Mountain climbing (part 1/2)

Writers: Emma, Paula
Date Posted: 5th December 2008

Characters: Alrog, Fieayz
Description: Alrog takes Fieayz to montain climbing and manages to propose her.
Location: Garnet Valley Hold
Date: month 13, day 6 of Turn 4
Notes: Part 1 of 2, follows "Wise advice"

Alrog had sent Fieayz an invitation to come to Iron Lake hold. He
specified in his invitation for her to dress up for hiking/climbing
and wear sturdy boots. Since their trip to the Ocean beach, he has
been doing lot of thinking.

Arva arrived moments before her mistress, chittering away as though to
provide a fanfare to herald her arrival. "Arva!" Fieayz called. "You slow
down, I can't keep up with you."

Fawning Lapis appeared and joined the gold flit. Alrog waited her,
back bag resting against his leg. He was dressed up for an outing, and
had coil of rope hanging from his shoulder. From his belt hung a
pick-axe and steel pegs.

"You were serious!" she said. Just as well she had worn trousers and a pair
of boots from her days at the weyr, they were serviceable and practical, if
not really what a lady would wear.

"Hello, Fieayz. I'm very serious person, " Alrog said, softening his
words with a smile. "Ever done any mountain climbing?" He was
delighted to notice that she was dressed practically.

"No," she admitted cautiously. "That's something I've never tried before."

"Well, then you're about to experience something new. We do it for
sports around here," Alrog said. He tossed his bag to his back and
offered her his hand.

"I'll try anything once," she said taking his hand. "So where do we find the
mountain then?"

"You're surrounded by them," Alrog said with a sweeping gesture that
included the whole mountain valley. "But there's an easy route I plan
to take you, starting near the mines," he continued. He led her past
the mine entrances to a steep but smooth path (or road) that was wide
enough for two runners to pass each other. The path twisted upwards
along the mountain side before disappearing to a pass between two
beaks. "This path lead eventually to the mining camp I have deeper in
the mountains. We only follow it for a short while."

"And then where do we go?" The entrances to the mines made her realise just
how steep these mountains really were, when she looked up along the path, "I
hope it's not as hard as that one looks," Fieayz pointed to a tall mountain,
with forbidding looking ridges.

"You'll see. It's a place my grandfather found."
They came to a crossroads. A small track, nothing much but a goat
trail forked away from the main path. Alrog stopped there. He gave her
a little lecture of mountain climbing and safety.

"So I need to wear a rope around my waist at all times then?" she asked.

"Yes. _I_ could do the climb without ropes, but let's not risk
anybody," Alrog said.

He led her to the smaller track. It soon faded away completely and
they were climbing. They were going more sideways that upwards. From
Alrog's point of view, it was easy climb. Plenty of foot and hand
holds and ready-made pegs where to secure the rope. He kept the pace
slow, keeping a careful eye on Fieayz. After a half of the candlemark
or so, they reached a large ledge, large enough for green dragon to
land and perch on. (There was claw marks on the rock to indicate that
dragons had indeed used it.) A narrow but tall fissure opened from the
ledge to the insides of the mountain. "We are here," he announced.

Last updated on the December 13th 2008

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Mountain climbing (part 1/2)