Strength of a Woman

Writers: Chelle, Suzee
Date Posted: 11th April 2012

Characters: Rhosyn, Cyradis
Description: The Weyrwoman comes to try and smooth the way for N'vanik.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 7, day 25 of Turn 6
Notes: Mentioned: Janani, Jyramikah, Qorri, Meledei, N'vanik, R'ehn, Traelyn

Cyradis

She'd waited a few days since speaking with N'vanik. Hoping it would
give Cyradis time to cool down, Rhosyn set her mouth and made the trip
to Dolphin Cove again. She was beginning to think she should just ask
the headwoman there for a weyr. Sighing, she landed on the queens'
ledge.

}: Panitath, does your rider have time to speak?:{ Orlaith asked the
gold as Rhosyn stayed on her back.

The Weyrwoman didn't want the other woman to feel threatened. She was
counting on Cyradis to be curious. Remembering their other meeting,
she supposed the other woman was a bit more like her. **Maybe I can
get this place back on track yet**

Cyradis had heard more than one rumor about Rhosyn. Some of them
surprised her but she'd formed her own impression of the woman at the
time they'd met. The person she'd met at the hatching had been
intelligent and friendly. Yet she'd also heard it was common knowledge
that she was involved with more than one of the bronzeriders at
Dolphin Cove. Well, to each their own. Cyradis had never been one to
use her position to sleep around as much as especially bronzeriders
tried to tempt her.

The last few days hadn't been easy but she'd kept her promise to
herself not to rock the boat and bide her time. She'd already spent
twenty turns doing just that. So, she wasn't surprised by the request
but she was a little conflicted.

**Tell her to come on in,** she replied and steeled herself to meet
whatever surprise awaited in Rhosyn's visit.

}:She is there and says come:{ Orlaith said easily as she watched Rhosyn
dismount and walk inside. Making herself comfortable, she settled onto
the ledge, but an eye stayed open for Loseth or Mnoranth.

Walking inside, Rhosyn took a moment to look around before she took
off her flying jacket and helmet. She set it down on the stone floor before
she came through the couch area. Her eyes searched for the woman as
her mind went through the ways she could do this. She wouldn't have
bothered except it was N'vanik's happiness at stake. That mattered.

"Welcome," said Cyradis with a smile as she came out of her sleeping
area. She had a feeling she knew why the woman was here but she'd
braved a much more troubling issue with another Weyrwoman so she knew
she could deal with this if their conversation turned. "Another bottle
of Citroncello so soon?"

"Ah no though I appreciate the offer," she said easily. The stuff really was
good and she wondered if Blayre could maybe figure out the recipe and
replicate it, though she didn't tell Cyradis that. "I heard that Janani left and
given things as they are, you're likely stepping into a lot of problems.
Normally, you would have help doing so, but this isn't a normal situation.
I myself sort of landed in a similar situation not too long ago so I thought
perhaps I'd offer to help-if I can."

"Well if you feel like sacrificing a little give some to your cook to
flavor a cake. It really is luscious." Cyradis' eyes slid away and she
walked toward her table to put down the clothing she was carrying.
"Yes, she left us in the lurch. But we'll handle it." She turned back
deciding to take the offer at face value. "I appreciate the offer, I'm
sure we'll get through this." At least she fervently hoped so.

"Aye in time, I certainly hope so. This Weyr deserves a good Weyrwoman."
She sighed, allowing some of her anger to seep out. "I'll be blunt.
R'ehn said that things weren't going well for you, that Panitath had
been angry." It would be Cyradis' choice to share what she wanted, but
Rhosyn wanted her to know that she knew regardless. She had knowledge
of this Weyr and its people that the other goldrider did not-which she was
willing to share.

"Well then I'll be equally blunt." She wasn't angry with Rhosyn and
thought she understood what the River Bluff Weyrwoman was trying to
accomplish. "My hands are tied," she shrugged and spread her hands.
"I'm basically a figurehead. I can do this job Rhosyn, I have in the
past but N'vanik is so blinded by his anger at the other two Weyrwomen
who deserted the Weyr that he won't even give me the chance to prove
it to him."

She pulled out one of the chairs and sat down. "So, I lead the wing
and Qorri does the rest. Truthfully, I doubt I'd be leading the wing
if he could find a way for her to do that too."

Quiet for a minute as she moved to sit across from Cyradis, she looked
around her and then back at the other woman. Cyradis was older than her,
but Rhosyn didn't see that really. "Yes. N'vanik is angry. However, it would
be easier for you if it was just anger. The problem is Traelyn ripped him to
pieces emotionally. Janani he didn't care about like that, but her leaving is
still a betrayal, reminding him of Traelyn again."

"I understand you're frustrated. You probably wanted to kick him. You have
a few options as I see it...if Panitath rises next and Loseth wins, he'll have
to let you do everything if and when that happens. Or, before that you can
try to earn his trust." Looking down at her fingers, Rhosyn wondered if they
could trust Cyradis. Something told her, deep down, that they could. Was that
enough? "Of course, it won't be easy and you really shouldn't have to, but
that's the situation. The way he sees it, they didn't just leave the Weyr-they
left him too."

Just then, the look in her eyes said so much. If she could, she would find a way
to protect N'vanik just as she would see about R'ehn, Sh'del or the rest of the
few she cared for. And the fact that this fierce little woman could love N'vanik
might speak for him better than anything.

She had been so upset with the colossal unfairness of the situation
that she hadn't even followed through to the conclusion that Loseth
could very well catch Panitath the next time she rose. She just closed
her eyes. It wouldn't be the first time she was saddled with a clutch
sire whose rider turned her stomach. But then for the rank here she'd
just have to deal with it and find a way to work with him. Whatever
she might think of him personally, he did know how to lead the flight
in a Fall.

"As much as I could sympathize with his loss of Traelyn that still
doesn't justify his treatment of me." Privately she wondered if Janani
had a good reason for leaving if she had to deal with this kind of
thing frequently. "You're right, I shouldn't have to. Besides, how can
I possibly earn his trust if he doesn't let me _do_ anything?"

She caught the look Rhosyn was giving her. "I know you care about him
Rhosyn and I don't have any desire to inflict any more pain." Then her
sense of the ridiculous took over. "Well except if I could trip him
into a porcine wallow just once."

"If I have things right, I'd say you're a smart woman. And smart women have
a way of finding things to do. I don't know your headwoman, but I do know
your Weyrleader and your weyrlingmaster and one of the Wingseconds." A
slow smile came over her face as she leaned back in her chair. "You are leading
your wing, which means you are in charge of training Meledei and getting her
ready. She'll be your Second long before Jyramikah will. And Meledei's opinion
will go a long way to helping with the Weyrleader's."

"Dolphin Cove needs a strong woman. You seem to be that. Honestly, the
easiest thing you need to do to earn his trust is simple-stay. If you stick
around and get whatever he asks of you done, he'll respect you. And as
time goes on, the Headwoman will likely realize she doesn't want to do
it all anyway." Rhosyn had taken a few days to give this some thought
and it was clear that she had also asked around so to speak. She had to
be careful though, lest N'vanik see her help as harm, thinking she was
going behind his back. However, she had told him she was going to talk
to the other goldrider and that's what she was doing.

**Stronger than you know.** She could tell that Rhosyn was coming from
the perspective of a Senior Weyrwoman and her motivation was to help
so she didn't take the comments as she could have if the motivation
were different. That, and she realized she had an opportunity if
rather an oblique one.

"I have worked too hard to get into this position to walk away from it in a
fit of pique." She smiled and the smile wasn't warm and sweet. "I don't
intend to let him drive me off."

"Good. Lesson one-be more stubborn than N'vanik has been learned."
She didn't smile, though it was hard. Hopefully Cyradis wouldn't prove
dangerous-that was the last thing they all needed. Sincerely hoping she
saw something similar in the other woman, she sat back. "Well I'm going
to leave it in your hands but you know where to find me and I wish you well."
Standing, the small goldrider moved to go hunt up her helmet. She had to
get back to sleep.

All in all she didn't think the interview had gone half bad. Rhosyn
was certainly unconventional, some might say odd. But Cyradis liked
her. The smile she wore gained some sweetness. "In that case I
shouldn't keep you. And thank you Rhosyn, you've been a help." She
nodded and stood.

Last updated on the May 1st 2012

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Strength of a Woman