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Post by horsegal on Feb 9, 2009 19:05:51 GMT -6
"Not really, I have had my fill of such things, it is simply that dragons are a topic I've wanted to learn a lot about and haven't had the chance for it." Roslynn replied, her face a little more serious as she said it. A part of her went back to that day when the men had come in like a never-ending wave and how her hands were sticky and warm with blood and as much as she wanted to run, cry, and clean herself was not able to. It was something, a day, she didn't want to revisit if she could help it.
Though she very much liked how R'lyn tried hard to explain things to her. He knew he didn't know things for sure, but still he made an effort and told her so. It was appreciated. "So no one else can hear the dragon but those who are impressed to it, right? They can make themselves heard, can't they?" Roslynn asked. It would be nice to know that and what about those who were said to be able to hear all dragons? "And how is it that some people can hear dragons even without one? Are they missing something? Or something else?"
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Post by stolenhart on Feb 9, 2009 19:22:22 GMT -6
"Dragons are very interesting in and of themselves. No two are alike, even in the same color caste. I've been attached to Castogath for over thirty turns and he still manages to surprise me on occasion. You might want to search out the Weyr's dragonhealer if you have anything you want to learn about the dragon's phsically", it was times like this that R'lyn hated not having a Weyrwoman, it would be her job to answer these questions but it seemed he was stuck with it until Siten was through with her own training.
"Correct though sometimes a dragon can make themselves known to a person not their rider", he answered, "But they don't really like talking to other humans. If they need to say something they tell their rider or the other rider's dragon", he added. "Such as the stories claim Lessa could? I am not sure. I've never met someone who could do it or even heard rumors. It seems most of the stories about women who can speak to dragons have them Impressing golds. But Siten cannot do it and I do not believe either of the Northern Weyrwoman can do it either".
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Post by horsegal on Feb 9, 2009 19:41:31 GMT -6
"That would be an idea. Their wings and the structure is very fragile, but very important." Roslynn remarked in reply. She also knew that injured correctly, a dragon might never fly again. They could lose a lot of blood, or become misshapen as they repaired themselves. "I'd like to know about them, I suppose I'll save those questions for late then."
"I suppose not, not if they aren't attached to someone else." Roslynn agreed, she could understand that. It was something she had guessed, but knew better than to assume. "Yes, those stories." If Lessa was able to, it was no wonder she was such a great Weyrwoman. She had singlehandedly saved Pern or so it was said. But then again, she couldn't hear dragons anyway, so what did it matter? Perhaps she might be a bit jealous if someone could. "Even if it could occur, it would be extremely rare, huh? Makes sense." She sipped her klah quietly before asking somewhat bluntly, "What is it like being Weyrleader?"
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Post by stolenhart on Feb 9, 2009 19:50:10 GMT -6
"If you need to know how to make a dragon take to the ground then I can answer you but I don't know anything about healing or how to get one back into the air after they are injured", he explained as a drudge appeared with a plate of light pastries and a tray of jams and butter. "Thank you", he told her, reaching for a red fruit tart. "I like the fruity ones", he confided to Roslynn as he set it on his plate and cut it into quarters. "Though if I eat too many Castogath will grunt when we go flying and embarrass me", he smiled. Castogath liked to tease his rider about getting fat though in fact R'lyn was still a lean man with little extra fat on him.
"Yes it would. I've only heard it coming from Ruatha Hold in the North, which is where the stories claim Lessa was from. Though I suspect it would crop up elsewhere now", if he remembered correctly, Ruatha had sent a few people South when the continent had been opened up. "Being Weyrleader? It's a headache. People think I have all the answers or they blame me for deaths and the bad things", he shook his head. Back when his Weyrmate had been alive being Weyrleader had been important to him. Then she had died and left him stuck as Weyrleader without a chance for someone to take it from him, "I'll be glad once Isiloth flies. Then someone else can lead". He'd been leading for twenty-five turns now and he was tired of it. Mostly though he was tired of being ignored and shoved aside as if he hadn't kept the Weyr going these last few turns by himself. No gratitude.
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Post by horsegal on Feb 9, 2009 19:58:09 GMT -6
Roslynn tried to hide the tiny giggle, as he spoke about the pastries, it was a little difficult. Considering that he had spoke about bringing down a dragon, she didn't like it too much. She wanted to keep that from happening. A lot of good that desire did her with her on the ground and still barely a woman. She'd really need to make a good hard effort to change things around.
The hearing dragons things was past for her. It was not so important, but what was, was how he thought about being in his position. There was a sudden heaviness in his face, a weariness in his eyes, as if all the weight of Pern was coming down upon him slowly but surely. Roslynn knew already that whatever he said would not be glorious. And indeed, it wasn't. "But it cannot be a completely thankless position. You have done so much. You have kept the Northern riders from taking Southern, you've led the wings to protect us. How could anyone even blame you for something you cannot control?" Roslynn asked.
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Post by stolenhart on Feb 9, 2009 20:10:42 GMT -6
He gave her a whimsical smile as he took a bite out of his pastry. "Because I am the leader. Some days it even feels like I get blamed for the weather", since the sky was threatening to pour quite a bit of rain on them at any moment that made quite a bit of sense even if it wasn't true. "When you are a leader, especially a good one, someone always wants to come along and do better than you. It's the way of men to compete like that, prove who is better", he shook his head and refilled his wine glass.
"See when word reached us that Northern had another gold egg I wanted to send a delegation to the North to ask for the egg to come here", he told her, "but it was felt that the North would not give us the egg and if they did it would be the only one and they would insist Northern girls be here and we would have ended up losing the egg anyway. So a few bronzes, browns and one or two blues stole into Northern Weyr and took the eight eggs", he frowned, glancing out at the dining cavern. He didn't see any of those riders there now, "They shouldn't have but they did and now, well now we are waiting on retaliation".
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Post by horsegal on Feb 9, 2009 20:19:19 GMT -6
Roslynn watched R'lyn carefully. She didn't think that any leader ought to be blamed for eveything. Even something as silly as the rain. No one could control the rain any sooner than a bronze could lay a clutch of eggs. It was nonsensical and a waste. Still, she would strive not to be that way if she could help it.
Ah, now there was something she hadn't known. A delegation might have kept things smooth, but then there was that point. So many thought that the North would never see the South with a gold. It would be easy for them to win that way, wouldn't it. So such logic couldn't be counted. And yet, to completely count out the delegation...
"They went against your orders to steal those eggs?" Roslynn asked. She felt a little guilty thinking it was such a great success. They got the gold afterall, and the others all impressed too. It was a good thing and now with such knowledge, a bad thing as well. "I didn't know that. I had thought you had authorized it. It seems wrong somehow." If North attacked South because of it, it could not be R'lyn's fault entirely and could not the good be accepted with the bad? Or was she too mature or thought too much. Roslynn didn't know, but it sat wrong in her stomach.
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Post by stolenhart on Feb 9, 2009 20:28:23 GMT -6
He finished his pastry before answering. The cook here at the Weyr was one of the best, even better than the OverHolder's own cook. Her pastries were the best and don't even get him started on the jams she made. If he died after eating one of her feasts he'd die a happy man. Castogath always made fun of him after one of cook's feasts though. "I gave no orders one way or the other. I did not support the idea but I did not flat out tell them no. I gave them an inch and they took a dragonlength", he explained sadly shaking his head. The fiasco at the Hatching should never have a happened, the delegation would have succeeded and that blue dragon would not have died. Damn his riders for being so careless. "It was not wrong entirely. We did need the gold. I feel they went with option three instead of option one though".
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Post by horsegal on Feb 9, 2009 20:38:02 GMT -6
Things had taken a southernly direction. She pardoned the thought in her head, but indeed. The way things were, they felt just like before. There was a calm before the storm and it was unsettling. She drank her klah, tucked some of her hair behind an ear and thought a moment longer. "You would prefer them to follow you because it is a show of respect." She stated quietly, her eyes lowered as she said it. It was the most logical reason for why R'lyn felt so dejected as a Weyrleader.
"What do you think the North will do?" Roslynn asked carefully. She knew that she was treading on icy territory, but she was curious. She wanted his opinion and it would matter about her next question. "Will they attack us outright?"
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Post by stolenhart on Feb 9, 2009 20:49:33 GMT -6
He nodded in agreement before answering her next question. "Yes. I think the North will attack us. it's not hard to figure out what is being planned for Siten", though it was not official most riders knew as soon as Isiloth was able to managed flight Siten would be taking her between in time to age her a few turns. It did not take a genius to figure that out. "The North will probably try to injure as many of our bronzes as they can so when Isiloth does rise, the Northern bronzes can sneak in and win the flight effectively putting one of them here as Weyrleader. Which would give them an excuse to invade the Weyr", he explained then shrugged, "It is what I would do if our situations were reversed", he finished. He reached for another pastry as a weyrbrat came up to him. "Sir your presence is requested".
R'lyn sighed loudly and put the pastry back. "It was nice talking to you my dear. Please feel free to talk to me whenever you want to, I'll always make time for you", he told her, draining his wine glass before climbing to his feet and limping after the weyrbrat. He'd rarely held a conversation that long in Turns, it seemed someone was always needing him. It had been nice to talk to someone.
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Post by horsegal on Feb 11, 2009 20:10:45 GMT -6
Roslynn nodded, it was all very strategic. It was like playing chess, finding a way to corner you opponent so that you had the upper hand and there were no more moves for you opponent to take. If the North did manage such a feat, it would be a heavy blow to the South and the North would surely win. She had nothing to say to it. She didn't know how they went about planning these things, nor did she know what it was like to fight or be cornered in anyplace other than a game. All Roslynn knew was the aftermath of it all and it was less than savory.
"Oh." Roslynn watched the boy arrive and a part of her drooped. Her companion had to take his leave of her, but for business, not pleasure. "Thank you very much, R'lyn, I do appreciate it very much." She said, rising as he did out of respect for the man. She watched him go with a heavier heart than before.
"Is the storm coming?" She asked herself in a whisper as she sat down.
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