A Sevenday Later

Benden Weyr

Karrema's hand flew across the page as she sketched the scene in front of her. The weyrlings from Maruth's clutch crooned with pleasure while their human partners bathed them in the warm Spring sun. Karrema noticed how playful the young dragonets were; just like small children.

"Stop it Fayelth, I'll bathe later." Foepe giggled as her dragonet splashed her again. Karrema felt a twinge of jealousy, quickly replaced by doubt. Karoth's clutch was due to hatch any day and Karrema felt the unspoken desire of the Weyr for her to Impress the queen egg instead of Zara.

"Wow that looks really good!" The voice jolted Karrema from her thoughts. She looked up in surprise at the speaker who was the same tall woman who M'shall brought to the Hatching a sevenday before.

"Thank you," Karrema replied softly. Usually outspoken, Karrema was shy around new people, but the odd thing was this woman with her pale ivory skin, long black curls and sapphire blue eyes seemed familiar. Could she be the woman from my dreams?

"My name is Ema," the woman smiled warmly.

Blaze appeared, trilling a happy greeting to Ema. "That's odd. Blaze isn't usually friendly toward strangers," Karrema muttered. Blaze landed on her shoulder and chirped. Karrema gazed into the queen's calm, blue-green eye and focused. The image Blaze gave her was confusing, but Karrema tried her best to understand. Blaze showed her the day of their Impression and there in the background was Ema, granted she was much younger looking, and standing beside her was a lean man with shaggy brown hair and soft green eyes. Karrema felt even more perplexed, how could Blaze remember this woman, but Karrema couldn't? A deep humming from the Weyr filled the air, pulling Karrema from her thoughts. "I've got to go," she closed her sketchbook, got to her feet and began briskly walking toward the Weyr.

"Good luck Karrema," Ema whispered. Karrema stopped and looked back at Ema, startled. Blaze began humming in her ear, reminding Karrema of the imminent Hatching.

The atmosphere around Karrema felt thick with emotions, those experiencing their first time on the Hatching Sands chattered excitedly, in bleak contrast those who have stood before were somber and solemn. Zamirin seemed the most determined of the latter group. Tall and sallow faced with ivory skin, shaggy black hair, and sapphire-blue eyes, Zamirin kept to himself mostly. All Karrema knew about him was that he came from Bitra Hold. Karrema felt like her stomach was in knots while she watched the eggs rock and hatch. A clumsy bronze stumbled against Zamirin and a bright smile lit his face; amazed by how handsome he really was when he smiled Karrema allowed a small smile of her own to cross her face. A small gold dragonet waddled up with a proud air about her and nudged Karrema with a small chirp and Karrema looked down into a pair of whirling rainbow eyes. Hello, my name is Animath, the queen blinked slowly.

Karrema felt a wave of love, warmth, and joy wash over her sweeping the feelings of doubt and inadequacy away. Even the many dragonet voices grew more distant and softer in her mind, but Animath's smooth, melodious voice sounded rich and clear, like she was whispering in Karrema's ear while they stood in the middle of a large Gather crowd. Karrema sunk to her knees and cradled the queen's head in her arms. "You are the most perfect, amazing, and gorgeous dragon anyone could ask for Animath." Karrema scratched the queen's eye ridge.

I'm hungry. Animath mewled.

"Okay love. Let's get you fed." Karrema got to her feet and noticed some of the weyrlings were carrying their dragonets, while others allowed their new weyrmate to waddle along beside them. Feeling uncertain, Karrema looked down at Animath who sat beside her. "Would you like me to carry you?" Animath peered up at Karrema with a whirling orange eye and Karrema realized her mistake. Animath stood and stretched herself to her full height, the top of her head barely reached Karrema's navel. No, you will not carry me. I am Animath, daughter of gold Karoth and bronze Iwuth and I will walk with dignity. Animath's voice was full of pride and Karrema held her hands up apologetically. "Sorry, I didn't mean to offend you."

Irene appeared grinning broadly; her long golden hair fell in neat ringlets to her waist. "Congratulations queen rider Karrema."

"Thank you Weyrwoman Irene," Karrema smiled.

I'm hungry! Animath repeated.

"Where do I take Animath to be fed? She's ravenous." Karrema felt her dragonet's hunger and it made her feel weak at the knees.

"There is food waiting for her in your weyr." Irene beckoned for the new dragonpair to follow and led them from the Hatching Grounds. Karrema spotted Ema standing with Zamirin and stumbled, struck by how much they resembled each other. Both had the same pale ivory skin, sapphire-blue eyes and tall, slim build. Ema must be his mother, Karrema thought. Ema embraced Zamirin and fixed her gaze on Karrema's face. Blue eyes locked with green and Karrema felt a chill travel down her spine.

What's wrong? Animath chirped.

Nothing, love. Karrema stroked her queen.

Well come on then, I'm hungry. Karrema shook her head affectionately as she followed Animath.

The weyr where Karrema and Animath would live together was larger than Karrema expected. In the place where Karrema would sleep was a bed with a plump mattress and nice thick sleeping furs, and off in one corner was a small desk and across from that was a doorway, which led to Animath's weyr. On the far side of Animath's weyr was Karrema's private bathing room. There was also a large stone couch, worn smooth by generations of sleeping dragons. In addition, a ledge looked out over the Weyr Bowl with a perfect view of the lake where the dragons went to bathe. I like the view. Animath commented.

Karrema sunk to the ground; feeling suddenly overwhelmed by her new position, quarters, and duties, and began to sob. Animath's eyes whirled yellow-orange with alarm and concern; the small queen wailed softly and placed her head in Karrema's lap.

"Karrema what's wrong?" Irene hurried over and crouched next to her distraught niece. "Karrema," Irene crooned gently, wrapping her arms around the young girl. Karrema sat with her face buried in Irene's shoulder, allowing the tears to flow unchecked.

Blaze appeared, eyes whirling orange with agitation and suspicion. The gold fire lizard bugled a shrill challenge at Animath, thinking the young queen was upsetting Karrema. Animath reeled backward eyes yellow as Blaze dove at her. Irene released Karrema. "Now that is enough Blaze," she ordered sharply, but the fire lizard wasn't having it. She continued to dive and screech at Animath, who covered her delicate eyes with her wings. "For crying out loud," Irene huffed. "Maruth would you mind?" Karrema heard Maruth speak. Now stop that Blaze. Animath is Karrema's dragon and is just as worried as you are. Now leave her alone. Blaze squealed in surprise and landed on Karrema's shoulder, wrapped her thin tail around Karrema's neck possessively, still suspicious of Animath.

"Thank you, Maruth." Irene sighed. "Now Karrema, what is wrong?"

Karrema looked up at her aunt, tears still streaming down her cheeks. "How do I know all of this," she gestured to her surroundings, "Isn't a dream? I mean I'm an orphan of unknown Blood. What is so special about me that I deserve to ride a queen, the highest ranking dragon on Pern?" Karrema looked up, her tear filled gaze beseeching, at the woman who raised her.

Irene looked at Karrema and gave a small smile. "Wait here a moment," Karrema waited, caressing both Blaze and Animath while she waited, puzzled. Irene returned with a small package. "This was Karr's and he left it to me to give to you when he died. He was my older brother and your father," Irene handed Karrema the package. The younger girl opened it slowly and let out a small gasp of surprise. In her hand was a small silver locket, unsure what she would see Karrema opened it and felt her heart leap into her throat. There staring up at her was a man with shaggy brown hair and bright green eyes, beside him was a woman that looked exactly like Ema. Surely, she isn't my mother. Karrema thought in denial. "You come from noble Blood, Karrema." Irene tilted her niece's chin up to look in her eyes. "Your father was Harper, your mother a Healer and any girl that can hear and speak to any dragon belongs in the Weyr, with a queen dragon by her side." Karrema nodded, feeling better. "Now feed Animath, bathe, and get dressed. Dinner will be ready soon."

An Hour Later

Karrema slipped into the soft, supple gold dress Irene gave her to wear to the Hatching Feast, the locket with the portrait of her parents rested against her chest; it stood out beautifully against the gold background, and then stood in front of her mirror brushing her long dark curls. She could hear Animath snoring lightly in the other room; the queen's stomach bulged with her recent meal. Ureth asks if you would like K'una to escort you to the feast. Animath asked drowsily.

Karrema smiled to herself, and then answered. Tell him that would be nice.

I have. May I go back to sleep now? Animath yawned.

Karrema giggled. Yes Animath. She said affectionately. Karrema finished putting her long curls into a neat plait that fell to her waist when K'una arrived. Karrema turned to face the young bronze rider, smiling warmly. "Hello K'una," K'una stood apparently awestruck. "Wherry got your tongue?" Karrema teased.

K'una gave himself a shake then a boyish grin spread from ear to ear. "No just your beauty." Karrema felt herself blush. "That dress really brings out your eyes," K'una offered his arm, which Karrema took, smiling. She thought K'una looked very handsome in his black trousers and soft red tunic, but she was too nervous to say anything to him.

Karrema could hear excited chatter from the dining cavern as they drew closer, but all the chatter stopped when the pair entered, with all the eyes in the room on her Karrema fought the urge to shrink into the shadows. Weyrleader M'shall and Irene, sitting at the head table, stood when they saw Karrema. The weyrfolk stood as well, creating a deafening cacophony as they pushed benches back. M'shall and Irene raised their wine glasses. "Welcome queen rider Karrema," Irene's soft voice carried across the vast room.

"Welcome!" The weyrfolk echoed cheerfully.

Karrema's cheeks burned bright red as K'una led her to the head table. A man with silvery, sandy red hair pulled out a chair next to Foepe. "Here you go queen rider,"

Realizing this was Weyrleader S'nan of Fort Weyr; she nodded shyly and sat down.

"That dress looks very nice on you Karrema." Sarai smiled from the other side of Pern's Senior Weyrleader.

"Thank you Weyrwoman Sarai."

Sarai waved her hand at her. "Please call me Sarai. I've never cared for titles."

"So M'shall," S'nan grinned at the Benden Weyrleader. "You've got two new queens in less than a sevenday, bet you're feeling pretty smug."

"Well Foepe's Fayelth was sired by my Craigath," M'shall smiled proudly then gestured to weyrwoman Ryssa. "But Karrema's Animath is the offspring of Ryssa's Karoth and P'iti's Iwuth."

A commotion broke out near the entrance to the dining cavern bringing all conversation to a stop. "Let me go, C'zar. I demand to see the Weyrleader!" a man bellowed, shoving past M'shall's Wingsecond and stormed up to the table. M'shall got to his feet and gazed calmly at the man. Karrema felt a shudder of disgust as she looked at the man. He had muddy-brown eyes set too close to his fleshy, bulbous nose and his face looked like those of an Auntie or Uncle who lived to be a hundred and the fine clothes and many rings he wore did nothing to improve his appearance.

"Hello Lord Chalkin," M'shall greeted calmly. "What can I do for you?"

Movement in the corner of her eye caught Karrema's attention; she turned her head, puzzled by what she saw. Ema stood gripping the edge of her table, her face so pale she looked gray and her eyes rounded by fear. "I have a grievance against the Weyrwoman," Lord Chalkin breathed heavily.

"How exactly have I done you wrong, Lord Chalkin?" Irene asked in a calm voice, though her eyes were cold with fury.

He jabbed a finger at Karrema, "You stole that child from Bitra Hold, my Hold." Chalkin sneered.

"I have never stolen a child from Bitra or any other Hold this Weyr protects, Lord Chalkin," Irene got to her feet.

Chalkin chuckled darkly, a sly grin on his jowly face. "Ten Turns ago, one of my loyal Holders came to me and said they saw a dragon appear near the cothold of Harper Karr and his wife, Healer Ema."

Karrema felt like the room tilted beneath her feet as the Lord Holder's words registered. She opened the locket around her neck and looked at the portrait of Karr and the woman who really was Ema. She looked up at the Bitran Lord listening in a state of shock. "Harper Karr believed his daughter too gifted to remain in my Hold, Karr once told me the girl could hear and speak to dragons," Chalkin scoffed. Karrema felt like she was going to be sick. "Karr asked if he could send his daughter to live at Benden Weyr, I told him absolutely not, that the Weyrs would never get any of the girls from my Hold, but of course Karr wasn't too happy, said I was abusing my power."

"Can you give us any proof that our Weyrwoman stole Karrema?" M'shall's tone was cool and even.

"My wife overheard Irene and Karr making plans to smuggle Karrema to the Weyr," Chalkin growled, clearly not pleased with the notion that the Weyrleader believed he was lying.

M'shall nodded slowly. "And where is your wife right now and is she available to speak?"

"No, at the moment she is giving birth to my first child," Chalkin puffed up his chest proudly.

"Then that is not proof," S'nan, said smoothly. "That is hearsay,"

"Stay out of this Fort!" Chalkin snapped.

"Watch yourself Lord Holder," Sarai said quietly.

"I will speak my mind if I please. Thread hasn't fallen in two hundred Turns; the Weyrs have outlived their purpose. Dragons and their riders are nothing but parasites." Chalkin shouted.

"ENOUGH!" Irene and Sarai shouted together, their queens bellowed in unison.

Once it was quiet, again M'shall continued. "Lord Chalkin, I believe you need to leave. Today is a happy one and you have sullied it with your ignorance and foul manner," Chalkin's face grew purple with rage as M'shall turned to his Wingsecond "C'zar will you please take the Bitran Lord Holder back to his Hold?"

C'zar nodded and turned to Chalkin, "This way my Lord," he said respectfully. Chalkin turned on his heel and strolled proudly toward the exit. He suddenly stopped in front of Ema, who cowered in front of him. "You might as well stay here,"

"Why, my Lord?" her voice shook.

His lip curled in a sneer. "You no longer have a Cothold and I don't allow sloths in my Hold,"

"You can't do that!" Z'rin objected.

"Yes I can. It is my right as Lord Holder. I don't think Ema is able to hold properly now that her husband is dead and both her children are Dragonriders," Chalkin smirked, and then left the cavern.

Karrema flinched as the door slammed shut behind the Lord Holder. The silence that fell was unbearable, Karrema felt she was suffocating and so many emotions churned and roiled inside her; confusion, anger, fear, and betrayal. Overwhelmed, Karrema stumbled to her feet and fled the room.

Tears blurred Karrema's vision as she fled through the carved corridors toward her weyr. Karrema what's wrong? Animath crooned as her rider stumbled into their weyr. Karrema went to her queen and curled up next to her. Animath curled her long neck around Karrema, Why are you so upset.

"I just found out Ema is my mother," Karrema choked.

I like Ema, Animath replied simply. She seems nice.

Karrema chuckled darkly, "So did I until I found out she was the woman who abandoned me," Animath's eyes whirled lime green with surprise.

A gentle voice called from Karrema's sleeping quarters. "Karrema, may I talk to you?"

Karrema took a few steadying breaths. "Come in," She was expecting Irene or Ema and was surprised to see Z'rin.

"So, things got a little crazy back there huh," Z'rin, said awkwardly.

Karrema stared at the boy in her doorway. "What do you know about it?" she snapped.

"Well, I know you must have felt overwhelmed by it all. I mean, I knew all that stuff since I was little." Z'rin shrugged.

"What!" Karrema shouted feeling even more outraged.

Z'rin shifted uneasily. "Karr and Ema always talked about you, I mean our parents knew you were the special one,"

"What do you mean our parents, Z'rin?" Karrema's tone grew icy.

Z'rin blinked slowly. "Karrema you're my twin sister."

Karrema went rigid at these words and once they registered, she exploded. "GET OUT! I have no family," Z'rin stood in shock at Karrema's outrage. "Blaze," the gold fire-lizard appeared and began pecking and scratching Z'rin while Animath roared angrily. Karrema merely huddled against her queen.

Foepe comes, Fayelth informed her. A heartbeat later, Foepe appeared.

"Leave Z'rin," she stated calmly. Karrema noticed the hurt look in his eyes as he ducked from the weyr covered in Blaze's claw marks. Blaze landed on Animath, trilling and looking pleased with herself. "Now what has you so upset that Fayelth felt it necessary to summon me here?" Foepe asked, hands on her hips.

Karrema sat there cradling Animath's head and crooning gently. Slowly, the queen's whirling eyes slowed and lightened from angry red to content dark green. "Nothing is wrong Foepe. I don't know why Fayelth called you." Karrema lied.

"Don't give me that Karrema," Foepe huffed. "We've been best friends since we were five," Karrema looked up at her best friend, not sure she wanted Foepe to know what she'd just learned. Foepe sat next to Karrema and in a gentler tone said, "Come on, and tell me."

Fighting back angry tears Karrema removed her locket and handed it to Foepe. "Open it," Foepe did so, "Those are my parents, Harper Karr and Healer Ema of Bitra Hold," Karrema played with the end of her braid as she spoke. "Ema is down at the feast and she's been staying here the past sevenday with Z'rin. Well, it turns out Ema is the woman who agreed to send me here ten Turns ago. And if that isn't enough, Z'rin is my twin brother."

Foepe handed the locket back to Karrema with a sigh. "Look Karrema, I know you feel angry and betrayed, but you have to see it from Ema's point of view. There she was with two growing children, in Bitra Hold under Lord Chalkin who everyone knows is not fair to his Holders. One of her children possessed an amazing ability that Chalkin would exploit if given the chance, and then her husband suggests sending their only daughter to live at the Weyr under the care and love of his younger sister, a queen rider. Would you turn away from an opportunity like that?"

Karrema stared at Foepe in bewilderment, but refused to admit she was right. "If she loved me the she would have visited and stayed in touch, not leaving me to believe my family was dead."

Foepe got to her feet, shaking her head. "I think you just need time," Karrema watched her friend go, amazed by the amount of wisdom and maturity she showed.

I itch. Animath complained, pulling Karrema from her storm-tossed thoughts and emotions.

"Well let's get you oiled then," Karrema smiled. In that brief moment, Karrema realized Animath would be her emotional anchor in this storm.