A Good Outcome
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Avery
Date Posted: 24th June 2017
Characters: K'ran
Description: K'ran contemplates the outcome of Vilarth's flight.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 11, day 13 of Turn 8
Notes: Mentioned: Lenala/Vilarth, K'lvin/Xmrenth, A'kades/Volaith
Notes: follows Vilarth's rising, "Bright As Sun"
As K'ran was stripping down to bathe, he thought once again that he was terribly grateful to have a private bathing pool to soak in. He wanted to collect his thoughts and wash the sweat off, and didn't particularly want company for this process. As soon as he hit the hot water, he heaved out a deep sigh.
Earlier today, Vilarth had risen. She'd been caught by K'lvin's bronze Xmrenth. Rogueth had spun away disappointed and plunged into the sea to cool himself off, and he'd had to handle his flight-lust with one of the waiting individuals. It wasn't until after he'd woken back up from that haze that he'd had enough sense to wonder about the pressing question -
Was Vilarth now the Senior Queen? And if so, was K'lvin the new Weyrleader?
He'd prodded Rogueth mentally, and the bronze had taken a few minutes to answer. Rationally, K'ran was aware that the bronze had had to wake up and to assess the moods of the other dragons. But the length of time he'd had to wait for that answer felt like it was forever, and it had stolen his breath away as he wondered and worried. After all, when he'd realized that Rogueth had won Orlaith's flight and become senior bronze, his bronze had known the truth immediately. Of course, Orlaith had been an established senior queen… Vilarth's status was in question…
But Rogueth had relayed back that the dragons were looking to Vilarth as a gold like they always had. There was not a sense that she was Senior – and thus were not treating Xmrenth like he was the Weyrleader's bronze.
K'ran was still Weyrleader.
**At least, for now,** paranoia whispered in his mind. It was still possible that tomorrow the dragons would change how they felt. Despite Turns of being a dragonrider, he still didn't know how dragons made their choices, other than the obvious parts everyone knew. When the Senior gold stepped down or was too old, the next gold to rise became Senior – but there seemed to be some draconic consensus, mostly unconscious, that triggered the recognition.
From what he remembered of Traelyn's unexpected ascension at Dolphin Cove, that had been immediate acceptance of the new queen even though she was strange and unknown. The dragons here knew Vilarth, and they would have surely acknowledged it if they'd decided Orlaith's absence had been too long and it was Vilarth who should lead.
And in the end, did it really matter about the whys and hows of draconic choice? He could be academically interested in how the dragons knew who the senior was, he could wonder why they hadn't looked to Vilarth, if he wanted. But the fact was, they were still acknowledging her as one of their queens (but not as senior), and they were acknowledging Rogueth as senior bronze still.
He'd been worrying about what would happen if someone else took over the job – if they'd reassign him as a wingrider, to an open wingsecond position, or if they'd want this interloper out of the Weyr entirely. (He'd seen other new Weyrleaders send their predecessor out on a transfer before. It was rather a rude move, in his opinion.)
And funnily enough, he'd worried about winning it, too. He knew that A'kades and Lenala were attached, and hadn't wanted to come in the way of their relationship. They seemed to be doing fine right now. But if Lenala had ascended to Senior, and someone not A'kades had won the flight… Would it have caused tensions, or would they have been mature weyrfolk about it? It must be awkward being the winning bronze and doing the clutch father duties, while the gold rider herself was involved with another man. And, he didn't want to be embroiled in any additional relationship disasters when he'd been making enough of those himself lately…
}:You're being negative,:{ Rogueth interjected into his mental reverie. He wanted his rider to think about happier things.
His lifemate was right. The problems he'd been imagining hadn't happened, and the problems of tomorrow could wait for tomorrow.
Happy thoughts. That's what he should be doing. He still had his job as Weyrleader. He didn't have to figure out what to do when you didn't have the prime bronzerider job anymore. And since there wasn't Fall till the next sevenday, and the Weyr tended to be a bit more relaxed after a gold flight and he didn't want to run a drill while the bronzes were tired out…
Which meant that he had some rare time he could use to just relax. Be relieved. Talk to some people about things that weren't work. Maybe even eat dinner early for once…
Last updated on the July 4th 2017