"My Fault"
by Hailie Jade S
Rating: T because of deaths and a little mild gore. Nothing too bad.
Summary: Zeyth's rider always loved Zani, but they both rode female dragons. How could they ever be together?
Disclaimer: I don't own Pern or, really, anything else good in this story.
Author's Notes: This is a saddish story, probably not any good, just kind of a plot bunny I found and ran with. It's probably an over-done idea, but hey. Please review and tell me what you thought.
They say it was an accident.
It was.
They say it wasn't my fault.
It was.
They say I can't blame myself.
They're wrong. I can, can, can, can, CAN!
It was my fault.
It started that beautiful, wonderful, glorious, amazing, terrific, sharding perfect day.
That awful day.
The Sands were hot. We were walking across them, half-hopping to give our feet a break. We were walking to the eggs.
I was last in line of the male candidates, the candidates for the normal eggs. Behind me were the candidates for the queen egg. The girls.
She was behind me.
Her name was Zani, and I knew she would be the one to Impress. How could she not? She was the most beautiful girl, with curly golden hair and sparkling blue eyes. She was the kindest, sweetest, gentlest girl, yet with a quiet confidence.
I was in love.
It was all clear to my young, naïve mind. Zani would Impress gold, so I must Impress bronze, to have a chance at weyrmating her. Firm with my resolve, I stood in the semicircle around the mottled eggs. I held my breath as Zani brushed past be, on her way to the glistening gold one. I watched as she and the red-headed girl next to her began to talk.
Don't ask me how many eggs there were, but, shards, they all seemed to hatch at once. They say it's good luck if a bronze hatches first, but, by Faranth's shell, they all tumbled into the world at the same threadbared time. Who knows when he hatched?
The dragons were Impressing left and right. I was standing very still. It was too fast. I couldn't follow.
I did see the golden egg hatch. Saw the queen stumble out. Saw her dart for… Zani. Watched them walk out before the stab of panic hit. I needed a bronze – soon!
There was one bronze in the entire clutch. As though the mother dragon had decided that after the queen egg, we could hardly ask for numerous bronzes.
I counted two blues, three browns, two greens, and the bronze left on the Sands. Next to me was Taromaz. Handsome, strong Taromaz.
Bronzerider T'maz.
I swear the little beast was headed for me! He saw me, came for me.
Taromaz intercepted him.
"Hush, Vidooth. You're fine now."
Never would I forget those words. Those words spoken as my dreams fell apart.
I was ready to give up when she came. She barreled into me, knocking me flat on my back. Stood on my chest, not too careful with her talons.
I'm Zeyth, she announced. Feed me.
I did not get close to Zani during weyrlings classes. Why should I? My dragon was a green, and hers, a gold. They were both female, and on opposite sides of hierarchy scale. I hadn't the slightest chance of weyrmating Zani now, unless one of our dragons somehow switched genders.
And I would never change my Zeyth.
So we learned to Fight Thread. Zani's golden Zinnemeth was essential during a Pass. The Weyr needed more dragons to protect Pern. So Zani was coddled, sheltered, favored, while I was forced to come to grips with the fact that I was worthless. Greens cannot breathe fire for extended periods of time. They are quick and agile, yes, but… small. Female, yet infertile.
Female…
But the most important Fall came when Zeyth – and Zani's Zinnemeth – were about four Turns old. We were seasoned Threadfighters by then.
I was in a bad mood.
The same one I'd been in for a week. Ever since Zinnemeth had been caught in her first mating flight (surprisingly late in her life) by T'maz's Vidooth. This rankled badly in me. That bronze had been headed for me! And he had caught Zani's dragon!
Zani and T'maz were weyrmates.
We are to have our riders mount, Zeyth reported dutifully to me. I nodded and swung expertly up onto her neck. I reached for her mind. She was being oddly quiet, when compared to her usual self.
You are thinking a lot, she said. But you won't let me hear. You are unhappy. Why?
A tug at my heart. I-I'll explain it after 'Fall, Zey, I promised.
I will remember, she said firmly, despite dragons' notorious bad memories. You will tell me?
I swear on the shards of your egg, girl, I said gently, slapping her neck with affection.
Rekonth is injured! Zeyth cried, as she flamed. He is between! We are to take his place!
Slight pause as we dove for a clump.
I need more stone! Zeyth turned her great green head, jaws open wide. I quickly fed her more.
Suddenly – I am hit! Zeyth cried in alarm. She ducked between, to freeze the Threads off her wingtip.
But it was my fault. I didn't picture a coordinate to get us out! Zeyth began to panic and I shoved a quick image at her. We burst out –
Right by the queens' wing.
Right by Zinnemeth.
Zeyth screamed as the two inexorably collided. Gold and green clashed, talons and wings raking great gashes in each others' bodies, heads, and necks.
Panicking, Zeyth let loose a trickle of flame.
Panicking, Zinnemeth closed her jaws on Zeyth's neck.
They began to fall together. The only time my dragon would fall entwined with Zani's.
In pain, the tangle of dragon winked between.
But this time, my torn, bloodied mind mind held fast to a coordinate, and we burst into open air above the Weyr.
Alarmed, bugling dragons flew up to meet us. Catch us. Slowly, we were lowered to the ground, our dragons still screeching their agony to the world.
Zinnemeth went first.
We – Zani and I – were yanked from our dragons. Zinnemeth lifted her huge head. She was no longer a pure gold, but dull, stained dark green with dragon blood, bellowing her pain.
She yanked until she and my moaning Zeyth were no longer entangled. Zani gave a terrible shriek, pulling away from restraining arms, but it was too late. Zinnemeth was between.
I felt my Zeyth's pain. I grabbed her dark, bloodstained head.
NO! STAY! I screamed, hugging her muzzle.
But she hurt. Hurt so badly.
"NOOO! Please! Please, no!" I begged, screamed, pleaded. But when another searing bolt of pain raced through her…
Gone.
Falling.
Dark.
She's gone.
She won't be back.
I'm here.
She's not.
I shouldn't be here.
I can follow her.
I can be with her.
We can be together.
Our eyes meet. Her blue ones dead and cold, my green ones filled with tears that have already been shed.
I reach out my hand.
"I know where to find her."
Hesitation.
"I'm going to her."
No more hesitation. She stretches out her hand, twining her fingers in mine.
"Come. Let's find them."
Zani, rider of gold Zinnemeth, and K'liz, rider of green Zeyth died together.
K'liz was smiling.
And there it is. Cheesy, corny, whatever. Just review, please.