Red's Ten - Uilred - U'red

Uilred / U'red

Age 12, Inkeeper/Steward/Gossip

Along the many routes that Ayred had traveled for more than twenty turns, there were dozens of small cotholds and inns. But there would never be an inn like Uista's, she who had inherited her father's pride and joy when he had perished, drowned in a storm upon the wide lake nearby. Uldor's Pride, it was called. It might as well have been retitled Uista's Pride, for the work that this dusky skinned busty-bosomed woman put into it! There were stables, always full. There were thirty rooms, almost always packed with travelers and locals alike. There was a games room, with darts and tables for cards and arm wrestling; that was where Ayred met and wooed Uista. Not by besting any of the burly locals at wrestling, not by cheating at poker... but just by casting a glance and a smile her way.

Now, this woman was a practical one. She knew the inn's needs came before her own. She didn't show any preferences toward her customers, though the locals did get a crash room for themselves when they drank themselves silly in the big beer garden overlooking the lake. But here was this tall, handsome red-haired and red-eyed man, whose smile was so fresh and gaze so honest... True, he was looking at her breasts at first but then who didn't? In fact who couldn't? She wore extremely revealing clothes for a reason after all. She was proud of who she was, and what she looked like.

Perhaps it was that easy self-assurance that attracted Ayred to her in the first place, far more than merely her sizable chest. They shared three nights together before Ayred was moving on, he had a job with one of the merchantry caravans - and he thanked his lucky stars that it wasn't to do what his father wanted him, selling things. He'd far more enjoyed the guarding and scouting for dangers part, after all. Those days and nights were amazing for both of them. Though they were very different indeed, Uista felt she could confide in him - not like the confidence that a drunk felt in her when he was spilling his heart out, but a real, honest trust. It seemed he felt the same way, telling her of his concerns and pondering her responses thoroughly.

Some few months later, he returned to the Inn, appraised the new roundness of the woman, and just knew it was his child she would bear. Though once more he had to leave with another caravan, he spent all the time he could with her - and they talked about names, if it was a girl she would be Aylui, and a boy would be named Uilred. He promised her he'd return if not for her birth but shortly after, when he knew he could arrange a break from his duties with the merchants guild nearby. He did so - and talk in the Hold was that almost any other man who promised such a thing would never be seen or heard from again.

Not so for Ayred - he returned not just to see his son born, but to enjoy the company of this woman who he found he missed greatly whenever he was apart from her. Perhaps of all his children, he saw more of Uilred and his mother than any others. He watched as the boy learned to walk - among the tables at the beer garden with a tray balanced on his head (something that kept his back strong, and his balance even stronger over time!). He saw as Uilred got the hang of mixing herbs and meats, chopping vegetables and roots into the trademark stew that they served at the Inn. The boy was as friendly as both parents, with as quick a smile, and as generous a heart.

He was protective, too, he stood up for his mother when she bore another child with another man - after all Ayred spent only days out of a year at the inn, and could hardly be expected to be a husband to her. But it wasn't Ayred that young Uilred told off, it was one of the chatty girls from the Lords chambers on the cliffs nearby. "True love," he told her curtly, "is not clinging to your partner and restricting what they feel or do. It means letting them be who they are, and loving them for it no matter what." Of course that went rather contrary to a teenage Lady's imaginations of betrothals and household duties.

Uilred and his mother came to the Weyr leaving one of the locals they trusted most, the stable hand and his family, in charge of the Inn. As Dragonhope's lead Searchrider sought out time with Uilred to explain what duties might be required of him should he impress, Uista was the only woman among the other mothers brought with their 'reds' that Ayred chose to lay with. They were all aware of it, and some even slightly saddened by it. But Uilred caught this and actually, even at his young age, consoled at least one of them for their troubles.

"He doesn't love you any less than he ever had," Uilred pointed out, "don't say he has to choose to dole out his attention equally - he never did that." It brought chuckles and a little bit of tears to her eyes, but yet... she knew his words rang true.

A wise boy like that, K'roohan pondered as he brought the boy and the others to Talis Weyr, would do well on the Queen's wing for diplomatic missions... He'd have to bring that up with Kira when he returned.

It surprised absolutely no one that Uilred was spotted by a deeply shaded brown dragon at Talis. Alert, upright and steady on his feet from hatching, Honoth's growing personality seemed to mesh with his rider's flawlessly. U'red would return proudly, showing off to his mother and later to his sire as he returned to Dragonhope for his final training. His duties did include diplomacy - but also he was able to enjoy escorting important folk from Hold and Hall alike to and from the Weyr. The most important of all, however, would always be his mother, who now could visit her true love whenever the urge came upon her!

NAME: Honoth
COLOR: Brown
SIZE: Medium sized brown
PERSONALITY: Loyal, gregarious, wise
PARENTS: Gold Celyath x Bronze Arranioth