Valtree plucked the opening cords of the Turn Over carol and every voice in the lower Caverns joined in, human, lizard and dragonet - the lizardkin harmonizing with the higher pitch of the strings. The humans provided the traditional words, praising home, family and dear friends. Char grinned across the table at Lybae, Keslo standing next to her, and Vaeth resting under the heavily laden table. The carol ended with a toast to the hostess with the mostest, and a resounding thud as everyone sat down to begin feasting.
The harpers continued to play other music, as Char dished out food on her plate and passed the platter of spiced wherry to Keslo, as Lybae plied the drover with endless questions, about driving cattle, the conditions of the roads, and his family. Char, taking advantage of Lybae's gegariousness, stuffed her gullet and passed choice bits to Vaeth for him to try. Soon the blue would be too large to fit under the table, the way his larger clutchmates, mostly bronzes, but also a couple browns, already were.
With good humor Keslo answered her questions, and Char slowed to savor the flaky pastry being sent around in place of the usual dinner rolls. The past days had been a blur of cooking, cleaning and last minute rehearsals by anyone who could carry a tune or play an instrument. Keslo had been put to work by Nico, the Weyr's herdsman who used the extra help to check all the beasts in quarantine as well as the feeding herd, while Char practiced on her ocarina, between Weyrling training and stints in the kitchen. Perhaps the only ones not exhausted at the end of the past few days had been the adult dragons, wisely sunning themselves on the higher perches of the Bowl wall.
"We're not too late, are we?" Called a familiar voice, and Char and Keslo scooted over, making room for Fulsa, who had flown in on Telgarsk. The watchwer stayed out on the Hatching Sands, enjoying the heat, and Vaeth went out to join him.
"How is Namul?" Char asked, passing an extra plate and bowl to their newest addition.
"He's doing better, Char. Still walking with a cane, but he's up and about, if only to hide from Healer Neldar," she chuckled, filling her bowl with meaty stew. "Lord Keske has been having him sit at the high table, the few times he's managed to make it down at regular meals. Seems the lad wants all the extra support he can get."
Keslo glanced up. "I heard about Conclave's choice. How is Kestket taking it?" He asked with all the typical bluntness of his profession.
Fulsa made a face, but Char felt a real undercurrent of worry. "Not well. After two days of sulking he came down and started ordering the staff around as if he was Lord Holder. Keske came in an countermanded him, which led to a bit of a row." She was, Char realized with a blink, vastly understating the argument that had come to blows before the watch broke the two of them apart. Several of the Hold lizards had transmitted the fight to their Weyr kin, so naturally the Weyr had known about the altercation long before official word was sent by Harper Livra. It was why Jurille was enjoying the Hold's Turn Over hospitality as the new lord's guest.
"Lady Minket has said nothing?" Lybae asked, passing the stew tureen.
"Lady Minket retired to High Lookout," that was the name of tiny cothold in the far north of the Hold, formerly a minehold, now an 'icehold', inhabited only by a single family charged with a providing ice to the lower altitude holds in the summer months, "to finish out her mourning in seclusion." Fulsa replied lightly again, but as before, Char sensed an undercurrent of worry.
Telgarsk says there are many worried that the Lady will not survive the winter. Vaeth informed her softly, and Char ducked her head, shoveling another spoonful in her mouth, least her expression give her away.
"She should have come here." Thelil surprised them all by stating with unusual authority.
"Here? Why?" Fulsa asked, sipping her mulled wine.
"The Lower Caverns have women who have lost mates, and can offer a solidarity she won't find in seclusion." Thelil's somber response caused a momentary pause from Fulsa, and a lull in the conversation.
She is remembering the death of the rider who brought her to the Weyr. Vaeth informed her.
Did I know him?
No. He died before you came to Impress me.
Reema sat and chatted amicably with Koru and B'ton when distantly she felt Willth wake with savage hunger. She stopped mid-sentence, expression going blank for a moment from the intensity of the queen's emotion. Koru immediately shot a look at the Weyrleader. "You'd better get Wubath away," she advised, slowly standing to help Reema up.
"I think you're right," B'ton hurriedly excused himself, calling Wubath to meet him on the Bowl floor, posthaste. Koru meanwhile waved to Pilana and Urlyra, both of whom found excuses to vacate the premises, as their golds were both closer in their cycle than Saegth. Tress joined Koru, and they helped Reema down to the Bowl, as the bronzeridres, and even a few brownriders, began to gravitate towards the queenrider.
"Okay, I got it, thank you." Reema gave both women's hands a squeeze, then steeped out in to the chill of the Bowl, not feeling it, as her queen struck and blooded the first of three herdbeasts.
Galnees woke suddenly, feeling a hand on her shoulder, where she had fallen asleep at her desk. Blinking she looked around, and was secretly thrilled to find Redell standing next to her. He had not spoken more than a handful of words to her in the past sevenday, busy with the WherWing and their exploration of the South Archipelago. He was never very familiar with her, even when her firelizards flew his golds, but there was something warm in his continence as he looked at her.
"You work too hard, Galnees. Take your rest, we can revisit the numbers in the morning." It wasn't the invitation she hoped for, they both kept their own beds in separate quarters, but he was taking the time to rouse her himself, and that she saw as one more step down that path.
"Can I trouble you to join me for a nightcap?" She asked, not expecting much as she tidied up her desk.
"I think I can find the time to join you."
Shorter than I intended, but I'm the April Fool this time, so here's the next bit. Please let me know if you see any spelling or grammatical errors, and as always, I love any feedback you might have.
Additionally, which would you like to see, Willth flown by a bronze or brown?