The Flight Lecture

Writers: Avery, Paula
Date Posted: 22nd September 2015

Characters: Kapera, Ciendra
Description: Talks about mating flights.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 1, day 11 of Turn 8
Notes: Mentioned: P'ton, L'cor

Kapera

Ciendra was looking at the Weyrwoman's Second with expecting look on
her face. Her hands were neatly crossed and resting her lap, while
feet were pushed under the chair.
She didn't know why Kapera wanted to talk with her, but she was sure
it wasn't anything she had done. She always followed the rules, did as
she was told and generally did well on her Weyrling class. She may not
be the top of her class but she and Lialeth weren't on the bottom
either. Her green was very levelheaded.

Kapera had set out a plate of cookies to provide a distraction if any
of the girls or boys got uncomfortable. "Good morning Ciendra. How's
Lialeth today?"

"She's good," Ciendra replied with a smile.

"Good to hear," the goldrider said. "It's the time of weyrling lessons to
talk about mating flights in more detail, and since none of the
weyrlingmasters ride a female dragon, I've agreed to talk to the
greenriders about what our responsibilities our when our dragons rise."

Ciendra nodded and her eyes seemed to grow larger. They were rather
big (and pretty) eyes to start with.

"Do you have any questions to start off with, or do you just want me
to do the lecture? The notes say your're holdbred." Which might mean
shy.

"Yes, I am holdbred. I was Searched from one of Emerald Fall's minor
holds," Ciendra replied. Which also meant conservative upbringing.

Some holders really took to weyrlife. Others didn't. "Have you gotten
any sexual experience yet?"

"Me? No," Ciendra's eyes looked like they could fall off from their
sockets. A blush creeped to her cheeks.

"Well, it's something that's important to do before your green goes up
for the first time. It's disastrous if you don't," she said
seriously.

She had lived through the aftermath of a bad mating flight when she'd
gotten caught up in panic and fought Riyanth during her second. She'd
had experience then, but she hadn't been able to shake loose some
inhibitions. If a holdbred person panicked and didn't have any
experience and took the joining wrong…

"It doesn't have to be a huge production," she added. "You don't have
to find your weyrmate now. But finding someone who you trust and who's
nice to you, and preferably he also has experience so he can make it
nice for you, too."

Naturally, L'cor's face popped into her mind when Ciendra listened
Kapera. But he was already taken and besides, saw her as a little
girl. "I just can't go to a man and ask him to have sex with me, can
I?" she squeaked.

"It's the Weyr. That's a pretty common way of getting it," Kapera said
with a laugh. It had always worked for her when she wanted it...

"Anyone in your weyrling class you like?"

"Well, I dunno," Ciendra squirmed on her seat. "P'ton is pretty nice."

"He'd probably be happy to help. Or there's C'vian." The brown
weyrling had always seemed respectful and nice.

"I don't know him that well," Ciendra muttered. They never seemed to
end in same practise groups.

"Getting some experience is only part of the reason we're here today.
How much did your class' mating flight lessons go over? The general
basics on how the green rises and the males chase?"

"Yes," Ciendra replied, nervously twirling her hair between her fingers now.

"How do you know when she'll go up? You may start feeling proddy a
few days beforehand. Strange dreams or thoughts. Heightened sensuality
and sexuality. Maybe you'll be angry and snappish. Her appearance will
change, brightening and glowing. She may become more flirtatious with
the men, or you may see them crowding around her, courting. Blues are
more likely to notice. This will give you time to get used to it."

Kapera waited a moment, then kept talking.

"Dealing with a rising dragon is going to be all about control. You
can't be scared of what's about to happen. You can't be afraid of the
males chasing your green, or of who will touch you. Your fear, your
shame, your inhibitions will weigh on Lialeth. This can be dangerous.
The most important thing to know is that all of this is about her
having a good time. It's about keeping her safe. So you have to keep
that in mind once she starts rising."

"So it could hurt Lialeht if I don't...you know...before she Rises,"
Ciendra was blushing again. She didn't want to do anything to endanger
Lialeth. She was also aware, that had she stayed in Green Valley, her
aunt would had married her off as soon as she had turned 15. So, the
situation wasn't that much different...except here she had a choice.
She could turn out the boys she didn't like.

"It could, if you're scared and if you're not ready, she'll panic. But
there's plenty of nice young men, some of whom are probably as nervous
as you."

"Right, which means they won't dare to approach me any more than I
dare to approach them. I have a dilemma," Ciendra said, showing a
flash wry humour and perhaps a hint of a woman she might yet grow
into.

"I suppose it depends on if you want the shy men or the bold ones.
Some of them are more likely to approach than others."

"I don't know what want.." Ciendra started and then realized it wasn't
true. "Or more like what I want is something I can't have," she
corrected with a little sigh.

The goldrider gave the weyrling a sympathetic little smile. "I'm
sorry. That's a rough feeling."

Ciendra nodded, grateful of her sympathy but loss for words.

"Do you think you're good? If you have any more questions about this
topic, have Lialeth find Riyanth, and I'd be happy to talk about it.
The men don't know what being chased is like, and I'm happy to help
her pretty daughters," Kapera said.

"I don't know," Ciendra answered with honesty. "I have a lot to think about."
Even her daydreams didn't go past kissing and maybe little touching
here and there.

"Good luck to you both," Kapera said, hoping the green weyrling's
issues would resolve. She'd do anything to help her pairs.

"Thank you, ma'am," Ciendra replied. She was going to need luck. Or
courage. Or both.

Last updated on the September 27th 2015

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The Flight Lecture