Summer Rain [7.15.2707] (Quindara, ANY)

[Kendrall]

A light drizzle descended upon the Weyr one afternoon, bringing some relief from the heat. It wasn't a heavy downpour as was common during the rainy season, but it was a welcome sight for one person in particular. G'rett stood next to Coth just inside the large cavern that overlooked the Bowl, the former rubbing the latter's hide affectionately. The man was barefoot and clad only in his tunic and breeches.

This rain is soothing and relaxing. I rather like it.[/color] The Bronze mused, his blue eyes taking in the sight. I know you must find it refreshing as well, G'rett.[/color] The Wingleader simply nodded. "That I do, old friend. That I do. But you know what?"

Coth merely blinked at his bonded, unsure of where the conversation was leading. G'rett simply chuckled. "This would be a good time for me to practice."

But your sword and dagger will rust?[/color] Coth objected to this idea, concerned that his bonded's trusty blades wouldn't hold up in these conditions. "I keep them oiled anyway, Coth, but that's not what I was going to practice with." He pointed over at the weapons rack to the quarterstaff. "That."

Oh. Well, in that case, I suppose it wouldn't be too difficult. But I'll stay up here and watch.[/color]

He gave the Bronze a friendly pat. "Just let me know if anyone decides to pay a visit?" he asked, walking over to the weapons rack and grabbing the staff with one hand. Coth crooned softly to acknowledge his bonded's request, then turned his head to watch and wait. It took him a few minutes longer than normal because of his lack of boots, but the wet sand felt cool to the touch. Stripping off his tunic, G'rett cast it aside to enjoy the feel of the light rain, then gripped the quarterstaff in both hands in a spear grip, his left hand near the middle and right on the back third. Shifting his body until he stood parallel to the staff, he started his cadence. Thrust, counter, parry...the Wingleader kept his feet and body moving, and if anyone other than Coth was watching would witness the deadly grace the man possessed.

[Kit]

It was a restday for the Candidates. With Hatching expected any day now, for many of them it would be their last day of true freedom. Most were in the common room, playing games or speculating about their future lifemates. Quindara was not in the mood for any of that today. She was both eagerly awaiting and dreading the Hatching. All the girls had their examination yesterday, which Quindara passed, to her lasting releif, and now all that was left was for the eggs to crack. Her logical mind told her that this could easily be another failure, which would not only doom her to more months of the boring drudgery that Candidacy had become for her, but it would also mean a stall on her plans with G'rett. Quindara tended to have a fatalistic view about her own life, thus the dread.

But there was another feeling, a feeling she was somewhat loathe to acknowledge, that told her that when these eggs hatched, her life would never be the same. These two ideas were now at war within her mind, driving her to seek solitude. So sh walked out into the Bowl, the drizzle both dreary and refreshing. When she first walked out of the barracks, her vision was obscure by the misty rain, making it seem like she was alone in an island of fog. But there was an odd noise she couldn't quite place, so she walked towards it, and discovered to her surprise, that it was G'rett, battling unseen foes with a quarterstaff. It was quite entertaining to watch, a mix of absurdity and the voyeuristic pleasure of the play of her beloved's muscles.

[Kendrall]

Had Coth not been watching, G'rett probably would have not picked up on the fact someone else was present. The Bronzerider was well into his cadence now, the light rain mingling with his sweat to give his bare chest and stomach a faint luster. His hair likewise was now clinging to his forehead and the back of his neck, and his muscles were now starting to ache slightly from his workout. It felt good, actually. It let him know he was still alive, still mortal, that he could still be beaten in combat. At one point he feared defeat, whether at the hands of another opponent or even Thread. But ever since his promotion to Wingleader of Stardust, G'rett quickly learned not to fear death itself, to inspire those he commanded to not worry about working harder, but to work smarter. To accept losses provided they be kept to a minimum.

Yet the Bronze's thoughts were still able to cut through the man's own. G'rett, someone approaches.[/color] G'rett halted his cadence and wiped his forehead with the back of a hand, the quarterstaff still gripped firmly in his other. Squinting, he looked in all directions until his eyes took in the form of someone standing several feet away. It took him a couple of moments to realize it was Quindara. Dropping the quarterstaff, he walked up to her and took her into his arms, enfolding her in a hug. "My love," he said warmly. "I heard you and the rest of the female Candidates were examined. How did it go?" In the back of his mind G'rett knew for Quindara to be with child meant she would be disqualified, but he was willing to accept the consequences of his actions, of the night he'd spent with her and Kiyoni both after Elliwodth's Flight.

[Kit]

She let herself be enfolded in his embrace, wrapping her own arms around his back and smiling up at him. Just the warmth of his body seemed to chase away all her worries, and the feel of his bare skin under her hands was very nice too. "I passed, I'll be standing on the sands any day now. Believe me, I would have come running to you right away if I had not." There was a part of her, an oft neglected part, that had been a little sad to find that she had not been carrying his child after all. But she had dismissed it as a silly thought. There would be plenty of time for children later, she promised herself.

Quindara couldn't believe how much she had missed him. Sure, she had had feelings for her other lovers, but at the same time, she knew she'd held herself somewhat at a distance, protecting herself. She felt no need, or even a desire, to be thus protected from G'rett. A Turn seemed like an intolerably long time to wait.
"So what are you doing out here, besides looking delectable?" she aked with a grin.

[Kendrall]

G'rett breathed a sigh of relief, letting the feel of Quindara's body through the fabric of her clothes was enough to remind him of just how much he loved her, how much he needed her at his side, for her to be a part of his life. Still, mixed emotions ran through his mind. Part of him was relieved his love would be able to Stand, part of him disappointed that she would not bear his child to him. But he couldn't help but look into her eyes when she looked up into his, and gently guiding her arms until they were around his neck. G'rett leaned down and kissed Quindara with a fierce passion, letting the rain fall around them and on them, letting her know just how much he missed her. Pulling away for a moment and mirroring her grin, he answered her question. "Practicing with the quarterstaff. It's something I usually do to pass the time away on a day like today, so I can keep my skills sharp. So I don't get so bored so easily."

[Kit]

She surrendered to the kiss, leaning into him, moving her hands up into his hair. His masculine scent warred with the scent of rain her nostrils. It was gratifying to know that he had missed her too, she could tell from his kiss. It was little sad to break away, but you couldn't talk while kissing, she supposed.

"You, bored? I can hardly believe that. I thought you'd be hard at work whipping your wing into shape. I suppose today isn't a good day for flying. But now I'm here to entertain you as well." Quindara leaned her head against his bare chest, listening to his heart beat, and feeling soothed and complete in his arms. After a moment she looked up at him. "Quarterstaff huh? There's not too many people around here who work with those. I mean, the Candidate Master does, and he holds a class on it for the Candidates, but we mainly succeed in hurting ourselves and each other. Thous some of us older Candidates have been through it so many times that we've started to get the hang of it."

[Kendrall]

He breathed in the scent of her, fondly recalling the last time he'd tasted her lips and the feel of her fingers in his hair. Grinning when Quindara found it hard to believe he was bored and would instead be drilling his wing, G'rett let a chuckle escape. "No, today isn't a good day for flying. But now that you're here, my day just got a whole lot brighter." He ran a hand through her hair when she rested her head on his chest, then let it slide back down to her waist when she looked up at him. "When I was growing up, some of the guards at Nova Hold offered to teach me the basics of the quarterstaff and with the longbow. I admit I was nowhere near Arktos' equal at the time with the quarterstaff when I went through the class, but I think I'm a close second now. But I wouldn't mind teaching you some of what I know so you can improve on your proficiency. Or teaching you anything else for that matter." G'rett gave Quindara a playful grin.

[Kit]

Quindara laughed. "I'd like to teach you a thing or two, although it seems like your a quick learner," she said with a knowing look. "But that'll have to wait I guess. So I wouldn''t mind learning more quarterstaff." She'd probably have agreed to nearly anything that gave her an excuse to spend time with G'rett. She might not have another chance for a while, weyrlings were kept fairly isolated in their first months of training, to keep from upsetting the baby dragons. It would be a difficult time. She leaned against G'rett, as if to soak him in in preparation. Though she supposed in that case she wouldn't be lonely, she'd have her dragon.

[Kendrall]

G'rett laughed with Quindara when she told him he was a quick learner, but agreed that it wouldn't hurt for her to practice a bit more. He slowly released her, hesitantly, then gave her a grin as he turned and walked over to where he laid the quarterstaff down on the ground. Sliding a bare foot underneath the middle of the staff, G'rett flicked it up into the air and he caught it expertly in one hand. Turning around again, he walked back over to Quindara, his eyes suggesting he was looking forward to this. "Show me how Arktos has you wielding the quarterstaff," he said, handing the weapon over to her.

He took a few steps back and waited, a playful smile coming to his lips.

[Kit]

She shook her head at him. "Show-off. You needn't impress me." She took the weapon from him and hefted it in her hand. It was a little longer and heavier than the one she had used, but it wasn't intolerable. "He uses a different style than I think you do. It always looks good when he does it of course, but I'm sure I'll look like a fool."

She held the staff in front of her, with her hands spaced a few inches apart in the center and took a deep breath. It took a few moments for the memories to come back. She flipped the staff vertically over her shoulder and back, then thrust it forward in a blocking maneuver. Moving forward, she timed jabs of each end of the staff with her measured steps. Balance was the key in this style, and it had a certain grace to it, each strike or blocked was timed with the movement. It was almost meditative. After a few minute of this she stopped and sighed. "I've forgotten the rest."

[Kendrall]

G'rett watched as Quindara held the quarterstaff in a classic grip; in front, hands spaced apart in the center. He nodded slowly as she went through the cadence: flip the staff vertically over the shoulder and back, forward thrust to block, using each end to jab or block. Her balance was good as was her timing. G'rett could only nod when Quindara stopped and admitted she forgot the rest. Coming forward again, he gently took the quarterstaff from her hands. "Move back," he said softly, waving her off so he could have space enough to move.

Instead of the classic grip his beloved used, he held it using a polearm stance: left flank presented, left foot forward, left leg forward and knee bent. right leg back, right foot at an angle, one hand just shy of the center and the other on the back third of the staff. He held the staff just near his right hip, then started his cadence. G'rett kept the quarterstaff moving in a tight circle, as if taunting an unseen foe that he could strike from virtually any position. A feint from the low position, two quick thrusts from the high and middle. A low, sweeping block to counter an imaginary swing to his legs, followed by a fast countersweep. He kept his feet moving in time with each thrust, each block, but always kept the end moving in a tight circle.

G'rett swapped the staff end-for-end for a reverse thrust, jabbing at the air directly behind him, then flipped the staff vertically until his right hand was now near the center, his left at the back third. He released his grip, then quickly snatched the staff at the back third again with his right hand and brought it up and around in a horizontal circle over his head. Most wouldn't have been able to pull off such a maneuver. G'rett was one of the few strong enough to successfully do so without dropping the staff or bashing his own head. Finally, he resumed his original stance, then relaxed.

"Did Arktos ever teach you the three rings of defense?" he asked.

[Kit]

Quindara handed him the staff and stepped back. Really, watching him work was the best part, making her feel a mixture of pride at his strength, and a not insignificant amount of lust as the movements of his body. The difference in the two styles was readily apparent. The style she had been taught by Arktos was based on balance and grace, which was perhaps a little odd for someone who was known for their strength. But G'rett's style was more about speed and power. It looked slightly more lethal, but she suspected was not quite as soothing to practice. Maybe that's why the Candidate Master had chosen the style he did, because it was like a balm to the spirit.

She watched him with a half-smile on her face, wondering if he knew how attractive she found him right at this moment. Perhaps she wasn't paying attention to his technique as much as she should, but his muscles that were covered in a faint sheen of rain and sweat kept distracting her as they moved under his tanned skin.

He stopped almost abruptly and broke her from her reverie. "What? No..no he didn't. I don't think."

[Kendrall]

He knew Quindara was watching him intently, but whether it was through the eyes of pride or through those of lust he didn't know at the moment. Blinking in surprise when she seemed to be caught off-guard by his question, G'rett gave his beloved a playful smile. "I'll teach you," he said. "This won't take long."

He walked over to her, quarterstaff in one hand, then came around to stand behind Quindara. "May I?" he said softly, pressing the quarterstaff into her hands and positioning them in the same spear grip he used. Pressing his body close to hers, G'rett then took his hands to slightly twist Quindara's upper body until it was parallel to the quarterstaff, then with his own feet gently nudged hers into the proper position until she was balanced. Taking his hands and placing them on top of hers, his arms against the damp fabric of her sleeves, he began to move slowly to guide the weapon through the lesson.

"The outer ring, as my father called it, has four positions. Upper right, upper left, lower right, lower left. Useful for blocking overhand blows from a blade, mostly, or to attempt to take your opponent off-balance." G'rett guided her hands into each of the four positions, then moved on to the next. "The middle ring: Up, down, left, and right. You'll probably guess you can jab forward from any of these positions, or at the very least knock your foe down with a well-timed swing to the body." He then brought her hands to her navel, and helped her circle the end of the staff in a tight circle. "The inner ring. This is where I like to start most of my attacks from, as it relies on putting your entire body into each thrust for maximum effect. It's also the most difficult to defend from. I like to keep the end of the staff moving as it'll keep your opponent guessing which direction your next strike comes from, and I like to throw feints before combining moves from the other rings. I've also found this particular stance favors someone who's very fast and strong. I'll admit I've used the more balanced approach Arktos favors, but should you ever find yourself up against a fast opponent, your best chance of victory is to use the spear grip."

[Kit]

"I eagerly await your expert tutelage," she said with a smile that matched his. How she wished she had already Impressed and was now a full rider. There was a definite tortuous aspect to being near him. Of course, she had desired others before and not been able to act on her desires. But it wasn't just about the pleasures of the moment with him, this was about being together every day. Seeing his face when she awoke each morning and laying down beside him every night. And finally really wanting this with someone, and having them also want her the same way, and having to wait, a full turn at that, was harder than she had expected.

"I have never complained about your embraces before, now have I?" she replied teasingly. But she definitely found the closeness of his body distracting to the point that she was having to concentrate really hard to pay attention to what he was saying. She was definitely enjoying the feel of his hands over hers though, and the part of her mind that was not occupied by lascivious thoughts could see the sense in what he was saying. "So, if I go up against you, I should do it this way?" she teased.

[Kendrall]

G'rett gave Quindara a playful grin when she teased him on how she awaited his lessons. He knew it would be difficult at best for both of them to control their emotions, how badly he wanted to be with her right then and there, to lay her down into the wet sand and have his way with her. She had passed her examination and would Stand any day now, but for her to bring a child into this world during her first year of Weyrling training could prove disastrous. No, there would be another time for that. G'rett had once told Quindara that he would push Coth to chase her Green or Gold once she Rose. The only thing that concerned him was if his beloved did indeed Impress to a queen dragonet, if he would be able to have Quindara move in with him or if he would have to give up his own quarters. Or if they wouldn't be allowed to live together once they became Weyrmates. He knew that a queenrider upon receiving her full Riders' knots was often given her own personal weyr that had a personal bathing chamber, and it was typically larger than most weyrs save for the Weyrwoman's, Weyrwoman's Second's, Weyrleader's, and Weyrsecond's. Regardless of the living situation, he wanted to wake up in her arms each morning and hold her in his each night for the rest of their lives. He also wanted to spend as much time as possible with their children, but at the same time also knew that would be an impracticality due to his rank and how much time he would be spending with his fellow Riders, training them to deal with Thread without suffering considerable injury. That was why he appointed Arktos as the guardian of his children, to watch over them in his stead when he himself wasn't around.

There would be another time to worry about all of that. And another time to deal with the hardening bulge in his breeches as his body was practically pressed next to Quindara's. He needed to focus if he was to do this successfully. "No, you've never complained about my embraces before," G'rett replied, guiding his beloved's hands through the cadence. "And yes, you should do it this way." The warmth of her breath against his cheek and the feel of her skin under the ever-dampening of the fabric of her clothes was driving him insane. G'rett forced himself to step away from Quindara, then he rested his fists against his hips. "Alright, let's see if you can repeat the cadence on your own," he instructed. "If you do this right, I might even have a little surprise for you."