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| Rider Killaria and blue Liosliath |
| Killaria flopped bonelessly onto the low Weyrling’s cot, every muscle in her body afire. Liosliath sprawled on the cool stone floor beside her, equally weary. “Shells, Liath, I hurt in places I never knew I had! Why’s the Weyrlingmaster so mortal /cruel/?” <<I know you hurt,>> the elegant blue sniped back, spreading his elegant wings a little wider. <<It’s a mutual bond, remember. Your /face/ wouldn’t hurt if you’d learn to duck, you know.>> “Your wrists wouldn’t hurt if you’d stop flinching every time someone throws something at you. Bah! I need a cold shower, and to the Red Star with stiffening bruises! Liath, m’love, will you take me?” The debonair blue looked down his long nose at her. <<Only if you stop reminding me of that. I do try, you know.>> Instantly contrite, the ex-Captain sprang up like a child to put her arms…well, around her blue’s left wrist, anyway. |
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| Her Weyrlinghood passed without much fuss, rolling from the tempestuous storms of Liosliath’s hatching to next season’s summer’s near-continual drizzle. The oddly commanding pair enjoyed their quarrels as much as their periods of amity, and the Weyrlingmaster passed them after all. On their graduation from Weyrlinghood, Killaria and Liosliath celebrated by popping -=between=- to as many Weyrs as possible. At Dark Moon Weyr, Liosliath and his rider paused, nearly at once, as the keen-eyed blue caught sight of some writing on the Flight Charts. <<Does that say what I think it says?>> Killaria whooped exuberantly. “It does, it does. Lads with female riders only, m’love! Do you see…” she peered at the name momentarily, “Resarith around here anywhere?” The Ryslen blue first-lidded innocently at her. <<She is aqua-green. And her rider is an ex-vintner, Z’mar. She says he is handsome. May I, Kila?>> “If this doesn’t get it out of your system, sah, I don’t know what will! Just let me find a pen…” |
| Liosliath |
| Weyrling Liosliath |
| Liosliath came out of -=Between=- in a lazy glide, adjusting his wing angle ever-so-slightly. <<Istabitha’s seems a nice enough place. Why are you so enthralled with it?>> His crisp tenor was coolly nonchalant, but there was a lively curiosity behind the question. Killaria was glad to hear that he’d recovered from his brief depression following the loss of Resarith’s flight. “Because, Liath-my-love, the most elegant gold Sasiath and her Senior Weyrwoman partner are flying there,” Killaria imparted dryly. The enormous blue gave her a sarcastic look from one prismatic eye. <<What does that have to do with us? Someone rises every day.>> Killaria practically purred. “Well, my darling, because they allow larger-than-average blues to chase golds at Istabitha’s. I was thinking that you might want to test yourself against all those unfairly favored bronzes and browns, but if it would be too much for you…” <<I fear no flight,>> Liosliath interjected tartly, and beat his wings once against the wind. <<Stamina is no use if the flight is just a sprint. And I don’t appreciate being manipulated, thank you, Kila. Just what do you think you’re doing? You don’t go for female riders, and you’ve usually not even bothered to sign up for such flights.>> The ex-Captain made a face. “And I still don’t, Liath. But you’re thinking only of the flight itself. It’s what we have to gain if you win that’s so very intriguing.” <<Naeodin is Senior,>> her lifemate mused. <<The Weyrleadership? Is that what you want?>> She patted his neck with a leather-gloved hand. “Exactly, m’dear. Just think about it! A lady Weyrleader! A blue who can catch a queen! I may have to talk to Naeodin, providing she’s not proddy-obstinate and perverse about everything yet, but what we could do, Liath!” Liosliath laughed richly in her head, and the irresistible riptide of his thoughts tugged Killaria’s mind closer to his. <<Shake ‘em up, Kila?>> he murmured, calculating his advantages already. “My dear Liosliath, they won’t know up from down, when we’re through with them!” Already practicing, Liosliath turned on a wingtip and began the breathtaking descent to Istabitha’s Landing Field, and the waiting, unseen flight board nearby. |