Perfect as Always (mem)

[LyricalBlue]

Wings spread wide in display, the nearly copper dragon stood as his rider inspected him. Xialanth thought this was really a waste of time, his rider never found any fault in his work when it came to oiling his bronze, but Xi stood still anyway as E'dian paced around him. The bronze tilted his head to regard his rider with blue whirling eyes and a patience that only dragon kind could display.

"Alright Xi, looks good. You can bring those wings down now." The bronze rumbled and looked about before settling his wings back against his sides.
Too bad no one is around to see.
E'dian chuckled and shook his head, then patted the dragon's shoulder with a great deal of affection and pride.

One of only four bronzes on the planet and E'dian regarded his with pride. Xialanth was the largest by several hand spans and also the most striking, or so his rider thought. The bronze of course, was in concord with that idea.

"You great big show off."
Well, I have a lot to show off.
Laughing out loud, E'dian ran a hand through sweat tousled hair as he regarded the dragon. They stood that way for several moments, before the Weyrsecond moved to place the riding straps over the bronze's shoulders. Once again, Xialanth crouched to make the work easier on his.

[fadingmemorie]

Gaelle sat on her weyr ledge, Aliath at her side. Both were dozing in the sun until the weyrling goldrider woke up to adjust her body and spotted both the bronze and the bronzer perfecting themselves in the sun. The oil made both their hides shine, and Gaelle appreciated the scenery as well as the beautiful backdrop of the lake and mountains. The weather was becoming dryer, and soon, she would be able to enjoy this view all the time.

What in flaming fall? she asked herself, shocked by her extremely lascivious thoughts. Honestly, her mind and body had been working far against her lately. Gaelle was like any other girl, and she was attracted to the opposite sex, despite the lack of urge to create long-lasting, meaningful relationships with any particular man. The young woman simply valued her freedom.

Aliath rumbled deeply and shifted her streamlined dragon form. The golden sun glinted off of her matching gold-and-orange hide, shimmering in the sunlight. She had been feeling so good lately, so full of life and free. She had perfected her flying in two years and loved to stretch her wings daily. Soon, she would be graduated and could take her rider almost anywhere they desired to visit. It would be a miraculous day.

At Gaelle's mental images and thoughts, the dragon opened one eye to take in the pleasurable sight of male dragon and rider. The bronze's hide seemed to radiate its own sunlight, distinct from Pern's sun. He was a veritable male force, completely bold and virile. Aliath rumbled pleasurably to the bronze, sending him charming warbling notes. The young queen glowed inward and out.

[LyricalBlue]

Xialanth swung his head to look upwards at the young gold on her ledge. He rumbled in a happy reply and regarded the nearly adult Queen with solemnity. E'dian followed his dragon's gaze and soon gray eyes and much larger blue ones both looked upwards.
It is good. She is almost grown.

The Weyrsecond leaned against his bronze's leg and inclined his head to the soon to be Weyrwoman. His thoughts as usual, echoed Xialanth's. A flight would be good for the Weyr, and the clutch that followed, better. Their numbers were far, far too small. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair in his habitual gesture. She was the last, the only Queen on Pern; why were there so few anyway? Arizith never laid more than twenty eggs and according to the hides in the Records Room stated that clutches should increase with the onset of Fall.

"Give her my greetings, Xi."
The bronze rumbled again and passed on the message to the gold, then turned his head to look back down at his rider.
We are both strong enough. Birath would like to rest.
E'dian's gaze slipped from the remarkable pair on the ledge to look at his bronze once more. Taking a step away from Xi's leg to look up into the bronze's rapidly whirling eyes.
"My, aren't we making plans."
I am the biggest.
"And clearly the most ambitious."

Privatly, the Weyrsecond agreed with his bronze. Maybe the clutches hadn't increased because Arizith was so old by the time thread starting falling again. She had laid Aliath just as the Falls started again. Maybe all the Weyr needed was young blood, at least E'dian hoped that was all that was needed. A gnawing feeling at his gut told him that wasn't the whole answer, but no matter. What did matter, was the glowing golden dragon on the ledge above. Another rumble from Xialanth reinforced that idea with fervor.

[fadingmemorie]

E'dian sends his greetings, Aliath said, rumbling her pleasure that they should respond. It was more the respect she should get from the bronzes of this Weyr, who had previously been treating her with all the dignity of a firelizard; cute to play with, not to ever be taken seriously. They had been seriously lacking in deference to her, and they would soon be given their own medicine.

"Hmm, I'll just bet he does," Gaelle replied, smirk forming on her lips. He was an attractive man, and she would be a fool to miss his handsome features. The goldrider could hear the bronze dragon rumbling to himself and his rider, and could guess the intents of both males. Of course, at age two, Aliath was primed to rise soon. Every bronzerider in the Weyr would be falling all over himself to win that Flight, one that would decide both the future of the Weyr's population and the future of the Weyr's leadership. It was a rare Flight indeed, and the outcome would be interesting no matter what it was.

Xialanth, you are looking quite well today. How are you? And greetings to yours from mine, Aliath purred mentally as well as physically. His image was pleasing to her eyes, which whirled blue and purple.

"Aliath! You--"

What? Nothing is wrong, the gold replied, stretching her shining golden body in the sun to entrance the bronze. She vaguely wondered if any others were watching.

[LyricalBlue]

With a dignity that only a bronze dragon could muster, Xialanth tilted his head to look upwards at the young gold once more.
You are far more worthy of attention.
His second comment was back to his rider and it was enough to cause a hint of a smile to creep across the Weyrsecond's face. And in truth, the too serious man did not ever smile enough.
Aliath and hers send their hellos.

"Indeed they do. Play nice, Xi." E'dian turned to tighten the straps around the now thoroughly distracted bronze's chest. Not that there wouldn't be competition and with only Arizith as the only other Queen, Xialanth had known, the bronze had never flown a Queen before. But then, really, none of the bronzes other than Birath had.

E'dian made a mental note to ask N'sian about that. If anyone would have tips on such matters, it would be the wily old Weyrleader. And Xi had been right, N'sian had been grooming them for the position for some years now. With fifteen years together and six of them spent as Weyrseconds, if anyone was ready to succeed N'sian it was them.

Are you in need of anything?
While his rider's mind wandered at its usual rapid pace, Xialanth's attention was all for the sparkling golden figure far above him. The bronze rustled his wings as he resettled them, nearly whopping his rider on the head in the process. Luckily, the many years spent caring for the bronze had instilled a very good instinct to duck in his rider.

"Watch it, handsome. You nearly got me there."
I have never hurt you. Was the short response from the bronze and with another smile at the familiar exchange, E'dian went back to tightening the straps.

[fadingmemorie]

Privately, Gaelle worried over Aliath rising soon. She had been with a man before, of course, but nothing ever so serious as this. The Weyr would be waiting with baited breath for the outcome, when the Weyrleader would be chosen. And it would never be anything personal, but Gaelle certainly did not see herself with N'sian. He was kind enough, patient enough, but just plain too old for the young woman. No, if anything, the fine man preparing his dragon below was what Gaelle might be able to get interested in.

Nothing for myself, but I do know that my rider, Gaelle, finds herself cold on some of these nights. Would you happen to know of a solution? The gold found herself immensely clever. Xialanth couldn't possibly help but to be charmed by her sweet, and cunning, ways. None of the bronzes would be able to resist her when her time came. You look handsome in your leathers, Xialanth. What are yours plans?

Gaelle's eyes widened. "Oh my Faranth," she muttered, knowing it was far too late to try to stop the instigator. Aliath had always been this way, and Gaelle knew she should have nipped this conversation in the bud. But it was too late now. "Why don't you just invite the man to my weyr?" she muttered deeper, hoping the dragon wouldn't hear her. Still, though, that thought was exciting. She hadn't been with any older man, the one she had been with being her age before she Impressed. In her mind, the things he must know flashed by, and she found herself blushing -- but not quite turned off.

[LyricalBlue]

Arching his neck in almost arrogant manner, the bronze took a moment before responding.
I shall let him know his services are required. We are to practice some maneuvers mine thinks could benefit the wings.
He then passed on the message to E'dian who promptly began to sputter. The Weyrsecond coughed and cleared his throat from the surprise. The reaction was violent enough that Xialanth turned his head to regard his rider with concern.

You are well? It is a good message.
Taking a moment for a breath, E'dian cleared his throat and then spoke.
"Xi, that is not quite the response I would have expected. Did that come from Gaelle or Aliath?"
Does it matter?

"Yes it matters! Gaelle is only a couple turns older than Iaslia!"
The speed of the bronze's whirling eyes increased as his rider's emotions rose and Xialanth half unfurled his wings in response.
You both get older. Nothing is wrong with this.
E'dian snorted and thumped Xi's shoulder and coughed once more, attempting to recover his composure. Darn meddling dragons.

Xialanth tilted his head back to look at Aliath once more and he settled his wings back in place as E'dian began to calm down.
I do not think he would mind. Not really.
The Weyrsecond was a far cry from the idea of a dashing, free bronzerider. In fact he regarded his duties with what most would call an extreme severity. And while he didn't tend to be bothered by age differences, Gaelle's closeness to his daughter's age was a bit of a shocker when he actually thought about it.

[fadingmemorie]

Gaelle shook her head and shot a look to the gold, who was preening in the sun. "You interfering creature! You probably just gave that man a terrible scare." She peered over the ledge and saw E'dian sputtering around his dragon. Sighing, she rubbed her eyes. "Maybe this Flight isn't a good idea..."

Aliath stood and stretched in the sun. It felt so good beating down on her well-developed and mature muscles. Shall we fly for a bit? I'm hungry.

"Yes, darling." Hurrying, she grabbed the straps from inside the weyr and brought them out to the gold. She knew by now that she would never be allowed to fly strapless by anyone in the Weyr; as the only queenrider, she was necessary to the continuation of the Weyr. She knew the male riders especially sometimes rode without straps. But she also knew she didn't want to deal with the backlash from her community. Fastening the straps on the dragon, she double checked her work so that no one could impugn her work. "Let's go," she said, finally strapping herself in.

They rose into the sky, flying so high that Gaelle became slightly heady. She gave the signal for lower to the dragon, and found herself as they came down upon a gorgeous view of the Weyr. The dragons sparkled as brightly as the lake. Aliath trumpeted loudly as her body glinted in the sunlight. Gaelle laughed, enjoying the fun of the flight. Both felt free, daring, and salacious.

[[Continued in the Feeding Grounds. Prepare for a Goldflight.]]

[LyricalBlue]

With draconic intuition, Xialanth began to shift from foot to foot in impatience. The bronze unfurled his wings halfway and rumbled deep within his chest. His rider blinked at the sudden change in his dragon's demeanor.
"What?"
We need to go. Now.

Then the gold and her rider took off from the ledge and E'dian was mounted as fast as Xialanth could stretch out a leg for his rider to scramble up. The bronze trumpeted in response and took after Aliath. Where they were going, both had a strong inkling and powerful wing strokes propelled them after the Queen and her rider.

The others would be coming soon. Likely even the young bronze that L'kus rode, if Aliath was old enough, likely the other Weyrling was as well. E'dian leaned forward, his eyes tearing in the wind as Xialanth picked up speed. Determination merged both rider and dragon and all questions were left behind in the wind.