Hey everyone, Rides here. I promise, I have not given-up on any of my stories. I'm just having a hard time finding time to write lately. Anyway, this is a rewrite of my Pern ficcie, Tsenni's Black Dragon, now with Spicy Beta-ed Flavor! Much love and thanks to Tirya, my lovley Beta who, suprisingly, is willing to put-up with me! Anyway, I don't own DOP, but I do own all my OCS. R&R!
T'zon of Fort had just lost his dragon. His mind was in a tailspin of pain and grief. But he knew his dragon had given him an instruction, so he tried to remember what it was. He and Tsenth had been flying Fall when they were blindsided by some Thread, burrowing into Tsenth's body. The bronze had gone Between, to the Weyr, but the Thread had stayed in his body, eating his spine and organs. He had firmly told T'zon to go be with his mate and hatchlings, and gone Between.
T'zon had returned to his home, Ruatha, numb with grief and wine-laced klah. As he stumbled in, he remembered that his wife, Ayenni, had been due today. He vaguely wondered where she was. T'zon happened-upon his son, Tayazrall, a quiet child of two, with T'zon's hazel eyes.
"Mother is having a baby, Father." The boy informed him. T'zon nodded numbly, sitting-down with the boy on his lap. What seemed like an eternity to T'zon –but he was later told was only a few minutes- later, a birthing-woman emerged from the bedchamber, her face grave. Even in his dragon-grieved state, T'zon responded to her expression, concern stirring within him.
"Ayenni?" His voice sounded dead and empty to his own ears, despite his heartfelt worry. The birthing-woman bit her lip and shook her head. She handed T'zon a bundle of blankets. He looked-down and came face to face with a tiny, female version of himself- the same fine, delicate features, the same bronze curls. The main difference was her eyes. They were Ayenni's, the same deep, dark blue of a serene dragon. "Tsenni."
Tarzon, the dragonless father, was laughing. He was standing on the edge of his living area, watching his children. Tayazrall was now a fine boy of six, and much like his quiet, careful mother. His sister, Tsenni, however, was a four-year-old ball of energy, as Tarzon was at her age. She preferred not to play with other children her age at the Hold. She preferred watching the fire lizards. Now, however, she was playing Moreta, and forcing her brother to be her queen.
Tarzon heard crying all of a sudden, and opened the door. Tsenni was running towards him, tears streaming down her face. She was upset because Jarsem, a fosterling who was the heir to the nearby cothold, Lenat, had been teasing her.
It was Tsenni's eleventh birthday. She and Tayazrall were playing a birthday game. She was laughing, her dark blue eyes dancing as she slipped past her brother to Tarzon. She wrapped her arms around his waist and just gazed up at him.
Tarzon snapped out of his reverie as he watched Jarsem, Tayazrall, and Tsenni climbed onto the Benden Search dragons, off to – hopefully- Impress some of Benden's soon-to-hatch clutch.
As the dragons lifted into the air, Tsenni turned-around, and raised a hand in farewell, the sparkle in her eyes visible from a distance.
The ex-dragonrider realized he was crying.