Coping and Questions

[Tismri]

Teza Mae sighted down the shaft calmly, her eyes fixated on the large, padded target. Normally, she wouldn't bother with such trivial practice, after having learned to hunt woodland creatures with her father. However, she was still adjusting after her torture. Her vision was likely the hardest thing to get used to, although she dealt with it the most often. Her left eye remained red-hued and very slightly blurred; the organ itself terrified her whenever she saw herself in the mirror. How Aradan and Jason could stand to look at her, she would never understand.
The princess took a steadying breath and hit the target soundly; child's play. She was glad to see she still had her touch. She drew another arrow and nocked it, but just as she was drawing it back, her right arm froze, the pain becoming a mounting agony that screamed in her mind. Her renewed tendons resisted her mind's commands, and she felt as if it were being ripped out of her arm again. She dropped her bow and fell to one knee, hardly noticing that she was biting her tounge.
"Bloody hell!" she screamed, not knowing--or caring--if anyone else was around.

[Deleted]

Asnek (Rider) & Avalanche (Dragon)

Why must we train... Asnek said through the mental bond. He wasn’t looking forward to being a warrior per se; rather he wanted to live a simple life with his dragon, Avalanche. Not that being a warrior bothered him; he just preferred a simple life over one of continuous danger. Avalanche titled in the air and banked to the left, her wing membranes rippling subtly as the air rushed over and under. He smiled, for the opportunity he was given was a great one. All he wanted to do was live a simple life with Avalanche, nothing more. But, with shades returning in place of the once tyrannical Galbatorix, the dragon-riders were to be once rebuilt.

You’re young, you need to learn... As do I. Avalanche responded, flexing her wings to gain some speed before gliding, her angle pointing towards the ground at a leisure-ish rate, likely so they could talk to each other longer. You may be seventeen and I only eight months, but that means little compared to what we have to learn. Your kind has masters, yes?
Yes, I suppose.
How long do they need to learn the subject in which they are to become masters at?
I get your point...
Good, because if you don’t want to do this, then do it for me at least.

Asnek nodded and patted Avalanches shoulder, for such a young dragon she was wise beyond his years. Avalanche snorted in amusement. You forget that I was idle in my egg for hundreds of years. She said smugly, bending her head around to star at him with a glistening eye. He grinned and patted her again, twice as hard. In response she bathed him with hot steam from her breath in the cool air. He squinted as he went through the hot air.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah...” He said in a sarcastic tone.

Did you hear that? Avalanche asked quickly. He hadn’t heard anything.
“No, what am I listening for?”
I’ll take you to it! Avalanche replied, sending him a memory of what she had heard. Someone screamed, and it sounded like a painful scream.

Avalanche quickened the beat of her wings as she accelerated at speeds they had never flown before. Within a minute, she snapped her wings out, flapped once and landed with a solid jolt as her muscles absorbed the quick impact on the ground. She folded her wings and walked out, towards a girl in a crouched stance. He studied her face quickly; she was likely biting her tongue and holding back more curses.

She’s in pain. Avalanche said, help her.

“Do you require assistance, ma’am?” He said aloud, in the most respectful tone he could muster. Thank you. Avalanche said contently as she approached, and then stopped, within twenty meters of the girl. She extended her head towards the girl in an attempt to see what was wrong, and to provide some comfort if she could. It has to be internal, she suggested. Avalanche shifted in her position and lay down on the dirt below, making it easier for Asnek to get to the ground, if he chose.

They awaited the girls response as Asnek quietly brushed the feathers to his arrows in his quiver, a nervous habit he had developed.

[Tismri]

Teza Mae gritted her teeth, tasting blood from her somewhat numb tounge, as she waited for the pain to subside. She felt Garrus' concern for her as he winged his way around to return to her. They were both getting used to these episodes by now, but he was always concerned for her whenever it happened.
Finally, her arm stopped spasming, allowing her mind to clear. Between these random pains and the nightmares that haunted her, the princess was afraid she would never be able to move on from her stupid actions of the past.
All at once, she realized that there was someone standing over her. She squinted up, but didn't recognize either the dragon or the Rider.
"My apologies if I concerned you," she said, trying to speak slowly around her bitten tounge so she could be understood. Yet another thing that didn't heal right, though she was glad she at least had it. Garrus landed next to her, concerned for her well-being and curious as to the strangers.
"I'm not completely healed, you see," she explained slowly. She wondered what all, if anything, he knew of her people. There were several she'd had to explain to about the weakness to magic the people of Ismalia suffered.
Thank you for checking on Princess, Garrus told them. I'm Garrus.
"My name is Teza Mae," she added, not really wanting anyone but Garrus and Caedus to go around calling her "Princess" all the time.

[Deleted]

Asnek (Rider) & Avalanche (Dragon)

Well met, Garrus. Avalanche replied to the dragon, nodding slightly in respect for another one of her kind. She looked back at the girl, who identified herself as 'Teza Mae'. Well met, Teza Mae. I am Avalanche. She said in reply to the female rider. She stood up and kneed the soil like a cat to make it more comfortable.

"I am Asnek. It's nice to meet you, Teza Mae and Garrus." He said polite-fully, nodding in respect. You're welcome, Garrus. He said to the dragon. This was the first time they had met before, despite the various training exercises he and Avalanche had completed with Eragon and Sahpira.

I wonder who they are. He said to Avalanche through their mental connection. She stirred in her spot and lay down again, smoothly stretching her wings out.
I do not know, Asnek. She replied, looking at him with one of her giant white eyes. He was about to shrug, but kept the physical movement from happening.
I suppose we'll find out sooner or later, right?
Right.

"So," He said, clearing his throat. "Tell me more about this injury. While you look fine from up on my mount, Avalanche thinks you may have internal injuries. Is her assumption correct?" He asked, continuing with the respectful tact. Avalanche snorted in agreement.

Why don't we just use our minds to speak? Asnek wondered.
Are you that lazy, Asnek? Would you rather coat everything that can be done more simplistic? You and I, this is the only way to speak, the only proper way at that. However, you speak an actual tongue, so use it. Avalanche counselled respectfully. He saw her point, but it was strange. He nodded and patted her shoulder.

She extended her left foreleg so he could disembark his mount on her shoulder, but he didn't.

What are you doing? She asked quickly.
I feel uncomfortable... He replied, swallowing a lump on his throat.
I know you're not comfortable around strangers, but take comfort that I am here and face that boundary.
Not today, he replied smoothly within his mental tone. But soon, this entire concept is new for me. For sixteen years I was risen in isolation. You know my childhood, so meeting strangers is completely outside that comfort zone.
You'll need to face it sooner or later. Why is it you can speak upon my back, but not by yourself?
You're right there, that's why.
I'll still be here, Asnek, I promise.

He disembarked, carefully walking down Asnek's leg as he patiently awaited the girls response.

[Tismri]

Teza Mae was slightly intrigued by the fact that the dragon, Avalanche--a rather fitting name for a dragon, she thought--was the more talkative of the two. She was a bit curious as to Asnek.
She glanced away from the others when they asked about her injuries. Of course, he was too far away to really see if most apparant deformity: her left eye that was nearly entirely red. It was still better than the empty, jagged socket it had been, but she wondered if anyone would ever truly be comfortable around her.
Your mother has only one arm, and she has no trouble with anyone, Garrus pointed out to her.
But she's been like that since she was a little girl! Teza Mae protested, She's had a long time to adjust to it.
And so will you, Princess. Still, Teza Mae didn't relish the thought of living with these scars, these reminders of her own stupidity, for the rest of her life.
"My injuries are internal, I suppose," she replied. She didn't look back at Asnek even as he climbed off his dragon to come closer to her. Her voice took on an aggrivated edge. "It's not as if I have any open wounds to show for my idiocy anymore." She met his eyes, allowing him to see part of her problems through her scarred eye.

[Deleted]

Asnek (Rider) & Avalanche (Dragon)

Asnek noted her tone as she responded, and then added more, turning to meet his eyes. Her left eye was completely red, like a gem buried within the Earth. He found it rather fascinating, he admitted to himself. He found it intimidating, and guessed if she gave someone a cold death stare they'd shift uncomfortably within their individuality, both physically and mentally. He could imagine a grown, battle-hardened warrior shivering under the glare. He sighed under his breath and sat cross legged by Avalanche, remembering the nightmares of his childhood. Demonic, to say the least, yet never really nightmares. He wasn't uncomfortable with the girls eyes.

"I've got my own injuries from idiocy, and I'm not afraid to admit to my mistakes, regardless of how bad the wound makes me look. Here;" He said, putting his right hand pointer finger on the left side of his face. A large gashed scar ran from his left eye lid to his left cheek bone, the width just over half an inch, the width of Avalanches claw at the time. A childish game resulting in am embarrassing, but proud, wound.
"I received this scar playing old childhood games with my dragon when she was just a few months old, no bigger than my shoulder. Regardless, she inflicted this wound. Despite the embarrassment to admit to my failure to see what is wise, I wear it with pride because I am proud to be who I am and I am proud to be bonded with Avalanche." He said with pride in his tone, nodding in satisfaction.

Thank you, Avalanche said, noising towards Asnek. That means a lot.

He smiled, at both his dragon and the girl.

[Tismri]

Teza Mae looked at the scar that he pointed out on his face. She'd seen at least one other Rider with a scar very similar, if not identical, and likely made from the same source.
"A mark given while playing with your dragon isn't something to be ashamed of," she said, moving to sit by Garrus, placing her bow in her lap. "I wish that's all mine were. Instead, I left Bromsland without telling anyone and got myself captured by the Shade Rider, and I was tortured mercilessly and almost killed. All for the sake of making a statement to my mother! None of it was even about me." Even as she spoke of it, she could still vividly see that girl dressed in red, hear her maniac giggling as she inflicted pain. She could feel the blinding, maddening pain of the knife being driven into her eye again and again, and the same blade being used to carve her tounge out of her mouth. The tendons in her heels being sliced and one getting ripped out of her arm.
"And to make matters so much better, I happen to be Ismalian, which means any attempt to heal me will come up short, or even become more disastrous." She sighed and put her head in her hands. "I feel as if I've become nothing more than a burden to everyone I love."

[Deleted]

Asnek (Rider) & Avalanche (Dragon)

As she sunk her head into her hands, Asnek knew this was the time to be supportive. Stranger or not, it was the right thing to do. No person deserved to live a life of depression and sorrow.

"If they truly love you, physical appearance should mean nothing to them. They should care about you and your well-being. If your friends, family... Lovers or anything like that only care about your physical attributes, then they don't truly love you. There is more to a person then looks." Asnek replied smoothly, though awkwardly mid-sentence. He scratched the side of his face and looked closer, wishing he could do more.

He may not be in his comfort zone, but he's never liked seeing a person down about it, worrying if their loved ones, let it be family or a person they fancy, would judge them based on the fact.

Would you like some help? Avalanche offered, noticing how far out of his comfort zone he really was. He shook his head, she was right the first time. He'd need to face strangers and get over his mountain when it came to terms with socialization, in which wasn't a very effective topic for Asnek.

I think I'm managing, I reckon. He replied uneasy.
You're doing good, if not better then what I had expected. She said in a smooth, honest tone.
Thanks...

[Tismri]

Teza Mae remained quiet for a long moment, staring down at the ground.
"It's not just about how I look now," she said haltingly. "It's that...I'm supposed to be responsible. I'm the heir to the throne of Ismalia; what sort of example have I set by running off and letting myself be captured and tortured by the enemy? More than that, the only reason the Shade Rider let me live was to convey a message to my mother." She shuddered slightly; what Katriana had done to her left more than physical scars. She could still feel the demon scurrying around in her mind; it had relayed the message as soon as her injuries had been treated to where they were no longer life-threatening. Her parents thought she didn't remember, but she did. She didn't tell anyone about the feeling clouding her mind; she didn't even tell Jason or Aradan.