The Rumor Mill
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: Miriah, Yvonne
Date Posted: 28th November 2017
Characters: Alina, B'far
Description: Alina is out of the loop
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 1, day 16 of Turn 9
Another day, another dinner. Alina sighed and toyed with her food. A salad, some cheese, bread and cold roast wherry... she let the voices of her wingmates wash over her as she scanned the door to the Dining Cavern, hoping to see a familiar blond head.
She and J'ackt had spent a wonderful Turn's End together, and then... nothing. He'd stopped calling on her. He'd holed up in his weyr and the only one he ever saw was Saidrene, it seemed. A familiar spark of jealousy curled beneath her breastbone and she stabbed at the meat with her fork. **Stupid.** She wasn't sure if she was referring to J'ackt or herself. J'ackt for dropping her like a hot stone with no explanation, or herself for being foolish enough to think that he'd actually cared about her. And why would he? She was a poor substitute for Saidrene. Although it would have been nice to hear something from Saidrene too... her friend had gone just as quiet as J'ackt had. They'd both ignored her for almost two sevendays now. Maybe there was a good reason... or maybe they weren't such good friends after all. **I just wish they'd _tell_ me.**
"Yeah, well she told me that he went to Dragonsfall and punched a brownrider there. And yelled at the _Weyrwoman_!" A greenrider near by bit off a piece of bread, chewed and continued, his face almost gleeful at the news he was able to impart. "And she didn't do anything because they slept together before and now it turns out they're related!. But that's what's going on. I should know. I'm in J'ackt's wing."
A blue rider piped up, sounding dubious. "I heard that he doesn't talk to his wingmates at all, so how would you know? I heard from a drudge who was near the conference room when they were giving him the news that he went completely nuts and they had to restrain him."
The greenrider, B'far, snorted. "That wouldn't surprise me."
Alina dragged her attention back to her plate. "Wait- what wouldn't surprise you?"
"That they had to restrain him." B'far answered, after swallowing a piece of tuber. The young man studied her and his brows shot up. "Wait, you can tell us if it's true or not. You're his friend or...something, right? I mean I've seen you together." Eyes all around the table turned to her with interest. "Everyone's talking about it."
Alina froze. They had to be talking about J'ackt. Why hadn't _she_ heard anything, if everyone was talking?! Or heard from J'ackt himself? Maybe it wasn't him they were gossiping about at all. "I wasn't paying attention. Who are you talking about?"
The other riders glanced at each other while the bluerider spoke up. "J'ackt. Supposedly L'pin found out stuff about his family."
B'far bent closer, and whispered conspiratorially,
"Apparently, Saidrene's actually his cousin or something. Can you imagine? They've been going at it all this time and they're _related_."
"What? No. That can't be right!" Alina laughed, but it sounded a bit brittle. Saidrene and J'ackt, related?! They looked nothing alike. Nobody was attracted to their relations like that. "How would that even be possible?"
"That's what everyone's saying." The bluerider leaned forward. "The drudge I know listened at the door. She said that it sounded like J'ackt got really upset because his father wasn't really his father and his mom wasn't really a Holder. She had to get away from the door before they said anything else because he went nuts and started yelling. So...is it true? Has he told you?"
"Are you sure that drudge of yours isn't making things up? Because _I_haven't heard anything," Alina said with a little sniff. Still... if it were true, why hadn't J'ackt or Saidrene said anything to her? That was the sort of news you shared with your friends And if it weren't true, why were they avoiding her?
The bluerider shrugged. "Why would she make it up? Besides, everyone knows he's a little crazy anyways."
"I can deal with crazy, as hot as he is. But he's _so_ not interested." B'far pouted a little. "I keep hoping he'll win one of my mating flights, but..." He shrugged. "Still, though, can you imagine suddenly realizing you've been sleeping with a cousin? No wonder he went nuts. I bet he's embarrassed."
Another greenrider down the table piped up, her voice high. "I can help him get over it!"
"Honestly." Alina rolled her eyes and stood. "This is the most ridiculous thing I've heard all sevenday. Someone's pulling your tail, I'd bet on it. J'ackt and Saidrene _couldn't_ be related. I can't imagine Saibra losing track of one of her relations."
"So can you find out if it's true?" B'far asked, wheedling. "You know him better than we do."
"Sure. But only if you stop repeating that drivel." Alina sniffed haughtily, hoping that a condescending attitude would mask the hurt she felt. There had to be _something_ going on, and it hurt that she was excluded. "Anyway. I'm going to turn in early. Good night, everyone."
B'far rolled his eyes and shrugged. "Goodnight." He waited until she turned around before telling the rest of the table. "She doesn't know either..."
Last updated on the December 10th 2017