DragonStorm Ch. 08

Ista Weyr

(Next morning)

Cosira slid from her dragon's neck. She gave the queen an affectionate stroke on the cheek, then moved to stand next to her weyrmate.

G'dened turned at her approach. "Well?"

"You were right. I don't know what you saw, but you were right."

"I didn't see anything," he corrected her. "I just suspected it. I'm surprised your womanly instincts didn't pick it up." He gave her a wry smile, ensuring she heard his remark as complimentary and not caustic.

"They did," the Weyrwoman admitted. "I just didn't think Selana would ever do anything like this. Foolish, wasn't I?"

"Maybe. Maybe not. I'm surprised, too. But it had to happen."

Cosira frowned. Yes, it had to happen, sooner or later. The junior queenrider's aversion to the prospect had convinced everyone it would be later. Now, everything they'd worried about, everything they'd tried to plan for, seemed somehow less urgent, almost secondary. Except to Selana. She was reacting badly. "Clarinath is a fine dragon and V'line's a good rider. Caylith tells me that Scylenth likes the bronze, and I know Sel and V'line were close at Eastern. It really should be the perfect solution."

"Isn't it?"

"No. She feels that she betrayed Darian. She loves V'line, she has for a long time. She was in love with him before she met Darian, but they never became lovers. Now she can't reconcile one with the other. V'line told her he loves her and that's got her even more confused. She's terribly upset. Scylenth is picking up on it. I don't like this at all."

G'dened slid an arm around his mate's shoulder. He'd wondered what the reactions would be if Selana and V'line became involved. He hadn't actively sought such a union, but he was pleased to see it. Now came the task of holding the emotional queenrider together until the char could be sifted. "Does Darian know yet?"

Cosira nodded, reaching up to cover the bronzerider's hand with her own. "Yes. He saw her last night after the Fall. Sel says he wanted to patch things up. Then he found out about V'line... "

"That must have been interesting. Did he burn out the weyr?"

"No. She says he didn't react much at all. She's convinced he'll never forgive her."

"Forgive her? For what?"

"G'dened! You know how she thinks." The tall blonde paused, looking up. "She says he'll never come back, that she isn't worthy of him anymore. I can't make her understand that it's alright to love more than one man. She's physically sick. Scylenth looks terrible."

The Weyrleader grimaced, shaking his head. Selana's self-pitying guilt-wallows were bad enough, but they had a queen to consider, one rapidly approaching her first mating flight. The rider had to stay in control. She couldn't be allowed to withdraw now. This reaction was seriously worrisome. "The way she acted yesterday, I wouldn't have thought she cared how Darian feels."

His Weyrwoman shrugged, a worried grimace crossing her face. "She still loves him, G'dened. She's just pushed everything behind Scylenth. The queen may have been more responsible for this than Sel."

The bronzerider shook his head. His disagreement was obvious. "No. This was Selana, not Scylenth. She's been acting like Darian wasn't even there for more than a month now. I don't blame him for being upset. This one has to hurt."

"Well," Cosira reminded him, "you've been preaching at her about acting like a queenrider since she impressed. I guess she decided to listen."

He looked down, frowning at his mate. "This isn't what I meant, Sira. You know that. I know I told her she had to put Scylenth first, but I never told her to ignore Darian. I certainly never told her to treat him like this."

"It doesn't matter now," the woman sighed. "This should have helped us. Frankly, I think it just made matters worse."

"Have you seen Darian this morning?" he asked.

"No. You don't think he'd hurt Selana, do you?"

G'dened snickered, drawing a startled glance from his mate. He returned her regard with an irritated half-smile. "That's the least of her worries. Notice anyone else missing?"

A scan of the Weyr brought the queenrider's gaze to rest on the ledge next to the one she'd just left. Peering thoughtfully at the perch, she ran her thumb across slightly parted lips. "You think Darian and Elysina...?"

"That's exactly what I think. She's had her claws in him for a long time, and she probably had help. Selana's been neglecting him, and he feels abandoned. He'd have been an easy target."

Cosira cocked her head, following the line of her mate's reasoning. "That disturbance last night was Valkryth."

"Ah! Caylith picked it up, too, eh? Astaroth's been doing a pretty thorough job of monopolizing Valkryth for the past month. You remember how strong his mind link was with Darian during Caylith's last flight, don't you?" His smile was half-teasing, half-jealous. He received a poke in the ribs for the effort.

"How could I forget? Too bad he called him off. Might have been fun." She chuckled at the uncertainty in the bronzerider's face. "Still, Valkryth shouldn't have been ready to rise."

"Queens rise off schedule, if the cause is sufficient. Considering Elysina's appetite, Valkryth's probably on the verge most of the time. With that black involved, I'm not ruling out anything."

"If she did manage to seduce him, does that help or hurt us?"

"Should help a lot," G'dened surmised. "Maybe when Darian realizes he isn't so flaming morally superior to the rest of us, he'll be a little easier to deal with. Then again, he's so damned unpredictable, I just don't know."

"I suppose so," Cosira allowed, sliding her arms around the dragonman. "You do know they're in love with each other, don't you?"

He grimaced as he looked down. "Uh, no, I didn't. That could complicate things a bit."

"Maybe, or it could work in our favor."

She stared up at him, a strange shadow passing across her features. It would help if Darian realized an affair for either of them wouldn't be the disaster he feared. Everyone in the Weyr knew Elysina had been interested in him for nearly a turn. The lithesome rider usually caught what she chased. Consensus said she'd caught nearly every rider at Ista and a few other Weyrs, along with her share of non-riders. Not that many tried to escape. Still, how much of that was reality and how much just reputation? Even the Weyrleader had been a target until Cosira revealed her annoyance with the prospect. It wasn't like Elysina to stop before she reached her goal. Had she succeeded without the Weyrwoman's knowledge? "G'dened, why hasn't Elysina tried for you lately?"

"You chased her off, remember?" he smiled. "Besides, she's more concerned with Darian now. Don't worry, love. I'm perfectly happy with you. I have no interest in anyone as blatantly sexual, incredibly beautiful, utterly enticing and totally exhausting as she is." He saw his mate's eyes widen. "Besides, Barnath says Valkryth is too stimulating for him. He prefers a more sedate queen."

"Why, you.... " the Weyrwoman shrieked, her jaw dropping. Caylith responded with an outraged bellow.

G'dened released her, fleeing into the weyr. Cosira was on his heels as he started up the tunnel to his own quarters. "Barnath! Get me out of here!"

'You're on your own,' the bronze replied. 'I'm leaving.'

'Running out on me again. Some friend you are.'

'I'm not about to make Caylith angry.'

'So, you leave me with Cosira?'

'You're bigger than her. Caylith is bigger than me.'

The Weyrleader laughed, listening to his dragon's complaints and the shrill voice in pursuit. He raced into his weyr, heading directly for the upper ledge. Much to his consternation, Barnath was gone. High across the crater he saw the metallic beast soaring away, a golden dragon following leisurely. "Uh oh," he gulped.

"Keep him out, Caylith, while I attend to this wherry-brained watch-wher!"

G'dened turned to find sapphire daggers flashing at him. He was hopelessly trapped; an empty ledge behind him, an irate Weyrwoman in front of him. Considering his limited options, the Weyrleader recalled advice from his father and predecessor at Ista: "When things look hopeless, make the best of it and keep going." He advanced on his startled weyrmate, transitioning smoothly from flight to a determined attack.

Later, Cosira lifted herself on one elbow, pulling sweat-soaked hair from her eyes. She ran a teasing fingernail across his chest. "Now, tell me Elysina can do that!"

"Not bad," he grinned, "not bad at all. Still, she is younger..."

The Weyrwoman pulled her legs up, planting her feet squarely on G'dened's hip. She pushed hard.

There was a startled yelp as the rider tumbled out of the bed. Mussed hair and a confused expression peeked up innocently. "What'd I say?"

A light fur dropped over his head, making the following comments incoherent.

After a short delay he pulled it off. "Does this mean I should go back to work?"

Only a fast roll to the side avoided the answering kick.

Pulling on light clothes and tucking riding gear under one arm, the dragonman headed for the lower ledge. This time his beast was waiting. Barnath took to the air quickly.

'Where are we going?'

'The lake. I'm feeling a bit gamey.'

'You should see what you look like.'

'Watch it, you overgrown firelizard.'

The bronze head swung back, turning a baleful eye on the rider. 'I am not overgrown,' the dragon protested. He pulled his neck around, staring at the unkempt rider with thinly veiled amusement. The great eyes whirled a deep blue. 'If you're feeling gamey, what kind of games were you playing?'

'Indoor sports. Nothing you'd understand.'

Barnath roared, increasing his speed. He winged into a dive toward the lake at the foot of the waterfall. It wasn't a lake, really, just a freshwater bay, but it would serve his purpose.

Only when the bronze pulled up sharply did the Weyrleader remember he hadn't donned the fighting straps. Rider and mount parted company.

Tumbling across the right wing, the Weyrleader found himself unexpectedly airborne, then under water. He bobbed to the surface, carrying the saturated riding gear with him.

Passing overhead, the bronze folded his wings, plummeting into the lake near his rider. The impact of the beast's entrance lifted G'dened and carried him toward the beach. Barnath broached, going back into the air. Bugling his satisfaction, he settled on the sand. The great neck stretched upward, and a second trumpeting call erupted.

Following his dragon's line of sight, the Weyrleader saw two dragons approaching. A third winged figure detached from the golden beast, gliding swiftly toward the lake. The bronzerider experienced a short surge of irritation when the avion assumed a nearby hover.

"Is it laundry day?"

"I wash them once a turn, whether they need it or not."

Darian grinned, shaking his head. Vaning idly, he grimaced as the right wing opened too far, pulling at the damaged extensor. "That looked like it hurt. Are you alright?"

"I'm alright," the Weyrleader replied. "I need to talk to you for a minute. Take these and wait for me by Barnath." He lifted the heavy riding gear to the waiting hand, then swam toward shore. By the time he climbed onto the ebony sand the avion was standing next to the bronze, scratching his eye ridge.

"That was a unique dive," the Cygnan observed. "Loved your form. Think you could teach me?"

"From what I've seen, you're untrainable."

"Could be, but I'm dry. So are my clothes."

"I'd say you'll get yours," G'dened began, stripping out of the wet attire, "but it looks like you already have."

Darian frowned. He glanced past the cataract to the Weyr beyond, then back at the bronzerider. Granted, he hadn't been overly discreet in his treatment of the fiery queenrider, but he hadn't been responsible for what happened. He and Elysina hadn't even been together at the start of the evening. Regardless, if he didn't know, the Weyrleader certainly suspected.

G'dened saw the consternation in the winged rider's expression. Pursing his lips, he explained. "Look, Cosira and I know what happened last night. You tried to patch things up with Selana. I doubt you were aware of how close she and V'line were. Then you disappear overnight. So does Elysina. Now here come the two of you with Valkryth and Astaroth. I don't have avion eyes, but I'd swear El is wearing your tunic. And you're not wearing any tunic. You don't have to be a genius to piece that together."

"That's circumstantial evidence," the avion hedged. "You can't prove any of it."

"Uh huh. Should I ask Elysina?" Watching the masterhealer's reaction, he knew that wouldn't be necessary. The avion sagged. G'dened shook his head disgustedly. "Darian, you know there are very few secrets in a Weyr. The only person at Ista who didn't know Elysina was hunting you was Selana, and I think she was just trying to ignore it. Neither of you were terribly discreet about it."

"I'll be more careful next time," the avion said bitterly. Not that it mattered. It would be nearly impossible to conceal the four fang punctures on the queenrider's throat. They were going to leave a significant bruise.

"Why?" G'dened continued. "The only people worried about it are you and Sel. Shells, man, if you think Elysina has long term designs on you, forget it! The only danger to the two of you is Clarinath. Scylenth likes him so they could become permanent mates. Even that doesn't mean V'line and Selana will be permanent weyrmates. Nobody wants to take your wife from you, and nobody wants to take you from her. We don't attach much significance to an occasional casual affair."

"I've noticed," the Cygnan rejoined. "Sel doesn't seem to attach much significance to it either. She'll probably stay with V'line. She doesn't care about me anymore. She doesn't even know I'm here."

The bronzerider reached out, taking his masterhealer by the shoulder. He locked eyes with his companion momentarily, then sighed. "Yeah, we've noticed that, too." He chewed at his lip, then advised his despondent associate, "Look, Darian, don't go too hard on Sel. And don't give up on her, either. She's been awfully tied up in Scylenth, and you've paid the price. But things change. Between the two of us, Cosira and I read her the riot act last night. Caylith had a bit of a conversation with Scylenth, too. Selana still loves you. She just needed to be reminded of it. You're not going to lose her to a simple affair."

"That's easy to say, Weyrleader," the avion responded. "You've never had to share Cosira with anyone."

"You made a good pass at it."

The avion shuddered. He hadn't wanted to be reminded of that ill-conceived ploy. Caylith's mating flight had nearly ended disastrously, at least to his way of thinking.

"You didn't seem to find her unattractive, or were you completely dragon-dominated?"

Darian shook his head. "No, I wasn't. And she is attractive, very attractive. I'm sorry, G'dened. That should never have happened."

"Why? It was a mating flight. When a queen rises anything can happen. Even if you'd taken her, she'd still be my weyrmate. You'd be Weyrleader and she'd be your Weyrwoman, but she'd be my weyrmate."

"That doesn't bother you?"

"I can't let it. It can still happen. Barnath and I aren't getting any younger, and there are always Quarelths around. What's more, he's not the biggest threat in the Weyr."

The avion stared curiously. "He isn't? Who is?" he asked.

G'dened frowned at his masterhealer. He ground his teeth before answering. "You said nobody cared about how you and Selana felt, that no one was interested in your problem. You were wrong. I know an open flight is only a short-term answer. I also know that Quarelth is a serious problem. Even if one of your chosen dragons flies Scylenth, Quarelth will be here next time, they won't. So, I took a major step to try and help."

"What's going on?"

"We saw how Scylenth attached herself to Clarinath and how well Selana and V'line get along. I've been in touch with T'bor. The riders we sent to Reaches have fit in well. We talked to all of them. Only two are unhappy there, and they'll be coming back shortly. Everyone else, including Pr'sin, has agreed to stay. T'marek has done a nice job as a temporary wingleader, but he's not what I want there. As soon as you declare him fit to fight, I'm assigning that wing to V'line."

"You've had V'line assigned here permanently?"

"That's right. Don't worry about it. V'line knows about you and Selana. He'll only continue their relationship if Clarinath and Scylenth are involved. He's more of a threat to me than to you."

Darian frowned, creasing his brow. "How do you figure that?"

"Clarinath is a Benden bronze, out of Mnementh and Ramoth. He's the biggest, fastest dragon in this Weyr, including Barnath and Quarelth. If V'line decides he wants to be Weyrleader, I've got a serious problem."

The Cygnan sat down against Barnath's foreleg. The bronze crooned encouragingly at him. "Then why keep him here? Why risk losing the Weyr for our problem?"

"I have to take care of my queens. Scylenth doesn't want any of the Istan bronzes and Selana sure doesn't want any of the bronzeriders. She gets along well with Tr'san, but I don't think Kirth is going to be a major factor in a mating flight, at least not yet. Queens are more important than any bronze or any bronzerider, Weyrleaders included. That's why I have to depend on you."

"How can I help with this?"

"Go back to Selana. Stay with her. She needs you."

The Cygnan grimaced. "G'dened, she's not going to take me back. Shells, man, I've just had an affair. Worse than that, with an Istan queenrider. She'll never forgive me. Besides, I don't know if I want her back."

"You flaming well better want her back!" the Weyrleader snapped. "After all you've put us through, you're not about to give up now! Haven't you heard anything I've been saying? You see that? It's the sun. It's still shining. Shards! Selana had an affair before you did. She'll blame herself for yours."

The Weyrleader paused, getting his breathing, his anger and his voice under control. "Just make her realize that you love her, not Elysina. She's an intelligent woman. She'll understand."

"Would Cosira?"

"She has so far."

A blank look fell across the masterhealer's visage. "You've had an affair since becoming Cosira's weyrmate?"

"Several. As you're so fond of pointing out, I'm one of those bronze-riding bastards. You don't really think only you and Pr'sin have bedded Elysina, do you? Where in the flaming stars do you keep hiding?"

The mention of the bronzerider brought another question to the avion's mind. "What about Pr'sin? He and Elysina were weyrmates."

"Don't worry about Pr'sin. They haven't been weyrmates for a long time. Adiranth rose at Reaches recently and Talonth caught her, so Tamira and Pr'sin are weyrmates. It was Adiranth's first flight. They're going to stay together. T'bor says he's going to use the riders we sent him to build a ninth wing. That will let him put a third flight together. He's going to make Pr'sin the wingleader."

Darian saw a flutter of wings to his left, then felt claws on his shoulder. A soft head rubbed against his cheek, chirping happily.

"One more thing," the Weyrleader added. "I've decided to hold Barnath out of Scylenth's mating flight. Unless Astaroth rises, I don't want you in the sleeping chamber. T'marek, D'phel and I will be there. I can't let you disrupt a queen's first flight."

"Then there's nothing I can do to help Selana, is there?"

"There's a lot you can do. Get Astaroth to fly Scylenth. If you can't do that, make sure Sel is as stable as she can be. Make sure she knows you love her, no matter what happens, no matter who flies Scylenth, and make sure she knows you'll be there when it's over. If you don't, we could lose her and Scylenth. Do you think Astaroth would talk to me?"