Step One.

Writers: Leigh M-F.
Date Posted: 13th October 2017

Characters: A'kua, Ilyssia
Description: It's time for a change.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 1, day 8 of Turn 9
Notes: Song sung to the tune of "Hell of It" from "Phantom of the Paradise." Rated PG-13 for icky images.

Ilyssia

Ilyssia had been pressed against her weyrmate's back, drifting in a pleasant doze, when he jerked in his sleep and disturbed her. She heard him groan, felt him drag a hand across his eyes, and then he carefully slipped from the bed. More sounds told her he'd grabbed some pants off the floor and put them on. He must've have one of his weird, vivid dreams; usually, when he did, he would stand at the entrance of the weyr ledge for a little while, then come back and cuddle her until they had to get up.

This time, he didn't. Ilyssia rose as well, wrapping the quilt Shastia had made around herself. Outside, the sky had lightened, and Dragonsfall's daytime population was beginning to stir. A'kua had his arms crossed over his chest, and his shoulders were tight as he stared out into the Weyrbowl. Ilyssia pressed against his back again, arms wrapping about his waist, and A'kua placed a hand over her forearms. She turned her head to rest it between his shoulder blades. "What happened this time?" she inquired gently.

The bronzerider didn't answer at first. Lys just waited. "It was my stupid wh.... It was my stupid sire," A'kua finally said. "He was withered, sick, half dead on an unlit funeral pyre, surrounded by people. He smiled up at me as best he could, held out a hand, and I sang that song you found in my old composition book."

The greenrider knew which one he meant. It was on the very first page, a bitter and mocking tune.

(Roll on, thunder, shine on, lightning,
The days are long and the nights are frightening;
Nothing matters anyway, and that's the way of it.
Winter comes and the winds blow colder,
Where some grew wiser, you just grew older;
But you never listened anyway, and that's the way of it.

Good for nothing, bad in bed, nobody likes you
And you're better off dead, goodbye! (Goodbye!)
We've all come to say goodbye! (Goodbye!) Goodbye! (Goodbye!)
Born defeated, proud and vain, super-destructive, you've caused such pain,
And though your mem'ry lingers on, all of us are glad you're gone:

If I could live my life half as worthlessly as you,
I'm convinced that I'd wind up burning too!")

"What happened next?" Ilyssia wanted to know.

A'kua half laughed. "Countless gashes opened on his skin, like I'd gone at him with my knife. Some went to the bone, and he just laid there, twitchin' helplessly as he bled. Then I grabbed a torch from someone and made to throw it on the kindlin', but he caught my wrist and tried to apologize with cracked, bleedin' lips, but he couldn't. My words had cut his throat."

The greenrider shook her head as best she could. "Your mind comes up with really disturbing imagery sometimes, love."

The bronzerider stroked her skin with a thumb. "I've had way too much practice with it," he said a little bleakly, and fell silent again, but not for long. "I hurt him, and I was glad to. But he truly was sorry, and I- I'm gettin' tired of hatin' him. I can't forgive him, yet I just- This has to stop."

"I think so too, and I'm happy you've realized that," Lys agreed. "So what are you going to do?"

The pause was much longer this time. "I guess I'll write him another song," her weyrmate stated at last. "What happens after that is up to him."

Last updated on the October 27th 2017

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Step One.