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Post by ShadowReine on Dec 31, 2011 13:06:16 GMT -5
There *was* downside to having Impressed a queen, but Karisna had expected it from day one.
Of *course* Kora was going to dump hidework on her. She sat in a corner of the dining hall, occasionally munching on some finger food she had raided from the kitchen, whilst going through recent clutch records.
Double check for accuracy, Kora had said. They all seemed right so far. It was, of course, important to keep track of such things...the dragonhealers liked to see such records. Plus, a sudden decrease in clutch size could mean something was wrong with either the queen or the siring male. Only in extremely rare cases would a queen, even an older one with diminished fertility, not produce a clutch - and it was always considered sign for major alarm, as it often meant she was egg bound, which could prove fatal and was hard to treat.
She shook her head. Now there was a depressing thought, especially when Fioloth had not even risen for the first time. "Maiden clutches are normally smaller. Clutch size also tends to diminish with queens that are past their prime. Violets clutch fewer eggs than golds," she murmured to herself, reminding herself of the known 'rules'. "Browns sire smaller clutches than bronzes, tans presumably in the middle but with only one tan-gold clutch we can't be sure. Maybe look at the violet clutches, except that...have any of the violets been flown by a bronze?"
Well, she had the records right there...
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Post by Jenth on Jan 6, 2012 0:18:26 GMT -5
With Jorindath's flight out of the way, Inolyn felt she could relax... just a little. After all these turns the Weyr had just come to accept that the senior violet was just... strange. Her color was wrong, her personality was wrong, the way she acted was wrong. Still, a queen was a queen and as long as Jorindath kept laying eggs they would have to live with her.
Or not...
How many months had it been? A Turn maybe? When someone had snuck into the Weyr and kill her right under everyone's noses? Inolyn shook her head to clear those thoughts. No, she wouldn't let those thoughts control her again. The fear had been bad enough but she wouldn't let it chain her dragon down, who was currently outside having a conversation with a green on which tasted better: black or brown herdbeast? As silly a conversation it was, and one that surely would have no answer, she left them to it and returned to her snack while she observed the hall.
It was great to be surrounded by so many people supporting each other. From the pairs of lovers hiding on the edges, wings debating formations, a game of dragon poker, people coming and going, it was all so alive! A practice drum pattern tapped out on a table made her smile and she replied with one of her own. Mumbling about eggs caught her ear close by, looking over at Karisna studying intensely over hides. Would she notice if she slid in beside her?
"They're only observed guesses, its not always right." Inolyn said, looking over at the hatching records trying to put a face to each successful candidate.
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Post by ShadowReine on Jan 6, 2012 17:59:59 GMT -5
Kari nodded. "And things can change at any time...look at Jorindath's last clutch. Who ever thought a bronze dragon would ever choose a female? Of course, one has to assume there's some individual variance between queens, too. And sires, for that matter."
You never knew which one to blame, although Jorindath had chosen Apolloth again...perhaps because of the bond between the riders. Kari hoped she would find a weyrmate like that, but for right now, none of the bronze, tan and brown riders really appealed to her in that way. Well, she wasn't going to worry about it until Fioloth started to glow.
"So, have any of the violets been flown by a bronze...I know Jorindath has a preference for Apolloth, or so it seems..."
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Post by Jenth on Jan 6, 2012 19:53:22 GMT -5
"We'll never really know why Razuth chose Angel. Personally I blame Jorindath, but his color suggests that maybe he was supposed to be a queen." But apart from his pale color and the fact he chose a female rider, there was no other evidence to that theory. If he didn't know that he was bronze everyone would have thought him a tan.
"No, there has only been now 3 violets in all history. They're potential is unknown, but we can see some uniqueness in the clutches." Rearranging the hides to show the 4 violet clutches, Kelth's on the left and Jori's on the right. "Kelth clutched twice; once to brown and once to tan. Her first clutch to a brown looked normal, her second to tan Wuith did not. The pairing introduced new colors we may never understand. Now Jorindath too mated to a tan, but she only had 2 hatchlings of the new colors."
Searching through the records again she pulled out Nayarath's latest clutch. "Now Narayath also mated to Wuith, but the clutch was normal. So we can presume charcoal, sky and teal only appear in in tan-violet clutches. But it's my guess we wont see many more of them soon..."
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Post by ShadowReine on Jan 7, 2012 11:59:49 GMT -5
Kari nodded. "Seems as if Kelth might have been more inclined to produce them, then. Or perhaps Wuith...you can't discount the influence of the male."
Presumably the clutch between Apolloth and Jorindath would be similar to the last one, then, with only a couple of the new colors.
"I wonder what Fioloth will bring about. Maybe more dragons with red markings on them, as she seems to have inherited a share of her dam's red." Even if it was more an overall shading of color than the distinct markings Nayarath carried.
She was both looking forward to and uncertain about her dragon performing that part of a queen's duties. Being stuck in the Hatching grounds for weeks didn't really appeal...that was definitely the downside of being bonded to a breeding female.
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Post by Jenth on Jan 7, 2012 18:46:58 GMT -5
Inolyn started rearranging the records back into order, "We may never know. There may be too much difference between the violets which might make them all unique. Kelth didn't hatch from a queen egg, Jorindath has a bronze sire and Fioloth has a tan sire. At least we know Tans should be able to sire queens." That last comment would make Apolloth happy, to know he was as good as a bronze.
"Fioloth's first flight is still some time away, that's one of the best things about riding a queen. They don't happen as soon, as often or as unpredictable. Gives you more time to prepare yourself, and think of hobbies for when your weyr-bound with a clutch." It was easy for Inolyn to find things to do in the spare time, having come from a Craft. If not practicing herself she would help teach the children of the Weyr or out with the weyrlings, if there was any.
"So, any one you like yet?" she said with a mischievous grin.
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Post by ShadowReine on Jan 8, 2012 16:02:44 GMT -5
Kari nodded. "Or maybe tans can only sire violets and not golds."
Hobbies. She could use one of those. Maybe she should take up embroidery or crocheting...those struck her as good for whiling away long waits.
"I don't know yet. Obviously I'm not even *looking* at B'can...seems your claim on him is pretty firm. And I don't really know any of the appropriate riders yet. I'll have to start looking, I suppose. I know I'd rather avoid the female riders." She was, like most queenriders, pretty much relentlessly straight. Although she wouldn't kick the female ridden bronze out of Fioloth's flights - Angel would just have to realize there was no chance of a relationship.
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Post by Jenth on Jan 8, 2012 19:43:19 GMT -5
Inolyn giggled, "Everyone looks at B'can, you're more then welcome to. The Weyr has no marriage bindings, no rules saying you have to stay loyal to one person. A queenrider is free to love a bluerider or even a non-dragonrider with all her heart." It was a concept that she had first thought strange, but to someone who had all her focus away from even the dream of marriage it was easy to adjust. Besides, those boys had only fallen in love with her voice and she had to work hard to become a master. Those dreams were now long buried in the past.
"I know how much it would devastate him if our dragons chose different mates, but I love him and I won't let Jori change my mind. It wasn't always the way though, B'can used to be in love with goldrider Brylorea and I had Bronzerider T'lat. It was only after said relationships fall apart did we find each other."
The older woman gave a little melancholy sigh, "Oh well... There was a time they said I was the most beautiful woman in all the Weyr. Looks like you'll get that title now..."
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Post by ShadowReine on Jan 9, 2012 17:44:31 GMT -5
Kari laughed. "Oh, come on, you're really pretty."
She considered that. Yes, she could have a mate who's dragon would never fly hers, but it struck her as wise to consider the bronze, tan, and brown riders...at least to get herself to the point of being able to tolerate Fioloth's choices.
"But...yeah. I haven't found somebody I'd want to weyrmate with yet. Besides, I've been busy, and Fioloth isn't mature yet." Which meant she was allowed to look, sure, but *certainly* not touch. Nobody wanted a queen to rise too early and possibly strain a wing...and produce a small clutch. Greens, of course, were far worse for doing that, but...the warning remained for all of them.
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Post by Jenth on Jan 9, 2012 19:27:10 GMT -5
Inolyn shook her head, "Pretty isn't beautiful, and riding a queen does something to a girl. When Fioloth matures and is ready to mate, you'll understand." Weyr living was also good. Weyrlings would be well fed, well exercised and eventually reflect a little of their dragon as they grew. Inolyn had a rare feature for a dragonrider, her brunette hair that she stubbornly kept long but didn't mind the extra work to maintain. Tied back correctly, it didn't tend to find its way into anything it shouldn't.
"While you're young its something to thin about. You have about a Turn to decide, if you wish that is. I worry for Kora, after Y'xem it seemed she never wanted to partner with anyone. Not D'mas or L'han..." When you reject two of the best men in the Weyr...
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Post by ShadowReine on Jan 10, 2012 20:15:02 GMT -5
Kari frowned. "Perhaps there really isn't anyone she can get close to. And yeah, I have plenty of time."
Riding a queen does something to a girl? "I don't really know either D'mas or L'han," she admitted.
Of course, Fioloth was what they really wanted, their dragons wanting to sire a clutch. All males wanted to father children. That was the natural way of things. "I know D'mas rides a bronze...I'm really trying to get a good grip on who all the bronze, tan, and brown riders are, but it's hard." Any of them...but Inolyn was right. Her weyrmate did not *have* to be the rider of her dragon's mate...even if it did often seem to happen that way.
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Post by Jenth on Jan 10, 2012 23:16:35 GMT -5
"Well, I know D'mas better because we Impressed from the same clutch. He's a good man, honest, good-looking and don't think there is a selfish bone in his body. L'han's a good man, but I think he'll be happier when its time to pass on Weyrleader. I think he liked being second better." Come Nayarath's next flight they would see if he got the chance to. Wuith seemed pretty focused on Flying queens.
"And then you have R'mal, K'nam, N'ren, J'ran, S'ret..." Inolyn started listing off names, counting each one on her fingers. "And that not counting if the Teals and Charcoals don't want to try their luck; N'lel, K'ail... And last I heard in the rumor mill Kora and T'ien got along very well together..."
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Post by ShadowReine on Jan 11, 2012 23:24:08 GMT -5
Kari considered. "The teals would probably have a chance. I think the charcoals would be struggling, though. And I think Fioloth has rather high standards...I suspect she'll go for the tans and bronzes."
She was, after all, quite the vain young dragon and very much aware that she was a queen. "Which one's T'ien?"
Now she was curious...if Kora had a prospect, it had to be good for her and the Weyr. She figured she did not have to worry about ending up with B'can...surely Jorindath would kick Apolloth's hide if he tried to fly Fioloth. D'mas and L'han both struck her as potentially interesting, though.
It was odd, really, to think of men in this way...as prospects. But then, if she had been looking for a husband, her choices would, if she had any, have been even more prescribed.
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Post by Jenth on Jan 12, 2012 8:50:03 GMT -5
"Well, we just don't know." Inolyn replied, almost optimistically. Their size suggested they could, but not a single one of the teals, charcoals, or sky had risen to mate. There was just no way to know but wait. "I wouldn't be counting out the browns, mating flights are unpredictable. K'nams brown Erith is the same size as tan Wuith and bigger then some bronzes, and Jorindath has told me he's apparently quite the charmer."
"You don't know who T'ien is?" Inolyn blinked, a little surprised. "I guess you're still learning, a queenrider tends to know every member of the Weyr, but he Impressed at the same hatching you did. Partnered to bronze Minalth, I've only really spoke to him once... and then someone ran me through with a knife..." The cringe on her face was impossible to hide, never would she be free of it. T'ien, she had learned, had been momentarily accused of plotting to murder her. He hadn't, Jori had vouched his innocence, but he is a busy weyrling and the violetrider had just let him be.
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Post by ShadowReine on Jan 12, 2012 17:45:11 GMT -5
"Aha...no. I just forgot his name." She blushed a little bit. "Queenriders are supposed to keep track of everything."
She shuddered a bit. "I'm so glad we got that guy. He seemed to have something against violet riders, didn't he."
What, of course, she didn't know. But something. Maybe, though, he had simply been insane. Or he had thought that taking out the violets would stem the tide of new dragon colors. Which was silly, but who could tell how a guy like that thought.
"Some people seem a little scared of the new colors, don't they."
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Post by Jenth on Jan 12, 2012 19:44:17 GMT -5
Inolyn just nodded grimly, she doubted if it happened a second time she would avoid death. The scar was still fresh. What would it be? Poison, dagger, or 'accident'? Shaking her head violently the violetrider slapped both her cheeks firmly. "Hatchlings, puppies, flowers, fresh sheet music! Happy thoughts!"
She knew how silly she must have looked, but it was better then being mopey. B'can, Apolloth, and the entire Weyr would be there to save her should anything happen. "Shouldn't dwell on it too much. A lot of people are afraid of change, change can be scary. Most outside the Weyr have never had much to do with a dragon, and there isn't much anyone can do about it. If we want to live, we have to live with it."
No dragons, no Pern.
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Post by ShadowReine on Jan 13, 2012 19:05:13 GMT -5
Kari nodded. "I admit they intimidated me to start with. They're so big..." And Fioloth was huge, even if she was quite a bit smaller than her golden dam.
"To think I wanted a barred. Or maybe a green. I wanted a small dragon, and look what I ended up with." Complaining was, of course, impossible...although there *was* quite a lot of Fioloth to clean and she was still not fully grown. She wondered how she would compare in size to the other violet.
"On the other...I've taken to carrying a knife." At all times...
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Post by Jenth on Jan 14, 2012 2:50:45 GMT -5
"I would have been fine if I didn't Impress. Disappointed, yes, but I would have gotten over it. All I had wanted to do was sing." Inolyn was about the only person who actually truthfully believed that. Many candidates were nervous and unsure they would be found 'worthy' of a dragon, but not this harper girl. Then Jorindath hatched and became her life. The more time wore on, the less she sang, and now Inolyn was almost afraid to sing a single note for fear of sounding like creaky door. It probably wouldn't be that bad, but still a shadow of its potential.
"No... I dont carry around a knife around the Weyr. I refuse to feel that unsafe were I should be my safest. To any conspirators that remain, the fact that I and Jori live is the biggest blow I can deal to them." And I hope there are none... Inolyn thought to herself, her dragons lovingly touch in her mind.
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Post by ShadowReine on Jan 14, 2012 16:58:08 GMT -5
Kari nodded. "I suspect I'll manage to relax about it in time, but...he scared Fioloth."
That was what she could not forgive, that her dragon, less than a day old, had been so frightened by the attack on the other queenrider. Frightening her, that was one thing. But even though Fioloth had forgotten, Kari found herself unable (or unwilling) to do so.
Fioloth was, after all, her other half, the other part of her soul...and it was part of a rider's job to protect and care for her dragon, right?
Right.
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Post by Jenth on Jan 15, 2012 9:38:43 GMT -5
Inolyn didn't respond to her comment. It was natural for any rider to want to protect their dragon, and vice versa. However the real fear couldn't have come from the attacker, a man who hadn't even come close to the hatchling violet. It would have most likely come from Kari herself or Jorindath. Scared and furious, the violet queen had had every dragon in the Weyr wanting blood. The memory was hazy from shock and double vision from wanting to control her dragon on the verge of losing consciousness.
"You better return to your studies, I shouldn't have bothered you." Inolyn briskly rose from her seat and turned away. The last thing she had wanted to do was start unsettling Kari with non-existing problems.
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