Three dragons burst into the thin air high above Kharasi's craggy Star Stones. It was midday, and the sun turned the river and lake far below into a glistening strand of diamond. The rich klah-brown of the Weyr's canyon stood out starkly in contrast; at this hour, they threw no shadow.

The dragons arrived in fighting formation, with the big brown as the tip of the arrow and the two smaller greens behind him and to each side, forming the points of the bow.

He took us in much too high, Ywain informed her green, her eyes flashing fire beneath helmet and goggles. What does he think we are, uninitiated Weyrlings?

Pranath gave a low, soothing croon. She was used to her rider's sharp temper, and it had not perturbed her serenity since the day she'd broken shell. Sevofth is a smart brown, she said, with an admiration in her tone that made her fierce, black-haired rider grind her teeth. None of us had ever been here before, and he wanted to be sure we came in at a safe altitude. Kharasi's spires are much higher than Tiazora's.

And that, Ywain had to admit, was true. She reigned in her anger at the brown rider, and instead concentrated on the dazzling view spread out beneath her.

Why, Kharasi was huge! Those were Emig's first thoughts as she peered over Liranath's brindled shoulder. The canyon seemed limitless compared to Tiazora's more confined volcanic bowl. For a fleeting moment, she felt small and lost and homesick. However would she find her way around here, especially without M'cail to guide her? Her brother had stayed behind in Tiazora, mostly because so many brown riders had volunteered to help found the new Weyr. Emig had delayed her own departure as long as she could; she had never been separated from M'cail and found herself surprised to be missing him so terribly.

Liranath gave her an affectionate mental nudge. Emig, my sweet young rider, we are together. And are not M'cail and Laodeganth just a trip between away?

Her dragon's sound logic made Emig feel a little better. Characteristically, she soon forgot her wave of homesickness in her enthusiasm for the impressive spread beneath her. Waving her arms, she tried to get K'jin's attention, up ahead and to her left. "This place is amazing!" she shouted, letting go the fighting straps with both hands in order to cup them around her mouth and shout them.

Sevofth picked up on Emig's words, although K'jin could not have possibly heard them given the distance between him and Liranath, and the speeds they were all traveling. With amusement in his deep voice, he relayed the message to his rider. K'jin's normally impassive face dissolved briefly into a grin.

Cute kid, he told Sevofth. Tell her I agree.

There was a brief pause, then Sevofth dropped into a long spiral that would take him and his two companions down toward the Bowl. Liranath's rider is very happy.

When is she not? K'jin wondered with a mental snort, but couldn't help grinning again. He was in high spirits, and that made Emig's natural state contagious. A new start, in a new Weyr. It had been a very long time in coming. He knew Ywain, at least, hadn't wanted him as escort, but it made sense for them all to arrive together. Various duties had delayed the three of them too long. He knew that Emig's farewell from her brother had been tearful, so he could understand that. But Ywain was an enigma. Only recently graduated from Weyrlinghood, she and her green Pranath had developed the irritating air of distance that one usually put down to a young and arrogant queen rider. K'jin knew she didn't like him, and he couldn't care less.

What was important was getting here safely and getting everyone settled, no matter how much Ywain might complain about autonomy. He would get these sharding greenriders into their respective weyrs if it killed him, and then he and Sevofth would be off for a nice, long, exploratory flight of their new home.

Sevofth, please ask Iolath if it's all right for us to come down to meet the Weyrwoman. We're months late as it is, so ask her nicely!

Sevofth turned his head toward his rider, his eyes sparkling faintly orange with reproof. She is a gold, and Ahekayth's daughter. As if I would ask in any other way. The big, klah-brown dragon snorted and shook his mighty head, his mind already seeking to link with Kharasi's queen.

(*dissolves into slobbery fangirl goodness* Much love for K'jin still. Hehe.)

---------------

Iolath stirred from her resting place in the hatching sands, eyes unlidding with a flash of yellow in her eyes before dissolving into a more relaxed green and blue. Alesia looked up from her seat on her cot, hides strolled next to her even as she was supposed to be resting and taking a little time off from certain duties. Half afraid to be caught by an irate Headwoman, she hastily stacked them, but Iolath was quick to let her know that it was not the Headwoman that had aroused her interest. Only more Tiazora transfers. They wish to speak with you. She paused, flicking her tail thoughtfully before adding. There are only three. They may come in. You should not have to run about the Bowl for them..

Alesia frowned at the rude tinge in Iolath's voice. She'd half wonder if she'd been neglecting the brooding beast, but it was moreso that she'd been neglecting herself. Rubbing her eyes to ease the strain, the Weyrwoman nodded in acknowledgement. "Fine, then be so good as to invite them in, then?"

The Weyrwoman will speak with your riders. She is in the Hatching Grounds. I was sleeping. The queen would add the last part pleasantly enough, even if she might be baiting the brown slightly. Oh well, golds will be golds. The next comment would be added rather sweetly. There are good bucks in the feeding pens. You are all welcome to them.

The gold shook her head haughtily, seeming pleased with herself. They woke me, but I'm sure they are sorry for the inconvenience to myself. I told them the feeding pens are open to them. This seemed to be some courteous thing she did to all dragons, whether transfers or just visiting. Maybe she just felt that every dragon needed her blessing to eat from the pens in her Weyr. Alesia chuckled at her dragons self importance, standing up to straighten out her loose tunic. A curse escaped her lips, realizing she had just smeared a small amount of ink onto the tail of the shirt. Ugh, her favorite one, too. Served her right, she guessed. "Well, good to know." Alesia murmured, still bemused that she just ruined a perfectly good tunic with ink. The gold paid her no mind, meticulously nosing a few eggs this way and that.

((Oh my, Iolath has grown up so beautifully. I feel like a proud mommy!))

Between his thighs, K'jin felt Sevofth's male rumble smooth into an audible croon. It certainly wasn't to him, so the brown rider figured he must be speaking to Iolath.

It is a good hour to sleep, Sevofth told Iolath, his mental voice soft and deep and respectful. It is a poor choice of time for us to arrive. Now his voice was low with contrition. Please let your rider know we will not stay long, and we will be away to sun ourselves and survey the feeding pens. The brown, ever mindful of the respect browns must give queens, was nevertheless unable to stop a note of sly thanks from entering his tone.

K'jin caught the last part of his mental transmission, and gave his brown a clout on his muscular shoulder. "Why, you wherry-head, must you insist on conversation with the senior queen? As if you're a leading bronze, for the love of Carenath!" From Sevofth's mental picture, he knew now that Iolath was in the Hatching Grounds with Alesia, and that they were all invited there. A rare offer. "Your stomach," he informed his brown, "Is too big for your brain."

For his part, Sevofth noted the affection throughout his rider's tone, and smugly ignored every word he said.

Ywain and Pranath, Emig and Liranath, received Sevofth's instructions and followed them as precisely as if they were in a fighting drill. Ywain was controlled and calm, merely awaiting the chance to get herself and her dragon away from the irritating brown rider. Emig was scarcely able to contain her excitement, and she squealed as Liranath backwinged onto the hot sands of the Hatching Grounds a respectful distance from Iolath's clutch. Her purple-gray eyes were huge in her waiflike face as she slid down her dragon's shoulder. Not since Liranath's Hatching had she seen a clutch of dragon eggs, and never so recently laid and softish-looking.

All three riders bowed deeply to Iolath and Alesia. K'jin, after smacking his brown on the cheek, strode after Emig and Ywain to where the Weyrwoman waited, standing beside her glowing queen.

But it was Emig who spoke first. "Ohhhh Alesia," she gasped. "Iolath is so beautiful! And her eggs - she is so kind to let us in among them!" And the curly-haired small greenrider dropped the great queen another deep curtsey.

Ywain even managed a smile, looking between Pranath and Iolath. Both dragons were from the same clutch. "They have grown up well, haven't they?" she said, her usually fierce expression smoothed into one of delight and awe at the present company.

K'jin stood behind the two women, and said nothing at first. His expression was a mixture of apology and defiance, and if he could have communicated privately with Alesia, it would be to apologize for intruding on the sanctity of her and her queen's domain, and for the precociousness of his overly-chatty brown.

(Teehee! I love them dearly! They're an imperfect Queen and Weyrwoman.. slightly vicious but good when it comes down to it. =) )


Iolath inclined her head kindly towards the dragons that appeared, a tail curling towards her eggs despite herself, though her eyes did not take on any irate tinge. Alesia would show a similar gesture at least in spirit, offering a smile as the greenriders were quick to come forward after paying their respects. The Weyrwoman was greatly pleased with their comments, and slightly flattered by the comments. "Oh, for all her huffing and puffing and scaring people away, I swear she delights in showing them off." A grin, and she couldn't help but gesture to the clutch in a sort of amazement. "But have you taken notice of the size of them? You should have seen how huge she ballooned to! I had almost expected forty eggs from her!" And true enough, at least seven eggs were showing commendable size.

She immediately recognized the greenrider that had been a candidate alongside herself. These reunions were lighting her mood up pleasantly, her mind abuzz with excitement at being able to talk of clutches and Iolath, and other such things. "Absolutely. You can tell they are clutchmates just at the glance of them.." Alesia blushed a bit at that comment, but she had been slightly surprised how they sister dragons did favor one another in build despite the great difference in size and color.

Now, the Weyrwoman suppressed a giggle, expressions screwing up into that of amusement desperately trying to be suppresed. "Why K'jin, you look as if you are attending a woman's birthing... so out of place." He seemed mildly... mortified at the whole situation, and this pleased Alesia. She always delighted in seeing men out of their element. Oh, but she really shouldn't be so vicious. She offered a hand to the man. "K'jin of Sevofth yes? I told Shalamar I needed more able bodied brownriders and it's good to see she delivered. I've heard good things about you." Then, a sly grin was given towards the women to let them know they certainly weren't forgotten. "Not to exclude you two. I usually expect good of the female greenriders."

Emig's elfin face broke into an uncomplicated smile at the Weyrwoman's phrase. "You hear that, Liranath?" she asked the striped-hide dragon in mock sternness, turning to her green with her fists on her hips, slim straight body the very image of pride. "We have a reputation to maintain! No fooling around."

The green dragon blew warm air at her rider, ruffling Emig's black curls with an audible whuff. No one present could mistake the dismissiveness of that snort, even if they did not already know that Emig was not quite the dedicated worker her dragon was.

Ywain was still gazing from her green to Alesia's mighty queen, smiling slightly at the praise Alesia had so neatly delivered. She caught the Weyrwoman's eyes, then lowered her own beneath her straight black bangs. "Pranath is wonderful, and I wouldn't exchange her for all the world, but she doesn't have the ... presence ... that Iolath does." The young woman glanced again at the glowing queen as she curled her long tail protectively around her eggs, but Alesia was already engaged in verbally chiding K'jin. Good. It would do the arrogant brownrider a world of service to be taken down a peg. She refused to look at him, just reached out to stroke her dragon's foreleg, listening and trying to count the eggs Iolath had so far laid.

Why do you dislike him so? her green asked in her soft, musical voice. Ywain scowled.

Because he's willful and self-centered, and believes himself beyond reproach.

The green dragon had too much tact to point out that these were qualities shared in ample amounts by her weyrmate. However, she could not resist gently teasing her rider. A dragon did not spend a lifetime bonded to one heart and mind without learning all about deep fears, and deep desires.

What if, she asked Ywain, and yawned hugely to show she did not care, Sevofth is the one to catch me when I rise to mate?

K'jin chose that moment to respond to Alesia's gentle taunting, and it disrupted Ywain's forthcoming retort to her cheeky green.

The brown rider started to run one strong-fingered hand over his shorn scalp, stopped, and controlled the nervous habit, choosing instead to cross well-muscled arms. "I feel as if I'm at a birthing, Weyrwoman,[/i] he answered in his low growl, but managed a deferential nod in Iolath's direction. One did not anger the senior queen at the best of times, and being in the Hatching Grounds with one who was in the process of laying a clutch was not exactly the best of times. However, after dealing with irrational females all morning, he was in no mood for verbal sparring now, not even with his new Weyrwoman.

"Forgive me," he said instead, and unfolded one arm to indicate the Grounds, the sky, the entire craggy canyon of the Weyr. "It's been a tiring morning, I suspect for you as well." His eyes drifted to the ink stain on the hem of her tunic. "We don't mean to take up all your valuable time. Where should we weyr, and what are our duties now that we've arrived?" He hesitated, then asked in a softer tone, meant for Alesia only, "I thought we should ask you, as Tiazora wasn't able to tell us whether you had officially recognized a Weyrleader yet. We are at your service." He couldn't resist throwing a warning scowl at flighty little Emig and haughty Ywain as he said this.

*Pokes RP*

Sweet Stormy, I would very much like to use Emig and Ywain elsewhere. I know your time is limited. Please forgive me if I take these two to their weyrs; I want to write while the inspiration still has hold of me.

((Oh! Terribly sorry; feel free to take them elsewhere. This encounter was destined to be brief anyhow. I'll give a response post for the sake of information but don't feel obligated to respond. =) Then again, if you want K'jin to harrass her further I'm always open to his gruff abuse. Teehee XD ))


Alesia now turned her full attention to the brownrider, taking a moment before speaking. "The dragon that caught Iolath was Behemath, and L'gan took the position as Weyrleader as tradition dictates... but had one of the browns caught Iolath and the rider had ability to lead, I would have allowed for a brownriding Weyrleader." She added that somewhat hastily, wondering if how she had rather publicly opened the flight to both bronzes and browns had made people wonder how she expected to determine Weyrleadership.