How did *this* happen? (Inolyn/Jenth)

[ShadowReine]

This...wasn't his bed.

This...wasn't his weyr.

Besides, his bed didn't have a woman in it, and there was very definitely a woman here. B'can's eyes opened slowly. He was in a woman's weyr. That had to be the explanation. And as he would not randomly be in a woman's weyr, then there had to be dragons involved.

"Shards, Apolloth."

All that came from the tan dragon was a wave of complete, utter smugness. As the sleep faded away, the situation came back to him. Oh great. Apolloth had not flown Voluspath.

Apolloth had flown *Jorindath*. Who's rider already *had* a weyrmate. Who's weyrmate had lost the flight. There was just enough of the holdbred left to B'can that he cringed at the thought. The worst part was that as it flowed back to him? She was...quite attractive. Was that a disloyal thought to Bry? Bry who's dragon was doing her level best to keep them apart. Voluspath thought him unworthy of her. And now he was next to a violetrider whom he didn't belong with, who was likely to kick her out soon enough. Well, that wasn't his fear. He wasn't afraid of her kicking him out. He was afraid of her not kicking him out. Sure to Faranth he had not planned on stealing her, but these things could happen at a Weyr. Did he want to be stolen by her in return? What about Bry...and his thoughts oscillated. Brylorea...Inolyn...Brylorea...Inolyn.

He knew he had to get used to it. He had thought he was, but...

At least he wasn't going to have to be weyrleader or something. But. "Shards." Oh great. He'd probably woken her up...

[Jenth]

Inolyn actually didn’t stir, content within her deep sleep. Two firelizards, a green and blue sat on a shelf but apart from their intent staring it didn’t look like they thought this anything out of the ordinary. However their was movement from the end of the bed, little squeaks heard as something pulled at the furs. A little head popped up only fall down again with a soft thump, but return one more time this time the roan kagan scrambling up onto the bed. Now several months old he was getting rather large but his feet still looked humorously over sized.

Nip sat their twitching his nose for a moment at the stranger in the bed, but it didn’t take long before he turned away to crawl up between them to Inolyn. Pawing at the violetrider’s long brunette hair he began squeaking again, but she only turned over. When even that failed to wake her he bit on her ear, rousing a sharp yelp.

“Okay, I’m awake!” Inolyn sat up, rubbing her bitten ear as the roan jumped onto her lap making huffing noises. He wasn’t hungry, just wanting attention as he rubbed up against her bare chest. Yes, Inolyn hadn’t bothered to cover herself and was completely aware of the man in her bed. And that it was T’lat, and while a slight disappointment she wasn’t surprised. Hansth just never seemed capable of fully capturing Jorindath’s attentions.

“I hope you slept well, B’can…” There was a slight blush on her cheeks, she was holder bred too but she was making the transaction into riderhood better then a lot. “I understand if you want to go, I know you like Brylorea…”

But I don’t want Apolloth to go! Jorindath’s sleepy panicked voice spoke up. The violet was curled up contently with her chosen tan and was not willing to move any time soon.

[ShadowReine]

B'can frowned. "You...well. T'lat." Now he didn't know what to do. She was sort of kicking him out and sort of *not* kicking him out!

Jorindath did not choose Hansth. She chose me.

But...

You can go if you want. I'm staying The tan moved to rest his head on Jorindath's shoulders, just to demonstrate exactly how much he was moving from his mate's side. That is to say, not an inch.

Apolloth...

Jorindath wants me. Voluspath does not want me. In the end, thus, Brylorea will not want you

"Sharding dragon logic," B'can said, out loud. "Looks like if I do go, I'm walking!"

He didn't know whether to be angry with his dragon or not. Like as not, his loyalty to the violet would last only until another intriguing female rose...but for right now? That tan was *so not moving*.

And there was a not at all covered woman right next to him, which....despite the night before...could be nothing but a distraction. On top of that, Guess and Stare were comfortably perched next to Inolyn's blue and green, as if they too planned on taking up residence.

Shards...

[Jenth]

Inolyn giggled softly as it seemed Apolloth’s mind was as set as Jorindath’s. Newly mated dragons were like that sometimes, but their attraction mostly lasted as long as their rider’s wished which was mostly not past the first day. However, violet was still a queen and the others dragons always listened and looked up to them. That went double for the larger males whom would lead by their mate’s side.

“You need not worry, he’ll move sooner or later. They will probably eat or sun later, and with the right words you could probably get a lift back to your weyr.” A dragon wouldn’t leave his rider in need, B’can just needed to use the right words and energy. For now it was probably best to leave them be, they had used a lot of energy and the young queens new priority was the eggs that would now form inside her.

“You shouldn’t worry about T’lat, he was prepared incase of this. And…” Inolyn’s voice trailed off, a sad look in her eyes as she patted Nip in her lap. Shacking her head to throw off the thoughts that kept her silent, it was best she spoke truthfully of the situation. “To be honest he isn’t really the man I thought he was, before we decided to live together.”

She did not expect commitment from B’can, a good friendship would be nice though. It was always good to have healthy relationships with the other riders. Leaf and Keloc were accepting and friendly of Guess and Stare on their perch, while Nip didn’t mind nor cared it seemed of their strange guests. The kagan was placed on the floor with a firm order to behave, him hopping off out of sight.

“So B’can, tell me a bit about yourself?” The violetrider straightened the furs on her lap, her movements having made them slip down and slightly exposed herself. She was only trying to be polite and cover that part at least, nudity shouldn’t really bother riders.

[ShadowReine]

Especially riders who had, after all, spent the night together. B'can moved to sit back on the edge of the furs.

"I'm holdbred, as you might know. Impressed Apolloth the first time I stood...much to my surprise. I was kind of expecting a brown." He glanced over at the buttermilk-colored dragon who was still cuddling with the violet. They still both looked rather tired.

He supposed they had flown a good way. And then had sex, which had to be tiring for dragons as well as riders. Part of him wondered what kind of dragons Apolloth would sire.

Ones who got their riders into trouble. He was sure of it. "And he wasn't? I admit...I don't really know him." T'lat, tan rider, Hansth. That was about all B'can really knew of the man who's woman he had just spent the night with.

It happened. It was part of the entire thing, part of being a rider. Was it part of that, though, that tore him deeply now. Inolyn, Brylorea. Inolyn, Brylorea. They were still sort of whirling around each other in his head.

And what if Apolloth was right?

[Jenth]

“I was holdbred too, Harper trained and Impressed on my first try. Gold handler Sabre had wanted be to bond a wher, but the dragonriders found me first and then Impressed Jorindath. I still remember the disappointment everyone felt, just because Jori was violet and not gold…” Despite proving they lay clutches the future of dragonkind was still lain on golds. Voluspath received a lot more attention then Jorindath ever did from the Weyrwoman.

But without so much responsibility and expectations pushed upon her she was free to be her own person. Jorindath was friendly none discrimitive and Inolyn approachable, being oppressed wasn’t so bad. “I can’t wait to see Jorindath’s clutch, she’ll be a great mother I’m sure.”

“No one really knows T’lat. For a bronzerider he’s very quiet and reserved.” He had seemed shy and sweet, something she had liked in him. Then shortly after graduation they had decided to be more serious about their relationship, and then all the glitter of innocent love faded away. “You never really know someone until you live with them. Everyone has a side no one sees of them, so maybe I rushed things before seeing what that was.”

[ShadowReine]

B'can nodded. "I think that's why I'm in no hurry on things. And there's an issue between me and Brylorea anyway."

The physical intimacy they had shared was, perhaps, why the tanrider was willing to speak up. Softly. "Voluspath can't stand Apolloth. He's not good enough for her because he isn't bronze. She keeps trying to come between us and...a dragon is part of one, I mean..."

He tailed off. "I don't know. I've liked her for a long time. I think I always will. But I don't think it will work. I wish I could feel it would. I wish..." Again, he tailed off.

"As for eggs, look at what the last tan and violet clutch brought us. I wonder if we'll get even more strange dragons."

Not that it mattered. As long as they were healthy. And Nyocia didn't really need another queen, so...but more of those charcoals might be useful, they were growing into a rather handy size.

[Jenth]

Golds, they always seem to cause trouble for the lesser dragons besides bronze. Nayarath rarely got along with Jorindath, thinking she was too easy on others. But maybe that was the sort of queen they needed, someone who could lead by example and not oppression. Once before she had considered running off to the rogues, they might appreciate a clutching dragon more then they did violets here.

“We’re the same then. I’ve been pushed to the side because I don’t ride a gold, and Apolloth is being rejected because he’s not bronze. We’re just not ‘traditional’.” That was the only word she could use to describe it. Violet, tan, barred, charcoal, sky and teals… more and more mutations were being born. Possibly it was the future of dragon kind, a new Pern needing new dragons.

“Wuith and Kelth were a good pair, but Apolloth and Jorindath will lay a better clutch. Our dragons are larger, we’ll show them what our dragons can do!” Determination flared in her voice and eyes. For about the first time since breaking shell, she had a chance to prove the worth of her dragon. It was an exciting time, and in the meantime Inolyn would be the excited mother.

[ShadowReine]

B'can laughed. "They are a bit bigger, aren't they. We'll have to see. Apolloth hasn't sired a clutch before, so we don't have anything to go by there."

He glanced at the tan and violet on the ledge...the contrast between their colors was quite visible, quite clear. They were both very attractive dragons, he thought.

"If the dragons keep breeding like this, then we may have to consider splitting the Weyr, though. We're going to get crowded." And it would eventually be a good idea. The further they got the queens apart, the more likely they were to lay more queens. Except now his thought on the matter was more muddied. He had always figured that if that happened he would go where Brylorea did.

He almost wished he was a dragon. Their matings lacked all of these...complications and issues and... Dragons just did it and that was it. No big deal.

Now, he found himself in a tangled emotional web he was not sure how to navigate.

[Jenth]

"Wuith had never sired a clutch, and look how he had done. While it's Jorindath's first clutch she stands more then a head over Kelth and larger then any bronze." Size had to count for something. If a small queen was just as good as a larger one, then why the need for large beasts? It was no indication on their health most of the time, just as there were tall and short poeple.

It felt time for another confession, one that she hadn't even told T'lat. Could she trust B'can to keep her secret? She would have to since he words fell from her mouth before she could stop them. "I once thought of running off with the Rogues. They will eventually die off without a queen, and I'm not really wanted here..."

Normally Inolyn wasn't the kind to be depressed and full of self pity, but she had held strong for so long. Everone wanted golds, not violets. She had run the senario through her head so many times, not even they might want her cause she was different and would bring in a mutant color. There didn't seem a place for her anywhere...

[ShadowReine]

B'can shook his head. "The rogues also don't have a hatching grounds." On the other hand, they could be the core for a new Weyr, maybe. Eventually.

"And it should help. More room for eggs." That was why queens were big...to have lots of room for the large numbers of eggs they laid, much more than firelizards...of course, firelizard queens were large too, probably for the same reason. He wondered at that. After all, human women were smaller, but...one baby at a time was different.

"But...what makes you think you're not wanted, Inolyn?" He thought of Brylorea. He thought of the dragons. Oh Shards, how could he be so torn? Was this the effect mating flights had, tearing old patterns apart and forcing new ones to form? Was this why riders did not marry?

[Jenth]

“For one Nayarath can barely stand us, do you know what its like to be on the bad side of the senior queen?” They couldn’t really stand up for themselves if they tried, because in nearly every scenario they would always come up in the wrong. Of course nearly every dragon in the Weyr rallied behind the senior so in a way nearly the whole of dragonkind was against them. So they just had to try and distance themselves, and that was hard within the Weyr. They couldn’t even be on the feeding grounds at the same time without causing some kind of tension. But it was hard, and really it needed to stop.

“I’m waiting to see how things go. If Nayarath pokes at Jorindath’s clutch, and lets hope she doesn’t or it’ll start a fight, I wont be staying…” A queen without a Weyr, only a few Turns ago that was normal but it was impractical against Thread. Leaving right after a clutch gave her the best opportunity to sort out a hatching grounds by the time she next flew. It wasn’t that big of a deal.

Inolyn brought up her knees and hugged them through the furs. It was a big plan. “But that might not have to happen…” She gave him a brave smile, knowing she shouldn’t have burdened him with her problems. Reaching over she patted his shoulder softly, but her hand lingered. “You’re a good guy B’can.”

[ShadowReine]

"I would think that Nayarath would know better than to touch eggs. Anyone's eggs." And Apolloth would, B'can knew, get between the senior queen and his clutch.

Which meant that if that happened...shards, he might end up leaving with her. He didn't want to, but he knew that his dragon would not be happy. And while Apolloth might forget, B'can would remember.

"With Thread...but then again, maybe Nyocia is getting too big. It would be better to spread the queens out. I just would not want to leave," he admitted. He had always...no.

Pipe dream. Apolloth was not a bronze, and while the pair might be capable of leading a weyr, it would never be with Voluspath. He had more chance of catching Nayarath. Much more. Voluspath's prejudice, though, might make a certain amount of sense. Bronzes sired larger clutches, after all.

"And I try to be." He actually flushed at her last words, his cheeks distinctly coloring.

[Jenth]

Inolyn couldn’t help it, seeing him blush after all this dark and serious talk just put a giant crack through their conversation. She laughed, a soft giggle really but it felt really good. It did her or anyone no good to dwell on negative thoughts, she was normally stronger then that. Arms wrapped around him and she placed her cheek on his shoulder.

Maybe he had a point about too many dragons so close together. In little over 2 Turns they had had 5 clutches, nearly 100 hatchlings and more still coming soon with Jorindath’s clutch. The population was exploding, and they would need more room, maybe splitting the Weyr was the answer. The records showed there had been many Weyrs across Pern, totaling nearly 2000 beasts.

“It doesn’t look like you’re trying to me, shows you really are a nice guy.” One didn’t have to be a bronzerider to be so alluring. B’can was one such prime example, regardless of him being naked in her bed, but she knew he wasn’t her’s to touch. The mating lust stood for naught, he had promised himself to another. Riders were forced to accept open relationships, as uncomfortable and unwanted to some it was just impossible to remain completely faithful when dragons forced their feelings on everyone. Currently, that just wasn’t the case…

[ShadowReine]

B'can slipped his arms back around her, but his thoughts were still oscillating between her and Brylorea.

He knew what he needed to do. Once he could disentangle his dragon from hers, he would go, get off on his own, get some distance from both women. Wait until the last of the mating lust was out of his system and *then* work out whether he was really falling for Inolyn, whether it was the dragons, whether it was frustration...and fear that he would lose Bry.

Fear that she had never been his and never would be. That fear would be enough to drive a man into the arms of another woman even without dragons involved. Add to that the slight but definite pressure often put on queenriders to stay with their dragon's mates....

"I really should go, Inolyn." In, out, his eyes seeking hers. "I..." Surely she knew, could understand and grasp how he felt. And he was a wedge between her and T'lat. Or was he? Had T'lat built such a wedge himself.

There was another reason riders did not marry. Their relationships, affected by dragon hormones and dragon cycles were seldom permanent. Not never, but seldom. Yet...he was not in the business of stealing somebody else's weyrmate and...

Shard it.

[Jenth]

“I understand, B’can. This was all very sudden, and I’m sure we have a lot to think about.” Inolyn released her light hold on him, giving him a small but happy smile. Not that he wished to leave so soon, they would probably be spending time together later in the future, but that he was taking this as well as he could. Being the queenrider here it was her responsibility to set the example, slipping from bed completely uncovered to retrieve clean clothing from a chest.

Nip jumped up onto the bed to lay in the warm furs Inolyn just vacated. Yes, nothing had changed in his little world.

Will you be going too? Jorindath asked her mate. It was still early since the flight, and he was very much welcomed to stay as well as come and go as he pleased.

[ShadowReine]

I don't want to make mine walk. But I could come back, if you wanted me the tan sent, slowly uncurling from his place next to the violet.

Rather reluctantly, even. B'can started to try and hunt up his clothing. "I suspect I'll be back. If nothing else, you will probably appreciate company when Jorindath is bound to the Sands." And a broody queen was unlikely to let many people close...but the sire's rider was often an exception. Jorindath would be clutching for the first time, and that would probably make her even broodier.

Apolloth would probably want to hunt for Jorindath, too, or guard the eggs while she fed. His dragon's sense of duty was as powerful as his arrogance.

I will sire as good a clutch as any bronze Apolloth supplied, as if having read his thoughts.

Well, Jorindath contributes too. But she should do pretty well. B'can wondered if there would be more skies and teals and charcoals. He half hoped so. They were useful dragons. And surely, a good number of pretty barreds. Although right now Jorindath looked to be a very pretty dragon as he regarded her.

No doubt, it was being filtered through his dragon's eyes, the infatuation of their recent mating not having worn off.

"And if you need help with anything..." He tailed off. Even if she was only a violet, queenriders were expected to...they had to work together, even if nothing else came of it.