Malec sat down on the cot with a heavy sigh.
He felt the padded surface sink beneath his weight with a tiny squeaked groan of protest. Malec frowned down at the white coverings. He couldn't imagine the terrible complaint it would emit had anyone with any sort of great mass settled upon it. Was this the standard here?
He'd just arrived here at the weyr, dropped pointedly off by his Search rider here at the candidate barracks. He hadn't been carrying anything at all. Malec nearly grinned as He recalled the surprise on the Search rider's face when He came out, demanding that if He was to be taken away, it would be at that very moment. Of course, Malec had to replace Him as soon as He had the point across. People, even dragonriders (or especially dragonriders), talked. Such strange variances in temperament would be noted, and divulged. At least an outburst like that one had been explicable. Any more, however, and He would be discovered.
Malec had vaulted off the dragon's neck, deferentially bowing and wide-eyed. However, He had been not thinking thoughts to match such actions. He'd been inwardly sneering at the oh-so-superior rider that had brought him here. He did not share the lack of trust for dragonriders that his father and siblings possessed. He did, however, think that this specific rider had thought that Malec was unsuitable for the candidacy his dragon had apparently so emphatically suggested. Thought Malec too weak. Of course, the rider was right. But He, He was far stronger than that. The rider could not see it. Was far too stupid. Everyone was. Nobody could see Him.
He recalled what the rider had told him. He was on the roster for dragon duty. Not a bad break. Malec would be able to handle that. Though the boy was used to working about the home, he'd never had a huge share. Even when his siblings turned on Him as one and tossed Him the worst of their jobs, it didn't amount to that much. And dragon duty was a fairly cushy job. Besides, they would both get a bit of experience around dragons, right? That would be useful.
And so Malec sat on the cot, bored but expectant, awaiting either company or a dragonrider in need of a job to be done. It wasn't long before the sound of advancing footsteps came echoing down the empty corridor.
A young man walked in two steps before noticing Malec sitting there. He was not much taller than Malec himself, though an absolute contrast in terms of colour. Where Malec was nearly entirely white, this one was strangely dark.
He stared at Malec.
Malec stared at him.
Not a word was spoken between them.
"Right. Are you all right to stay here and wait for another rid–"
A man came up behind the boy, and the boy jumped, whirling around. "I–"
"Sorry," the man – clearly a rider – said to Malec, cutting the dark boy off. He walked into the room and candidly looked him over. "You a candidate?"
Malec nodded.
"What's your name?"
"Malec," he replied softly.
The dragonman paused, then shook his head in resignation. "Not another quiet one," he muttered in a voice quite audible in the silence. "OK," he continued more loudly, "Are you on dragon duty?"
Malec nodded again.
"OK. This is Sehrem. He'll be sharing this room with you. You can go do dragon duty together or something. Whatever makes you happy. Now, I'm off."
And the dragonman was gone.
Silence reigned.
A candidate too, hey? Well, there were two options here, and only one was acceptable. Keep Malec.
The boy – Sehrem – moved, making his way over to a cot and lying down on it. It was the cot on the opposite end of the room to Malec's. Typical. Though somehow, Malec could sense that it wasn't an act to remove Malec from him, but rather to remove himself from Malec. As if he knew he'd be pushed away eventually, so he pulled away to prevent it.
Malec stood then, making his way over to Sehrem's cot. If this was the case, it helped the strength of the Malec façade to make a nice gesture. If not, and he actually wanted to get away from Malec, well, it was his tough luck, wasn't it?
He sat down on the cot, near Sehrem's outstretched legs. The boy's eyes opened, staring at Malec in surprise.
"Where are you from?"
It was a nice enough question, friendly, open. It was spoken softly, for that was Malec's sickeningly gentle way, but it was amiable. There was only a small pause before the darker boy answered.
"Southern Ridge Hold."
Well, whether to Him or Malec, that was a surprise. The Searchriders must have flown far and wide indeed for candidates this time around.
"You?"
"Filbrun Hold."
Sehrem nodded slowly and rather disinterestedly. That was an expected answer, as Filbrun was beholden to Coast Weyr.
Malec paused, wondering what to say next. He wasn't very good at idle chit-chat. "How old are you?" It wasn't a very flowing conversation, but it was a conversation nonetheless.
Sehrem looked to his left then closed his eyes. "I've sixteen Turns," he replied dully.
Malec blinked in surprise. This guy... he didn't look young, but, well, not old either. He looked so strange, his age was indeterminate. But he hadn't thought Sehrem was actually that close to his age.
"I've fifteen," Malec told him. Sehrem responded, opening his eyes and staring at him.
"You don't look that old."
It was hard to keep Him at bay at that remark. "I know."
There was a prolonged moment of silence during which the two candidates stared at each other. Then Sehrem gave a small sigh and flipped over, lying on his side with his back to Malec. Malec realised the brief conversation was over with contempt. How dare he just cut off the communication like that? Nonetheless, he stood and made his way over to the door and out. Malec was such a pushover, He thought derisively. He had to go.
Korelia looked up abruptly, and knew immediately what was happening.
"FARITH?"
She stood quickly, pushing her stool to the ground and running out of the dining hall.
V'lan stood more calmly from his seat beside where she'd been sitting. He ran his eyes over the crowd gathered around the table. M'kar, S'nir, R'pil and W'gan all stared back at him, setting down cutlery as they did so. A very strange light glittered in those four pairs of eyes: hatred, hope, jealousy, awe, lust, eagerness and giddy happiness, all blended together. Though he was the most experienced of all the bronzeriders here, his green eyes reflected that same combination.
M'kar stood suddenly, and quickly began to stride out of the room. His Halth had answered the call of the rising gold first, and he was off to survey the blooding. Then W'gan was gone, R'pil and then S'nir, so that V'lan was the only one left. This was normal – Remyth liked to bide his time. And then a deep bellow rang from above, and V'lan was striding out of the hall.
Korelia stood just outside, clutching her stomach in a vain attempt to ease the tightness there. Her strange blue eyes were wide, fixated on the frame of the nearly full-grown gold flying over a runner herd, screeching deafeningly. Farith swooped, clutching with sharp talons onto one unfortunate beast, before landing on a ledge on the mountain. Her eyes whirled rapidly crimson as she arched her golden neck and tore the head off the runner, tossing the morsel aside and letting it roll in a bloody path down the cliff.
Remembering her task, Korelia gasped. "Blood only, Farith! Blood only!"
The golden beast snapped her head around to glare defiantly at her rider. She gave a shrill cry of anger.
Korelia felt strangely torn. She wanted to feel the warmth of hot blood down her throat... but no! That was Farith! Korelia wanted her dragon to blood the kill only, so she could rise and give those pitiful bronzes a flight to remember!
"BLOOD ONLY!"
One last screech and Farith violently turned back to her kill. Her massive jaws clamped firmly about the meat, dragged it up...
And the hot, fresh blood flowed down her welcoming throat, warming her gut, giving vital energy.
Korelia was shaking, feeling ready to collapse, when she felt a supporting hand reach around her shoulders. "Keep with her. That's only one beast. And she hasn't flown yet. Keep with her! She needs you now." Who was that, muttering in her ear? Such a familiar voice...
The thought was weak and short-lived. Farith dove for another kill, made it, and carried it to the ledge. Again she blooded it, then went for a third. The third digested, Farith was ready. She tossed her golden head back, bellowed loudly, and took off.
Immediately after her came three bronzes, then another moments later, then two more came last. The very final dragon was Remyth, lazily following in a way that looked nothing like chasing, though his eyes whirled purple with lust.
Like a bullet Farith shot through the sky, far away from her pursuers. Korelia was down below, focusing on her gold with every ounce of her strength. Her eyes followed Farith's movements even when the queen was hidden above the clouds. Men bunched around her, pressing near her, sweaty and aroused, but she barely noticed it as her mind followed Farith's.
Farith cave a contemptuous cry, beckoning, taunting on her hunters. They thought they could catch her? They had another thing coming! Coming to a height well above the thin cloud cover, she flipped backwards, sailed upside-down for a moment, before turning fully and free-falling into the unsuspecting bronzes. Roars of surprise and dismay erupted from the lust-driven beasts as she plummeted past them all and they changed direction as quickly as they were able.
Remyth was at the bottom of the line – Remyth was near her! A rumbling croon came from his throat as he sped up, nearing his prize. Farith flew away, soaring across the land, attempting to outpace the massive bronze. Fortunately her youth made this possible, and if she had been any bigger, she probably wouldn't have managed it. But as it was, she flew just faster than Remyth, and was away again. She tilted her wings and took off into the open blue sky, all five bronzes trailing behind.
Remyth was fully excited now, and so did not ease up on his speed again, but rather took up the chase with all speed. Korelia felt a hand reach across her, feeling blindly at her. Her excitement built. Every muscle in her body was taut, responding to this moment. She would not be caught! Not yet!
Farith was again at a lofty height, speeding without tiring along the top of the cloud cover. Her beating wings stirred the feathery white of the cloud, causing their tips to become moist. A shrill cry was raised behind her. Toguth tossed his head, his multi-faceted eyes rapidly swirling with vivid mauve. His wings beat ever faster. Korelia felt a hand grasp at her, dragging at her, painfully holding on. Then abruptly Toguth slowed, and began to fall from the sky. The aching hold on Korelia was released abruptly. Farith gave a bugle of victory. But there were four left! All behind her.
The queen abruptly dipped into the clouds, and was lost from all sight. The four followed blindly into the cold, wet world of white. Farith dipped out of the cloud again, but the four bronzes did not follow. Bellows of confusion could be heard from the ground. The men about Korelia grasped at her in their confusion, desperate to hold on to her should she, too, be lost.
Farith silently glided lower towards the ground, the victorious feeling she experienced clear in her manner if not in her voice. Arrogantly she glided in lazy circles in the air, revelling in her own glory but exceedingly frustrated that no dragon could match her enough to catch her in flight.
Korelia scowled, but her arousal was not diluted. She writhed under the men's fondling hands, inviting them, challenging them. And then there was another pair of hands on her, exploring, testing. She responded with a groan of delight. Another bronze to attempt! Sensuously she squirmed under the touch, impatient for the flight to continue.
Farith was unaware, however, of such a development. Frustrated, she bellowed a jeer at the bronzes. The effect was immediate. As one the four dragons came rocketing down. Rath did not stop, and went plummeting to the ground, exhausted. A pair of hands, the ones about Korelia's neck and shoulders, disappeared. Korelia gave a wordless shout of angry triumph. Farith looked upwards at the three remaining dragons, crooning tantalisingly. Then she turned...
Only to find herself facing a dragon!
His eyes were speedily whirling with deep violet as he gazed at her, advanced on her...
With a keen to signify defeat, she felt his long, sinuous neck brush against her own...
The newcome hands felt around Korelia's slender frame more firmly, more confidently...
A screech erupted, and another was there, ramming the one who had claimed her! The two flew wildly, bellowing at each other, locking talons and releasing. Farith roared and began to fly away again. The other two aspirants gave chase, and gave little sign of tiring. Korelia felt two pairs of hands, reaching about her with equal strength, pulling at her.
Thoroughly annoyed with both the others – why were they not chasing her? – she abruptly turned and began a nose-dive right between the two. The chasing pair continued in their pursuit, though they lagged now. The fighting pair paid no notice, even when she shrilly trumpeted an announcement of her approach, and so did not pull away from each other. She dove for them, talons outstretched. Korelia screamed in rage. Still they did not pull apart!
Farith barrelled right into the pair, sending all three of them falling in a confused bunch made of wings, tails and splayed limbs. Farith tumbled blindly through the air, surrounded by clawing bodies. Then... there was a neck about her own! Pulling at her, dragging her close. Her eyes lidded over, and her body conformed to the one dragging her in, accepting him as the victor.
Korelia curved her body about under the rough touch of the rider of the dragon who had won. Her eyes could not focus; she closed them. A tall body pressed against her, forcefully pushing at her. Then she was slammed against the stone of the mountain wall, and her head spun. And yet she kissed at him just as fiercely, running her tongue along the inside of his mouth, reaching with her hands up his coat, along his back. She groaned as he did the same, then felt along her front. Then they were pulled apart, and she blindly reached for him, but she was led atop a dragon. She did not understand what was happening, but soon she was on a ledge. The ledge to her weyr! And then he was there, holding her, stroking her, wanting her. She responded to him with equal lust, dragging him in, dragging him to her cot and down on top of her.