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| A picture of Champ; adopted from Tacitus Stables. |
| It wasn�t a normal day, when that dragonrider came; and to define normal by a travelers standards is difficult, so to define abnormal is near immpossible, and the day was surely �abnormal�, if anything. For one thing, Dov had been absent from the tent while Huda and I were packing. He never did that, he was always afraid we�d break something, or rather, Huda would break something. She may be a raving beauty, but she�s clumsy with objects. But that in itself wasn�t that odd, we just assumed Dov was passed out somewhere up in the main Hall, since he hadn�t been back all night either; and both Huda and me were too tired to care last night, so we just went to sleep. But Huda woke up in a fowl temper, and she snapped at me no matter what I did to try to appease her. Finally I just gave up and left, going to find Champ and take him for a good run before it was time to leave. He was always less fidgity on the road if he was worn out a bit from excercise. So I wandered up to the paddock where we were keeping our horses, and whistled for Champ. I saw him come galloping up, his dark hair flowing out behind him, and turns of good training evident in the natural way he ran. He was my horse, through and through. He wouldn�t stand for anyone else�s hand on him now that was just his way. I loved him for it though, and as I pulled gently at his forelock he nickered and rubbed his delicate head on my shirt. �Hey fella.� I whispered to him, and started walking over towards the gate. Champ followed my steps on his side of the fence, and when I opened the gate for him he came prancing out like an overgrown puppy. I laughed at him, and before he had a chance to get to far on his own, I climbed on his back and headed him towards the woods behind the CraftHall. He was at a gallop before we got through the tree line, and he was sweating and tired within half an hour, and I pulled him up alongside the trail to let him munch on some greenery and cool off. Dov and Huda could just wait until I got back, or leave without me. I had Champ, he�s all I ever really needed. That thought got me thinking that I should leave Dov. I didn�t really care that much for either him or Huda, and Celsya was long dead and buried. I had no reason to stay, other than it�s what I know, and I suppose there�s no real way I can learn something else. Dov has often said (as his only remark about my personality) that I wasn�t meant to change like other people are. I�m too used to traveling, I�d never survive being cooped up somewhere, and I had to be out, had to be moving. I�m not sure I agree that I have to stay with Dov to not be cooped up, but there�s no way I�m cut out for starting a business of my own, and I�d rather loose my aim than join a band of traders. Odd folk, the traders, they enjoy people too much, and like to make ties to the Holds and Weyrs and stuff. No entertaining band in their right mind would willingly give up members to Search, or as breeding stock for the Holders who care nothing for women. I think if I were Holdbred, I�d go mad. Having a man tell you how you must act always, and who you must be, and what you must do would have to be exasperating. But then again, that�s what Dov did to me, but with him I never got the feeling it was because I was a woman and he was a man. He was the band�s leader, the boss, where I was just his trainee and worker. I had no right to challenge his rule. But then I thought of Celsya, who often thought it her Weyr given right to try to get me able-minded enough to make my own decisions. She never did it for Huda; I think Celsya thought Huda would remain an entertainer her entire life, and never succeed at anything. Celsya seemed to always think I was something special, and looking back I think Celsya must have been a fool. I�m not anywhere near something special, not by a dragonlength. I was thinking so hard that morning that I didn�t even notice the sun getting high and hot in the sky, and how the morning dew was gone from the leaves. That was another unusual thing; I always watched carefully the time, to make sure I was never late for anything. Even Champ was content to continue grazing, for he too usually got restless as the morning wore on, and he must surely know we were heading out today, and that�s why I took him for a run this morning. I never took him running except right before a trip. And by the time I realized how late it was: nearly time for the noonmeal, I didn�t much care. I was too upset by all the things I�d been thinking that morning. I never thought to hard, �cause it usually did make me realize how worthless I really was to everyone, and this morning I felt double bad because now I�d ensure Dov and Huda and me would be staying here at the Hall another day. We�d miss the trader train going north up to Fort, and it�d be my fault if we got attacked by thieves on the road. Shut up. I told myself, and forced the emtpy feelings away. I wasn�t normally given to such emotional thoughts, and felt very uncomfortable when they stole up on me anyway. Heaving a sigh, I climbed up on Champ�s back, and headed him back towards the Hall where Dov and Huda were probably waiting for me, and fuming in anger. Continue..... |