[PRP] Sparring Practice (A'dras and Z'rik)

[DruidTigeress]

There was rarely a morning when Z'rik was not training in some way or another, though more often than not, it was alone. So he relished the opportunity to practice with A'dras, as he had so often when he was younger. The man was the main reason he was so good with a sword now, despite losing his dominant hand. It was nice having his old friend and mentor back full time.. One of the few benefits to thread's return, if there were any. But recently something threatened to spoil even that.

He'd heard a troubling rumor about A'dras and another rider. The other rider had wound up dead and A'dras, they said, was the one who did it. It was a rumor he'd heard repeated several times, and the reason given was always different. A fight over a woman, a drunken quarrel... Mine if them seemed like the sort of thing A'dras would kill someone over. Normally he wouldn't put much stock in such rumors. But there were elements of the story that rang true. Though different, certain kill elements were always the same. And the timing worked out. He didn't want to believe it was true... But he couldn't help but wonder.

While he was distracted, the edge of a blade struck hard against his pummel, closer than he'd intended to let it get. The blow sent reverberations down his whole left arm, which still never had the same grip strength as his right, despite the many years of practice. His grip on the sword was weakened and with the next blow, it was knocked clean out of his hand. "Ah.. Well played." he muttered, shaking his hand a little before going to pick up his sword. While A'dras still frequently beat him in a bout, it wasn't like him to mess up like that, but he'd been distracted.  

[BastetAmun]

Before he had left the weyr it had been a practice he had taken up to spar with one of the then weyrlings. A young boy who had had the ill fortune of losing the lower part of his arm at his hatching, though he had managed to impress. Branwyn had suggested that A'dras help the young man out, the only thing he could think of that would have helped, or he could have helped out, was by sword fighting and sparring. It was nice being back with his family, especially since his son Caderyn, now C'ryn, had just impressed a bronze of his own.

Watching as Z'rik retrieved his sword, A'dras looked over the young man, trying to figure out why he had lost the grip on his sword so much. He hadn't seemed to be all there during their sparring match, he normally wouldn't have fallen for the feint A'dras had pulled. "Is everything alright Z'rik, you seem distracted." A'dras put away his sword for now, his dark eyes watching Z'rik closely, slight worry showing on his features for the young man he considered a second son.  

[DruidTigeress]

BastetAmun

Z'rik nodded slightly as he went to retrieve his sword. He spun it in his hand deftly after picking it up, checking (and perhaps demonstrating) that he hadn't lost his touch. "Yeah, sorry. I was just thinking.." he explained, not sure how to bring it up. It's not like he could just say 'hey, I heard a rumor you killed this guy, is that true?' Sure, part of him wanted to be reassured that it wasn't true. All it would take was A'dras denying it to put his mind at ease. But he didn't want to make him think that he put any stock in those rumors. A'dras had put his faith in him so many times, even when he didn't have. He couldn't just repay that by accusing him of murder out of the blue.

He turned back as though to restart the match, but lowered his sword slightly, hesitating. It was obvious that his heart wasn't in it, and his mind somewhere else. "Hey.. Did you ever know a rider called G'hin?" he asked, starting conversationally. Maybe A'dras would fill in the blanks without him having to ask too much.  

[BastetAmun]

The question caught A'dras off guard, though he did his best to hide it. He hadn't heard anyone speak G'hin's name in quiet some time. Many people forgot about the irritable blue rider who strove to get into a fight with just about anyone. "I did know him. We were friends as Candidate's even for a bit after he impressed. Though it became clear when I managed to Impress Gareth later, that he never really cared about me as a friend." His voice stayed the same, there was no anger towards his former best friend and rival as there had been.

"I suppose you've heard the rumors that I may have killed him." He laid his sword down, it was clear that Z'rik was not going to spar at the moment, not any longer. He had a question he wanted to ask. "People speak before they know the whole story, no doubt his twin boys helped to spread those rumors. I didn't help myself either when I left the weyr." His face flashed with melancholy at these words and his shoulders seemed to slump. "I did kill him, but it was no in cold blood if that is what you are thinking. It was self defense and I still regret I had to protect myself and C'ryn from my former best friend."

His eyes moved to look at Z'rik. "I hope you do not think any less of me, or hate me from not telling you. It was a matter that was best left with those involved, though I should have known rumors would get around."  

[DruidTigeress]

BastetAmun

Z'rik nodded, listening as A'dras began to explain who the man was, though he paled as he asked point blank about the murders. "Er.." So apparently his questioning was more transparent than he'd intended it to be. Still, so long as A'dras cleared things up, it would all be.. Ah. Z'rik blinked, unable to believe what he was hearing. No way...

His sword dipped until it rested against the ground. "I never thought.." he started. He'd thought at most perhaps there was an accident, some kind of situation that people said A'dras could have done more to prevent, and the rumors spiraled off from there. Of course he never thought A'dras had killed someone in cold blood! But there was a part of him that still believed, perhaps naively, in a kind of brotherhood between riders, and that any violence between them was never right. After all, there might be some people out there who deserved to die, but far fewer dragons did. And how could a rider not think about that any time it came to dealing with someone who flew a dragon.

His shoulders slumped sadly. Even if he didn't know them, the thought of a dragon, any dragon, going between in such a way couldn't help but weigh on him. Maybe he was oversensitive on the matter, given how close Azmodioth had been to going out the same way at one time. But it was hard not to think about.

Part of him still felt bad for doubting A'dras, however. If his friend and mentor had killed someone, then of course, he must have had no other choice! Still there was a small part of him that felt a little betrayed too. This was someone he'd looked up to for so many turns! It was a lot to take in... "How do you stab someone in self defense?" he muttered.

"I don't blame you for not telling me, but.." He wasn't family, after all. A'dras had no requirement to tell him. He shook his head, still not sure what to think. "Shells, A'dras.. That's just.. a lot." Did C'ryn know? Did the Weyrleader?  

[BastetAmun]

A'dras watched Z'rik calmly as the young man seemed to be taking everything in, seeming to have a bit of a hard time. He hated to see the young man like this and hoped it didn't ruin their relationship.

"The world is not a perfect place Z'rik, where everything works out fine." He wasn't trying to sound cold but it was the truth. "Not everyone gets along well and not everyone becoming a rider makes them a great person. I regret what happened deeply, G'hin had been my friend. Mawrth was a sweet dragon and he had been wasted upon him." This wasn't going to help so he sighed softly and laid his own sword down.

"I tried to speak to him, to talk to G'hin about what happened but he was livid that C'ryn had attacked his boy." There were too many details to get into everything, to tell the entire story. "You know C'ryn he would not have done anything unprovoked. Henwas is...a bully." He shook his head some before continuing. "It became clear that words would not work but I didn't want to believe it. G'hin and I had been friends, even if we were not anymore I thought that we could settle this without violence."

A'dras heard his muttered question and sighed. "When G'hin came at me with a dagger. I do not know what he was wanting to accomplish or if he was wanting to just try and scare me, but I reacted instinctively more to protect Gareth then myself." His eyes moved to look at Z'rik again. "Would you not do the same to protect Azmodioth?"

"I am sorry if this makes you think of me differently Z'rik. I should have taken you into confidence when I got back."

DruidTigeress

 

[DruidTigeress]

BastetAmun

"Well, I believe that." he said, with a slight nod. He couldn't imagine C'ryn attacking someone out of nowhere. Whatever this other boy had done, he probably deserved whatever he got for it. But that was still no reason for things to have escalated so far.

He raised an eyebrow at A'dras's question. "Would I kill someone?" he asked, a little incredulously. "I don't know... I'd like to think I wouldn't." It hadn't ever really come up though. Maybe if it was an outsider, that was one thing. But- He just thought.. Riders weren't supposed to fight each other! It was a problem in the leadership, he decided eventually, shaking his head. If a rider was as unstable as that, it should have been dealt with. A'dras never should have been put in that position. That's right.. It wasn't his fault. It couldn't be.

Z'rik shook his head, waving his left hand as A'dras spoke again. "No.. It's fine. I shouldn't have asked." he said quickly, already regretting that he had. "It's none of my business anyway." He couldn't imagine A'dras lying to the Weyr leadership about it, which meant D'mon must not have thought it to be a problem. Who was he to disagree? Anyway, it was the kind of thing he probably couldn't get his head around in just a day or an hour. After two or three days of thinking and rationalizing, he was sure it would stop bothering him. He still couldn't believe that killing another rider was ever right. But it was just a difference in opinion.. right? He wasn't sure. He'd have to think about it more. But he could do that later. Regardless of how he felt, it's not like he would just cut ties with A'dras entirely.

He lifted his sword again. "Let's just forget about it." he said, hoping they could put it behind them.