E'drai & Maddy

A totally self-aggrandizing vignette from inside E'drai's head. Since the two of them have a lot in common at the particular time this little vignette is written, I put Maddy in there as well - two birds with one stone, and all. This is just my imagining of what happened after the jump Between, and what happened before E'drai followed.

( Benden-present held its breath. )

Date: Day 6, month 11, turn 449.
Synopsis: Happening upon Adria in the kitchen, E'drai stops to discuss Sh'van's death and timing it. The topic strays to Adria's capabilities as Weyrlingmaster somewhere in there.

( You could come with us. )

---

Date: Day 9, month 11, turn 449.
Synopsis: E'drai, in a fit of particular perversity, breaks up S'dric's cardgame. He calls Sh'van some names (speaking ill of the dead), and it gets him punched in the face. It's a good day for him.

( I'll rearrange your face is what if you don't shut it about the Weyrleader. )

Date: Day 3, month 11, turn 449
Synopsis: So. I haven't played E'drai in just under two months. With Sh'van getting pasted, it seemed like a good time to dust the old boy off. In this ever-so-sterling moment, he never quite gets around to meeting Saira and Alizel after happening upon them in the living cavern. They, naturally, get harrassed and leave; he takes smug satisfaction in pissing them off.

( Condesending patroniser that you are. )

Date: Day 4, month 10, turn 449.
Synopsis: Confronted with the idea of being apart from Andoran for months while he goes back in time, Maddy makes the decision to join him in the past. Also, they I-love-you finally.

( For me, or for the Weyr? )

Date: Day 15, month 5, turn 449.
Synopsis: Whether she likes it or not, Maddy takes Esseira as an official assistant headwoman. It's sort of intimidation-by-proxy: Raine intimidates Breide, who in turn intimidates Maddy enough to accept Esseira without even knowing her first. During and afterward (mostly afterward), Andoran and Maddy are sentimental. At least he's conscious now.

( I'm not sure that Breide's ballad is ready to be written yet... )

Date: Day 17, month 4, turn 449.
Synopsis: A little bit late, Breide gets to "celebrate" her 30th birthday. There's cake, presents, Adria performing, and talk of scantily clad men. Unfortunately, the latter fail to make an appearance. What can you do? My personal thoughts: Maddy probably intended this to be more festive and less under-handed. Yes, that's the nature of the Breide-Maddy relationship, them picking at each other through the veil of pseudo-affection, but I think Maddy has more on her mind right now (Read: Andoran being at death's door.) than catering to Breide's all-consuming ego. Normally, she's a litle more playful and less vindictive about things, but she did drag herself away from a feverish boyfriend, so she's entitled to be a little snarky?

( Now you're implying I'm not loved enough to have men in my own Weyr wait on me hand and foot. )

Date: Day 22, month 4, turn 449
Synopsis: Just a little scene with E'drai and Tarynn - who have managed to elude each other (?) since Hatching day. Blame it on her being a weyrling and him globe-trotting - by choice or otherwise. Suffice it to say, they do not hit it off very well, but kudos to Tarynn for being one of the few characters with the spunk to call-him-like-she-sees-him.

( A surly, arrogant man-child who's always got a line ready. )

Date: Day 19, month 4, turn 449
Synopsis: Klah-sipping, of sorts. I don't do a lot of "disconnected" scenes these days (i.e., ones that fall outside the scope of major plots), so it's nice to remember how the plebians live. ;) As for what actually happens in the scene... Adria, B'net, E'drai, and Zaorine have dinner in the living cavern. They discuss the Southern Venture, Andoran's health, Breide's whoredom, and Zaorine's frigidness - that is to say, they mostly talk smack about each other and Breide.

( Only thirty seconds? Really? )

Date: Day 12, month 4, turn 449.
Synopsis: While L'dor and Maddy worry over Andoran, B'net comes along with a new position for the bluerider. And then - after nettling her - he does something that Maddy thinks is very... considerate!

( I do -occasionally- do my job. )

Date: Day 10, month 4, turn 449.
Synopsis: On their way back from the river, Andoran, B'net, E'drai, L'dor, and a few girls get jumped by two big Southern felines. Eventually, the felines get chased off, but not before they make a tasty treat out of Andoran.

( Is he dead? )

Date: Day 26, month 3, turn 449.
Synopsis: Breide, Andoran, and Maddy make a valiant attempt to have some small talk in the living cavern. The awkwardness is palpable.

( Do you need mood lighting glows yet? )

---

Date: Day 4, month 4, turn 449.
Synopsis: After almost four months of cutesy courting, Andoran and Maddy finally do the deed. (It is my personal belief that four months is the current record for two Bendenites who dig each other to not be having sex.)

( Spend time with you. )

Date: Day 24, month 2, year 449.
Synopsis: Andoran is having a pre-mid-life crisis or something. With way too much on his plate, he pseudo-proposes to Maddy, who realizes that he's probably got more to deal with than he should. Fortunately for them both, she puts the proposal on hold.

( I don't even know how traders manage these things ... but, I was going to find your father to ask him for your hand in marriage. )

---

Date: Day 20, month 3, turn 449.
Synopsis: Again, up from the southern continent, L'dor and Andoran have the dubious luck of happening upon Maddy in a frenzy of spring-cleaning. They get corraled into cleaning a rug - lucky boys - and discuss exactly where wearable wher-hide (say it three times fast) comes from. Andoran "gets lucky" enough to sleep on Maddy's floor again at the end of the night.

( All right, what can I hunt that's got a wearable skin on it? )

Oy. Still a couple more.

Most of these are Maddy and Andoran, a nice little hind-sight on the burgeoning relationship.

Date: Day 13, month 1, turn 449.
Synopsis: Andoran and Maddy say their farewells before he heads off to the Southern Continent. Maddy, being brisk and lacking sentimentality, ruins a potentially tender moment. What can ya do?

( So ... this is good-bye for now? )

---

Date: Day 17, month 1, turn 449.
Synopsis: The temporary southerners come north with supplies. L'dor very deftly gives Maddy and Andoran a little alone time, which they proceed to use to be totally, tooth-rottingly sweet. (Seriously. Sweet.)

( Well, I think I'll leave you two to it... )

---

Date: Day 13, month 2, turn 449.
Synopsis: More of the cuteness with Andoran up north to deliver supplies. He plays some music for Maddy and Kesida, and eventually offers to spend the night with Maddy - who very politely declines, thankyouverymuch.

( Stupid ... stupid ... stupid ... sharding idiot. )

Still a couple more to come...

Another one that I wrote at work. I figure Maddy is a much less on-the-surface character for me - definitely not one who wears her heart on her sleeve, and not because she's deceptive but because she's just that reserved. So, after much off-putting (andoran asked for one like two months ago?), here's Maddy's scattered thoughts on the topics du jour. Plus, it's hard for me to get RP with her off of anyone lately but andoran and banyth due to timezones and scheduling and stuff, so it's good for me to get her thoughts on wax.

( Distracted from work, Maddy contemplates time travel, why she's terrified of the southern continent, and the 'thing' with Andoran. )

Date: Day 15, month 1, turn 449
Synopsis: The day before Benden leaves for the south, Adria discovers E'drai in the middle of packing for the Southern Venture. It now being a little too late to argue about the matter, she eventually relents - albeit grudgingly - to go south with them.

( You're going to -go-, and you didn't even -tell- me. )

---

Date: Day 18, month 1, turn 449
Synopsis: The day after the Bendenites arrive, the boys (will be boys?) start to work on making the place habitable. And E'drai finally learns what Will's real name is.

( The place had no-see-ems so thick you could, uh, see 'em. )

---

Date: Month 2, turn 449.
Synopsis: Some time after arrival in the south, Andoran tries very hard to be pleasant to E'drai - and E'drai makes it as difficult as he can. They wind up talking about Connellites and whether or not they're all cowards. (E'drai thinks they are, but Mister Optimism begs to differ.)

( So does that make all desperate and misguided people crooks, or does that excuse every crook from breaking the rules? )

---

Date: Day 24, month 2, turn 449
Synopsis: Trying to gather bamboo, L'dor-and-Andoran (They're pretty much a singular unit these days, right?) happen upon E'drai out doing the same thing. Being the giant prick that he is, E'drai spills the beans about L'dor having a crush on Andoran and leaves satisfied. He does so love sowing the seeds of discontent.

( That ... was really unkind, E'drai. )

Date: Day 16, month 1, turn 449.
Synopsis: The Bendenites move south for the winter, with sniping and best-laid plans to keep them company. Starring B'net as Fearless Leader, L'dor as Boy Scout, Andoran as Optimist, Adria as City Girl, and E'drai as Big Jerk.

( Ah, the shock and conquer approach. )

Date: Early month 1, turn 449 (after the Turnover Gather).
Synopsis: Andoran and Adria are having a little chat, with E'drai being one of their topics, and yours truly walks in on it. He proceeds to be pricky to Andoran (no surprise there) until the Harper leaves in a huff. Adria's efforts to deliver a stern talking-to are pretty admirable in this one. And E'drai does a good job of justifying the way he treated Andoran - to me, anyway.

( You get dirty looks -all- on your own, E'drai. )

Date: Day 27, month 13, turn 448. (The day before Turnover eve.)
Synopsis: The Turnover Gather. Andoran, L'dor, and Maddy manage to find time to talk about the trip south among the festivities. Harper and Headwoman cut a rug - not really, but they do dance, and it's sweet and dorky (seems to be their M.O.). Geneve and Tarynn cause a stir among the crowds for being freaks, and then Andoran causes a bigger one for playing a song about freaks. Afterward, Andoran and Maddy sneak off to hide and have an awkward first kiss. I'd like to say it's all very romantic, but that would be a big lie. :)

( They will have to think about it and not just in terms of 'not my daughter.' )

Date: Day 24, month 12, turn 448.
Synopsis: Maddy has a brainstorm about the southern continent. Finding L'dor and Andoran together, she's able to kill two birds with one stone. Afterward, when L'dor leaves, Andoran asks Maddy to go to the Turnover Gather with him, and it's very awwwww-cute. (Thank you to Andoran for the log.)

( We could escape the bad weather entirely... )

Date: Day 5, month 13, turn 448.
Synopsis: Maddy comes to discuss supply problems with Breide. They discuss the possibility of the southern venture, and then they devolve into talk of clothes and stuff.

Do I try your patience, sweetheart? (Link)

Date: Day 24, month 12, turn 448.
Synopsis: N'kail gives E'drai back his maps, essentially informing him that the deal's off. Andoran tries to make this a window of opportunity, but E'drai's bitterness makes it difficult. No one leaves happy - except maybe N'kail, but he left early, so he doesn't count.

( You'd torch a set of maps you spent a lot of time sweating over just to keep them from others? )