Queens of Old (Z'skel)

[hrsegrl]

Sleep did not come easily to the young woman. She spent most of the night laying on her back staring at the cavernous ceiling of the Infirmary. Now that she knew what Z'skel had planned how could she sleep? There were so many things to consider and failure was not an option once they decided to go. She had to trust that both man and dragon could get her there safely otherwise she would die. Death was certainly not something she was ready for at sixteen. Who could blame her for worrying after her near death experience with the feline. Somehow she had a feeling that Z'skel and Seth were up to the task.

Mind made up, Rishka went to the Records Room the next day as planned. She knew where she had placed the record because she had been attempting to reorganize the place a little. There were some records that were now illegible and there was no point in keeping them, so she had seperated them out and was waiting for Iaslia's permission to throw them away. She could only do so much in a day and meeting with the new Weyrwoman was hardly one of the first things on her list.

Rishka reached for the record and with a slight wince, wished she had not placed it so high. Soon there would be no pain and she could do normal things again. Sitting in one of the chairs in front of the long table she began to reread the record. Her lips were drawn into a frown as her hazel eyes scanned the document. What exactly would be helpful to Z'skel she did not know but she could at least find the correct section of the record before he arrived.

The accounts of both Senior Weyrwoman Lyrai and Junior Weyrwoman Ruet were interesting to Rishka. Especially the bit about having twin Queens. They could hear eachother's dragon. Her mind mulled over the idea and wondered if the trait had been passed down to the other Queens of Ponaa. She could ask the dragon healer at some point if she wanted to or wait and see if it presented itself again. Of course that was hardly the purpose of today so she kept skimming till she found the passage she had read before and looked for the date. Perhaps that would be of some use? Also that E'mion might be of use...she needed to ask Z'skel about the mysterious new Bronze and his rider. She had heard rumors of course, about them being from another time.


The passage reads:

As we had already suspected the Holders have found ways into the Weyr either through bribery or the use of the Holdless. Whether this was their handiwork or not remains to be seen but the Hatching Sands were invaded yesterday while Gold Sharieth was eating. By the time we realized what was happening, our Gold egg and a few of the others were already gone. In total we estimate about six to be missing. Where they went we cannot say. The search is endless. If they are on this Continent we cannot find them. All we know is they are lost to us perhaps forever.

Ruet, Junior Weyrwoman rider of Gold Sharieth

[starshine]

Z'skel regretting staying up as late as he had. The morning had come far too soon. He woke with aching muscles and a large headache. Seth had been chipper all morning, missing no opportunity to tease him. I was not the one to stay up all night talking to some girl. Maybe if you had taken the time to sleep, you would not feel as you do.[/color] He glared at his dragon. Drills had been torture for his and he looked the worse for ware. A quick bath had not only made him feel better but also make him at least presentable.

He appeared in the doorway to the Records Room with damp hair, smelling of cleansing sands. His skin was scrubbed and still pink. He coughed to announce himself and stepped into the room. "Have you come across anything interesting yet?" He glanced over her shoulder at the passage. He took a moment to read through it. It didn't really tell him anything he didn't already know. He knew the egg had been taken from the sands and that it hadn't been located on the southern continent. "I wonder if Ista had been bold enough to... no I really doubt they would have brought the egg back to their sands." He looked down at her, contemplating his thought.

[hrsegrl]

The petite woman nearly jumped at the sound of the man entering. Oh right, people were supposed to be here too! She looked up at the handsome bronzerider and smiled. “Ahh, I see you made it.” Rishka tended to sound more authoritative then she meant to. “I've found the passage but the date looks a bit smudged from the tears. Well, I mean, I imagine them to be tears.” The page was indeed tear splotched, though it could have been from splashing water or rain.

“What if Ista did not steal the egg? What if it was us?” Suddenly she felt bad about the situation. That she could have robbed this Gold pair of joy made her shudder. What kind of person was she then? Hazel eyes glanced back at the cleaned up rider. “I have heard rumors about that new Bronzerider...” She trailed leading into her next thought, “You don't suppose that E'mion has an idea of the date?” If he did, it was better she was not the one to ask. Z'skel would be better to talk to the man. Though the fact that he ended up here must mean he had the wrong image fixed in his mind.

“Maybe the passage before this one has a clear date. She must have recorded the clutching somewhere.” She meaning the Junior Weyrwoman. It did seem interesting that the Weyr had three mature Golds and another on the Sands, while Ponaa today barely boasted one mature Gold. Someday they would be more stable. Someday they would have more dragons and would no longer have to hide themselves away. Then she too could be free.

[starshine]

He leaned forward, hands gripping the back of her chair. He reached over her, his fingers skimming the words of the passage. "... She must have recorded the clutching somewhere.”

"Well we know Ista ended up with it. I think the original story goes something like holders, who were working with Ista, snuck in and stole the egg while Sharieth was eating, like the record mentions." He exhaled, crossed and took the seat beside her.

He paused and stared at her for a moment. "When Amenth was about to rise, Aerilith and her rider Yanra appeared, screaming and yelling that Ista would not tolerate Ponaa's insults. Yanra wanted the Weyr to take the egg back." He looked at her as he slumped in the chair. She had mentioned speaking with the oldtime bronzerider. The thought of bringing up this little endeavor with another rider, especially one he didn't know well didn't sit with him.

"I... I don't think it's a good idea to bring this up with several members of the Weyr." He flashed a reassuring smile at her. "While I want to do this, there is alot that can go wrong and well, we need to be careful." He looked her straight in the eye. He wanted her to make no mistake in his meaning.

[hrsegrl]

Rishka took in the story he was telling with ears and mind open. She needed to know the details. Of course her often voracious mind felt the need to know everything. Sometimes this was a bad thing. In this instance though it was actually necessary for her to understand what was going on at the time of the Gold egg's theft. One of her small hands ran through the top of the unruly tangle that was her hair. There were so many things to think about on this subject but she supposed the animosity between the Weyrs was the worst part about it. Knowing how things have ended up she wondered if they would have done things the same.

“Seems to me like there was a lot of bad blood between them...” Them meaning Ista and Ponaa. The young woman wanted to think they were going to a time that was better than the one they were living in. However the more she learned the less she thought that could be true. There must have been a time when stealing a Gold Egg was one of the most awful things one could do. Also there must have been a time when killing a Gold dragon and her rider was unfathomable. Now things were different. Now everyone had to be careful, including herself.

There was not much that could really scare Rishka. This little trip Between times should make her nervous. The thought of death should make her squirm in her seat. The serious look from the blue eyed Bronzerider should make her shudder but Rishka is not like other young women. She knew this from the moment she was old enough to think on her own. There are people in the world who are cautioned and then proceed out of caution or don't proceed at all and then there are people like her who knowing full well the dangers would face them head on and not fear them but conquer them. At least that was how things were in her head. It had worked in her running away scheme. Of course now she was a captive of the Weyr for all intents and purposes.

“ I understand.” She nodded and answered his stare, “I do not fear death.” If she sounded young and impulsive perhaps it was because she was. Then again, she had already faced death and now was injured because of it. Maybe she valued her life as less than others or perhaps she thought that dying for something important or necessary was better than dying of old age because one did nothing. Turning her hazel eyes back to the document at hand, she skimmed backward a bit. “Wait, this might be a date but again its really hard to make out, perhaps you should look at it?”

[starshine]

Z'skel sat up in his chair, he understood now that she knew of the dangers that this adventure would entail, and she accepted them for what they were. "Wait, this might be a date..." She had noticed something he had not. He leaned forward , his blue eyes following her fingers to the notation."

"Yes I believe that could be it." He leaned back. It did seem to be about the right time. "Know we need to plan out how we're going to do this. As a bronze rider, I doubt we'll be questioned about being there with a potential gold candidate. Though I do think we should run this by the Weyrleaders perhaps." He rubbed his temples with his fingertips. He dreaded that conversation.

[hrsegrl]

There was much to think about when planning something like this. As interesting as it may be to her it was not easy. If they failed she could return here no worse for the wear and stand for a clutch here. Or be set loose back to the wilderness from whence she was found. (She was kind of favoring the latter...)

Rishka glanced up at him. "They probably will need to know. You cannot just dissappear from drills for no reason and I will certainly not go missing after all that is being blamed on Holders around here. I would rather not be labeled as a snitch if you do not mind." The whole idea was preposterous but someone had thought of it before or esle there would not be a word for it.

Not everyone had standards for themselves, she supposed. Z'skel seemed a bit concerned about talking this over with anyone though. "The Weyrleader might find it foolhardy but what are they going to lose if we fail? The only being of value to them that is going would be Seth. He is young and intelligent. I doubt he would Between without a crystal clear image of where he was going. Therefore the risk is minimal."

She pondered other thoughts, mouth dran into a customary pout. The petite girl looked down at the record before her. Nothing would stand in their way. This was destiny. "I do not think they could stop us even if they wanted to at this point." They could not stop her but he was bound to them more than she was. His Bronze had to obey the Queen no matter what. Z'skel knew this as much and as well as she did. The Weyrleaders would hopefully agree. Rebel did not really fit the stoic Z'skel.

[starshine]

Rebel could have been his middle name had she met him before he had impressed Seth. The dragon had had a sort of calming effect on the man. Lending him to a more calm and yes stoic demeanor. Exactly when Seth had beaten that aspect of him to a pulp Z couldn't tell you.

"I do not think they could stop us even if they wanted to at this point." She had a point there, they had set themselves to this task, and Z'skel was not one to back down.

"Well I guess our next logical step is to meet with our fearless leaders and begin the next phase." He rose to his feet and stretched. "Perhaps I can catch them in the Weyrhall." He grinned at her mid stretch. He dropped his arms to his side. "I'll mention that we are requesting a meeting." He gave her a slight bow. "With that I fear I must leave you. Drills make for busy riders."

[hrsegrl]

The thought that the Weyrleaders would disapprove was not a good one, not even to her but she was not going to back down. Neither would he by the sound of things. They had a plan to help save Pern. Why not let them risk it? Was it not by risking their lives that dragonriders had always saved Pern? How would this be any different then? She could think of several things to say that might sway them to this cause.

"The sooner the better I should think. Before they are busy with clutch..." Rishka added. The Weyrleaders would be preoccuppied then and this little endeavor might seem less important with new dragons coming in to the Weyr. The young woman looked up to watch Z'skel leave. "Let me know when and where and I will be ready."

She was ready now really but the Weyrleaders most likely were busy. Rishka wished now that she were more patient. The excitement was making her want things to happen more quickly than was possible. "Good day Z'skel. My best to Seth." Her fairwell was a bit formal but that was just her way. Unfortunately she often said things without realizing the tone of which they were said. That might have sounded a bit haughty and a bit like a dismissal but she never intended it to.