Three months after Branna and Yiirmith had gone between, the Weyr had fully recovered from the loss of their late senior pair, and had fallen into step under Vinna's leadership. It hadn't been without its challenges. Vinna had initially struggled to keep the Weyr running as smoothly as Branna had. Pyramanth, of course came first, but Vinna had been slightly overwhelmed with taking on all that she had originally shared with her predecessor. D'gran and Yori had been beyond helpful. Yori, with all her Turns as Headwoman, was able to assist in estimating needed supplies; and D'gran, with no Thread to fight, insisted on taking on, or assisting her with some of her lesser duties. However, for all her struggles, Vinna refused to let either of them shoulder the bulk of her work. She was Weyrwoman. Her responsibilities ought to be her own.
"You must be bored to aid me in this," she jeered one night as D'gran helped her record the incoming tithes.
"Drilling for an enemy that had passed and sweep rides have no excitement," the Weyrleader retorted.
"And this does?" Vinna scoffed. Shedidn't particularly mind keeping records, but the musky smell of hides made her drowsy, and it didn't helped that the Weyrleader had brought a wineskin with him.
He only grumbled and ducked his head.
Spring marked Pyramanth turning two Turns, and D'gran began reminding her that the queen may be rising soon. Vinna began to notice that her queen began to flaunt herself more frequently. Her temper seemed more docile, and the queen was more willing to socialize with the bronzes.
In contrast, the Weyrwoman found herself on edge, she felt a sort of looseness through her body, but couldn't help but be irritated toward, well, everyone. D'gran noticed her behavior, and order the she and Pyramanth be weyrbound, not that they'd had much opportunity to take another enchanting flight together. The knowledge that her queen was undoubtedly close to mating only thinned Vinna's abbreviated temper. She took a small amount of comfort in knowing that she would at least have a fair amount of warning when the bronzes began blooding their kills.
"Will the greens be rising before Pyramanth?" she asked one morning. The night had brought a late frost throughout the Weyr, and the sun cast a silvery reflection upon the stiffened earth.
"It's possible," D'gran mused, "but at this point I'd say no, they'll start mating after their queen sister,"
Vinna drummed her fingers against her wide belt, pressing her lips into a thin line. She hadn't failed to notice how the weyrfolk had all been doing their best to stay out of her way.
The days got warmer, and Pyramanth took to sunning herself on Yiirmith's old ledge, displaying hereself shamelessly for all to see. No one even thought of saying anything. Pyramanth was their queen now, and they all looked to her with pride.
"She seems to be sleeping more than usual,"
"She's preserving her energy," D'gran explained. He'd done his best to keep the Weyrwoman in sight. She didn't know any better on how to control herself with Pyramanth's maiden flight fast approaching.
"For?" Vinna asked crisply.
D'gran looked pointedly at her.
"Ah," she huffed sourly.
"She'll need her strength for a good high mating flight. Which is why-"
"I mustn't let her gorge," Vinna snapped, then sighed apologetically and wrapped an arm around the Weyrleader's neck, "I know my duties, and I am no weyrling!"
"No," he agreed, "You are Weyrwoman,"
"Weyrleaders! D'gran!"
T'mmas and S'rlle were running hastily toward them, T'mmas frantically waving his arms to catch their attention.
"You'd think they lacked dragons," D'gran grumbled.
"Weyrleaders," S'rlle was gasping, he looked stressed, but excited.
"What is it?"
"Brannongeth and Zagrieth, and all the bronzes, they're blooding their kills!"
D'gran and Vinna's eyes went wide. Vinna sucked in a sharp breath, and they both turned to look up to where Pyramanth was sleeping peacefully in the sun, and then D'gran rounded on Vinna, gripping her shoulders so hard she feared he'd leave bruises.
"This is of paramount importance, Vinna, you must control her!"
"D'gran-" she tired to reassure him.
"She'll fight you, but you cannot let her win!"
"D'gran-"
"Only the blood. You must only let her-"
"D'gran!"
The Weyrleader paused, and Vinna shrugged out of his grasp only to take hold of his hands, squeezing.
"I will control Pyramanth," she said, so firmly that D'gran looked astonished.
And then Pyramanth woke with a hissing snarl.
Vinna fought to keep her own balance, gasping as her queen's hunger washed over her, worse even than Impression day. And the anger! Vinna trembled. There was so much fury, so much raw, arrogant pride! Roaring with a voice that made the air tremble, Pyramanth opened her wings and took flight with impossible ease, impossible grace.
Vinna sprinted for the Weyr's herds and the killbowl where the dragons fed. Above her, Pyramanth was radient, so incredibly bright, glowing and hissing at the bronzes that dared to hover around her. As they reached the feeding grounds, Pyramanth dived, pouncing on a screaming herdbeast.
How she longed to feed! But Vinna restricted her. Only the blood. Pyramanth would not partake of the meat. The gold demon fought. She screamed and snarled, thrashed her wings and shook her head, eyes burning red, and whirling so quickly. Shrieking in anger, Pyramanth attached her fangs to the animal's throat, sucking the beast dry of its blood. Vinna kept her will firm and Pyramanth attacked another, forcing the dragon to drink the blood, and nothing else.
There were riders around her, bronze riders most of them, watching Pyramanth, watching her. She paid them no mind, she had to stay with her dragon, keep her from gorging. The queen was glowing, only the blood on her maw marring her splendor as she took down a third herdbeast. A fourth. A fifth! Vinna restrained her from eating each time.
Now though, Pyramanth was full. Blood ran hot through her veins, and these pitiful, flightless bronzes sought to catch her! Let them try! Let them fly until their wings ached and only the strongest remained! Who else could possibly be worthy of her?
Trilling, Pyramanth enveloped her rider's thought with her own, this was theirs to share. Together they were unbeatable! Mighty and breathtaking and unstoppable! Untouchable! Vinna had never felt so close to Pyramanth, their minds fussing until they were practically one, until Vinna was barely conscious that she didn't really have wings, couldn't smell the air churning, or taste blood on her tongue. The air was ice, but the sun was warm nonetheless on their back. Opening their wings, Pyramanth-Vinna surged up into the air, thundering a challenge as the bronzes gave chase.
It was too much fun teasing them! Pyramanth-Vinna climbed toward the sun, higher, higher! They found new strength in their limbs, their speed could not be matched. Their veins burned, their wings full of air, this was freedom! They tucked their wings to their sides and dived, stunning their bronze pursuers. They would never catch her! She was too quick. Too cunning. Too skilled for them to have a hope of claiming her.
They continued their aerial dance, Pyramanth-Vinna performing an incredible amount of complicated and daring maneuvers that shamed the ones they'd done over Nabol. Swerving, ducking and doing barrel rolls across the sky. At times the pair lost themselves to the glory of this brilliant new form of flight, lazily gliding out of reach. Pyramanth-Vinna taunted the bronzes, flashing their dazzling hide, calling back in alluring tones to push them further. One by one, bronzes left the chase until four remained, determined to catch her.
Brannongeth, Cronth, Glyoranth and Zagrieth.
They had pursued her this long, to this height. Perhaps, then, they could be deserving of her. Their flight was labored, yet still they raced in determination.
Pyramanth-Vinna banked, tilting their wings as they hovered over the bronzes, not quite close enough to be overtaken. Zagrieth was a fine beast, but Cronth was just as big and had kept much better pace with her antics. Glyoranth she had no interest in. Perhaps Brannongeth would be better suited her. Yes, he would make a sturdy mate, Pyramanth-Vinna decided. Still-
Suddenly Cronth surged, flying up even higher than Pyramanth-Vinna, and sunk his talons into their shoulders. She was caught!
Vinna snapped back into her own mind, gasping. The abrupt loss of the sheer mental closeness to Pyramanth was almost painful. She saw Pyramanth above her,a flash of gold in the sky, and was just able to see the bronze that had flew her, his wings straining as he struggled to fly for them both. Pyramanth was no longer fighting to fly free, no longer burning with anger. Still glowing, but not with savage instinct.
Pushing at those around her, Vinna felt an onslaught of emotions, so much stronger than from when greens rose. Her heart beat so fast, it made her breath hitch and trembled. This she could not resist.
E'rren all but threw M'thon aside in his haste to get to her. He crushed Vinna to him, slanting his mouth over hers, desperate to get as close to Vinna as possible.
The dragonriders and weyrfolk raised their fists and cheered as Pyramanth and Cronth continued to glide down.
Dragon-roused and having just experienced her first mating flight, Vinna merely wrapped her arms tighter around E'rren's neck, drawing him even closer. She felt the sting of teeth against her lip, and panted, shivering with need.
Weryrwoman Vinna had a Weyrleader now, E'rren of bronze Cronth!