A Good Start

Writers: Avery, Jelena
Date Posted: 22nd April 2015

Characters: Kapera, Genna
Description: Kapera and Genna discuss a variety of things after Riyanth's clutch has hatched.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 11, day 18 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Onnyth, Lanniya

Kapera

Genna

"Good evening, Ma'am," Genna smiled, still a bit shyly, but a little
more confident than at the previous hatching. She had been a bit
relieved to see one of the goldriders on her own this time. The large
group of goldriders last hatching had been a bit overwhelming. So when
she spotted Kapera by herself, Genna took the opportunity for a
private chat gladly. "It was a great hatching, you must be very proud
of Riyanth and her hatchlings."

"Ah, Genna." Kapera smiled reflexively at the younger goldrider as she
approached. "How's Lissath?"

She hadn't really gotten much of a chance to speak to Genna the last
time, which had been a mixed blessing. Mostly it had been a relief,
because with her inglorious history at that Weyr, she'd been afraid of
judgement for her troubles. Who knew what kind of stories they told?
At least River Bluff had been neutral ground.

But this time she felt a little more optimism about the meeting. Here
at a Dolphin Cove Hatching she was on 'home turf'. And she did want to
get to know the new rider who had Impressed the first of Onnyth's gold
daughters...and she was curious about how the place she'd left was
doing.

"I'm very proud. Thirty-four and all strong, what a relief," she
responded. At least talking about her clutch was uncomplicated!

"They are all absolutely gorgeous," Genna smiled. "It must be awesome
to see Riyanth's eggs come to life like that. I look forward to
Lissath's first clutch so very much, to be able to experience that for
myself..."

Onnyth had been Dragonsfall-born and so was her daughter. That kind
of connected tradition was symbolically important to many. "I'm sure
it's going to be a good one. She comes from a line of fine Dragonsfall
queens."

On that note, If Genna was senior enough to be /betweening/ and
leaving her queen, she was hopefully working on gaining experience,
and figuring out who she might like to wake up by. So Kapera didn't
feel too terrible asking her next question.

"Any bronzeriders you have your eye on?" she asked casually.

"Um," Genna was taking by surprise and it showed in the blush on her
cheeks. "Not really, I guess." How was she supposed to answer a question
like that? "Should I?"

"There's advantages either way. If you don't have a favorite, you can't be
disappointed if Lissath chooses different, and you know that she's picked
the best choice for the Weyr. But waking up next to someone you don't much
like can be frustrating."

"Hmm," Genna looked a bit despondent at the subject. "To be honest, Ma'am,
I'm still wrapping my head around that subject matter. I still have a few
months before it becomes a real issue."

"Just make sure you have experience first, or it'll hurt," Kapera advised.
"And it is, honestly, fine if you don't have a choice. Lissath will know
what's best."

"I intend to. As soon as I... decide on someone who's... up to the task,"
Genna's blush turned a positive crimson at that. But Kapera was right,
Lissath would know what to do when the time came. Sometimes Genna envied
her gold's unshakable confidence. If only it would start to rub off on her!

}:She is not our hatchling to educate,:{ Riyanth thought sleepily at her.

Right, she wasn't in charge of Genna. There might have been a time, but it
wasn't now - which really, was a good thing.

"How are you getting along with the other goldriders? They both have good
heads."

"Oh yes," Genna was glad for the change of subject. "They are both
amazing teachers, I'm lucky to have them as my leaders." She looked at
Kapera curiously for a moment. "Didn't you use to live at
Dragonsfall?" she asked a bit hesitantly, unsure if she was
remembering correctly or making a huge mistake in mentioning it.

She'd half-suspected it would come up eventually, expected that
there'd be more conflicting feelings. Something like shame or
embarrassment at remembering being laid low. But nothing of the sort
reared its head immediately.

"They sent two of us after Jaela died. But the weather was bad for my
chest, a lung issue the Weyrhealer said."

"That must have been frustrating. Did you stay there long?" Genna
asked with interest, wondering what the other woman's view of her home
was.

"Over a turn, but not quite two. Long enough to form an opinion,"
Kapera answered. "I must confess I didn't like it in the snow, it felt
so isolated and cold. But in the spring, when the snow's melted and
the meadows are brilliant green and the flowers start to pop up? Then
it's a beautiful place."

Genna smiled at the imagery, feeling she knew exactly what Kapera
meant. "The snow has it's merits, too, though," she said after a
moment. Sometimes she got a little tired of everyone always
complaining about the cold her home brought, both at Amber Hills when
she was a child, or the Weyr now she had impressed. "I think it can be
absolutely magical. Especially when you find somewhere where its

undisturbed, like a sugary carpet over the hills..." she trailed off
with another smile.

"And of course with a dragon, you can find the views not possible from
the ground," Kapera agreed.

She hesitated a moment, covering it by taking another sip of her
water. "You're always welcome to visit Dolphin Cove, by the way. When
you need to get away, or just want a change of pace. Us queenriders
should stick together, right?"

"Thank you for that offer," Genna said, visible relaxing some more at
the kind invitation. "I'll take you up on that gladly. It's nice to be
able to talk to another goldrider who isn't directly responsible for
me, if you know what I mean. I liked talking with Lanniya too, she
seems like a nice girl. Did you get a chance to talk to her?"

"No, I didn't, but I'd love to get to next time. I think we should all
be collegial, if not friends." She could certainly see herself liking
Genna.

"That would be nice," Genna nodded. She wasn't sure if it was
possible, but the goldriders she had met so far seemed pretty much
alright. She could see herself being at least collegial with them.
"What are you going to do with the extra time, now that Riyanth's
clutch has hatched? I imagine you haven't had a day off in ages."

"The first thing I'm going to do is move back into my own weyr and
take a long walk on the beach tomorrow. Then on the restday I'm going
/between/ somewhere else. Anywhere else." Kapera laughed as she said
it. "Riyanth is the kind of queen who doesn't let me go very far when
her eggs are laid. The bathing rooms and Dining Cavern were sometimes
considered 'too far'. So I'm feeling a little...cooped."

"Ah, I can imagine!" Genna laughed. She wondered how Lissath would be
when she had her first clutch. It was fun to think about, but nothing
she could ever know for sure until the time came. "Where do you enjoy
going? I hear Ista beaches are really nice."

"I think Emerald Falls. It's beautiful there and well worth seeing the
sights. If you haven't been yet, I'm sure you'll have a chance soon
enough."

"I'll remember that," Genna smiled. "I haven't been yet. You don't get that
much time for exploring when still in training, as I'm sure you still
remember! But I take it from you that it does get better?"

"It will. You'll find transitioning into your duties also feels like a lot
of work, but then it settles out and you have restdays when you can
actually leave." Kapera gave her an answering grin.

"I so look forward to that," Genna smiled. "I wonder how Lissath will
like going out more. Aren't some golds really Weyr-bound?" She thought
she'd heard that sometime, but she wasn't sure whether or not there
was any truth to it.

"When clutching, or at other times? It varies by individual. Riyanth
enjoys stretching her wings at new locations because she likes
receiving new types of attention, but when we have a clutch she won't
even leave the Sands. But I knew a gold at Windswept Islands who only
left the Weyr for threadfall and formal events in her territory,
because she felt the need to defend it from the other golds. How is
Lissath so far?"

"She's pretty stand-off-ish from the other golds," Genna mused. "But more
because she doesn't feel it is proper to interfere with them too much. She
can be pretty stoic. I hope she'll enjoy going away, because to me it seems
like paradise."

"See how she feels about the trips. But if you're genuinely happy with
adventures, she ought to pick up on that and enjoy it more," Kapera said.

"Thank you, I will keep that in mind," Genna smiled. "Well, I probably
shouldn't be keeping you any longer, there are many more who want to
congratulate you on a fine hatching, I'm sure."

"It was good to get to talk to you, Genna. I appreciate the time," Kapera
said.

"It was my pleasure, Kapera, I hope we'll meet again soon," Genna
replied with a genuine smile, before turning to leave. Lissath could
be pleased, she'd made at least one high-placed friend today, it
seemed.

Last updated on the May 14th 2015

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A Good Start