Disclaimer: I don't own Pern. I do, however own many of the characters in this story.

Chapter Fourteen: Vengeance

After greeting the three conscious prisoners and unchaining them with the keys from the guard at the door Virika and Vyrania turned toward Kilatch, who hadn't seemed to acknowledge their presence. She merely lay there, shivering in a fevered sleep. "She hasn't woken since the night before yesterday," Satch told them worriedly.

"We tried to get them to let her out, but they wouldn't. I think she would be better for some fresh air," suggested Hayatch, holding her mother's hand.

"Then let's get her out of here," said Virika firmly, motioning for Satch and Urtiatch to help her lift the queen. They made their slow way to the set of stairs, and managed to get up the stairs before they had to set the queen down for a rest. Kilatch only mumbled, her eyes running around behind their lids as she dreamed.

None of them noticed the guards in the darkness until they were encircled and Hayatch's tail brushed one's leg. She screeched and jerked, swinging her tail at the man's knees; at the same time the other three spun to face the other four guards. Vyrania found herself kicking one's shins, seeing briefly out of the corner of her eye that Virika swept the man over. Imitating the leap her sister had used on all four guards now Vyrania jumped onto the man and he collapsed.

Satch fought with two guards; he kicked one man and clawed at the throat of the other. The man he kicked merely fell back, but the other was killed. Virika jumped at the still-living guard and slammed her fist into his nose. They all heard the bone break and he fell to the ground, howling.

On the ground the two other living ones gasped for air; the guards the older human had dealt with before they had rescued the dragon-folk were the dead man and the last to be stunned.

Wordlessly Satch, Hayatch and Virika carried Kilatch out the door and a long ways down the beach before they had to set her down again on a log. Vyrania sat with Urtiatch on her lap, and looked over at the still queen. There didn't seem much they could do for her right now. Perhaps the dragon-folk had herbs they could cure her with? But from what was the question.

Even as they watched Kilatch stilled a little more and sighed. Hayatch and Satch looked at each other, despair in their eyes. "She's not going to make it, is she." Despite a tremor in her voice Virika spoke calmly.

"No," the bronze told her, quiet with deadly certainty.

"Let's bring her to the forest. At least we can be sure no human will ever disturb her again," Vyrania said. The tears came, and she turned away. Virika sat beside her and held her as she cried, weeping as well. The older dragon-people didn't weep, but sat, wings drooping, as if all hope had left. Kilatch took a deep, shuddering breath, coughed, sighed, and was still.

000

They buried Kilatch in the soft ground in the Southern forests underneath a tall tree. As they stood for one last time in her presence a single perfectly light blue flower fell from the brnaches of the tree and settled on the grave. As if the earth itself mourned her, Virika thought sadly. Just as the skies mourned with their somber grays.

Turning, she walked resolutely away from Kilatch's final resting place. She had known the queen for half a Turn, and yet she missed one who was not even her kind more than she missed her own mother. Virika had sworn on Kilatch's blood and her own that she would avenge her death on her brother, if she was to die alongside him.

Vyrania and Urtiatch followed her, then Hayatch and finally Satch. As they strode out of the forest, Virika remembered all that Kilatch had been to her. They left the forest and came out on a bluff overlooking the oceans. For a moment they stood, seeing the frothing glory below them. She turned her eyes to the skies, seeing a single beam of light fall on the waves.

Virika stood proud and tall on the water's edge, just as Kilatch had stood proud, willing to accept change, to accept help when she had Impressed Hayatch. She was different inside. Everything was different. A lone dragon circled far overhead, and a single fire-lizard splashed in the sea.

Taking a deep breath, Virika turned and faced the other four who were waiting for her. There was Satch, a haunted look in his eyes, mourning perhaps the most deeply of them all for Kilatch. To his side was Vyrania, carrying her young Urtiatch. Her dear, dear, sister, and the queen who would help continue the dragon-people's kind.

And there was Hayatch, calmly waiting for her.

She had thought perhaps to return one day to her home with her parents and remaining siblings. But she had seen what her kind was capable of. She would not return to them. Ever.

"I have to find Darrinel. And Sofreteh." They didn't ask why; they had been in the battle. "Then I will return to you."

"Not alone. I will avenge my mother's death with you." Hayatch stood forward and lifted her chin proudly. "I will be strong and know when to bend and when to hold firm. Just like my mother."

"And I also will come. Darrinel has lost the trust of our people, and I intent to tell him so. Most vigorously." A glint of steel showed in Satch's eyes.

"My duty is to Urtiatch, but leave something of Darrinel for me to scream at," added Vyrania grimly.

"Then let's go," said Virika icily, turning back to the ships.

000

The next morning Darrinel's body washed up on shore. He bore only two long claw marks, one on each side of his face.

000

Though few knew of the dragon-folk, in the light of the moon, every now and then, someone swears they can hear the sweep of wings, not large enough to be dragons but to large to be fire-lizards, above them.

And if the one who hears creeps down to the beach ever so silently they might just see a queen and a woman with her, come to visit her first home and remember all that could have been.