Warmer Here [Hatching Feast]

[Sparrow]

After the Hatching, Kora and Nayarath had rather promptly flown back up to their weyr to make up for weeks of lost sleep. Thrilled to finally be free of the Sands, that didn't last long on Nayarath's part, and so not on Kora's either. Nayarath had gotten her fill of hunting in, gotten a bath, and following that Kora had needed to leave her excited dragon to help set up the feast.

Needless to say, she was pretty worn out. But the feast was a tradition, and Kora was quite pleased with the outcome of the hatching. No surprises in it, plenty of good hatchlings, a new queen... and now they were finally done caring for eggs for a while. She stood up from her chair with a weary smile.

"We certainly had an exciting morning today, and it's time to add a few more sleepless hours as we welcome our newest weyrlings! We have twenty-four new riders today, all very worth celebrating. We look forward to the day that they can join us in the air. Clear skies!"

I wish I could have come.

Not my fault you clutched in the dead of winter. The Weyr bowl would be a cold place to spend the evening. It was warmer here, a better place for humans and tag-along dragonets.

[ShadowReine]

The gown had been a gift from her aunt, intended for just this occasion. It had sat in Karisna's trunk since before Jorindath's hatching.

But that had been the instruction with it. 'For the Hatching Feast'. It must have cost the woman a fair amount of a year's income, a dress worthy of...

...a queenrider. By fortunate coincidence, it was even a shade of lighter red that complimented Fioloth's maroon hide. Definitely the most 'red' of the violets hatched so far. Kari would have been almost embarrassed to wear the gowl, which caught under her breasts nicely, but...

She was a queenrider. Part of her duty, now, was to look like one. The gold trim on the dress was perfect for Fioloth, whilst it might have clashed with her dam. Of course, the Weyr had predicted Fioloth's egg would indeed hatch a violet.

She wondered how many had quietly predicted who the queenling would choose. The final pin went into her hairdo. "Do you want to tag along, Fioloth? Or are you too tired?"

Kari was, herself, exhausted. There had been the heat and stress of the Hatching, the...irreplaceable thrill of Impression. Then the task of cleaning the egg goo off the large dragonet and oiling her until she shone. Then, of course, she had had to bathe and change, put her hair up.

She stifled a yawn. But the newest queenrider could not skip her own Hatching Feast. Was this a harbinger of things to come? Truth was...she was not sure what to do. Fioloth fell in next to her as she crossed the bowl and the pair entered the huge dining cavern together. Of course, the violet would not fit in here for long. Were heads turning as she walked in?

She was rather glad that the gown was not too revealing. People would murmur about her as Shador's replacement and she certainly didn't plan on bedhopping like *that*.

But as soon as she could escape from the feast she was going to get some *sleep*. Hopefully it would not show...

[Sketchy]

"You look silly."

"I do not." D'cien's indignant tone made T'ien smile just a little as he handed a wide-tooth comb to his brother.

"You do too. Comb your hair."

D'cien took the comb and grumbled. As the two men, new weyrlings, prepared for the hatching feast, their two tired dragons watched. One, the blue, bounced as he watched. We get to mingle! I love to mingle.

Minalth, studious and serious, snorted in mock. The last time we mingled, you tried to bowl your bonded over. You're too big of a blue to do that.

T'ien grinned as he straightened his clothing one last time, watching as Hiarth whined to D'cien. "Your dragon is mean," he told his brother, and eyebrow raised as he watched the stubby bronze stand and stretch, preparing to head out.

"Nah. Minalth wouldn't hurt a flit, let alone a big bad blue like your bonded." Just on the edge of his thoughts he could feel Hiarth's indignant feelings as he told D'cien lengthily just what he thought of his family.

"Come on you two- you can whine later." Patting Minalth in a manner that was already becoming familiar, as if to make sure he was really there, T'ien led the way to the hall. His brother already looked out of place- fidgeting in his fine clothing and sneaking glances at any pretty girl who would notice him.

T'ien eyes searched out Kora until Minalth butted him with his head. There, the dragonet said, looking to the head. Sliding into a seat with D'cien beside him (grumbling), T'ien took a moment to appreciate the warmth and relative calm. It had been a long day.

[Jenth]

While those that could had returned to their beds after the Hatching, many couldn't since the sun was just peaking over the horizon. Many were just too excited to think about sleep till reminded to tasks and duties that still needed to be carried out, and L'han stayed vigilante to keep the Weyr running. They had waited months for the eggs to crack shell, they could afford a few hours longer to celebrate and enjoy themselves.

Seated besides Kora, he liked to think it more for the support of their united leadership then just being Weyrleader. It was something he may not be come next Summer when Nayarath was due to fly again. That was a long way off yet, but till then a combined front was best for all.

"Don't think we could have hoped for a better hatching." L'han commented as Kora sat back down.

Inolyn had excitedly wore herself out maybe a little too much she thought, her eyes feeling a little droopy. Till Kora had appeared after some much needed rest, she had taken it upon herself to monitor the feast preparations. After that she had taken some time out to greet and welcome some of the the guests that would be joining them, many of them Master Crafters.

Like many feast and special occasions she had gone a little further to appear her best. Tonight was a flowing red and white dress, her long brunette hair pinned to cascade down to one side. No matter how hard it was to maintain she still refused to cut it, believing it to be a strong characteristic for herself. However there was a small amount of vanity in the argument, since she felt she looked better with long hair.

With the hatching of another violet, the first in about 4 Turns since Jorindath broke shell, Inolyn had lost the small feeling of loneliness since Shador and Kelth's death. She was sure Gwen enjoyed being one of a kind but Inolyn didn't, especially since queens meant the survival of dragon kind and Pern. Still, she knew Kari would impress well. The girl was suited to be a queenrider. Hopefully she would get the opportunity to talk to her later, but till then she wondered where B'can had slipped off to. Jorindath was due to rise soon, which gave hope to those not lucky enough to Impress this time.

[Sparrow]

"No. It went very well." No surprises whatsoever, which had probably disappointed plenty of people, but Kora didn't mind. Nayarath had laid a good clutch. Wuith had been a good sire. Everything had gone as it should, excepting maybe the early wake up, which she could have gone without.

There was no helping that, however, and Kora looked over the arrivals. Both Violetriders had shown up in red, although Kora doubted they could have planned that. Not all queenriders matched; Kora had come in a light brown dress, tinged a bit with orange. It worked well with Nayarath's color, but probably wouldn't look so good against the other women in her wing. Not that she expected red on red to look very well either.

"I'm ready for all the excitement to be over though." Which would probably take a while, since Nayarath took a while to get over her thrill at being free from the sands.

-----

Jackie had been expecting a Green and had put together a dark green dress for herself. It worked well enough to contrast Finth's bright coloring. She slipped into the dining hall, one hand on Finth's back, the best she could do to keep the Green from jetting across the hall and causing some damage. Finth was dancing beside her, eyes whirling, head up, nostrils flared as she took in the sight and scents of the scene. This is so exciting! I've never been to a party!

Of course she hadn't. Jackie looked around for Kari, located her, and went that way. Finth scrambled along beside her, a little unsteady on the smooth floor. "Congratulations Kari! That's so exciting you got a Violet!" Exciting, but what a relief her friend had gotten it instead of her. Finth jutted forward her head, peering at Fioloth with a mixture of wariness and curiosity.

She's much bigger than me, Finth mumbled.

[Sketchy]

T'ien rested a hand on Minalth for a moment, taking a breather, so to speak, from the crowd and the noise. The dragonets themselves weren't noisy, but the combined ruckus from the scraping of benches, clatter of silverware, exclaiming voices, and dragonet tails knocking things over made T'ien's head pound just a little. It'd been a long day. Of course, D'cien was in the thick of it, him and that excitable blue of his bounding around like they'd just slept a turn or two.

Let's step outside, mine. You're too tense. Of course he should have guessed that Minalth would know. It was still a strange idea to have someone else in his head. "Yes," he agreed, leading the way out to take a few breaths of fresh air. He doubted anyone would notice he'd stepped out, not with D'cien in there.

He would admit he was proud of his brother. He was proud of himself, and of his dragonet, but also proud of D'cien. He knew how long he'd been waiting.

~

D'cien was juggling, Hiarth swaying as he watched each plate rise and fall in time with each other, his rainbow eyes locked on. The fact that he'd managed to Impress bubbled up in his stomach and up his chest, threatening to explode in a gush of rainbows and bunnies if he didn't contain himself.

Of course he barely managed, giving half-lidded glances to any girl whose attention he could catch, before finally spotting Jackie. Seeing her head off towards the violet (who D'cien had barely noticed, to be perfectly honest, as Hiarth had reassured him he wasn't interested in queens at all, except to tease), D'cien caught all three plates and bowed before replacing them unharmed to the table.

He didn't want to intrude, but he did want to congratulate Jackie, and show off Hiarth, of course.

[ShadowReine]

Kari smiled...but also blushed a little. "I was...hardly expecting her, although of course, now it makes perfect *sense* why I didn't Impress from Jorindath's clutch."

Fioloth studied Finth for a moment, Of course I am larger. I am a queen. Kari, hearing that, nudged her dragon with her foot. "Fioloth, be nice. You're just larger to fit eggs in."

Could a dragonet harrumph? This one could.

"She's a nice green. Very bright colored...she's going to stand out." And likely attract the males, although not as much as Fioloth. Flights. Well...she would have had to deal with *those* whatever, and queens, at least, rose less often.

Queens. Even if Fioloth was not a gold, Kari could not believe she had bonded a QUEEN. It didn't seem quite real, despite Fioloth's solid presence in her mind. "You got what you wanted, if I recall right you preferred green to barred?"

And to think she had thought she wanted a barred, but she supposed every dragonrider went through that. Well, no, not ever. Some had to get the color they had desired...but Fioloth had surprised her. Although from some of the looks...only her.

--

B'can had not slipped away far at all. He simply had his priorities. The food table was the only thing that could possibly come before Apolloth and Inolyn, in that order, in his priorities. "Inolyn!" he called. "Do you want me to get you anything while I'm up?"

Whether she would hear him in the general murmur. There were dragonets in the hall...likely the only time they would get this indulgence, and pretty soon they would be too large. The young queen...was nowhere near, he immediately decided, as pretty a color as Jorindath. But she looked healthy enough and the girl with her seemed radiant, if a little starstruck.

He knew THAT feeling, having expected a blue or brown himself. She had likely expected to walk off of the Sands with a green. Most girls did. Or a barred...

[wolflover1458]

I believe you should stay here with Emmirath, Hu'sik the Blue dragon put in. Hu'sik didn't really feel like contending with the hatchling right now, but he didn't want to try and explain that the hatching feast was meant to be attended by all new Weyrlings while their dragons spent the night resting. Emmirath just wasn't picking up on that fact, no matter how much Hu'sik tried to explain it too him. Do you not like it here Mine?

It's not that, I'm just supposed to go. That's all. Emmirath didn't seem to find this very satisfactory. He snorted but didn't bother to contend the issue any further, just laying back down and looking at Hu'sik through sleepy eyes. Hu'sik wasn't sure if the best thing to do would be to wait for the dragon to fall asleep before leaving or not. He didn't think Emmirath really wanted Hu'sik to leave right now, so it might be best to wait, and he didn't particularly care if he missed the feast anyways. It would just be people talking loudly to each other, trying to get him to join in the conversation. It was much nicer up here with Emmirath, who didn't always feel the need to say something.

((Terrible post, but I haven't got loads of time right now >.>))

[Sparrow]

Jackie grinned. "Yes." Maybe. She may have Impressed, but she still didn't have much clue how the whole thing worked. They just found people and passed up others; how they all knew was beyond her.

I know that, Finth replied smartly before ducking behind Jackie for safety. It probably wasn't a good sign to have the pair doing a little squabbling already, but then again... they were a Green and a queen. It was probably to be expected.

"I don't think she'll stand out as much as Fioloth," Jackie said. "Except among Blues." Then she would probably be more popular than the queen. There were a lot of Blues out there.

Speaking of which... Jackie grinned when she saw D'cien approaching. "D'cien! That's a pretty Blue you got." Finth scurried around her rider to meet Hiarth, all edginess towards Fioloth dissipating at the sight of someone more her size.

[Jenth]

"Well I don't there can be anything more to surprise us." If anything, the hatching had been anything but surprising. It had gone quite smoothly, and with less injuries then some of Nayarath's previous clutches. That was something L'han had been grateful for.

"I lost a bet on D'cien, thought he would impress bigger then a blue. Hope the difference between their dragons don't cause them problems." They were twins but they were now destined for different things. With a bigger dragon normally came with a bigger ego, and after Impression a person will change by the bond with their dragon.

~~~

"Just a cup of juice, B'can." Inolyn gave him a soft smile, knowing that tonight there was little she could do to drag him away from stuffing his face. For once the ex-harper showed little interest in trying to join her former comrades. Possibly once and for all she had hung up her journeywoman knots and accepted that she couldn't be two things. She was a queenrider first and always, music was like a memory of a past love that would bring a smile to her face when she remembered the old days.

You've got a lot of growing to do yet, young Fioloth Despite it not being her clutch Jorindath was still curious about the weyr's latest additions, the new violet in particular. Hatchlings were easy to overhear in the excitement of impression, but in sevendays they would learn to control their thoughts.

[ShadowReine]

Kari grinned. "Well, yes. And greens rise more often. And sooner." Jackie would definitely have to deal with the flight issue before she did.

She studied Fioloth...it was too hard to tell, yet, what kind of dragon had really shelled. Arrogant, of course, and vain, but she was a queen. Those qualities were to be expected. And she would be a challenge, always wanting to be in charge. This was not what Kari had expected. "She's very pretty, though."

For her part, Fioloth gave her rider a look and struck a pose. Nobody was allowed to be pretty here except her. It was all Kari could do not to laugh. One day, the violet would be truly magnificent. For right now...she was only managing ridiculous.

--

B'can snagged a cup of juice, heading over to join his weyrmate. "Jorindath is still the prettiest violet here," he noted as he moved to sit next to her. "Still...the girl seems capable enough, from what little contact I've had with her."

Queenriders, even violets, had some very specific responsibilities. They also had to exert a control over their dragons he could not imagine, handling the blood and lust of flights. Directing a half crazy queen, keeping her in line so she did not gorge herself before rising...riders of male dragons were expected to go with it. Even the green and barred riders pretty much...B'can wondered if that was part of why no man had ever bonded a dragon queen. Men thought of such things differently, he was sure.

[Sparrow]

"I hope not." They gotten enough surprises in the last few Turns to fill a few lifetimes. It seemed to her that it would be better for the dragons to settle into a pattern than to keep churning out new ideas. This hatching had been particularly calm though, especially for it being one of Nayarath's clutch. It had been nothing if not a relief.

Kora raised her eyebrows. "Really? I was guessing Green for him." But a Blue was a perfectly good fit. "I'm too worried about the difference causing problems. The worst that could happen would be that the Blue gets on the Bronze's nerves." The brothers, she imagined, were already very used to that. She looked around for them, quickly found D'cien in the company of females, and just noticed T'ien slipping out of the hall. Hmm.

[Jenth]

"Of course Jori is the prettiest, but there can only be one of her." To any rider their dragon couldn't be more perfect, B'can was her love and Apolloth would agree as the violet's mate. It was a completely bias way of thinking, but it wasn't a competition. Jori couldn't care less what others thought of her and she never had.

"Kari is more then capable of managing Fioloth, she wouldn't have impressed if she couldn't cope." Inolyn had complete faith in the girls ability, having once felt in the same situation. Whether or not she had been the favorite to impress Jorindath she had never known. It had been a big expectation to live up to, and one Kari had managed to meet but the easiest part was over. Now they had their whole lives ahead of them, starting with the laboring weyrling lessons.

Standing up she decided to take a round of the room, meeting and chatting with various guests. The room was full of good cheer, something the Weyr had needed. Nothing lifted spirits like a successful hatching, not even a dud in the clutch. Many might now be hoping that Wuith would catch next Nayarath rose, but that was a long way off yet.

Remembering that one of the Weyrlings had stepped outside the violetrider decided to check on him, despite the possibility that he may have returned to the barracks to rest. T'ien, if she remembered correctly, had impressed a bronze. It would be a big day for him, it wasn't like a new bronzerider not to want to gloat on his good fortune and show off his dragon. Then again, with the new dragon colors many things seemed hardly traditional any more. Luck seemed to favor her, T'ien wasn't far from the dinning hall entry.


The hurried footsteps behind didn't even worry her...


Inolyn screamed, her knees buckling with the pain that shot up through her. The knife plunged a second time into the violetrider's side before the figure ran, letting its victim fall to the ground. It only seem to disappear through the kitchen doors as a violet behemoth slammed into the rock, claws slashing at the entrance as if she could break through to reach her prey. Jorindath roared in blind fury, her rider injured and barely conscious in her pain.

"Guard Kari and Fioloth! Protect the Weyrlings! Healers!!!" L'han shouted, leaping up onto the tables to navigate through the now hysteric crowds. All but the most wine-muddled riders had leapt to their feet, many swarming around the weyrlings while others sought pursuit through the kitchens.

Inolyn had turned white, quivering from the shock. Blood now soaked her dress, staining the red fabric maroon. Eyes half closed she could only hear two things: her heartbeat and Jorindath.

Don't die! Don't die! Don't die!

[Sparrow]

The shrill noise of Inolyn's scream carried over the noise of the feast, and Kora stood abruptly, eyes wide. What just happened? Nayarath, however, was not listening to her rider. With a roar, she sprung from her ledge and spiraled down, landing outside the exits from the lower caverns. Her eyes whirled red as she watched the exits. Whoever came out of them was getting nowhere.

Tirasha was already near the exit of the hall, never one immensely interested in parties. She rushed for the exit, shouting orders to Tianthe and Willow the moment she saw Inolyn. Good Faranth. What had just happened? They couldn't lose another queenrider. She knelt at Inolyn's side and ripped the torn edges of the rider's dress away from the wounds as Willow reappeared with bandages. Taking them, Tirasha pressed them to the wound. First things first: stop the bleeding.

"I could use some help here," she shouted for anyone listening. Someone stronger than her holding the pressure would be better.

J'ran had also had plans of overtaking T'ien, but that had left him not far from the attack. Before the attacker had fully disappeared, he took off after him, shouting for others to follow. There was plenty enough people in the hall to watch the weyrlings; they could spare a few to catch this killer.

I am watching the exits, Ekirith told his rider as he landed near the less coherent Nayarath, and they were hardly the only dragons filling the bowl.

[ShadowReine]

Rushing out of the dining cavern, B'can already had his knife out. Jorindath's scream was not a sound he would forget. But he was too late to see the assassin. Only his weyrmate on the ground, the healer yelling for help. Anger warred with fear, and Apolloth's anger screaming through his mind...but he knew that if Inolyn died, Jorindath would die and Apolloth would...likely go just a little bit nuts for a while. Vengeance was pointless...or rather could be pursued later.

If Inolyn died, and he was rushing to the Healer's side, a mental call for Guess and Stare to try and FIND THAT ASSASSIN, the firelizards flickering between and then reappearing inside the cavern, hunting, searching.

"Tell me what you need me to do," though, was all the stocky...and extremely strong...tanrider had to say to the healer. If she wanted somebody stronger to hold the pressure, then she had him. Forcing his mind to calm, forcing his will on his dragon, who was about to try and follow Jorindath into the caverns. No. Apolloth. You won't fit. Go UP. Look from the air.

With a shriek, the tan launched, spiraling higher until dragon vision could take in as many potential exits as possible. Not all of them, but between them couldn't the dragons of Nyocia watch every route?

--

The confusion, the chaos, and Fioloth gave a sort of squeaking sound. Such a commotion on her first day in the world. Kari, for her part? She grabbed the largest carving knife she could off of the table she had been close to. Anyone who tried to take HER would find himself or herself with a nasty surprise.

It was obviously whoever had killed Shador, and it was obvious who the next candidate for assassination was. Somebody was trying to kill all of the violetriders.

If that person did not die today, then he would die at *her hand*. Assuming nobody else got to him first, but given the opportunity, Kari would use that knife she held. Fioloth could not kill...but she could hurt. She stayed next to her dragonet, the newhatched violet's eyes raging red and baby talons fully extended.

Fioloth would fight, but given how the riders were gathering around them she should not need to. Kari felt her heartbeat elevate and tried to force it down. Tried to stay calm. She had not touched the wine, as many of the riders had, not wanting to inflict a drunken muzz on such a new dragon. There were no words between the weyrling queen pair, though.

Just a knowledge of necessity.

[Sparrow]

B'can was exactly the sort of person she needed. Tirasha scooted aside a little, still holding down on the pad of bandages until he could take them. "I need these held on. And hold her up a little, sitting, talk to her. It's best if she stays awake." A blanket would be good. Inolyn was obviously in shock. "You'll have to sit tight a while. Don't lift the bandages off, but if they bleed through, I've got plenty more."

She would need to inspect the wound, but that was a ways off. With B'can now dealing with stopping the bleeding, she checked Inolyn's pulse and looked her over, watching out for any other injuries. She was looking pretty clean in that area... but a stab in the side could easily mean she had internal injuries. If an organ had been punctured, Inolyn was dead. Most likely, they would only harm her more looking for and fixing that.

Tianthe settled nearby with another roll of bandages, eyes whirling with nervous yellows. The whole Weyr was suddenly frantic, and it only scared her too.

---

Kora saw Kari grabbing a knife, and most others in the hall milling around her. Dangerous. A lot of people were grabbing knives. Even more dangerous. Some had run off down the hall. That was alright, but she didn't want a lot of people going. In here, things were in chaos. She sent Lilac and Soot off to search the lower caverns, but she stayed put. She almost considered climbing onto the table for some extra height, but not only would she feel silly there, she would feel unbalanced. Probably not. She was plenty tall anyways, stood up, and clapped her hands together.

"Everyone! Everyone," She shouted, struggling to gain their attention. "Calm down, hold still! We don't need more people hurt."

Chaos was good for causing more damage. It was also perfect for covering escapes. "Unless you're a healer, sit down. This hall is plenty well watched. If you are a healer, I'll leave the judging up to you, but I know crowding will do Inolyn no good." She looked around, trying to locate people in the confused throng. "N'ren, D'mas, go to the door and watch if anyone comes back.

"Everyone else here needs to stay put. Sit down, put down your weapons. No one else is getting hurt tonight."

It was something easier said than done. She could only wait and look in charge now, and hope everyone listened.

[Jenth]

D'mas left his spot in the ring surrounding the werylings in the dinning hall to move to the kitchen entrance. He was one of the few who had not drawn a knife, seeing how a crowd where now searching the halls with L'han to track down the perpetrator. With the Weyr on alert, any other would-be assassins wouldn't dare make a move now. There would be no mercy shown towards someone who had tried to kill Inolyn, and maybe even Shador. They wouldn't know until they caught him.

Inolyn groaned as the padding was pressed onto her wound, fighting hard to bite back the pain. It had all happened too fast, not even she really knew what had happened or why she was lying face down in the dirt and bleeding. When hands pulled her up into a sitting position she nearly screamed again, her head swimming with the pain. It took her a moment to realize the arms around her were B'can's, of course he would have rushed to her side. She would have smiled if she could, but it was hardly the time. The violet rider instead took the opportunity to try and watch her dragon, fearful of the results now she was weak and could not control the queen.

Jorindath, unable to follow her rider's assassin paced up and down the rock. Her eyes were a solid red, not even a swirl in a single facet and intently staring into the rock. Where she could not go her smaller cousin could though, who acted as her eyes. The one thing she had managed to do before he escaped her was link to his mind, and she now bombarded his mind with such rage. The violet would be leading the perusing riders and lizards to his location, but he was lost and didn't even know where he was.

Blood! Blood must be paid for what you have done![/i] The thoughts kept bombarding him, he couldn't escape from them. Having failed to kill the violetrider out right the dragon was after him. Having taken a wrong turn he had resulted to hiding, but it was only a matter of time. There was no warning before tiny claws set upon him, firelizards screeching in rage fueled by Jorindath's command. He was done for. If he survived the lizards and the riders, then he would be staked out for Thread or dropped between. There would be no mercy...

As L'han reached him the firelizards began to disperse from the scratched figure curled up on the ground. Turning him over revealed the pool of blood forming, a gash across his throat. Cursing his thrust the body back, they had arrived too late. Taking the march back to the dinning hall he found it under the organized authority of Kora. "Slit his own throat" he whispered in her ear before addressing the Weyr.

"Inolyn's attacker has been caught! The weyrlings are to be escorted back to the barracks immediately and everyone is the return to their weyrs. I also want volunteers to stand an extra watch, don't bother talking to me if you've been drinking!"

[ShadowReine]

Caught? B'can would have liked to stake the man out for Thread and then watch...but he had to stay focused. Focused on keeping the pressure on, so the woman he loved did not bleed out right there in his arms.

Jorindath's anger, radiating through the dragons and through his bond with Apolloth was more relief than pain, though. As long as the violet was THERE he knew Inolyn was alive. And she had to stay that way. He was not going to lose her. Very softly. "Alive or dead?" he inquired of L'han. Needless to say his preference would be alive, after what he had done.

But in all the chaos, somebody could well have simply taken the man out and saved everyone the trouble of a trial. Trials did get messy, after all. As messy as his hands, and he forced his attention back on Inolyn.

Apolloth. Support Jorindath. B'can knew that the presence of the dragons would help her stay with them, help her keep fighting. His eyes sought the healer, sought for some clue as to her chances. She seemed to have been stabbed twice...if she was lucky nothing vital had been hit.

If she wasn't...then they would lose another queen and he would lose the light of his life. Under any other circumstances, he would have volunteered to stand watch, but nothing was going to pry him from Inolyn's side.

--

Kari let the knife fall back onto the table. Caught. If she was lucky...truly lucky...then that was also the assassin who had slain Shador. But was he the only one who hated violetriders.

As the adrenalin wore off, she dropped to one knee and slipped her arms around her dragon. She had already seen the dark side of bonding a queen, but then, she had never sought the status and the privilege. She had wanted a dragon, any dragon. She had this one, with all she entailed. Vaguely she heard something about going back to the barracks. Had she not Impressed she would have volunteered to stand watch.

As it was, she stood up, and quietly, as she started to move for the door, but clearly, "Somebody should send a firelizard to the wher dens." Whers made better watchers than dragons, although it would be many hours before it was dark enough for them to be useful.

[Sparrow]

J'ran had gotten into L'han's group, but ended up stuck waiting with the body while the others went back to report. He leaned against a door, facing away from the grotesque sight.. A corpse needed little protecting; his job was more to keep others from walking in on it. Hopefully some disposal crew would be back soon. J'ran was wishing he hadn't walked in on it.

---

"Good to hear you breathing," Tirasha said as she organized things Willow had brought back. A pitcher of water stolen from the dining hall, rags, a needle, some thread. Knife wounds were usually small, they just bled a lot, but they were easy to break open again. Due to the speed of the attack, the wounds were likely a bit ragged. She would need to stitch it up when she got the chance. A rider would definitely burst a scab on her side. She pressed her fingers over the artery that would be passing by the wound, a lighter touch than what was required at the site, but it could help a little. The lack of requests for more cloth to stack on was a good sign though. The bleeding wasn't horrible.

She glanced at B'can. He was Inolyn's weyrmate, wasn't he? Tirasha might have preferred someone less emotionally involved helping out, but everyone cared about the queenriders. He had been fastest. "That she's not coughing up blood is a good sign," she pointed out, figuring he would appreciate the update, however obvious.

"And I'll bet you all my Marks he's dead," she added, doubting L'han, not only in the dining hall but on the far side of it with Kora, had heard the Tanrider's question. If she had raging dragons after her, she would do everyone a favor and do the job herself. Getting eaten by a queen was not on her short list of tolerable ways to die.

---

Kora frowned at L'han's words. That the man had killed himself certainly made things easier for them, but she didn't much like the idea of suicide, plus she knew there were people out there who would want much more retribution than to see the man dead by his own hand.

However, the issue was dealt with. She looked over the hall, noting frightened weyrlings holding their dragons, some weyrfolk looking relieved, others vengeful. Just let them all go to bed. She was exhausted. But there would still be plenty for her to deal with tonight, as Kari pointed out. "She's right," Kora mumbled to L'han even as she sent Soot to fetch items for her to put a message together. "I'm never going to get to sleep again."

Nayarath was feeling about the same, crouched in the Weyr bowl, keeping an aggravated watch until the whers could show up. The light was dim and little good for dragon eyes, but she wasn't relaxing until she knew there was some form of night protection about.

---

The situation apparently cleared, N'ren left the door to follow the newer orders of escorting the weyrlings to their barracks. A big, strong, good-looking man helping them out pleased Jackie well enough, even though it was disappointing that the party had been ruined. She was scared and ready, incredibly, to go hide in her new chambers. Finth pressed close as they caught up to Karisna and Fioloth.

It looked like her friend was destined for a lot of trouble. Jackie didn't think she could have been more right in not wanting a queen.

[Jenth]

"No...My lungs are fine..." Inolyn's words were shaky, showing the effort she put into her words. Having so far been given nothing for the pain any deep breaths seemed to pull the wrong muscles. Her whole focus was on trying to keep calm, to slow her heartbeat and with it her bleeding. Compression seemed to help too, but the knife had cut quiet deep. There was nothing more then she wanted to do now was to just rest, preferably somewhere quiet but she doubted she would be allowed that too soon.

For a long time stopped her pacing and just stared into the rock, finally pulling herself away as if done with it. Now the problem had been dealt with, her rider should be safe... as long as she survived. Eyes still as red as the blood that flowed from Inolyn, she used her tail as a barrier to those now exiting the dinning hall. None would dare approach without need, but she still glared over everyone none the less. The violet had thought her rider safe once before, till she was well Jorindath would not make that mistake again too soon.

"He's dead... Jor wouldn't let him live..." Inolyn answered their discussion.What the violet was looking for were any accomplices that may try to finish the job. It disturbed her that her dragon would push so hard as to kill a man, even if not by her own claws, but she would do that same should their roles be reversed. Whatever hate was shown towards violets, if word got out that one had caused the death of someone it would only mean trouble....

~~~

D'mas had been sent to support J'ran, accompanied by a trusted harper laden with drawing tools. Disturbed as they all were to be around the dead body it was important that they found out who this man was and where he had come from, something they could only achieve if they had his profile. D'mas took it upon himself to search the body for clues, but apart from the knife and a few marks there was nothing to go by. Everything was stripped, not wanting to miss a crucial piece of evidence.

Sheets were offered and the body was wrapped up. "We'll have to wait some time to drag this thing out. Nothing would please me more then to have dropped him between alive..." the bronzerider admitted to J'ran