Lazing away the evening (Lyrai)

[LyricalBlue]

The Queen rumbled approvingly, it was good to see a human who knew how to treat her's properly. It was also good to see them both minding her directions. Zhariath stood and fluttered her wings, turning about before resettling so she had a better view out over the bowl. She preened her wings contentedly, quite pleased for the moment. She reached out uncharacteristically to speak to F'dan, surprising her rider greatly.
You are welcome bronzerider.

Lyrai had been nodding and smiling quietly with amusement to F'dan's comments when Zhariath spoke openly to him. The Weyrwoman almost tripped over herself, the Queen almost never spoke to anyone other than herself and Ruet. It was a rare enough occurrence to make her really stop and think about the bronzerider before her. Zhariath -never- spoke to N'mos, and his Fierzath had flown her three times. Lyrai recovered and inclined her head to F'dan in thanks.

"I think I shall have to find the time F'dan, or Zhariath will start making me eat heardbeasts with her."
The Queen rumbled in agreement, though the sound was as close to a laugh as the dragon larynx could muster.
Indeed I would. You have to eat well to fly well.
Love I'm human, I don't fly.
He would fly you better than him.
The way she said the word left no doubt in Lyrai's mind that the Queen meant anyone but N'mos. Blushing slightly, Lyrai shook her head and had the courtesy to laugh quietly.
"You don't want to know what she just said. Now then something to eat sounds fantastic."

[hrsegrl]

F'dan had thought himself in control of the situation until he heard an unfamiliar voice in his head. Zhariath spoke to him. He was in shock for a moment. There was nothing he could say to the great Queen so he grew completely silent for what seemed like a long while. Roderith butted in eventually. The Queen gave you a compliment, don't ruin it by ignoring Weyrwoman Lyrai. Weyrwoman Lyrai is it?He hinted that the dragon was entirely too concerned for the woman. I mean only to protect our interests...I agree of course. I would not wish to come across as rude to Lyrai . You really ought to talk to Queen Zhariath sometime. She has a beautiful voice...She has many Bronzes vieing for her attention. I would seem only a small thing at this point in time. Roderith was always entirely too reasonable when it came to females.

"We wouldn't want that. I've heard it said eating raw meat like that causes illness in humans." He yelled down the shaft in his Weyr for food while Lyrai seemed to be distracted by her own dragon. She seemed to have found something amusing but he didn't interrupt. After she spoke he laughed a little himself. "Whatever Queen Zhariath said, I'm sure it was only for your ears yet it was most likely true. I have found Roderith tells the truth even if it is the one thing you do not want to hear. "

[LyricalBlue]

Covering a cough with her hand, Lyrai did her best to fight the rising blush. Most likely true... oh dear... As comfortable as she was with Weyr life she couldn't quite explain that her dragon was under the impression that another man would be better in bed than her current mate. She coughed again, still trying to fight back the blush. Of all the things for him to agree with, it had to be that. But then Zhariath had a point, he certainly couldn't be worse. Outside, Zhariath continued to preen, entirely amused with the whole situation much to her rider's continuing embarrassment.

Lyrai tried her best to recover her poise. She took a deep breath and smoothed her hair back before finally speaking.
"Indeed she has a remarkable talent for stating things that would otherwise be left unsaid, and often in very candid terms." Zhariath of course, found this comment infinitely more amusing and continued to preen contentedly.
Of course I do, I know you.

Lyrai had to smile at that comment, that at least was undeniably true.
"I don't suppose Roderith tells you exactly what he thinks you should be doing most of the day?" The comment was half in jest and she laughed lightly. Zhariath wasn't quite as bad as that, the other half of the time she was admiring herself.
Well I have a reason to.
Yes, yes you do my beautiful love.

[hrsegrl]

Laughter was a good sign. At least she had lightened up a bit. "Ah, Roderith is always right and entirely too logical. He doesn't always tell me what I ought to be doing. I find he often tells me exactly what you did just a few moments ago." Of all the Bronzes on Pern, his had to be of the same mind as the Weyrwoman of Ponaa. You should be thanking me for this. For what? Forcing the Weyrwoman to have lunch with me? Getting us noticed. The Bronze stated flatly, tail twitching.

"Food should be here any moment..." He added a bit nervous at first that he had not been prepared for a guest of her rank. "I find drudges take longer the more you think about how long it is taking them. At my home I often just bypassed the whole thing by sneaking down to the kitchens myself. The cooks were always giving me whatever I wanted." He grinned, it was not such a horrible life. People often found him concieted. What did they expect? He was a Lord Holder's son and a Bronzerider. How much more rank did he need to be allowed a little bit of understanding? F'dan found himself wondering where Lyrai was from.

"Where did you grow up?" He asked genuinely interested in her answer. It was best he didn't steal the entire conversation for himself. Besides he doubted she would want to share anything with him that wasn't what most people already knew.

[LyricalBlue]

The thought of the tall bronzerider sneaking around a hold after food was enough to coax a small quirk of a smile out of the Weyrwoman. Indeed he seemed like the type who would be impatient with food, but then most men were that way and dragonriders more than most. Dragonriders were also quite famous for having voracious appetites. Courtesy of having to wash big brutes like Roderith, though admittedly he was not even the largest of the dragons in the Weyr. It took Lyrai -hours- to wash Zhariath.
I could use a bath. Come to the lake after you eat.

The Queen continued to preen as she feigned inattention. But the twitching tip of her tail and the slowly moving blue glow under half lidded eyes gave it away. She watched her mate on the ledge next to her and then her gaze slid down to where Roderith lay on his ledge. For a moment Lyrai saw what her Queen saw and knew who the bronze was through Zhariath. She felt a flush rising to her cheeks at the gold's emotions and blinked a few times to clear the double vision.

"Where I? Oh!" What a strange question to ask, Lyrai couldn't think of the last time someone had inquired about how she had grown up. She hadn't even thought about home in so long... A lump rose in her throat, she still missed her brother so and if her father was still alive, Lyrai had no idea. She looked at F'dan with a bittersweet smile. "Actually, I wasn't born far from here. One of the cotholds outside Ponaa, my father was a Harper. But truth be told I don't remember much of it. My mother died young and my father was always on assignment after that." A quiet laugh escaped and she shrugged. What was done was done, no sense in looking back now. And besides she had Zhariath, she couldn't imagine another other life any more.
I will always be with you.
I know love, I know.

[hrsegrl]

"Ahh well that explains it.." F'dan said stopping when a couple drudges brought in some food. He nodded to them and waited for the food to be set down before continuing. He disliked his family... well actually that was putting in mildly. His family were a bunch of arrogant, self centered dead glows. The good thing about not living in Monaco anymore is that he didn't have to put up with them.

"Its quite fickle really. When fathers are gone all the time we wish they weren't but when they are constantly home we wish they were gone." He smiled. "Personally I hope my father dies sooner than later. No one could be less fit to run a Hold." Now that the food was on the table F'dan grabbed a roll, redfruit and a slice of roast wherry.

Roderith felt eyes on him and turned his head slowly to catcha glimpse of gold hide up on a ledge. Zhariath was always a vision... he thought to himself. Fierzath didn't deserve her. He should be on that ledge with her making sure she was comfortable and happy. Especially as she had so recently been ill. Both the rider and the dragon were not people that Roderith could get along with. Someday F'dan... I'm going to teach that Fierzath a thing or two... We will see. For now I suggest you keep those thoughts to yourself. He is still Weyrleader and should not be disrespected.

[LyricalBlue]

The bitterness in F'dan's tone as he spoke about his father made the Weyrwoman wince visibly. Parting on a fight with her father was one of her largest regrets. But then she had no one else, her mother and brother had both died. She should go back, and soon... To learn one way or another if her father still lived. Though... he had to have heard by now, it wasn't as if her name was a common one. If he lived, even he had to know about her Impression and rise to Weyrwoman. He probably still thought she was rising above her station, trying to fill shoes she wasn't fit for. A bare 23 turns and Lyrai was trying to lead a Weyr. F'dan at least had been born and bred to class. Some days she wondered if her father wasn't right all these turns.

"I never got on well with my father. He always said I was too wherry headed to have been from him and my mother." She laughed slightly at the memory, as if her father hadn't been every bit as stubborn as Lyrai herself ever was. "Though he was the worst by far, the old hide bound Harper." Shaking her head and still smiling, Lyrai grabbed a redfruit from the tray and began to peal it. She loved the southern continent if the fresh fruit if nothing else.

Zhariath arched her neck imperiously, allowing Roderith to admire her. After all it was his right as one of her bronzes. She could hardly deny him even had she wanted to otherwise, which of course she didn't. Idly, the gold wondered if the bronze had what it took in flight. He certainly flew well enough, however Fierzath had still flown the best. But some healthy competition would do them good. Complacent bronzes were not good sires, they flew low and lacked stamina for gold eggs. Standing up, Zhariath arched and stretched sinuously. Fierzath raised his head from his ledge and rumbled quietly at the small display. As the gold fluttered her wings then closed them once more, she shot first Fierzath, then Roderith, a look of pure challenge.

[hrsegrl]

"My father wasn't any better... in fact he might have been worse."F'dan looked down darkly recalling how eager his father had been to get rid of him. "Not only did he have every second of everyday planned for me but he never intended to let me lead Monaco." His father was a truly mentally disturbed human being. "I'd rather die in threadfall than have to go live under him again."

He cut into the roast wherry perfectly. He was trained in all manner of etiquette and found that most of his wingmates watched how he ate. He supposed it must be amusing but never really thought much about it until he had to eat in front of important guests such as the Weyrwoman. It was not long at all before he was on to eating his roll.

"I never want to be that sort of father." He sighed. It had been quite a long time since he had seen his chhildren. His daughter must be growing like a weed...

Roderith noticed Zhariath's display, watching her play him against Fierzath. She would know soon enough that Fierzath could no longer satisfy her needs and wants. Roderith would not pretend he was the only dragon that could change that but he certainly wasn't going to wait to lavish attention on her. Some of the other Bronzes may wait till she was close to flight but Roderith was like F'dan. They had a constant nature when it came to females. Not participating in many flights and F'dan had not been seeing any females in over a turn. He took her look to be an invitation to fight with the others for her attentions. She was a challenging Gold and he liked that.

[LyricalBlue]

Sounded like the man was seriously afraid of his own son supplanting him. Strange, most saw their children as continuances of themselves and of their work. As she listened, Lyrai savored the redfruit, eating it a section at a time. She couldn't help but notice F'dan's impecable manners, he was indeed a Lord's son. Funny how things worked out, if niether of them had Impressed they would have never met. At least, no more than a passing glance at a Gather perhaps.

At his next comment she raised an eyebrow in question. It rather surprised her, but then not wholely in a way.
"You are a father?"
Many of the riders had children in the Weyr. N'mos had three, not that she ever saw or really had any connection to them. Children were a mystery to her, Healers had long since told her that she should not try to bear children with her build. But she just didn't connect with them, perhaps she really just never tried. The end result no matter the reason was the same though. Not that she'd ever admit it, but Ly did long to make that connection and to have a child of her own.

[hrsegrl]

Her suprised question almost made him laugh. He had been a dragonrider for longer than she had. Besides he was a highly prolific man. He'd only had two sexual relations at the Weyr and both had born him a child. "Shocking as it may be, I do. My daughter, Feya, is nearing four and my son, Dayen, is about a turn and a half." He knew what she must be thinking of him now. For being Holdbred he was adjusting to weyrlife easily enough. It wasn't true. F'dan may flirt now and again but he only seriously courted anyone if he wanted a long term relationship with them.

"I never really thought about fatherhood, having such a bad example certainly didn't help. I only realized I wanted it when I saw my daughter for the first time. Newly born. You know they are ugly when they are first born but still somehow they take your heart from you and you can never have it entirely back." He grinned.

The two people he actually loved on Pern were his daughter and his son. His daughter could do no wrong where he was concerned. As charming as he was with her mother's own fiery temper...he did have a thing for women that were challenging. He'd never been one for the calm complacent women that were often presented to Holder's sons. "Have you ever thought much about having children?" Some women hated the very idea but others were more amiable.

[LyricalBlue]

Listening impassively, she came to the conclusion that she really did want children of her own at some point. But the thought of having to foster them always drew her back from the subject. If she ever had them, she would have to foster; either that or step down from her position as Weyrwoman. As it was she could content herself with watching Zhariath's many offspring. A pang hit her gut, remembering the last clutch and for several long moments she stared off into space. Cutting off that avenue of thought, lest Zhariath catch on, Lyrai focused once more on F'dan.

He really seemed quite enamored with his children, even if he rarely saw them. Most riders never got close to their children, but then the love of a dragon made up for any lack of human contact. One of the reasons Ly had put up with N'mos as long as she did. The man was useless on the ground, but up in the air he was all together different. Few had the skills he did to combat threadfall successfully. And Ponaa as a whole prospered from it, the wings took far less damage than many thanks to those charts he studied constantly.

Did she want children? F'dan's sudden question prompted her to think about fostering once again and that familiar pang of regret rose in her stomach. She had lost several children from betweening constantly, most she had not even known about until after the fact.
"I really don't have time for them, besides watching Zhariath's weyrlings grow up is quite enough."

Well alright, that wasn't entirely true; maybe not at all true. But she was too busy... and hardly found a mate worth keeping around that long. Ly scrambled for excuses, seeking to put off really thinking about the issue as long as possible. Weyrleaders often had children and fostered them, but perhaps it was different for the father than the mother. Ly couldn't possibly imagine giving her own child to another to rear. With an inward chuckle, she noted that she really was the same when dealing with the Weyr. Someone else could do her job, but why should she let them when she could do it better and faster.
"Besides, " The Weyrwoman grinned as she finished off the last section of the redfruit, "I really don't have the patience for children of any sort."

[hrsegrl]

He listened to her while finishing up some more of his meal. Really it was interesting what one found out about people over lunch. He heard what she was saying but as usual was far more perceptive than the normal person, mostly because he watched how people changed expressions as they spoke. To him it seemed she did want children but she wanted her status more. "Personally, I wish mine had asked me first... but theres no backing out now." He smiled trying to get off a subject that seemed to be making her uncomfortable.

He could have asked how the hatchlings were but that would be yet another dreary conversation. F'dan didn't know how bringing up Sharieth's clutch would go so he avoided that too. Instead he went into a different direction though it might get him slapped. "There is another Hatching feast on its way and I was wondering, my lady, if I may have the pleasure of a dance then. It could be fun. N'mos isn't one for dancing and I have been told I'm very light on my feet."

He hoped he was being too forward. In fact, F'dan wanted to suprise her. People were far more interested in things they did not yet understand than what they already knew. Now it would have been expected for him to talk about the hatchinglings and other fairly upsetting topics of discussion but he'd really rather she left his weyr in a better mood than when she had come in. The Headwoman could thank him later.

[LyricalBlue]

My but the man changed topics fast, it was like talking to one of the bored drudges down in the caverns; though he was a sight more eloquent assuredly. The question suddenly jarred her view of him, placing him in the realm of ambitious Bronzeriders. The interplay between a Queen and her suitors was always an interesting one and it made Lyrai wonder why this man had stayed under the radar for so long. It was clear to her now that it certainly wasn't because he lacked the ability. His bronze was older than her own dragon, why and how had he escaped notice for so long?


The barest hint of a smile stretched the corners of her mouth as she realized he was playing a very subtle game. If it was notice they wanted, they certainly had her's now. And to think she had come here to berate the man for not doing more than the barest minimum of duty required. In light of the situation now it wouldn't surprise her at all if that in fact, was exactly what he wanted to to. Or that N'mos had gotten things confused, the man really was useless on the ground.

"Perhaps you might," She answered with a coy flippancy, determined to figure out exactly what F'dan's real aim was now. "I'm sure N'mos would love for someone else to take over that particular duty." Lyrai turned and picked up the pitcher from the tray and pouring the klah into a mug. Turning back, she arched an eyebrow at F'dan and smirked. "Some klah?"

There are other duties that -he- cannot do.
N'mos? Well he...
He is not attentive to you as a bronze should be.
The Weyrwoman had to turn back and focus on the mug to avoid another blush.

[hrsegrl]

(I do believe F'dan has ADD... LOL)

Lyrai was playing his game now. The answer she gave him, he took to mean yes but he would make sure she danced with him...even if she forgot. He didn't spend half his childhood learning to dance to not dance with whom he wanted. A smug sort of smile was on his face that would put anyone in mind of his dragon. Roderith was often smug and overly confidant. "Klah would be nice, thank you."

He watched her a moment and returned to his meal and his thoughts. She was certainly a strong willed person and fiery too. F'dan could never like a woman who wasn't challenging. Goldriders were thankfully, nothing like the women presented to Holder's sons.

F'dan watched her pour his mug and took it graciously. "Well then I will dance with you, so long as you don't go monopolizing my night by dancing with me the entire time... " He grinned like he knew he should get in trouble for that but was unlikely to. Roderith would flame him for that... if he weren't on his ledge pretending not to hear.

[LyricalBlue]

Raising an eyebrow at the directness of the comment, the Weyrwoman found herself nearly smirking again. She sat back down and cradled the mug between her hands before returning fire, half smiling, in coy confidence.
"Oh thats alright, I doubt you would last more than one or two songs anyway."

Taking a long sip of her klah she played the comment off handedly and wondered if he would catch the double meaning. Savoring the flavor, Lyrai lost her focus on their conversation. The way they made it up north just didn't do justice to the kind they harvested down here. But then, most of the fruits and spices were that way. Why people ever bothered to live on the northernmost continent first was beyond her.

Lifting her eyes once more, Lyrai once again found herself wondering about the bronzerider in front of her. Exactly why was it that he flew so low as to escape all notice? A feat indeed considering he rode bronze.