Gasping and sweating, Vinna entered the Hatching grounds. The enormous hollow cavern was dimly lit by glows, but Vinna felt the familiar touch of Pyramanth's mind, and knew her dragon would not lead her astray. With slow steps, she walked onto the sands, warm, but not burning hot as they had the day of Impression. It had been so long since Vinna had last set foot here. She could see the glinting sheen of Pyramanth's soft hide in the faint light, and then two glowing points floating in the darkness, the dragon's radiant eyes.
As she got close to the queen Vinna stopped, letting her eyes adjust, and she began to be able to pick out more details from the surrounding darkness. Pyramanth was curving her body protectively toward Vinna, not quite lying on the ground, but clearly not wanting to support the full weight off her swollen belly. Her wings, or wing, was half extended, and she was shifting, as if nervous. Arching her neck, the queen hummed and flicked out to tongue to her rider, and then looked pointed back toward her wing, raising it so that Vinna could see the trio of smooth white eggs resting in the sands.
"Oh, Pyramanth!" Vinna gushed, feeling oddly childish, but she couldn't hold back her soft squeal, wrapping her arms tightly around the dragon's head in congratulations, "Pyramanth! Pyramanth! Oh, you beauty, I'm ever so proud of you, you know. They're lovely. Ah, I am so, so proud,"
You may want to lower your voice, or do you want to wake the Weyr?
That drew Vinna up short. Should she wake the Weyr? E'rren? Yori perhaps? After all, this was Pyramanth's first clutch, there was so much chaos all over Pern, and it would the Weyr some good to bask in the pride of their queen's accomplishment. Did she want to wake anyone?
Silently, smugly even, Vinna decided that she would be very shellfish and not wake anyone at all. She could have this with Pyramanth, for tonight at least. For a few hours, this could be their secret, silly as it was. The watchdragon had seen her, and it was possible that his rider would understand what had happened. But wouldn't they have had company by now if they'd told? Vinna scratched at Pyramanth's eye ridges. This moment was theirs.
"But I am proud, you do know that don't you, little queen?"
I am very proud of me too, Pyramanth agreed, her tone very self-satisfied.
"D'gran is sure you'll lay a queen," Vinna continued, smiling widely, her cheeks would hurt if she kept this up.
Perhaps, Pyramanth allowed, laboring to shift more of her weight to her haunches as she laid another egg, but we will know soon enough,
Vinna giggled.
You are laughing and smiling, this is very good!
"Yes, yes, I am. And I am sorry for worrying you,"
No one smiles much anymore,
"Things are dark on Pern right now," Vinna sobered slightly, but Pyramanth ducked her head to nuzzle her rider, "But you, my stunning queen, will bring this dreary place some joy again!"
Pyramanth hummed deep in her chest, her eyes glowing more brightly with pride.
The next day, after a brief panic from E'rren when he couldn't find Vinna, the Weyr was finally in good spirits once again. Pyramanth had begun to lay her clutch, and every rider, as well as the weyrfolk, were all buzzing with excitement at the knowledge that there would be a Hatching to bring the excuse of celebration.
Over the next sevenday, Vinna rarely left Pryamanth's side, and E'rren kept a close watch over the number of eggs being laid. For a clutch laid during the Interval, Pyramanth impressed everyone with gratifying total of thirty eggs, including a queen.
"Thirty eggs!" E'rren carded his fingers through his hair, his gray eyes sparkling as he looped an arm around Vinna's waist. "We'll have to send out the wings on Search for a healthy supply of candidates," being born as a holder he had no issue with looking beyond the weyrbred.
"Is that wise?" Vinna had to ask.
For a moment E'rren looked confused, and then his expression darkened, "Would anyone attack an entire wing?"
"It wasn't long ago that the idea of any dragonrider being murdered was absurd,"
"And now we all have to constantly be on guard for fear of being knifed or possibly poisoned," E'rren snorted. Vinna grimaced, and set down her cup of klah uncertainly, abruptly suspicious of the steaming liquid.
"I wouldn't joke, what if someone heard you and got the wrong idea?"
"We've been cautious, Vinna, but that has meant that the Weyrs have avoided the problem. We truly haven't done much to seek out the cause,"
"You're returning to Telgar Hold today aren't you? Still trying to break Rina?"
"One last time before Lord Metry throws down into a keyless cell for his crimes,"
"At least the Lord Holders all seem to still be against this new following,"
"True," E'rren sighed, then dropped his arm and nodded in farewell, exiting the Hatching grounds and saluting Pyramanth as he passed her giant head.
We'll have to go on the offensive eventually, Vinna said, resting a hand on the queen's leg.
Eventually, the golden dragon agreed, but not before the Hatching. I will not be weyrbound this time!
Still sore about what happened at Telgar? Pyramanth had been the only senior queen not present.
Pyramanth ducked her head, not bothering to answer, and began to lick at claws, set on removing every bit of sand and dirt from her hide. Pyramanth's brilliantly natural golden hue had returned soon after she'd fished laying her eggs, and the queen had taken an enormous amount of extra energy in grooming herself to celebrate the loss of bronze tones. Even so, her hide still lacked some of its original radiance, and Vinna blamed it solely on her queen's stubborn refusal to eat properly.
"Honestly, are all queens this difficult when they're on the sands?"
Would it make any difference to you if that were so?
"No," Vinna murmured in defeat.
