Fulsa stepped out the front entrance to the Tannerhall and took a deep breath of the sweet breeze off the valley, blowing away the metallic and astringent taste of the air from inside the Hall out of her mouth. The sun slipped below the hills as Telgarsk stirred sleepily in her mind. Fulsa smiled and sent him an image of how he would see the valley, the sun-warmed fields a dull red wash, the dark stone of the Hall behind her a warmer, almost yellow orange, the cool breeze tendrils of greens and blues~ Telgarsk snorted and suddenly was gone, appearing in the flesh two wings spans above her, three heartbeats later, his mind full of draconic laughter and pride, as he landed, head butting her for caresses.
A soft laugh from behind her alerted her to the identity of another, even as Telgarsk informed her of the arrival.
"Join me, Mistle?" Fulsa offered, turning to greet the eldest daughter of the Lord Holder.
"If I may." Mistle was not one of those that shared her mother's low opinion of the watchwhers, and joined them, earning a happy burble from Telgarsk, who stuck his head close for a petting.
"I don't think it would be wise if I forbade you." Fulsa teased back as the young woman rubbed the blue behind his head knobs.
"I'm glad you think so." Mistle replied, the faintest hint of distaste in her tone.
"Your mother?" Fulsa asked softly, as Telgarsk sent both women a burst of love. Mistle nodded silently, then smiled at the ugly face staring adoringly up at her.
"I like you lots too, Telly." She said, then glanced at Fulsa, knowing she had a confidant in the handler. "She wants me to marry Master Hydael." She murmured softly.
"Ach. I'm sorry, Miszy." Fulsa pat her companionably on her shoulder. The master tanner was not a terrible man, but almost as hidebound as the Lady Holder about the place of women. "What does your father think?"
"I don't think he cares, as long as it means Mother isn't nagging him." She sighed. Telgarsk cocked his head at her, and sent both of them an image, causing the younger woman to blush.
"What happened to the handsome young fisher?" Fulsa asked, recognizing the young man as one who had spent most of the last Gather dancing with her.
"He went back to his river hold." She got a far away look in her eyes. "He thought I should ask Father to send me to Healerhall."
"I agree with him." Fulsa said, as Telgarsk pulled away from them and looked skyward.
"What-" Mistle's question was cut short as a dragon appeared, and circled before landing a short distance down the road.
"Who, Mistle. And I believe- yes, it is Weyrleader B'ton." Fulsa flashed her a smile before trotting beside Telgarsk to greet the dragonpair.
"Welcome and welmet~!" She called as B'ton dismounted.
"Hello, hello. " He called in response as the Wubath and Teglarsk exchanged snorts of greeting of their own. Whatever the firelizard-kin said was strictly between them, but both suddenly made the rumbling sound that most people took for draconic laughter and turned their whirling blue eyes to look at their bondmates.
"Whatever it is, it must have been good." Fulsa noted, when Telgarsk refused to tell her what was said.
"I am inclined to agree." B'ton replied, bemused that Wubath found no reason to share his thoughts. "What do you want to bet it's one of those things that only dragonkind understand?"
Fulsa laughed as Mistle approached.
"On behalf of my mother, welcome, Weyrleader." She said, and curtsied. "Can I offer you refreshments?"
"Thank you, Holder Mistle, but I just ate." He flashed her a rakish grin, and the younger woman was grateful for the gathering gloom. "Although if I could trouble you to ask your Lady mother to join us...?" His tone was apologetic, but she smiled and bobbed.
"Just a moment, please."
"Something up?" Fulsa asked, once Mistle was out of earshot.
"The Masterharper has gotten word that Redell's returned for revenge. There are enough... rumors to suggest he might strike out at Kestle through Minket." B'ton sighed. "I'm here to keep an eye on things, until the Watch gets here."
"The entire Watch?" Fulsa stared at him for a moment, and Telgarsk as went rigid. "Who's protecting Kestle?"
"I have a Wing 'enjoying the Hold's hospitality', under your father's guidance." B'ton said reassuringly. "The Lord Holder suggested it."
"Hah... " Fulsa forced herself to relax as Telgarsk padded over to Wubath and sat down, leaning against the bronze with a sigh. "He's a crafty one, I'll give him credit for that." She glanced about the valley, mentally calculating what it would take to make the Tanner hall a proper fort, then abruptly looked back at the Weyrleader. "Why didn't he ask you to fly her home?"
"Because he wants to draw him out if at all possible."
Fulsa stared at him for a moment then let out a bark of laughter. "What ever you tell her, don't tell her that," she advised as the Lady Holder appeared in the doorway.
Char joined the firestone line, singing along as the children of the Weyr filled leather bags with the phosphorus laden stone. The song was one about a dragon that could only fly backwards, and while silly, the notes were just simple enough she thought she could transcribe it for her sisters, since the twins had requested Weyr songs to learn to play on their new recorders. Vaeth sat watching her from his spot by the lake, stretching his wings from time to time.
Do they hurt? Char asked him, dumping another bucket of firestone into her bag.
A little. Mirrth is right, it hurts less the more I stretch them. He explained, peering back at his wings
Keep stretching, and I'll rub them when I'm done filling bags. She told him, running back to the firestone storeroom for another bucket. It was a little bit of a competition between the Weyrlings to see who could fill the most bags, and she was determined to fill at least as many as the older boys.
"Hey, easy there bluerider~" T'vel, one of the Flighted brown riders grinned at her as she sped by. "The firestone's not going anywhere."
"Not today, but I am!" She called back, grabbing the glow basket as she hurried to the back of the cavernous store room, to the far pile that for some reason no one had touched. Placing her glow near the large wooden partition propped up against the pile she began filling her bucket with a shovel.
"Char! No!" Gl'tek's voice, ordinarily gruff was positively stricken, and Char snapped around to see what was wrong. She was only faintly aware of a shifting of stone before the whole pile rolled down on top of her.
Hi all, I'm back. I'm going to try and post at least a thousand words of story a month.
Lokianth, are you reading my story notes? ;) To answer your question, no, Vaeth's first mating flight isn't all a good experience, indeed, it's very traumatic experience for Char and ends with someone being cut very badly with a leather knife.
If you notice any grammatical or spelling errors please let me know. Very much obliged!