A Fair Trade

Writers: Eimi, Vanessa T Sommerfeld
Date Posted: 24th December 2007

Characters: Benar, D'cal
Description: The artist and the dragonrider meet and make a trade
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 7, day 22 of Turn 4

Benar sat on the soft sand of the bowl gazing up at the dragons on the ledge. He was curious that they had arranged themselves from largest to smallest. He wondered if this was coincidence or if it was some dragon hierarchy played out. In the morning sun, he was having trouble distinguishing the hide colors although he could tell the one on the end was definitely green. He couldn't recall having seeing them in such a line before, so he made a mental note to pay more attention in the future. He was curious about the great beasts. His passion for hiking and sketching animals meant that he knew a great deal about the wildlife on the Southern continent. But in all the time he had spent in close proximity to the dragons in the weyr-turned-Harper hall, he still wanted to know more about them. He was just about finished shading the sketch and was about to add his signature and date when he sensed someone looking over his shoulder. He looked up into the face of a young dragonrider.

Young dragonrider with bluerider knots smiled apologetically. "Sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you. I just noticed you were looking at the dragons up there. Are you drawing them?"

"Yes. Is one of them yours?" Benar asked, shielding his eyes to try to Get a better look at the young man.

"Yeah, the blue closest to the end there," D'cal confirmed. "Can I see?"

"Sure." He handed the drawing up and then moved his materials aside so that he could stand. "I was just wondering if they often arranged themselves like that." He moved his arm in a diagonal for clarification. "Or if that was just a coincidence."

"Arranged themselves like what?" D'cal asked curiously, thinking it just seemed to be a line of dragons to him with no particular rhyme or reason.

"Largest to smallest." He traced the diagonal line in the air again and hoped he hadn't asked a stupid question. Most were patient with his curiosity, but on occasion, people who lived with dragons forgot how foreign their lives were to the hold-bred. D'cal took another look at the line of dragons on the Heights. "Huh. I hadn't noticed that. No, that's not usual. The males usually want to get as close to the females as they can to show off and flirt. Maybe the greens came later this time."

}:This one wanted to sit next to _me_,:{ his lifemate informed him smuggly.

His rider smiled his loving amusement. "Or maybe they really like my Aosorath."

Relieved that he had not made a blunder, Benar chuckled. He _did_ know that dragons were a bit narcissistic and that each rider considered their own dragon the most perfect specimen of all. "I'm sure that must be it," he said smiling. "Aosorath is a beautiful beast."

"He is," D'cal nodded. "He's not big, but he's really fast. And very friendly, as you can see."

"Would you like a picture of him? I could draw him for you. If you have some time, I could do one of the both of you." "Really?" the bluerider asked, surprised and pleased at the offer. He had always wanted to ask a harper to draw them sometime. "But, I wouldn't want to take up all your time..."

"Really. I'm just sitting here drawing anyway." He began to gather his materials. "What kind of background would you like? I could draw you on the beach, in front of the weyr, or wherever you want." He had already begun to think about which pencils would blend to approximate the green in the boy's eyes, which red to add to the brown that would color his hair, and which blues would do justice to Aosorath's sky-colored hide.

"Oh, I don't know... The by the sea, maybe? Or would that be too much blue?" Aosorath against a blue sea and a blue sky might be a bit much.

"No, it would actually be an interesting combination of the different shades of blue," Benar encouraged. "Then by the sea then. And, if it's not too much trouble, can you maybe put a boat in the back ground?" The bluerider shrugged almostly shyly. He knew it sounded like a silly request. "I was a Seacrafter before I Impressed."

Benar didn't know much about boats. "Do you think we can find a model for me to look at?"

"I have some models that I've made. Would that do?" It had been the closest he could get to building an actual boat since coming to the Weyr. "Your model would do, but it would be better if we could use a real boat as a model." Benar continued his explanation. "It would help me make the drawing more realistic. I need to see things like natural weathering and such."

"I can take you to look at some boats," D'cal offered. "Any kind of boat you want and in whatever shape you want." Benar appreciated the young man's enthusiasm. "Well, that would be any kind of boat _you_ would want." Benar smiled. "Whatever boat you want in the background.whatever boat means the most to you."

The one that means the most... He could think of quite a few. At least _one_ of them had to be docked this time of the turn. "All right. When would you like to go?"

"I'm free now, if you are. I had planned to go hiking later, but I have nothing pressing today."

"Let's make it after the noon meal. I have to pry Aosorath away from the ladies and find a wher-hide jacket for you." And it might give him time to ask around for the best spot to find the kind of ship he's looking for. "Have you ridden a dragon before?"

It only just occurred to Benar that the bluerider was talking about taking him on his dragon. Overwhelmed at the prospect, he shook his head and swallowed hard, finally finding his voice enough to say, "No."

"Well, perhaps that can be my payment to you for the drawing. Is there somewhere you would like to go?" After all, with a dragon the whole of Pern was opened up to them. "Oh, no, that's not necess.wait. I would _really_ like to visit home. I haven't seen my parents in a long time and my best friends have a daughter that's." he did the math, "eleven, who I've yet to meet." He couldn't believe it had been so long.

Eleven turns was a long time to go without seeing your loved ones. "Do you want to give your family some warning before you come and go next restday? Or do you want to go right away?"

"As much as I'd love to go right away, I'd better give them some notice."
He grinned at the idea of showing up unannounced on a dragon's back. "Let's make it next rest day. I'll borrow a flit from one of the harpers and send a message. And I'd like to talk to Almonteo about taking a few days off.if you wouldn't mind returning to pick me up?"

"It's the least I can do. But we can still find a boat for you to look at today if you like."

Benar nodded his head, "Absolutely. After the noon meal then. Where would you like me to meet you?" His head already full of plans in preparation for his trip home. "Right here." It was an easy enough place to find.

"Looking forward to it! See you then." and he realized he did not even know the rider's name. "Aosorath's rider. I am Benar, by the way," he said laughing.

The bluerider smiled. He supposed the Harper would need to know that tiny bit of information. "D'cal." "Well, Bluerider D'cal, I'll meet you here this afternoon, then." He nodded and left.

Last updated on the December 28th 2007

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A Fair Trade