Golden Opportunity

Writers: Iluva, Sia
Date Posted: 6th September 2025

Characters: Aydhan, Agyta
Description: The two goldriders discuss recent events as well as some possibilities for the future
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 8, day 22 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: Saibra, Tsaera, Sybana, Riyanth, Th'reyos, I'serin,

Aydhan

The roars of dragons greeted Aydhan as she and Tymborikath blinked out of /between/ above Rising Moons Weyr. The gold happily rumbled a response as she lazily circled, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings in her downward descent to Agyta's weyr.

"Hello!" Aydhan called after they'd landed, nodding to the gold dragon awaiting them on the ledge. Tymborikath warbled happily and scooted close as soon as Aydhan dismounted, nudging Valbath excitedly with her snout.

Aydhan pulled her helmet off and shook out her hair. "Thank you for the invite, Agyta. It's been a while since I've been this way."

The cacophony of sounds had only just bled out by the time Agyta stepped onto the threshold, though not before Valbath, ever the authority, loosed a thunderous bellow from deep in her chest - a rolling wall of sound that rang more like a reprimand than a greeting. It wasn’t aimed at Tymborikath, but the others. Surely they could do better than that.

From the ledge where Valbath and Tymborikath overlooked the Weyr, the rare treat of two Queens in accord, came a call for recognition, a demand for deference. Valbath waited. Surely they could do better than that.

The Weyr answered in kind. Dragons roared all the louder, some near enough that they echoed through stone, as close and as deafening as a landslide.

“Aydhan, it's so good to see you.” Agyta was already pulling the other goldrider into a quick, familiar hug, drawing her inside. “Tymborikath’s caused quite a stir," she noted, gesturing the ceiling as they walked.

“I hope you’re hungry. I’ve put the kitchens to work.” On the sideboard, a steaming pot of black tea, a carafe of klah, and a small pitcher of fresh juice awaited. In the center of the table were two trays, one stacked neatly with sandwiches and fresh fruit, and the other adorned in glossy sweet squares, and flaky pastries not long from the ovens.

"Not as much as Valbath did, darling thing." Aydhan teased. "Golds can't help being the center of attention." She helped herself to a small plate of sweet squares and a little fruit, and no sooner had she sat down had her stupid firelizard appear at her shoulder, subtly sniffing at the snacks. She absently handed him a piece of redfruit that he held in his tiny foreclaws.

"I heard Saibra's finally looking at filling her Weyrwoman Second's position. Are you thinking of expressing interest?"

“Mm I heard that, as well.” Agyta said as she slid into the seat beside Aydhan, her fingers wrapped loosely around her mug. She didn't sit so much as arrange herself, casually crossing her legs but her posture unfaltering. “I’m… considering it.” She added, the corners of her mouth lifting into a smile that was just a bit too pleased with its own ambiguity. “It’ll be hard to follow Tsaera. At least at first.”

"Tsaera used to be a Weyrwoman, she's got turns of experience on either of us." Aydhan pointed out. "Saibra's a good egg, from what I hear. The newest goldrider girl isn't much older than our girls, I don't think. Maybe twenty? It'd be a good spot to learn the ropes, anyway. There's not enough goldriders for them to be competitive with each other, at least."

Agyta's mouth curved slightly. “Well, I’m not sure _that’s_ true.” She said dryly, “Two can stir quite a lot of trouble all on their own, if they're inclined.”

As she smoothed a loose curl behind her ear, Agyta's tone softened. “But I'd welcome the company of young women that can't just huff off the moment I say something they don't like.” A glint lit her eyes, even as she sipped her klah, thoughtful. “You're right about Saibra. She's got a good head.” She nodded , “I’m keen to see how their Weyr handled that influx of Holdless - especially if their ‘falls weren’t being mishandled by an inexperienced Weyrleader.”

Aydhan leaned back in her chair with a little sigh, balancing the delicate square of glazed fruit-and-nut pastry on her knee as she took a slow sip of tea. It was strong, fragrant, and perfectly steeped. “Do you think the Weyrleader’s in over his head?” she asked mildly, but there was an edge of curiosity in her voice. She didn't know much about the man, except that he was probably just a few turns younger than herself. "He's got the same twelve turns of experience as the rest of us."

**Thank Faranth,** Agyta thought dryly.

“Yes. I think he is, unfortunately.” She admitted. “He might have the same twelve turns, but what exactly has he done with them?” Experience (...or the equivalent of time served, in some cases) was no indicator of competency. There were riders twice I'serin's age that would likely be even worse suited to Weyrleader than the young former River Bluff rider. Just as there were some younger who would almost certainly do better. Agyta draped an arm over the back of her chair, leveling Aydhan with an amused, albeit thoughtful stare. “He might command fine from behind a desk. He's supposed to be intelligent,” she allowed, tapping her fingers lightly against her mug, and then her expression didn't so much harden but simply cool, the way many goldriders didn't hide their thoughts, but simply didn't voice them. “But his decisions feel like gambles, don't they? And who can really trust in a leader whose goggles need to be wiped?"

"He does seem like a bookish type." Aydhan agreed. "He offered to loan Barrier Lake a few Wings after Riyanth passed, if we were struggling to meet Threadfall after the tragedy. It was a nice gesture, even if we didn't take him up on it. But I suppose 'his heart is in the right place' can only go so far, hm?"

“You’re right. And Dragonsfall wasn't obligated to accommodate the Holdless that wished to stay, but they did.” Agyta nodded. “I'm just not convinced he's got the mettle for combat.” Even if his heart was in the _exact_ right place, an accident of that magnitude doesn't simply ‘happen’.

"Maybe not. The good part about the system is that no term is necessarily longer than a turn. He'll be out soon enough and someone else put in." Aydhan shrugged. "I wouldn't worry much about it though. There's nothing you can do about the Weyrleader. I was disappointed at first, but not having the pressure of Weyrleader on Tym's flight is going to be nice. I'd like a taste of the Barrier Lake bronzeriders."

Agyta said nothing of Dolphin Cove and N'vanik. Nor the previous Dragonsfall Weyrleader's record prior to his bronze's injury. Repeat terms weren't uncommon, but thankfully unlikely. One man's inexperience wasn't the end of the world. She also said nothing of the pain such a tragedy would have struck through T'mele to know River Bluff's riders were being battered yet again

“I know I shouldn't complain.” Agyta sighed with a rueful smile. “I just have this weird thing where I’d like a home in good fighting shape and with mostly intact morale. Suppose we can’t have it all.”

She shot Aydhan a sultry, knowing look then, rising to refill their klah and tea. “That's one benefit to any Second’s position. Sampling the pool of would-be could-be Weyrleaders. The brownriders are doing well lately, too, aren’t they. Dragonsfall's are doing very well.” **I may have to find out what the fuss is about.**

"Tym's just small enough that brownriders have a fighting chance." Aydhan said with a grin, "They're so enamoured that they actually won something, the poor things. Take advantage of that if you can get it. Pern has no shortage of dragonriders, indulge in a smaller clutch for yourself as a treat. But no, you're right, you can't have everything. But consider, Saibra's next Weyrleader could be an eighteen turn-old fresh out of weyrling training. There's always someone _worse_."

Agyta huffed a soft, low laugh. “Goodness. What an endorsement, Aydhan. I can hardly wait to harness Valbath.” Her teasing lilt lingered as she sank into her chair again.

“You've also had a lot on your plate this past turn,” she reminded her, a shade gentler. “You deserve a good flight and a perfect clutch. And one nice thing about a brown: he's guaranteed to appreciate the win, not expect it like most of the bronzes. I do think it's going to be a little while before Val goes up again, though. Imbeth’s rising seemed to have put her off altogether.” She rolled her eyes lightly, sipping her klah. “You'll have to give me the juicy details to tie me over.”

Yet even as she spoke, her mind traced the truth of Aydhan's point. A smaller clutch meant less pressure. Less pressure, more freedom -- to scope the place out, learn its rhythms, and gauge which way the wind at Dragonsfall truly blew.

Agyta set her mug down with a smile, flickering sharper before softening again. “Who knows, though. Perhaps it’s for the best.” The rest of their talk was a light ripple of chatter, full of Barrier Lake gossip and speculation of upcoming Weyrleader flights, a steadiness lining her amusement. The humor rested differently on her tongue after -- less a distraction now, but an opportunity to be savored.

Last updated on the October 3rd 2025

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Golden Opportunity