A Spoon Full of Sugar (Open)

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Having secured her sweet, Delinva retracted her hand carefully, returning a gracious smile. "Oh my, please do forgive me. My name is Delvina, formerly of Bluestone Hold." She took pause to take a small piece of meat off her fork and chew thoughtfully. This girl hadn't been looking all that happy earlier - though Delvina knew nothing about her. Perhaps she ought to?

"I found that adjusting to the Weyr was an unusual experience." Delvina's eyes darkened - her father's constant warring stubborn crossing her thoughts. "It's so familiar to my hold in practice and yet, so different in the thoughts behind those same actions." A warmer smile broke over Delvina as she took another mouthful to chew carefully. "I came here to establish an understanding between my hold and the Weyr. I fear it will be difficult to explain that freedom Weyrfolk offer however."

Delvina paused her conversation. She returned her attention to her fork and chewed, waiting for a reply. What did trouble her she hadn't broached - the pressure for candidates. There were several reasons behind that. The first being the survival of the dragons - but the second seemed to be rooted away from the dragons. Perhaps it was the rumors of thread returning?

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Delvina's eyes grew wide as Prax spoke - she had such grace but she mixed it so eloquently with brute honesty and pain. "You cannot slight someone for being honest. But you can build with it." Delvina wished she could ease Prax's pain - all she could do was offer a warming smile and friendship.

Delvina tried to take in all the words. There was so much spoken - and unspoken. She was a stolen child - though Delvina didn't dare ask to confirm it. Instead her eyes settled into a hard intensity - matching the stones of her birthright. "I'm not of consequence here. I will not promise you freedom nor will I delude you with some belief I can sway the Weyr with my voice alone." Then her eyes lifted - their intensity growing as that zest filled them. "But I can point out a path that lies before you. It is not an easy path. It may not ever satisfy your heart. But it is a very real option."

Delvina's voice paused - knowing her words would hurt. But in time, these words would open the road before Prax. "Though it must be distasteful, you would have the open road beneath you. You could accompany the -" Her voice escaped a for a moment, knowing the reaction she would receive."-the search riders." Delvina lifted one hand - holding off any protest for just a moment longer. "Perhaps... perhaps you could be the reason that prevent others from being dragged along your own heavy footsteps."

Delvina settled into a still quiet. She expected outrage. Pain. The girl to storm away. But perhaps, in time, she would consider the option. Even if she didn't forgive Delvina for suggesting it. To be so trapped... The Weyr's were meant to be more than a cage. But how could she change that? She would have to consider it. But first, first she had to know if Prax would ever forgive her imprudent suggestion.    

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Of all the expectations rushing through Delvina, Prax's response wasn't one of them. Her eyes narrowed as she listened. Praxidera was a deeper girl than Delvina had suspected - and though there was pain and anger present, so too was mind worthy of placing ... upon dragonback? Perhaps that would be a suitable saying for Weyrlife. This girl should be placed in responsibility and given consequence. A respect should be offered - far more than one of a candidate.

Serious expression accompanied serious words. "Actually, yes I would consider trading my freedom. But I won't allow it to be traded for me. To come here was to trade my freedom from one tyranny for an unknown one. But it was my choice - I wouldn't allow it to be traded for me." Then her serious eyes softened. "Your anger is a powerful tool. But like my father's, it must be tempered - just as a knife is forged and sharpened." Delvina's eyes returned a more familiar warmth - her thoughts having settled about Praxidera. "Praxidera, you have a mind of consequence. I very much enjoy conversing with someone of consequence." Delvina reached for the girl, hoping to rest her fingers across a wrist gently. "I know I shall have earn your forgiveness. I know I shall attempt to persuade you to try riding and searching - or some other notion to help ease your troubled state." Delvina's warm smile was very genuine now- she had never expected to find such suitable company anywhere.

"But it would seem we both disagree with the current methodology of Holds and Weyrs. Their distaste politics barters food, children and death - be it the Pernese people or their Dragons." Delvina wasn't listening to the room anymore. Her world encompassed Praxidera alone now. "Children should never have become pieces of Mark to barter. So I would like to add my voice to temper your anger, if you choose to wield it." Delvina, if she was permitted, would give Praxidera a gentle squeeze then.

"We are both children growing up in a world that doesn't see children as consequential. Perhaps we can prove that we are more than agitants and in fact people of consequence?"

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Delvina's cheeks flushed slightly as Praxidera's fingers twined within her own. The room was warm and Praxidera's gentle movements was all Delvina could see. She really was a beautiful girl - her mind was so bright. With a little tempering and training, Delvina was certain she could turn that bright glare into a beautiful radiance to sway a room. Praxidera is the gem hidden beneath the rock - and Delvina would be the crafter to work the hammer until her true beauty is unearthed for all.

"I might have to seek your forgiveness often." The words just slipped out - honest and earnest. Delvina didn't have a moment to think - her finger's further drawn into Prax's by long lashes and gentle movement. Praxidera was such a beautiful girl. Delvina could imagine her in her past refinements - though somehow the challenging creature before her seemed the more alluring. There was something surprising about her that Delvina couldn't get enough of.

Delvina's mind settled on the conversion as the topic turned towards thread. "The rumors help us whether or not their truth." Delvina's eyes lit up as the thoughts began to race straight over her tongue "I believe thread did come once. Should it return, then the world will change. Politics doesn't matter when fire threatens a hold. But I doubt it truly is returning. I'm of the belief that the Red Star ran out of it's thread and now it's just another star to wish your hopes and dreams upon." Her eyes turned skyward - though the disappointed Weyr roof quickly dropped her gaze back into Prax's.

"My dream is the realization that without thread - there really isn't anything forcing the dragons to remain within the Weyrs. We should be selling the power of riders to the Holds. Messages and people brought between, instantly. No more complex drum beats rolling across the landscapes. The power of a dragon could help many holds." Delvina's finger's shifted gently in her excitement, her thumb brushing over Prax's.

Her other hand gestured about the room, slowly drawing notice to the bustling dining area "The Weyr has a purpose - to teach, to care for the young, to provide the dragons with a home. But the riders could take shifts helping the Holds - in return for their tithes. Wouldn't that improve relations? Hold's could vie for more riders to help them. Children could fight for the right to be searched first. Riders could even be stationed at the Holds large enough to accommodate a dragon. Holder's would take pride in being able to accommodate two or even three permanent riders." Her eyes sparkled- coming to a crucial point though she wasn't sure where the thought had come from. "Rider's could even hold rank within the Hold's - once their done with their training. Of course they can refuse the right, turning it over to someone else."

Delvina's voice was excited - carrying much further than she meant. "Dragon's need to learn to survive in a threadless world. Hold's have the power now - so we should sell the Holder's the idea of dragons as a commodity - not a sinkhole they have to keep paying. Appeal to their pride, their vanity - even their greed. Show them how much they want a dragon - make them feel like they need dragons. Then we can remind the Holder's of the dragon riders. Remind them that they are people - and teach them that Dragon's are also people as well. For they truly are intelligent. But the Holder's will never know if we can't get the dragon's to their doors. Then we can stop bartering our children's lives... And spare the dragons from being born into a world with a rider waiting for them..." Delvina wondered how painful it would be to see such an event. She was sure she ought to cry - but she just couldn't imagine a child being born alone like that. She hoped she never had to experience such.

Settling her thoughts, she offered one more burst across the dinner table topics. "To do it, we just need one dragon willing to work with the Hold's. I don't mean a Midori - A Dou or a Kin would be enough to show Pern how we can reestablish the Dragon's to help everyone like they once did." Only then did Delvina notice the attention her topic had drawn - though she offered the table a shameless smile. She was going to change the world.

The blush came moments after - when she remembered her fingers twined within Prax's.. She withdrew them gently. "Oh.. Forgive me, I've made myself quite the scene. I just..." Her eyes lifted up to meet Prax's - but fell low again under her lashes, her smile turning sky. "Your very provoking." Dark eyes flashed up daring, her lips pushing confidence back into her smile. "I hope to be provoked again in the future."