Author's Note: Settled South is a three-four page fanfiction I wrote for English class during which Jaxom, F'lar, Lessa, F'nor, Robinton and the rest settle holds in the southern continent. It's pure fluff, really. It shows what happened, but there is no action of them settling the Holds. Not all the details may be correct because I didn't focus on them. This was just quickly written. Not my best… but still, here's some fluff for your enjoyment.
I'm considering expanding this into a real fanfiction centering on a holder being settled in the south. Thoughts? Anyway. Enough from me. Here's your fluffiness.
Settled South
Early Morning at Excavation Site
The cold of between opened up into the light of a sunrise as Ruth circled down towards the other dragons. Jaxom slid promptly off his undersized white dragon and hurriedly jogged over to where the Benden Weyrleaders, the Maserharper and For Weyr's weyrleader were standing in the center area of the excavation site. F'lar looked more nervous than he should when something had happened. He usually stayed calm in any situation. Lessa had a look on her face that made Jaxom nervous for someone's well-being. It was the look that screamed that Lessa had an idea. The last idea Lessa had worked out well, besides negative long-term effects, but Lessa had almost died in the process. N'ton, Fort's Weyrleader, was also looking anxious. Robinton seemed as old as ever, and it scared Jaxom to imagine Pern without its Masterharper. Robinton was having too many problems with his heart, and Jaxom knew he wouldn't last much longer.
He was having a hard time imagining what it would be like with a different Masterharper in Harper Crafthall. Jaxom thought that the obvious successor would be Menolly, who had been Robinton's own apprentice, but that would be a first. She was already the first girl to be a harper. Also, she is only a journeywoman, not a master. Maybe they would appoint Sebell. He was almost a master himself, and was also Robinton's apprentice once. He was probably already doing a lot of the Masterharper's responsibilities, with Robinton spending all his time at Cove Hold, keeping records of these "First Men" and their Holds and other buildings, and of course drinking Benden wine. He would always love his Benden wine- not that he liked it any less when it saved his life.
"What's happened? Why does everyone look so uneasy?" Jaxom inquired as he approached the four most important people on Pern. He was surprised that he, Lord Holder of Ruatha and rider of white Ruth, could be involved in such important events around such important people. He strongly hoped that it was nothing that couldn't be fixed easily because he had finally been allowed to be wed to Sharra, and was now confirmed as Lord Holder of Ruatha, and was permitted to fly Thread if he had time to spare when Thread was falling, or when it was above Ruatha Hold. Things had been going very well with his life. Until, it seemed, now.
"Lord Meron has, well, he's almost dead now… but that's beside the point. He's put this idea in everyone's head that the Weyrs should be settling younger sons and people from over-packed Holds in the Southern Continent because we were already spending enough time down here excavating, and if there is a world where Thread can't burrow, they should be allowed in it. Yesterday, at Benden Weyr, there were younger sons from the holds closer to Benden Weyr on outside, and the younger sons closer to Fort were outside there. It was a bit of a problem… Now that T'ron, T'kul and Mardra are all gone between, which we do know for sure now, the other Oldtimers are reasonable enough that we went and made a claim that they could keep Southern Weyr, and we wouldn't intrude on their territory, but we would be able to take the rest of the south and start to situate holds and Weyrs. S'ren, the new Southern Weyrleader, agreed to this. Sadly," F'lar sighed. "This means that we need to start situating a few Holds here. I think that we need some way to keep them out of the west. In thirty years, when this pass is over, dragonriders will need somewhere to go."
"I think that we set up a few Holds in the east, saying that it is the only section that we have explored. Which is true and not. We have explored, and mapped, enough of the east for a good number of holds, and a few Weyrs. But, also the west. I say that we situate a few holds in the east, say we split the most over-populated holds in half, and place them in some of the caves we have found, and leave it to them to build anything else they want. We give each Hold a watchdragon, and situate one large Weyr in the middle to be summoned whenever Thread falls. It will be more Holds than usual under one Weyr, but we will make the size of this Weyr make up for it. I say we start mapping the site for each hold now, and each Lord Holder, and which Holds we will split. When you think about it, most of the younger sons are already here in Southern Hold. We take the ones who chose not to get lands and Holds through Toric, so there aren't any complaints that we didn't give everyone a chance. Kala's queen, Jenlith, will rise within a sevenday, and I think that we make it an open flight, to decide this Eastern Weyr's Weyrleaders." Lessa proposed. "What does everyone think?"
"I think," N'ton smiled, "We start now."
"I agree." F'lar put in.
"What about southern Crafthalls?" Robinton questioned abruptly. "Could we have those, too?"
Lessa looked at F'lar, who nodded quickly. "I think that, if you agree, the first Harper Crafthall should be Cove Hold." Lessa suggested.
"Yes. I think that could be arranged…" Robinton trailed off, already planning it in his mind. "But, of course, it might disturb my peace and quiet…"
"You've never liked quiet, Robinton. You just want the Benden wine to yourself." N'ton laughed. This successfully brought a light note to the meeting.
"Jaxom, what do you think?" Lessa asked. Jaxom had been quiet until now.
"I think that it will work… and I was wondering. What about Lytol? Do you think maybe… we could get him a Hold? After everything he did for me, and Ruatha?"
F'lar smiled. "If he agrees, yes… I think that could be arranged."
"I'll go announce to everyone that any younger son wanting to establish a hold in the south should make their way to Benden Weyr. Also, we should send word to the bronzes of all the Weyrs that Jenlith's flight will be an open one, but that any bronze who wants to take part should seek approval from their Weyrleaders. Does everyone agree?" N'ton posed. Everyone did.
Epilogue
It turned out that there were seven younger sons who arrived at Benden Weyr the next day. Two had been sons of Meron, passed over as heir for a grandnephew, and one who had been a merchant at that. One of them seemed a decent boy. He was young, only about twenty-one Turns. The second, however, was much more ambitious. Lessa was fuming the entire interview. She could see the potential for a second Fax in him, especially with all the unclaimed land in the south. They wanted Lord Holders for Southern that would be content with one Hold, and grateful to be given that.
They decided to establish five Holds in the east. The first was given to a younger son of Telgar Hold, Kadlith, and his wife, with half the people of Keroon Hold. The Hold was named Lyara Hold, for Kadlith's sister, who went with them. The second was given to a younger son of Fort Hold named Theorah, with half of Fort Hold's people. He named the hold Deep Cove Hold because it sat on the edge of a lake named Deep Cove Lake. The third was given to a younger son in Tillek Hold, Jeagon, with half of High Reaches' people. It was named Jeagon Hold, for lack of a better name. The fourth hold was given to a younger son of Ista Hold, with some of Ista Hold's some of Igen Hold's, and some of Nabol Hold's people. His name was Tilpen, and the hold was named Cyrigan Hold, for his grandfather. The fifth hold was given, as promised, to Lytol. Lytol accepted the title of Lord Holder gratefully, no longer needed at Ruatha, as Jaxom was old enough to step in as Lord Holder of Ruatha. Lytol named his hold for the dragon he lost, Larth. Larth Hold was built of a few People from every hold that hadn't already had anyone sent south. Lytol fell into routine of Lord Holder quickly, and he seemed to flinch less obviously whenever someone mentioned the name of his hold; however, he was never all right with hearing Larth mentioned so often. He still flinched on the inside.
These five holds were places in a circle around the newly established Eastern Weyr. K'line's Nethlyn, of Ista Weyr, flew Kala's Jenlith, making them Weyrleaders of Eastern. Everyone approved. Spare dragons from all the weyrs, including two queens, one from High Reaches and one from Benden, were sent to Eastern, making up the most massive Weyr in existence. They didn't have a lot of trouble once they decided that with a weyr so large they should make two wing-seconds. After this was done, things went along smoothly.
As for everyone else, Jaxom and Sharra were wed and lived happily as Lord and Lady Holders of Ruatha Hold. They brought the Ruathan bloodline back from extinction, and one of their daughters, Alyana, even Impressed a Benden queen. She, Turns later, became the next Benden Weyrwoman. Robinton remained happily at Cove Hold, now Southern Harper Crafthall, with Menolly and Sebell, who moved there perminently, along with half the masters, half the journeymen, and half the apprentices. A master named Master Golan became Masterharper in the North. Sebell was the first Master to walk the tables at Southern Harper Crafthall. Menolly, not long after, walked the tables as well. She was the first female Master. When Robinton's heart finally failed him, Sebell and Menolly became the Masterharpers in the south, and were wed. A lot of the older masters of crafts started moving into the Southern Continent, and establishing Crafthalls with Holds in the east.
F'lar, Lessa, N'ton, Robinton, Jaxom, F'nor, Menolly, Sebell and Piemur continued the excavation of the mountain, and the exploration of the south, learning more and more about these "First Men". With the help of Fandarel, the Mastersmith, they began crafting a helmet that would permit them to breathe without air, so that someone could eventually travel to the Dawn Sisters. The more they discovered about these men, the more questions they found, and the more people they incorporated into their project. There seemed to always be more about these people to learn.