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- {Fuzzytimed to ten days after Eavan's Announcement}
The Weyr was abuzz with the news of Eavan's departure and soon word had spread throughout much of Pern that Atricis' Senior Gold was moving to strengthen their ally, Evanoria Weyrhold. There were some who scoffed at the decision of a queenrider relinquishing her title for love, and others who agreed it was the right choice to make for the Weyr and Weyrhold. There was always two sides of the coin, and everyone had their own opinions on the matter, but almost all eyes had begun to look upon the most senior of the junior queenriders, the one whose Gold was next Rise.
Safryn bore the looks with a sense of pride and dignity, she would not fail the Weyr, she would uphold the esteem that Eavan had set for them already and work toward strengthening their ties. The woman would make sure that none of her people would ever go wanting, their needs would be tended to, every courtesy and opportunity offered to them with fairness and equality. Every step she took through the halls, every look and smile toward the people of the Weyr spoke of this promise she made to them, to the Home she knew and loved and the ones who made it that way. She would not fail them as their Weyrwoman and would work to make each of their lives better.
For her part, Soquilith had been patient...as patient as a budding Queen could be. There was a respect still held for Paiseantath, and thus there was a truce between them for the following days. Though, perhaps that was mostly because they tended to keep their distance from each other, which was likely for the best. Once Soquilith had realized this Weyr would be hers with Paiseantath gone, she'd reveled in that feeling, the glory of becoming Senior Gold, of achieving their dreams earlier than expected and having a whole Weyr full of dragons to call her own. She would protect them as if they were all her children, she would care for them and fight for them, she would chose the best among them to bear new generations and a create a legacy. The dark queen was determined to prove her worth to the Weyr, eager for that day to come when she would claim the skies overhead as her own, forever more.
That day would have come much sooner, the brazen gold would have practically willed herself into cycle if she could have. However, Safryn had pleaded with her to wait just a little longer, allow some time for these changes to take root, for meetings to be held and plans to be lain before their rise of power. The woman insisted that a foundation must be laid first, that secrets of the Weyr must be shared between the old Weyrwoman and the new, that contingencies must be made, and that this change didn't happen overnight. The more prepared they were for it, the better it would be in the end, and the longer Soquilith fawned over the idea the sweeter the reward would be when she could bask in that glory.
A sevenday had passed though, and to be honest Safryn was surprised she'd managed to delay the queen that long even, but on the eigth day, the dark queen began to feel restless and the inevitable could not be put off much longer. The dapples in her hide began to shine with their own inner glow, the dark queen began to strut confidently around the Yard and stretched her wings as often as she could. Soquilith was merciless in her teasing of the males, fawning over the largest and strongest of them while challenging the others to show their mettle, to prove themselves worthier than a giant like Behemoth or Akoth. While scant attention was paid to most of the browns, there were a few among them such as Ifrith for his devotion, or Norieth for his prowess with queens, but she knew that neither of them could give her what she truly desired most from this Flight. It was not just the Weyr in her heart, but the thought of a golden gleaming shell among this Clutch, a daughter to call her own in the same clutch that would bring her reign to this Weyr.
The golden queen shone brighter and brighter with every passing day, and it was becoming quite obvious what would happen soon. Safryn bid farewell to her jr. queenriders, ushering them out of the Weyr, to join Eavan leaving for Evanoria for the evening to get a scope for their ally and present themselves to the Holdfolk as representatives of the Weyr on her behalf. It was a diplomatic move as much as one to get their queens out of the Weyr, while Soquilith staked her claim on Atricis and all the males at her whim.
The morning of the tenth day, Soquilith slumbered long past since Rukbat rose in the sky, and thus Safryn and the rest of the Weyr seemed to watch and wait for her to Rise. As she slept, she soaked up the sunshine and each dapple on her hide seemed to radiate like little suns of their own and her burnished hide nearly sparkled with every breath. Safryn spent the morning readying herself, taking deep breaths and talking to herself quietly while pacing in her apartment. She was ready for this, Eavan had been grooming her for this and taught her everything she needed to know. If she ever found the need for help, she had Rhianwen, Keetin and Isiana, and Eavan was only a blink between away in a pinch. The Atricis born was a strong woman, she'd faced adversity before and she'd overcome it, growing stronger along the way, much like her home had. This was something she'd been preparing her whole life for, and now it was finally upon her...the moment her queen awoke from her restoring slumber.
Rukbat was nearly at it's zenith when the dappled gold finally began to stir, dark wings spreading wide as Soquilith roused. The sensation of sleep soon faded and the need and lust for the power that was hers for the taking gathered around the queen as she stalked toward the edge of the cliff. By the time she was looking down into the Yard below, all attention was on her and she raised her head high as she gave a mighty roar for all to hear. Hear me Atricis! Heed my call! The Weyr by all rights was hers and today, now, she claimed it once and for all.
The roar could be felt shuddering through the body of her rider, the redheaded woman stopped in mid stride and closed her eyes for a brief moment. Safryn steeled herself for the flood of lust and emotions that came flowing through their bond and she controlled the tide of it, stronger than ever before. She had known Soquilith would be powerful this time, and she had to hold tight onto the reins of her queen lest that power go to her head. We are bound, you and I, to this Weyr, to this place we call Home. We have a duty to protect, to uphold, and make better this Weyr. Today, we choose what is best for the Weyr, not for ourselves. She reminded her queen, knowing full well that the gold had her own strong preferences, but they had more than themselves to think of this time, and for every Flight.
On the cliffs' edge, Soquilith gave a mighty huff as if to disregard the woman's words, though she knew Safryn was right, the sake of the Weyr rested in her claws this day and she would choose wisely among them. Today we start a new future for Atricis, yet one of the same making. I was Hatched upon these Sands and raised by the finest queens. I will uphold their honor and take pride in my Weyr. Atricis is my home, and I will do everything I can as your Senior Queen. I vow to protect and care for each of you, to fight for you and love you as my own. The gold said clearly for all the dragons to hear, including a few of those gifted enough to hear her, speaking to her subjects as well a Queen should on a fateful day such as this when she takes the mantle. She rose high on her haunches and spread her dark wings wide once more, swiping at the air a few times before settling back into a poised position. Will you follow me? Will you have the courage to lead this change? Soquilith continued, faceted eyes beginning to whirl with the reds of desires and the fire that began to well up inside her. Her gaze travelled over the whole Weyr, but it lingered on a few of the males, those she'd teased and taunted in the last few days, those she knew would rise to this challenge.
With another mighty bellow, the dark queen dove from the cliff's edge and streaked down toward the feeding pens, only spreading her wings at the last moment to pounce upon a startled herd beast. Her claws gripped tightly to the beast in one forepaw as her muzzle came down around the flailing beast, jaws clamping around the sinuous neck. The taste of the coppery liquid excited the animal within her, stoked those flames inside and made her burn even hotter. How she desired to taste more, to savor the morsels of this beast and just as she moved to take a bite of flesh, she felt the lash of her riders' mind sharp against her own. You know better than that. Blood only, and don't spare a drop, you'll need every ounce of it today. Came the reminder and the queen growled low in her throat yet knew the right of it and instead of swallowing a hunk of meat, she drank greedily from the buck's throat until the beast stopped thrashing.
Another two herd beasts were taken down in similar fashion, the queens jaws clamping down on their neck and her lips curling as she drank hungrily of their life blood, the fuel and energy she would need to stay aloft, to lead these males on the Flight of their lives. She would need every advantage, would need to use every trick in her arsenal to test them, to exhaust them and weed out the weak, for only those strong enough and worthy to lead would become her mate today, to become the new Weyrleader and she would choose wisely.
While she took the time to clean herself, lapping at the sides of her muzzle, the dark queen gave a glance around her at all the males who'd turned out to show their appreciation. They ranged from all sizes and hues, and Soquilith gave a pleased rumble as she looked about her and saw the adoring and intense looks given to her. They were all hers, vying for her attention, hoping to be chosen by her and given the opportunity of a lifetime that came with her pairing. She would the Senior Gold from this moment forth, and they would always come flocking to her side when this moment came, their devotions giving her strength and she crooned longingly for a moment, languishing in their love for her.
The moment was soon gone though and in the next heart beat, Soquilith shot off the ground with a might leap, strong wing beats carrying her swiftly up into the air. She was silent as she climbed, not even bothering to look back to watch the flock of dragons taking off after her, and instead focused straight ahead of her, up into the clouds above and using this initial burst of speed to put some distance between her and her suitors. The dark queen had no intentions of going easy on them, and if they wanted to catch her, they would have to keep up from the very beginning of this Chase.
In her apartment, Safryn had endured the battle of wills and won and while her queen drank the beasts' blood, she could feel the warmth enveloping her as well. The woman moved with a fluidity she didn't often have, a grace bestowed on her by the freedom of that connection with her queen and the lust that flowed through them. The children were with their crechemother, she'd made sure of that this morning, and now she hustled her fair of flitters to find their perches elsewhere, though Piper was always the hardest to persuade to leave her side. She'd learned from Eavan many Turns ago, to change into something a little more appropriate and...accessible for these occasions, and so she moved into the bedroom to put on one of her cotton shifts and slipped a silken robe over her shoulders as well to keep her modesty in the presence of so many.
Moving back into the living room, Safryn moved toward the door, unlocking it and even leaving it open slightly, knowing the first of them would be soon to arrive and silently hoping it would be H'tai to show up first. He'd wanted to stay all morning with her, knowing what was likely to happen, but duty isn't something either of them could shirk and he still had at least make an appearance for drills, just like the rest of them. Everyone knew that drills would be forgotten in the drop of a hat, the stretch of a telltale wing, and Safryn hoped H'tai had been among the first to take note and make for their home.
While she waited though, she leaned against the back of her favorite armchair, the one she'd spent so many hours curled up with a book, or bouncing a child on her knee, or sitting on H'tai's lap to talk about their day. Her hands gripped the chair perhaps a little too tightly, the only outward sign of the apprehension she could feel in her bones. Otherwise she held herself with the poise and dignity befitting of the title that would be resting on her shoulders from here on as Weyrwoman of Atricis.
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And so begins a new Reign! Gold Soquilith is up in the air and looking for a new mate, the rider of which will become Atricis' New Weyrleader!
While it seems Soquilith has a fondness for the big boys, I will play fair in choosing the winner, but Leadership is not always chosen lightly.
I'm still undecided one round or two, so feel free to let me know if you're up for a second round of replies.
-- If not, I'll wrap up the Flight next weekend, so gives everyone a week to get their boys into the Flight!
Good luck everyone! I'm excited to see how this all goes. <3
