Cailleath's Clutch
It was obvious that the event would happen soon. Cailleath was so egg heavy she appeared bloated and even Gwyn, her beloved weyrmate, was spending more time away from the gold. Cailleath had always been cranky, but her moods as she approached clutching were rivalling the way they were on the day she rose to mate.
"How much longer, Gwyn?" Lynnia smiled encouragingly as Gwyn sank into her chair at dinner wearily. Even from the dining hall, they could hear Cailleath's grumbles and hisses.
"By my calculations, it should be tomorrow," Gwyn sighed, her face thankful as the drudges began bringing the evening meal. The soup, a delicious fish and root concoction, revived Gwyn's flagging spirits from the first spoonful.
"That will be a relief," L'iam said from her other side. Although not officially Weyr Second, L'iam had been invited to join the Weyrleader's at their table for meals. His transfer from Fort Weyr had occurred two months past and he was fitting in perfectly. "Even Magreth is beginning to stay away from her."
Gwyn smiled at that as she finished her soup. Magreth was as besotted with Cailleath as L'iam was with her and despite the gold dragon's moods, Magreth was always nearby.
"Well," she said, sitting back in her chair. "Tomorrow should see the end of this."
"Not necessarily," M'ark warned, leaning from beside Lynnia. "I suspect Cailleath will be even worse when the eggs are finally laid."
Gwyn sighed. "Yep, I think so too."
There was silence a little while longer as the drudges cleared the soup bowls and offered steaming platters of roast wherry. Idle chit-chat and comments filled the rest of the dinner hour and it wasn't until dessert, a particularly sticky sweet, that anything more was said.
"Do you suppose she'll be a hindrance to the Candidates?" L'iam inquired of Gwyn as he devoured his sweet.
"I don't know," Gwyn replied, her voice troubled. She had been worried about this too. "I mean, it isn't like I can't make her stay away from them while the Candidates are looking at them. I just would rather she let them do it of her own accord."
"I don't know if she will, Gwyn," Lynnia shook her head. "Adreath is always happy to have everyone inspect her eggs, but Cailleath? I see some problems coming."
"Some?" M'ark snorted. "We'll be lucky if we GET any Candidates for her clutch! Who wants to face a raging Cailleath?"
"I would have faced ten raging Cailleath's to Impress Magreth," L'iam said stoutly. "A dragon is worth facing down even Cailleath. We'll have enough Candidates, don't worry."
"And they'll be the stronger for having the courage to stand on the sands that day," Gwyn nodded briskly. "Come on, L'iam. let's see if Magreth and you and I can convince her to come out and have a bath."
The next morning, anticipation was running high as everyone knew that Cailleath the Cranky was expected to produce her first clutch that day. Cailleath herself had already moved to the Hatching Grounds, but nothing appeared to be happening. Gwyn, anxious for her weyrmate, kept checking in on her, but Cailleath seemed to simply be enjoying the hot sands and snoozing. Gwyn, after her fortieth check in, went to Lynnia's weyr where the Weyrwoman was consulting with the Headwoman, Bierra.
"Yes, a tithe train is on the way from Keroon," Lynnia was nodding briskly as Gwyn entered the Weyr. "We'll have fresh fruit tomorrow, I'm sure, if the weather holds."
"Good," Bierra replied, folding her sheets of paper and smiling at Gwyn. "Good afternoon, Gwyn. How's Cailleath?"
"She's asleep in the Hatching Grounds," Gwyn said disgustedly, sinking into a chair. "No indication whatsoever that she's going to lay her clutch today."
"Dragons do everything in their own time," Lynnia smiled at her friend. "Don't worry."
"Every other queen I've met has laid her eggs exactly to the day expected, why would Cailleath be any different?" Gwyn asked with a sigh.
"Because she's Cailleath," Lynnia and Bierra chorused. The three women laughed and Bierra excused herself. Gwyn stood up again as her laughter died down.
"Can Adreath persuade Cailleath to eat?" Gwyn suggested. "Magreth has tried and she won't listen to him. Maybe her Senior Queen can do something."
Lynnia shrugged and walked with Gwyn out to the Bowl.
"We'll see," she said and turned to look at her bright golden queen sunning on the fireheights.
Adreath, love, can you persuade Cailleath to have something to eat? she inquired in her mind.
Cailleath is busy, Adreath replied sleepily, her head swivelling to look down at her rider.
Lynnia frowned, then abruptly smiled.
"Gwyn," she suggested. "Let's go see what Cailleath is doing, shall we?"
Gwyn looked uncomprehending for a moment, then her eyes widened.
"She's laying, isn't she?" Gwyn cried, sprinting for the Hatching Grounds. Lynnia, stouter and slower, panted after her friend, laughing. She had reacted similarly when Adreath had laid her first clutch!
Inside the Hatching Grounds, Cailleath was curled in a circle, obviously concentrating. Gwyn's approached caused a raised head but nothing more until Lynnia panted into the opening. Then Cailleath shrieked in an outraged bellow and half rose.
NO ONE BUT YOU! the golden dragon roared angrily at Gwyn. Gwyn, understanding, hastily turned to Lynnia, but Lynnia was already turning herself.
"Adreath told me," Lynnia called before Gwyn could speak. "I'm gone!" And was.
Gwyn whirled back to her beloved weyrmate and Cailleath shifted her forearms enough so that Gwyn could come up close to her body.
"Oh, my," Gwyn breathed as she saw the eight beautiful eggs that Cailleath had laid already. "They're beautiful, Cailleath! And so many already!"
There will be many more, Cailleath informed Gwyn smugly. Then she strained and as Gwyn watched, entranced, produced another egg, this one beautifully streaked with bronze and dark gold. It wasn't a queen egg, but it could definitely be a bronze! Gwyn sighed as Cailleath did and hesitantly reached a hand for one of the eggs.
Of course you may touch one, Cailleath told her lifemate with a gentle, mental smile.
Gwyn tenderly touched one of the eggs and found it softer than she expected.
"Are they supposed to be this soft, love?" she asked, not really concerned, but curious.
That's what the hot sands are for, Cailleath replied after a pause in which she produced yet another egg. The eggs will harden here.
"And then one lucky day in about five sevendays, they will hatch!" Gwyn smiled at the thought of that future day. "And lucky kids will Impress them."
Only worthy "kids" may come near my eggs, Cailleath announced grimly, her eyes flashing slightly red. I won't have my offspring Impressed by incompetents.
"Oh, Cailleath, sweet," Gwyn reassured her dragon, scrubbing at the headknobs which had the effect of erasing the red tinge from the queen's eyes. "We have great Search dragons, you know that. They'll only bring worthy Candidates."
Still, Cailleath began, then stopped, her head raising quickly and her voice becoming angry. SOMEONE'S COMING!
Gwyn hurriedly scooted out from between her weyrmate's front legs and ran to the entrance where she could hear voices. It was a visiting group of cotholders who had overheard Lynnia telling M'ark about the Clutching and were coming to watch the event.
"No, you'll have to go back," Gwyn hastily told them, hearing Cailleath's growls and feeling her anger at the intrusion. "Cailleath doesn't want anyone near her."
"Surely one look won't hurt, Weyrwoman?" an insolent young man drawled. "Dragons won't harm a person, you know."
The men kept walking despite Gwyn's protests and in a few seconds had stepped onto the hot sands of the Hatching Grounds.
...where they were met with a fiery eyed, looming Cailleath who was issuing snarls and snapping at the air in front of her.
! ! ! ! ! ! !
The mental and audible roar echoed through the cavern and the holders to a man fell to the ground in agony from the screech inside their minds. Gwyn, who had been shielded from the worst of it by Cailleath, still staggered a bit.
"Leave!" she demanded, kicking at one of the prone, groaning holders. "Hurry, before she gets really mad!"
The holders, with screams of fear, scrambled to their feet and were out of the Hatching Grounds before Gwyn's ears had stopped ringing. Cailleath, still hissing and growling, settled back around her eggs just in time to produce another one.
"Oh, Cailleath, I'm sorry!" Gwyn cried, hurrying back to her weyrmate. "I'll make sure everyone stays away from now on."
They won't be back, Cailleath replied, her mental voice much calmer than it rightly should have been. I don't want to be disturbed and once the story of this gets around, I won't be.
Gwyn narrowed her eyes.
"Cailleath, you're a fraud," she stated, her lips quirking in a smile. "You weren't really angry, were you? You just wanted to scare them."
I was angry with their intrusion! Cailleath hastily pointed out, then added after a moment. But maybe not THAT angry.
"Well, it worked," Gwyn nodded as she resumed her place beside Cailleath's body. "I don't think anyone will be in to bother you."
Lynnia may come after I am done, Cailleath offered generously. And maybe Magreth.
"Not L'iam?" Gwyn laughed, thumping her dragon's side. Cailleath immediately produced another egg, but reassured Gwyn that it hadn't come out because of the thumping.
He can visit YOU, Cailleath dropped her jaw in the draconic equivalent of a grin.
Gwyn had to laugh again, although her face turned red too. She had been seeing a lot of L'iam lately, but there was another young man too, a journeyman woodsmith that had also caught her eye. Cailleath didn't disapprove of them, although she didn't really approve either. Gwyn just wasn't ready to settle down yet.
Cailleath strained then and produced another large, beautiful egg that Gwyn was sure contained another bronze.
"How many will there be, Cailleath?" Gwyn inquired. "Do you know?"
A lot, was Cailleath's only reply, as she nosed an egg into a better position.
"They really are beautiful," Gwyn sighed again, touching the egg closest to her. "The Search Dragons will go out on Search once you are done which means that the Candidates will start arriving in five or so days." Gwyn looked up into her dragon's eyes. "Will you let the Candidates handle your eggs, Cailleath?"
Cailleath was silent for a moment, then narrowed her eyes slightly and dropped her jaw.
We'll see.