Boundaries and Loyalty

Participants:

Andi.jpg Merendezen.jpg

Date: 2010.07.22
Location: Eastern Weyr Lakeshore
Synopsis: Andi and Zen talk, no tears this time.
Rating: PG
Logger: Merendezen


At present, this large scoop in the ground - which only grows larger each day - looks a bit odd. There's a string of makeshift fencing around the edges to try and keep those without business there out of the way. However, small wooden poles and three lines of twine are more of a suggestion than a deterrent, and weyrbrats can often be seen playing in the sections not filled with digging workers. A small sign hung on the highest bit of twine states 'LAKE HOPELESS' in forcibly fancy script, yet there's not a drop of water to be seen anywhere in the scoop.


The skies are cloudy and the storm has not yet begun, at this time Zen stands at the edge of the lake, hands in his pockets and staring blankly at the depths of it though there is no water. He is, for the time being, on a break from chores having completed run-around-tasks and avoiding running into anyone else who needed him due to the knot he now wears.

With the Weyr starting to gather candidates, Andi has been assigned to carefully keep track of who is who, and to provide a cleanly written posting of daily chores for the board each day. With tomorrow's list prepared and dropped off for inspection, she's cutting back across the bowl, the sight of a young man on the edge of the empty lake causing her to narrow her eyes a little, her pace slowing as she does so.

Merendezen remains staring into the empty lake, thoughtful, his brows drawn down into a frown before he finally takes a step back and brushes off his hand. He turns, looking back to where he came from and then eyes find Andi. He watches her with green eyes focusing on the scribe, but he says nothing, waiting.

"I've been told that the proper thing to say is congratulations." She offers, just loudly enough to carry over the distance between them, regarding him with a slight tilt of her head, her fingers curling in her skirts, keeping them from noticably fidgeting as she does so. "And good luck."

Merendezen smiles, widely, as she speaks. "Thank you, Andromeda. It's wonderful to actually hear you speaking properly." He moves, then, to close the distance between them but remains a respectable distance away. "Thank you. How have you been doing, little one? I promise that I'll remain polite."

Andi blinks at him once, hurriedly dropping her gaze as he closes the distance between them, her eyes instead focused on some stone that are laying on the side of the lake-to-be. "Busy.." She offers simply, blushing a little as she sneaks a peek back at him, fingers curling a bit more completely in the sides of her skirt.

Merendezen watches her, tilting his head and lifting a brow. "Busy? I imagine so. More people coming in to become candidates… Though I suppose you could drop it all on one of us, everyone else seems to be doing it." His second brow lifts at that blush and he steps closer. "Am I scaring you again, little one?"

"You.. You can't just let anyone handle records. It.. It takes a neat hand and a steady mind." She says, her eyes closing lightly as she repeats what is likely an off-repeated statement by her mother. "You never know when you'll need them." And then, she opens her eyes, blushing a bit more as he steps closer again. "N-no.." She tries to convince him.

"Ah! So that is what you do." Zen grins widely, "good of you to take your work so seriously. Records are important." He agrees, closing the distance still, seeing as she's growing redder. He chuckles and lifts a hand, attempting to rest it upon the top of her head. "You're cute."

"I.." And then there's a hand on top of her head, and she's effectively frozen in place, squeaking a little as she glances up at that hand, or at least the wrist, which she can see, her hands wringing her skirt just a little, before she's closing her eyes and trying to smooth the wrinkles out. "I.. I.." And then she's trying to think of the right thing to say. "T-Thank you?" She offers timidly, not sure if its right or wrong.

Laughter returns, a soft chuckle of light amusement as she freezes and squeaks. He ruffles her hair before pulling back and tucking his hand into his pocket. "I seem to startle you often, little one. It is simply too amusing. You are sweet and cute. You're quite welcome, though. I don't often call anyone cute."

Andi stays tense as that hand lingers on her head, and its only after its being pulled back that she's letting out a loud exhale, her hands hurriedly rubbing at the top of her head, trying to smooth out her hair again. Gaze drops, and she peeks discretely upwards at him, biting her lip as she swallows. "I.. Just.. Just not used to… guys." She whispers, barely audibly.

Merendezen chuckles at the exhale, shaking his head, amused. "It's okay, little one. I'm not going to do anything you don't want. I'd rather avoid having you hate me more than you already do. You have my word." Though, one must wonder how good is word really is.

Slowly, she lifts her chin, her hands moving to smooth her hair out once more, before she's curling fingers in her skirts again, and nodding slowly. A few slow blinks of blue eyes, and she swallows. "For.. for what that's worth." She whispers at him, shaking her head just a little bit. "Words are… Only as good as the person behind them. My.. Father proved that."

Merendezen leans down, peering at her curiously. "You're learning." He is pleased by the tone of his voice, nodding. "Good. Well, I won't do anything to make you hate me more. Tell me what my boundaries are, little one and I shall not cross them."

Andi blinks at him as he peers at her, blushing as he seems pleased, looking a little sheepish. "You.. You learn more by watching." She says softly, and then she's shaking her head a little, looking over her shoulder. "I'm.. I'm a Lord Holder's daughter." As if that should make it all clear.

"Still, you're not as…" Zen pauses, waving a hand. "You're a lot better than when I first met you, let's just say." He smiles, shaking his head. "What are your boundaries, little one?"

Even a month at the Weyr will have its effect, slowly but surely, without constant intercession by her family - intercession that has been distinctly lacking the last sevenday. "I.. I just told you." She says simply, confused.

Merendezen shakes his head, "you told me you were a Lord Holder's daughter, but that doesn't explain what you want. What you are desiring. What you don't want. What displeases you."

"Don't.. Don't you understand?" She says, voice trembling as she looks back at him, shaking her head. "It.. It doesn't matter. I'm his daughter." Her voice is soft as she watches him. "I'll.. I'll do what he tells me, its my duty." One of the longest sentences she's strung together infront of Zen, driven by loyalty to her father.

Merendezen says nothing for a moment, green eyes focusing only on the little woman before him. He stands there, unmoving for a long moment before he rolls his shoulders. "As you say, little one."

Andi waits for a lecture, for some thing akin to his previous admonishments for her beliefs, but when they don't come, she's blinking once or twice, daintily taking a few steps backwards then, skirts picked up enough to avoid tripping over them. "I.. I bet you could never do it."

Merendezen lifts a brow as she takes her steps back, watching still. "Do what, little one?" He doesn't move, not even a little except for when his body shakes with the soft laughter. Green eyes are intent, focused and only on the woman before him.

"Be loyal to.. To anyone. Or.. anything." She comments, and then as his body starts shaking a little, she frowns and turns her back on him without another word, moving to pick her way across the muddy future lakeshore, continuing in her earlier direction.

"You're right." Zen muses, watching her take off with a thoughtful shrug, watching her briefly before he rolls his shoulders.



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