Chapter three: The new Weyrleader

Her eyes snapped open and her heart was steadily slowing down. Sweat seemed to pour from every inch of her body, and she was confused and somehow satisfied.

Talina looked around her darkened weyr. It was almost midnight, she guessed, by the sound of the tropical bugs. With slow movements, so as not to disturb the arm that her head was resting on, she looked over to try and see who had flown her dragon. All she caught was a glimpse of dark brown hair, slightly curly. The head was turned away from her, so she had to try and think back the events of the flight.

Who had flown Arwith?

You were there, you should know. Came her dragon's sleepy rejoinder. Talina smiled at that, Arwith's mood matching her rider's satisfaction. Forcing herself to sleep, and reassuring herself that she would find out the new Weyrleader in the morning, Talina fell into a deep slumber.

(\/)

Wake up! Talina slowly opened her eyes, wondering if it was in her head, or someone biding at her to wake. There are dragons in the sky!

What type? Talina roused herself to ask.

N'bom says they are Oldtimers, and they are not happy.

"Shards!" Talina flew out of her bed, and quickly donned the clothes she had been wearing yesterday. The bed and dragon weyr were empty, and she had trouble hiding her dismay. She ran into the bathing room to see one of the riders with his back turned to her, quickly washing his face.

"N'bom?" Talina asked hesitantly. He turned, gave her a nod, then started to dress.

"There are Oldtimers," He started.

"Arwith says they are not happy."

"Yes, and so do you think you two could slip out? Go somewhere, like Benden, or any place. I've already sent out most of my wing, and so we are going to meet them halfway. Say we are looking for fire-lizard eggs. That would bode well then them knowing we have a full blown Weyr down here."

"I refuse to leave my Weyr just to placate a few Oldtimers!" Talina cried indignantly. Arwith gave a challenging roar, and Geneth gave a brassy bugle, almost a command to quiet. The queen dragon gave another warble, but settled back down in her weyr.

"What do you propose to do then, Weyrwoman?" The tone in N'bom's voice made her wince. The way he said her title, it was mocking.

"I am tired of running from these Oldtimers! The time has come that we should no longer fear them. We have almost a hundred dragons, all fit and able. Their beasts are dying away. Call in support from Ista and Fort Weyr. They will help us. I know N'ton will, and of course, D'ram holds ill will to his own kind, and their entirely hidebound ways. Don't placate them any longer!"

"Well said, Weyrwoman," N'bom gave a bow of his head. Talina, irritated that she had no time in which to get to know these bronze riders, shuffled her feet, suddenly embarrassed that the two had such an intimate, and almost savagely feral night. She was rather glad that it was N'bom, and not L'rek, K'mit, or T'lilhan. Those three were so…power hungry. Yes, that was the right word for it. N'bom was the only one she could tolerate. But…oh she missed her J'llon!

"Would you please arose the Weyrs then?" N'bom stroked her out of her reverie, and she shook her head, trying to dispel thoughts of her lost one.

N'bom noticed that her eyes were slightly wet, and wondered if she was regretting the night they had. He knew that his Geneth would fly Arwith, and he was rather glad. He would have hated to be taking orders from the other bronze riders. He knew that if they really tried, he and Talina could be close. Could be Weyrleaders and lifelong mates, just like F'lar and Lessa. Their dragon's mating was almost as extravagant and wild as Ramoth and Mnementh's first. He simply had to win her over. She could be a powerful person. Last night was not simply all dragon roused, he realized. He had wanted Talina since the day that he had seen her lazily descend from the sky for the first time.

"N'ton's Lioth said they will be sending out a few wings shortly. And D'ram's Tiroth says that they can spare a hundred dragons."

"Good. You are right, Talina," The way he said her name made her start, and she tried to search his face for any signs of emotion. She saw none, but the tone in his voice said otherwise. "The days of tiptoeing around the Oldtimers have finally come to an end."

(\/)

Talina slowly walked outside the Weyr, and onto the plateau, her gaze lifting to the sky. Around ten to twenty dragons were hovering, waiting for the occupants of the Weyr to recognize their presence. She instantly noted that at the head was Loranth, ridden by Mardra. Of course she would be leading any rebellion. Her mate has just died, and she would be wrought with grief. For a second, Talina felt empathy for her, but then quelled it.

Arwith, love, please ask Loranth why they are here. Talina sighed.

She says that her rider is not happy. Why aren't they happy? Arwith sounded truly puzzled. Talina took in a breath, and slowly dispelled it. N'bom came to her side, and after the reinforcements from Fort and Ista were carefully hidden in the Hatching Ground, they signaled for the riders to land.

"Why weren't we alerted there was to be another Weyr?" Mardra spoke as soon as Loranth landed. She did not dismount, and so her dragon could not make way for more then four more dragons to land. Two bronzes, a brown, and a blue.

"We weren't aware that we needed to ask your permission." Talina said evenly, not at all daunted. There were close to two hundred dragons, all well hidden in the Grounds and other side of the mountain. Those who belonged to the Weyr were perched on their ledges.

"I would think that common courtesy is due, for if not for us, Benden would have failed along with their dragons. We saved your sorry hides!"

"And you had ever honor, until you botched it by not accepting change!" N'bom roared. Geneth gave a loud bugle, answered by the two bronzes.

"How did you know we were here?" Talina asked, fuming. "We are inland, and more east."

"Funny thing, that." S'lem, the rider of the brown said. "I was patrolling around the area, trying to see if anyone was trying to filch fire lizard eggs, and what should I see? A spectacular mating flight. Naturally I followed the dragons back here."

"I suggest you leave." N'bom said, his voice calmer.

"We will not leave until everyone of you is sent North blubbering!"

Talina gave the signal, and all the dragons, hidden and not, roared. It was deafening, and the newly Impressed fire lizards took off between.

"This is not over." Mardra snarled, and Loranth hunched down to spring up into the air and once they were air-born disappeared.

"Her dragon is more grey then gold," Someone behind Talina remarked.

"Alright, people, go back to your work! We have Thread this afternoon. Arwith, tell the others they may return now, and thank them. Now, those who are going to fight need to start getting your fire-stone stacks in order!" Talina had to shout at the top of her lungs to be heard, but after Arwith gave a loud and threatening warble, they quieted and hastened to their tasks.

Love, I am so sorry this had to happen after your flight. Are you hungry? She added, as she noticed that the golden queen was a little dull.

Ravenous. Geneth says I can have his share. She added, smug.

"Oh go off you greedy thing!" Talina smiled after her as she hop-flew over to the Feeding Ground and singled out a large fat buck.

"Are you flying?" N'bom asked, as Talina made her way back to her weyr. Their weyr, she reminded herself.

"No, I don't think so. Arwith will be dead tired after she feeds, and someone who can relay messages should be here in case the Oldtimers come back. I also need to see about Srene and all that nonsense. How long until Ramoth's clutch hatches?"

"Oh, should be within this week." N'bom tried to count. "I'm not sure. Are you certain you want that girls twin here? Srene is almost unbearable."

"Nonetheless. I wont bring her down here until I see Arwith's clutch. I talked to F'lar and Lessa, and they said that the queens somehow know that more queens aren't a necessity. Some sort of instinct. And its true. There are four junior queens at Benden alone. We might bring in one more, because we have two more weyrs left. That is, if Arwith clutches a queen. If not, I heard that Fort is laden with them."

"Alright." N'bom felt as if he should say more. Already, they were acting like Weyrleaders. He was amazed at how quickly Talina had adapted to that role. It was shown in the way she ordered everyone about just a few moments ago. Now, they were standing in their weyr, having a conversation about their dragon's offspring.

"I'm not entirely awake…" Talina said in his silence. "Klah?"

(\/)

Srene sat moodily staring at the ocean. Linith was happily splashing about in the water, with Srene's blue fire lizard. Of course she would be sent away. Of course Arwith rose to mate before Linith. Of course Talina was Weyrwoman. Of course she was second best…again.

She had left her small craft hold almost three Turns ago. She had been Searched for Benden Weyr by the handsome F'nor. Another disappointment had loomed, because he was already matched with that Brekke, who's queen died, and they would never be parted. Her life seemed to pick up when she Impressed the first queen egg in a few turns. But it was dragged down once again when her sister, Surend didn't Impress. And how would she? There was only one queen egg, and only one girl could Impress. Sometimes, the greens went for girls, but Surend had nothing, and vowed she would stay at Benden until she Impressed a queen.

Ramoth's eggs are almost hardened, Linith said lazily, were she wallowed in the small cove. Her bright blue-green eyes were just above the water, and whirling slowly. Srene winced, trying to keep her thoughts away from her dragon, who always became upset when she did.

"Yes…and that Talina did say if her Arwith clutched a queen, she would allow Surend to be a candidate."

What if the dragons do not Search her though?

"Well…she was Searched once, and boys who are Searched usually stay at the Weyr until they Impress, or become too old. But F'lar allows for older boys."

Do not worry about your twin. Can you come scrub my back? Srene smiled at the plea, and after shedding her clothing, quickly waded into the water to do just so.