Weyrwoman of High Reaches Weyr (S'rei)(Plot)

[Administrator]

A dark-skinned woman stood on the first level of the Main Hall just as the sun was beginning to set. She looked distantly off at the waterfall. This Weyr would have to recognize her plight as a legitimate one, and become her ally. Being a peaceful Weyr, Selenitas would understand. She had come down here on another person's dragon, along with a second dragon and rider as her escort. She didn't want to risk being caught. Already, her men were scooting into the weyrling and candidate barracks. She knew that Shmee and S'rei probably wouldn't mind. They would be able to appreciate the dilemma that she was in. How would they have the heart to turn her down? Clicking her tongue, a bronze and a green firelizard appeared on her arm. "All right, sweeties," she said to them softly. The bronze crooned in adoration. "Guppet, I want you to give this message to S'rei, and Ayvi, you give this one to Shmee." The bronze, Guppet, took the hide into his mouth daintily, and Ayvi extended her neck to allow it to be strapped on. On the hides were messages to ask them to come to the Main Hall right away-- and listen to the news from the North, and ask for the partnership of High Reaches Weyr.

The flitters winked between, and the woman waited a few anxious moments. Fortunately, however, it wasn't long before Aslath's form rose from the top of the waterfall, with Shmee's small figure on it. The message had gotten her interest. Spotting the new figure, Aslath took her that direction, dropping her off at the first level of the platform. Shmee hurried off, looking curiously at the woman. This woman was only a few turns her senior by the looks of things. She had left Miguel in the care of Laurie, figuring that if this situation was potentially dangerous, she did not want him involved. Again, she was also relieved that she wasn't going to be awkward. Most of the pregnancy hormones were cooling down, and while she could still be snappy, she wasn't going to have to run off and vomit. Regarding the woman curiously, she slowly asked, "Who are you?"

The woman smiled kindly, determined to be on the Weyrwoman's good side. "Good evening, Weyrwoman Shmee," she told her trying desperately to make a good first impression. "I'm Elaira, rider of Tollith."

Recognition. "You mean the junior weyrwoman from Fort, right?" she asked with a frown, taking a step back. Elaira noted this, and she shook her head sadly. "I'm going to wait for the Weyrleader to get here before I tell the whole story," she told the woman. "But... the bare bones is, well, we heard about what happened when Morsrath Chased Aslath." Shmee scowled. She didn't like to think about that. Elaira nodded sympathetically. "Kamerai didn't think it was something that could happen to Fort. But she was wrong."

Shmee froze. Had Benden... become Weyrleader at Fort? Seeing the Weyrwoman's expression, Elaira laughed nervously, shaking her head. "Oh, C'leon lost to D'loro, of course. But I think he learned from his previous mistake. He took advantage of the effects of Flight. D'loro and Kamerai are dead."

Staring at Elaira incredulously, she shook her head slowly, as if not believing it. "...What?" Looking around, she murmured, "Let's go inside. S'rei will find us there. We can talk more." Heading into one of the first-level offices, she ushered the woman in. What was happening at Fort, and why did Elaira sign her message "Elaira, Weyrwoman of High Reaches Weyr"?

[Requiem]

S'rei was currently hip-deep in mud, attempting to secure the last line of the bridge before night fell. Thus he wasn't in the best of moods when the firelizard popped up right by his ear. The Weyrleader hated flits. He waved a hand at the creature, but then his foot slipped and, joy of all joys, he was quite suddenly coated with the river silt. S'rei struggled to his feet, muttering imprecations. One of the other dragonriders took up the rope, drawing it taut and nodding toward the bronze flit meaningfully. The Weyrleader glared at him. Nevertheless, he struggled out of the mud, pushing some of the larger clumps of the clinging muck from his frame with his hands.

A message? Delightful. He glanced around, quickly locating the flask he'd left near the bank and cleaning the mud from his hands with the water. "All right, pest. Let's take a look at that." The firelizard hissed at his tone, but he was well-trained, and allowed the bronzerider to get to the message. S'rei frowned. It was obscure, certainly, but the name at the bottom spoke volumes to him. A new weyr, started by one of Fort's junior weyrwomen. Something was most certainly up. And, whatever it was, it seemed that Elaira was determined to drag Selenitas into it.

S'rei briefly considered cleaning himself up first, but that would take too long. He removed his boots and his tunic, scrounging through the pack he'd brought for a clean shirt, and mounted Salenth with ease. You haven't heard anything from Fort, have you? No. They don't really talk to me anyway, given our history, but I have heard nothing to explain why she's here. Odd. Yes. Quite odd. The bronze's thoughts went to his children, as they often did since the day of Threadfall when the senior weyrlings were attacked. Everything is quiet. Yes. I will alert the wings, however. This may be a distraction of some sort. Good. It couldn't hurt.

Less than a minute later, the Weyrleader found both Weyrwomen in one of the offices. Dried mud clung to his arms and neck, though he'd cleaned off his face, and it was quite obvious that he'd come directly from whatever project he was involved in. Nor did he seem at all surprised to see the young woman. She hadn't been at Fort when he was, but there were few people indeed who didn't know S'rei from his days at C'leon's side. The Weyrleader didn't move to sit, though it was hard to tell if that was due to his grimy state or his mood.

His face was entirely expressionless.

"Elaira." He nodded in greeting.

[Administrator]

Elaira gazed on S'rei solemnly. She had heard of him. Though, he probably could have tidied up better, she thought distastefully. She was a Senior Weyrwoman now, after all. Puffing up her chest proudly, she nodded courteously. "My greetings," she told him politely. Shmee immediately turned toward him, a dark eyebrow raising curiously. He certainly wasn't looking as clean as he usually did. It was almost amusing. Making a mental note to ask him if he needed help cleaning later, she was distracted again. "Rei, she says Kamerai and D'loro are dead!" she told him rushedly, her eyes filled with worry. With the Weyrleaders there dead, anything could happen... Whoever came into power next could potentially be worse than those two had been. Elaira, however, frowned. This little girl had beaten her to telling him the news, which was unfortunate. She had wanted to tell him slowly, to draw it out. He was quite good looking, even though he was muddy... Well, never mind that. She couldn't helped it, she supposed. Z'mast hated it when she flirted with other men, but she just couldn't help it. She adored teasing the men. She wasn't the most faithful woman, but she could attribute it to being a goldrider. It's what they were supposed to do: Get into the beds of all the bronzeriders. It kept things surprising.

"Ahem," she said, giving Shmee a stern look. Shmee scowled. Elaira sure wasn't making it her good books. "Yes, D'loro and Kamerai are dead," she informed S'rei, locking eyes with him. "Grenostith rose to mate, but C'leon must've had spies in Fort, as well. He did exactly what he did to Selenitas. He came and tried to win Grenostith. However, it was Jrenth that Caught her, the second queen to escape his grasp. But this time, he wasn't stupid; he murdered them." Shmee said nothing, but her eyes flickered up to S'rei. This would undoubtedly be a hit to him. It was to her as well. Kamerai and D'loro had been around for as long as she could remember. Now, they were dead... Unconsciously, she gripped S'rei's arm, her eyes refocusing back on Elaira. The older woman smiled grimly. Perhaps they would yield to her after all, which would be a relief. She didn't want to make enemies out of them.

"So, this leads us to how High Reaches was formed," she went on, almost wincing as she realized she hadn't spent more time on introductions, instead plunging right into the events. No matter. It couldn't wait. "See, C'leon at Fort was not going to stand by us. When everyone realized what had happened, all the riders charged to the Flight weyr, finding their dead bodies. C'leon, however, managed to slip from the room, killed a wingsecond, and escaped." Her tone grew bitter. "Now, as you recall, there are only two junior weyrwoman. Myself, and a mere child named Liosa. Her gold hasn't even graduated from weyrlinghood. So, as Tollith was glowing, it was obvious I was going to be the next Senior Weyrwoman. However..." For once, uncertainty stumbled her words. "I did not want to rule Fort. You know how it would be. I would be the most targeted, and I would be completely overruled by these rough, zealous men. I already had a lover, and I didn't want to be a figurehead of Fort. So Z'mast-- my weyrmate-- and I rounded up his wing and a few drudges and candidates and winked off to High Reaches. I assume Liosa is Weyrwoman now," she added, perhaps guiltily. She was a young girl, and though she knew it was a bad idea to leave her, she knew that it would leave Fort to do what they wanted, as well as that she would be safe.

Shmee frowned. She didn't like how they left a young girl-- the one everyone called the Flower of Fort-- to fend for herself in such a brutal place. She looked over at S'rei anxiously, trying to see what he thought of the situation. Suddenly, a flitter winked in beside them and Shmee frowned. A message. "Hold on," she said apologetically as she took the note, striding a pace or two away to read it. Elaira, however, gazed at S'rei.

"So we went to an abandoned Weyr-- High Reaches, because it's too far North to be a likely hideout or desirable territory. We're going to be peaceful, and I never want to see another dragon die by another dragon ever again. But... we are secret. The Weyrs in the North do not know we exist. So... we have come for assistance," she pleaded softly. "Tollith has clutched a queen egg now. Yes, I know this all happened weeks ago. I'm not surprised that they didn't tell you either," she added seriously. "They don't want to look weak." She sighed lazily. Shmee, from where she stood, blinked, rereading her note, not paying attention to Elaira's words. Not that the woman minded! Casually stretching in a manner to puff her breasts out further in a vain attempt to attract S'rei subtley, her face dropped into an expression of sorrow. "We have nowhere near enough candidates. We also need riders, weyrlings, anyone who wants to come to a peace-loving Weyr. We want to survive, S'rei," she told him, stepping closer.

"They're trying to recruit in the weyrling barracks!" Shmee announced suddenly, looking up at S'rei in alarm. Elaira's eyes flashed. She could almost expect a reaction that wasn't favorable...

[Requiem]

S'rei merely stared at Elaira. He'd never seen her before, of course, but who else would it be? The man didn't have to read her knots to know she was a goldrider, either. The disdain in her eyes said it all. He resisted smirking at her. What, she didn't approve of being received by a muddy Weyrleader? Too bad. Whatever she might believe, Elaira was the Weyrwoman of a new weyr, which put her in the role of supplicant. He would receive her however he pleased. She should just be grateful that the Weyrleaders had decided to grant her audience at all. Some part of him may have noticed that, as far as women went, she was rather beautiful, but that part of him was overshadowed by his annoyance. And by Shmee's words.

He couldn't quite arrest the surprise that briefly came to his face. S'rei glanced at Shmee, frowning. D'loro and Kamerai? But that hardly seemed possible. Kamerai was positively ancient. Nearly fifty turns. Any northern woman who survived that long was either a complete doormat or beyond powerful, and Kamerai definitely ascribed to the latter. No, not ancient. Seasoned. Seasoned and still young enough not to have to worry about her health or other such things. D'loro was even more surprising. The man was in his prime, and probably the most brilliant man on Pern, from what S'rei could tell. No battle that he had personally led had resulted in a Fort loss. During his stint at Benden, D'loro had been beyond frustrating to S'rei. How could they both be dead?

And if they were dead...Shards. Elaira was no longer affiliated with Fort. That was clear. That left the Weyrsecond - a bloodthirsty, savage man who did not share Fort's former leaders' desire to end the war - and a goldrider still in her weyrlinghood. Thus far, Fort had presented little threat to Selenitas, at least that S'rei was aware of. But with R'anatar at the head? A headache blossomed behind his eyes. C'leon and R'anatar would be battling it out up north, with Selenitas in between. Fort's new Weyrleader was not the sort to let ground go uncontested. And any idiot with a brain in his skull could see that C'leon was trying to get his hands on Selenitas.

How many are dead? What? Jrenth's and Grenostith's would not have fallen alone. Fort would send all its forces against whoever attacked them. Now might be a good time to openly ally with Fort. They are the stronger weyr, and will be again soon, but right now they must be vulnerable. It would be to our advantage. Salenth... We can no longer deny that we are part of this war. Better to come off the defensive than wait for Benden to strike again. The bronze had a point. Still, Fort wasn't likely to accept the help of S'rei of Salenth. Not after he'd abandoned them for Benden so many turns ago. Dragonriders had their pride. More the fools they.

The clearing of a throat brought him back to the room. He blinked at Elaira, nodding slowly. It made sense. D'loro and Kamerai would not be caught out normally, though he found himself angry at their hubris. Did they think that C'leon would not dare to try with Fort what he had with Selenitas? S'rei distinctly remembered wondering why the Benden Weyrleader hadn't killed both Shmee and himself when they were vulnerable, after losing the Flight. D'loro and Kamerai were smarter than he was. How come they couldn't see it? Then there was no Fort. C'leon had taken it by force. He didn't know whether to feel relieved or terrified. The Benden Weyrleader would turn his sights on Selenitas next. That explained why Elaira had fled.

S'rei's hand moved to cover Shmee's as she latched onto his arm, squeezing it gently in what he hoped was reassurance. Had she reached the same conclusions he had? Or was she still just in shock? As Elaira continued to speak, however, the Weyrleader was forced to close his eyes and clamp down on a burgeoning rage. What - in - Faranth's - name?! The woman was a child! A selfish...He didn't let himself continue. This woman had the opportunity to step up and lead the people of Fort to victory, and instead she fled because it was too 'scary' to face C'leon and Benden, fled to an abandoned weyr and left Fort to R'anatar and poor Liosa, who was hardly any younger than his Shmee. He wanted to step forward and slap some sense into the woman.

Z'mast's name arrested that impulse. Z'mast? Hadn't he been the one who S'rei had joked with, fully ten turns ago? They'd both laughed at the men who chased after Kamerai blindly, swearing that they'd never become a goldrider's puppet. And here they were, weyrmates to goldriders. Ironic. Still, he had a hard time seeing Z'mast going along with this insanity. Then again, S'rei couldn't exactly say that he was capable of fighting Shmee if she got some harebrained scheme into her head, could he? It was hard to fight such a stubborn, irrational creature. What good was logic when they didn't seem to heed it at all?

S'rei hardly noticed the flit or Shmee's departure, save for the absence of her warmth at his side. His mind was still reeling. He vaguely noticed that Elaira was still talking, and forced himself to listen. "Assistance," he repeated incredulously. Right now, he was more inclined to demand that Z'mast see to his weyrmate and get her back where she belonged. Something in her manner finally got through to him. What was this? Was Elaira coming on to him? He tore his eyes from her breasts, suddenly angry that she thought she could play him like some horny teenager.

Nevertheless, his voice was controlled as he replied, "We want to survive as well, Weyrwoman." She didn't need to be using his name like that. They weren't even acquaintances. "I'm sure you're aware that we recently suffered substantial losses. I'm afraid we won't have much to offer you. Sympathetic as Selenitas may be, we must first look to our own Weyr." Any further response was cut off by Shmee's announcement.

What was this? Here she was, merely hinting at the need for candidates and weyrlings, and her people were trying to take some of their young ones even now? What fool would set something like that into motion without permission? A great fool. Or someone who never intended to seek out that permission to begin with. "Have someone check the candidate barracks, too," S'rei responded, with deceptive calm. He hardly needed to speak the words aloud, but they were for Elaira's benefit. His face had hardened into distinct planes.

"Consider your request denied, Weyrwoman, and I would be reluctant to set foot in Selenitas again. You have taken advantage of our hospitality and betrayed our trust." He reached for Shmee's waist, drawing her into him protectively. "Call off your dogs, or we will be forced to treat them as hostiles. Do you understand me? Selenitas is closed to you and yours." Perhaps it was a rash reaction. In all honesty, though, if Elaira was willing to take advantage of their good will so early, she would do whatever she had to - to get what she wanted. This was no ally for Selenitas, one who would cripple them without a second thought.

[Administrator]

Shmee had to resist the urge to nestle even closer against S'rei as he squeezed her arm. Such displays of affection wouldn't be wise, especially with a woman who seemed likely to attack any sign of weakness. In fact, she was even proud of herself for resisting this urge. Maybe she seemed more mature by doing so. Inspired, she looked on Elaira very seriously. She felt, more mature, so she would look more mature. However, with the uncertainty of a weyrbrat, she looked up at S'rei, as if asking if she was doing this right. She didn't want to come across as stupid to this high-and-mighty weyrwoman. Returning back to her 'mature face,' she used to to try and cover up her anger, though rage still glinted behind her normally placid blue eyes. Liosa was even younger than she was! Who was Elaira to shove that poor girl into a position of such power?! Being a young Weyrwoman herself, she could only understand Liosa's position far too well. Not only that, but Liosa was in a Northern weyr... Her grip on S'rei tightened.

Frowning as Shmee returned to S'rei's side, fire bubbled behind Elaira's dark eyes as her request was rejected. This was something she hadn't expected. In fact, it made her even angrier. She had come to Selenitas, humbling herself before these two, only for them to deny her of her need?! She had a queen! Sensing the other woman's rage building, she took a step forward. "Millieth Flew, so we need our candidates. Get yours elsewhere," Shmee told her firmly. Elaira, too, stepped forward.

"We have nowhere else to go," the older of the two said in a soft, dulcet tone. She looked up at S'rei. "I'm afraid that my boys have probably gotten your kids interested." Her eyes flickered over to the sky, where a bronze dragon from her Weyr had appeared. She smiled. "We're using bronzes to transport the weyrlings," she explained, a smile growing. Shmee allowed S'rei to pull him closer to her, relieved at the feeling of protection. He would make sure this stupid woman wouldn't take their babies.

Elaira went on. "They'll enjoy High Reaches. We intend to keep this a secret from the other Weyrs, so we ensure their safety. Which is more than you would be able to do here," she added, a painful truth that Shmee didn't want to hear. She glared.

"We can keep them perfectly safe," she replied coldly. "I'd rather they be here under my eye and protected than being tainted by any sort of Northern soil," she spat.

Elaira smirked as she crossed her arms. "Well, it looks like this kitten's got claws," she remarked dryly. She looked up at S'rei and said, more out of spite than interest, "Let me know when you're ready to graduate to the big felines."

This was obviously not the correct thing to say around an angry, possessive, pregnant goldrider. Out of nowhere can a sharp slap. Shmee's hand violently flew across Elaira's face as hatred burned in every line of her face. She wriggled out of S'rei's grasp to look Elaira square in the eye. "Don't you dare take Aslath's children," she hissed. "Leave and never show your face around Selenitas again. We need our weyrlings, we need our candidates."

Instantly, Elaira flew at Shmee, her hands grabbing her short hair and givng a yank. Shmee screeched, slamming a fist at the side of her head. Chaos ensued, with punches, slaps, pinches, and pulls happening wherever their fingers could reach. Shmee bit on Elaira's arm, and the older woman groaned, sending a kick at Shmee stomach. Realizing how dangerous that kick was in the one second she could, she ducked over her stomach, protecting it with her hands as the kick got her arm instead. This was the last straw. As Elaira smacked Shmee across the face, Shmee grabbed her arms, yanking Elaira out of the office they were in, wreslting their way over to the edge of the platform. Intentions clear, nobody could have done anything if they tried as Elaira elbowed Shmee's head into the water-- but not before Shmee seized her leg. Both Weyrwomen tumbled in, climbing on each other and attacking each other by any means they could. Somehow, Elaira's nose started bleeding, but she retaliated by swiping her fingernails across Shmee's face. Shmee yelped.

So much for becoming allies, Elaira thought regretfully, knocking Shmee's head with her own. Shmee's world whirled for a moment only before she leapt at Elaira, looking alarmingly like she was trying to push Elaira under...

[Requiem]

S’rei merely stared at Elaira incredulously. Was he somehow unclear? Did she think that his threat to treat her men as hostiles was an idle one? The thought of further bloodshed certainly didn’t appeal to him, but he wasn’t one for making unsubstantiated threats. This was not an argument. It was not a negotiation. He didn't care if some of the kids were interested, didn't care that she had nowhere else to go, and certainly could care less about what dragons she intended to steal his weyrlings with! This was not how you treated someone you meant to keep as an ally. They weren't a candidate and weyrling farm for High Reaches Weyr. By the egg, this wasn't a formality, this request of hers! Selenitas had every right to deny her. Especially now.

Eyes narrowing at her claim of a 'peaceful' weyr, the Selenitas Weyrleader snorted. "You'll have both northern weyrs looking for you. How long do you think it will take them to think to check the old abandoned Weyrs? I'd like to see this peaceful weyr when that happens. What, will you surrender, like spineless cowards? Or simply allow them to slaughter you? Because, you know, if you fight back, your weyr will no longer be peaceful. No, the children are no less safe here than they will be with you."

Elaira seemed intent on ignoring reason, and simply striking for the jugular. Granted, Shmee hadn't been particularly civil in her rebuff, but this confrontation was far beyond civility already. He glared at this upstart. Play with the big felines? What in Faranth's name was that supposed to mean? As far as he was concerned, Shmee had far more experience on Elaira, and she certainly had more pluck. If there was a kitten here, it was the coward who had run away from her responsibility because it would be too hard. Shmee and Aslath had fought in the midst of Threadfall and survived. They'd run this weyr entirely on their own for over a turn. His weyrmate had quite a bit of growing up to do, certainly - they all did - but Elaira had no right to compare herself to Shmee.

Unfortunately, the Selenitas Weyrwoman obviously felt the same way.

His face slackened in muted surprise as Shmee slipped from his arm to slap Elaira across the face. He blinked when Elaira returned the slap with a hair tug. Then it was simply a flurry of screeches and slaps and punches, far nastier than any fight he'd ever been in. Men fought with precision. This was...simply a mess. Then Elaira very nearly caught his pregnant weyrmate full in the stomach. That sparked him into action. A couple of swift strides brought him to the brawl - and landed him a kick in the knee from one of the girls' wild flailings. He staggered backward with a sharp hiss. Directly into a chair. The Weyrleader ended up in an incongruous heap, his elbow smarting from the fall as his knee throbbed dully. S'rei pushed himself to his feet with a muted growl. They were out on the platform now. No, over the platform. Shards. The water! Shmee may be a scrapper, but Elaira obviously had pounds on her. He wasn't about to let this fight play out - not when it threatened his weyrmate and unborn child.

The bronzerider dashed - rather awkwardly, given the bruised knee - down the platform and along the bank until he was even with the two women. He threw himself into the midst of the brawl, ignoring the random blows that missed their mark and glanced off him. S'rei bodily dragged Shmee off of Elaira, pushing her back forcefully enough to land her on her seat. It was not for her that he reserved his ire, however. The Weyrleader laid hold of the coward's collar, dragging her from the water and up to her feet. He turned to her, his rage clearly written across his features. S'rei would never deign to punch a woman. Still, the slap was hard enough to throw her from her feet. His foot came to rest on her wrist, the man grabbing Elaira by her hair, his breath hot against her ear.

"Is this the only language you northern women understand? Violence? If you ever set foot in my weyr again, don't think I'll stop with just a slap. And don't you ever lay a hand on my weyrmate." He pulled her head back further, making sure she was getting a good look at Shmee. "You see that woman? Anything you do to her, I will visit back on you tenfold. Now get out!" S'rei released her, threatening to kick the woman, which seemed to be enough to get her moving.

Remove any foreign riders from the weyr, Salenth commanded, broadcasting generally. You are authorized to use force if they resist. All dragons, to the air! If they are not Selenitas dragons, they are to be denied access to our airspace. Use whatever force is necessary. The great bronze had already taken to the higher altitudes, facing off against the bronze who'd come to transport the weyrlings. He added, privately, Aslath, do you think you can command them to leave?

[Administrator]

"Rei!" Shmee called out angrily as she was wrenched off of the High Reaches queen. Growling slightly as he pushed her to the ground, she pulled her knees to her chest crossly. She was cold again. It was all Elaira's fault, anyway. As she wrung out the hem of her pants, she watched up at S'rei glumly. She moved her hand to her cheek, where it fortunately wasn't bleeding. However, the sting signaled that it had left a mark. Four red ones, to be exact, but she couldn't see the color as it was. She scowled, glaring at Elaira. Well, at least she would get the brunt of S'rei's anger! This made her smirk. Elaira twisted in S'rei's grasp, her anger obvious. She was flushed with humiliation at being slapped so publicly, but that was all right. That would hopefully turn Selenitas against him, if they saw how he handled a woman. "You have no right to hold a Weyrwoman this way!" she protested, but it was of no use. S'rei's muscles apparently did have some purpose after all. "And, to answer your earlier question before your little wench took a swing at me, Fort and Benden are so busy fighting each other that they'll forget about us!"

Her hand went to her wet, tangled hair, trying to tug it from his grasp. She had spent the longest time fixing it up to be presentable! Trying to simultaneously pull out her hand from under his foot, she flew in an attempt to knock him over. Her expression on Shmee as he turned her head to him was one of sheer hatred. Shmee returned it with her blue eyes narrowed. Shmee was secretly proud to have S'rei after his little tirade. She loved him. Elaira, however, was none to pleased with it. "Here's what I think of your woman!" she told S'rei, and spat on the ground. "You and her combined are going to drag your Weyr down to dust! Selenitas will be in ruins if you keep your bloody emotions involved in all of this, loverboy!" As soon as she was released, she leaped away, wanting to get away from S'rei's wrathe.

Aslath rumbled in agreement. Indeed I can,[/color] she replied, just as angry as her rider. All dragons not currently living in Selenitas are required to leave now![/color] She commanded, broadcasting the whole Weyr. Nobody harmed Hers and got away with it! Do not let anyone go with them, either![/color] she added as an afterthought. But--

SALENTH! THOSE BRONZES HAVE WEYRLINGS BETWEEN THEM![/color] she screeched, leaping up, but it was too late. They were already between with weyrlings from her clutch. Bugling, she mourned the loss of her younglings, immediately launching toward the weyrling barracks. She was going to kill whoever was recruiting them!

Shmee's eyes widened, watching the bronzes go between with Aslath's babes. This was despicable. It was almost to a point where her eyes began to well with tears. They were hers to protect, and who knows what death this half-insane Weyrwoman was leading them to?!

"Rei!" she cried, wilting on the ground where she still sat, drenched. "You... you pushed me on the ground! And now they're taking Aslath's weyrlings, and, and..." She pouted, her lower lip slipping out from the confines she usually kept it in. She loved him, yet at the same time, she was upset for all reasons. All she wanted to do was cuddle with him, and fantasize that she was killing Elaira...[/size]

[Requiem]

The Weyrleader's tanned features were clearly flushed with anger, even in the fading light. S'rei was not above terrorizing a woman - or man - if they were obviously out-of-line. Typically, he didn't engage in such behavior unless reason and words couldn't seem to get through to them, but it was certainly true that his anger tended to explode much quicker when Shmee or his family was involved. He didn't understand these goldriders, who insisted on mouthing off to him when he clearly had the upper hand. Weyrlings certainly were beneath his authority, regardless of the dragon they rode. And no woman, Weyrwoman or no, would be allowed to attack the senior Weyrwoman of the Weyr that commanded his loyalties. To suggest that this had anything to do with his relationship to Shmee was ludicrous. He was duty-bound to protect and defend her as his Weyrwoman.

Elaira should just be grateful that he didn't do what he wanted to do to the assailant of his pregnant weyrmate!

Salenth roared, winging for the bronzes, clearly on the war path - but he was too late. The weyrlings were already gone. He could only imagine the fear of the young dragons as they realized that Selenitas had not given their approval, that they were in fact being kidnapped by this unknown northern weyr. Snarling, he screamed his frustration again, sorely tempted to pursue his childrens' captors to High Reaches. But he could not risk it. Could not risk an escalation that might harm his other children. His hide taking on a distinctly grey taint, Salenth settled to the earth. I know, he uttered despondently to the dam, unable even to dredge up a few reassuring words. They would find a way to bring them back. They had to.

S'rei stared at the empty space in the sky, struggling to contain the combined sorrow and dismay that added to his own. His head swivelled at Shmee's voice, the Weyrleader crossing to her in three strides. "I know. I'm sorry," he responded gently, lifting the soaked girl from the ground. He just hadn't wanted them within reach of each other. "She didn't hurt you, did she?" S'rei could see the scratches on her face, but he was worried about something more permanent. The man's gaze swept toward the weyrling barracks. It was already flooding with riders. He wanted to go, but he wasn't needed, and Shmee wouldn't want him to leave her. Frankly, he didn't want to leave her. He just wasn't about to put her back into the line of fire.

"We're taking you to the infirmary, to make sure everything's okay. You'll have to tell one of the healers." S'rei didn't intend to yield to any arguments from her end. Not this time. He was already picking his way carefully along the bank. With her drenched, and him covered in dried mud, they must look like they'd been through the war. It wasn't far from the truth.

Aslath, Salenth called pleadingly. He didn't often seek out her comfort, but the thought of his children, taken up north, devastated him.

S'rei suddenly smiled, attempting to lighten the mood. "I appreciate the thought, but I don't really need a cat fight to turn me on, love."

[Administrator]

Aslath's eyes whirled red and orange in anger. She was half-tempted to go to High Reaches herself... She wanted her little weyrlings back. She bugled sadly as she realized it was too late. They had taken her children, as well as some candidates. It was just... so surreal. Her little hatchlings couldn't possibly be gone to an unknown, Northern Weyr... Bronzes, guard the barracks in case they return,[/color] she commanded. Though she doubted that they would return, she didn't want to take any chances whatsoever. Her hide, too, became tinted with gray, but her eyes were as a vivid red as they ever had been. They stuck out from the gray like two angry volcanos on the brink of eruption, a pretty good description of Aslath herself. They dared to take her children... What was going to happen to them?! She snarled, then looked around, looking for Salenth. She needed him...

Shmee let out a short, nervous sob as S'rei lifted her up, the whole situation finally sinking in. A couple tears slid down her wet cheeks, but she recovered from this emotional bout fairly quickly. "No, I'm fine," she told him, shaking her mop of dark hair. Her eyes, too, flickered over to the weyrling barracks. What bothered her was how many they had managed to take. She shifted uneasily. And candidates? How many candidates did they steal away from her? She snuggled instinctively against S'rei, wrapping her arms around his neck.

At his talk about the infirmary, she wrestled in his grasp. She didn't want the infirmary! "No, no, she never got me in the stomach," she protested. "It's only a scratch, Rei, we don't need to tell anyone. Please, nobody can know!" Her voice began to get louder with each excuse to not go. "Remember, Trenlor was a healer! We can't tell anyone! Please, Rei, I can't lose another babe!" More waterworks now. Her eyes welled up with tears, glittering in the falsely friendly sun. She continued to writhe in his grip, feeling as though this trip to the infirmary was like a death sentence. Right now, nothing scared her more than a trip to the infirmary to tell someone about her pregnancy. In her mind, she could keep this secret until her labor.

Aslath found Salenth, immediately coming down to land beside him. She crooned, nuzzling him lovingly, trying to comfort him and quell down her own anger and grief. It is all right,[/color] she crooned, even though she knew things were far from all right. We are safe, and they did not take all of them.[/color] Continuing to croon and nuzzle him, she spread on of her golden wings over his body, covering him in an attempt to comfort him. When even Salenth needed comfort, Aslath knew better than to turn him down. She, too, was upset, but Salenth rarely got this way. She rubbed her head against his neck, trying to soothe him.

Shmee stopped amidst her tears, his remark catching her by surprise. Tentatively, one of her wet hands slipped down his neck, finding the hem of his shirt. She toyed with it in her hands for a moment. "Really?" she asked innocently, sniffing. She raised the hem a little. "Then what does?"[/size]