The Punch Heard Round the World

Writers: Devin, Chelle, Paula, Suzee
Date Posted: 9th June 2011

Characters: Rhosyn, N'vanik, Y'gel, R'enh, Corowal, Jyltor, Milgana
Description: A holder tries to put Rhosyn in her place.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 2, day 18 of Turn 6
Notes: Mentioned: J'ren, Briata

N'vanik

Y'gel

R'enh

The night was shaping up to be a good one, despite everything. Rhosyn
was in high spirits as she finished her dance with J'ren. Turning, the goldrider started to walk toward where she saw someone with water. She stopped as a gentleman came into her path. She saw the holder's knots and as she started to open her mouth to say hello, he started to speak instead.

"Harlot!" he hissed. "Strutting your wares for every man to see. Do
you spread so easily then woman?" He stood very close to her. Knowing
she was a goldrider made no difference. This woman was held out by the
Weyrs as a representation of leadership? Jyltor could not abide the
price any longer.

"Who are you to ask then?" Rhosyn showed no outward sign of discomfiture.
Indeed, the man's words bothered her little. He was no one she cared about.
However, she did understand the dignity that her station deserved and if he
kept on, she'd have to deal with it for the sake of her Weyr. "And would you be asking because you'd like a better look perhaps?"

He was revolted and sneered his retort. "I am happy with my wife's
attentions and do not need such as you." Said wife was even now
pulling at his arm.

"Come please husband," she whispered pleadingly.

Y'gel stepped up behind the Weyrwoman with a scowl for the holder. He
would not tolerate disrespect for any of the protectors of Pern, no matter
what color their dragon.

She saw the woman and she recognized the embarrassment on the woman's
face and even the fear. "That's just as well. I do better on my bad
days," she said, dismissing the man with a turn of her head. She
didn't know Y'gel was there, but she had heard the bootfalls.

R'enh pushed up next to Rhosyn and stepped up beside the big
Dragonhealer. "That mouth," he said quietly to Y'gel. He was certain
she could take care of herself but the Holder needed to realize that
just because she was unmarried according to the conventions of the
South she was not without 'protection.'

Dancer popped into being and settled on his shoulder and screeched at
the other man. "Now now, Dancer. The man was just leaving." He reached
up and scratched an eye ridge. "He wouldn't really want to cause an
incident." As if on cue, Mnoranth and several other dragons bellowed
from the heights.

Jyltor's head twisted to look up at the dragons on the heights that didn't
look all that friendly and sneered. "Is this," he pointed at Rhosyn,
"the standard of womanly virtue you hold up to the rest of Pern?" He
shook off his wife's grasp as he challenged the bronzeriders. "I
respect what dragonriders do to protect us all, but this... this
wanton display of her every asset is offensive." Suddenly he flung the
contents of his full glass of red wine into her face before anyone could
stop him.

It was a few seconds before she reacted. And when she did, it was actually
pretty comical. First Rhosyn laughed, licking the wine. "A good vintage..."
And then she looked down at her dress. Briata had worked hard on that dress. And that was when she brought her head up.

}:Loseth, yours better go grab mine before she kills a holder. Her dress is
broken:{ Orlaith relayed quickly, sensing the sudden shift in Rhosyn's mood.

N'vanik was already on his way, alerted when the dragons bellowed. He
covered the last few feet with quick strides. When he reached the
scene he saw Rhosyn first, covered in wine and with murder in her
eyes. Then he saw the holder, empty glass still in his hand. From the
look on the holder's face, this was no accident. Concern shot straight
up to rage. N'vanik considered himself restrained for not hitting the
man then and there. He grabbed the man by his collar and shook him
hard. "You sharding throw _wine_ at a _Weyrwoman_?"

"Please don't hurt him," sobbed the man's wife. She looked up at the
impossibly tall Weyrleader certain that violence was about to follow.
"He's just drunk. I'm so sorry."

"Don't apologize for me!" Jyltor tried to twist in N'vanik's grasp
throwing a slap at his wife. Milgana easily dodged him knowing he
wouldn't remember when he finally awoke.

So he was the kind to hit his wife too? That was it. N'vanik took one
hand off the holder, only to bring it swinging back at the man's face.

Rhosyn had stepped back out of the boys' way, grabbing a towel from
R'enh to start dabbing at the mess. The dress was ruined, though. She
sighed, cooling off as she enjoyed the look on the idiot's face as it met
with a fist.

The commotion drew in Corowal. He found the Weyrleader hitting one of his
holders and a Weyrwoman (not Dolphin Cove's though) soaked in wine. He
had no habit of jumping to conclusions. "What is going on here?" he
asked. "Could you be so kind to stop smashing his face and explain to me
why you're doing it, N'vanik?" he continued with a sharp tone. He was
annoyed. He would rather have been dancing and drinking.

"He threw wine on Rhosyn and then he tried to hit his wife." N'vanik
stared down at the holder. "You hit your kids too?"

Jyltor's eye felt like it had exploded in his head and he sat up
cupping it. "What business is it of yours?" he growled.

"I want to figure out how many more times _I_ need to hit _you_,"
N'vanik growled.

"I have a suggestion. Why don't we just arrest him and put him on
trial?" Corowal suggested. He had been looking for a wife beater he
could make an example of for a long time. This one would be perfect,
when you added insulting dragoriders too.

Jyltor looked up at his Lord Holder disbelieving, "I'm accused of
beating my wife without any evidence just because I threw a glass of
wine?" He got to his feet. "So far the only one who's thrown a punch
is the Weyrleader! You people are all deranged." He turned and
stalked off pushing his way through the crowd. He was one unhappy
Holder who now had a grudge not only against the Weyr but his own
Liege Lord who should have at least made a stab at trying to find out
the truth instead of siding with them. His wife followed him after
shaking her head at the two leaders.

"If you plan on punishing him, Lord Corowal, it'd be your business alone.
However, it seems you better hurry to do so or he's going to get away."
Rhosyn had dabbed up most of the wine, though her green dress now had
a huge dark stain across most of the front.

"Too bad I didn't bring any guards with me. Don't worry though, I know
where he lives," Corowal replied and his smile was slightly malicious.

N'vanik adjusted his jacket. "Let his wife and children know they have
an open invitation to the Weyr if they want to get away from him." He
turned and saw R'enh and told him, "Escort the holder and his wife out
of the Weyr and let him know he's banned from ever coming back."

R'enh lifted an eyebrow but nodded and left to do exactly as the
Weyrleader had ordered. Perhaps he had learned something after all. He
could speak his mind privately at a later date.

Y'gel had found some water and another towel for Rhosyn. "Need any
help?" he asked with a twinkle as he held out the dry towel.

"No, but I think it's time to go home." She turned to N'vanik and touched
him quickly. Her eyes said enough. She was sorry his hatching had been
ruined, but she thanked him for his intervention. In many ways, he had kept
_her_ out of trouble.

N'vanik gave her a half sad smile. "Not the best way to end the evening."

"I'm sorry..Just forget it ever happened. It's the Lord Holder's business now. And I'm okay. It could have been far worse." Truthfully, it could
have. She leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss. "I'm going to go sleep now. You still have the rest of the night. Go dance some more and enjoy yourself. This is your party."

Y'gel cleared his throat and extended his arm to guide her toward
where Aughashyth had landed. He needed to finish his duty to the
Weyrwoman by getting her safely home.

Last updated on the June 11th 2011

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