To Cull the Weakest

Writers: Dana
Date Posted: 30th September 2008
Series: Proving His Worth

Characters: Traelyn
Description: Nyith rises to mate.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 11, day 22 of Turn 4

It was going to be any time now. The Weyrwoman, so attuned to her sleeping queen, could feel it in her very bones as she restlessly paced her weyr. Nyith's proddy behavior, not to mention the emotional highs and lows Traelyn had ridden over the past sevenday, had put her on the very edge of control. N'vanik's visit last night, though, had eased some of the physical and emotional tension that had been building inside of her. At first she hadn't been interested in anything but staying curled up against him on the sofa, but his deft caresses and gentle kisses had convinced her otherwise. Together they had stood, his hands pushing her skirts down until they pooled at her ankles, then lifting her blouse up her body, tossing it to the side when her fingers began to make quick work of his trousers. Then he had gathered her close, mouth pressing against her skin as he eased back onto the sofa with her in his lap, movements slow and unhurried. When she had met his eyes, she knew that this was to make up for the last time they'd been together-and it was okay, because she had needed a release too, if not exactly a release for a guilty conscience.

N'vanik had left her relatively sated in body and mind, but when she awoke alone in the morning the reality of the past sevenday came rushing back-and with it, her irritability and anger. Despite trying to repress the memories, U'kaiah dominated her thoughts, and it was because of him that she couldn't piece together the ragged edges of her fraying temper.

Sharding man! He had cut open her heart and had left her alone to bleed in her own weyr. It wasn't just his ultimate decision that made her so furious; it was the fact that his words and actions had proved B'ram right. How could the sharding brownrider know her lover better than she herself did? But he had been _right_, and now she felt that her relationship with U'kaiah was shattered in a way that was irreparable. The more she turned his words over and over in her head, the more she realized just many insults he'd subtly woven into his arrogant speeches. He had not only looked haughtily down his nose at the bronzeriders who would be the contenders, but he had looked down on her too by doing so, speaking as though the opportunity she offered provided a way for a bronzerider to _cheat_ his way into power. Shards! It wasn't _cheating_. How did he think the first bronzeriders became Weyrleaders? Certainly bronzeriders hadn't always had the chance to first prove themselves to a Weyr before coming into power.

Shaking her head, Traelyn angrily whirled around to pace back towards the queen's weyr. U'kaiah believed that his refusing to play a part in this changed nothing between them. His presumption infuriated her. Did he think she would just lie there and take the insults and then meekly come back to him once it was all over and done with? Pretend that his words hadn't hurt? Pretend that she hadn't caught on to the implication that since she wasn't Dragonsfall's Weyrwoman, she wasn't good enough for him? Would never be good enough for him?

Even if they did "make amends," she could never forget what he'd said to her.

Unless, of course, U'kaiah had changed his mind over the course of the last two days-had come to his senses-and would come flying in on Kalamath to take the chance that would come just this once and never again.

Despite her fuming temper, the thought gave her a shred of hope. He had to come. He had to! He had to prove B'ram wrong-and renew himself in her eyes. She angrily raked her hair back from her face. It was the only way!

With Traelyn's last mental cry, Nyith abruptly awoke from her deep slumber. The rough and wild, primitive emotions roiling in the queen's mind momentarily staggered her rider, but she immediately made the mental linkage-and human fury melded with draconic blood lust.

Screaming, Nyith sprang from the ledge and plummeted towards the Weyrbowl. Herdbeasts scattered, bellowing their terror as the voracious queen landed on one of the bulls, talons ripping the tough hide to shreds, spilling steaming entrails. Nyith was aware of her rider's relentless will pounding on her own not to eat, but to blood. Raising her golden head, she shrilled defiantly at Traelyn, who was now standing in the Weyrbowl.

Suddenly the air was filled with brass thunder as bronzeriders from River Bluff, Dream's End, Rising Moons, Windswept Islands, Vista Point, Far Island and Dragonsfall began appearing in the sky, their beasts' eyes gleaming the avid orange of arousal as they roared. The bronze dragons' banks and landings lacked the usual finesse and grace due to their fierce need to join the Dolphin Cove contenders already lining the Rim. As soon as their riders rid them of their harnesses, they launched themselves to join their competitors, growling and snapping challenges.

Nyith raised her bloody muzzle to snarl contemptuously at them all before opening her jaws wide to take the meat.

**Blood it only! Nyith!** Furious with her dragon's rebellious behavior, Traelyn forced her will upon her, slamming the direction home again and again until the gold finally hissed defeat and began to suck the blood from the carcass-grudgingly at first, then with more vigor. The Weyrwoman took this very brief opportunity to quickly scan the skies, searching for Kalamath's familiar, sweeping wingspan. . .but he wasn't there. Nor was U'kaiah walking toward her in the pack of men, their eyes dark with desire, each determined to claim her.

Disappointed fury rose in Traelyn's chest as Nyith once again leaped straight into the stampeding herd, taking down another beast. Then another and another. **Don't you dare take the flesh! You know better.** Traelyn imposed her will upon her dragon again and the queen tore open the throat of her last kill, now blooding greedily, not so insubordinate. Bronzeriders, some she dimly recognized, some she didn't, were making a ring around her, thoughtlessly obstructing her view of her dragon, trapping her. Snarling her frustration, she shoved her way forward away from them and their searching hands-and was captivated by Nyith's glowing, pulsing, shining body. The instinct was upon her now. Upon them both.

As Nyith shrieked, Traelyn's consciousness and her dragon's were at once melded, and in an instant they were aloft, golden wings beating as they rose higher and higher, gaining speed and altitude with each downward stroke. The Weyr fell away below them, and the rutting bronzes were far behind.

Elation surged as she soared, trumpeting her superiority. The bronze ones would not catch her so easily-though they could certainly try! Spinning on wingtip, she caught a thermal and rose higher above the ocean, snaking her head around to gage the distance between herself the pack struggling to match her pace. Nyith hissed in annoyance as three of her suitors caught the same one in hopes to catch up to her more swiftly, bugling promises. Well! _She_ was certainly not ready yet!

Folding her wings, she dropped below them all, though not too far of course, crowing her derision as they swerved sharply to avoid her-and each other. And although the males tried, collision could not be completely evaded. Two of the younger beasts had been flying too close together, each trying to foul the path of the other, and they suffered for their inexperience.

Down on the ground, Traelyn was half-aware of laughing-a breathy, lusty sound-as they fell from the chase, humiliated, defeated. Only the strongest and the smartest would be able to last this flight! She and Nyith would cull the weakest-oh yes. Even as the queen ascended again, hide glittering in the bright sunshine, Traelyn arched away from the men, hissing as they tried to touch her body. One of them hissed back and laid his hands boldly on her, squeezing. Her recognition of his face, even though it only lasted for an instant, was startling. N'vanik? Snarling, she tore herself from him and mentally urged her dragon onward. They would not be taken yet!

Diving and darting in intricate, sensual aerial displays, Nyith reveled in her sexuality while she played with them, taunted them. . .dividing the strong from the weak. Many had abandoned the pursuit, but she did not care about _them_. It no longer mattered how many were after her. All that mattered now was who had enough vigor left to be worthy of her-who she would deign to let catch her.

And she knew.

Lust swamped the last of her sense as she maneuvered her beautiful, proud body towards his-and Loseth, virile bronze that he was, wasted no time in conquering her. Entwined, they fell.

On the ground, clothes were shredded as both the Weyrwoman and her new Weyrleader tumbled gracelessly to the bed, fervently giving in to the ardor that wholly possessed their lifemates.

Last updated on the October 1st 2008

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