|
|
|
The sun shines down into the Bowl of Asura, shimmering off the lake at the far right end where you can see Hatchlings playing in the sun. It's a happy, lighthearted picture of a dragon's life. You have been standing there, watching the Hatchlings at their games, when you here a ruckus at the other end of the Bowl near the Infirmary. Thinking someone's been hurt, you dash off to see what's wrong. When you arrive, quite a large crowd has gathered. You know realize, however, that there is nothing wrong. It wasn't the Infirmary, but the small sparring ring that was drawing so much attention. The sparring ring is just a large square of dirt marked off by rope tied to the posts that stick up at the corners. You duck under a few arms and dart around a few people and find yourself almost pushed past the crowd. You lean against one of the posts in the corner and find yourself next to a smiling, yelling young woman. "Come on, Ossie!" She leans forward on the rope, waving her hand in the air as she supports one of the fighters.
Turning your head, you take a look at the two fighters in the ring. The younger man, who casts the spirited girl a grin, must be Ossie. He had short, light brown hair with the longest pieces tucked behind his ears. There were a few pieces that escaped, and they hung over into his dark eyes. When he returned his eyes to the older man, they took on a look of fierce determination. The man wore the shoulder knots of a Master Weaponsmith, and this young man wore the shoulder knots of a dragonrider. "Come on, Ossie!" The girl shouts again. "You can beat the ol' man!" She says this with a laugh, then turns towards you. "Come to see the fight?" She pauses, looking around. "It seems that a lot of people have. I'm Mikayli." She smiles, then suddenly swings her head back to the side after you say your name politely. "There you go, Ossie!"
Ossie pulls back his sword to swing at the older man, and is forced to jump back immediately as the surprisingly nimble Master slashes him across the front. He lowers his sword and glares down at his shirt. "Shardit, Gaufald! You ruined another one!" He picks at the torn shirt, which reveals a fairly strong if not pale chest. Master Gaufald leans back on the post that is near him, receiving pats on the back from the crowd around him. "I told you to wear padding, Os'mrik. Just because you're the Weyr Weaponmaster doesn't make you anything more than an Apprentice that Impressed. I'm not going to go lightly on you just because of that!" The old man's face looks comically youthful as he grins over at the boy. "Next time take your old Master's advice." He winks, then ducks under the rope and begans to walk back towards the Lower Caverns. Os'mrik starts to walk towards you, and you stand up from where you've been leaning in surprise. Then you realize it isn't you he's walking towards, but the enthusiastic girl beside you. She turns to grin at you as he walks toward her. "Isn't he fantastic?" She turns back and wraps her arms around his neck as he comes up and ducks under the rope. "Good job. You'll beat him next time. I'm sure of it." She smiles proudly, then turns back to you. "Ossie, I'd like to meet a visitor to the Weyr. They came to watch you fight." You smile, nodding your head. She's assumed quite a bit, but it was interesting none the less. You came over to investigate what you thought could only be murder, and ended up watching a spar between a less-than-highly-skilled young man and a Master Weaponsmith. Mikayli smiles, tugging on Os'mrik's arm after he hands his sword back to a young man with Apprentice shoulder knots. "Thanks, Syndar! Hey, Ossie, why don't we go get something to eat before Treduth wakes up? I'm sure that our dear visitor would like to accompany us." Os'mrik smiles at you, shaking your hand formally now that the sword is out of your hand. "That sounds like a good idea, Mik. You up for it, stranger?"
Os'mrik Impressed at Jerdan Weyr. |
