If You've Got My Back

Writers: Anika, Leigh M-F.
Date Posted: 11th February 2015

Characters: Ilyssia, A'kua
Description: Ilyssia seeks out Aluka and she finds out why he's so concerned with the rumors.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 11, day 13 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Lissath, D'kere

Ilyssia

Finished with barracks inspection, Ilyssia reached to affectionately
scratch Gwynnyth's eye ridges. Though this sevenday's exercises were
even more taxing than last, with the weyrling chains having progressed
to Dragon Toss, Ilyssia didn't feel quite as exhausted. She must be
building up the new muscles required for the different activities. She
might even be up for venturing out to explore the Weyr this evening.
Tomorrow was restday after all.

}:I would like to explore:{ Gwynnth informed her rider.

**That settles it then. Let's go.** As the pair headed out, Ilyssia
wondered if she might not be able to find Aluka. She'd been dead
tired and hadn't seen her friend for over a sevenday. She doubted
Gwynnyth would be able to climb all the way up to the upper cliffs to
the candidate barracks, but she could see if he were in on some of the
lower levels.

}I could do it.:{ the young green insisted.

**Hopefully he'll be around the here at the lower cliffs.** Ilyssia
suggested, rather than argue the point. Upon exiting the cavern, she
looked about deciding which direction to go and opting to head towards
the dining cavern.

Thankfully for the sake of preventing any possible arguments, the
greenpair didn't have to climb anywhere. The farther they walked, the
clearer the sound of gitar music became, along with a now familiar
voice that sounded half lost in a dream world. "It's night again; time
for my mind to go wanderin' off on a journey through pass and clime,
in search of a face I can never find. So I close my eyes, and look
inside." Sure enough, there was Aluka, sitting on a rock, wrapped in a
worn blue shawl. A thermos was beside him, and his eyes were indeed
closed as he picked out the slow, wistful tune.

}:He croons nicely.:{ Gwynnyth observed.

**Doesn't he though?** Ilyssia agreed finding a seat and cuddling up
next to Gwynnyth for warmth while she listened appreciatively, feeling
that familiar comfortable feeling wash over her. No one outside of
Gwynnyth ever put her at ease like Aluka. Sitting here with both of
them, the young women couldn't be any more content.

Halfway through the song, Aluka noticed one of his strings was coming
out of tune, so he opened his eyes and moved a hand to fix it, only
then noticing the visitors. He jerked back in surprise and said a word
that would have made mothers gasp and cover their offspring's ears. A
beat later he wondered if cursing in front of a dragonet was as bad as
cursing in front of a child. "Came from between again, did ya?" he
asked once he had pushed that thought aside.

Ilyssia chuckled. "We didn't want to interrupt your song. Gwynnyth
says she likes your crooning. I really liked the words to that one
too."

"I don' croon," Aluka huffed, but he couldn't allow himself to get too
miffed. He had been singing very differently before the string had to
be adjusted. Besides, this was the second time he had been
complimented by a dragon. It was hard to be displeased about that. It
was actually why he had been playing that song; Lissath had apparently
liked it, so he was giving it extra practice. "So you're Gwynnyth,
huh? Nice to see ya up close and personal at last," he said to the
little green with a nod. "Lys has told me good things 'bout ya."

}:He _does_ croon. He was just doing it:{ Gwynnyth insisted, though
she cocked her head in a friendly manner at the two-legged one who
made her lifemate feel so serene inside.

**We like to call that singing, dear one.**

}Oh. What good things have you told him about me?:{ The green asked
somewhat pridefully, preening now.

"I've told him how beautiful you are of course. Not to mention smart
and brave," Ilyssia responded out loud for Aluka's benefit, giving her
friend a wink.

}You can tell him I'm glad to meet him:{ Gwynnyth brought her head
closer to Aluka her multifaceted eyes appraising him. }:His singing
is good and I like how it makes you feel.:{

"She says, she's pleased to meet you and she likes your _singing_."
Ilyssia stressed the word for emphasis, personally tickled by Aluka's
initial response.

"Well, I'm pleased to meet ya too, Gwynnyth," the Candidate said,
mollified, and held out a hand, wondering if the green would allow him
to scratch her eye ridges. "Lys is right, she's said all those good
things." And deservedly so.

"She'd love a little scratch on her eye ridge," Ilyssia encouraged as
her dragon leaned in closer to accept his touch.

Quite pleased, Aluka gently scratched Gwynnyth's pretty head. He knew
dragonhide was tough, but Gwynnyth was still a baby, so he wasn't
going to scratch too hard. "How's she been takin' all this rumor
garbage?" he asked, knowing enough by now to know a rider's emotions
in trying times could and did affect their dragons.

"She doesn't understand why people say things that aren't true or why
others care," Ilyssia said with a shrug. "So long as I don't let it
get to me, she's just fine." Ilyssia laughed, "Although she has her
moments. Slif was down at the weyrlake yesterday and decided to make
some comments on the rumors and, well, let's just say a rude
proposition. Gwynnyth _accidently_ knocked him into the weyrlake
fully clothed."

Aluka sighed. "I hate my gender," he muttered. "But I do approve of
your actions, Gwynnyth." He scratched under the green's chin. "That
was very brave of you, defendin' Lys like that." It looked as though
that talk with D'kere had been executed at just the right time. This
was becoming a giant, messy tangle.

The small green dragon hummed with pleasure at the scratches as well
as the praise, though mostly because Ilyssia was happy. Her rider's
contentment was what really mattered to Gwynnyth. Little else was of
consequence to the young green.

"Don't you worry, Aluka, all is well. Gwynnyth and I are doing fine.
Tired as can be from drills, but good, nonetheless."

"I'm worried anyway," the redhead said quietly, still scritching. He
looked at Gwynnyth as he talked instead of her rider; it was somehow
easier. Probably because he knew exactly how unconcerned Ilyssia was.
"The rumors have gotten outta hand, Lys. People're claimin' I got ya
with child before ya Impressed. Trouble's a good friend of mine, so I
don' care if I get into it again, but ya- ya don' deserve havin'
stupid things like that said about ya."

"First of all, we're in the Weyr. Those kind of rumors aren't damning
here like they are in a Hold, they're more just a point of curiosity.
No one would care much if I _were_ pregnant. Secondly, I talked to
D'kere and I feel okay about things. Gwynnyth and I are doing well in
our weyrling classes and no one is going to snatch that away."

"I'd care," Aluka muttered rebelliously. If someone had taken
advantage of his friend, that meant he'd have to assault the person
who had done it and summarily get kicked out of the Weyr. But he
didn't say that aloud, instead rubbing the base of Gwynnyth's
headknobs. "I talked to D'kere too recently."

"He mentioned that you had," she grinned. It was nice to know that
Aluka cared, even if his worry was misplaced. She sighed, "I guess it
might have been getting to me a little, but words are just words and
why should I give a runner's rear what people whose opinion I could
really give two shards in the moonlight about say anout me. In the
caravan there were times, well, times where I was hurt and couldn't do
a scorching thing about it. Here, though, they can't hurt me unless I
let them, Aluka, and I'm not going to let them."

The Candidate's throat tightened enough to choke him. "Wish my ma'd
thought the same way ya do," he whispered.

Seeing the pain in her friend's dark blue eyes and hearing the
strained whisper made Ilysaia's stomach clench. Having never heard
such vulnerability from Aluka, she reacted immediately, moving to
kneel in front of him and placing a comforting hand on his arm.
Gwynnyth crooned softly, not understanding what had suddenly upset the
two but wanting to offer som solace.

"But she didn't have Gwynnyth, nor such a caring friend as you. She
was in a Hold, not a Weyr. I'm sure she did the best she could, given
the hand she was dealt. It's harder to be strong when you don't have
anyone to lean on."

"She had _me_, and she still drank herself to death 'cause the hold
never let her forget how much they hated her for one lousy mistake,"
Aluka replied, voice cracking. "No matter how many times I told her I
loved her, how wonderful a mother she was, shielded her with my own
body, asked her to leave with me, she did it anyway. I- I know you're
not her, Lys; I know you're tough and ya don' care what a bunch of
idiots say, but I can't- just can't stand knowin' a friend of mine is
dealin' with garbage like this and I can't make it stop."

Her heart was breaking for her friend and she had no words that would
bring any comfort so she did the only thing she could and wrapped her
arms around him. She didn't know why his mother had made the choices
she had, and couldn't fathom not caring enough for your child to at
least make an effort. How had Aluka come through it as well as he
had?

Aluka hugged the slim girl back tightly, and didn't say anything for a
little while. He finally broke the silence with "Ancients, listen to
me. Whinin' like a li'l kid. Sorry, Lys. I didn' mean to dump that on
ya. Forget I said anythin'."

"I most certainly will not!" She stepped back and gave him a good
solid whack on the arm. "We're friends. You're here for me and I'm
here for you. You start holding out on me and I'll have Gwynnyth push
you into the Weyrlake!"

Gwynnyth gave an expressive huff to add weight to her rider's words,
mirroring Ilyssia's exasperation, mostly because she could feel it
through their bond and it was much better than the deep sadness of
moments ago.

"Yow!" Damn, but Ilyssia could really hit. Aluka had to rub the
smacked area. "Okay, okay, I won' say stuff like that again," he
hastily added, not doubting she really would ask Gwynnyth to do such a
thing. Besides, the former trader was right to tell him that.
Communication had to work both ways, didn't it?

"Good," she said with a nod and a grin. "And I'll come to you if stuff
in the barracks gets me down. Just knowing that you've got my back,
makes it better."

}:I will always be here for you:{ Gwynnth said to her rider. }:Tell
him he should sing. It makes good feelings for all of us.:{

Ilyssia chuckled. "Gwynnyth wants you to sing. She says your music
will make us all feel better."

Aluka laughed, relieved the subject had been changed. "Well, how can I
argue with logic like that?" he asked, and picked up his gitar. He
knew exactly what to play, too.

"Please help me, someone, my head's a din,
And I know not where I should begin.
Some days it feels like you just can't win,
No matter what you do or say.

Things didn't kill me, but I don't feel stronger;
Life is short, but it feels much longer.
I've lost that drive, I've lost that hunger
To pull myself through the day.

But if ever I stray from the path I follow,
Take me down to the nearest channel,
Throw me in where the water is shallow,
And then drag me on back to shore!

If love is free and life is cheap,
As long as I've got me a place to sleep,
Some clothes on my back and some food to eat,
Then I can't ask for anything more.

Come on, everybody, sing it one two three four!"

Sure, the song sounded a little gloomy, but it ended with the phrase
"If you've got my back, I'll go on."

Last updated on the February 11th 2015

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If You've Got My Back