Post by ShadowReine on Oct 14, 2008 18:51:44 GMT -5
They gathered on the rim at Fort, Pern's weyrleaders and weyrwomen. They had met often since the crisis...although they were now diminished. Igen was no longer represented and High Reaches had no Weyrwoman.
"It did not work," B'toc reported, glancing at his young Weyrwoman. "The last of the greens rose two months ago. We will have to end the experiment."
"It was worth the attempt," Alisenne said softly. Fort's Weyrwoman was the most senior in years...tiny and frail. She might not still be Weyrwoman were it not for the plague, for her dragon had not risen in some time. "The question is whether it too was the plague...or whether we have lived under a false pretense for centuries."
Heavily, Yselka sighed. "We had to try it. But either all of the dragons are infertile or denying the greens firestone...means nothing."
"It means nothing." That was an unexpected voice. Gyorelle, Southern's Weyrwoman seldom spoke, not from shyness or uncertainty, but because that was the kind of woman she was. Thus, when she did speak, all eyes turned to her...even those of the great dragons who perched along the rim.
"On what do you base that conclusion?" Alisenne asked, still soft in tone.
"I gave Elleth firestone."
Silence. Utter silence. Yselka shivered a little, and she was not the only one. To give a queen dragon firestone was to break one of Pern's oldest taboos.
"And?"
"She produced no flame. Only...a rather ugly grey paste. Queens are not given firestone because of their fertility, but because they cannot flame."
Everyone as staring at Gyorelle. It was Yselka who spoke. "It had to be tried. If our queens are infertile...then...letting them fight and flame."
She had their attention now. "If we cannot even get hatchlings from the greens, then...then Lyeth is our only hope." Yselka forced the words out. She had not even said anything to B'toc. Perhaps she had not made the final decision until now.
"And that is why...B'toc, I am sorry, but I must." He gave her an odd look. "Lyeth's maiden flight will be open to all males, from all Weyrs."
There was another pause, silence, but it was shorter this time. Alisenne broke it. "Good. We need to be sure the best bronze flies her."
Yselka closed her eyes for a moment. "Yes...we do." But she did see a slight cloud on B'toc's face.
No, he did not want the competition. Not at all.
"It did not work," B'toc reported, glancing at his young Weyrwoman. "The last of the greens rose two months ago. We will have to end the experiment."
"It was worth the attempt," Alisenne said softly. Fort's Weyrwoman was the most senior in years...tiny and frail. She might not still be Weyrwoman were it not for the plague, for her dragon had not risen in some time. "The question is whether it too was the plague...or whether we have lived under a false pretense for centuries."
Heavily, Yselka sighed. "We had to try it. But either all of the dragons are infertile or denying the greens firestone...means nothing."
"It means nothing." That was an unexpected voice. Gyorelle, Southern's Weyrwoman seldom spoke, not from shyness or uncertainty, but because that was the kind of woman she was. Thus, when she did speak, all eyes turned to her...even those of the great dragons who perched along the rim.
"On what do you base that conclusion?" Alisenne asked, still soft in tone.
"I gave Elleth firestone."
Silence. Utter silence. Yselka shivered a little, and she was not the only one. To give a queen dragon firestone was to break one of Pern's oldest taboos.
"And?"
"She produced no flame. Only...a rather ugly grey paste. Queens are not given firestone because of their fertility, but because they cannot flame."
Everyone as staring at Gyorelle. It was Yselka who spoke. "It had to be tried. If our queens are infertile...then...letting them fight and flame."
She had their attention now. "If we cannot even get hatchlings from the greens, then...then Lyeth is our only hope." Yselka forced the words out. She had not even said anything to B'toc. Perhaps she had not made the final decision until now.
"And that is why...B'toc, I am sorry, but I must." He gave her an odd look. "Lyeth's maiden flight will be open to all males, from all Weyrs."
There was another pause, silence, but it was shorter this time. Alisenne broke it. "Good. We need to be sure the best bronze flies her."
Yselka closed her eyes for a moment. "Yes...we do." But she did see a slight cloud on B'toc's face.
No, he did not want the competition. Not at all.