The Mating Flight Lesson

[Memorie]

Tujal sat in the classroom with her weyrling class. It was time for the discussion of mating flights. She sighed, she'd rather talk about this in private with I'slen. She did like that man, and now it was proven that he liked her. But they had to keep it on the low that they liked each other in that way...she wasn't really sure what they were, though. Good friends? It seems beyond that. Lovers? Hardly. I don't really know, I guess. Someone said something to her. She smiled and nodded, not knowing what was said. She didn't really care. All she cared about was being able to show her affections to I'slen.

[LyricalBlue]

I'slen stood at the front of the room and shuffled his bunch of skins before looking up at the class of Weyrlings in front of him. Tujal... It was her class that was to have this lesson, the rider swallowed. This was something he'd much rather show her than tell her. Clearing his throat he nodded to the class. For once they were all here on time.
"Alright kids, today's class as you know is going to be on mating flights. After the lecture we will have an open discussion." He left no opening for silly jibes or immature comments. The mating flights of dragons was far too important for such silliness.

"The age at which your dragons will feel the urge to mate will be diffrent for every one of you. The greens will be the earliest along with the blues. Browns, Bronzes and Golds mature later. Many may not even rise untill they are in their third year; on the other hand some greens will rise as soon as they reach their full growth around 18 months." He nodded out to the class, making sure they were staying with him.

"When your dragons do rise to mate for the first time you will be overwhelmed with emotions be they lust, anger, or anything else. Greens may or may not blood kills when they rise as they don't need the stamina that Queens do. But regardless, it is imperative you keep ahold of them and only let them blood. If they gorge they cannot achieve the height and distance."

[Memorie]

Tujal nodded, taking the lesson in. Some of the stupid younger girls and boys were twittering. "Smokeless weyrlings," she muttered. Occasionally, being on of the oldest in the clutch-group was not a good thing. She looked at I'slen, willing herself to listen to only his words and not his voice. It had been hard to conceal her affection for him in public, though it wasn't as hard to trail after him and give him the good ole' hard time she was accustomed to. That was really the fun part of the day, after she got done with chores and bathing and oiling Amenth.

It's true, you know, Amenth said. Tujal jumped, startled.

What's true?

Queens always blood kills for rising. But Greens don't.

How do you know? You been watching? Tujal snickered at the mental image of her perfect golden beauty, sitting on the feeding grounds ledge and quietly observing flights.

Yes. Tujal now giggled. What's so funny? It's a good way for me to learn. The dragon sounded mildly affronted. Tujal held back laughter as she snorted into her hand.

[LyricalBlue]

The bronzerider leveled a stern stare at the giggling group and then continued.
"Once the flight commences you will become one with your dragons. You will see what they see and feel what your dragons feel. It can be overwhelming for the first time, in fact it can be overwhelming every time. So those of you riding female dragons it is absolutely imperative that you maintain a hold on her untill she finishes blooding." He shot a glare at the giggling group.

"You are all old enough for this lecture and you must learn it before your dragon teaches you."
He cleared his throat once more and quelled the nervous feeling in his stomach. This was the part that was going to be sharding awkward with Tujal here.

[Memorie]

The younger boys and girls that were giggling and snickering finally levelled out and shut up at his second dagger glare threw at them. That left only Tujal laughing and snorting. I can't believe you are laughing at me. Here I am, doing something good for the both of us, and all you can do is laugh like a little girl. Tujal giggled audibly.

It's that the image of you, not even a turn old, checking out full-grown dragons performing that act is absolutely hilarious. And the remembrance of that view made Tujal laugh distictly out loud.

Whatever. At least I'm doing something that will benefit both of us, I'm learning important stuff. You refuse to learn about that until the day of. That sobered Tujal instantly.

That's absolutely none of your business. Through all this, Tujal had forgotten to listen totally to I'slen.

That's all of my business. How can I enjoy my first rising if you aren't enjoying yours?

I don't know. What I do know is that you have no business questioning about that. Tujal pursed her lips and crossed her arms, now angry.

"...before your dragon teaches you." Ah, good ole' I'slen. He'd make her feel better and get her out of this mood. And seeing as Amenth was no longer talking to her, there really was no other way. At least, to Tujal.

"And what exactly will our dragons teach us, Weyrlingmaster?" she asked, putting emphasis on the word "master."

[LyricalBlue]

I'slen leveled a rather odd look at Tujal, he loved the girl but shards she when she missed things, she really missed things.
"What they will teach you is how to handle them Tujal, and it can be with dire consequences. If you don't have the will to hold Amenth when she bloods she could gorge. That would endanger not only her, but her suitors and any offspring she might have. A young Queen died at Ista two turns ago because her rider let her gorge."
He hated being this cold with her but he really had to, this lesson was for their safety.

I'slen cleared his throat again.
"But Mating flights can be a joyus time. It is a bonding between rider and dragon that many only experience in the first moments of Impression. But you do have to prepared for it. Girls and boys alike it is not recomended that you go into a mating flight virgin. It can be... shocking."
Well that was putting it bluntly, but he had to put it as such. Otherwise the youngsters would never get it.

[Memorie]

Tujal laughed. The man surely remembered her strong will? The will that kept the talk of the dragons from driving her insane, the one that had almsot made her capture impossible? Maybe she had tamed too much for him. She grinned maliciously. That could be fixed. The news of the Istan Gold didn't shock her--she already knew about it. And she also knew that the rider had been a weak young thing, barely fifteen when she Impressed the queen. She squinted, surely I'slen didn't think she herself was weak enough to let her dragon fight her in rising? Mweh. She blew it off.

Then came her most dreaded subject--virginity. She heaved a great sigh. I am so sick of hearing about this! she exclaimed mentally. Then she remembered that her thoughts, when not held back by her will, could be heard by all dragons. And some dragons were likely to tell their riders. She rolled her eyes, wondering if she could persuade Weseaneth to call I'slen away so she could slip away from this lesson and start on her chores. She had already heard this speech from I'slen, many times over from other riders, and even from her dragon. And she was sick of it, plain out, disgusted sick. How many times did she have to tell people over and over: she wasn't going to lose it until it became absolutely necessary!

[LyricalBlue]

At her sour look I'slen almost ran over there and hugged her. He had to be her Master though, before anything else he wanted to be he had to insure her safety. For his sake as much as his own. He looked over the rest of the class at the various expressions that he could see there. They were all children still.

"Now then for the riders of male dragons you will feel much of the same things the riders of the females will. Though yours will be much, much more agressive. A fight between males has never broken out in the Weyr but you must be carefull. And you must also know how fit your dragon is and know to pull them out of a flight if things start going badly. In the end the females choose their mates but the rider's prefrences will weigh heavily on them. So if you do have a prefrence, make it known."

[Memorie]

Tujal rested her cheek in her palm, calmly looking around the room. There were a few diagrams around, on old wherhide strips, and she looked those over until she had them in memory. Then she looked around the room and went through the names of her clutch-mates. M'dat, Terena, Os'lin. P'grin, P'tin. Those two had such close names, she often got the two mixed up. She sat as still as possible now, trying to entertain herself with not twitching. At the word "preference," she twitched reflexively, and that game was over. She knew who Amenth favored for her rising, and Tujal herself hoped Weseaneth was clever enough to win her. Tujal didn't really trust any other rider with herself. What if they hurt her?'

Inspiration struck as it usually did, and she grinned maliciously again at the Weyrlingmaster. "What is a 'preference,' Weyrlingmaster?"

[LyricalBlue]

I'slen bit back the urge to sigh.
"Prefrences my dear are simple for the most part. If you like or desire a rider, even if that person is a friend if you make that known to your dragon it can save you the trouble of waking up next to a stranger."
He nodded once more to the group before him.
"Its just simply a really good idea to have a prefrence your first time."

She just had to do that now didn't she. The girl loved making problems for him and with that sharding smile, it was going to drive him crazy. Really, Wes had better fly Amenth or hed..
She will have no other. I will let no other near her.
I'slen sniffed dryly.
Glad you're so confident.

[Memorie]

Tujal heard the bronze, having decided to never block his voice out, and guessed the topic of conversation. "I bet I know the preference of some," she said, smile taking over her face. It really was a scary thing when she smiled, and she really did, in her opinion, look more attractive with a frown, or even a simple, non-emotion filled face. There. There's that little pick-me-up, she thought. She breathed in deeply, enjoying her role now. It was almost as if there were no other people around, and she was just teasing him for the fun of it. Life is good.

You ought not tease him so bad. He really likes you, Amenth told her.

But it's so fun. And you can't even say you don't tease Weseaneth.

We're not talking about me. We're talking about you.

Right. She was getting bored with this lesson. Hey, Weseaneth, do you need to be oiled or anything?

[LyricalBlue]

I'slen nodded slowly.
"Such things remain to be seen. And a classroom is not the place for such discussions."
Shards! He hated to be harsh, but this was a class he was teaching and regardless of their realtionship he was still her WeyrlingMaster. But oh he knew he'd catch hell for it later. I'slen could feel Wes chuckling in the back of his mind and held back the urge to snap at the dragon. He couldn't do that. Tujal's issues with him were nothing the dragons the had to do with.

"Alright class do we have any questions?"
Weseaneth rumbbled a response back to Tujal.
I am well, I keep Amenth warm. I'slen almost choaked as he heard the comment from the dragon. Shards and shells. Once again all he got from Wes was quiet laughter and another response to Tujal.
You should listen, Amenth deserves it. I will keep her safe and you need to as well
I'slen sighed and thanked the bronze, dragon logic could be a great thing.

[Memorie]

I do listen. That doesn't guarantee I follow, she told the mighty bronze, adding a chuckle of her own. And as for keeping her safe, I'll have you know personally that I kept her safe long before she knew your name, much less you, my bronze friend, she told him sharply. She couldn't stand the constant insinuation that she caught from the weyrfolk that Amenth was in any way neglected. The two were at odds occasionally, but they both chalked it up to similarity in personality. And that didn't mean she didn't care for the gold. The gold dragon was her life, and both of the pair knew it. And I'll thank you very much and kindly to remember that. Though draconic memory being what it was...

It's true, Weseaneth, and Tujal caught a bit of her own attitude in the gold's tone. Good, at least her own dragon was her champion. Tujal slumped in her chair, waiting for the other weyrlings to get their questions answered. She'd known this lecture long before a good few of them had, and was tired of hearing it. Maybe she'd take a walk after this.

[LyricalBlue]

Weseaneth crooned to the little gold and spread a wing over her appologeticaly. I'slen could only wonder that that dragons seemed nearly as argumentitive as their riders. He listened to the questions and answered them as best he could. By the time it was through he wanted to go out and lay in the sun with his dragon.
"Alright you bunch of wherries, go take your break and then dinner and chores." As the class got up and rushed out he sent them a parting yell. "And don't be late!" They really did act like a bunch of wherries most of the time.

He sat down and sighed, closing his eyes for a few moments.
Wes, why did it have to be Amenth? There are plenty of other females who's riders wouldn't drive me crazy. The bronze chuckled once again and dragon logic took another one for the team.
Because they aren't Tujal It never ceased to amaze I'slen that not only did Wes name Tujal, but he did it on a regual basis. The bronze hadn't named any human that I'slen could remember. And that gave him something more to think about.

[Memorie]

As the weyrlings rose from their seats and hollered out the door, Tujal remained seated, hands folded primly on the desk and her back up straight. She chose to ignore Weseaneth's latest, because she couldn't make heads or tails of it; it could be an answer to anything. She was just flattered that he continued to name her. She smiled, but it was really more of a pursed lip movement with the ends pulled up. She imagined that it must look rather smirk-like. "That was a smashing good lesson, Weyrlingmaster," she told him. "I'm sure the weyrlings enjoyed it." As always, she counted herself above them. She coughed, and knew she was just now getting over that cold she had caught in the lake a sevenday and a half ago. "Did you enjoy teaching it?" She blibked her eyelashes at him, fake innocence dripping from her words.