Blood Is Worse Than Water {Kila}

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In our family portrait,
We look pretty happy
Let's play pretend,
Let's act like it comes naturally.

A lovely light colored green, whose hide was a glowing fine shade of pale spring green, popped out of between just above the rim of the western Weyr. She released a long, boisterous bugle to greet everyone about and announce her arrival. Just a fraction of a second after her, a black, who was the normal dark shade of his color, appeared in point position just behind her. He remained silent; he was happy to allow his mate to do the talking for them both. Each of them carried two passengers. The woman aboard the green was her rider, the man on the black his; the other two were a preteen girl and another woman. None of them, passengers or rider or dragons, were members of the Weyr; all of them came as visitors. They came to see three people, and two dragons. The black held an obvious purpose; the green seemed definitely direct.

The pair of dragon landed lightly on the ledge of one weyr. A coppery dragon, the occupant of the weyr, opened the closed lid of one eye lazily from where she lounged on her couch. The greenrider, who had dismounted quietly, raised a hand to her lip to signal the Queen dragon to be quiet. The preteen, who'd ridden behind her on the female fighter, waved with a brilliant, white, toothy smile at the imperial dragon. None of them seemed very bothered by being in the presence of the huge, predatory creature, though those who had been on the black were more preoccupied with removing bits of clothing. All of them quickly, and quietly, removed light, Southern style riding gear and warm, fleece lined jackets. To them, dragons seemed very normal, even a Queen, and the present Queen didn't seem at all bothered by their presence.

"Mother . . . Father . . . Fahra . . . Yejide . . . Why are you here?"

Unfortunately for the lot of them, Fajra, supreme overlord and ruler of Dalibor Weyr for all intensive purposes, had supernatural hearing that was properly aided by the large amount of hormones currently wreaking havoc on her. She was obviously pregnant, a well-defined bugle where her normally flat stomach displaying to the world her status as a mother-to-be. If you paid a bit of attention, you might have been able to tell it anyway. She glared daggers at the quartet of people who were easily foreseeable as her family, at least with the girl and the greenrider. The trio of them all had a small amount of freckles, those blue eyes, and that flaming red hair. In fact, Fahra looked very much like a just younger version of her, if she smiled more, and her mother looked like an older version by twenty turns, after four children and with her hair grown long.

Mahra, the greenrider and her mother, hid laughter so that it only danced in her eyes. "Is that anyway to greet your foster mother, your father, your younger sister, and especially your dear, dear blood mother?"

F'jer, the blackrider and her father, remained a stoic figure beside his unobtrusive dragon. Yejide remained silent as well, but cracked a wry grin and raised a hand in greeting to her eldest fosterling with bemusement.

Out of the lot of them, it was grinning, eleven turn old Fahra who go the most enthusiasm. "FAJRA!" She raced forward, wrapped her arms around her and pressing her into a tight hug for a moment. Then she realized better of it when she felt the baby in her sister's belly give a kick. "Oh, oops, sorry. I forgot. Well, I mean it's obvious. Not to say that you don't look good. I just never thought that you'd be pregnant. Not to say that isn't so exciting, because it is. 'a course, it's a bit overshadowed by everything from Kalith's clutch hatching. I mean, a new color, and a blind dragonet, and, oh boy, a brown Impressing a girl! Everyone at Bay thinks its fantastic, of course, but some of the rumors we get from other places. All the blame goes to poor Kalith. Not a wink to that bronze . . . Where is that good for nothing Weyrleader of yours?"

Absentmindedly prodding at the creature currently occupying her abdomen, Fajra let her youngest sibling to get on with her rambling well continuing to glare at her parents. For the most part, her foster mother, Yejide, who watched the situation with that bemusement of hers was left out of her intense stare. "Yes, where is that good for nothing Weyrleader of yours;" the headwoman finally chimed in though and the young Weyrwoman narrowed her eyes towards her.

"Oh, yes, we certainly must meet him since we're already visiting due to your pregnancy. I wished too early, but you insisted that you and him had plenty to take care of. I enjoyed a good laugh at all the possible connotations of that one;" her mother chimed in as well, expertly explaining the absolute need to meet O'sho and Daidoroth and infuriating her eldest daughter more as she did it. She primly peered about, as if searching for him and expecting him to pop up.

Carefully tempering her anger at this unexpected visit by all of them, the copperrider answered as curtly as she usually did, pushing all of them back to a metaphorical, emotional arm's length. That was certainly a task for a pregnant twenty-three turn old experiencing mild nausea and swollen ankles. "He is not any Weyrleader of mine, and I do not know exactly where he is right now, and, please mother, don't act like that in front of Fahra;" she said coolly. There it was, a glimpse into something other than the Weyrwoman who she was. There was that firmness to her that she usually had when she told her mother to not say stupid things in front of the eleven turn old, but there was actual emotion to it. She actually cared. There was a maternal component to her relationship with her sister, and it was just a bit obvious and plain.

Daidoroth, Mine needs Yours in her weyr; Kalith said sleepily.
"You traitor;" her rider growled, though it did no good.
I hope that that bronze is coming too; the green added slyly.
Suddenly, Fajra noted the brilliant quality of her mother's female dragon. "Mother, you brought Cayejidoth here when she's close to flying! Why?"
"Love, it'll be fine. If she flies well we're here, I'm sure Eyyeedeth can catch her, or someone she wants around here. I'll steal for your weyr for a bit;" Mahra said with a shrug and a smile. Both F'jer and his black tensed slightly at the mention of losing the green's flight.
"Argh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!"

In our family portrait,
We look pretty happy,
We look pretty normal,
Let's go back to that.

[Kila]

O'sho sat on the ledge of his personal weyr, his head bent over a scroll and a quill abandoned on the floor nearby. He had work to do, of course, acquired with his advancement in position, but that didn't mean he needed to be holed up to do it or stressed by the responsibility. His demeanor, in fact, was calm and relaxed. There was no sign of stress apparent in the lines on his face, nor tenseness in the stature of his body. His shoulders sloped comfortably and the paper rested gently in his capable hands. He had finished the rest of his work earlier in the day and was finishing this last piece at a leisurely pace. A faint whisper of distraction also contributed to his meandering pace. The view from his weyr, though not as beautiful as Fajra's, was magnificent, and he had wanted to unpack his brushes and paint it since he'd arrived. Painting was a favorite pastime of his, one which he did quite well, but of which few people knew. When he had time, he would.

Daidoroth was sunning on the tops of the cliffs, giving His space to do his work. The two did not need to be close to be together. Turns and turns of being with the other had made their bond strong and beyond physical proximity. Daidoroth, his great Bronze form shining in Rubkat's attention, sensed O'sho's mind was wandering and reached out to him playfully.

Own

Mmm?

Give me food, and I will live; give me water, and I will die. What am I?

O'sho smiled fondly. He and Daidoroth enjoyed doing riddles. Fire, of course. Can't come with anything better, old friend? Tell me we are not so far gone.

Daidoroth rumbled with amusement at his bonded's innocent teasing. Easy for a Rider to solve. I, at least, am not old, Own. And it was true, for the Bronze had not at all begun to lose his prime, despite his turns.

The two were pulled from their punches by the enthusiastic bugle of a Green as she burst into the air above the Weyrbowl, then. Shortly after her came the arrival of a sedate Black who seemed happy to follow the lead of the first. Were we expecting anyone today? O'sho asked, knowing they were not.

We were not, Daidoroth confirmed, following the progress of the arrivals with his eyes. He was alert but not alarmed, which gave O'sho good cause to feel the same. Each rider has a passenger. I do not know them.

O'sho nodded and watched. Interesting- they knew exactly where they were going, and that seemed to be directly to Fajra's weyr. His mind moved immediately to something she'd mentioned to him before; that her mother wanted to meet him, the unfortunate winner of Kalith's flight and her weyrmate. "Weyrmate."

His musing and speculations were interrupted before they could fully take form, however, by the appearance of a Purple flitter in his weyr. It chirruped and flew to him, landing on his leg and looking up at him expectantly. In a carrier on his neck was a letter which the Weyrleader safely assumed to be for him. "Thank you, little one," he said kindly, taking the note from it's place and stroking the firelizard's eyeridges in thanks. The Purple crooned happily. "What a well-behaved pet you are," O'sho appraised, knowing the value in firelizards that were well-trained, which ever seemed to be few and far between. Clearly pleased by these thoughts, the Purple took off over the Weyrbowl and was gone in a blink.

What is it? Daidoroth inquired, sensing HisOwn's change in ease.

O'sho frowned as he unfolded the paper and read the hastily-scrawled note. He thought he'd recognized that firelizard from somewhere, and it was no wonder it was well-trained; It belonged to the Crescent Lord Holder. Crescent Hold was raided, O'sho reported somberly. He rose, setting aside the all but forgotten scroll. Fajra must know this. That would be a fun conversation.

Oh~ it would be of convenience, then. Kalith has just told me that Hers needs you in her weyr, Daidoroth reported, sitting up as Kalith bespoke him. His voice lost some of the seriousness leveled by the note from Crescent. Any time he spoke of the queen, and especially when she called out to him, his mood became happy and light-hearted. He admired and loved his young queen for her fortitude that was so much unlike what he had encountered in many other females.

"Good then," O'sho mumbled, slipping the note into his pocket and going into his weyr. He never presented himself to Fajra at anything less than his best, nor did he do so to the rest of the Weyr, because of what he was expected to be for them. And so, riding boots went on the bare feet, and a fine but simple shirt replaced the light tunic. With a swipe through his peppery hair with a brush, he was on his way to the Fajra's fortress, looking as handsome and wise as any proud and apt Weyrleader should be.

"Fajra?" he called gently as he reached the entrance, seeking her invitation before he entered her weyr. From inside he heard the sound of strange voices, and on Kalith's ledge rested the Green and Black that had only previously arrived. So they were Fajra's guests after all. Daidoroth- come and greet our guests, O'sho requested, though the King had already spread his mighty wings and was gliding down from the cliffs to do so. Faranath help them if these actually were relatives of the Weyrwoman.

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And the way you seem to flow,
Circumnavigate the globe,
I never seem to lose control,
With you.

Five heads snapped around to stare at the entrance from where the masculine voice inquired about the Weyrwoman who resided over the rooms. Before anyone could make any comment about it or could simply return to their squabbling, Fahra skipped off to fetch the man who stood just outside. She stopped right in front of him first, staring up him with a brilliant smile on her face. That angelic face was almost exactly like her world-known sister's when you looked at it closely, except for the fact that smile that was worn like there wouldn't be a tomorrow to smile would never be worn by the elder sibling. Though she had yet to grow tall or fill out her form, there were hints that she would look even more like her sister when she was older. The resemblance was strong. One could think that the youth could almost be the Weyrwoman's daughter.

There was a moment of calm well Fahra sized by the bronzerider cheerfully. "Hello! You're O'sho, right? Of bronze Daidoroth? He had to be the one up on the cliffs. I think Cayejidoth noticed him;" she started to chatter. Slipping her slender, finely bone hand into one of his much bigger ones, she pulled him inside, grin turning proud as if she'd caught some big fish. "I'm Fahra. The third redhead, since I'm hoping you already know Faj, is our mum, er, um, Mahra, yeah. The lovelyly aging person over there with those fine gray hairs I gave her is Yejide, our foster mum and the Bay Weyr headwoman. The one by the black, whose Eyyeedeth, is our dad, F'jer;" she said at breakneck speed, introducing everyone that was standing about. She held his hand firmly the entire time, thus keeping him from being able to move to far off.

The entire time everyone but her was silent but everyone but her also had their eyes fixed on O'sho. There was intense, lively amusement from Mahra in the way she looked him up and down. There was a very focused, somber interest from F'jer, though he shifted little. There was renewed amusement from Yejide, along with a bit of sympathy. Not pleased at being ambushed by her family, Fajra simple crossed her arms over her round belly and fixed him a cold glare. It was one of her worst, because there wasn't even sheer anger in it. There was just a desolate lack of anything as emotional responses were suppressed. The hard shell cracked slightly when she winced at the use of the nickname of 'Faj'. It had been turns since she'd heard any of her siblings call her that name from when they were toddlers and couldn't pronounce anything.

Wasting no time, which would give others the option to speak, Fahra finally released the bronzerider's hand and stood in front of him again, looking up at her. Wrinkling her nose up at him, her smile fell off her face for a moment. Then she beckoned him down to her height, reaching up and tugging on the very top of the collar of his shirt. She beamed once again when she had his head where she liked, level with her own, as if she wished to tell him a secret. However, she took a step back, snapping the knuckles in her right hand as she flexed them, and then punched him square in the face. And boy, that eleven turn old knew how to punch. "Fahra;" four people shouted as everyone by the punched and the puncher took a step forward and then stopped dead as confusion about what had just happened and what exactly was going on set in.

Blinking in confusion as she turned back to the others, Fahra hopped away from all the angry, advancing people as she acted utterly innocence. "What?" Their shout was answered with a question. For a moment, she was just as confused as them, and she nursed her hand. His face had been hard. Then she started to grumble out an explanation. "M'jar told me to do it! He came up with the idea, and he got M'her to help scourging up the funds when he decided to bribe me to made sure I did it! They came with a full mark for me, and I didn't have anything against punching this bronzerider that we didn't even know to begin with. He's got proving to do!" Her words and their end sent silence through the group better than her continued silence. Sighing and rolling her eyes, Yejide approached O'sho, trying to see if he was alright.

The copper, the green, and the black watched the affair, or sort of did, without interfering, then turned their attention to the bronze who joined them. Hello Daidoroth. This is Cayejidoth, whose Mine is Mine's clutchmother, and this is Eyyeedeth, whose Mine is Mine's clutchfather; Kalith said with a slightly smug, sleepy dragon's smile. Her lids remained closed over her eyes and she didn't stir from her couch. There was only a vaguely threatening hiss when the green dared to eye the handsome bronze in a way that meant she might dare to flirt with him. This was her Weyr. That was her mate. She wasn't so completely attached to him, but she would not have feckless greens going anywhere near any of the males around here. With a sigh, Cayejidoth settled on the ledge, glumly going back to watching the more interesting affairs of their people.

Everyone of us is high,
Everyone of us is low,
Everyone of us is here,
How about you?

[Kila]

In immediate response to his call, someone came clipping out of the weyr. O'sho thought it was the Weyrwoman at first, but only for a moment. There was no doubt that this was a blood relative of Fajra's, for the resemblance between her and this girl was astonishing. A beautiful face framed by fiery red hair looked him up and down, bearing the same strength in the eyes in stature that was so apparent in Fajra. The only thing that was different was the brilliant smile that greeted him and of course the smaller body. Had Fajra ever been like this?

After a few moments of the two mutually inspecting the other, the girl launched into a chattering speech and seized his had. Amused, he allowed himself to be pulled in the weyr. The girl seemed quite pleased with herself about something, perhaps that fact that she had so easily placed him or that she had him in tow like a wagon. He only nodded in affirmation or acknowledgment as she barreled onward through both his and her own introductions. O'sho raised an eyebrow at Fajra as Fahra, her sister no surprise, dropped an old nickname. Faj? The look said. It earned him nothing but a cold glare, as usual, though this one was more chilling than the others. She was very clearly unhappy about her guests.

Done with her declamation, Fahra let loose the Weyrleader's hand. Her smile dropped (there, now she looked almost exactly like Fajra!) and she made a face at him. She beckoned him down to her level, reaching up and pulling him insistently by his collar. Obeying her summons, O'sho bent his knees and leaned forward on his thighs so they were face to face, re-illuminating the girl's face. She was a peculiar thing, but O'sho liked children and didn't mind participating in their unorthodox antics.

And then, all at once, Fahra pulled back and delivered a solid punch straight to his face. Not expecting the assault, he stumbled backwards and fell into a sitting position on the ground. O'sho put an arm up in defense between himself and her, reaching the other gingerly to his face. A trickle of blood ran from his nose, and it's bridge seemed to be slightly off-center. He had been trained in combat for a good part of his life, so this was far from the first time he had suffered a punch to the face. His nose, in fact, had been broken by larger and stronger opponents than the now defensive 11 turn old who was wildly explaining herself to her parents. Any hit off guard, however, especially too the face, was unpleasant.

A low, ominous growl originating from the none other than the large Bronze on the ledge filled the weyr and reverberated off the stone. Daidoroth glared into the room from where he stood, far from pleased that His had been attacked. Daido, that's enough. I'm fine, O'sho told him quickly. Only vaguely appeased, the Bronze quieted. Gingerly placing a finger on either side of his nose, O'sho cracked it back into place and and pushed himself up with one hand, the other still staunching the flow of the blood. "Thank you, I'll be fine," he said earnestly to Yejide, who had been the only one to step forward and try to help him.

"That was a fine blow, young lady," O'sho addressed Fahra. "I am thoroughly impressed." There was nothing dishonest in his face or speech, but it was laced with tones of wary amusement and humor. "I'm afraid that introduction was a little more..... dramatic and rushed than what I'm used to." Removing his hand, he found his nose sufficiently staunched. "It is nice to meet you all, the sentiments equally echoed by Daidoroth." He approached F'jer as he spoke and shook his hand, gripping and shaking it firmly. Turning to Mahra, he took her hand gently with his clean on and bowed over it respectfully. "And to what occasion do we owe this (he made the slightest eye contact with Fajra) exciting visit?"

Outside, Daidoroth composed himself and turned his attention away from his and to the other dragons gathered there. He allowed himself to be introduced and to learn the names of the Green and Black. Cayejidoth, Eyyeedeth, it is very nice to meet you both. Welcome fondly to Dalibor. Daidoroth did not fail to notice the interest in Cayejidoth's eyes, though neither did Kalith. The Queen hissed quietly when the Green's eyes flickered over him. Daidoroth was flattered, even if she was only being protective of something the considered her possession, and turned his attention towards her to avert and misunderstandings. Kalith, how are you are Yours today? Is Yours happy to see Cayejidoth's and Eyyeedeth's?

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I've seen this one before, the girl she gets away,
Everybody knows it but no one tries to stop it,
Cause she barely even knows him but if she could see inside,
Everything is quiet as she waits to tell him who she is.

Fahra ignored the bronzerider's praise of her punch, bouncing over towards Daidoroth who had growled at her with a stern, amusingly tough expression on her face. She showed no fear towards the huge, metallic beast. Compared to the monstrous, muscular form of her sister's dragon, he was hardly imposing. Knowing that he was speaking to the other dragons clustered about the weyr, because she had a sense about such things that came from a bit of experience with such creatures, she didn't say a word, which didn't seem characteristic of her. She just stared at him, ignoring fury and surprise that was directed at her from the others. With a cheerful, joyous chirrup of greeting, an average size, lanky bronze flitt popped out of nowhere and twined himself around her neck protectively. The young redhead was his adoptive bonded.

F'jer returned the firm hand shake of the Weyrleader silently, the only word he'd spoken yet being his repercussion of his youngest child. He held himself at attention and with his expression schooled better than his daughter's was at that moment. Mahra raised one eyebrow, lips pursed in a gesture that was also similar to that of how her daughter's often was, as he turned towards her and bowed over her hand. She respectfully withdrew it when he was done. A slight cough came from her throat at his question. Away from all of them, Fajra quickly broke any eye contact with O'sho, attention turning towards her errant, finicky sister, who had her firelizard firmly attached to her. She closed them entirely, schooling her expression now like her father and pursing her lips just like her mother at his question gave her slight urge to smack her head.

There was a moment of silence between all of them. "That's why we're here; Mahra said, nodding her head in the direction of her elder daughter and, more specifically, her swollen abdomen. She apparently wasn't much more amused with the situation then most anyone else. Even when there were handsome, charming bronzeriders involved and Caye was constantly fluttering about in her head. Well aware of the fact that Mahra was almost as likely to punch out O'sho as Fahra, Yejide intervened on the entire situation. She less than ceremoniously grabbed the Weyrleader by his shirt and hauled him back, facing him and standing on her tiptoes so she could inspected his nose since she was not that tall. Deft fingers gently prodded at cartilage and skin, causing no pain. Her manner suggested that, if he moved, there would be pain.

"I've changed the nappies of that fine Queenrider over there, and now a young weyrling Kingrider. You, sonny, can put up with me seeing if my young charge has done any proper damage to your nose. And keep your mouth shut. That's for your own safety;" she informed O'sho without any pomp and ceremony, unafraid of his rank and stature. Her inspection of his face gave her a proper opportunity to look him over, and it gave Fajra a chance to pull herself back together. Putting large sections of the situation out of her mind, she moved purposefully towards her for once quiet sister. Stern and commanding as she generally was, she imperiously dislodged her firelizard off the shorter girl and turned her around to get her attention. For a moment, they faced off, one looking severely down and the other feigning almost sincere innocence.

That stare off, a Bay Weyr family's specialty, was ended by Fajra smacking Fahra in the back of her head, which drew a spluttered protest. "If something stupid comes rambling out of your head, I will do it again;" she cut in, voice clear and concise and perfectly calm. "Do not punch Weyrleaders. I did not teach you know to do that to cause offense to powerful people. That is my job by having a Queen whose offspring are produced with new genetic variations and choose to go against traditional ideas. Now, we've had a very small number of candidates recently, so why don't you go down to the kitchens to help;" she continued evenly. With a disgruntled frown, the girl stalked off to do what she'd been told. Done with her inspection now, Yejide released O'sho from her unarguable clutches and almost absentmindedly followed after her fosterling.

Since the Queen had made it clear that she could go nowhere near the bronze, Cayejidoth quickly lost interest in the conversation, as she had about the attention span of a VTOL at times. Not at all involved in the conversation to begin with and more interested in his mate's happiness, Eyyeedeth paid almost no attention to Daidoroth at all, except for a respectful acknowledgment. Mine and I are fine today. She was sick again earlier, but is much better now, though she is not overly pleased to see her relations today. She is tired and achy; Kalith said, a bit glum and shifty now. It made her a bit broody again, like she had been with her clutch, now that her rider was well into her pregnancy. She resisted the urge to give the nearby green another hiss just for the sake of it as she fell into moodiness, dwelling on past things in an unusual way.

Quiet but I'm sure there is something here,
Tell me everything cause I want you here,
Quiet but I'm sure there is something here,
Tell me everything cause I want to hear.

[Kila]

Daidoroth merely regarded Fahra when the young, spitting-image of the Weyrwoman bounded over. She stopped abruptly and stared at him intently, as though trying to bore holes in his hide. It seeming the only logical thing to do, Daidoroth fixed his eyes on her and returned the stare. If it was a staring match the girl wanted, she was beat: Daidoroth neither blinked nor ever faltered. And he was sure she knew that.

In greeting F'jer and Mahra, O'sho was only made more aware of the close blood ties between them and the Weyrwoman. In both of them he saw striking similarities to their daughter that were beyond the physical. He knew that people picked up the habits and mannerisms of those from whom they came and with whom they were most around, but it was fascinating to be able to pick out and see. The schooled silence of her father was the face that she often showed the world, and that expression on her mother's face; the pursed lips, the skeptical eyes, and of course the thin veil of politeness over her real judgments. A fascinating and charming family resemblance, but O'sho thought it would be prudent of him not to mention it.

His silence proved to be wise as Mahra coughed and stated the cause for their visit after a moment of silence between them all. Her words were accompanied with a curt nod towards her daughter, clearly indicating what 'that' was. Fajra's hand had gone into her face at the apparent ignorance of his question, but her large belly still protruded in plain sight. Feeling the eyes of all the family upon him, O'sho very keenly felt himself in the lion's den. Faranath be on his side and help him. There was no way he could win in this situation- there was no way could ever win in any situation that involved him and Fajra, so long as she held her disdain for him. He had resigned himself to this some time ago, and he was only thankful that he was sturdy enough to survive a joint attack by the fiery family if it came to that. Best to just bow his head. He would not, however, deny his responsibilities.

Before he could speak, though, Yejide intervened, surely saving O'sho from the beating that would have come had he stood on that particular part of earth a flicker longer. The good fostermother grabbed him unceremoniously by his shirt and hauled him back away from the situation. Standing him where she wanted, she rose on her toes and deftly began to examine his nose. Not moving, O'sho stood still compliantly, allowing her to push and prod at what had been crooked and broken not too long before. He took her orderly advice and said nothing. Unflinching beneath her fingers, his kind, crinkled eyes thanked her for her generous saving grace.

O'sho saw Fajra stalk towards the ledge of her weyr, but under Yejide's inspection did not move his head to follow her progress. It was silent for a while and then there was a muffled smack followed by an indignant and surprised splutter of protest. Fajra then spoke to (who had to be) her sister shortly, reprimanding her coolly for O'sho's assault and sending her down to the kitchens. The Weyrleader was correct in assuming that Fahra complied, for when she did Yejide seemed to lose all interest in her rider project and ambled after the retreating child. He would not have hit her, but this was family business and not in the realm of his affairs. Something Fajra had said to her, though, took up a great trouble in his mind. It was true that the mutations of Kalith and Daidoroth's clutch had caused a stir and most likely had offended the more traditional Holds and Weyrs in some way, but the way in which the Weyrwoman spoke of the odd dragonetts- O'sho could not tell if they were a burden and offense to her as well.

When she turned back he was studying her curiously, turning her words over in his mind. The White had been blind, yes, but all of the clutches oddities were healthy and eager for life. Surely she who rode a non-traditionally colored Queen accepted her children. These thoughts and questions he would keep to himself however. Here, in front of company was no place to speak of such things, and perhaps nowhere was for the two of them. He did not think it at that moment, but O'sho knew that he would never bother her with his thoughts or feelings- only business.

He turned his attention away from her, any trace of the queer look he had been wearing vanished. His face was now serious, and tragically handsome in a way, but still wore the signs of a sad sort of smile. "I have no words that will please you to justify your journey here, and for that I cry your pardon. The life that your daughter carries was the choice of Kalith and Daidoroth, rather than ourselves. I regard Fajra and the situation with the highest respect. I will be the best that I am capable of to her and it as I am my best to the Weyr and all that I protect. Do not misjudge me, for those who are close to me a those close to my heart, if they know it or not." He spoke all this evenly, in a serious tone that was all the same deeply earnest. And there was little more he could say. His eyes rested only on the parents, feeling it was they who needed the explanation, but his words went to she who his eyes did not. "I hope that your efforts were not wasted and that the rest of your visit is pleasant. You must excuse me now, I am afraid that I have some urgent business to attend to." The letter from Crescent Hold lay heavily still in his pants pocket. He pressed his hands together and bowed to them before saying his parting farewell. "Good health, many days, and pleasant nights, my friends. I hope that we might someday meet again."

And with that he left. He would not trouble Fajra with the letter while her relations were here, which he was sure she would later add to her list as a strike against him. Perhaps it was not the best idea then. "Just before arriving I received a note from the Crescent Lord Holder," he told her in low tones as he passed her on his way out. He had stopped next to her, still facing out while she faced in and not looking into her face. "When you are finished with your visit please find me." So thy could discuss it- so they could do something about it. It was clear to O'sho that one if not both of them needed to go and visit Crescent to find out the whole story. He predicted that the visit with the family would not last long, and that they could soon depart. He would send word with Oblivion (though the thought did not appeal to him) that they would come within the day.

[Admin]

This one's for the girls,
Who've ever had a broken heart,
Who've wished upon a shooting star,
You're beautiful the way you are.

Fajra watched O'sho closely as he spoke, more closely than her mother, or even her father, who was a very critical and sober man in most respects. Every word that he said was carefully analyzed and filed away. The tone of it was ignored, and she failed to truly notice whatever feeling was in it. That didn't keep her from noticing the phrasing and suggestions of the some of the words, and to that she was contemptuous. She didn't care about his respect. She didn't care about who he felt obligated to protect. She didn't care about his heart and what was in it. She and her family certainly weren't his friends, because her family was her family, not her friends. Beyond that, what urgent business was this that he had to take care of? She wasn't aware of any immediate problems. A frown at him was contained to pursed lips and a piercing stare.

When he explained the situation to her in hushed tones, as he passed her, she filled it away with all the other information that she needed. The organizational mind in her head placed the matter after her visit, though it also urged her to get the business as soon as possible and to work to keep her family's visit short. Once she had that sent, a bit of her somberness and seriousness and exhaustion and ankle aches and prickling headache seemed to fade away. A tinge of amusement touched at her eyes, coloring them differently then they normally were, because amusement was not typically how she felt. For once, her mouth relaxed, and then quirked up into a small, real smile as she watched him leave. She didn't seem to think that he would notice that she seemed to know something with the way that she was smiling since he was exiting.

Outside the Weyrwoman's weyr, an ambush waited for the Weyrleader. It wasn't a particularly dangerous one. A not overly proportional or coordinated prepubescent with a bronze firelizard she had somehow managed to get back after it been removed from her just a moments earlier was not strictly dangerous, even if the flitter might want to try to be chivalrous fight when needed and the girl could throw a good punch. It would be supposed that they might seem to be if the girl tackles into you and firmly latches onto you to keep you from being able to move to far, which was what she did to O'sho. Fine, alright, it is probable that this girl probably could be dangerous. She was strong, as her death grip on the bronzerider demonstrated, and she did know how to fight. However, at that time, she didn't mean any harm, for the time, in the typical sense.

"Hello;" Fahra greeted the father of her future niece or nephew, before pausing for moment as she drew in breath lost from her tackle and thinking for just a second. "She knows I'm out here, doesn't she? No matter how I act or what I say, she always seems to know what I'm going to do." The redhead gave a dramatic sigh, then she grinned wide, seeming to find love and joy at the knowledge. "She's a treat, aye, our Faj? I hope your nose is alright, though I can't say that I really care that much. A whole mark just to punch someone! You're silly than M'her or M'jer too, and, as you can see, they're both very silly. Them and their silly morals! Fajra and Yejide didn't teach them any such thing! Work for the good of Pern, don't grope people without permission, and ignore your mother! That's what's important!" She lapsed into a fit of helpless giggles.

It took a deep breath for her to get control. "Now, I do have a point. I have to give you a talk. My brothers are busy with their new dragons. Yejide doesn't meddle much. Father keeps his own counsel. Mother is useless, no matter what anyone says. That just leaves me!" She seemed to be able to chatter on with very little breath, leaving no place to interject. "Don't take offense to anything that she does. If you start doing that, you don't deserve her, and she's the sort of person where you have to deserve. Don't lie. Don't be a prat. Always stick to the point, unless it involves emotion. Don't let herself killing herself running the universe. Now, bye O'sho of bronze Daidoroth and Dalibor!" With that, she released him, and skipped off. There was a flicker of another skirt at the end of a hall, and then both she and the other were gone.

Back in the Weyrwoman's weyr, silence had reigned for awhile, between three riders and three dragons. "I like him." It was Mahra who broke the silence, wearing a floppy sort of grin.

"His record shows that he is admirably capable. He has served as a Junior Weyrleader several times at Fort Weyr. He also has two children, by a yellowrider and a greenrider. One of them is a bluerider;" F'jer put in, voice stoically even as he spoke.

His weyrmate whirled on him, raising a brow. "How do you know that, hun? And why didn't I know that?" She slunk up to him, placing her chin on his chest and her arms around his middle as she peered up at him.

"I'm sorry that I failed to mention it to you earlier. You know I have access to information do to my good standing with my wingleader and the Weyrleaders. Also, Fahra may have uncovered some information on her own;" the blackrider said, voice sweet but slightly guarded.

"Such a resourceful child! Well, anyway, I more talking about how he is handsome, in an older, serious sort of way;" Mahra said, prancing away and talking towards her daughter. On the ledge, Cayejidoth bugled her agreement.

Deciding to break up the information fest about O'sho that was going on between her parents, which she had been listening to without input as any amusement she'd had waned, Fajra strode forward and gave her mother an awkward hug. The awkwardness was not just because of the jutting midsection that she had. She was not a hugging type person. It was only done as a way to bring quiet to her mother and her inappropriate for the situation comments. "He will serve as a good Weyrleader for Dalibor;" she said, making that the end to the conversation. "Now, why don't you go down the dining hall and get some food, before you collect Yejide and Fahra when you leave?"

Her mother, who gave her sort of clingy response to her loving gesture, harrumphed at the suggestion. "We only just got here!" She looked so forlorn when the hug was broken then.

"Unfortunately, I have important business to attend to;" the Weyrwoman said with all the diplomacy and persuasion she could muster.

"Shouldn't you be resting?" Her mother nodded emphatically at F'jer's question.

"I feel fine. My health has been steady, so there has been no need for bed rest. I always get enough sleep. Therefore, no, I should not be resting. Now, stay well, and stay together. I'm sure I'll see you soon enough;" she countered, knowing that she sunk so low with putting in 'stay together' in there. She could see on her parent's stricken faces. Having no more interest in staying then ever, she turned to go hunt down O'sho. Moments later, she heard the sounds of wingbeats behind her as the green and the black who had been on the Queen's ledge left.

This one's for the girls,
Who love without holding back,
Who dream with everything they have,
All around the world.

[Kila]

O'sho did not see Fajra's face shift into a smile as he left her weyr- he was still not inclined to look her in the eye. Because he missed this small detail, he had no forewarning against the tiny, furious ambush that lurked outside. Stepping onto the ledge, not answering the curious look that Daidoroth gave him, he began to walk the path to his own personal weyr.

I was very glad to have met you, but you must excuse me. Safe flying; the Bronze said in somewhat of a distracted voice the the visitors as he rose. He was not too preoccupied to bob his head and bend a fore-knee to execute a short but smart bow to Kalith. Kalith; he finished, saying her name in farewell and letting his eyes linger on hers before he took off the ledge to meet His at their weyr.

Before O'sho could get close to their weyr, before he had left Kalith's ledge, almost before he had exited the Weyrwoman's weyr even, he was hit around his midsection/ upper legs by some unknown force, which then proceeded to wrap itself around him and hold tenaciously so. Arm out at his side for balance, he looked down to see no one other than Fajra's kid sister attached to his side. She greeted him cheerfully enough, pausing shortly to catch her breath lost from their impact, and then nearly collapsed in a fit of giggles. Did he know if Fajra knew she was out here? He hadn't the foggiest, but somehow or another she probably did. Fahra carried on, touching on his nose though admitting that she didn't really care how it was. She and her brothers, it seemed, hadn't been taught such upstanding morals as her reprimanding suggested.Work for the good of Pern, don't grope people without permission, and ignore your mother!" was all that was important apparently. As she dissolved into giggles again O'sho couldn't help but laugh softly in bemusement. "Thank you for your concern.... sort of. My nose will be just fine- it's been broken many times before. I might've done the same thing at your age and in your place if offered a mark."

But Fahra was not interested in his replies- she had something to say after all. The advice was good, though he had figured out most of it on his own: Don't take offense to anything that she does. Don't lie. Don't be a prat. Always stick to the point, unless it involves emotion. Don't let herself killing herself running the universe. He smiled- Fahra knew her sister well. It may have been meant as a lecture, since she said that the rest of her family was otherwise occupied or incompetent, but nevertheless it was a sharing of knowledge that was to his benefit, and for that he was grateful. He supposed it made up for the surprise punch to the face earlier.

And before he could thank her, Fahra was singing her goodbyes and was gone with no more than a flick of her skirt. He raised his hand in farewell but kept his thanks on his tongue, since there was no one now to hear it. Musing to himself about all that he had learned within the short visit, he continued on his way back to his weyr where Daidoroth was patiently waiting.

Putting his hands in his pockets, his fingers brushed the side of the note from Crescent. O'sho had work to do yet.

[Admin]

Every day is so wonderful,
And suddenly, I saw debris,
Now and then, I get insecure,
From all the pain, I'm so ashamed.

Because not even a good thirty pounds of added weight around her middle could keep her from her very forward stride, Fajra managed to catch up with O'sho before he got to his weyr. Most Weyrwoman would take leave for a pregnancy, even Senior Weyrwoman. But that was because they would still have at least three others with the same rank as them that could fulfill there duties. She was holding off from training the only other Queenrider in the Weyr, Avalle, until after she'd come to term since that would well be before the new dragonets were anymore than half a year and the girl would need to have a good understanding on basic care before she could fill her head up with to much. Thoughts and considerations to everything that she had to do always in her mind, she fell in step with her Weyrleader on the last leg of his trip.

"What is happening at Crescent Hold?" Her voice was calm and level. The question was direct. At that moment, most of her was not feeling as placid as she was acting, and a small part of her didn't want to just go and have to deal with problems. Dealing with her parents, or attempting to avoid dealing with her parents, was not the most pleasant of tasks, and it left her feeling tired. But, looking at O'sho as she waited for him to explain, a touch of that amusement that she'd held earlier came back, just around the corners of her mouth and in her eyes. What had Fahra said to him? Had Fahra actually spoken to him at all? She'd seem to go a bit easily, and she never did chores unless she absolutely had to, preferring her fun of collecting all the information on everyone that she could. What did her sister know about the good Weyrleader?

Just a few moments after joining him in walking, the baby inside of her decided it would be fun to give his mother a sharp kick. She stopped walking, wincing at the uncomfortable feeling of being whacked at from the inside. It wasn't really that painful, just unsettling and very uncomfortable. Bending over slightly, she placed a hand on her abdomen as she breathed in sharply through her nose. Her eyes closed and she gritted her teeth. With the feeling of him shifting inside of her, a fresh wave of nausea made an appearance. "I wish you wouldn't do that, especially when I have very important work to do;" she muttered to her unborn child tiredly. She was getting sick of the fact that her morning sickness did not feel the need to stick to morning. The silly thing owed her. She could have taken a jump with it. They had a score to settle.

Letting loose a bugle, Kalith launched herself from her weyr. With a powerful sweep of her wings, she sailed over to her mate's ledge, latching herself onto it firmly. She leaned so far forward as she tried to pinpoint her rider and what was wrong that she was practically clinging to it vertically. Ever the protective mother, Fajra and the soon to be born clutchchild were her new concern. Yours knows about things like this, right, Daidoroth? Mine says that he has experience with these things, even though he is a male. Humans are different than dragons in that way. No male dragon could ever properly take care of a clutch; she asked the bronze huffily, without really talking to him. Though not, by nature, an overly talkative dragon, she felt the utter need to make sure that everything in her Weyr was shiny and sparkly and wonderful.

I am beautiful no matter what they say,
Words can't bring me down,
I am beautiful in every single way,
Yes, words can't bring me down.