaxing to get the brown to land and take her up on her offer of some fragrant smelling strips of dried herdbeast. Taking the roll from his leg she slipped on her reading glasses and read.

}:Is it a job?:{ Pali asked lazily.

**No,** Gilsha replied as she rolled the hide back up. She tossed another scrap to Yimas as she leaned back in her chair. **I think he might have intended it to be an invitation.**

}:For work?:{
**No, dear heart,** the greenrider smiled. **To see him again.**

}:Good. The sun is warm and I don't want to move yet,:{ the green sighed, her tone already sounding very groggy and lethargic.

Gilsha smiled softly. Dragons were not known for their incredible cognitive abilities, and her Pali could be thicker than most at times.
But she loved the innocence about her. In a way that was what she liked about Ishek too. He was... very innocent in some ways. Unspoiled. He was in need of a good spoiling... But first he needed to learn to say what he really meant. She was not one for playing polite games.

Sitting up she reached for a stylus and a piece of hide. "My dear Lord Ishek - I have to say, your note took me by surprise. Lord Holders don't send thank you notes to visiting greenriders very often unless they either want them to perform some sort of service for them or because they really like them and want to see more of them. Your language was rather formal and I am only a lowly greenrider unused to such politeness, so I have to ask, which one is it? - Gilsha"

**There you go, Ishek. Let's see how your Lordship handles that...**
She could already imagine a small blush creeping across his face. It really was a rather sweet and endearing picture. As the brown flit knawed on the last bit of jerky she tied the message to his leg.

Yimas chirruped and blinked *between* with the note. He appeared before Ishek and lay down on the desk. After Ishek coaxed the message free, he read it. And he did, indeed, blush as he considered her words.

He probably shouldn't have been surprised that she was so blunt. He wondered if his politeness had somehow offended her, or was it just that she wanted his honest opinion? Well, he could answer her with bluntness.

"Gilsha, My letter meant the latter. I am not seeking your services for anything. I enjoyed your company very much and would like to see you again, whenever it is convenient for you. Consider this an invitation for one friend to come visit another. Sincerely, Lord Ishek."

Yimas had fallen soundly asleep, and thus made a disgruntled noise as he was asked to go back. He accepted the message and headed back to Dragonsfall, this time arriving before Gilsha.

The greenrider took the note and scanned it over. She had to smile. He was learning. **Pali, wake up. We have an errand to run.**

}:What kind of errand?:{ the green asked sleepily.

**We're just going to deliver a message,** Gilsha smiled. **From one friend to another...**

Ishek had, after sending the last note, settled back into doing his work. After all, he didn't know how she was going to reply, or if she was free, or if she would even want to come back any time soon- though he hoped, by her request for clarification, that she would. But he found himself distracted, and put aside his work to look outside the window, instead.

He didn't even notice the door to his office quietly open until a woman's voice said, "Excuse me, Lord Ishek, but I come baring a message from Dragonsfall Weyr."

"A message?" he asked distractedly, until his brain processed it was from the Weyr. _Dragonsfall_ and not River Bluff. Had she answered him?
"Gilsha?" he asked, turning around.

"You look suprised, Ishek," the greenrider grinned, closing the door behind her. "And I here I thought I had been invited."

"Oh, you were." he assured her, moving away from the window to greet her. "I just didn't know when you would be free- or if you wanted to come."

"Well," she said, shrugging a shoulder with a slow, lazy smile, "your timing just happened to be convenient."

Last updated on the November 9th 2007

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Lines of Communication