A Queen's Place (Open!)

[fadingmemorie]

Gaelle strolled slowly into the hatching grounds, eyebrows knitted in thought. The last few days had been a whirlwind rush of activity. She never understood what it was truly going to be like to be Weyrwoman, and she hadn't truly graduated weyrling class yet. But tasks awaited in the Weyr; the only goldrider would not have the privilege of finishing the last few weeks of social classes. She still received lessons in the evening, after her duties were finished, and she was still expected to complete any coursework set. There was just another job to do as well.

It was strange for Gaelle, who hadn't expected to be thrust so suddenly into adulthood, and yet still be so very adolescent. She'd known the day was coming that she would be expected to step into the shoes of her predecessors, but she could never have fathomed the tempest of emotions and thoughts that accompanied the change. The last few days had been exhausting and busy.

They had also been exciting and entertaining in a way the Queenrider-weyrling had never experienced. Her opinions were important appreciated. She had been able to sit in on meetings with the Weyrleader and his seconds. And though Gaelle had never been an vanity-driven person, the adoring looks of the little girls and salacious looks from men didn't hurt her feelings. It all made the goldrider feel important. It made her feel needed.

As she thought, she surveyed the sands. In some weeks, Aliath would be laying her first clutch here. It was going to be a celebratory day, symbolic of the future of the Weyr. Gaelle had the best of hopes for that day, and hoped it went according to plans. If anything went wrong, her Weyrfolk would lose morale. The Weyrleader needed the support of the Weyrfolk to ensure the community ran smoothly.

Walking over the sands, she felt the heat through the soles of her boots. Her mind was wrapped up in thoughts of tasks and responsibility, and one thought ran into the next.

Crunch!

Mind and body halted, she knelt to see what she had so loudly stepped on. Picking up an egg shard, a grin stretched across her face. "Faranth," she whispered, astonished and pleased. Gaelle decided to take it as a good omen. She stood again, and stared at the shell in her hand for a time, thinking again.

[wonder123]

"Greetings Weyrwoman."

The bronze rider had been waiting to catch the new Weyrwoman alone....Days had passed since the last time the bronze rider had seen the girl, and for him the parting had not been a good one. Before he'd turned away from the scene, she'd been in quite a compromising position with the then wing-second, E'dian. That was fine, he'd come to turns with it. There was nothing you could do against dragonlust anyways.

Besides, R'lec had his own plan to right the wrongs of that night. One didn't need to be Weyrleader to control a weyr. Just a Weyrwoman.

And what a woman Gaelle was. Before she could turn, R'lec's eyes made a slow appraisal, starting from her fiery red hair, pausing on her backside, and then down to the soles of her boots on the warm sand. He was leaning against the entrance of the cavern, arms crossed. But now he straightened to his full height and made his way next to Gaelle.

"Adjusting well?" He inquired politely, the customary smirk was gone from his lips, but the mischievousness was there in his hazel eyes, currently locked on the Gaelle's grey-blue. Did he notice how close he was to her, or was it just coincidence?

[fadingmemorie]

At the sudden sound of a voice, Gaelle jumped. "Oh, hello, R'lec," she responded politely, but wondering what in Fall he was doing in the Sands. She had only seen him in passing since the Aliath's First Flight, and she'd gotten the distinct impression he was angry with her over the affair. She didn't know why, other than he had wanted to try his bid at Weyrleader. The goldrider felt more secure, however, in having groomed-for-the-rank E'dian running the Weyr. He just had more experience, even if he was a bit distant.

She grasped the eggshell in her hand, carefully holding it tightly so it didn't break further. The mottled, brownish-white shard had a crack starting from one corner. The other side of the egg was smooth and white. Holding it comforted her. R'lec came to stand in front of her. "Adjusting well?" he asked, gazing into her eyes. He was taller than she, and Gaelle noticed it as she met his eyes. And he stood so close that she was sure he was getting more air to breathe than she.

"Well enough," she managed. How did he manage to look so good and so bad at the same time? Gaelle broke the eye contact, looking again at the shell in her hand. Suddenly, it seemed very interesting to her. "How are you doing, R'lec?" A wave of heat washed over her face that had nothing to do with the temperature of the sands.

[wonder123]

"I'd say right now I have no complaints." His voice was lower, and if they'd been in a room crowded full of people instead of an empty Hatching Ground, his words were only for her.

R'lec's eyes followed, again pausing on just the right places, hers until he saw the shard in her delicate hand. His larger hand covered hers, and he nodded politely again. "May I?" His tone implied something more, but his fingers deftly picked the shell from her hand as he held it up to examine it.

"To think that held one of those out there," He gestured to the bowl where the small dragon population sunned themselves. "I always thought it was funny how something so ...dangerous... could come in such a small package." He was referring to Hatchings, certainly. When clumsy talons were known to rip open a candidate just as soon as Impress to one. Gaelle and R'lec were among the lucky ones, considerably. Soon, those would be Aliath's eggs on the Sands.

He returned the shard to her hand, pausing for just the briefest of moments before he turned and walked further in the sands. A hand strayed into his hair, and then he turned back to smile at Gaelle. "Well, shall we? I'm sure there's more of those lying around."

[fadingmemorie]

His voice was confusing her. His words were innocent enough, but there seemed to be an undertone that meant something entirely different. He was talking of all things dragons, and yet, she couldn't help but feel like she was the subject of the conversation. Gaelle dismissed it as a silly notion from a weyrwoman whose gold was broody. "Oh, sure, if you want to. You don't have anything else to do?" Her own tone carried nothing of the Weyrwoman authority, and sounded more of a little sister invited along for the fun.

She went into the sands herself and cast her gaze around, looking for more shards poking up. Wondering why he was even there in the first place, she occasionally stole glances at his visage. His words about the eggs producing death as well as happiness rang true to her. Even in her own Impression, three candidates were maimed or worse before the dragonets had been Impressed.

Fingering the original shard in her hand, she knelt down and gingerly tossed sand around until she found another shard. "We better have the drudges in here to remove these bits before the next hatching. I'm worried the dragonets will tear their hides on these sharp pieces." She'd been surprised to find two large shards. Only hand-sized, but the point remained.

After a few minutes, she stood, a handful of shards to show for her work. "What have you found?"

[wonder123]

This was too easy. With a smile, R'lec could tell this girl - because despite impressing a Gold and having a Weyr at her beck and call, that's what she was. Gaelle had to be at least 6....7 turns younger than him. She didn't look it, with curves in all the right places, but it was obvious from this conversation.

So maybe she wasn't going to present as much of a challenge as he'd anticipated. For a moment the bronze rider felt disappointed, but shards. It was just another girl in his bed. What did it really matter?

"I think that's a good idea. Maybe you could get the candidates to do it instead though? Get them familiar with the place? I think they'd like to keep the shells for good luck." He called over his shoulder. He played the part of helpful bronzerider to a T. Really, he could have been a Harper for all the things that came out his mouth.

At her inquiry, R'lec stood from the place he'd been crouching, his hand closed. "Have a look." It didn't seem very long before he was in front of her again. In his hand was a shard with a distinct golden sheen. He'd been in the area where Aliath's egg had rested, and since hers had been the last Hatching the Weyr had seen, it only made sense for some shards to be there. He opened his fist so she could see it laying on his palm.

He was too good at this.

[LyricalBlue]

Shards, where was that woman. E'dian paced up and down the halls, searching in her usual haunts. The herdbeast population was really low, and E'dian was rather worried, he wanted to run the idea of a round up of sorts by the Weyrwoman. It would be good exercise for the wings, but he had to know how many beasts they could actually feed and he couldn't find either the Headwoman or the Weyrwoman. Where did they all get to in this dratted place?
Aliath says shes in the Hatching Grounds.

The Weyrleader quirked an eyebrow and spun, heading down another corridor, towards Gaelle. Good of Xialanth to always be around as a woman finder.
I always know where -she- is.
Yes, you do my heart. And a good thing that is. Our little lady has a tendency to get into trouble.

He paused at the entrance to the grounds and his blood froze as it pumped through his veins. It turned to ice as he watched R'lec dance around her like a strutting wherry. E'dian crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, simply watching. Such things were not uncommon in a Weyr, many kept multiple partners.

A knight in shining armor he was not, but he certainly was a watchful guardian. Aliath had chosen Xialanth and as for any other... dalliances well...
Xi, please let Gaelle know that I'm here.
With a mental rumble, the bronze passed on the message to the golden Aliath.

[fadingmemorie]

Gaelle started to see what R'lec held when Aliath spoke. Xialanth says -he- is in the Hatching Grounds. There was a pause. He says -he- sounds angry. Is something wrong? The Queen sounded concerned. Her rider looked around for the Weyrleader, wondering when he had entered, and completely missing the gold shard in R'lec's hand.

No, darling. Everything's fine. I'm sure E'dian just has pressing business. He always does. Gaelle was as reassuring as she could be. She knew it wasn't healthy for a Queen to have stress during the pregnancy. Spotting E'dian in the doorway, leaning in much the way R'lec had when he came found her. The similarity bothered her, but she didn't know why. R'lec hadn't been anything but polite and helpful, but she knew his track record with women. She wasn't new to the Weyr, just new to the Ranks. "Hello, E'dian!" she yelled, waving. "Look what I found today."

She ran over to him, for some reason vaguely relieved to be physically separated from the other bronzerider. Opening her hand, she showed him the large shell she had found. "I rather thought it was a sign of good luck for our clutch," Gaelle said shyly, smiling at him from under her eyelashes.

[LyricalBlue]

Quirking an eyebrow at the unexpected response, he couldn't help a tiny smile at the young woman's antics. Weyrwoman she may be, but she was still wet behind the ears. How exactly did one be a teacher and a lover in any sort of balance? E'dian as usual, had simply no idea how to handle women aside from the basic maneuvers.

He looked down at what Gaelle presented the egg shell and did his best to hide a pained expression. Young indeed, didn't she have enough work to keep her busy? Then again, the Headwoman had been very efficient for a long time and it wasn't like the population was large.

"Very pretty, my lady." His eyes flicked to the other bronzerider behind her, who wore a rather smug expression. Up on his ledge, far outside, Xialanth rumbled and his eyes whirled slightly red. But that of course was the extent of display from the pair. E'dian looked coolly back down at the little Weyrwoman.
"I was wondering, how many beasts could we feed safely?"

(Wooooonder, its yourrrrrr turn.)

[wonder123]

Myneth, that lazy beast, could have warned him!

As it were, R'lec was barely able to check his suprise and agitation at the interruption. He pocketed the gold egg shard and managed a respectful, if distant, nod to his new Weyrleader - to the man who'd beat him. Well, the game wasn't over quite yet.

His hazel eyes took in the scene of the two of them cooly, noting E'dian's less-than-excited response to his new weyrmate. The age difference would be eve pronounced between them than his own with Gaelle. The awkwardness was amusing. Seeing how it was considered rude to laugh in a man's face, especially one of higher rank than you, R'lec kept his face indifferent as he came over to join the pair. He still needed that Wing-Second position, after all. And shards, if he could get into his good graces as well as Gaelle's, who's to say there wasn't a higher rank waiting for him in another wing? To be out of E'dian's immediate supervision and with a wing of his own, that was almost enough to entice him to hug the man.

Myneth was not feeling the same. Dark bronze wings stretched from a ledge in the Bowl, and ironically enough there was a similar whirling of red in his eyes as Xialanth's. He had not taken kindly to losing.

"If I may make a suggestion?" He looked to Gaelle to see if it was alright, then back to E'dian. "We can't be the only one with a suffering population. Which would mean more land available than before. All those animals roaming uninhibited. It couldn't hurt to extend the hunting grounds outside the Weyr, could it?" He couldn't see why they hadn't already. R'lec and others had been making such visits for turns. One just didn't talk about them so openly.

[fadingmemorie]

Inspiration dawned on the Weyrwoman. Following the two men's gazes, Gaelle noted a look of disdain whenever they glanced at each other. And that was often, and when the other wasn't looking. She began to realize that a rather unhealthy competition had begun when E'dian won the Weyrleadership flight. She also realized that E'dian must think she and the other bronzerider were dallying together. When R'lec started talking, Gaelle started thinking about quickly ending the interaction. Aliath, keep the peace, darling.

Yes. I see what you mean, Aliath replied. Her mate's eyes were whirling softly red, and she reached out to Myneth and felt his agitation. Crooning softly to her mate, she placed her neck under his and bumped her head to his chin, reassuring him that she belonged with him, and no amount of flirty bronzes would stop that. Feeling the gold's attempts at calming, Gaelle hoped the messages were getting to E'dian as well. She noticed a bit of coldness directed to her as well.

But even though she wanted to quiet R'lec, he made a valid point. She, herself, had been taking Aliath west of the Weyr to an abandoned hold to feed. And Aliath hadn't seemed worse for the wear; indeed, she seemed to be growing more and more because of it. "No, but somehow, to have the entire Weyr scavenging the jungles for wild beasts seems wrong. Surely, there's a better way to support the Weyr's population. Our forebearers mananged." Her face took on a stern look. "And I'm to understand the Weyrleader's question was meant for me, Wingrider R'lec. You may speak when you are addressed, about Weyr matters." Her grey eyes, now dark, warned him from under furrowed brows.

Gaelle turned her focus to E'dian. "The headwoman and I have been working this problem out. Unless we start receiving some generous tithing very soon, the Weyr's herdbeast and wherry populations won't support the hatchlings from our clutch and the rest of our dragons for more than two months. Luckily, the hatching is another two months away, at least, so that gives us some time to prepare. R'lec may be...enthusiastic about hunting away from the Weyr, but I am less so." Now the Weyrwoman knew she was treading on thin ice, but she had to improvise. "I'm not sure of the logistics, but I have been kicking around an idea in my head. Would it be possible to drive the herds closer to the Weyr? I've heard of it done before, in other places where it is too difficult to nourish a herd, but food is needed. Perhaps we could improvise a way to bring the wild herds back home."

[LyricalBlue]

The gold's actions were quickly apparent as Xialanth ceased his posturing and turned his attentions from Myneth and directed them to Aliath. The effect could also be clearly seen on E'dian's face as the Weyrleader visibly relaxed. He nodded succinctly to R'lec, any idea of contest fading from his mind. Ah Gaelle, he did not envy R'lec in the slightest at that moment, she was not a woman to cross.

The Weyrleader ran a hand through typically tousled hair as he thought. Yes, perhaps this could work after all.
"The wings could use some practice. I was thinking that we could perhaps see how many we can scare out of the jungle. We can perhaps make this a regular patrol." Generous tithing was not about to happen, especially considering that the only hold that even knew of the Weyr's existence was Ponaa and there was a bare handful there that could even feed themselves.


It wasn't that E'dian was not affectionate, it was more that his mind moved at such a rapid pace, that by the time he had greeted Gaelle, he was three steps forwards in his planning. And with Xialanth passivized, so was the quick tempered Weyrleader.
"Cutting the herd would be good strategy and team building I think. So perhaps the next time thread falls, we will not suffer the same losses."

His expression clearly darkened at the memory of the losses when Arizith fell. Many dragons and riders died trying to protect her when Lysia had gotten it into her head that it was a good idea for the old gold to fly in a Fall. E'dian sighed and shook his head, he was determined for such things not to happen again.

[wonder123]

Well, weren't they just a pair...

His helpful words apparently fell on deaf ears. Surprisingly, the one he'd felt would be his ally was the one to snap at him. Give it time. He reminded himself. E'dian was probably her first. And if R'lec knew anything, he knew how much girls fawned over their first loves. Right now, E'dian could say anything and Gaelle would praise him as if he'd just promised to rid Pern of Thread.

For now he just raised is hands, palms out, in defense. "My apologies. I was just trying to help." The Weyr being all of their home, it almost felt wrong to have such a young girl making the decisions that would effect them so much. Hadn't he just seen how childish she could be? He hoped E'dian enjoyed the work.

They were lost in their discussion now. Any headway he'd been making would be lost if he continued on with it. Well, he still had the gold shard. "Sir, if you need any help with the Wing, please let me know. If not, I'll see you in drill." He inclined slightly in the customary bow due to Weyrleaders. "Weyrwoman, thank you for your company." And then he strode off, leaving them in their lovefest.

He'd have to find someone else to take this edge off. But there were plenty of women for that in the Lower Caverns. Myneth was stretching - the release he craved would be found when he sank his talons into an unsuspecting wherry. Neither had to say anything, they were one, as always.

[fadingmemorie]

"Have a pleasant evening, R'lec," Gaelle replied, glad that one of the men was departing. The tension on the sands was as thick as tuber soup. A part of her was upset, though, for many reasons. That her men couldn't, or wouldn't, get along, that R'lec was departing (because she couldn't deny liking the attention), and that E'dian seemed about as interested in her as a dragon in a wher. Weariness settled on the Weyrwoman. The job was harder than she had known, and without a Senior Weyrwoman to guide her, she knew she was making costly mistakes.

"Yes, I agree. And this Weyr could use some team-building," she said, raising a sardonic eyebrow. It seemed that in the loss of the queen and continued losses in threadfall, the Weyr had also lost much of its morale. Surveying the Weyr since gaining her new post, it wasn't hard for Gaelle to recognize a cloud gathering. She had ideas on how to change the weatherfront, but it would be hard. And she saw E'dian as a potential roadblock to the change she knew she must make. "What was that all about?" she asked, gesturing to R'lec's footprints out of the cavern.

[LyricalBlue]

The newly made Weyrleader shrugged, he was not about to say territory to a woman. He knew enough about them to know that such things were not to be said. Turning his head, the gray eyed man watched R'lec stalk off. The bronze rider really needed a woman to dally with, and not his Gaelle. He really should go after the younger man, R'lec might be a rutting wherry, but he was a damn good rider and E'dian could not afford a dissafected bronze. That lended to mistakes they couldn't afford.

E'dian turned back to the seemingly now pouting Weyrwoman, she was so young. He really couldn't fault her for being swayed by R'lec. He hadn't known a woman who wasn't, but she had rather more to think about then dallying with the bronzes of the Weyr.
"I think I need to give him something to occupy him. That man has too much free time."

His eyes went distant in the way that all riders do when speaking to their dragons.
"Xi, please ask Myneth to have R'lec organize the hunt."
Done. The bronze's rumbling reply was still short on account of the attentions Aliath was still lavishing on him. His rider couldn't blame him either, that was something else he had grown to like more than work. Not that he'd ever tell anyone that.

E'dian focused back on the woman before him and in a rather unusual display of affection, he wrapped his arms around her in a hug. After a long moment he released her.
"Don't worry. We're a team remember?"