A Queen Rises (All Bronzes!)

[Kayla]

Neory normally recognized the signs, after all she had been doing this plenty of times, she had come to understand what the odd feelings meant. However, there was so much going on, adjusting to the new weyr, trying to figure things out along with Laszreen and J'var so that whoever "won" the weyr would be served the best, trying to be there for her big brother, that she simply had not fully noticed the way her skin felt too tight, the way she was restless. Nor had she noticed that she was being short with everyone throughout the day, including R'net. Had she paid attention to these details, it would not have surprised her when she suddely felt hot, when she felt Sheluth's need.

She had been in an argument with the Headwoman, a woman who usually tried her patience, and she had assumed that that was what had been bothering her, that she was just not in the mood to deal with the woman's hostility. However, when she realized what was really happening she left the meeting abruptly - if a weyr Headwoman could not deal with that, then she was in the wrong place - and ran for the bowl.

Blood, Sheluth. The Gold did not need to be told. She knew and had risen enough times that she did not fight the command from Neory. After all, blooding her meals meant that the flight would be much better, much more enjoyable, for herself and for the Bronze that would catch her.

Neory reached the bowl in time to see Sheluth blood her last kill. The blood of three beasts would be enough to fuel Sheluth through what was destined to be a wondrous flight. Neory felt the hot blood as it flowed through Sheluth's veins as if it flew through her own.

Sheluth trumpeted her call, her challenge to the Bronzes of Nova. While there was a good chance that everyone knew who she would pick, every bronze was welcome to try, and whichever one did catch her would have to work hard in order to do so, even Torenth. I rise! Who will catch me? Who will rise to the challenge? Prove that you are worthy of me!

[franny]

Heverth trumpeted in reply. He had blooded his kills already, knowing the queen would soon rise. K'met had been trieng to sleep, until he felt the pull of his dragon blooding his kills in preparation for the queen dragon's flight.

K'met really didn't care to be weyrleader, especially since he would probably suck at it, but Heverth always had to fly after the queens, even if K'met didn't really want him to.

Heverth having given his trumpeting reply to the queen's challenge, called out to her, Oh gorgeous queen, I will rise after you He wanted to win this beauty very badly, and in truth even though K'met groaned, he wanted to win her too.

[jerith]

Gliath hadn't been his usual chatty self when he had been attended to earlier. J'ren wasn't sure, he knew that it was something. He seemed to always get like this right before...
"Before a Gold is about to rise!" he said almost yelling it out, even though there was no one else around
Gliath, what are you doing?
I must prepare J'ren, I must feed.
Blood your kills only, you can't be too full if you are going to chase the Gold.[/color]

He kept getting mixed emotions, and urges, but no words, nothing was clear. Just the blood, you must not be too full

J'ren was taking the steps down from his Weyr two at a time, pulling on his shirt as he went. Who is going to rise Gliath?

If it was Sheluth, and Netory would become the Weyr woman, then surely things here would be well indeed. Unless it was one of Igen's Bronzes that caught her? No, that wasn't happening.

He was crossing through the Weyr Hall when he finally heard him.
Bronzes must rise! Sheluth, Golden Queen of Telgar calls! Honor the Queen and rise! Fly high, fly fast!
I want to chase the Queen. Honor the Queen!
J'ren doubled his efforts and ran for the bowl.

He made it outside as Sheluth threw back her head and raised a call to the to sky. J'ren ran towards the feeding grounds, stopping short of where Netory stood. Gliath, she calls to us! What is our answer?

We are worthy, because you calls us. We will rise because we are worthy Gliath bugled his reply and moved to watch Sheluth, swaying his head as he watched Sheluth.

[Adobe]

The day J'var dreaded came, and he shuddered when the confirmation came from his bronze, J'varMine. Sheluth rises. I follow. You must, and you must fly well, my strongheart. J'var threw on a white tunic over his tightish brown pants with his boots pulled over. He strode to where the other riders were assembled. He ran over his obsticles and his advantages, with the obsticals first so that he finished on a confident note.

First, he had no doubt that the bets were all on a Telgar rider. Second, Sheluth had been consistantly won for 12 turns by one bronze, Torenth. By experience, he knew that was a hard act to follow, especially if Neory's heart was in it for R'net, which J'var figured it was. Not to mention, Torenth was a good bronze.

On the other hand, what did J'var have in his arsenol? The will to jointly rule over Nova Weyr. If he had to give up Elfreth to unite this Weyr, well, he had no choice did he? They would continue to fight over power, and it was illustrated with Gliath's calling Sheluth a Tegar Queen. Not to mention, he won his first goldflight by being exotic and new, and so Ionuth was exotic and new to Sheluth. So if Torenth was a good bronze, it was J'var's opinion that Ionuth was better. He had won two queens before, and had fathered a gold egg. Ionuth was a solid choice, a proven choice. That was how J'var reasoned, any how.

Now that J'var had pumped up his confidence, he was ready for this flight. It helped to know that Laszreen would be away from the Weyr with Elfreth. Go, Ionuth before I regret this decision. The bronze blooded and had followed Sheluth, trumpeting to her, Ionuth chases, glorious queen of Nova.

[Zenniel]

Brennanth was in the middle of calculation how many tunnelsnakes would be needed in order to change a glow when he faltered. B'oone knew what this meant, even though Brennanth could never win her. You wouldn't! The rider gasped as B'oone figured out Brennanth's mood. You can't win her! You alone know that! Brennanth did not care. He was one of the largest Browns. He could try, and even if Sheluth could never choose him, she would know that he was really trying, that he wanted to do something. He would be no ordinary Brown.

If you must, B'oone said silently, If you must, blood your kills. Be careful, don't blood too much. You must have strength, but too much will weigh you down as if you had eaten the herdbeast whole.

Brennanth silently acknowledged him with a flick of his tail. He chose three choice herdbeasts, and blooded them.

Brennanth, remember this, if nothing else! B'oone said as the Brown sucked the blood out of his third herdbeast, snapping his tail back and forth, She may ask you things; remember your normal self. Don't pore over the questions she asks, just answer!

If Brennanth heard him, the great Brown did not say. He was so wrapped up in pre-Flight lust, probably, B'oone thought. In reality Brennanth had heard everything, but his mind was whirling faster than it should have for any kind of dragon. He had blooded the three herdbeasts (their carcasses were strewn by his clawed feet), and so he knew he would have enough energy to not only stay with the other Chasers, but also stay with them longer. Then he remembered---

Three, Brennanth said, smugness barely winning over the lust in his mind-voice.

"What?" B'oone asked, incredulous, and unable to speak in his mind.

Three tunnelsnakes are needed to change a glow.[/b] Brennanth answered, still smug.

B'oone snorted, "I already told you the answer! Your answer is not right!"

Brennanth glanced toward the Gold's weyr, he still had enough time, But it is right. Three are needed: one to get the new glow, one to help carry the new glow, and one to put the glow in it's place.[/b]

Before B'oone could answer the Gold dragon that was Sheluth lifted herself out of her weyr and quickly blooded a beast. Brennanth shut off whatever B'oone was going to reply with a wave of lust. B'oone recoiled, and found himself heading for Sheluth's rider. Neory was it?

Brennanth breathed deeply of the air, taking note of all of the Bronzes. They were bigger than he, of course, but that was fine. He had no doubt that one of them would win, but he would not give up hope. It was not unheard of for a Gold to catch a Brown... though Golds were most usually younger than Sheluth was to catch one. Brennanth would have been, if not for his coloring, a Bronze, though. He was a Bronze's size, if not just a tad smaller than the normal height of that color. She was, too, experienced. If she let him, he could try to twine himself around her, jarring her wings... but would B'oone be a good Weyrleader? No, Brennanth decided. No, he would not trick Sheluth. She would choose who she should, and if he was the first to go, to drop out, so be it. Brennanth decided that he would be fair.

Then Sheluth rose, bugling a challenge. Brennanth noted the other Bronzes bugle back. He rose his voice to be the highest as he said, Sheluth, I, Brennanth, the lone Brown, am a symbol of all colors of the dragons. I speak for the Blues and Browns too small to Chase you. I say you are the most beautiful Gold there is, and if I say so, then so be it! Sheluth, I chase you now, and I will do my best to Catch you![/b]

Then, when the brilliant gold would rise with a mighty fervor, so would he... Brennanth, Brown of rider B'oone, and Chaser of Sheluth, of Nova Weyr.

[TheDreamerLady]

It was late morning, and R'net liked morning. He liked the way the sky sparkled in the dawn, he liked how the heat was perfect, he liked how the sand had yet to fry, but still retained some heat. The only flaw in mornings was that his Weyrmate didn't always appreciate them.

R'net was trapped in his work, hiding behind Torenth's great bulk, trying to stay in the sun and faint breeze, while out of sight of those who would try to talk to him, when Torenth shifted.

Can we leave yet? The Bronze suddenly demanded, snorting noisily. His hide shined brown and bronze, and R'net peered at his dragon oddly.

Go where?
Sheluth.
Why?

That seemed to be the last straw for Torenth.
She Flies! The Bronze crowed, lifting off the ground, and gliding off to the Feeding Pens. R'net stared at his dragon, and then cautiously peered into the mind of his Bronze, which boiled hot and lustful. Cursing, he dropped his hides, and ran for the makeshift Flightroom, wishing that he noticed these things before hand.

Tor, however, was quickly in his own element, sucking the blood, sweet and salty from his Herdbeasts, and bunching his muscles in anticipation.

We Fly again Sheluth. Shall we dance among the skies as before?

[Kayla]

Pretty words, but we will see who is worthy of Sheluth of Nova Weyr. She trumpeted her challenge again, content with the dragons who had answered her call, and amused that a brown thought that he was worthy enough to try. She launched herself into the air, knowing that all who see her could only be impressed by her show of majesty.

Neory smiled slightly as she saw her weyrmate show up, sparing just a moment to be glad that she was not the only one who had not noticed the indications that Sheluth was going to rise this morning. However, she only had a moment to spare for him and to notice the others who had come, all the Bronzers had come, each hoping for a chance to be the new weyrleader, though perhaps they were there more because their Bronzes demanded it. She was pretty sure that the one guy... B'oone, she thought... was a Brown Rider. It was not completely unheard of, and it was bold of him to come, but she knew that he did not have much of a chance.

All of that happened in just a moment's time, for when Sheluth launched herself, Neory completely melded with the Gold Dragon. Let's fly!

Sheluth climbed high, flying fast and straight to start with, saving any fancy maneuvers for a bit later.

Neory looked over the men, seeing them now as the same as their dragons, through Sheluth's eyes. She did not flirt with them, but rather studied them each carefully, weighing their fitness as leaders as well as measuring them in other ways.

[jerith]

We Fly! Rise Queen of gold, rise like the sun! Rise Bronzes, prove that we are worthy as she calls! Rise brave Brown, your faith in your self is your strength!

Gliath was the first in the air, using every advantage of his size to lift himself quickly, rapidly falling into place behind Sheluth. A few large strokes of his wings closed the distance but left him room to manuver, to stay with her. He would maintain this distance, his concern was not for the others, he was chasing the golden queen.

For his part, J'ren was focused solely on his dragon. His mind, his will, and all his strength pouring across their bonded mind. He gave Gliath his strongest and deepest wish; We must win, for Telgar, for those we have lost and those to come.

[Zenniel]

B'oone grew uneasy in the moments before he and his wonderful Brown melded together. He was surrounded by Bronzeriders, all of whom were much better than the Brown when chasing a queen. He did not care, for he knew Brennanth would not catch the wonderful gold. Brennanth could, however, catch the queen, but B'oone knew she would never let him. Poor Brennanth, never standing a chance, not considered even before the Flight.

Those were his thoughts before he melded completely with his dragon. He could see her, her glowing gold hide in front of him. He could smell her wonderful gold scent, could distinguish her female scent from the male scents that all-to-overpowered his nostrils. Then she jumped high into the air, her wings sustaining her flight. Brennanth considered himself lucky, but only this once. He had moved his beasts onto a ledge before blooding them. He would not have to jump, and therefore would sustain more energy than those jumping from the ground.

So, stepping off the ledge, the brown unfurled his wings, and took flight. He quickly caught a warm thermal, marking his body seem as light as a feather, even though it was heavy from the recent blooding. He thought about feathers, and about catching the wonderful queen in front of him, shining so bright in the daylight. He knew he could catch her if he really tried, but he wasn't too sure if Sheluth would like that, or B'oone for that matter.

Instead, Brennanth just thought about feathers. His weight was less because of the thermal, but he still had to pump his wings to keep up. He thanked his egg (and also Faranth's egg, and Faranth's eggs) that he had longer wings than the normal Brown. This helped him because, the longer the wings, the less pressure and energy he had to exert in order to keep himself aloft. He smiled mentally at the thought. Then he settled again on the feather and the great queen in front of him.

Sheluth was amazing. If he had been a Bronze he would have enjoyed her just the same, but now, as a Brown, he felt compelled to Fly with her just to show her that she was special. He felt compelled to Fly with her because he thought himself a Bronze stuck in a Brown's body, but knew it was not to be so. Sheluth's hide, already gold, was practically gleaming with the wondrous color of the mating flight. But Sheluth's gold was darker originally, was lighter, just because of the glow. Brennanth thought her wonderfully beautiful.

Thank you, Bronze. And good luck, all Bronzes who will fly this wondrous queen! Thank you, too, Sheluth for letting me Fly you![/b]

(( And, I karma'd you, Kayla, twice, for your awesome posting skills! Yay for su-weet posts! ))

[Adobe]

Ionuth, a fairly intelligent bronze, now in flight became primal. He wanted her. He had to have her. He would have her. He would prove he was most worthy. J'var thought before he melted into Ionuth, is proven worthy to have caught the queen, or is worthy so he catches the queen? Hush, landcrawler. Your time to prove us worthy is up. No more of your talk. Now it is my test of strength. Do not do anything stupid, if you can help it.

J'var had merely nodded and looked around the group of riders assembled for this flight. Then he laughed in spite of himself, Hey, if I do anything stupid, it's because I'm under the spell of your own lust! The bronze had no response, either he couldn't think of a reply or Ionuth was ignoring him.

J'var felt the bronze's confidence thicken in his mind. Ionuth was positive that the queen would never pick a brown, if merely for the fact that no brown won a queen in current human memory. Ionuth knew that this flight was important and Sheluth was sensible enough to know that. She would pick a bronze. However, perhaps it was noble of Brennath to try. The brown did use pretty words, too.

Ionuth was aloft in the air, his grace and agility more noticable up here. The skies was where Ionuth belonged, where he loved most to be. Second, of course, would be sunning on his ledge. The bronze crooned, Fly well Sheluth, and know that I am always following you. And you, Ionuth, fly well and know that I am waiting for you down here. The bronze snorted at his.

Ionuth would stay to the middle of the pack at first and wait until the others wore themselves out, then he would emerge, still having more energy than the rest of them. Queens liked to play games, but he knew them all back at Igen. Would Sheluth really be any different? The rich bronze of his hide glinted a bit, and it was the source of much of Ionuth's pride. Now his once perfect hide had some white lines scarring down his legs, back, and tail, though instead of making Ionuth selfconscious, it made his ego bigger. He was tried and true in the test of thread as he was in flight. Oh, Ionuth was very sure of himself, and knew that he was a good contender in this flight. Then the landcrawler peeked into his mind, Don't do anything stupid, Io.

[TheDreamerLady]

One might think that, having never lost a single Flight of Sheluth's, Torenth would be confident in his success. However, the Bronze was well aware of the close calls that had occurred during other Flights, and they made him wary of all Sheluth's paramours.

From the Suntouched Bronzes to the odd little Brown, he studied them all, following a little slower to conserve strength. Small bursts of energy and choice words had helped him in the past, and he hoped that they would continue to do him justice. After all, he wasn't going to be winning Sheluth based on his Bronze Brown hide.

Lifting off the ground with a mighty push, the Bronze hardly noticed his Rider's quick fade into his own mind, enjoying how they both, single minded, chased after Sheluth's bright hide. The roughly butchered carcasses of Herdbeasts were left in the dust, and the sun sparkled in the sky, though it was no match for the brilliance of Sheluth.

You know me worthy. Torenth/R'net called sweetly, chasing after Sheluth's golden tail. You know how well we Fly together. Look around you, Gold of Nova, can you find any better than I?

[Kayla]

Sheluth liked the flattery, but even more she liked what the dragons would do to prove themselves to her, she liked how hard they would work to prove themselves.

She felt a pull towards one of the dragons, but she was not yet ready to be caught, and she knew that continuing the chase would not cause him to drop out any time soon, so she did not feel the need to give in. No, now was the time to make him, them - all of them - earn her.

We shall see.

She banked sharply right, straightening out before any of the dragons could take advantage of the maneuver to trap her - that had happened once, causing Torenth to catch her earlier than she had thought she wanted, though she had still enjoyed the Flight, and the clutch had been good.

She flew in the direction of the beach, for now at least, climbing almost constantly - after all the higher the flight the better it tended to be. When she felt that a dragon was getting too close, too soon, she throw in a surprise, keeping them guessing, keeping them working. Only the best would prove themselves worthy of her!

Neory walked among the men who had gathered around her. Keeping just out of reach, but tantalizingly close to them. She barely noticed, being melded with Sheluth, the struggle between her heart and possible solution to the leadership problem at Nova.

[jerith]

Gliath decided, when Sheluth banked sharply right, that he would take advantage of an updraft to get above her, then tucked in and fell in behind her, closer than he had been before. She would only be caught when she was ready. And a better flight ment a better clutch.

She was quick to throw him off when he got too close, and turned toward the beach. He gave her alittle more room, but matched her move for move.

J'ren, still in the meld, let it slip just enough to see Neory, walking among the men, and keeping just out of reach.

[Zenniel]

B'oone, melded as he was, could still see through his own eyes. He saw the lust in the other men's eyes, and he was fair sure that his face mirrored their expressions. But he did not care. He was Brennanth. He was the wonderful Brown that had chosen to chase the wonderful queen Sheluth. He was the Brown.

Brennanth, of course, was behind. He was not laboring, though. He had drank enough of the blood of herdbeasts that he was fine. He would not begin laboring until later on. Still, too, was he catching the thermals. And the updrafts caused by Sheluth's great golden wings. He had turned a sharp turn like Sheluth had, following her moves like a puppet followed it's master's wishing.

Sheluth rose higher, and so did Brennanth, keeping close to her thermals. The warm air rose, and he caught it in his wings, larger than normal dragon wings. He was buffeted higher than her, but that would last mere minutes, for queen dragons had the strength, if they wanted to, to reach the sun! But would Sheluth want to dim the sun? Her hide was better in appearance than the hot blazes of the sun. The sun, the Brown had to admit, was helping him in this Chase. Without it he would have been left behind. But he would not be left behind.


He would win... even if winning didn't mean catching Sheluth. To Brennanth, winning meant lasting the flight. And he, Brennanth, would win!

This Flight will be the best Flight you have ever had, Sheluth, I, and I am sure all of the Bronzes Chasing you now, know this is so.[/b] Brennanth said, and hoped fervently that the promise would last.

[Adobe]

Sheluth banked right. If Ionuth had been closer, he would have tried to steal her right away, but wouldn't any bronze? Long flights were best, that was the voice of reason, but any flight was a good flight. Ionuth decided now that others were tiring, it was time for him to advance. The bronze had let them labor enough, struggling to be in the front, now Ionuth would use some saved strength to get ahead. He swung out to the right to give himself room to manuver around the other bronzes and brown. Steadily he increased his pace, getting closer to Sheluth with every stroke of his wings.

Ionuth's confidence was soaring now. He climbed higher after Sheluth, knowing that he may have her yet. Ionuth could earn her. A happy growl rumbled deep within his throat as he carried on this merry chase. This child of the sun was tantalizing before the bronze, and he knew he must concentrate on everything, not just her, so that he may have every advantage coming to him.

Meanwhile on land, J'var was standing dangerously close to Neory, if only for a moment before she moved on. There was something familiar about all of this. He struggled not to touch her and trembled a bit from holding his lips closed before he mumbled a name. Then there had been a fleeting thought of another dark haired woman. Even deep in the lust as he was, he still managed a brief curse of women and their power over men.

Love! The very emotion that held him back, and that made Torenth an even better competitor in this flight. What the world might have been with out it! Of course he didn't really scorn love, but it did complicate things for him a bit. . . These were sentiments just before the flight, not during, since J'var was quite under the control of Io, and that was a bronze who would not have His thinking such things. Besides, the said bronze was now too busy trying to catch Sheluth that J'var was totally and utterly lost to second thoughts now.