KH: Smug Felines Hurt Blue Riders

Posted on Wed Feb 5th, 2025 @ 3:31pm by Blue Rider Malearee & Blue Rider S'ven & Green Rider Kelsa
Edited on on Wed Feb 5th, 2025 @ 3:32pm

Mission: 3531 AL
Location: Kymos Hold
Timeline: M2 D29

Kelsa twirled around a little as she looked around the Gather. She had actually saved up for a while and managed to buy a new dress for the Gather. She never really had a chance to dress up—at least not since before she Impressed.

“There's so much to see,” she grinned, looking over at S'ven. “I love it! I can't wait to see what the vendors have brought.”

The man could not stop grinning at her—the woman with him was so sweet and innocent, almost as if she were part of the gathers. He wanted her never to lose that glow, as it was beautiful. “I can tell,” he laughed, watching her spin one more time before he caught her up in his arms and kissed her forehead.

The green rider laughed as he caught her in his arms. “I can't help it. There is so much to see and do,” Kelsa grinned, looking up at S'ven.

“But take some deep breaths,” he advised, still grinning. It was great to see how happy everyone looked, but he could not take his eyes off the green rider. She looked radiant in her new dress, and she also had the glow of happiness about her—something the Weyrlings, for the most part, had been protected from. “I do not want you passing out from excitement.”

Kelsa pressed her lips together, trying to smother another smile. S'ven was right, but it didn't make it easy. “I'll try,” she promised, moving to lean against his shoulder. “No passing out.”

“Not the carrying you home, I want to be honest.” He flirted a little as he took her hand and led her toward where a baker had his bubblies. He brought up half a dozen before she could argue, “First stop is always bubblies.”

“Well, in that case,” she grinned. She really didn't want to pass out either and happily walked beside him. “Ooh, those smell amazing,” Kelsa commented. She wasn't going to argue with bubblies.

“When you come here on watch, you should come down to see. Always bubblies for riders as pretty as you,” the baker said, hinting that he knew S’ven because of that. The blue rider just grinned innocently.

Kelsa blushed but grinned brightly. “I will do that,” she promised. She looked at S'ven. “And you never told me about these wonderful bubblies?” she teased the blue rider.

“What—and have the prettiest girl in the Weyr get them all before me… I think not,” he declared, winking at the baker as he led the woman away.

“I might have been convinced to share,” she teased as S'ven guided her away. She was loving every minute of the Gather.

“Mmmhmm,” S’ven nuzzled her neck as he led her over to a bench against the hold walls and sat down, handing her one of the packages. “Does this count as breakfast or lunch?” he wondered as he set about pulling out one of the pies, glad it was not as hot as it could have been.

Kelsa giggled at the soft nuzzle. She was reluctant to sit, but she was close to him. “Hmm, good question. Depends how much other good food is here,” she answered, breaking off her own pie.

“There will be anything you fancy, to be honest. This and Kymos are my favourite watches, as they always have so many good things. Thank Faranth I am like a dragon with two stomachs,” he joked, thinking that if he were a crafter or holder he would have gotten large many turns ago with what he eats sometimes.

“Really? How did I not know this?” she asked. Kelsa laughed. “Yeah, can't have you getting fat,” she teased, patting his very flat stomach—as a rider, none of them stopped long enough to get fat.

“Feast or famine. I either eat everything—and then some—or forget,” he said and shivered at her patting his stomach. He had always been lean, but being a rider had given him muscles in places he had not thought possible. “Do not do that,” he murmured, moving her hand from his stomach and grinning at her.

“Yeah, it's easy to forget,” she agreed. She had done it a few times herself. She lifted a brow when he moved her hand. “Are you ticklish, blue rider?”

“Yes, as you are fully aware,” he laughed, keeping her hand and kissing her fingers. He was sensitive on his stomach, and with only a thin shirt on he was weak to her touch. “I love when you call me blue rider,” he admitted. She had no shame about it.

Kelsa grinned. Yes, she did know—she just hadn't thought about it when she patted him. She giggled at his playful kiss. “Well, you are my blue rider,” she whispered, kissing his cheek. That didn't bother her at all.

“Shards, you make it hard to not want to take you home right here and now,” he whispered, leaning in close to kiss her properly.

“Oh no,” Kelsa grinned. “That's for later. First we enjoy the Gather,” she answered, leaning into his kiss.

The man kissed her for several minutes before laughing. “I can behave,” he promised, taking a bite from her pie. “Then I have an important question for you,” he said gently, thinking on what Nikolai had said to him yesterday.

She was breathless by the time he pulled away. “No, you can't,” she laughed. “Hey!” she exclaimed before raising a brow. “You do?”

“I shall behave. Best behaviour,” he promised, laughing as he took another sneaky bite before kissing her cheek. “Mmhmm, but later.” He did not want to spoil the day, and he wanted to tempt her with how good things could be.

Kelsa moved her bubbly out of his reach. “Bubbly thief,” she laughed before a voice spoke up behind them.

“S'ven?” the young woman asked.

The man froze mid-motion to wipe the bubbly pie crumbs from Kelsa’s face, hearing the voice, and turned around to face the woman. “Hello,” he finally said as he leaned down to grip Kelsa’s hand in his own, all color gone from his face. Kelsa was confused by the sudden change in S'ven's demeanor—and the way he gripped her hand worried her. She didn't really know Ciy, as the other woman hadn't gone out much.

“Been a while, S'ven,” Ciy said. “See, you found someone new.”

“I did. It took a long time,” he said, not sure if she was trying to goad or taunt him. “This is Kelsa. She’s my… my weyrmate,” he said, glancing at her hopefully for a moment before he set down the bubbly pie he was holding and squished it. “It’s been nearly three turns. You look well. Kels, this is Ciy,” he finally said, revealing who the woman was.

Ciyleen lifted a brow. “Weyrmate? You actually decided to settle down?” she shook her head.

Kelsa was confused. Wait—weyrmate? Really? Now wasn't the time to ask. “Nice to meet you, Ciy.”

“Yes,” he said quietly before he felt his chest tighten uncomfortably as he saw the confused look flicker across Kelsa’s face. “I did with you. Settling down isn’t hard; staying settled was the hard part. What about you? What have you been up to?” he said gently, trying not to let intrusive thoughts in as he gripped Kelsa’s hand harder. Kelsa flashed S'ven an encouraging smile. Of course she wanted to be weyrmates, but they had been taking things slow.

Ciy shook her head. “Yeah, that didn't last long. Staying settled hadn't been what he wanted. Found a nice man,” she answered, “who didn't run as soon as I mentioned children.”

“Hey now,” Kelsa finally spoke up. “Why so cruel?” The man looked at her, shocked that she was pretty much rewriting their history to make him sound bad. He had been very open with Kelsa about what had happened.

“I did not run at the mention of children. You could not cope with the fact that I was a blue rider and what that means to my sexuality,” he said quietly, despite everything—not yelling. “And then slept with someone after a green flight.” He hissed, letting go of Kelsa’s hand despite how grounding it was.

Ciy growled. “Seems you remember your dragon chasing after everything. So I got caught up in one flight.”

Kelsa didn't like this at all. “I think you need to leave,” she said. Now she knew why S'ven had such a hard time.

“Sure, but be warned—make one mistake and he'll run,” Ciy laughed, having become a whole lot more cynical over the Turns.

“Dar chased after I'lean and Benith, yes—but until Vyiath’s first flight there was no one else,” he said firmly. “You can twist what happened between us to your heart's content, but it was a green flight that you got railed up over—even candidates after the first one do not have that problem. You just could not handle Weyrlife and being with a rider.” He glanced at Kelsa, looking heartbroken for a second before looking back at Ciy. “It was great to see you, and I am happy that you found yourself someone, but don’t you dare destroy what I have worked three turns on building back up—my self-esteem and the guilt I feel that I like men too.”

Ciy rolled her eyes. “Just warning her. She can make up her own mind.” She flashed him a wicked smile before turning on her heel and striding away.

Kelsa blinked in complete disbelief. “Shards,” she exclaimed, looking over at S'ven. “That woman is definitely way past crazy.”

“She really hates me enough to be like that,” he whispered. The man waited until Ciy had left before he sat back on the bench, looking defeated and vulnerable. He was taking deep breaths, but he could feel his head spinning.

Kelsa shook her head as she sat down beside him. “There's nothing you can do to change that,” she said gently, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. “And I'm still here. If I'lean couldn't chase me off, that wherry head isn't going to.”

“I tried so hard with her. I… I… what did I do so wrong?” he gasped, leaning into her as he closed his eyes, trying to focus and stop the spinning.

She shook her head as she gently rubbed his arm. “You didn't do anything wrong,” she whispered, kissing his hair. “You tried. You can't change to make people happy—and that's what she was asking you to do.”

}: What is wrong? :{ Dareth demanded, waking up with a start, worried about the sudden change in his rider.

*** Just someone from the past. *** He knew the blue would not remember her—which was fine. He was happier that the blue did not, but it was hard to explain to the dragon why someone resented him.

}: You are perfect. :{ Dareth stated simply. }: We do not change what is perfect. :{

“Shards and Shells. I thought…I really thought if I saw her again she would not break me,” he whispered. “It’s hard enough for hold born…but…” He groaned, sitting up while still keeping his eyes closed. Kelsa wanted to wring that girl's neck. She didn't understand why anyone would want to treat another person like that. That woman had no idea what she was talking about.

“Hey now,” she soothed. “I love you no matter what, and I would gladly drop that woman between if you like,” she offered. She wasn't vindictive by nature, but Ciy had brought the worst out in her.

“You are not like that. You do not mean that, Kelsa,” he said, finally opening his eyes to look at her. “I’m sorry this brought us back to Pern with a bump. Let me find you some riders to hang with so I know you are safe, and I’ll leave you to it.” He scrubbed his face, frustrated by it all.

Kelsa grumbled a bit. “No, I don't,” she sighed. “But I still think her actions were atrocious.” She frowned and shook her head. “Not a chance, blue rider. Where you go, I go,” Kelsa told him firmly. Her words shook him to his core, making everything he thought he had achieved feel like nothing.

“No. This is your first Gather and I refuse to be the reason you miss it,” he said, gathering up the uneaten pies and putting them inside the satchel he had.

She quickly knelt in front of him, not letting him get up. “No,” she said more forcefully. “I am not going to the Gather without you. If it means I miss it, then so be it.” She leaned up and kissed him hard. “Besides, I can think of other things,” she teased.

“Kels,” he moaned softly as she blocked his attempts to stand, then kissed him hard. “Shards,” he whispered breathlessly during the kiss. “You… no,” he said, leaning his head against hers, frustrated by what he needed to do and what he wanted to say.

Kelsa was confused. “No what?” she asked gently. He would be out of his mind if he thought he was getting rid of her. She wasn't going anywhere, and she wasn’t about to leave him in the mental state he was in.

“No, you are not missing the Gather,” he breathed sadly. “I love you so much. What I wanted to talk to you about later was—I want you to be my weyrmate. I want to take that step. I want to be that person in your life,” he said, looking more vulnerable than ever.

She reached up to rest a hand against his cheek. “Well, face it, handsome—I'm not going to the Gather without you.” Her pretty eyes widened before a warm smile touched her full lips. “I would like nothing more than to be your weyrmate,” Kelsa whispered. “I love you too, S'ven.”

S’ven opened his mouth to say something when he felt a presence to his left. He glanced up and saw Malearee standing there, looking worried. “I saw Ciy coming from this direction, looking like the smug feline she is,” she said by way of greeting, her suspicions confirmed by the pale look on her friend's face.

Kelsa looked up and smiled. She liked Malearee—the other blue rider was really nice. “Yes, she was definitely that and some,” Kelsa answered, trying to be nice (though there were a lot of names she wanted to call Ciy, she wasn’t that way).

“Oh, S’ven,” the older rider said, taking the pair in as she tried to work out what had been said that made her fellow blue rider look so destroyed. “Up, the two of you. Let’s find a tavern.” She offered her hand to the young green rider to haul him up and looked at S’ven expectantly, waiting for him to slowly get to his feet.

Kelsa accepted the hand. “Thank you.” She looked back at her weyrmate, worried sick about him. “She was such an awful person. I have never seen someone so hateful,” she admitted with a shake of her head.

The older woman caught S’ven by his satchel and pushed him in front before lopping her arm through Kelsa’s. “She struck me toward the end as someone Dragon Hold deserved to keep,” S’ven said, turning around and frowning. “It is not the first time I have said that, and you know it. She hated the Weyr despite us saving and keeping her alive. You went through so much, and yet she despised me, you, R'kig, N’raen, and especially I'lean.” Malearee could not overly blame her for the last one, as he was a wherrybrain sometimes, but it was not because of that.

“Yes… but…” he started before turning back around, frustrated. Malearee glanced at Kelsa and winked.

Shards, Kelsa was glad she didn't know the other woman very well. She sounded like a miserable soul. “The Weyr kept her alive and safe, and she acted like that?” It was hard to fathom. Sure, she knew from being holder born that some things just weren't the same, but how could you just hate someone? “Well, her loss,” Kelsa grinned as Malearee winked.

“She was from Dragon Hold. Some of them were not worth saving,” Malearee reminded her. “Not everyone is as great as M’arc, Talomin, or Lenya.”

“Give it a rest, Mal,” S’ven muttered, looking miserable as he pushed into the tavern he spotted.

Kelsa nodded. She knew a few people from there. She smiled at her mate. “Hey, blue rider, cheer up—you have me now.”

“I know,” he assured, softening for a moment as she pushed through the tavern toward the bar. There was only ale or wine on offer, so he brought a wineskin and grabbed three mugs from the stack. “Drinks. I need the heads… I mean, bathroom,” he muttered, putting it all down and disappearing into the crowd.

Malearee watched him, her heart going out to him as she turned to the green rider. “I haven't seen him like this since the first few sevendays of weyrlinghood—and after the feline left him.”

Kelsa watched S'ven walk away. This worried her even more than when she had seen him have a panic attack. Shards, she was worried about him. “What happened during weyrlinghood? And what feline? He hasn't mentioned those things to me,” she admitted, pouring three mugs of wine.

“Oh, the feline is Ciy. I never liked her, as she was too flighty—and when she left, she destroyed him.” The woman picked up a mug and downed a gulp before sighing. “It’s hard for blue riders in weyrlinghood. We do not always know if we like both men and women, or—in my case—just women until we impress. S’ven was one of them, and he was holder born, so that is ingrained deep in some,” the woman said quietly.

“Oh, I thought you meant a cute little feline. That problem I could fix, since I have a friend with a litter right now,” Kelsa nodded. “That woman definitely had some problems.” She considered her next words. “That part I can understand—being holder born myself. Poor S'ven.”

Malearee laughed warmly and nodded. “You are good for him.” She approved of the young woman as she glanced up to see if S’ven was coming back. “She did, and S’ven was in love with her before she started to chip away at his self-esteem. I'lean—being I'lean—did not help, but…” She shrugged; the woman would know most of that.

“That man is infuriating,” Kelsa agreed. “And thank you. I'm trying.” She sighed softly as she glanced toward where S'ven had disappeared. “He told me some, but I let him talk at his own pace. She really messed with him. I still can't believe anyone would be so cruel.” Kelsa still had a hard time with that. She was not raised that way. “Maybe I'll still get him a kitten,” she grinned.

“He is, but you handle him so well.” Malearee raised her mug in a salute. “A lot of crafters and holders can be cruel toward Weyrfolk. We are more accepted in the south, but even so there are moments where we are not accepted—and it’s brutal when we fight thread.” The blue rider had accepted it many turns ago, though she was weyr born and not holder born. “Ciy was one of them, unfortunately. She could not get past her own viewpoint like many others, but we are here to protect all. Still, she did not need to be cruel to him, and I am fiercely protective of S’ven.”

Kelsa laughed and took a drink of her own wine. “Should have seen how angry he was when S’ven came back to me after the last flight.” She nodded a bit. “I've heard stories like that,” Kelsa answered. The south was definitely a better place to live. “I’m glad he's had a friend like you.”

Malearee smiled a little. She could imagine how angry I'lean was. It was not unusual for a male rider to get like that—he was highly strung and emotionally immature. “Blue riders stick together,” she said hopefully. “I do not think he is coming back.” She sighed, realizing the man might have slipped out to have some time alone.

Kelsa smiled. She was glad to hear that—a frown then crossed her pretty face. “Should we go after him?” She should have known he would try something like that. He had been determined to go back to the Weyr and leave her here. “Sharding man,” she sighed.

“Leave him for a candlemark to calm down, and then we can track him down. He won’t go far—Talaleth assures me that Dareth is sound asleep.” The blue rider was happily snuggled up with his wingmates so he could see the other blue. Malearee picked up her mug and took another gulp.

The green rider nodded. “Alright. Thanks. Vy just said the same thing—at least he's still here.” Kelsa was making plans for later on. Somehow she was going to help him forget again and enjoy the fact that they were really weyrmates.

“I can speak to K’ron? Get him to keep an eye out?” she offered, thinking they could most likely make sure he did not leave—S’ven needed a sulk and then usually came back with apologies and embarrassment for overreacting.

Kelsa considered that option. “I want to say yes, but I don't want to upset him. I trust him, and Dareth won't leave without Vyiath knowing.” Her green would let her know, then she would worry.

“Okay then, we shall give him some time and see,” Malearee agreed, following the younger woman’s lead.

The green rider nodded. “We'll give him a candlemark then go blue rider hunting,” she smiled. “I want S'ven back with us. How had things gone so wrong? He asked me to be his weyrmate,” she confided to Malearee.

“Finally,” the woman laughed. It was not exactly a secret that they were practically that anyway, though there were still two weyrs and separate spaces. “Though not exactly a big step—how many nights apart in the last months have you had?”

Kelsa smiled. True enough—it wasn't a big step, yet it was significant for S'ven. That had really been putting himself out there. “Maybe a sevenday total,” Kelsa answered.

“And I bet that is only because you have had night watches,” Malearee teased a little. She did not have a mate, but she knew how it worked, and she had no doubt that S’ven was reeling from his last mate destroying him—it took a long time for him to trust.

“That’s true,” Kelsa agreed. They were together all the time, but she had never pushed him to commit to one weyr. It had never felt right. “I never knew, though, if he would take that last step.”

“He needed time to heal up.” Malearee had always been sure that eventually he would have healed and worked out what to do. Dragon Hold had hurt many riders in different ways—some physically and some mentally—but they were all slowly coming back. “And you, my dear, have been very good for him,” she added. “He is happier with you.”

Kelsa nodded. “That's why I was trying to be patient. I didn't want to push him too much, too fast.” She had started falling for the crazy blue rider after he had saved her from a very bad mistake following a flight. “Thank you. I'm glad to hear that.”

“Just the truth—but you got there in the end.” The Blue Rider never told falsehoods; she subscribed to the notion that as a rider, one had to be more. She grew quiet and let the silence of the crowded tavern settle around her as she sipped her wine. The man would be fine—they would give him time and then find him.