Author's note - So I was wrong... there's at least one more part to this story! Look for it sometime later this week!

N'kar guided her through the gather stalls until they found one selling klah and bubbly pies near the back of the square. Kayta's expression was strained as they waited in line to purchase the refreshments. He assumed that Lysith was still resisting her control even though the dragon's cries had faded.

She is very protective of her rider, Elanth said.

I sensed that. All dragons were, really, but the Island Weyr's queen took it to an extreme. Although he couldn't really blame her - the memory of the bruises on Kayta's arms still made him sick.

"You're not going to scold me for not keeping Lysith under control?" The weyrwoman's question was so low that N'kar almost didn't hear it.

"It would have made things easier if she hadn't made such a fuss - we both could have gone on our ways with no one the wiser that we were here - but what's done is done."

"She worries. R'nahl tends to hit things when he gets frustrated, and she fears he might..."

"R'nahl does have anger issues, but he would never hit a woman. None of us would."

"Lysith knows that."

"And yet she still bellowed when I tried to touch you."

"You startled me."

He looked at her in surprise, but she avoided his eyes. "How often did he hit you?"

"What?"

"How often did he hit you?" She stared at him, so he elaborated. "With the way that you reacted when I tried to touch you..."

"It was just the once - but it was enough."

He grunted. Sometimes that was all it took. They had reached the front of the line, so he bartered with the vendor - though it was more for joy of bartering than to achieve any discount. They quickly agreed on a price and N'kar handed her the cups of klah to hold while he paid the man. They found a spot to sit on a bale of hay nearby. "From what I've heard from the holders and the other riders, he sounds like a lovely man."

Kayta's laugh was bitter. "Oh, yes, a real gem - but enough about him: it's Turnover. We should be discussing happier things."

"Like?"

She took a sip of her klah and licked her lips. "What was your favorite Turnover?"

N'kar smiled; that was an easy question to answer. "The time I impressed Elanth."

"Really? Elanth is a turnover dragon?"

"Yes. The bronzeriders had all bet that the clutch would hatch after Turnover finished, but the dragonets had other ideas and the dragons started humming during the feast." He had been so nervous that day: it had been the third time he had stood on the hatching ground as a candidate, and he had been afraid that he would walk away alone yet again. He remembered that the sands had felt especially hot beneath his feet that day, and he had squeezed his hands into fists while the sounds of eggs cracking had filled the air. "Elanth was the first egg to hatch, and he headed straight for me."

"Of course."

"Of course." He nudged her leg with his knee. "And you? What was your favorite Turnover?"

"The turnover I made my first run to Fort. I should have stayed there since Fort has quite the Turnover celebration, but I was eager to return to Blue Vale and my friends."She sipped at her klah, hissing when it burned her tongue. "The snow was at least a foot deep that year, and I nearly lost my toes to frostbite. When I got back to the Hold, Holder Deln scolded me roundly, but Malena bossed everyone around until I had a seat in front of the fireplace and she made sure I had the choicest meats from the banquet."

N'kar smiled: he could picture Malena bossing others around to make sure that her friend was taken care of. It was a pity the two hardly talked unless they absolutely had to now - which reminded him... "We're not punishing you or the others, y'know. It's just best that we all stay close to the Island until things are... settled."

"I know. It's just... frustrating sometimes. Although, you would think I would be used to it by now."

"I can speak to R'nahl and Benden for you. There's another gather in Southern soon, perhaps they'll let you go."

"Thank you. I should have asked if I could come here today, but I guess old habits are just as hard to kill as thread."

"Speaking of things settling - has Lysith shown any signs of rising?"

Kayta shook her head. "No, the last time she rose was in the spring though, so maybe then."

"Ah." That explained why all the Island riders had placed bets on their Queen flying to mate in the third and fourth months of the new turn. He closed his eyes, wanting to ask if she had considered who she might like to have win the flight but, at the same time, he was afraid of what she might answer. "Do you prefer..."

She blushed and looked away. "There is someone, but I doubt he feels the same way. And the odds aren't in his favor."

"Hm." He assumed she meant M'rocav. The bronze rider was the favorite of many of the Islander dragonriders - and a few of the mainlander riders had taken a shine to him as well. However, N'kar knew that he frequented the bed of one of the lower caverns women. Though those things hardly mattered when dragons flew to mate.

They sat in silence, watching the holders walk around the gather square. Kayta scooted across the bale of hay until she was pressed firmly against N'kar's side. She shivered despite the layers of clothing and wherhide she wore, "I'd forgotten how cold the mainland can get."

"Oh it's not that bad." She gave him a look and he chuckled. Nearby, harpers had stepped up on a stage and started playing selections from their repertoire. Even though room had not been cleared for dancing - that would happen later, during the banquet inside of the Hold - couples had gathered in front of the stage and moved to the rhythm of the music, eager for any activity to help them stay warm. N'kar took Kayta's empty klah mug from her hands and set it aside. "C'mon."

"What? Are we returning to the Weyr now?"

"No, I think we need to warm up a bit before going between. Berjoui will have my hide if I let you go back frozen." He pulled her to her feet and into the crowd of people.