Author's Note

I do not own the Dragonriders of Pern series or anything else you recognise. All rights belong to their rightful owners.

Running up to the dragonriders in the courtyard had been a spur of the moment thing, a moment of madness. It seemed like a perfect escape, a way to dodge her uncle, his demands, and her life as a Holdless tinker once and for all.

Now…

Not so much.

Most of those Searched were relatives of the Lord of the Hold, who had kept the riders busy in the main part of the Hold all day. It seemed bitterly unfair. Demekia, who had found some work in the Hold as a stableboy to give her shelter and food for a little while, would probably never have even got a chance if she hadn't seen one of the riders and his dragon in the courtyard and ran out to them. She knew she didn't look anything like what they were looking for, and, like everyone else, the rider immediately assumed her to be a boy. Knowing her chances of being chosen would go down significantly if she corrected him, she didn't bother.

And so it was that Demek had arrived at Sunspyre Weyr a sevenday ago.

She was terrifyingly glad, now, that everyone thought her to be a boy. Most of the girls were… insane, or bizarre, and strange things were happening around them.

Dressed as a boy and part of their class, Demek felt much safer.

That was, at least, until Desiree Aimah Flameheart arrived.

Demekia never considered herself pretty: she was stick thin and flat as a sheet with sharp, boyish features and ugly, unnatural amethyst eyes to match her strange purple hair. People looked at her twice, but never for a good reason. Desiree Aimah Flameheart was the exact opposite of that. She was drop dead gorgeous, from her thick, knee length golden hair to her tiny, delicate toes (which Demek could see because one of the boys was currently giving her a foot rub). That was another note, all the boys seemed to love her. Wherever she went there seemed to be a constant flock of them around her, like a fair of firelizards. Maybe it was because she was so beautiful. Not all the boys were candidates either, many were weyrlings and there were even some bronzeriders who had fallen for her delicate charms, the candidate master included. Lessons appeared to have become The Desiree Act. It kinda made Demekia wish she had that kind of beauty. Then again, she would probably never get any peace.

She knew there was a reason she preferred the company of boys to girls.

Still, there was something about Desiree. Something… compelling and mysterious.

Demek sighed and shovelled another load of herdbeast dung into the wheelbarrow. Girls and their games were poison. She learnt that a long time ago when her sisters were still alive. Best she just keep her head down, her mouth shut, and wait it out until the Hatching. If her luck held she would come out of this with a new baby dragon.

… and then what?

Everyone would still think her a boy.

Well…

She guessed she could deal with that issue when she came to it.

There was some argument going on as she walked back up to the candidates' barracks. Evidently not everyone was as taken with Desiree as it seemed. She was draped over Yariel like a garment while he argued with Dorasa.

"I don't need you to look after me!"

"Two days ago proved that wrong baby brother."

"Look, I get you're my sister and you have no other friends, but just… stop hanging round me all the time."

"I was literally walking away Yariel, you started this!"

His eyes shone gold. Demek had never been close enough before now to see how eerily frightening that truly made him look.

"You're my sister, so I'll give you one chance. Back off."

Dorasa's eyes flashed silver. "Don't threaten me; you started this fight!"

The world around them seemed to shudder. "I said back off!"

The roar echoed inside Demek's ears and head. She squeaked and hurried away, missing the rest of that argument.

The rest of that day was peaceful until suppertime, when two new girls arrived. One was on the younger end of the age spectrum for the girls, a small, slight waif of a thing with masses of silver hair, eerily silverish grey eyes and skin that looked like she'd never seen the sun. The other girl was a little older and taller, maybe closer to Demek's own age, with a mop of messy scarlet hair, skin a funny olivish shade, and the strangest clothes she had ever seen in her life. A small, pale firelizard clung to her shoulders.

They chose to sit with Desiree, who was making it sound like she, Brizala, and Dorasa (who Demek couldn't see anywhere) were the only other female candidates. By the look on the faces of the new girls, they were severely regretting their seating arrangements.

Then Desiree started off on another one of her great speeches, of which there had been at least four - that Demek knew of – since she arrived.

"Humans didn't start their lives on Pern! There's a vast universe out there, somewhere! All the way across the stars is our homeplace of Eeayarthach."

"I'm sorry, where now?" asked the red haired girl. Desiree frowned at her.

"Eeayarthach."

The red haired girl stared, and then collapsed into a giggling fit.

Yariel scowled. "It's no laughing matter."

The girl choked through her laugher. "It's pronounced Ur-th."

Desiree scowled. "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard."

"Look, it really is pronounced Urth."

"It's a planet, not a dragon you wherryhead," snapped Zaveanon, which was unlike the mild mannered bronzerider's son from what Demek had seen of him. The red head waved her hand.

"Fine, fine, pronounce it your way."

"My way is the correct way! I've been researching this using ancient notes and maps and my Mysterious Book!"

"Most ridiculous thing I've ever heard," muttered the red haired girl as Desiree continued.

"With some training, I can lead a trip between return home to Eeayarthach and rebuild connections!"

Everyone applauded.

Demek sighed.

Fuck her life.

She skipped the start of class the following day to take a long bath. Everyone would only be fawning over Desiree anyway. Bathing in warm water was a nice luxuary after seven years of cold river water or buckets of ice. Demek had bathed twice a day since she arrived, though she was careful to only enter when the pool was empty and stay away from other boys. She soaked in the water for a short while and then climbed out, drying herself off and pulling on clean clothes. She combed her fingers through her hair, pulling out some of the tangles before heading to class.

When she got there her assumptions were proven correct. Demek slipped into a chair at the back of the classroom, alongside the two new girls, who had also joined the class. Dorasa, she noticed, was sat in the back corner looking sulky.

Over the long lesson that consisted of Desiree asking basic questions and being praised for them, Demek learnt that the red haired girl was Lily, and the younger one Luna. They weren't related in spite of their vague resemblance and weird caginess about their backgrounds, and had in fact met when Lily saved Luna's life by pulling her out of a river.

What was it with these female candidates having dramatic and tragic backstories?

The three of them left as soon as the lesson ended and Demek joined the girls in weeding the vegetable garden during the chores period.

"So what's with Desiree anyway?" asked Lily. Demek shrugged.

"Not a clue. She's just… odd."

"That's one way to put it."

"She's a very lost soul," said Luna, which was the first thing Demek had heard her say (and also a little creepy).

Once they finished with their duties, they headed out for a stroll around the Weyrbowl, spending a quiet afternoon sketching in the sun and then helping one of the riders scrub his blue in the lake. It was a pretty colour, Demek thought, not at all like her ugly colouring. Blue like the sky, and the sea, and his rider's eyes. Could she impress a blue, she wondered, and never have to be a girl again?

They took a roundabout, secluded path back to the weyr, enjoying the walk and the freedom. It was nice not to have to run. So caught up in chatting and laughter were they that they almost missed the voices from a secluded corner until they were nearly on top of them.

"Sounds like they want some privacy," said Lily, pulling Luna back the other way. Demek's burning curiosity was too much and she edged forwards to get a better look at what was going on.

Dorasa had Yariel pressed against a large rock, her arm against his midriff. "Listen to me. Something about this isn't right."

"You're only jealous because I can make friends."

"Yariel, think about this. We come out of the infirmary and suddenly she's everyone's golden girl, and you're obliging her every whim. It's not like you baby brother."

He shoved her away and she stumbled backwards. "I warned you!"

"Yariel-"

"I told you to stay away from me!"

"No, you really didn't."

He wrapped his fingers around her neck and shook her. "We can't hold onto each other forever! Grow up Dorasa! Desiree is my soulmate: deal with it."

"Sairina was your soulmate."

Again there was that shudder, like the entire world was shaking.

"Never mention her name."

"Yariel-"

He turned on his heel and stormed away. Dorasa rubbed her neck. "Well, that went well."

Demek edged forward. "Um. Are you alright?"

"Nothing hurt but my pride. How much of that did you see?"

"Enough."

Lily stepped forward now Yariel was gone, still keeping Luna cautiously behind her. "That's your brother isn't it?"

Dorasa glanced in the direction he had gone as though nervous he might come back. "No."

Lily blinked. "But I thought-"

"I don't know what's going on, but that was not my brother. Yariel would never talk to me like that, even when he's mad at me. Which is often."

Demek grinned. "Siblings, right?"

"Mm."

"You're right though. You were in the infirmary when she arrived, but it was like everyone just… immediately trusted and adored her. Like she has an aura or something. I mean, the Weyrleader and then R'ton pretty much gave her special treatment from the moment she got here."

"She sounds like a bad fanfic character," muttered Lily.

"Demon," said Dorasa.

"What now?"

"It means she must be influencing people somehow, so that they like her. I've come across it before, just not so powerful."

Demek's developing frown deepened. "I guess that would make sense."

"But it's not affecting everyone. It's not affecting me, or you three."

Demek grinned. "Or the Weyrwoman from what I've heard. Apparently yesterday she was insisting Desiree be shipped out somewhere and she won't allow her to impress one of her dragon's children."

"Male," Dorasa said suddenly.

"What?"

"Everyone she's influencing. They're all male."

Demek did some quick mental arithmetic. She was right. Dorasa squinted at her. "So why aren't you affected?"

Demek raised her eyebrows.

"What?"

Demek glanced down at herself pointedly. Dorasa did a doubletake and looked her over. "Oh you have to be kidding me!"

"Nope."

"You came in dressed as a boy? Why?"

"The riders made an assumption when they Searched me. I didn't correct it."

Dorasa muttered something that sounded weirdly like 'haven't seen that in ages.'

"So what do we do? About Desiree I mean? And your brother, I guess. It can't be a good thing that she's going round influencing people like that."

Dorasa wet her lips. "Let's go talk to the Weyrwoman."

With some help from Jurdree they found her in the records room.

"Can we talk to you Weyrwoman?"

"Of course. Come through." She beckoned them through to what looked like an office of sorts. Jurdree turned to go.

"Wait," Dorasa called. "What do you think of Desiree?"

The look on her face said it all.

"Can you spare ten minutes Headwoman?"

"I could spare five, as long as this isn't childish nonsense."

"It isn't."

Jurdree gave them a curt nod and stepped into the office behind them.

"What's all this about then?" asked the Weyrwoman.

"Desiree Aimah Flameheart," replied Dorasa curtly. Weyrwoman Jalenna's face wrinkled with distaste.

"Uh, don't even start!"

"Have you noticed anything… strange since she arrived?"

"I've noticed nothing but strange since we started bringing candidates in. Especially you and your brother and your… being you."

That was a decent way at trying to explain it Demek thought.

"There is nothing wrong with my brother and me!" protested Dorasa shrilly. Demek kicked her.

"Have you noticed anything about Desiree in particular?" she asked. The Weyrwoman sighed.

"I can't be seen to show favourit-"

"Well, if you won't Jalenna, I will!" snapped Jurdree. "That girl showed up and most of us ought to be out of a job! She's better at cooking and running the lower caverns than me; she's better at Healing than Savana; she's better at leading than you! The only reason you're here and not out in the bowl with Nareth is that she doesn't seem to like doing actual work! Meanwhile, everyone seems to be flocking around her like she's the best thing they've seen!"

Wow.

Demek hadn't quite accounted for the Headwoman having quite so much… vitriol for the girl.

Neither had Dorasa, evidently, as she gaped silently at her.

"And all the while she keeps giving these great speeches about going out into the stars! From what I've seen the girl's not even that intelligent! She's a liability!"

Weyrwoman Jalenna blinked. "Are… are you done Jurdree?"

"Yes, I think so."

"Do you… feel better now?"

"As a matter of fact I do."

"Good. Yes, I had noticed all those things about the girl. But I'm the Weyrwoman, I'm not allowed to pick sides! It could influence the dragons' choices or cause a rift in the Weyr."

Dorasa ran a hand through her annoyingly long and pretty hair. "Weyrwoman, please listen to me. I think that girl – Desiree – I think she's influencing people - mostly the men - mentally."

The Weyrwoman frowned. "K'res has been acting strangely the last few days."

"Yes, and so is my brother, as well as all the other male candidates. I've seen something like this before, though not quite as powerful."

"And how was it dealt with the last time?"

Dorasa was frowning slightly and opening her mouth to open when the door flew open and a man in bronzerider's badges rushed inside.

"Excuse me- Weyrwoman-"

"What is it I'rus?"

"The- The intruder- He's been cau- caught. They're ho- holding him in- in the weyrbowl."

Weyrwoman Jalenna sprang to her feet. "This will have to wait."

"Convenient," muttered Lily.

"Desiree?" Demek asked as they followed the Weyrwoman from the office.

"Could be," Dorasa agreed.

"What do we do about her?"

"The other ones we put a blade through their heart. That normally frees those under their influence."

Demek felt the blood drain from her face and Lily turned a funny shade of yellowish green. Luna remained calm faced.

"We're not doing that," Lily said.

"It would fix things."

"It would be literally murder."

"She's not human; she's a… demon… thing."

"We're not putting a sword through her heart."

Dorasa huffed. "Fine."

The five of them followed the Weyrwoman and Headwoman out to the Weyrbowl, where a large number of people were gathering. In the centre Desiree was weeping in Yariel's arms, being comforted by her friends and the Weyrleader. Demek could almost feel the hatred rolling off Dorasa. To one side was a tall, thin man being held by two burly brown riders.

"What's going on here?" called Weyrwoman Jalenna. Weyrleader K'res smiled back at her.

"Desiree and her friends have caught the intruder and fake. You needn't worry yourself with this my love; Desiree and I are dealing with it."

"K'res, I do need to know what is going on in my own Weyr."

Lily leant closer to Demek. "What's the plan for dealing with Miss Fanfic Demon?"

Demek glanced at Dorasa.

"I could always-"

"No," she and Lily said as one.

"Are you sure?"

"We're sure."

"It would be easiest."

"It would be literal murder."

"Fine. A good shock could snap Yariel out of it; pity Mia's still shut up." Dorasa eyed the thing that looked like such a beautiful woman draped over her brother and then mouthed something at the Weyrwoman, tipping her head at the two of them. Jalenna stepped forward.

"Desiree, tell me what happened."

Desiree howled and threw herself into the waiting arms of K'res. "Oh, it w-was terrible! He- he- he- he grabbed me and he was calling me all these terrible things-"

Dorasa seized one of Yariel's shoulders and a handful of his hair, yanking him back towards her and slapping him hard. He turned on her, slapping her back. "I warned you!"

"That woman is a demon, like Zaifon!"

"She is my soulmate!"

"Sairina was your soulmate!"

"She was a fraud and a fake!"

"She died for you! That one's just using you!"

Again there was that shudder, except this time everything seemed to be shuddering.

"Never speak ill of her!"

"She is a demon manipulating you!"

There was a weird tingling sensation, a sense that the entire world was being twisted, and then a crack and a boom like thunder, and suddenly Dorasa was flying except Demek had never seen her feet leave the ground. She twisted her body in the air, almost feline-like if a cat had been fifteen foot up in the air, and came down thirty feet away.

She didn't get up again.

Several things happened at once.

Lily started screaming.

Yariel began to shake – and – was he glowing?

The Weyrleader started shaking his head and looking at the thing in his arms.

Desiree – or whatever she was – turned slightly towards Yariel and opened her delicate pink lips.

Demek let out a shout and started sprinting towards Dorasa – which, in retrorespect, might have been the safest place.

There was an angered roar, like an animal, or the sea screaming. The air around her felt… heavy, like she was trying to run through water, or in a dream. She dropped to the ground beside Dorasa. Her lip was split and crimson blood was seeping through her already scarlet hair.

"Are you alright?"

Stupid question.

Fardling stupid question.

Dorasa groaned. "I've been better."

Yariel was definitely glowing. Desiree smiled and held a hand out towards him. "It's alright my love," she said, her voice beautiful music to Demek's ears. "I'm sure we'll be saf-"

Weyrwoman Jalenna hit her over the head with a rock.

Desiree crumpled gracefully to the ground into a delicate heap.

Lily continued screaming.

Yariel shook his head and the glowing and weirdness came to an end.

Desiree's three firelizards fluttered frantically around her before landing on her head shoulders, and her body sorta… vanished, as though she had never been there.

Yariel stood still for a moment and then started to run, rushing to their side. "Dorasa!"

She pushed herself up. Demek pushed her down. "You… probably shouldn't move."

"We're a little tougher than most people."

"He threw you like thirty feet!"

Yariel dropped to the ground. "I-" He paused, his cheeks flushing pink. "What have I been doing?"

Dorasa clasped his shoulder. "Trust me baby brother, you don't want to know. Can I go back to the infirmary where it's safe now?"

And Lily was still screaming.