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Shortly after Nero had left Cora alone with her thoughts, she was joined in the baths by a startled Ihana, and the two women aired out their somewhat dusty conversational skills.
The silver curtain rustled quietly as Cora entered her chambers, though it was enough to wake the hatchling from his slumber. Blinking drowsily, the albino stretched briefly and slowly padded over to his partner, who was busy trying to find a suitable place to hang her damp clothes; eventually she draped them over her desk and chair, wiggled off her smallclothes from beneath the towel, and threw those onto the desk as well. After securing the towel around her torso, the sailor walked over to a freshly-refilled barrel of meat, and finally answered the hungry pink eyes of her baby dragon.
Watching the newborn fall asleep made Cora realize just how tired she was, so she re-entered her private chamber and gingerly pulled back the silken sheets of her bed, marveling at the luxurious fabric as she slid onto the feather-stuffed mattress. Despite the sumptuous arrangements, the woman had not slept a wink by the time her hatchling woke almost two hours later. Having spent most nights over the past two years on the floor of her wooden dinghy, she was not accustomed to the softness of her new bed- it was almost too comfortable, cushioning her body in all the wrong places. After rising to feed the albino once more, Cora did not return to the plush bed again; instead, she turned her attention to the wooden chest at its base.
Grabbing a sheet in her fist, the fisherwoman climbed into the chest and made herself a nest of sorts, settling into a corner with her legs curled up inside. With thick wooded walls surrounding her, Cora finally felt secure enough to doze off, though not before a thought blessed her tired mind like a cool breeze. Cassius. A distant memory of her father surfaced; he held her close in a small boat as they stared up at the night sky together, rocking gently atop the dark velvet waves. 'That one is called Cassius, the Dragon,' he had told her, guiding her small hand to point at a cluster of shimmering stars. 'His nose points south, away from the Port and toward dragon-infested waters.' Cora had watched the constellation with reverent green eyes, trying to picture the Dragon flying over them. 'You'll have to know these things when you're a Captain,' Jasper had added, causing his little daughter's chest to swell with pride. The memory left the taste of ocean salt on Cora's lips, and she fell asleep with the hatchling's name echoing through her mind like a sweet song.
When the fisherwoman next woke, a little white nose was sniffing curiously at her hair as short talons scratched idly on the front of the wooden chest. Standing to a chorus of popping and creaking joints, Cora stumbled out of her makeshift bed and threw back the silver curtain, the hatchling following closely on her heels. As she reached into a newly-refilled barrel of meat, the sleepy rider glanced down at her dragon and managed to crack a small smile. "Cassius. What do you think of that- posh enough?" Whether because he genuinely approved or was just hungry, Cassius gave his partner a decisive chirp and licked her hand, then sat back and eyed her fistful of meat. Grinning, Cora tossed a slab toward the hatchling's open mouth, and proceeded to feed him until, belly full, he retreated to the sand pit once more.
The rest of the day passed quickly despite the frequent feeding breaks, and after the third or fourth session Cora heard the riders being called into the main hall once again. Night, already? The sailor thought, hurriedly shoving on her dried clothes and stomping into worn leather boots. It felt strange to wear such clean, soft clothing; before washing, her tunic and breeches had been stiff with salt and caked with dirt, her hair flattened and tangled. As Cora ran a hand through her newly-cleaned, fluffy curls, she couldn't help but wonder if any of the other riders would even recognize her from the night before. She decided that it didn't matter, and hurried to tie up the laces of her tunic. Although his belly was full of meat, Cassius took interest in the frantic actions of his rider, and followed close on her heels as she strode through the silver curtain and out into the hallway.
The pair entered the main hall just as Nero's jovial voice began to fill the cavern, briefly explaining the night's schedule and inviting them to sit. Cora settled near Ihana with a small wave, but was distracted when her sleepy dragon plopped down into her lap without warning. The woman began to stroke his neck, and watched in wonder as a great, fiery dome surrounded the group, followed by a secondary burst of fire that materialized into the form of a dragon. At this point, Cassius stopped gawking at the two adult dragons in the room and turned his attention to the skeleton model, apparently sharing his rider's rapt interest in the lesson. The pair paid close attention to Nero's instruction; Cora had never received an education in healing or biology before, and was completely astounded by the new information, while little Cassius was just delighted to see three-dimensional versions of himself pan in and out of the makeshift screen. When the lecture ended, both dragon and rider reluctantly rose to their feet, and returned to their room for another feeding.
Forgoing a nap had taken its toll on the baby dragon, who was almost too tired to eat: almost. Although Cora had to hand-feed hunks of meat to the hatchling when his coordination began to lag, Cassius managed to finish the entire barrel before passing out at his rider's feet. Cora heaved a sigh, glancing into the empty barrel as her stomach growled with longing. Despite the sailor's hunger, she stopped herself in the middle of a sour thought; in only 24 hours, she had been gifted a baby dragon, a thorough bath, a clean bed, and a wealth of new information. It was a crime to feel ungrateful.
The woman bent to pick up her limp, white dragon, and hefted him onto her hip with some difficulty. "Is it just me, or have you gotten fatter in the past day?" She grumbled, shifting the hatchling's weight a little and taking a few paces toward the curtain. Eventually the rider managed an uneven, swinging gait, and re-joined the group in the main cavern within a minute or two.
Cora was astounded by all of the baby dragons gathered in the assembly; one tall, powerful-looking woman held a hatchling whose scales shone in all colors of the rainbow. Two men sitting near one another had pale red and green dragons, and another tall woman was seated near a hatchling that shimmered with gold. Ihana's stunted newborn looked far less developed than the others, although Cora hid her curiosity with a half-smile and continued observing the other pairings, taking special care to avoid Khajju and his dragon. She didn't want to repeat the panic attack that had happened on the lakeshore, especially in front of her new peers, and tried to ignore the merchant's presence altogether.
With aching arms the sailor sat down, holding the sleeping albino in her lap and instinctively stroking his head and neck once more. Nero called for the tall brunette's colorful dragon, which she gave begrudgingly after a moment of hesitation. Cora ran her hands over Cassius's wings, and looked up at Akihanna for further instruction.
Scrubbing away the layers of dirt and salt on her body brought Cora an immense pleasure she had not experienced in years. She watched in delight as the filth peeling off of her skin was wicked away by the gently moving water; either the pool was blessed with some magical, self-cleaning property, or it had a remarkably efficient filtration system- in any case, it was extremely satisfying to watch literal years' worth of scum dissolving in the span of a few seconds. While bathing in the sea did remove most dirt and larger particles, it had also filled her pores with a mixture of salt and grit that was almost impossible to remove while living near the ocean. Having a pool of fresh, clean water to bath in was an unaccustomed luxury Cora was absolutely thrilled to have at her disposal.
After the initial rinse, the woman took a bar of soap that smelled like lemongrass and went over her skin a second time, making sure to scrub even the hard-to-reach places that needed cleaning. She washed the bubbles away, then quickly removed her smallclothes and scrubbed those as well, though paranoia made her slip them back on once they had been thoroughly washed. Although Cora was not usually self-conscious about her body, she didn't want to risk exposing herself to the other riders on only their first night together. The woman hummed a sea shanty as she reached for her other clothes next, pulling them into the crystalline water for some much-needed attention.
Ihana couldn't bear to put Kalli down. If she put her down, then she would have nothing to prove that this wasn't one big dream. Maybe Kalli would pick someone else... Maybe they would kick her out... There was too much she couldn't handle about leaving Kalli alone in the cavern. (what if someone took her?) In the end, she simply gathered up the dragonling in her arms and carried her to the meeting that she had been forced to come to. Only half-listening to the words, she just shook her head when the woman asked for questions. There were no questions in her mind when she looked at the little purple and black dragon in her arms.
Finally the meeting was finished after some heated discussion, and finally Ihana was free to go back to the cavern and gently awaken Kalli, feeding her before putting her to sleep again. This time she did manage to leave her in the room provided, simply because her arms were aching from holding the dog-sized animal for hours. Now that Kalli was sleeping, and wouldn't wake up for hours, Ihana was free to do her own exploring.
There seemed to be only one central hallway and as Ihana wandered down it, away from the entrance hall, her senses alerted her to the presence of a large body of water. Yes... There was a bath here, wasn't there? This must be it. Dropping her gaze to the ground, Ihana sighed softly and slumped her shoulders. A bath sounded nice... And she would have to take it when no one else was around, so this was the perfect time. Not even bothering to look at the water, assuming the splashing sounds came from the movement of water against the sides of the basin, Ihana stripped herself of her clothing and stepped into the water.
It was the most heavenly thing she had felt. The last time she had gotten a bath was weeks ago, and even that was just a dump in a cold mountain river to get the dirt off of her. This... This was amazing. Sighing and tipping her head back, Ihana brushed her hair back from her face, revealing the hideous scars left on her face and body. Three scars trailed down the side of her face, starting right beneath her right eye and extending all the way down her neck. Another three traced a line from her upper back to her hip, curving around her body and stopping right before it got to the junction of her thighs.
Only after she had revealed her scars did Ihana finally notice the other woman in the bath with her. She promptly shrieked.
The green-eyed sailor had barely rinsed her clothes when she heard the sound of another quietly entering the bath; glancing over, she saw another woman strip and enter the water with a soft sigh, apparently too distracted to notice Cora wallowing in the corner. Feeling too awkward for words, the fisherwoman splashed around in what she hoped was a conspicuous manner while simultaneously averting her eyes. It wasn't long before the newcomer let out an ungodly shriek, letting Cora know that her presence had finally been noticed.
"Hey, sorry to scare you," she said guiltily, idly scrubbing at a grimy pair of socks to avoid staring at the other woman's nakedness. It would be a long two years if every bath encounter began with such a shriek. "You can stay, I won't be long." A moment of silence passed, but the sailor didn't hear the sounds of a hasty retreat, so she continued. "Cora. With the Silver dragon." As she worked some soap into the socks, the woman strained to remember the newcomer's name, but found herself at a loss.
Ihana simply stared at the woman, her mind blank. All she could think about was... Did she see? She found herself unable to speak, years of bitterness and rejection and hatred boiling up in her mind. And yet, her little Kalli and this woman, Cora, didn't even blink at her scars, didn't hesitate before reaching out. How on earth did she deserve this? Maybe it really was a mistake...
"I am Ihana." She finally managed to say, her head tilting forward in an automatic gesture meant to swing her hair over the scars on her face, hiding them from view. However, the water made them cling and refuse to move, so she scraped them into place with her fingers before carefully covering the scars on her side with the placement of her arms and remaining hair. "With Kalli, my Bloodstone dragon." Now she was at a loss as to what to say. So few people managed to have a conversation with her, most put off by her scars and rough exterior. Her eyes were downcast, her shoulders hunched forward in a defensive posture. "I-if you would like, I can leave." She said hesitantly, unsure of what else she could do. Cora couldn't want to talk to her, want her to stay... No, the woman probably hadn't even seen her scars. She should go...
Cora was just squeezing the water out of her thick woolen socks when the other rider introduced herself as Ihana, partnered with the Bloodstone dragon. If she remembered correctly, this Ihana was the woman who had carried her little dragon to Akihanna's meeting, and after having taken a look at the stunted, embryonic thing, Cora didn't blame her. The baby dragon wasn't here now, though, likely still sleeping in Ihana's personal chambers; it wouldn't be long before Cora herself had to return to feed the Silver, though she was determined to finish cleaning her stiff clothes before drying off.
To the fisherwoman's surprise, Ihana offered to leave almost immediately after introducing herself and her dragon. Cora glanced at the other woman with inquisitive green eyes to find her in a hunched, defensive position, long and dark hair meticulously scraped over her facial scars and acting as a curtain to shield the rest of her body. 'Is she hiding her scars?' Cora thought, wondering what must have happened to have caused disfigurement, and, more importantly, why Ihana seemed so ashamed of it. In Salt Haven, sailors and clan leaders often boasted of their scars, telling extravagant stories about things that had tried, and failed, to kill them. It wasn't just the men, either; women liked to show off the stretch marks and scarring they had earned from childbearing, arguing that their children had tried, and failed, to kill them as well.
Regardless of Ihana's motives, it was cruel to force her into a distressing position while she was trying to take a bath. Aiming to alleviate the other woman's discomfort, Cora turned to face the stony wall and reached for another piece of clothing, dragging it into the pool before daring to speak again. "No, really, it's fine. I'm just washing these before whatever happens tomorrow." An awkward silence passed as the fisherwoman scrambled for words. "Kalli- um. That's a nice name," she fumbled, furiously scrubbing her tunic with soap. The word sounded foreign in her tongue, prompting the woman to ask, "Where you from?" Small talk wasn't Cora's strong suit, but she was genuinely curious about the beautiful and scarred rider, and figured she ought to be friendly to someone she'd be living with for the next two years.
Ihana felt her face flush with shame as the other woman turned and glanced at her for a long moment, finally turning away to continue her washing. She didn't move for a moment, before hesitantly uncurling from her scared position and beginning to wash herself in the warm flowing water. "I come from the mountains." She responded quietly, still unable to look directly at Cora."Kalli means precious - and that is what she is to me. Young as she is, Kalli loves me for who I am, and I cannot help but love her back." Oh gods, what on earth was she saying? And to a stranger, of all people!
Ihana scrubbed furiously at her skin, watching the red blossom on her body as the rough treatment sent her blood pumping. Oh, how she wished she could simply scrub her scars away... But no. They would be with her forever, an everlasting mark of what she had lost. "Where are you from, Cora?" She asked, mostly in an attempt to stave off the tears forming in her eyes, but also because she was curious about the other woman. If Ihana did stay (pretty much a given at this point), then it was good to get to know her fellow riders.
As Cora held the old tunic underwater, swishing it back and forth to rinse it of soap, a quiet voice spoke up from somewhere behind her. Listening intently, the fisherwoman nodded in appreciation when Ihana mentioned her origins. Mountainfolk were similar to seamen in that both peoples' cultures were structured around the natural world, something city dwellers and merchants had trouble understanding. The woman listened on, now with slightly more respect for her companion than before. "Kalli loves me for who I am," Ihana added at one point, confirming Cora's suspicion that the other rider had been trying to hide her scars. The sailor felt a pang of sympathy. She didn't know what had caused Ihana to become so ashamed of her body, but whatever it was had done a thorough job.
"Kalli is nice," She repeated, the corners of her mouth turning up a little. "I haven't named my boy yet." Cora was at a complete loss on the matter; a dragon deserved a noble name, but she was hardly qualified to give it. Sighing as she turned out one leg of her breeches, the woman answered, "I'm from Salt Haven- well, I believe the merchant name is Port Syren." The unfamiliar words felt awkward and stiff on her lips; new traders fresh from the city were easy to pick out because they either called the port by its formal name, or had been fooled into using one of the other Clans' name for the seaside town. The more experienced merchants knew to use the title specific to the family they were doing business with- and for the Morgans, that name was Salt Haven.
Having finished washing each article of clothing she had worn into the baths, Cora pulled herself out of the pool in one swift motion, coming to rest on her haunches as she wrung the water out of her tunic. Suddenly feeling uncertain, the fisherwoman paused for a moment, still facing away from Ihana. "This whole thing ... It's all real, isn't it?" she asked hesitantly, wiping a wet piece of hair from her forehead. "I mean. I just- it's dragons. And I'm me. You know?" Lacking the eloquence to put her doubts into finer words, Cora could only hope that the other rider would understand.
Ihana nodded as the other woman spoke of her origins in the city of Port Syren, or Salt Haven as Cora called it. There was a long silence and she was contemplating either leaving or speaking out when Cora spoke haltingly about feelings Ihana was sure she was the only one to feel. "I... I understand completely. I'm not worthy of this honor... Kalli is much more than I deserve." Unbidden, her eyes fell to the hated scars that covered her body. Shaking her head in an attempt to clear her kind, she finally glanced at the other woman.
"But I'm not going to leave... No, I'm going to stay until they kick me out. Kalli is too good to give up, and I'm sure your Silver baby is just the same. They need someone right now... And at the moment we're all they've got. If later they don't need us anymore..." Here she swallowed heavily, but continued speaking. "If later they don't need us anymore, then we'll know we've done a good job. And that's all we can ask for." Hopefully that helped Cora out slightly... Like her, Ihana wasn't good at speaking about her emotions or thoughts.
It was a relief to hear Ihana understand and agree with her uncertainties, even adding a few words of encouragement in what the sailor thought was an attempt to soothe her nerves. Cora was silent for a moment as she reflected on her companion's sudden show of tenacity. Despite her problems, Ihana seemed determined to do her best, and to hear someone who was obviously grappling with heavy issues speak with such conviction was incredibly compelling.
Inspired for the second time that night, Cora scooped up her damp clothes and turned around with a brief half-smile. "Right. Well, I got to go feed my boy," she said, standing to wrap a towel around her torso while holding her crumpled clothes in one tightly clenched fist. Although Ihana was strangely easy to talk to, perhaps due to the fact that Cora had been speaking into a wall for the past ten minutes, the silver would be waking soon and needed her attention. Slipping her wet feet into her old leather boots, the woman walked over to the entrance of the baths and paused to give the other rider a nod. "Thanks. See you tomorrow."
The moment Cora stood up to leave, Ihana immediately went over the last thing she said, trying to figure out if she had offended her in any way and if she should apologize. Sighing softly, she just waved at the other woman and gave her a sad smile. "See you... I guess." She sighed again and ducked under the water one more time, scrubbing furiously at her skin. Gods damn it, she hated herself so much! She was flawed, broken, useless... And right now, she had a dragon to tend to.
She exited the water, not bothering to wash her clothes before drying off and pulling them back onto her body in order to avoid walking around the halls nearly naked and just in a towel. Trying to remember the way back to her room, she was greeted by anxious cries as her little Bloodstone baby came rushing at her. "Poor baby... Are you hungry? Did you miss me?" She murmured to the little dragonling as she headed over to the fresh barrel of meat by the entrance door, Kalli already snapping at her fingers with eagerness.
After the initial rinse, the woman took a bar of soap that smelled like lemongrass and went over her skin a second time, making sure to scrub even the hard-to-reach places that needed cleaning. She washed the bubbles away, then quickly removed her smallclothes and scrubbed those as well, though paranoia made her slip them back on once they had been thoroughly washed. Although Cora was not usually self-conscious about her body, she didn't want to risk exposing herself to the other riders on only their first night together. The woman hummed a sea shanty as she reached for her other clothes next, pulling them into the crystalline water for some much-needed attention.
Ihana couldn't bear to put Kalli down. If she put her down, then she would have nothing to prove that this wasn't one big dream. Maybe Kalli would pick someone else... Maybe they would kick her out... There was too much she couldn't handle about leaving Kalli alone in the cavern. (what if someone took her?) In the end, she simply gathered up the dragonling in her arms and carried her to the meeting that she had been forced to come to. Only half-listening to the words, she just shook her head when the woman asked for questions. There were no questions in her mind when she looked at the little purple and black dragon in her arms.
Finally the meeting was finished after some heated discussion, and finally Ihana was free to go back to the cavern and gently awaken Kalli, feeding her before putting her to sleep again. This time she did manage to leave her in the room provided, simply because her arms were aching from holding the dog-sized animal for hours. Now that Kalli was sleeping, and wouldn't wake up for hours, Ihana was free to do her own exploring.
There seemed to be only one central hallway and as Ihana wandered down it, away from the entrance hall, her senses alerted her to the presence of a large body of water. Yes... There was a bath here, wasn't there? This must be it. Dropping her gaze to the ground, Ihana sighed softly and slumped her shoulders. A bath sounded nice... And she would have to take it when no one else was around, so this was the perfect time. Not even bothering to look at the water, assuming the splashing sounds came from the movement of water against the sides of the basin, Ihana stripped herself of her clothing and stepped into the water.
It was the most heavenly thing she had felt. The last time she had gotten a bath was weeks ago, and even that was just a dump in a cold mountain river to get the dirt off of her. This... This was amazing. Sighing and tipping her head back, Ihana brushed her hair back from her face, revealing the hideous scars left on her face and body. Three scars trailed down the side of her face, starting right beneath her right eye and extending all the way down her neck. Another three traced a line from her upper back to her hip, curving around her body and stopping right before it got to the junction of her thighs.
Only after she had revealed her scars did Ihana finally notice the other woman in the bath with her. She promptly shrieked.
The green-eyed sailor had barely rinsed her clothes when she heard the sound of another quietly entering the bath; glancing over, she saw another woman strip and enter the water with a soft sigh, apparently too distracted to notice Cora wallowing in the corner. Feeling too awkward for words, the fisherwoman splashed around in what she hoped was a conspicuous manner while simultaneously averting her eyes. It wasn't long before the newcomer let out an ungodly shriek, letting Cora know that her presence had finally been noticed.
"Hey, sorry to scare you," she said guiltily, idly scrubbing at a grimy pair of socks to avoid staring at the other woman's nakedness. It would be a long two years if every bath encounter began with such a shriek. "You can stay, I won't be long." A moment of silence passed, but the sailor didn't hear the sounds of a hasty retreat, so she continued. "Cora. With the Silver dragon." As she worked some soap into the socks, the woman strained to remember the newcomer's name, but found herself at a loss.
Ihana simply stared at the woman, her mind blank. All she could think about was... Did she see? She found herself unable to speak, years of bitterness and rejection and hatred boiling up in her mind. And yet, her little Kalli and this woman, Cora, didn't even blink at her scars, didn't hesitate before reaching out. How on earth did she deserve this? Maybe it really was a mistake...
"I am Ihana." She finally managed to say, her head tilting forward in an automatic gesture meant to swing her hair over the scars on her face, hiding them from view. However, the water made them cling and refuse to move, so she scraped them into place with her fingers before carefully covering the scars on her side with the placement of her arms and remaining hair. "With Kalli, my Bloodstone dragon." Now she was at a loss as to what to say. So few people managed to have a conversation with her, most put off by her scars and rough exterior. Her eyes were downcast, her shoulders hunched forward in a defensive posture. "I-if you would like, I can leave." She said hesitantly, unsure of what else she could do. Cora couldn't want to talk to her, want her to stay... No, the woman probably hadn't even seen her scars. She should go...
Cora was just squeezing the water out of her thick woolen socks when the other rider introduced herself as Ihana, partnered with the Bloodstone dragon. If she remembered correctly, this Ihana was the woman who had carried her little dragon to Akihanna's meeting, and after having taken a look at the stunted, embryonic thing, Cora didn't blame her. The baby dragon wasn't here now, though, likely still sleeping in Ihana's personal chambers; it wouldn't be long before Cora herself had to return to feed the Silver, though she was determined to finish cleaning her stiff clothes before drying off.
To the fisherwoman's surprise, Ihana offered to leave almost immediately after introducing herself and her dragon. Cora glanced at the other woman with inquisitive green eyes to find her in a hunched, defensive position, long and dark hair meticulously scraped over her facial scars and acting as a curtain to shield the rest of her body. 'Is she hiding her scars?' Cora thought, wondering what must have happened to have caused disfigurement, and, more importantly, why Ihana seemed so ashamed of it. In Salt Haven, sailors and clan leaders often boasted of their scars, telling extravagant stories about things that had tried, and failed, to kill them. It wasn't just the men, either; women liked to show off the stretch marks and scarring they had earned from childbearing, arguing that their children had tried, and failed, to kill them as well.
Regardless of Ihana's motives, it was cruel to force her into a distressing position while she was trying to take a bath. Aiming to alleviate the other woman's discomfort, Cora turned to face the stony wall and reached for another piece of clothing, dragging it into the pool before daring to speak again. "No, really, it's fine. I'm just washing these before whatever happens tomorrow." An awkward silence passed as the fisherwoman scrambled for words. "Kalli- um. That's a nice name," she fumbled, furiously scrubbing her tunic with soap. The word sounded foreign in her tongue, prompting the woman to ask, "Where you from?" Small talk wasn't Cora's strong suit, but she was genuinely curious about the beautiful and scarred rider, and figured she ought to be friendly to someone she'd be living with for the next two years.
Ihana felt her face flush with shame as the other woman turned and glanced at her for a long moment, finally turning away to continue her washing. She didn't move for a moment, before hesitantly uncurling from her scared position and beginning to wash herself in the warm flowing water. "I come from the mountains." She responded quietly, still unable to look directly at Cora."Kalli means precious - and that is what she is to me. Young as she is, Kalli loves me for who I am, and I cannot help but love her back." Oh gods, what on earth was she saying? And to a stranger, of all people!
Ihana scrubbed furiously at her skin, watching the red blossom on her body as the rough treatment sent her blood pumping. Oh, how she wished she could simply scrub her scars away... But no. They would be with her forever, an everlasting mark of what she had lost. "Where are you from, Cora?" She asked, mostly in an attempt to stave off the tears forming in her eyes, but also because she was curious about the other woman. If Ihana did stay (pretty much a given at this point), then it was good to get to know her fellow riders.
As Cora held the old tunic underwater, swishing it back and forth to rinse it of soap, a quiet voice spoke up from somewhere behind her. Listening intently, the fisherwoman nodded in appreciation when Ihana mentioned her origins. Mountainfolk were similar to seamen in that both peoples' cultures were structured around the natural world, something city dwellers and merchants had trouble understanding. The woman listened on, now with slightly more respect for her companion than before. "Kalli loves me for who I am," Ihana added at one point, confirming Cora's suspicion that the other rider had been trying to hide her scars. The sailor felt a pang of sympathy. She didn't know what had caused Ihana to become so ashamed of her body, but whatever it was had done a thorough job.
"Kalli is nice," She repeated, the corners of her mouth turning up a little. "I haven't named my boy yet." Cora was at a complete loss on the matter; a dragon deserved a noble name, but she was hardly qualified to give it. Sighing as she turned out one leg of her breeches, the woman answered, "I'm from Salt Haven- well, I believe the merchant name is Port Syren." The unfamiliar words felt awkward and stiff on her lips; new traders fresh from the city were easy to pick out because they either called the port by its formal name, or had been fooled into using one of the other Clans' name for the seaside town. The more experienced merchants knew to use the title specific to the family they were doing business with- and for the Morgans, that name was Salt Haven.
Having finished washing each article of clothing she had worn into the baths, Cora pulled herself out of the pool in one swift motion, coming to rest on her haunches as she wrung the water out of her tunic. Suddenly feeling uncertain, the fisherwoman paused for a moment, still facing away from Ihana. "This whole thing ... It's all real, isn't it?" she asked hesitantly, wiping a wet piece of hair from her forehead. "I mean. I just- it's dragons. And I'm me. You know?" Lacking the eloquence to put her doubts into finer words, Cora could only hope that the other rider would understand.
Ihana nodded as the other woman spoke of her origins in the city of Port Syren, or Salt Haven as Cora called it. There was a long silence and she was contemplating either leaving or speaking out when Cora spoke haltingly about feelings Ihana was sure she was the only one to feel. "I... I understand completely. I'm not worthy of this honor... Kalli is much more than I deserve." Unbidden, her eyes fell to the hated scars that covered her body. Shaking her head in an attempt to clear her kind, she finally glanced at the other woman.
"But I'm not going to leave... No, I'm going to stay until they kick me out. Kalli is too good to give up, and I'm sure your Silver baby is just the same. They need someone right now... And at the moment we're all they've got. If later they don't need us anymore..." Here she swallowed heavily, but continued speaking. "If later they don't need us anymore, then we'll know we've done a good job. And that's all we can ask for." Hopefully that helped Cora out slightly... Like her, Ihana wasn't good at speaking about her emotions or thoughts.
It was a relief to hear Ihana understand and agree with her uncertainties, even adding a few words of encouragement in what the sailor thought was an attempt to soothe her nerves. Cora was silent for a moment as she reflected on her companion's sudden show of tenacity. Despite her problems, Ihana seemed determined to do her best, and to hear someone who was obviously grappling with heavy issues speak with such conviction was incredibly compelling.
Inspired for the second time that night, Cora scooped up her damp clothes and turned around with a brief half-smile. "Right. Well, I got to go feed my boy," she said, standing to wrap a towel around her torso while holding her crumpled clothes in one tightly clenched fist. Although Ihana was strangely easy to talk to, perhaps due to the fact that Cora had been speaking into a wall for the past ten minutes, the silver would be waking soon and needed her attention. Slipping her wet feet into her old leather boots, the woman walked over to the entrance of the baths and paused to give the other rider a nod. "Thanks. See you tomorrow."
The moment Cora stood up to leave, Ihana immediately went over the last thing she said, trying to figure out if she had offended her in any way and if she should apologize. Sighing softly, she just waved at the other woman and gave her a sad smile. "See you... I guess." She sighed again and ducked under the water one more time, scrubbing furiously at her skin. Gods damn it, she hated herself so much! She was flawed, broken, useless... And right now, she had a dragon to tend to.
She exited the water, not bothering to wash her clothes before drying off and pulling them back onto her body in order to avoid walking around the halls nearly naked and just in a towel. Trying to remember the way back to her room, she was greeted by anxious cries as her little Bloodstone baby came rushing at her. "Poor baby... Are you hungry? Did you miss me?" She murmured to the little dragonling as she headed over to the fresh barrel of meat by the entrance door, Kalli already snapping at her fingers with eagerness.
The silver curtain rustled quietly as Cora entered her chambers, though it was enough to wake the hatchling from his slumber. Blinking drowsily, the albino stretched briefly and slowly padded over to his partner, who was busy trying to find a suitable place to hang her damp clothes; eventually she draped them over her desk and chair, wiggled off her smallclothes from beneath the towel, and threw those onto the desk as well. After securing the towel around her torso, the sailor walked over to a freshly-refilled barrel of meat, and finally answered the hungry pink eyes of her baby dragon.
Watching the newborn fall asleep made Cora realize just how tired she was, so she re-entered her private chamber and gingerly pulled back the silken sheets of her bed, marveling at the luxurious fabric as she slid onto the feather-stuffed mattress. Despite the sumptuous arrangements, the woman had not slept a wink by the time her hatchling woke almost two hours later. Having spent most nights over the past two years on the floor of her wooden dinghy, she was not accustomed to the softness of her new bed- it was almost too comfortable, cushioning her body in all the wrong places. After rising to feed the albino once more, Cora did not return to the plush bed again; instead, she turned her attention to the wooden chest at its base.
Grabbing a sheet in her fist, the fisherwoman climbed into the chest and made herself a nest of sorts, settling into a corner with her legs curled up inside. With thick wooded walls surrounding her, Cora finally felt secure enough to doze off, though not before a thought blessed her tired mind like a cool breeze. Cassius. A distant memory of her father surfaced; he held her close in a small boat as they stared up at the night sky together, rocking gently atop the dark velvet waves. 'That one is called Cassius, the Dragon,' he had told her, guiding her small hand to point at a cluster of shimmering stars. 'His nose points south, away from the Port and toward dragon-infested waters.' Cora had watched the constellation with reverent green eyes, trying to picture the Dragon flying over them. 'You'll have to know these things when you're a Captain,' Jasper had added, causing his little daughter's chest to swell with pride. The memory left the taste of ocean salt on Cora's lips, and she fell asleep with the hatchling's name echoing through her mind like a sweet song.
When the fisherwoman next woke, a little white nose was sniffing curiously at her hair as short talons scratched idly on the front of the wooden chest. Standing to a chorus of popping and creaking joints, Cora stumbled out of her makeshift bed and threw back the silver curtain, the hatchling following closely on her heels. As she reached into a newly-refilled barrel of meat, the sleepy rider glanced down at her dragon and managed to crack a small smile. "Cassius. What do you think of that- posh enough?" Whether because he genuinely approved or was just hungry, Cassius gave his partner a decisive chirp and licked her hand, then sat back and eyed her fistful of meat. Grinning, Cora tossed a slab toward the hatchling's open mouth, and proceeded to feed him until, belly full, he retreated to the sand pit once more.
The rest of the day passed quickly despite the frequent feeding breaks, and after the third or fourth session Cora heard the riders being called into the main hall once again. Night, already? The sailor thought, hurriedly shoving on her dried clothes and stomping into worn leather boots. It felt strange to wear such clean, soft clothing; before washing, her tunic and breeches had been stiff with salt and caked with dirt, her hair flattened and tangled. As Cora ran a hand through her newly-cleaned, fluffy curls, she couldn't help but wonder if any of the other riders would even recognize her from the night before. She decided that it didn't matter, and hurried to tie up the laces of her tunic. Although his belly was full of meat, Cassius took interest in the frantic actions of his rider, and followed close on her heels as she strode through the silver curtain and out into the hallway.
The pair entered the main hall just as Nero's jovial voice began to fill the cavern, briefly explaining the night's schedule and inviting them to sit. Cora settled near Ihana with a small wave, but was distracted when her sleepy dragon plopped down into her lap without warning. The woman began to stroke his neck, and watched in wonder as a great, fiery dome surrounded the group, followed by a secondary burst of fire that materialized into the form of a dragon. At this point, Cassius stopped gawking at the two adult dragons in the room and turned his attention to the skeleton model, apparently sharing his rider's rapt interest in the lesson. The pair paid close attention to Nero's instruction; Cora had never received an education in healing or biology before, and was completely astounded by the new information, while little Cassius was just delighted to see three-dimensional versions of himself pan in and out of the makeshift screen. When the lecture ended, both dragon and rider reluctantly rose to their feet, and returned to their room for another feeding.
Forgoing a nap had taken its toll on the baby dragon, who was almost too tired to eat: almost. Although Cora had to hand-feed hunks of meat to the hatchling when his coordination began to lag, Cassius managed to finish the entire barrel before passing out at his rider's feet. Cora heaved a sigh, glancing into the empty barrel as her stomach growled with longing. Despite the sailor's hunger, she stopped herself in the middle of a sour thought; in only 24 hours, she had been gifted a baby dragon, a thorough bath, a clean bed, and a wealth of new information. It was a crime to feel ungrateful.
The woman bent to pick up her limp, white dragon, and hefted him onto her hip with some difficulty. "Is it just me, or have you gotten fatter in the past day?" She grumbled, shifting the hatchling's weight a little and taking a few paces toward the curtain. Eventually the rider managed an uneven, swinging gait, and re-joined the group in the main cavern within a minute or two.
Cora was astounded by all of the baby dragons gathered in the assembly; one tall, powerful-looking woman held a hatchling whose scales shone in all colors of the rainbow. Two men sitting near one another had pale red and green dragons, and another tall woman was seated near a hatchling that shimmered with gold. Ihana's stunted newborn looked far less developed than the others, although Cora hid her curiosity with a half-smile and continued observing the other pairings, taking special care to avoid Khajju and his dragon. She didn't want to repeat the panic attack that had happened on the lakeshore, especially in front of her new peers, and tried to ignore the merchant's presence altogether.
With aching arms the sailor sat down, holding the sleeping albino in her lap and instinctively stroking his head and neck once more. Nero called for the tall brunette's colorful dragon, which she gave begrudgingly after a moment of hesitation. Cora ran her hands over Cassius's wings, and looked up at Akihanna for further instruction.
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