"Come on, Vestiso! I know you can do it!" Cortheus cried energetically as he watched his bond flap her wings against the wind. Since Cortheus couldn't exactly be trained as a rider, he and Vestiso had arranged private lessons with the Weyrling Master. Currently, this was Vestiso's tenth attempt today at flying. The Weyrling Master had given Cortheus instructions on how to encourage her then left to take care of the rest of the weyrlings after the fifth attempt.
Vestiso strained against gravity, flapping furiously to get herself into the air. She'd already mastered the art of standing like Cortheus; flying was a different matter. Her neck stretched as far as it would reach, as if to pull her into the clouds. She stood on tip toe, lashing the ground with her tail as her wings sent gusts of wing swirling around her ankles. With a sigh of defeat, she dropped back to the ground and looked forelornly at her mate. I can't do it.
"Yes you can!" Cortheus covered the distance between them quickly, taking Vestiso's head gently in his great hands. She was a weyrling now, but only half the size of himself. "You can do this, Vestiso! I know you can."
The red gold beauty pulled her head away angrily. No I can't! It's just too hard, Cortheus.
Cortheus sighed heavily, sitting down beside her. He rested his hands on his knees and arched his neck to look down upon the gold mottled face of his bond. "Nothing's too hard if you try."
I am trying! She cried sullenly. Her large, blue eyes opened wide to take in the sight of her rider... bond and convey her dilemma. Cortheus's face was a mask of thought as he gazed at her. He could fly, only without his armor. Show me. Please? Vestiso pleaded, hearing the sway of thought in his mind.
"Well..." Since bonding to Vestiso, Cortheus was rarely seen without his shining steel breast plate and sword. Vestiso had been so impressed by them that he couldn't help but show off. Plus the fact that he hadn't flown in years made him undecided, for a while at least.
Maybe if you show me I'll get it. I learn better by seeing you do things, Cor. Pleeeeeease? The sugar-coated tone of Vestiso's voice finally won him over. With a shrug of defeat, Cortheus began to wriggle out of his massive armor. It wasn't that easy to do since the brest plate reached right around his wings. Still, he managed (after years of bruised scales) to take it off without harming himself.
Vestiso moved aside eagerly, finding a good view point to watch her mate soar through the clouds. As Cortheus dropped to all fours, he seemed hesitant about taking off. A cheerful rumble from Vestiso boosted his pride enough for the doubt to be smothered.
With a deep breath, the giant red dragon knight closed his eyes and crouched low to the ground. He felt the cool dampness of the grass tickle his chest as he tensed for flight. His leg muscles coiled and his wings stretched out across the field. Taking a few limbering strokes at the wind, Cortheus leapt into the sky and thrust his wings down quickly. The effect was immediate, sending him up a few feet into the sky. He continued to beat his wings quickly, gaining altitude with every down stroke. Finally, he felt an air current pull his wing sails taut and he was soaring higher then every before.
Vestiso gaped in amazement as her bond bellowed with joy, dipping and diving through the clouds. It'd barely taken him a few minutes to get that high! Now she was determined to fly. With a solid resolution, she copied Cortheus' take off, move for move.
Meanwhile, Cortheus was having the time of his life, turning this way and that. After the initial shock had worn off, he'd opened his eyes and begun to enjoy flight. Who knew it could be this fun! The red dragon bellowed joyously, flipping around once through the misty clouds. To his delight, the dew-wet haze swirled around his wings then disappeared into vapour. He was so involved in watching what tricks he could do with his wings that he didn't notice Vestiso quickly gaining distance on him.
Hey Cortheus! Look at me! The red-gold weyrling cried happily. She laughed rather then bellowed, spreading her wings and gliding up behind Cortheus. Appearently the big oaf hadn't been paying attention because at her words, he nearly fell out of the sky! She laughed again, filling his mind with her glee.
"I told you, you could do it!" Cortheus shouted over the roar of the wind, slowing so that he glided along side her. To show off her new skills, Vestiso attempted a flip and nearly rammed herself into his side. Cortheus chuckled and righted her, suggesting that she learn wing flapping as an art before trying any tricks. Vestiso agreed and together they circled above the Weyr, rumbling their joy.
From the ground, the Weyrling Master made a few notes on a check board and smiled to himself. Vestiso had passed weyrling class with flying colours.
Read Vestiso's hatching.
Read Cortheus' story.
Vestiso was impressed at: Vella Crean