The Golden Lining in Every Cloud [Talera/Srunae/Melana]

[Hiko]

We’re doing the right thing, aren’t we?
Talera sighed, wiping off the table in order to place both bread basket and klah pitcher on a clean surface. “We’re doing what we must, Aerroth.”
We must, but is it right?
“Having second thoughts?” the gold rider asked, her lips curling in the hint of a smile. “What happened to leading us into a new era?”
I said that in the moment. I have never dethroned a queen.
“Well, you are today. Now cheer up. We’ve got company coming.”

She’d sent word through Aerroth immediately after the meeting with A’zael, but had requested an afternoon gathering. Before dinner, when Talera was certain Karredy would either be holed up in her rooms or off doing some sort of women’s stitching where people could look at her and pity. She shook her head.
They were doing what was best for the Weyr. The girl was too addled to continue on, and Talera maintained that it was up to the golds to handle her.
How does it feel?
“How does what feel, heart?” she asked, setting mugs out on the table runner.
The responsibility. They will look to you, now.
The rider laughed. They’ve been looking to me, themselves, shells, anyone but Karredy for so long, what difference does a title change make at this point?

Beyond the weyr’s entrance, she heard the approach of footsteps.
"Look your best, heart. I think our guests are arriving."

Alyx Rhush

[Alyx]

Melana and Gold Sularenth

With the rumors flowing around their return, and the disaster the day they had been gone had been, Melana had expected something to play out. She wasn’t sure what, honestly. She’s only heard bits and pieces of the fiasco, but it was enough to make her wished she’d been there to see how much of it had actually happened. When the summoning came, Sularenth had still been in her rare, wonderfully foul mood; Melana could only hope she hadn’t been too short with Talera’s Aerroth in accepting it.

You are requested. ‘Oh?’ She had looked up from her things, still sorting out what would be saveable of her personal things now that they had returned. The Gold hissed. Yes. Aerroth says hers would like to speak to you and Danovelith’s rider. This afternoon. Melana glanced across the weyr, knowing sharding well that Srunae wasn’t back yet, and frowned slightly. ‘Interesting. Very well, tell her we will be there.’ Must I? Mel shot the dragon a look. ‘Well, since I can’t talk to her without you, yes, you must.’ Sularenth growled and then turned her head slightly. Melana says she will attend.

‘Thank you, grumpy.’ Sularenth didn’t even dignify her with an answer as the goldrider gathered her belongings to go clean up. Sorting this mess would have to wait. She bathed quickly, thankful for what she had once looked on as ‘rustic’ facilities of Mavros. At least here she didn’t have to warm the water herself! She washed quickly, in spite of wanting to linger in the waters, and dressed. She pulled her hair back, braiding the wet strands out of her face to keep them controlled until she could take the time to trim it up again.

With the mood of her Gold, she walked instead, using a thought to send Sularenth to the rim over the lake to get some sun in a hope of improving the beast’s mood. I am not a beast. ‘Well, you are acting like one. And a very moody one at that!’ Melana shoved the dragon’s response away as she neared the other Goldrider’s Weyr, her hand coming up to rap against the door.

Hiko Rhush

[Rhush]

Srunae and Gold Danovelith

Srunae sighed heavily as she packed together another set of paperwork and gathered up her tomes. Meetings. The day had been almost entirely meetings; meeting with the Weyr council, heads of service and staff, families of those lost between and those whose parents were less than understanding that their child was suddenly two turns older… and carefully sidestep the rumor mill that had cropped up the day before. Apparently, when A’zael and the rest of the ranking riders were to deliver the explanation of the extended trip between to the rest of the weyr, the weyrwoman had joined in with the overly excited crowd and had to be swept off to the side and corrected.

Rumors were abound – had the weyrwoman truly not been told, and was brainwashed by the goldrider who pulled her off to the side? Had the woman known about the plot, but decided to make it into a publicity stunt for her reputation? Was she still struggling with illness, and now it had manifested in her mind? 

  "This place is really going wild – a grave-risen weyrwoman, a philandering weyrleader, a trip through time; if that lot of dragons and people hadn’t come back older and in one piece I’d have said that whole thing was meant to ruin us."

  "Especially after that show Karredy put on! I know she’s not quite been right physically after that whole… living after dying thing – she was sick so often - but really! What was that? Her junior took her aside and suddenly she was some meek mouse! What happened to her? You would think she was being brainwashed or–"

Srunae turned the corner and the two staff who had been conversing instantly grew silent and averted their eyes. Srunae smiled politely and the pair of ladies sheepishly smiled back before abruptly going back to their work. The junior weyrwoman blew out a breath she had been holding and ran a hand over her face as she walked away. Srunae had known there would be a massive bureaucratic mess that followed their return from between times, but this was quickly becoming something else. Perhaps she would need to stop by Talera’s office after dinner – the brunette had little doubt that the more experienced queenrider had been the one that corrected Karredy. Maybe Srunae could help her quell the rumor mill if she could get the whole story…

Good thought, Srunae my own. Perfectly timed.

Thank you– Wait, what do you mean, ‘perfectly timed’?

Aerroth’s requests your presence, as well as Sularenth’s own.

Srunae blinked in surprise. Well… that was good timing, wasn’t it? The brunette picked up her pace and quickly slipped into her shared weyr to drop off her armload of items. Melana was not in. She’s probably already on her way there, Srunae thought. A quick hum from Danovelith confirmed this as Srunae closed up their weyr again and hurried off to Talera’s weyr. She arrived a bit out of breath, but just in time to see Melana knocking on the door.

“Oh, thank Faranth!” She said with a light chuckle as she stepped in line with the younger goldrider, “I was starting to worry I might be late.” Srunae grinned and turned her hazel gaze to the door. “Remind me not to let Master Clintock look at my notes after meetings,” The Masterharper, while a nice enough man and typically rather dull, had such a tendency to lose himself in anything that could be useful to his craft that it was almost impossible to escape him when he got started. Unfortunately, he had wanted as much information about the timing trip and methodology they had used as she could give him, and from the way he had been going on, she wondered if he planned to write a new Question Song based on Mavros’ endeavors.

(Sorry I'm late! I just got through my first set of finals/final projects for this semester! The joys of all my classes being accelerated 8 week ones, I get to do it again in May! xD)
Hiko  & Alyx

[Hiko]

You asked, and they came. Do not hesitate now.

Talera cleared her throat, welcoming the two queen riders in upon hearing the knock at the door. Her juniors, she thought, if this went well.
“Thank you for coming. I know you must still be exhausted from your journey, but this couldn’t wait. Please, have a seat.”
Stepping aside to allow entry, she gestured to the small table not far into the weyr, and shut the door behind them.
“I-” She paused and glanced to the weyrledge. Aerroth rumbled an imperceptible noise, then launched herself off and away to hunt.

“The dragon’s smarter than the rider, I fear,” she mused, returning her attention to the gathered riders. Talera poured a mug for each of them, then settled into a seat, sighing.
“No doubt you’ve heard the story of what happened when A’zael broke the news to the Weyr. No doubt you’ve also ticked off in your own minds that this was yet another in a long line of concerning actions made by our Weyrwoman.”

She swirled the mug, not taking a drink. She met Srunae’s eyes, then Melana’s.
“A’zael has agreed that our Weyrwoman perhaps needs more than her role can give her. He has also agreed that this is a matter best left to the queens. And so, I’m coming to you. Both of you. What are your thoughts regarding Karredy’s… performance as Weyrwoman thus far? I am her Second, and naturally biases are what they are. I do not believe she is suited to the position, but nor am I so willing to usurp if you believe she can improve. I do, however, believe that any one of us should be taking care of what we already have been in an official capacity, rather than continuing to do it under her shadow.”

Alyx Rhush