----------=BigCloset Retro Classic!=----------
Welcome to Pern! If you know the stories, then you might have wondered what would happen if a boy was to Impress a Gold dragon?
Wonder no longer...
Queen Rider
Part 1
by Joanne Foxcourt, 2005
Admin Note: Originally published on BigCloset TopShelf on Friday 02-05-2007 at 8:24 pm, this retro classic was pulled out of the closet, and re-presented for our newer readers. ~Sephrena
Forward
This story is based upon the works of Anne
McCaffrey, notably the incredible Dragonriders of Pern ® series.
The legal notice of Anne's copyright is as follows:
The Dragonriders of Pern ® is Reg U.S. Pat
& Tm. Office, by Anne McCaffrey, and may not be used or
reproduced without permission of the author.
The use of this setting, the world, and their
concepts are written in accordance with the guidelines posted by
Anne McCaffrey for fan fiction. The specifics of which can be found
on her website:
http://www.annemccaffrey.net/fan-fiction-rules.html (March 14th,
2005)
If the above URL does not work, replace .net
with .org. Unfortunately, Anne's site has had some difficulties and
the URL above is the one currently functional as of the writing of
this story.
Sadly, if you're not familiar with the works
of Anne McCaffrey, then this story probably won't be all that easy
to follow as it presumes that you already know something about Pern
and it's inhabitants. The Dragonrider books have long been a
favorite of mine, I've read them several times and they have never
become stale for me. It is that love of these stories that has
motivated the writing of this tale perhaps, in some small way, to
feel even closer to the world and it's people. I won't even begin
to presume that my fiction is in the same league as Anne
McCaffery's work, but I hope that after you read this you will have
found it both enjoyable and a positive contribution to a remarkable
place.
Enjoy!
Joanne
Barrit Cothold, 5th Pass, 4.7.8, Post Fall
Jared stared wistfully at the hovering blue
dragon as he absentmindedly mopped the sweat from his brow. He knew
he shouldn't be staring, it was rude, but he couldn't help himself.
Like all Pernese boys his age, and not a few girls as well, he
dreamed of being a dragonrider, soaring through the sky, fighting
thread with his lifelong companion. "Stuff of dreams," Jared
snorted to himself, "nothing more. You're going to be a dirt farmer
all your life, so get over it." Still, he watched the dragon as it
landed near his father, Darion. He could hear his father's cheerful
greeting to the blue rider and his dragon. Jared sighed again and
shook himself alert before making his way to where his father
chatted with the dragonrider.
"Well fought," Darion was complimenting as
Jared approached. "Fort Weyr shows its prowess once again."
The blue rider smiled his thanks. "In truth,
it was a light fall."
"You rode well and Saleth is as spectacular as
ever, A'lon," Jared rushed out and then immediately blushed for his
temerity.
"Hush boy," Darion admonished, though not
sounding angry.
A'lon grinned at him. "Saleth thanks you for
the kind words," he added. He gave a Jared a deeper look and then
glanced at Saleth before suggesting, "Why don't you scratch his eye
ridges for him while your father and I have a quick chat?"
"Really?" Jared was almost breathless at the
chance to actually touch a dragon.
"Really. Saleth doesn't bite, mostly." He
laughed at Jared's alarmed expression. "I'm teasing you lad! He
says his ridges need scratching and I still have to check with your
father, so if you'd do the honors?"
"Of course!" Jared breathed as he stumbled his
way over to the dragon.
A little to the left, Saleth commented
as Jared began to industriously scratch the eye ridges of the blue
dragon.
"What?" Jared asked, stumbling back a little,
surprised by the sudden mental contact of the dragon.
Don't stop!
"I'm sorry," Jared apologized as he began to
scratch Saleth's eye ridges again. "I just didn't expect that you'd
speak to me!"
Why? Saleth asked, sounding slightly
amused.
"I don't know, I guess I've never heard of it
happening before."
That's because we have chosen not
to.
"To speak to me or to humans generally?" Jared
queried, feeling a little bolder.
We only speak to others when we see a need
for it, Saleth told him.
I needed you to scratch a little
more to the left.
"Oh."
You sound disappointed J'red.
"J'red? I'm not a dragonrider!"
Yet.
"Yet? You mean?"
I mean what I say, Saleth responded,
sounding amused again.
There's something different about
you.
Jared gulped. "Different? How?"
I don't know, Saleth admitted, sounding
a little puzzled.
I sense you should be at the Hatching. I've
told A'lon.
"Oh, wow," Jared breathed.
That's the spot, Saleth said as he let
out a long breath of satisfaction.
Jared tried not to cough at the fumes from the
firestone exhaust from the dragon as he allowed his imagination to
wander. "Me!" he crowed to himself. "Saleth thinks I should be a
dragonrider! Me!" He imagined himself astride one of the great
bronzes, but quickly realized that that was probably beyond him.
Still, he much admired Saleth and the other blues, so he would be
overjoyed to be paired with one of them. Privately, Jared admitted
to himself that it didn't matter what color the dragon was as long
as he got to ride one.
Barrit Cothold, 5th Pass, 4.7.8, Evening
"Silly fancy!"
"It is not!" Jared shouted back at his father.
"Saleth talked to me and told me I should be a dragonrider."
"Enough. They already have the candidates for
the hatching and we have spring crops to plant. So get this foolish
notion out of your head right now and start thinking about what we
need to plant this season. You're my heir, so you'd better start to
learn something."
Jared glared at his father. He'd been so
excited about having a dragon talk to him that he told his father
the first chance he got. He was surprised to discover that his
father was less than pleased with the notion and had decided that
Jared was making the whole story up.
Darion sighed as he looked at his son. He
could see that the boy was taut with anger, but he had to get these
silly ideas out of his head before they came to grief. "Besides,"
Darion admitted to himself, "the lad is too small to be a
dragonrider. Good heart, a little too tender, but it takes more
than that to ride a dragon during fall."
Jared sulked up to his room in the small hold.
Since he'd reached puberty, he'd been given a room of his own,
separate from his sisters. He enjoyed the privacy, but during times
like this, he really wished he could easily talk with his sisters.
They'd understand, they all wanted something more than being wives
of farmers, eking out a living in the soil.
"Jared?" Aimee whispered through the door,
answering his wish.
"What is it Aimee?" Jared sighed, rolling over
onto his back and wiping his tears, suddenly feeling reluctant to
talk to his older sister despite his attitude of a few moments
ago.
"May I come in?"
"Yeah."
"I heard your fight with father," Aimee said
as she entered the room.
"Sure."
"I understand how you feel."
"Do you? Saleth talked to me! He said I should
be a rider, even called me J'red," Jared told her.
"They've already got a full compliment of
candidates up at Fort," Aimee reminded him.
"I know," Jared sighed.
"At least you get to Hold," Aimee reminded
him. "What do I have to look forward to?"
"You can have the Hold Aimee, I don't want
it."
"It's not up to you."
"Nothing ever is."
Fort Weyr, 5th Pass, 4.7.8, Late Evening
"I'm telling you, Saleth is never wrong and he
sensed something in the lad," A'lon pressed.
"I'm not disputing Saleth's judgment," Marina
told him. "However, we have a full compliment of candidates for
Wrybeth's eggs."
"What's one more?" he asked.
"Why the big deal?"
A'lon sighed, "Saleth has been nagging me
non-stop since the fall over this lad. Did you know that Saleth
talked to him?"
Marina sat up. "Really?" That admission put a
whole new light on the discussion.
"Really. Saleth is never this insistent about
anyone and that's the first time he's talked to anyone but me."
"Now, that's a little more interesting. What
of his family?"
"Well..."
"Come on, the details."
"He's the only son," A'lon admitted.
"That settles it. We can't take the only son,"
Marina told him.
"Why not?"
"What if he Impresses? They'll have no
heir."
"So?" A'lon asked. "If he's meant to be a
dragonrider, he'll be a dragonrider. They have plenty of daughters
to take over the Holding."
Marina sighed. "It's not that easy," she told
him. "You know better than that."
"He's one amongst many."
Marina laughed. "A'lon, my dear blue rider,
you know as well as I do that Saleth is never wrong."
"You see!"
"I'll think about it," Marina promised.
"Not too long!"
"I promise!"
Barrit Cothold, 5th Pass, 4.21.8, Early Morning
Jared spotted the dragon in the sky before the
rest of the family. His father was preoccupied with the soil clump
he had at the table and his sisters were still laying out the
breakfast meal. "A dragon!" Jared finally called, dragging his
eyes, and his internal longing, from the sight.
"It's not so rare a sight that you need
disturb the morning peace," Darion replied absently, taking a sip
of klah before turning his attention to the dirt clod again.
"Maybe he's coming here?" Jared suggested,
still hoping that he would be Searched. He knew that the eggs on
the hatching grounds were getting close to their time.
"I told you to leave off your flights of
fancy," Darion growled, looking up from the earth in his hand for
the first time.
"He's right, the dragonrider is coming here,"
Aimee called from her vantage near the window.
"It's true," Liana, Darion's wife told him,
suddenly feeling a little breathless herself. It was a bronze
too!
Darion dropped the clump of earth into the
pail beside the table and quickly wiped his hands on his trousers.
"What would bring a bronze rider here?" he wondered aloud as he
made his way outside.
Jared tailed his father, not wanting to miss
seeing a bronze. It was one thing to see them way up in the sky,
but up close? Jared was excited.
"Good morning bronze rider!" Darion called as
the dragon made a graceful landing in the small clearing near the
cot.
"A good morning to yourself as well, Holder
Darion," the dragonrider called in return. "Also to you, young
Jared."
Jared waved shyly, surprised at being included
in the greeting.
Saleth is right.
"Excuse me?" Jared asked as the two adults
looked at him.
My name is Brineth, the bronze dragon
told him as it lowered its massive head for a better look at
Jared.
"Greetings Brineth," Jared replied. "I'm
Jared."
J'red. I know.
The bronze rider looked very surprised. "It
appears that you and Brineth have become acquainted. I'm his rider,
D'vid."
"I'm sorry sir! I didn't mean anything by
it!"
D'vid laughed. "Shards! No fear there lad,
Brineth does as he pleases let me tell you!"
Darion cleared his throat.
"Oh, I'm sorry," D'vid replied, turning to the
Holder. "I imagine you're wondering what brings us here this fine
morning."
"You could say that," Darion agreed. "Not that
I'm objecting, I'm just curious. Would you like a cup of klah?"
"I'd love one," D'vid replied, following the
Holder into the cot. "In any case, what brings me here is a blue
dragon who wouldn't stop pestering the Weyrwoman or her
dragon..."
Jared ignored the voices of the two adults as
he looked up at Brineth. "Um, did you need anything Brineth?" Jared
asked politely.
The sun is warm. I'm content.
"Did you want me to wait with you?"
That's not necessary, Brineth responded
with a hint of amusement.
You should go inside and listen as it
concerns you.
"Me?" Jared felt his hopes rising. "I'll go
then. Thank you Brineth!"
Jared entered the cot just as his father was
saying, "He's the only boy here! If he goes to the Weyr, who will
inherit?"
"You have lovely daughters," D'vid said,
trying to placate the agitated holder.
"Daughters! Don't misunderstand me
dragonrider, I realize the honor of this, but I need him here."
"I can't force the issue," D'vid told him,
"but I do have two dragons absolutely convinced that your son
should be on the hatching grounds this afternoon."
"Today!"
D'vid nodded.
"What are the odds?" Darion sighed.
D'vid shrugged. "Normally, I'd say fairly low,
but the dragons..."
"The dragons?"
"It is early in the pass and we need riders.
The dragons know this."
Jared locked eyes with his father. "Please
father," he begged. "Just this one chance? We've never had a
dragonrider in the family."
"You have to let him go," Liana added, backing
up her son. "Besides, there will be more sons."
Darion glanced up at her, surprised.
Liana nodded. "I'm pregnant again. It's a boy,
I can sense it." The bronze dragon bugled outside.
"Brineth just confirmed it," D'vid added,
sounding surprised. "Well, the day is full of surprises."
"Then I must," Darion capitulated.
"You're all invited to the Hatching, of
course," D'vid added with a grin. "Brineth can carry all of
us."
Aimee gasped with excitement.
Fort Weyr, 5th Pass, 4.21.8, Hatching
"Okay lad, I know you haven't had any of the
training for this, but it's really not that hard," D'vid was saying
as he dropped Jared off. "Just remember, don't be afraid."
Jared gulped and nodded nervously.
"Besides, A'lon and I stand to win a lot of
marks if you Impress!"
Jared laughed and looked around at the other
candidates on the sands of hatching grounds. He could feel the heat
of the sands through his boots, but he was feeling too detached
from reality to even sense discomfort from it. He quickly scanned
the audience, looking for his family, and felt some of the tension
drain as he spotted them. Away from the gaggle of boys was a clutch
of girls clustered around a golden egg and the hovering, almost
nervous looking, Wrybeth. He turned his attention to the forty-two
other eggs lying in the sand before him as one of them began to
rock back and forth to the mighty hum of the adult dragons watching
over the ceremony.
A hush fell over the crowd in the stands as
the first of the newly hatched dragons poked its head through the
shards of its egg. "A bronze," came the excited whisper. A bronze
was always a good omen at a hatching, especially during threadfall.
Jared watched, almost detached, as the bronze made straight for a
tall, strapping young man. Very quickly after that, more eggs began
to wobble and crack, with excited boys moving forward to meet with
the emerging dragons. All around him, Jared could sense the
feelings of elation as boy after boy Impressed a young dragon.
Still, Jared stood there and before he knew
it, only the gold egg remained on the hot sand and he could hear
people stating, with some surprise, that Saleth was wrong for the
first time. He could almost feel the disappointment from his mother
and sisters, as well as the two riders who were so certain. Yet, in
his mind, he felt the presence of Saleth and Brineth almost
assuring him it wasn't over. "Wasn't over?" Jared laughed to
himself, trying to keep away the tears of what might have been.
"Only the queen is left."
It's not over.
"Saleth?" Jared asked, looking up to the rim
of the great volcano.
And Brineth, added the bronze.
Saleth is right, it is not over.
"Only the gold egg remains," Jared disagreed
as he turned to follow the other bypassed and dejected candidates
from the grounds.
Wait.
Jared stopped at the emphatic command of the
two dragons and turned to look at the gold egg as it began to rock
on the sands. He continued to obey the two dragons despite the
calls from various people around him to leave the grounds. His
heart leapt as the golden head pushed its way through the cracks in
the egg, the humming from the dragons arrayed around the rim
growing even louder. The young queen whirled to face the girls
arrayed before her and she pounced towards one of them with a hiss.
The girl screamed and tried to jump backwards, falling to the
sands. The Queen ignored her and burst through the circle crying
out, her head swinging back and forth, searching.
Some of the girls tried to follow her, but the
little Queen spun and hissed at them. They cowered back, fear and
disappointment evident on their faces. Jared felt the detachment
stealing over him again as he gazed into the eyes of the golden
beauty before him. She ended her headlong, searching, dash at his
feet, her eyes gazing at him as he absently began to scratch her
eye ridges, oblivious to the commotion around him.
Finally, he looked up to the two dragons on
the rim of the bowl and said, "Her name is Sianeth."
Welcome Sianeth. Saleth and Brineth
replied at the same time as the other dragons bugled a
greeting.
J'red fell to his knees before Sianeth and
hugged her. "Why me?" he asked, suddenly realizing what had
happened.
Don't you want me? Sianeth asked,
sounding concerned.
"Of course I want you!" J'red shouted, his
voice ringing with sudden, profound, love. "You are the most
beautiful, most intelligent, dragon on all of Pern. I
am a
boy though."
Sianeth's eyes whirled pleasure at the
compliment.
I'm hungry, she informed him.
What's a
boy?
J'red began to laugh, the only sound in the
now silent grounds, the audience speechless at what they
witnessed.
Fort Weyr, 5th Pass, 4.21.8, Hatching Celebration
T'kon scowled at the laughing Fort Weyrwoman
as he watched the hatchlings make their way out to get bathed after
being fed. His scowl deepened as his eyes took in the form of a
slight boy walking beside a golden hatchling.
"Funniest thing I've heard in ages," Marina
was saying. "Wrybeth told me that she didn't know what I was
talking about, that young J'red wasn't a boy."
"Don't let the lad hear that," D'vid
commented, laughing himself. "I'll grant that he's as slight as a
girl, but he seems like a good, honest, lad."
"This is no laughing matter," T'kon growled as
he whirled around, irritation at their mirth plain in his tone of
voice.
"Relax Weyrleader, what's done is done,"
Marina told him soothingly. "You can no more change this Impression
than you could grow a second head."
"Did it occur to either of you that this is
going to be a problem with the Lord Holders?"
"It's Weyr business," D'vid scowled.
"Two daughters of powerful Lord Holders were
left standing on the sands while a
boy Impressed the queen.
How, by the first egg, am I going to explain that?" T'kon
demanded.
Marina shrugged. "Explain nothing, the dragon
chooses. That is all."
"I wish it was that easy." T'kon sighed as he
glanced at J'red's family, looking very uneasy amongst the
assembled. Not all of it was related to their status, he decided.
Clearly they we're troubled by the events on the Hatching
Grounds.
"Well, I for one am going to enjoy myself,"
Marina decided aloud as she stood up and walked over to Darion and
Liana. "Darion, Liana, I hope that you're enjoying yourselves?" she
asked, trying to sound solicitous and put them at ease.
Darion scowled and Liana blushed. "What
happened?" Darion demanded abruptly.
Marina felt her eyebrow rise uncontrollably.
"Happened? Impression happened. The dragon chooses and that is
it."
"A queen?" Darion almost look embarrassed. "My
son Impressed a queen?"
"Is there something wrong with queens?" Marina
asked, starting to sound a little annoyed.
"Of course not! What I mean is, uh, that this
has never happened before. A boy is not supposed to Impress a
queen!"
"Ah, well, greens are female and Impress
boys," Marina told him.
"That's different."
"Indeed, if you say so. Well, there's a first
time for everything in any event."
"Can't you do anything about this?" Darion
asked.
"No," Marina replied flatly. "I wouldn't even
if I could. Impression has been made and the bond cannot be
separated."
"Ah, Marina, there you are!" Paellion's
cheerful voice rang out, interrupting the conversation to the
relief of Marina.
"Paellion my friend," Marina smiled in real
delight. "Darion, Liana, you know the Masterharper?"
"Honored," Darion and Liana replied together
with small bows.
"Shards, it's nothing. It's I who is honored
to meet you. The parents of the quite remarkable young lad I would
assume?" Paellion grinned cheerfully.
"You could say that," Darion replied, his
voice conveying his displeasure with the state of affairs.
"I see." Paellion cocked his head and gave the
Holder a penetrating look. "I gather that you're less than pleased
by today's events."
Darion grunted agreement.
"Hmm. I would think you'd be pleased, truly.
Your son has become a dragonrider and that's quite an honor in and
of itself."
"Boys don't Impress queens!" Darion
complained.
"Well, nobody will be saying that again,"
Marina laughed drily and nodded at D'vid.
"Come Darion, I'll take your family home,"
D'vid said as he approached the small circle of people, winking at
the grateful smile from the Weyrwoman.
"Why bronze rider? Why?" Darion demanded as
D'vid led him away.
"Only the dragon knows," D'vid shrugged.
"Did yours?"
D'vid cocked his head. "Brineth said that they
only knew after all of the other eggs had hatched."
"They?"
"Brineth and Saleth."
"It's not right," Darion said, sounding
stubborn.
"Not for me to say one way or another."
"How can a boy be a Weyrwoman?" Liana finally
asked, sounding confused.
D'vid laughed. "No worries, we'll figure
something out."
Barrit Cothold, 5th Pass, 4.21.8, Evening
"Can you believe it Aimee?" Mari asked. "Jared
Impressed a queen! A queen! No boy has ever done that before."
"Hush little sister, don't let father hear
you," Aimee said with a smile.
"Why's father so upset?"
"I don't know," Aimee sighed. "Maybe he thinks
it's less than manly for Jared to Impress a queen."
"Would he feel the same way about greens?"
Aimee brushed her hair as she thought about
that question for a moment. "No, I don't think so. Men Impress
greens, women Impress golds. He'd see that as being women's work to
Impress a gold."
"That doesn't make sense," Mari argued. "Golds
are the biggest dragons and the most beautiful. Besides, I heard a
Harper say that women rode green dragons before."
"When? Harper fancy I'd imagine."
"I wish I was Jared," Mari sighed. "Lord
Bartalon had a daughter at the Hatching, did you know?"
"No, I didn't. Who told you that?"
"I heard some people talking about how upset
he was."
"You hear a lot of things," Aimee said,
smiling to take the sting out of the comment. "Perhaps that is why
father is upset. Maybe he thinks that our Lord Holder will blame
him for it."
"Lady Maliana wouldn't Impress anyways, she's
too mean."
"Hush!"
"It's true. I hear that she beats the drudges
at Fort for no reason at all."
"Mari, you shouldn't be passing on tales like
that," Aimee told her sternly.
"It's not a tale!"
"It doesn't matter, you should keep your
observations to yourself, especially concerning our Lord Holder and
his family. You don't want father turned out do you?"
"No."
"Good girl."
"I wish I was Jared," Mari grumped.
"So do I dear sister, so do I."
Fort Weyr, 5th Pass, 4.21.8, Late Evening
Lord Bartalon, Lord Holder of Fort Hold, was
not happy. He was upset that his daughter was passed over for the
queen dragonet and that she was passed over in favor of a nothing
boy from a minor holding on his own lands, of all things. Despite
the protestations of the Weyr, Bartalon was still grinding his
teeth over the second point.
"What can I tell you Bartalon, the dragon
chooses," T'kon repeated. "No amount of cajoling or shouting is
going to change that."
"This is unacceptable Weyrleader," Bartalon
reiterated as though T'kon could do anything about it.
"That's irrelevant Lord Bartalon," Marina
added. "Nobody in this room has the ability to make the choice for
the dragon. Sianeth has decided, that is all there is to it.
Maliana will be presented at the very next Hatching if there is a
queen egg."
"How could a queen choose a boy? I thought
they were bred to only choose women?" Farallen, Lord Holder of
Ruatha questioned, sounding mild despite one of his daughters also
being passed over.
Marina and T'kon looked at each other.
"Out with it!" Bartalon demanded.
"The dragons claim that he isn't a boy,"
Marina told them, finally.
"What? He's clearly a boy. Well, maybe not
clearly, but he's a son of one my Holders and I know he's a
boy."
"Nevertheless," T'kon replied, "that's what
the dragons are claiming."
"I'm having a hard time believing in the idea
that all of the dragons of Pern are engaged in a mass delusion,"
Bartalon snorted.
"It does sound quite odd," Farallen added.
"I asked Wrybeth what happened," Marina said,
clapping her hands against the table top. "She said that J'red is
not a boy."
"Should we be calling him J'red?" D'vid chimed
in all of a sudden.
"What difference does that make?" Bartalon
growled.
"Just an odd thought," D'vid grinned
diffidently. "The dragons called him that before he Impressed a
gold, now they don't."
"This is making less sense with every moment
that passes."
"I, for one," Paellion intruded, "think it's a
little refreshing. Events like this shake up complacency and turn
people's brains on."
"The wisdom of the Master Harper is
legendary," Farallen smiled. "However, I think you're wrong in this
instance. Radical change during a Fall scares people and this
qualifies as radical change."
"Be that as it may, it's the job of the Harper
Hall to reassure people and reassure we shall."
"Surely you don't condone this Paellion!"
Bartalon burst out.
"What's to condone? It's done. None of us can
change it, so we'd best make what we can from it," Paellion
suggested.
"They really stopped calling him J'red?"
Marina suddenly asked, shaking herself from her thoughts.
D'vid nodded. "Ask Wrybeth," he suggested.
"Queen rider's names aren't contracted out of respect. They don't
call him Jared, though."
"Wrybeth?"
Yes?
"What do the dragons call J'red now?" Marina
asked.
Jara.
"Jara? That's a girl's name."
Jara is a girl.
"I wonder if anyone has told the lad that
little tidbit of information?" D'vid asked, smothering a grin at
the expression on Marina's face as she repeated the
conversation.
Marina sighed. "I doubt it, but someone has to
tell him," she decided.
*****
J'red sat cross-legged in front of his
sleeping dragon. He smiled indulgently at her full belly and
gleaming hide as he allowed his mind to drift across the events of
the day. He could scarcely believe what had happened to him,
despite the hours of cleaning and scrubbing Sianeth's hide. He had
been so busy that he hadn't even time to think about the events and
what they might mean. He even missed most of the strange looks,
puzzled frowns, and incredulous expressions around him. One thing,
he decided as he relaxed after the long day, that was nice was
getting his own quarters away from the other weyrlings. Obviously,
queen dragons weren't expected to share space like that and so
neither were their riders.
Marina watched the oblivious boy from the
entrance to his weyr with a speculative eye. Clearly, the lad was
in love with his dragon and Wrybeth assured her that Sianeth was
equally smitten in return. "The bond is special, is it not?" Marina
asked, breaking the lad's apparent reverie.
J'red spun around in surprise, nearly falling
over. "I'm sorry, Weyrwoman, I didn't know you were there," he
apologized as he struggled to stand up.
"No apologies needed," Marina smiled as she
entered the spacious cave. "I see that Sianeth is well looked
after."
"She stuffed herself senseless," J'red
admitted with a fond smile directed towards the dragon.
"All dragonets do that. She'll grow quite a
bit in the coming weeks and will need that food to provide energy
for it. So, Sianeth is well, but how about you?"
"Confused, I guess. Happy too."
"I would imagine," Marina agreed. "You're not
the only one that's confused about today's events. I understand
that Saleth and Brineth had decided that you were going to Impress
Sianeth before she hatched?"
"They told me not to leave," J'red told her.
"They said it wasn't over. I was going to leave, honest, but the
dragons..."
"Dragons are surprisingly wise. If Sianeth had
sensed you before hatching, she might have tried to follow. Who
knows what would have happened then."
"Are people mad at me?"
"Don't worry about them. Worry about your
dragon, she's more than enough for you right now."
"I suppose," J'red agreed. "I didn't mean to
Impress her!"
"We know. However, I do have to figure out
what to do about you," Marina told him with a gentle smile.
"About me?"
"All queen riders are the responsibility of
the Weyrwoman. I lead the Queen's Wing against thread and so you
will be reporting to me. It's just that we've never had a male
riding a queen before."
"I guess I never thought about that. Sianeth
can't chew firestone, can she?"
"No queen can chew firestone, we have
flamethrowers for that work."
J'red laughed. "I never thought that if I
became a dragonrider, I'd still have to carry a flamethrower!"
Marina laughed in agreement, "I never thought
that either. Of course, I wasn't thinking that we'd have thread
when I Impressed Wrybeth. Wrybeth likes you, you know. So do the
other dragons."
"Really?"
"Really. Did you know that the honorific
contraction we use for dragonrider names come from the dragons
originally?"
"I didn't know that," J'red admitted.
"Except for queen riders. Queens don't
tolerate nicknames for their riders."
"Then I'm still Jared and not J'red?"
Marina hesitated. "Not exactly," she replied,
looking a little uncomfortable. "I'm really not sure how to explain
this."
"What do you mean?"
"They call you Jara."
"Jara! That's a girl's name!"
"Hush, don't get angry or you'll wake Sianeth
and upset her," Marina cautioned.
"But..."
"J'red," Marina continued, "the dragons call
you Jara and dragons know true names. All of the riders know
because of their dragons, but they won't call you Jara if you don't
want them to."
"Of course I don't!" J'red exclaimed, flushing
deeply. "I'm not a girl!"
"It's not intended as an insult, the dragons
are just adamant that it is your name."
J'red calmed down a little. "I know they don't
intend insult," he sighed. "It's just that all my life people kept
telling me that I look like a girl. Now this."
"Look on the bright side," Marina
suggested.
"The bright side?"
"You have Sianeth. Not many people get to
experience that kind of unquestioning love in their lives."
J'red turned to gaze at Sianeth and smiled
with a shine in his eyes. "I guess you're right Weyrwoman, that is
a bright side. A golden, beautiful, bright side."
"Just between you and me," Marina added.
"People, probably other weyrlings, will slip and call you Jara.
Don't let it bother you. Just become the best queen rider you can
and the rest will take care of itself."
"Thank you Marina," J'red said.
"Now get some sleep, you have a long day, many
of them really, ahead of you."
Fort Weyr, 5th Pass, 4.22.8, Morning Weryling Training
J'red tried to ignore the stares and whispers
of the other weyrlings as he led Sianeth out to the grounds for
morning training. It had already been a long morning, with feeding
and scrubbing Sianeth, and he was exhausted. Looking after a dragon
was hard work, he decided for at least the tenth time that
morning.
Did I upset you? Sianeth asked,
sounding worried.
"Oh no," J'red told her. "I'm just tired after
yesterday and this morning."
"Hey, how come you weren't in the weyrling
quarters with us," asked a young lad of about fourteen turns
sitting near J'red.
"They said that queens always get their own
weyr," J'red explained, sounding apologetic. "I'm J'red and this is
Sianeth."
"I heard. You were the talk of the quarters
all last night. I'm B'rall and my sleepy bronze here is
Karaneth."
"What were they saying last night?"
"All kinds of things," B'rall grinned. "Most
thought that you were secretly a girl that they had tried to get to
Impress a different dragon. Some of them thought they should make
you give up your dragon."
"Give up my dragon!" J'red looked alarmed.
"Relax, they can't do that. No dragon would
allow it once Impression is made and those of us that are weyrbred
told them that. You and Sianeth belong to each other for as long as
you live."
Nobody can separate us, Sianeth added
with a soothing voice.
J'red looked relieved.
"So, how did you Impress her?" B'rall asked
curiously.
"I don't know," J'red admitted. "She made the
choice." J'red smiled lovingly at his dozing dragon.
"You're not really a girl are you?"
J'red stiffened. "No!"
B'rall made calming motions with his hands.
"No offense, I had to ask."
"If you people are quite through whispering at
each other," G'ten, the Weyrlingmaster, called out, interrupting
the conversation. "We do have some training to accomplish."
J'red tried to focus his attention on the
lecture, but the events of the previous day and the early morning
hard work began to make him drowsy. Within a few minutes, he was
lightly dozing against Sianeth, her warmth drawing him further into
sleep.
"J'red!"
J'red sat upright and blinked. "Huh?" The
other weyrlings around him snickered.
"This discussion may seem boring to you, but
it is vital to the health of your dragon."
"Sorry sir, I don't know what came over me,"
J'red replied, trying to shake the sleep from his eyes. "It's not
boring me."
"Prevent what ever it was from doing so again
then. Now, as I was saying..."
Why do you call yourself J'red? Sianeth
asked, wakened by J'red's sudden movement and alertness.
"It's my name," J'red told her.
It's Jara. I can see it inside you.
"Jara is a girl's name. I'm a boy."
I don't know the difference. You are Jara,
I am Sianeth. We are together. These are our true names.
"I'm confused," J'red admitted. "Are other
riders named like that?"
No. Wrybeth tells me that you are
different.
"You could say that again!"
Why would I? Wrybeth says that your outside
hides your inside because you are a girl. I'm not sure I
understand.
J'red felt his face flush. "I'm not a girl!
Not since the last time I looked!"
I upset you.
J'red hurried to reassure her.
It will work out. Wrybeth is very
wise.
J'red shook his head and tried to put the
conversation out of his mind and focus on the lesson.
"Generally, when a dragon is young, you'll
stuff them until they sleep. However, once they get older, then
you'll need to control their diet better or they won't be able to
fly thread because they'll be too full and sleepy," G'ten was
saying.
"How will we know how much they should eat?"
One of the weyrlings asked.
"You'll learn that over time," G'ten
explained. "Part of the training process is to help you determine
the right balance for your dragon."
"What about greens?" Asked another weyrling
who was absently scratching the eye ridges of his green dragonet.
"I heard there are times when it matters more than eating for
thread."
"It's a little early for you to worry about
that," G'ten told him with a grin. "However, since you asked,
greens and golds need to blood their kills when they rise to mate.
If they don't they won't be able to fly well and that will impair
the mating flight."
"Rise to mate?" J'red asked, standing suddenly
with a shocked realization.
"What did you think lad? Your Sianeth will
rise to mate."
"Uh. Are you sure?"
G'ten rolled his eyes. "As far as I can judge,
Sianeth is a healthy queen. She's a big dragon to start with and
will lead a fine mating flight when the time comes."
"Oh." J'red looked at Sianeth in surprise.
Is it time to eat? Sianeth asked him,
sounding a little plaintive about hunger and bored with discussion
at the same time.
Karaneth is hungry too.
"The dragons are hungry," B'rall called out,
just as J'red was about to say it.
Fort Weyr, 5th Pass, 4.22.8, Morning
"You talked to him?" T'kon asked as he joined
Marina on the ledge to watch the weyrlings train.
Marina pulled the sleeping fur tighter around
her body in the cool air and nodded slightly, her attention focused
on the young golden queen below.
Sianeth is well and contented, Wrybeth
noted as she shifted slightly.
You should stop worrying and I
want to hunt.
"I worry, love, because this has never
happened before," Marina told her dragon. "Wrybeth says everything
is well," she added to T'kon.
"She doesn't have to deal with all of the Lord
Holders and assorted Craftmasters who think this situation should
be halted," T'kon snorted.
"Nothing can do that."
"I know that, but they don't want to believe
it."
"What's the big deal?" Marina asked. "I mean,
it's going to be a bit awkward at mating time and figuring out how
to fit him into the Queen's Wing, but beyond that I don't see any
problems."
"There are some that think J'red isn't what he
appears to be."
"What does that mean?"
T'kon shrugged. "The same rumors flew around
the weryling quarters last night as well. Most of them think that
J'red is really a girl. He looks a lot like a girl pretending to be
a boy, really."
"He's definitely a boy," Marina protested.
"Some would prefer that he wasn't."
"Too bad for them."
Marina watched the lad jerk awake at the call
of the weyrlingmaster and laughed softly. She knew how he felt;
queens can be hard work because they're so much bigger. She watched
J'red a while longer before an idea began to form in her mind.
"T'kon, perhaps the answer to pacifying
everyone is right in front of us," Marina suggested.
"What do you mean?" T'kon asked.
"Well, you said it yourself really."
"I'm not in the mood for riddles."
"You said that J'red looked like a girl trying
to be a boy," Marina pressed. "That the rumors claimed that he
really was a girl."
"So?"
Marina sighed with exasperation. "With his
appearance, his slight build, and a bit of work, we could give them
what they want."
"The lad would never go for it," T'kon
protested.
"I don't know, the dragons seem positive about
him. Maybe he's like some of the green riders."
"None of them want to be girls that I know
of!"
"I didn't say that they did, but it could be
something similar. Something that the dragons sensed and J'red
isn't aware of."
"This seems quite dubious," T'kon decided.
"Don't be so negative," Marina chided him. "We
can certainly try. It's not as though J'red is going to suffer any
worse if we don't succeed."
"If you can convince him?"
"We'll convince him."
"We? I don't want any part of that!"
"I mean me and the other queen riders. Then
I'll ask Paellion to spread the necessary rumors. Before long,
everyone will believe that J'red really is a girl."
T'kon shook his head in disbelief. "Well, I
think you're crazy, but that's never stopped one of your ideas
before. What are you going to do, though, when the boy turns into a
man?"
Marina shrugged. "We'll think of something,
we've got plenty of time from the looks of him."
"I'll admit that it could make my life
easier."
"I live for that T'kon, really I do!"
"Go feed your dragon!" T'kon laughed and
kissed her.
Fort Weyr, 5th Pass, 4.22.8, Late Afternoon
"Paellion!" Marina called as the blue dragon
dropped off the Masterharper at the entry ledge to Marina's weyr.
"Thank you so much for coming."
"It's always a pleasure to see you and your
lovely queen," Paellion replied with a slight bow. "So, what is the
nature of the emergency?"
"No emergency," Marina laughed. "We do,
however, have a situation with a potential solution to it."
"Young J'red?"
"The same. T'kon tells me that he's been
getting reports that some people aren't too happy about the lad
Impressing a queen dragon."
"Some," Paellion agreed. "Most people are
under the belief that J'red is actually a girl in disguise. In
truth, the lad has that appearance."
"A fact that, fortunately, presents a possible
solution," Marina grinned.
Paellion looked at the smug grin Marina
presented him and the idea began to take shape in his thoughts as
well. "If I had to guess at what that grin entails, I would guess
that you intend to make J'red over as a girl."
Marina nodded.
"Have you spoken to the young lad about this
idea yet?"
"Not yet. I want to see if you thought it
might work."
Paellion laughed. "Oh no, my dear Weyrwoman, I
have absolutely no idea if it would work!"
"You do admit that he has the appearance?"
Paellion nodded. "The voice too, with a little
coaching," he added. "However, he is unlikely to remain looking and
sounding as he does for that much longer. If Blood holds true,
he'll end up as gruff and stocky as his father."
"No, I don't think so," Marina shook her head.
"His voice should have broken by now and he looks very little like
his sire. I think he may carry that look all of his life."
"What if he doesn't want to do it?"
"Then we don't. I can't force him into to, it
would never work then."
"My role in this?" Paellion asked, already
certain of the answer.
"Encouraging the second rumor about our queen
rider."
Paellion chuckled. "I should have surmised
that. I can also help with coaching his voice and see to some
training in the Hall that would assist him."
"So you agree that it will work?"
"No, but I'll try."
"Good enough!"
*****
"You wanted to see me Weyrwoman?" J'red asked
as he tapped politely at the entrance.
"Marina, J'red, I'm called Marina. I did want
to see you though," Marina said as she waved the boy in. "Have you
met the Masterharper?"
"Sir," J'red said politely.
"Paellion," Paellion responded with a smile.
"We don't need to dance on ceremony here young J'red."
"What can I do for you Weyr... uh,
Marina?"
Marina indicated that J'red should take a seat
at the table and joined him. "Do you remember our discussion about
names from dragons last night?" J'red nodded. "Well, we've been
discussing some ideas about that," Marina told him.
"I don't understand," J'red admitted.
"May I?" Paellion asked and continued without
waiting for agreement. "The problem is that there appears to be two
camps of people where you're concerned. There are those that want
to see you and Sianeth separated because they think it's wrong and
there are those that are positive that you're actually a girl.
There are very few, like myself and most of the dragonriders, who
don't see why it matters at all."
"Nobody is separating me from Sianeth!" J'red
protested.
"Nobody can," Marina soothed. "You should
already know that."
J'red nodded, mollified.
"So," Paellion continued, "there's a possible
solution that will serve to quiet the first group who would only
continue to make noise and harass you."
"Solution?"
"Marina?" Paellion offered.
"Oh, do continue, you're doing so well,"
Marina grinned.
"Hey!"
"Alright, it is my idea after all," Marina
conceded. "J'red, and please don't take this wrong, the idea is to
make use of a feature you commented on last night."
"I did?"
"Yes. The first group wants a girl riding
Sianeth and the second group thinks that one already is. The
answer, then, is to put a girl on Sianeth's back."
"You said you wouldn't separate us!" J'red
protested, angrily shoving back from the table.
"We won't!" Marina promised. "The idea is to
make everyone think that you are that girl."
J'red slumped back into the chair and shook
his head slowly.
"It has merits," Paellion suggested with a
persuasive note in his voice. "Do you mind if I explain? I mean no
insult."
J'red nodded reluctantly.
"First, the dragons already insist that you're
a girl. We have no idea why, just that they do and that they've
named you. That's something of a serious honor, by the way."
J'red snorted. "If you don't mind having a
girl's name," he added wryly.
"Be that as it may, it's never happened
before. You're engaging in a number of firsts for some reason.
Secondly, if I may be so bold, you are quite slight for a lad."
"I've been teased about it before. B'rall, one
of the weyrlings, asked me if I was a girl today."
"And?" Marina asked.
"I denied it, of course."
"Did he believe you?" Paellion asked.
J'red shrugged, "I don't know."
"Precisely. It's not your fault lad and
nobody, especially me, is doubting your courage and desire to fight
thread."
"Nobody will really believe I'm a girl
though," J'red decided.
"I beg to differ," Marina told him. "Given
some time, I could make your father look like a girl."
J'red laughed at that image. "Do I have to
answer now?" J'red asked.
"No," Marina assured him. "Not right now, but
very soon."
"We need to encourage certain beliefs,"
Paellion added. "The longer we wait, the more people will learn.
It's only been a day now, so there's not a lot of people that
actually know the truth."
"I see, I think."
"J'red," Marina said, grasping his hands in
hers. "If you really don't want to do this, we won't. T'kon and I
will deal with objections and you will fly Sianeth against thread.
However, as strange as it may sound, it could make life easier for
you."
J'red nodded reluctantly. "I'll answer
tomorrow?" he asked.
Paellion and Marina nodded their
agreement.
Fort Weyr, 5th Pass, 4.22.8, Evening
I don't understand, Sianeth said.
"They want to make me into a girl," J'red told
his dragon as he scratched her eye ridges. Sianeth's eyes whirled
with pleasure mixed with confusion.
Wrybeth says that you are already a
girl.
J'red sighed. The dragons, including Sianeth,
categorically refused to believe that he was anything other than a
girl. Even after J'red had explained the physical differences to
Sianeth, she failed to grasp why it mattered. "Lets just say that
humans have a different perspective on what is a boy or a girl,"
J'red suggested.
Marina is trying to change
perspective?
"Exactly!"
That is good then.
"Well, I don't know," J'red said. "I don't
want to be a girl."
I'm confused. You're confused. Why don't
you want to be a girl?
J'red ground his teeth in frustration.
I'm sorry!
"It's not your fault!" J'red hugged Sianeth
tightly. "I love you, I just don't know what to do!"
"J'red?" B'rall called from the corridor.
"B'rall?" J'red looked up, startled at his new
friend's appearance at the door.
"Karaneth said that Sianeth told him you
needed me," B'rall explained.
I don't understand, maybe B'rall can
help? Sianeth added.
"Maybe I do need help," J'red admitted
beckoning B'rall into the weyr. "Marina and Paellion made a
suggestion that I'm trying to figure out what to do about."
"Suggestion?"
J'red quickly outlined the suggestion to the
surprised look on the face of his friend. "Did you tell anyone our
conversation today?" J'red finished by asking.
B'rall shook his head. "No. What do you think
you should so?"
"I don't want to be a girl, but..."
"But it would be better for the Weyr and our
Weyrleaders if you were," B'rall finished for him.
J'red nodded morosely. "Shards! This is a fine
mess. All I ever wanted to be was a dragonrider, but I never
figured that it would be so complicated."
"Too late for second thoughts."
"I don't have any!" J'red favored Sianeth with
a loving look. "I'd walk through threadfall unprotected for
Sianeth."
B'rall shuddered at the thought. "I know what
you mean," he agreed. "Would it be so bad? To do this idea? You'd
only have to do it when outsiders were around."
"Outsiders are almost always around and then,
if I wanted to go somewhere, like a Gather."
"I suppose," B'rall nodded. "Girls aren't so
bad though. You, uh..."
"Go ahead, I know already, I kind of already
look like one," J'red grumped.
B'rall shrugged and nodded sadly. "Not much
you can do about that. Like I said today, half the weyrlings
already believe it because their dragons always call you Jara."
"I know, Marina told me that last night."
"They all like you too. Saleth and Brineth
said that you were very polite to them."
J'red smiled at the mention of his two dragon
friends. "They're the ones that made me stay on the Hatching
Grounds when Sianeth hatched. They seemed to know that she would
pick me."
"That's pretty unusual!"
"Marina didn't seem completely surprised by
it."
"I'm weyrbred and I've never heard of it
happening before. Still, it explains why the dragons think you're a
girl. Sianeth certainly reacted as though you were."
"Maybe I should just do it," J'red decided
with a little distaste. "It would make everyone's life easier."
"Not yours," B'rall suggested.
J'red shrugged. "Probably not. If Marina can't
make me look realistic though, I'm not doing it. There's a chance
there that I won't have to do it after all and at least nobody can
say I didn't try."
B'rall's expression suggested that the chance
was close to zero.
It will be okay, Sianeth told him
comfortingly.
Fort Weyr, 5th Pass, 4.23.8, Early Morning
"Thank you J'red," Marina smiled with
happiness. "I know you don't want to do this, so I really
appreciate what you're doing for the Weyr."
"You promise that if I don't look believable,
we'll drop it?" J'red asked.
"I promise. The other women of the Queen's
Wing are going to help and we'll make sure that you look beautiful
enough to take to a Gather!"
"That's what I'm afraid of," J'red told her as
Marina laughed affectionately.
J'red was shortly surrounded with a whirlwind
of activity as the Weyr's three other gold riders went into action
to transform J'red into a girl. He often found himself blushing
with embarassment as the women had him change clothing, change them
again, stuff various items into his shirt, and try various
cosmetics out on his face to soften his appearance. Finally, after
what seemed like more than half the day, J'red was pronounced
ready.
"You know, we can't keep calling you J'red and
maintain this illusion," Ahlanna, Varaneth's rider, told him.
"It's true," Kyalla, Amareth's rider, agreed.
"It's time for you to adopt the name the dragons have given
you."
"Jara," J'red said, rolling the name around
his tongue. "I suppose you're right. How do I look?"
"Truth to tell," Marina said, "I'm a little
jealous."
"No, really?"
"Really." The other two nodded agreement.
"Look in the mirror," Marina suggested.
J'red turned to the mirror and stepped back in
surprise. Tentatively, he raised his hands to his face and peered a
little closer. Finally, he turned to the women with an open
mouth.
"Well?" Marina asked.
"I look like Aimee," J'red told them.
"Your sister?" Ahlanna asked. "I think I saw
her at the Hatching party. She looked very proud of you even if
your parents didn't."
"My parents," J'red frowned, "are not going to
like this."
"Your father anyways," Marina agreed.
"However, I think we can work around him. The threat of withdrawing
protection will keep him in line."
"You wouldn't!" Kyalla gasped.
"Of course not Kyalla," Marina sniffed.
"Holder Darion, however, doesn't know that."
"You're thinking of yourself as J'red aren't
you?" Ahlanna asked suddenly.
"I guess so," J'red admitted.
"Varaneth asked Sianeth," Ahlanna smiled.
"Snitch!" J'red sent his dragon with a small
laugh.
You need to be Jara, Sianeth told him
seriously.
It will make you complete.
"Sianeth says being Jara will make me
complete," J'red told the others.
"You're doing it again," Ahlanna told him.
"Think Jara. Think Jara every minute of every hour."
"Jara."
All three women nodded.
"Now, we have to do some practicing before you
can join up with your friends," Marina said. "I've told G'ten that
you are to be excused for the morning."
"I'm going to need longer than that," J'red
replied.
"Jara! Jara! Jara!" Ahlanna admonished
him.
"Sianeth!"
I'm only trying to help, Sianeth told
him.
Wrybeth says I'm to remind you and tell them every time you
forget.
"You're subverting my dragon," J'red accused
them.
"Jara! Jara! Jara!"
"Okay, okay, I'll try!"
Fort Weyr, 5th Pass, 4.23.8, Afternoon
As soon as Jara appeared on the training
grounds with Sianeth, the whispering started. The most frequent
phrases were "I told you so" and "I knew it." B'rall just stared in
surprise.
"If you don't close your mouth, a tunnel snake
will crawl in," Jara told him.
"Wow."
"Thank you, I think."
"J'red, you look good," B'rall finally managed
in a whisper.
"Jara, think Jara. I've had that pounded into
my head all morning."
"Jara then. Are you okay?"
"I think I'm more scared than when I stood on
the Hatching Grounds," Jara admitted. "What if someone sees through
it?"
"Are you kidding, J'red, uh Jara?"
"You never know."
B'rall shook his head emphatically. "You're
the prettiest gold rider at Fort right now. I mean that in a good
way."
"I'm trying to take that as a compliment,"
Jara smiled wryly, blushing slightly.
"If you two lovebirds are about done," G'ten
called over to them. "We do have a lesson to complete. Jara, you
will need to stay later to catch up on what you missed this
morning."
B'rall blushed in turn as Jara groaned and the
rest of the weyrlings laughed.
*****
"I still think you're crazy," T'kon replied as
he sipped on the cool wine.
"He looks the part," Marina suggested. "In
fact, he looks better than many natural women."
T'kon shrugged. "Did the Masterharper agree to
the plan?"
"Yes. He even helped pursuade young Jara."
T'kon continued to survey the weyrlings
washing their dragons and looked thoughtful. "I know the dragons
call him that, but I still find it hard to credit," he finally
said.
"We need to stop referring to Jara as a boy,"
Marina replied. "I'm guilty of it myself."
"Indeed."
"Jara is quite remarkable, though."
"Oh?" T'kon asked.
"All of the dragons hold her in high regard
and she hasn't even done anything! Other than Impress Sianeth, of
course," Marina told him.
"Not a lot of things make sense where this
child is concerned, even my Galleth seems enamoured with him, uh
her, but won't tell me why."
"Maybe they're being precognative?"
T'kon snorted. "They've never had that ability
before," he reminded her.
"A boy never Impressed a Queen before
either."
"Point taken. However, I doubt that is what's
happening."
"I'm open to a better suggestion," Marina
said.
"I don't have one," T'kon admitted, "but that
doesn't mean there isn't one!"
"Well, if they're precognative, the question
would be about what?"
"Leading to greater speculation. It doesn't
matter, though, if your plan somehow manages to work. Those two
Lord Holders know she isn't a girl though, and that's not going to
be helpful."
"I have every faith in Paellion."
Fort Hold, 5th Pass 4.24.8, Evening
"I think you and the Wyerwoman have gone
insane," Bartalon grimaced as he listened to the plan laid out in
front of him.
"You haven't seen the lad since the Weyrwoman
went to work," Paellion suggested. "You would swear up and down
that he was a born girl."
"I find that hard to believe."
"You don't have to take my word for it, go see
for yourself!"
"That seems a little voyeuristic, doesn't it?"
Bartalon suggested. "Regardless, you and I both know that the lad
is a boy and he will grow into a man. What are you going to do
then?"
Paellion sighed and took a sip of his wine. "I
don't know," he finally admitted. "If we're lucky, he'll always
remain slight with that delightful light voice."
"Have you seen what his father looks
like?"
Paellion nodded.
"He's also as hidebound as they come. He tried
to convince me to do something about this situation. Not that I
could, but he seemed especially upset that a son of his was in a
woman's role, as he called it. Regardless, if the blood holds true,
the lad is going to be stocky when he hits his growth."
"If the blood was holding true, he would have
done so by now. Now he looks like his eldest sister, so I don't
think he'll ever take after his father," Paellion disagreed.
"Maybe," Bartalon replied, sounding doubtful.
"Still, I wonder what you expect my role in this charade to
be?"
"Pressure on Holder Darion."
"How so?"
"Darion is the wrench in the plans. I can
discredit the statement of nearly anyone on this topic other than
the actual family. I need to make sure that, at the very least, he
doesn't confirm suspicions."
"You could always claim that he disguised his
daughter as a boy to ensure inheritance," Bartalon suggested.
"You sly old man you! That's a great
suggestion!"
"I was only joking."
"No, it's perfect! It neatly disarms
suggestions from people who might have met the lad while pulling
the teeth of Holder Darion at the same time." Paellion was laughing
gleefully now.
"You're serious, aren't you?" Bartalon
asked.
"Very." Paellion was still chuckling as he
sipped on the wine. "Oh, this is just perfect."
“I don’t know why I’m
agreeing to this.”
“Because you no more believed your
daughter should Impress than I did.”
“True,” sighed Bartalon.
“I’m actually relieved, despite the show I put on at
the Weyr.”
Fort Weyr, 5th Pass 4.24.8, Evening
"Two days," Jara grumbled at B'rall, "and I
can't figure out how women stand it."
"Stand what?" B'rall asked, curious.
"Having their chests bound up like this! It
itches."
"I don't know, maybe it's better than the
alternatives."
"What alternatives?" Jara asked.
"I don't know, I don't have breasts. You could
ask Marina," B'rall suggested.
"I don't really see myself asking the
Weyrwoman such a question. What are the other weyrlings
saying?"
"Not a lot, really. I guess they just don't
know what to make of you."
"Me neither, so I guess that's fair."
"They don't dislike you," B'rall told her.
"But?"
"But the confusion is making them unsure."
"Still? Marina suggested that this disguise
would, well, help clear it up," Jara grumbled.
B'rall shrugged. "It doesn't, but then they
were there. Their dragons like you."
Jara smiled at that.
"All the dragons like you," B'rall continued.
"I can't figure that out." He ignored the pointed look from Jara.
"I mean, it's not like dragons much dislike people or anything, but
they also don't really say much about anyone other than their
rider. However, they talk about you all the time."
"Really?" Jara sounded skeptical.
"Yeah. Karanath likes you almost as much as he
likes me!"
"Oh, come on!"
"No, I'm serious," B'rall told her. "He's
always asking Sianeth how you're doing."
"Maybe he wants to fly Sianeth when the time
comes," Jara suggested, blushing at the thought.
"He's not the only one. Ask Sianeth."
They all ask about you, Sianeth agreed
sleepily.
"Why?"
Because you're special.
"I'm special? How?"
I don't know. Because we're
together?
"Maybe that's it, it's unusual," Jara
agreed.
It's not unusual for us to be
together.
Jara sighed. "I still can't convince Sianeth
that I'm not a girl," he told B'rall.
"Well, I can scarcely credit it and I already
know better."
"Thanks, I think."
*****
"Larel! Please come in," Marina greeted the
Masterhealer. "I suppose you're wondering why I asked you
here?"
Larel smiled. "It's always a pleasure to visit
the Weyr," he replied. "I hope it's not an emergency? It's a little
unusual to receive a summons via bronze dragon."
"Not an emergency, my dear Masterhealer, more
of a conundrum as it were."
"Oh? D'vid hinted along some lines. Is this
about your unusual new queen rider?"
"You're quite perceptive," Marina laughed.
"Yes, it is."
"The Masterharper has been quite busy," Larel
noted. "However, I helped to deliver the lad in my Journeyman days,
so I don't believe the tales. It's quite an usual circumstance, is
it not?"
"Indeed. I guess we hadn't thought of other
people who might have known the boy intimately enough to know
better."
"It's unlikely to be many of us," Larel
reassured her. "His Hold is reasonably remote and the other healer
at the birthing has since passed away. So what is this puzzle you
are presenting?"
"Our biggest worry is the lad growing up."
"I would think so, given the physical nature
of his father."
"Just so. It presents a bit of a problem if
this whole ruse is to succeed. I was hoping, maybe, that there
might be some way that the Healer Hall could help?"
"Perhaps," Larel admitted. "However, many of
the options available to us are rather permanent. I would hate to
damage the lad like that only to have the ruse fall through
anyways."
"Damage?"
"There are some medications, some that we give
older women, that could be used on him, but their effects are not
predictable."
"That won't do," Marina decided. "I won't risk
his health for this."
Larel sighed in relief. "I was hoping you
would say that," he told her. "I didn't want to use them anyways. I
don't know if they'll be entirely necessary anyways, the lad always
did take after his mother."
"It's the best we can do."
"Is it really necessary?" Larel asked.
"I don't entirely know," Marina told him. "As
Farallen noted at the hatching, change upsets people, especially
during a Pass. This is a very big change for Pernese to
accept."
"What if it happens again and that lad isn't
as adaptable to this ruse?"
"I don't think it will. The dragons have
reacted very strangely to Jara."
"Jara?"
"That's what the dragons call him, her. I
really have to start thinking of Jara as a girl in case I let it
slip by mistake."
Laral laughed. "That's quite a remarkable
piece of news, this naming."
"There's precedent for it, in a way, but not
like this," Marina agreed. "What's more, even T'kon has admitted
that his Galleth is infatuated with her."
"Also unusual."
"It's endemic to the dragons. They're
protective to the point of being fussy and it isn't just in this
Weyr. I'm almost afraid to let Sianeth fly thread when the time
comes in case the dragons forget what they are supposed to be doing
just to protect Jara."
"Surely not that serious!" Larel
protested.
"I wonder at it sometimes, though maybe it's
not quite that bad."
"All for a boy that Impressed a queen," Larel
mused.
"The dragons insist that he's a girl."
"You're full of surprises you know!"
"It's a daily event for me," Marina told him.
"It appears that some new revelation about this child crops up on a
regular basis."
"I should talk with this child, I think."
"Oh?"
"Someone that unusual should be studied a bit,
don't you think?"
*****
"Jara?"
"Oh, sorry Marina, please come in," Jara
called, jumping up from his bedding.
"We didn't disturb you, I hope?" Marina asked
as she strolled into the weyr, the Masterhealer in tow.
"No, I was just reading some history of the
Weyr."
"Good!" Marina smiled approvingly. "Have you
met the Masterhealer?"
"Sir," Jara replied, holding out his hand.
Larel looked at him thoughtfully for a moment
before returning the greeting. "No need to be so formal, Jara, I
delivered you when you were born."
"Oh! Then you, um, well know?"
"I do, but don't let it worry you."
"The Masterhealer wanted to meet you," Marina
added.
"Me? Why me?"
"That, my young friend, is a question that
many of us are asking," Larel replied. "Perhaps we can begin to
find an answer to it?"
"What do you mean?" Jara showed them to the
small table in the weyr and offered klah.
"I don't know yet," Larel admitted. "However,
I think by asking some questions and exploring the situation, we
might come to an understanding."
"Okay," Jara agreed doubtfully.
"Alright, why don't you tell me what happened,
in your own words," Larel suggested.
Jara took a deep breath and began to tell the
story of Impressing Sianeth.
*****
"Saleth and Brineth wouldn't let you leave the
grounds?" Larel asked, surprised.
"They told me it wasn't over and that I should
stay. They commanded me to stay, really," Jara replied.
"Has this ever happened before?" Larel asked
Marina.
"Not that I've ever heard of," Marina told
him. "What's more, Wrybeth prevented the other girls at the
hatching from getting close to Sianeth, now that I think about
it."
"Why's that?"
Sianeth had chosen, Wrybeth told
Marina.
Her choice was perfect, there could be no other.
"What?"
She needed Sianeth to become whole. Dragons
protect and Jara is special.
"Well, that's a revelation," Marina managed to
say.
"What?" Larel demanded.
Marina relayed Wrybeth's observations. "I
don't understand," she added. "Needed Sianeth to become whole? I
can't think of a rider that hasn't felt more complete with their
dragon."
"It's obviously deeper than that," Larel told
her.
"I'm still here," Jara noted, sounding a
little cross.
"Oh, I'm sorry my dear!" Marina replied.
"Wrybeth's revelations were just a bit surprising. Do you know what
she means?"
"No, I don't think so," Jara said. "I mean, I
always wanted to be a dragonrider, who hasn't, but that doesn't
seem like what she means."
Larel regarded Jara with a speculative look.
"You've adapted to this guise quite well," he noted.
Jara flushed.
"I mean no insult, Jara, it's just something
to note. Have you ever thought of being a girl before?"
"Of course not!" Jara shouted as Sianeth
stirred in her sleep.
"Hush child," Marina cautioned. "Sianeth needs
her sleep. Larel didn't mean it as an insult."
"Truly," Larel agreed. "I'm just trying to
understand what the dragons are seeing and we're missing. How have
you felt, these last couple of days?"
"Nervous," Jara admitted. "Itchy too."
"Itchy?" Marina asked.
"I'm not used to having things strapped across
my chest all the time."
"It's better than the alternative," Marina
laughed. "It can be quite painful, especially during threadfall, if
things aren't properly contained."
"I don't have anything to contain," Jara
noted.
"Indeed, but the illusion requires that it
appears that you do."
Jara sighed. "I never thought life could be so
complicated," he groused.
"Well, I for one, am a little jealous Jara,"
Larel told him.
"Why?"
"No matter how strange this is for you, you
have Sianeth and always will. That's a special bond that most of us
will never experience in our lives. Like you, I dreamt of it
also."
Jara nodded mutely.
"I need to digest all of this information,"
Larel declared. "It's late and I expect that I'm not the only one
who is tired and who has had a lot to absorb."
"Do you have any ideas?" Marina asked.
"Some, but it's too early to speculate. It's
time for me to start doing some research in the old records."
Fort Weyr, 5th Pass 5.15.8, Evening
"Something's not right Marina," Jara cried,
running into to the Weyrwoman's weyr.
"Shh, child, whatever is the matter?" Marina
soothed as Jara all but jumped into her arms.
"There's something wrong with me," Jara
sniffled, his voice slightly muffled.
"Wrong?"
"My chest, it's wrong."
Marina stepped back slightly and held Jara to
look. "I don't see anything wrong."
"I'm growing there!"
"What?"
"I think I'm getting breasts," Jara admitted,
his tears starting again.
"That doesn't make any sense," Marina
declared. "How can you be growing breasts?"
"I don't know," Jara wailed.
"Shh, calm down," Marina soothed, stroking
Jara's hair. "There must be a logical explanation. Let's call in
the Masterhealer."
*****
"I'm at a loss," Larel admitted to Marina. "I
don't have an explanation. As far as I can tell, Jara should be a
basically healthy young lad. I gave him, I mean her, something to
help her sleep for a while. Sianeth appears upset, though."
"Wrybeth has calmed her down," Marina noted
absently. "No clues?"
"None," Lareth shook his head. "For all
intents and purposes, he looks like any young girl just starting to
blossom into adulthood. Minus some differences around the groin, of
course."
"Of course," Marina noted drily.
"Mind you, even there he seems a bit, well,
underdeveloped."
"That's unusual, most dragonriders are well
endowed."
"Jara is hardly usual," Larel noted. "If I
didn't know any better, I'd say that Jara's body has decided to
agree with the dragons."
Marina raised an eyebrow.
"Like I said, if I didn't know any better.
Something isn't quite right."
No, Wrybeth interjected.
It is
right.
Larel looked at Marina in surprise.
"You heard that?" Marina asked as Larel
nodded. "What do you mean dear heart?"
Jara is becoming herself.
Larel shook his head in confusion as Marina
asked, "what do you mean?"
It's natural. With Sianeth, she is whole
and is becoming what she should be. Dragons protect.
Marina gave Larel a helpless look. "You know
as much as I do," she told him.
"Which isn't much," Larel agreed. "Clearly,
something is acting to change Jara to fit the mold the dragons see
in her. What, exactly, is the question. Not even dragons can do
that."
"No, not even dragons," Marina agreed, her
voice trailing off in speculation.
*****
You're awake, Sianeth noted as Jara
stretched on his furs.
"Are you hungry?" Jara asked, concerned.
It is night, time for sleeping. You've
slept since the Healer came.
"And you stayed awake?"
You were upset. You shouldn't be.
"I'm changing Sianeth, in ways that shouldn't
happen."
It is good. Wrybeth says you are becoming
whole and that I am helping you. I want to help you.
"What does she mean?" Jara demanded, his voice
echoing his frustration.
I don't know. You are Jara and I am
Sianeth. We are together and that is whole. Still, Wrybeth and the
others say there is more. I don't understand either. I want you to
be happy.
Jara forced himself to relax and went over to
cuddle against the dragon. Idly, he scratched Sianeth's eye ridges
as he contemplated the first time he had touched a dragon. Saleth
had been so sure, rightly it seems, at least in the basics of it.
Still, that fabulous moment couldn't compare to the sheer joy in
scratching Sianeth.
You're feeling better. I like when you
scratch there.
"I know, my love. I am feeling a little
better, but I still don't know what to do."
You are learning. You don't think of
yourself as J'red anymore.
"You snitch on me when I do!"
I only want you to be whole. Wrybeth says
this is the only way. Dragons protect. Dragons protect you.
Jara threw his arms around Sianeth. "I love
you Sianeth, you know that."
I know. I love you too.
Fort Weyr, 5th Pass 5.16.8, Morning
"Jara! Over here," D'vid called as Jara walked
into the cavern looking for breakfast.
"Good morning bronze rider," Jara smiled in
genuine pleasure. "You're up early."
"I'm helping with the first flying lessons,"
D'vid admitted. "Though it's still too soon for you to go up."
"Sianeth is almost as big as a full grown
green."
"True, but that's barely half her adult
size."
"I want to fly," Jara whispered. "I need to
get away from all of this, somehow."
"This?"
Jara waved at his body and the clothing he was
wearing. "This. This guise, this person that I have to be. I need
to go up in the sky, someplace where I can just be me."
D'vid smiled in sympathy. "Soon, my young
friend, soon. Has it been that bad?"
"Something is happening to me," Jara
admitted.
"Oh?"
"I'm well, um..."
"That's not very clear," D'vid grinned at
him.
"I'm growing breasts!"
D'vid's eyes opened in astonishment. "That's
not possible," he stated.
Jara shrugged. "That's what Larel said too,
nevertheless, they're growing."
"Oh."
"I don't want them," Jara told him.
"I can imagine," D'vid agreed. "However, they
could be useful."
"I don't see how."
"Well, it helps the disguise."
"Some disguise, I'm turning into a girl! I
don't want to be a girl D'vid!"
"Surely it isn't that bad?" D'vid asked.
Jara glared at him.
"I mean, maybe it's just swelling or
something."
Jara shook his head. "It's been too long. I
thought so too, but after a while they just got bigger."
"I don't know what to say," D'vid
admitted.
"I'm sorry," Jara replied, feeling abashed. "I
shouldn't burden you with my problems."
"No, it's okay, I'm just at a loss. I'm just a
dragonrider, I don't know anything about healing or anatomy. Has
the Masterhealer said anything?"
"He doesn't know either," Jara replied in
frustration.
"It is unusual, you must admit. Perhaps he
needs time to research the records?"
Jara nodded and stared morosely at his
breakfast.
"Cheer up," D'vid told him. "At least the
flying lessons are starting!"
Jara smiled at that, his mind reaching out to
the just waking Sianeth. "Sianeth wonders what the fuss is about.
She says that she has wings, dragons fly, and riders ride."
D'vid chuckled. "All of the dragons say that,
but it takes time to develop the muscles and become used to the
activity. It's a very sad day for the entire Weyr when a young
dragon pushes past it's limit."
"Does it happen often?" Jara felt a pang of
concern.
"Once is too often," D'vid told him seriously.
"However, it is a rare enough event thanks to the training. I
understand your impatience, but school yourself. You're a Queen
rider, you can control your desires."
"I can't even control my body," Jara
snorted.
"Ladies don't snort," Marina noted as she
approached the table, smiling at the guilty start that Jara gave.
The lad had come a long way in adopting the guise, Marina
reflected, though Sianeth reported that he, shards she, still
referred to herself in the masculine. "Wrybeth tells me that
Sianeth is as anxious as you to fly," she added as she joined the
two at the table.
"Oh yes," Jara sighed, his eyes losing focus
as he thought about Sianeth and the clear blue skies above
Pern.
"Patience," Marina smiled.
"That's what D'vid said!"
"D'vid is adventurous, but wise, even if his
nose for trouble is better suited to a brown rider."
"I protest!" D'vid laughed, "Brineth is the
trouble maker."
If you would kick him Jara, I would be
grateful, Brineth suddenly sounded in Jara's mind.
"Hey!" D'vid jumped back as Jara aimed the
kick. "You're subverting my dragon!"
Marina's peals of laughter rang out across the
room. "Oh my! It seems that Brineth is reluctant to accept blame
for your exploits!"
"How are you today Brineth?" Jara asked with
his mind, suddenly feeling a little daring.
I am well, Brineth replied.
You are
troubled. Don't be, dragons protect.
"I'll try," Jara responded silently as D'vid
turned to gaze at him intently.
"You're really more remarkable than A'lon and
Saleth ever really imagined, you know," D'vid said, his gaze still
intent.
"What?" Jara jerked around. "I'm sorry, I
didn't mean to."
D'vid waved away the apology. "Brineth decides
who he will talk to and apparently you're one that he will.
Nevertheless, he feels a need to protect you. Why?"
Jara shrugged helplessly and looked at Marina.
"Wrybeth said the same thing," Marina responded. "For some reason,
they believe that Sianeth is necessary for Jara to become whole.
Nobody really understands it, except the dragons and they aren't
explaining it very well."
"I'm really not all that remarkable," Jara
disagreed.
"On the contrary, you ride a queen," D'vid
interjected. "For that reason alone you are in select company. Add
in the circumstances and you become entirely remarkable." Marina
nodded her agreement.
"I guess I just don't understand."
"Neither do we, dear, but we'll figure it
out."
Harper Hall, 5th Pass 5.16.8, Afternoon
"I'm exhausted," Larel admitted as he accepted
the cup of klah from Paellion. "I've been up all night straining my
eyes looking for clues about what could be happening with young
Jara."
"I take it that it has been fruitless so far?"
Paellion asked.
"Indeed, but even with the records in sorry
shape, I've barely plumbed the surface of the information
available."
"I must admit, I've not managed to retrieve an
explanation or even an example from Harper lore. How is Jara taking
this change?"
"She's upset, as you might imagine," Larel
replied. "While it certainly benefits the disguise that you and
Weyrwoman have concocted, the child is not happy with the apparent
permanence of it."
"I wonder if that happiness is a function of
life outside the Weyr?" Paellion mused.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, in truth my friend, the lot of women on
our beknighted planet is not as good as it could be. The Weyr is
different, the Weyrwoman is really the power there and women are
encouraged to be independent. This is not what happens in the Holds
or even many crafthalls, as you well know."
"The Healer Hall has always encouraged women!"
Larel protested.
"Indeed, I don't intend to disparage our
respective crafts in this regard, but you know as well as I that
fewer women are coming into the crafthalls and much of that is a
result of fathers attempting to achieve alliances through
marriage."
Larel sighed and twirled the klah in his cup.
"I must admit that you have the right of it, but how does this
affect Jara?"
"It's mere speculation on my part, perhaps a
Harper whimsy, but perhaps the greatest problem that Jara faces
with this is the attitude towards women that she has been brought
up with."
"Are you trying to become a mind healer?"
Larel smiled. "Her attitudes would not be helped given the nature
of Holder Darion, I agree."
"A harper must be first, and foremost, a
student of people," Paellion reminded him, sounding a little
pompous in the declaration. "It was plain to all who could see that
Darion was less than pleased by the outcome of the Hatching."
"As you say," Larel replied. "I certainly
won't discount your observations on that score. Still, I wish I
understood what was happening with her physiologically."
"I have every confidence in you my
friend."
"Well, that makes one of us. I've never
encountered such a person as this."
"Yes, our latest queen rider is something
altogether unique. I wish I could write
his song, it would
be a worthy tale."
Fort Weyr, 5th Pass 5.26.8, Afternoon
"You are not to try and take your dragon
between until you have been given proper instruction and
training. Today we will perform a short flight to accustom you and
your dragon to the process," G'ten instructed the assembled
wyerlings, his countenance stern.
The weyrlings, including Jara, nodded their
understanding.
I don't understand the delays,Sianeth
mentioned as Jara checked the riding straps for the fourth time
that morning.
He may be old, but does he have to be slow as
well?
"Hush, he's only looking after us," Jara
replied, trying to hide his grin. "Soon we'll go
between and
I'll take you to visit my sisters."
Sianeth's eyes whirled in pleasure and she
nudged Jara affectionately with her nose.
"Mount up!" G'ten called from the back of his
aging blue as the weyrlings quickly climbed aboard their dragons.
Already Jara could feel the clear blue of the sky calling to him,
but he restrained the urge to leap ahead of the instruction even as
he felt Sianeth's amusement at the efforts of her, now, much
smaller hatching mates to prepare. At some unheard signal from
G'ten, the forty nine dragons leapt to the air, their quick springs
causing their riders to jerk back in their harness.
Within moments, Jara could feel the
exhilaration of Sianeth's powerful muscles straining to catch air
and propel them high above the Weyr. The vista spread out around
them and each finally saw the spectacular vista that was Pern, the
vista that drew their ancestors to this planet and kept them there
to breed the magnificant dragons to fight the thread that
threatened their idyllic choice. "I love you Sianeth," Jara called.
"I want to be up here forever with you!"
It is beautiful and it feels right for you
to be on my back and us to be in the air as we should be. G'ten is
ordering us to return. Sianeth didn't bother to hide the sounds
of resentment in her mental voice.
Jara laughed and squeezed Sianeth's neck. "We
had best return love, we've outpaced our weyrmates."
Slow and small, they thought that they
could keep up with me.
"Karaneth came the closest," Jara noted.
I let him, Sianeth responded, sounding
a little smug.
He will have to fly much faster if he ever hopes
to catch me.
"Sianeth! You aren't..."
No, not yet.
Jara felt a sudden surge of relief at that and
turned to watch the ground approach. Idly, he noted that the other
weyrlings were already on the ground and that G'ten looked a little
angry. "I think we might be in trouble," Jara commented as Sianeth
completed her graceful landing.
Ignore him, he's only a blue.
"Jara! I told you to land and when I say land,
you land!"
"Sorry G'ten, Sianeth wanted to stretch her
wings," Jara apologized.
G'ten glared hard enough for Sianeth to swing
her head around and interpose it between the two humans. Aveth,
G'ten's blue, bugled an objection to which Sianeth responded with a
strong hiss.
"Enough," G'ten said forceably. "You can
explain your carelessness to the Wyerleader. Class dismissed."
Fort Weyr, 5th Pass 5.26.8, Evening
"Young lady," T'kon started, his facial
muscles twitching, "G'ten is your Wingleader while you remain a
weyrling and you will obey him!"
"I'm not a young lady!" Jara shouted back. "I
apologized and he glared at me so hard that Sianeth became
upset."
T'kon glared.
"We came back down," Jara continued, "but just
because Sianeth is bigger and can fly faster doesn't mean we were
disobeying."
"Young wings need time to develop," Marina
added quietly. "G'ten was only concerned with Sianeth's well
being."
"I know," Jara agreed morosely, dropping into
the chair he had jumped from before looking blankly towards the
ceiling. "Both of us, especially me, wanted to rise in the sky so
badly. We wanted to be some place where we could just be us, to be
away from all of this where we have to live in disguise and
pretend."
"I don't think we should continue this
Marina," T'kon said, his gaze softening.
"We have to," Marina replied, a helpless look
on her face. "The Harper rumors have done their work too well and
there are, well, other reasons."
"Other reasons?"
Marina sighed before looking to Jara for
agreement. "Jara has been, well, developing oddly for a boy."
"What, by the first egg, is that supposed to
mean?"
"Jara is growing breasts and there are other
changes."
"What? Are you sure you aren't a girl," T'kon
demanded of Jara.
"Of course I'm sure!" Jara shouted, jumping up
again.
"Easy," Marina cautioned. "Jara is a boy, I
have seen him. Nevertheless, there is no denying the changes. Larel
has examined him and is looking for answers."
T'kon shook his head and laughed softly. "This
is getting beyond crazy," he noted. "You know Holder Darion is
going to think we've done something."
"Such as?" Marina demanded.
"Who knows?" T'kon shrugged. "He's been surly
and uncooperative ever since the Hatching and he seems to be
blaming us for the whole situation. Remarkably, however, he hasn't
heard that rumor that the Harper spread about."
"Isolation has its advantages."
"What rumor?" Jara asked.
"The Harper let it be known that your father
secretly disguised you as a boy so that you could inherit the
holding," Marina told him.
"He wouldn't like that at all!" Jara exclaimed
as the two Weyrleaders nodded. Jara started laughing before the
tears started.
"What's wrong?" Marina cried, jumping up to
comfort him.
"I can never go back, go back to being Jared.
Look at me! Even if I tried, nobody would believe it."
"Do you really want to?" Marina asked, her
eyes intent.
Jara's eyes registered helplessness,
confusion, and sadness.
*****
"A rider can't commit suicide," T'kon stated
forcefully as Marina continued to worry at the problem of Jara.
"I know that!" Marina sighed in exasperation.
"A rider can, however, push her dragon beyond endurance and that
would be suicide."
"Won't happen."
"I wish I was so confident," Marina responded
snappishly.
"Marina, with every dragon on the planet
practically hovering over the pair, do you really think that they
could do something that foolish?" T'kon demanded.
"No," Marina sighed.
"I wish I hadn't let you start this masquerade
though."
"I don't think it would matter. You saw the
child, did you think he was male? His body is really changing."
"It makes no sense!" T'kon stated again as
Marina shrugged. "Surely the Healer has some idea? Anything at
all?"
"Not that I know of and it's been several
days," Marina replied as her head cocked to the sound of the drum
rolls echoing into the Weyr. "Ah, the Healer is asking for
conveyance, maybe he has found something?"
T'kon's eyes lost focus for a moment. "I've
asked Galleth to see if D'vid and Brineth could fetch him. Maybe he
has an answer then, I don't know, the message didn't say."
"Of course not, Larel is not stupid."
The two Weyrleaders waited silently until they
heard Galleth bugle a greeting to Brineth, signalling the arrival
of the Masterhealer. The pair strolled into the weyr as Marina was
already springing forward with, "What news?"
"And greetings to you and Wrybeth my dear
Werywoman as well," Larel grinned.
Marina stopped, slightly abashed. "My
apologies Larel, but we've become very anxious about Jara."
Larel waved away the apology. "I asked D'vid
to join us since Jara has apparently confided in him anyways."
T'kon and Marina nodded.
"I have found some clues in the records of the
ancients, as poorly kept as they might be. Master Paellion is quite
put out with the archivists on this score, I must say." The others
chuckled, knowing the Masterharper loved history. "However, as I
was saying, I found some clues. It seems that Jara's condition is
not unheard of, though apparently quite rare even before our
ancestors arrived here. It would appear that Jara isn't quite
completely male nor is he, or she, quite completely female."
The three dragonriders stared at him in
confusion. "That doesn't make sense," D'vid finally managed. "There
are only two choices: male or female. Every species is the
same."
"Not entirely true," Larel lectured.
"According to the Masterfisherman, he's observed species of fish
that appear to change sex for some unknown reason."
"Are you saying that Jara is changing sexes?"
Marina asked.
"Not quite, Jara is really both sexes, or
maybe neither."
"Or something else entirely," T'kon
commented.
"Indeed. Though, from what I can gather, the
dragons have apparently decided that Jara is truly a female."
"Jara seems resistant to that, though the Weyr
seems to accept what they see at face value," Marina noted.
"The dragons probably helped that as well,
enough so that their riders decided that their first impressions
were wrong," Larel explained.
"So, what do we do?" Marina asked.
"That, I don't know. The condition is
explained, but a cure is not, which is unusual for the ancients.
All I can suggest is that we just allow Jara to find his or her
way."
T'kon grimaced. "Jara rather pointedly noted
that he is trapped now, thanks in great part to the rumors and
suggestions that have since been spread around Pern," he said.
"Those rumors would certainly be reinforced by
Jara's appearance," D'vid noted. "I remember the lad when I picked
him up for the hatching. He may have been slight, but I didn't take
him for a girl. I would now and it hasn't been all that long."
"Maybe I was wrong about the dragons," Larel
mused.
"What do you mean?" Marina asked.
"You remember when we decided that not even
dragons could cause this?" Marina nodded. "Well," Larel continued,
"it may be that they are unintentionally accelerating the process.
Impressing Sianeth may have proven to be some sort of catalyst, a
very strong one. As you all know, the gold dragon is definitely a
powerful female, the greatest of her species, and possesses the
strongest will and mind of all dragons, yet she is the breeder and
her instincts in that direction are immense. The powerful bond
between dragon and rider might have created an internal trigger in
Jara, a trigger that responds to the strong presence of
Sianeth."
"That is a lot of speculation," T'kon
noted.
"True," Larel agreed. "Nevertheless, the
evidence strongly points to that or something like that. The
changes have been very rapid and, so the records indicate, unusual
even at that. They don't record such startling differences as Jara
exhibits."
"Which brings us back to the question of what
do we do?" Marina said.
"Nothing. It's not even in our hands. Let us
hope that Jara can come to terms with the changes and that
Sianeth's bond is stronger than Jara's desire to be male."
"No dragonrider would have a doubt over that,"
D'vid stated.
"No dragonrider faces those particular
questions."
Fort Weyr, 5th Pass 6.11.8, Afternoon
Jara revelled in the feel of the wind in his
face as Sianeth's wings stretched out and propelled them into the
sky. Today, finally, they would be taught to go
between,
into that cold void that dragons used to transport themselves and
their riders nearly instantly across Pern.
Aveth says to visualize the Star Stone at
the Weyr, Sianeth relayed. Jara dutifully pictured the Stone in
his mind from the angle that G'ten had taught them.
I can see it
clearly, Sianeth stated,
though I already know what it looks
like.
"It's probably for my practice rather than
yours," Jara smiled.
We are first to go. Are you ready?
Jara nodded as he mentally gave the
instruction to go
between. Even with the lessons and
previous experience, the cold blackness of
between nearly
took Jara's breath away. Count to three, he told himself as he
could no longer feel the strength of Sianeth beneath his legs.
I am here. We are together.
Sianeth and Jara winked into view above the
Star Stone and the much warmer air of the spring helped to chase
away some of the coldness of between. Jara felt the elation of
success.
Aveth says we did well, perfectly
positioned. Sianeth conveyed a tone that indicated that there
was no doubt that the return would be perfect.
He says we are to
practice with the landmarks we have been taught.
Jara dutifully began to picture the places
they had flown to as their next journey
between began.
*****
"How long, do you think, before Jara tries to
visit her family?" Marina commented as she watched the young gold
dragon go
between in another practice run.
"I gave it less than three days," D'vid
grinned.
"Gave it?"
"The betting on that is quite hot. I think
A'lon probably has the best chance of winning, but I didn't get my
bet in on time."
Marina laughed. "I don't know what to do with
some of you sometimes," she said, still laughing.
"You know that she has to visit them if, for
no other reason, than to cut the ties to the past. She's a
dragonrider now, her family is us."
"That's easier for the weyrbred and you know
it."
"True," D'vid agreed. "Mind you, given the
attitude of Holder Darion lately, he may make the decision much
easier."
"I've heard," Marina grunted in mild
anger.
"Lord Bartalon is becoming more displeased
with Darion as well. It appears that he has taken up heavy drinking
in favor of his duties to his Lord Holder."
"All for this?" Marina shook her head.
"I gather that his wife miscarried and with
Jara here," D'vid trailed off.
"No heir. Has anyone told Jara?"
"No, and Darion sent no messages."
"Jara should be told," Marina decided.
Barrit Cothold, 5th Pass 6.12.8, Early Morning
I'm hungry, Sianeth noted as Jara
prepared the riding straps.
"You can feed when we get to the hold," Jara
replied. "I need to see my family, especially with my mother's
miscarriage. It's been so long." Marina's revelation last night
jolted Jara and scared him greatly. Jara knew his father, things
would not be going very well at home with this happening and with
Jara's Impression of Sianeth.
I can wait, Sianeth agreed.
*****
"Look!" Mari shouted, pointing towards the
sky. "It's a queen dragon!"
"Shh, Mari, your father is sleeping," Liana
cautioned as she followed the excited finger pointing of her
youngest daughter.
"Oh mama, do you think it's Jared?"
Liana shook her head, but she was hoping that
it was her son. It had been so long and Darion had sunk into a
depression that had only gotten much worse since her miscarriage.
The beautiful gold dragon landed in the small field outside her
home and she watched as the lithe figure descended and turned to
face them with a smile.
"Jared!" Mari and Aimee shouted as they ran
towards their brother. Liana followed at a more stately pace and
smiled as Jared hugged his sisters in turn. As she reached her son,
his appearance rocked her back on her heels with shock.
"Jared! What is all this?" Liana demanded as
she surveyed the visible changes that her daughters had either
missed or ignored.
Jara sighed as he released his sisters from
the hug. "It's a long story mother," he told her. "Something is
happening and even the Masterhealer doesn't understand it."
"Before that," Mari interrupted, "I want to
meet your dragon!"
"Mari!" Liana scolded.
Jara laughed. "It's okay mother," he smiled.
"Sianeth, these are my two sisters and my mother. Ladies, this is
Sianeth."
Liana felt her throat tighten at the obvious
love in her son's voice as he made the introductions.
Jara loves you all a great deal,
Sianeth said, surprising Liana with the words in her mind.
"Jara?" Liana finally managed. "She spoke to
me."
Jara scratched Sianeth's eye ridges. "She
knows how much you all mean to me," he told them. "The dragons call
me Jara, that's part of the story. Where is father?"
"Your father is asleep," Liana told him, her
voice suddenly angry.
"Asleep? With crops to tend?"
Liana gave a tight nod.
"Mother, I've heard about what happened."
"It was the event that pushed him over the
edge," Liana sighed. "Come inside and have some klah and tell us
what is happening to you."
"Sianeth needs to hunt..."
"Tell her to, it's not as if it matters to
your father now."
I will hunt light, Sianeth said.
"Oh Jared," Mari sighed as Sianeth leapt into
the air, "she's so beautiful."
Jara hugged his little sister. "So are you,"
he smiled.
"What's it like?" Aimee asked as her eyes
followed Sianeth's flight.
"I don't know how to explain it," Jara
admitted. "We're one, together forever. It's just beyond what I had
ever imagined." They entered the cot and Jara noticed the signs of
Darion's disregard. "It's bad, isn't it?" Jara asked.
Liana nodded. "He was upset that you Impressed
Sianeth and then it got worse when I miscarried."
"Drink?"
"Yes, too much. Lord Bartalon has cautioned
him, but he refuses to listen. Jared, we could be turned out if
something doesn't change soon."
"You can come to the Weyr," Jara suggested as
Liana shook her head.
"We go where your father goes," Liana told
him. "However, enough of that talk. What has happened with you? You
look like one of my daughters and not my son."
"Well, at first, the Weyrwoman and Harper
suggested..."
*****
"I don't believe it," Liana finally stated as
Jara finished the story. "You started masquerading as a girl? Then
you started turning into one? Jared, what were you thinking?"
"I was thinking how to keep my Weyr from
having trouble," Jara replied. "Nobody, least of all me, thought
that this would happen. Do you think that I wanted this?"
"No, I suppose not. Why do the dragons call
you Jara?"
Jara shrugged. "Nobody knows," he admitted.
"They just do. They say I'm becoming whole and they are protecting
me."
"Well, well," Darion sneered from behind. "I
see my son, the girl, has returned. The laughingstock of Pern. The
boy on the gold dragon."
Jara turned to face his father and immediately
saw the blood-shot eyes and haggard expression of one who had been
drinking all too much. "Nobody is laughing at me," Jara told him
firmly.
Darion's eyes widened at the appearance of his
son. "You look like a girl! What else are you going to do to
embarass me and this family?"
"Enough," Jara said, slamming his hand on the
table. "I didn't come here to argue with you, I came to see my
family and enjoy some time from the Weyr. Clearly, I'm not welcome
and I'll leave."
"No!" Liana and Aimee cried out.
"Yes!" Darion shouted. "I don't want this
boy-girl thing in my home. It's bad enough that my former son
had to Impress a gold dragon, but then to come here looking like a
girl. Get out!"
Jara stood up and stomped out of the house,
Darion following cursing at him until the large bulk of Sianeth
dropped between them, her eyes whirling with the red of anger.
Overhead, several bronze dragons blinked in from
between and
circled above anxiously. Sianeth bugled a calming note as she fixed
her gaze on Darion who had backed away nervously.
"I am who I am," Jara shouted at his father.
"I don't need you or your approval. Sianeth is all that matters and
you'll never understand that."
Galleth says we must return, now,
Sianeth told him as she made the leap into the air before taking
them between.
The bronzes are worried, but I hunted well this
morning.
Jara laughed before softly crying as he
allowed the blackness of
between to provide the cold comfort
he needed.
Fort Weyr, 5th Pass 6.12.8, Morning
"Galleth was beside himself," T'kon shouted as
Marina comforted Jara. "He said that Darion was going to attack you
and suddenly every bronze at Fort disappeared. You were not
authorized to take solo trips!"
Jara dried his eyes and sat up. "I had to go,"
he said. "My mother had miscarried and I hadn't seen my family in
so long. I had to see them."
"You took a terrible risk with Sianeth," T'kon
scolded, but backing down a little.
"There was no risk. Ask G'ten, Sianeth never
misses her mark and I know my old home better than I know the
Weyr."
T'kon shook his head and sat down. "What am I
going to do with you?" He demanded. "You're disrupting the
Weyr."
"T'kon," Marina cautioned.
"What would you have me say Marina? I can only
deal with one catastrophe at a time and this child runs into them
headlong on a daily basis!"
"Hardly," Marina noted. "We've been remiss in
dealing with situations before they get out of hand. All of us
should have seen this coming and prepared for it. And Jara is
right, too, that G'ten is full of praise for Sianeth's abilities.
Like her rider, she is surprising everyone."
"Perhaps that is the problem," T'kon decided
as he ignored the questioning stares from Marina and Jara. "Yes, I
think that is it."
"What, by the first egg, are you muttering
about?" Marina demanded.
"Despite the rocky start," T'kon elaborated.
"It is clear that Sianeth and Jara are beyond the basic weyrling
training and they need to prepare for more active duty. Sianeth is
already grown far beyond her hatching mates and the pair don't need
firestone instruction. It's time they joined the Queen's Wing."
Jara caught his breath. "Fight thread?" He
demanded.
"Not yet," Marina replied. "You need to learn
still, as does Sianeth, but I think T'kon is right. It is time you
learned your role in the fight against our ancient enemy."
"It's decided," T'kon said. "I'll inform G'ten
that you're no longer a part of the weyrling training. However,
young lady, you are not authorized to go off on jaunts on your own
until the Weyrwoman gives her leave. Do you understand?"
Jara nodded his agreement.
"Now," Marina asked, as she took Jara's elbow
and led him out of the room. "We also need to examine the extent of
your changes."
*****
"I have to admit," Marina said, sitting back,
"that I just don't understand it."
"That makes two of us," Jara shrugged.
"Larel found some information in the old
records."
"Information?"
"What's happening to you, apparently, isn't
entirely unknown to the Ancients. However, it's happening faster
than they said it would or could."
"Why?" Jara demanded.
"We don't know," Marina admitted. "Larel
thinks that the dragons might be the reason that you're
accelerating."
"The dragons? How?"
"Another thing we don't know. The dragons,
however, insist that you're a girl and they seem to be much more
interested in you than anyone would expect."
Jara ground his teeth in frustration.
"You're still doing it," Marina noted. "Think
Jara!"
"Sianeth!"
It is better for you to become who you
are, Sianeth replied, unperturbed by her weyrmate's
outburst.
"I can't believe that you managed to get my
dragon to snitch on me," Jara grumbled as Marina laughed
lightly.
"Sianeth is doing what she thinks is best,"
Marina added as Sianeth's eyes whirled in agreement.
"So, what do I do?" Jara finally asked.
"Nothing," Marina replied. "What can you do?
Or any of us? Even if the Ancients knew how to cure it, we've lost
that skill, like so many other skills before."
"And it helps you, doesn't it?"
"I won't lie to you Jara, it really does
help."
"I don't like this," Jara muttered.
"Look at it this way," Marina suggested. "If
you started changing back home, without us or Sianeth, what do you
think might have happened?"
*****
"It isn't right," T'kon stated, glancing at
his wingleaders. "Those dragons seemed ready to actually
attack."
"I don't think they would have," D'vid
disagreed. "Mind you, Holder Darion might not know that."
"The only time I've ever seen my Dilloth that
upset, angry really, was when thread almost hit me," K'rin
noted.
"Galleth denies that he would have hurt
Darion," T'kon sighed. "Nevertheless, I felt his anger and he
didn't wait for me. I can't fathom it. Jara is a good kid, we all
want her to be happy, but I've never seen nor heard of the
like."
"Brineth has been like a broody Gold ever
since he met Jara, " D'vid commented. "A'lon tells me his Blue is
the same way. For some reason, which the dragons won't explain,
they're extremely protective of Jara."
K'rin laughed lightly. "That's an
understatement in my opinion. I have to agree with T'kon, I'd swear
Dilloth was ready to flame Darion. Fortunately, he hadn't chewed
any firestone."
"Well, it doesn't matter," T'kon decided.
"Jara is staying here, Darion is staying in his Hold, and life will
move on."
Harper Hall and Fort Hold, 5th Pass 6.12.8, Evening
"Rumors are appearing," Garen stated as he
sipped the light, Benden, wine.
Paellion regarded his young journeyman with a
raised brow. "Care to elaborate on that a little?"
"Most of the people believe our story of Jara,
but there are a few who know better. One, at least, has been
spreading his opinion quite freely."
"Any idea who?"
"A man named Arabak," Garen told him. "He's
sort of a renegade, but does odd jobs here and there for shelter.
At least, that's what I've been able to determine, though I think
there is something more there."
"Why is that?" Paellion asked, intrigued.
"Well, the Holds that he works for tend to get
robbed after he leaves. He's spread out in his work, so none of the
Holders have put it together."
"What's his connection to Jara?"
"Darion. More specifically, he worked for
Darion for a lot of turns and Darion is one of the few that hasn't
been robbed. Arabak would know who Jara was and would be able to
figure it out."
"Why would he care?"
"That," Garen grumbled, "is something I
haven't determined yet."
"We need to find this Arabak," Paellion
decided.
"Truly, but the finding is the hard part. He
moves around, a lot."
"So do you, my friend, so do you."
"I knew I wasn't going to be resting for a
while," Garen grinned. "Do you suppose I could finish my wine?"
*****
"Holder Darion is becoming a serious issue,"
Seren, the Steward of Fort Hold noted. "His crops are not being
tended and reports indicate that he spends most of his time
drinking."
Bartalon sighed. "The Jara situation is part
of that problem," he said. "With his wife having a miscarriage,
Darion has gone over the edge. I'm reluctant to turn them out,
however, as his family has a long history there."
"Agreed, but the situation is getting worse
since Jara made an appearance."
"T'kon was quite put out with that trip,"
Bartalon smiled. "Though I understand it was more because Jara
shouted him down."
"The appearance of riderless Bronze dragons
over the Hold was quite surprising as well."
"Indeed. Marina has said, on several
occasions, that the dragons have taken a special interest in this
child, though they haven't given a good explanation as to why.
Apparently, they had decided that Jara was in danger."
"The Harper rumors are taking hold too," Seren
added. "Though there appears to be a counter rumor going around.
Garen, the Masterharper's spy seems to be on the problem."
"Has Darion heard either of them?"
"Likely not, he's seldom sober enough to even
look out his windows and his Hold is isolated."
"Small blessings then. Well, I suppose that it
is time we paid Holder Darion a visit and reminded him of his
duties to Hold and Weyr."
"I'll make the arrangements," Seren
agreed.
"Also, send Maliana to me. I've heard more
reports of her poor treatment of the drudges and she's tried my
patience beyond enduring," Bartalon instructed. "I was a bit put
out when Jara Impressed Sianeth, but I think that was for the best.
Maliana would make a poor rider with her attitude."
*****
"Enough!" Bartalon shouted. "If I hear another
report of you beating the drudges, I'll set you to sweeping the
stables wearing only a shift! Have I made myself clear?"
"Yes Father," Maliana muttered.
"What? I didn't hear you."
"Yes!"
"Watch your tone with me," Bartalon snapped.
"I think it's time to find you a suitable husband and settle you
down with proper responsibilities."
"Husband! Never! I'm going to be a
weyrwoman!"
"You had your chance and, Marina agrees with
me, you won't be presented at a hatching again. It's done."
"I hate you! I hate you and that boy-girl
thing!" Maliana screamed as she bolted from the office.
Bartalon rubbed his temples. "Yes, it's time
she was married off," he muttered to himself. "Though I hate to
inflict her on any of my loyal Holders."
*****
Bartalon's eyes took in the neglected
appearance of the land as the riders approached Barrit Cothold.
"It's worse than I though," Bartalon told Seren. "The cot, itself,
is the only thing that looks tended to."
"Indeed," Seren agreed, his eyes sweeping the
untended fields as well and the site of Liana appearing at the door
to the cot.
"My Lord Holder," Liana greeted, her face
looking worn and sad. "What brings you to this dreary place?"
"Ah, my dear Liana," Bartalon responded as he
dismounted from the runnerbeast. "Sad duty, I'm afraid. Darion has
been far too lax of late and I have allowed it to continue all too
long out of deference to the situation."
Liana shook her head slowly. "He's lost to
me," she told him. "With Jared and my miscarriage, he is not the
man he was. Have you come to turn us out?"
Bartalon winced. "Not yet, I've come to turn
Darion around."
"You'll not succeed Lord Bartalon, nor do I
think I care anymore."
"That bad?"
"It's that bad," Liana told him. "I loved him,
I truly did, but he's lost to me. I can no longer reach him and he
doesn't respond anymore. Jared offered us the protection of the
Weyr; I'm willing to take it now."
"You know what is happening in the Weyr?"
Bartalon asked.
"I do."
"Then?"
"Turn us out, Lord Bartalon. You'll gain
nothing from Darion anymore."
"Ah Liana, I have to try."
Liana shrugged and allowed him into the cot.
"Darion is sleeping off last night's wine. Would you and Seren like
some klah?"
"No, I think not," Bartalon replied shaking
his head slightly as he grasped Liana's hand. "Holder Darion!
Attend your Lord Holder, immediately!" Bartalon suddenly
shouted.
Fort Weyr, 5th Pass 6.15.8, Afternoon
Jara could barely contain his excitement at
the imminent arrival of his mother and sisters, though he was
saddened that it had come to this. Rumor had it that his father had
totally ignored Lord Bartalon and then, when fully confronted, only
told his Lord Holder to get out. Lord Bartalon was left with little
choice but to evict the family.
You should dress better, Sianeth told
him.
"What?"
Wrybeth asked me what you were wearing
because Marina wanted to know.
"Sianeth!"
"Your dragon is right," Marina stated from the
entrance to Jara's weyr.
"What's wrong with the way I'm dressed?"
"You're dressed like a boy or like you're
going to fight thread."
"I am a boy!" Jara stated.
Marina looked at him without blinking.
"Why can't I greet my family as Jared?" He
finally asked, tears appearing at the tips of his eyelashes.
Marina sighed. "Jara, love, even dressed as
you are, you don't look like a boy. Have you looked in the
mirror?"
Jara shook his head as Marina gently guided
him to the revealing image.
"I wish," Marina whispered to him, "that it
could be different, but it isn't. You are changing and we can't
prevent that. As much as it helps the disguise, I would help you
undo it if I could."
"Would you?" Jara demanded, sound harsh.
Marina spun him to face her. "By the first
egg, I would! I never wished this on you, I simply wanted to make
it easier for you and everyone else. How I could I know that this
would happen?"
Jara's face crumpled as the tears came
freely.
"Jara, love, we all love you. The dragons love
you, your weyrmates love you. We only want what is best for
you."
"This isn't it," Jara sobbed as Marina stroked
his hair.
Sianeth voiced her distress,
we only want
to help.
"I'm turning into a girl Sianeth!" At that
outcry, the sounds of hundreds of dragons crooning reassurance
echoed throughout Fort Weyr. "I'm sorry Sianeth," Jara said,
feeling the soothing presence of all of the dragons. "I just don't
know what to do!"
"Do nothing!" Marina stated. "I don't mean to
sound harsh, but it is time that you started to become alive. You
ride a queen! You are beautiful! You should be proud and carry
yourself like it is so!"
Jara stepped back.
"Listen to me," Marina ordered. "You have to
discard this self-pity and start to hold your head up as a queen
rider. The Weyr deserves that and, more importantly, your dragon
deserves that."
I love you, Sianeth said.
*****
Liana shivered as the warmth of the sun helped
to relieve the cold chill of
between from her second dragon
ride of her life. Despite her sadness, she was looking forward to
seeing Jared again and she could sense the excitement of her two
daughters over the same feelings. Looking down from the great back
of the bronze dragon that carried them from Fort Hold, she could
make out tiny figures waiting for them, her motherly intuition
sensing Jared's presence amongst them. As they descended, the small
group of people moved back into the shadow of the cave, providing
space for the dragon to land.
"Welcome to Fort Weyr," Marina said as Brineth
landed.
"My thanks, Weyrwoman, for allowing us to
come," Liana smiled gratefully as she was helped from the dragon's
back.
"Mother…"
Liana turned to the voice and gasped. Before
her, Jared appeared, remarkably beautiful, dressed in a lavender
gown befitting a gather.
"It's Jara, mother," Jara stated firmly.
"Jara…" Liana whispered. Aimee and Mari
stood behind her, their mouths open with surprise.
The four of them stared awkwardly at each
other for a long moment as the rest of the group remained silent.
Finally, Liana seemed to shake herself and broke the tension.
"Jara, you are beautiful," she finally said. "You're beautiful, you
ride a queen, and you make me so proud of you."
"Really?" Jara replied.
"Oh, Jara, I do love you!" Liana cried as she
pulled her former son into her embrace.
*****
"This is all yours?" Aimee asked as Jara
showed them her weyr.
Finally, Sianeth stated.
"What?" Jara asked, startled as Aimee asked
her question again. "Sorry Aimee," Jara replied. "I was responding
to Sianeth."
"About what?"
Jara shrugged. "Anyways, it's mine. I guess
queens are entitled to a little bit of privilege, though not too
much!"
"What happened?" Liana finally asked.
"I don't know mother, I wish could explain,
but not long after I Impressed Sianeth, I started to change. I
fought it, I really did, but it didn't stop."
"You look like Aimee," Mari noted.
"So do you," Jara smiled in return. "We all
look like mother, really. I guess that's a blessing and a curse for
me."
"Marina told me, yesterday at Fort Hold, but I
guess I didn't really believe her," Liana admitted. "My mind had an
image of you that I couldn't see past."
Jara sighed as she sat down. "I couldn't
either. Marina finally told me to stop feeling sorry for myself and
become who I should be. The problem is, I don't know who that
is!"
Liana gave her a hard look.
"What did you expect me to tell you mother?
That I like this?"
"No, Jara, I don't. What I expect you to do is
to do your best and be proud of yourself. You are here because you
wanted to be here, you begged to be here. We let you come and the
event destroyed your father and led us to this. I don't blame you
for it, not in the least, but I expect you to make our sacrifice
worthwhile. Marina has been soft on you, I won't be. You'll be the
best queen rider I can make you or you'll live to regret it."
"Live to regret it as a girl," Jara
grimaced.
Liana smacked her and Jara rocked back in
surprise. "Yes, by the first egg, as a girl! Do you think we get to
choose? Be thankful that if you have to be a girl, you get to ride
a dragon. Life isn't so wonderful for those of us who don't, but we
make do and survive, pride intact."
"Well said!" Marina called from the entrance.
"Our Jara has been allowed to mope about for far too long."
Jara looked back and forth between her mother
and her Weyrwoman. "I don't have a say, do I?" She asked, seeing
the expressions on the faces of the two women.
"No," Marina agreed. "For better or worse,
your body and rumor has made the decision for you. However, Wrybeth
tells me you made a breakthrough."
"Oh?"
"You didn't notice, did you?"
"No."
"You didn't notice that you have thought
of yourself in the feminine tense? A bigger breakthrough than I
thought!"
"What?" Jara asked, sounding startled.
It's true, Sianeth added.
You
thought of yourself as a her when you showed your family our
weyr.
"Uh…"
"I think we should celebrate," Marina
decided.
To Be Continued...