Everyone Should Have a Family

Writers: Chelle, Clancey
Date Posted: 23rd March 2012

Characters: Rhosyn, Solieira
Description: The Weyrwoman takes the headwoman out for her birthingday.
Location: Elsewhere on Pern, River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 6, day 4 of Turn 6
Notes: Mentioned: U'das

She'd already told the Headwoman to take the day off for her birthingday.
She'd also said to meet her on her ledge. What the Weyrwoman hadn't said
was that they were going somewhere-anywhere the Headwoman wanted. Orlaith
was already strapped and ready and the gold waited patiently beneath the
sun as Rhosyn filled up her canteen.

It was a treat to have someone remember her birthingday at her turns, and
even nicer to have it be her Weyrwoman. Young though she was, Sol really
liked Rhosyn and found her a nice change from Tsaera, though, truthfully,
as time went on, it became more and more Rhosyn's Weyr. Packing a small bag
for the day- unsure what the plans were - Solieira arrived at Rhosyn's ledge
to a surprise.

Orlaith was packed and ready to go and Sol grinned. The queen was so
lovely! Perhaps Rhosyn's plans had changed?

"Hello, Rhosyn!" She smiled warmly at the Weyrwoman. "Thank you for the
gift of a day off - it is much appreciated." She glanced at the straps on
the gold. "Did you have something up your sleeve, Lady?"

"Actually yes. See I thought maybe you'd want a ride. So here's your ticket-
anywhere you want as long as I don't have to burn to death in the desert."
Igen was not her style, but a long shot. Grinning, she put the canteen in
its place and snapped it in while she waited for Solieira to decide how to
use her surprise.

"Oh! My lady... that is... " She smiled warmly at the younger woman. "Rhosyn,
that is just very nice of you and Orlaith to haul my old bones somewhere." She
cocked her head curiously. "Trouble is... I don't really know of any place I'd
go. I've been here so long, this is the only place I really know." She paused.
The gift was really too wonderful to pass up. "But ... I do have children over
toward Dream's End way. We could surprise them. Or we could find a nice cove and
swim and fish. Do you fish, Rhosyn?" I love to fish...." And a certain bronzerider
might like a fish or two if she caught them.

They could swim here, so that wouldn't be so much of a treat. Rhosyn
considered things then decided. "Allright to your kids we go.
Where exactly are we going? The Weyr or..?" She took the headwoman's bag
and packed it into the harness bags. It was going to be hard to get Solieira
up there. **Can you help me please, love?**

The gold would have refused had it been anyone else asking, but Orlaith
understood why she was lowering herself and for whom. Showing just how much
the Weyrwoman appreciated her headwoman, the senior queen moved to slowly flatten
her body as much as possible. "Do you think you can get up there?"

If Rhosyn wasn't her Weyrwoman, Sol might have said something she would
regret later. She was old in turns, absolutely, but she still had the figure
of a much younger woman and the health too. She'd been an active Headwoman to
an active Weyrwoman for decades of turns and the day she couldn't get on a dragon
was the day she'd turn the Weyr over to her most capable Assistant. But, Rhosyn was
her Weyrwoman. And Orlaith was very large.

For an answer she simply thanked the queen. "Orlaith, I very much
appreciate your help in mounting your beautiful back. You are very
kind." As she finished, she scrambled up on the large, broad back. No, she
didn't do it with the ease a dragonrider did, or even a woman
in her 40s or 50s. But she was still spry enough for this, she most
certainly was. Why, she'd been weyrmated to a dragonrider for turns!

It wasn't graceful, but it was done with a minimum of fuss and with the
least amount of annoyance to the great gold that she could manage
at her age and lack of skill climbing up and down dragonbacks.

"My grandchildren should love to have a _gold_ visit them.." They were in
Dream's End territory at a minor hold, or at least half of them
were. The other half were in Far Island Weyr and seeing a gold would be no
big thing to those children. So, it would be to the Dream's End
bunch they would go.

"I can't get there without an accurate picture and I'm unsure, so would it
be close enough to go to Sapphire Meadows and fly straight from
there?" She was trying to get her bearings as she followed Solieira up.
When the Weyrwoman was straight, she scooted to check that her
passenger's straps were safe and then tended to her own. Orlaith pulled
herself back up with a shake that sent the sand from her belly. The
gold waited to launch, though, since her rider was having a conversation
and wouldn't be able to hear otherwise.

Sol nodded, then remembered to say it aloud. "Yes, they live at one of the
cotholds near Sapphire Meadows. Flying straight will be a treat indeed.
I haven't flown much since my weyrmate passed on, but he used to take me
often." Her pleasure was evident in her voice. She was very honored
by her Weyrwoman's attention and thoughtfulness. Settled, her straps solid
and snug around her relatively trim waist, she gave Rhosyn a thumbs
up indicating she was ready to go.

Strapping her helmet on, she looked up at the sky and decided it was a good
day for flying. **Let's go** Rhosyn sent Orlaith the image of Sapphire
Meadows Hold and the gold made short work of rising into the sky, alerting
the watchdragon where they were going, and going /between/. They
came out atop the Hold, looking down at the fireheights. Such a large
unfamiliar queen in the sky caught the watchdragon's attention and Orlaith
quickly told him their business. A quick conference and she got directions
from the rider, sending her thanks. **Not too far**

They flew straight to the cothold, gliding over the southern countryside.
The watchdragon had thought to tell them there was no thread expected that
day. Rhosyn looked down, smiling as she felt her queen's wings effortlessly
keeping them high above the trees. She would never take this for granted.

Soliera also enjoyed the straight flying; it gave her very nice memories of
her weyrmate. As they circled above the cothold, she waited until they landed
to look for her children and grandchildren. As soon as one of the youngest
spied the gold dragon above, the whole cothold would spill out wondering
what on Pern had brought a queen to their cothold.

Going about her business in her usual fashion, Orlaith landed with a grand
show before she finally came to a stop. Rhosyn couldn't help but think of
her own childhood when she saw the cothold, memories flooding her quickly.
Her dragon picked up on the warmness as the pleasant days went through
her mind, then stiffened when her grief and fear came through their bond,
though nowhere near as it had been when she was younger. }:You are safe,
my rider, and loved:{ came her queen's soft reassurances as she bugled,
announcing their arrival to the folks inside the dwelling as she furled her
wings, hoping they had seen her landing. People began to pour out as the
Weyrwoman moved to unstrap herself. She didn't move, however, allowing
Solieira to greet her people first.

Sol made her way off of Orlaith with as minimum a fuss as she could manage
at the fastest speed. She hadn't seen her children and grandchildren in
turns. U'das had been the one to take her last.

She was enveloped in shouts and warmth and love and hugs very rapidly once
she was away from the gleaming gold hide of the queen. She let herself enjoy
that for a time, ignoring the curious looks at the gold dragon and
Weyrwoman with her for a few minutes. But then, she took a step back from
the crowd of relations and waved toward Rhosyn. "That, my dears, is Rhosyn, the
Weyrwoman of River Bluff, and for today, she is part of our family too."

The crowd of family turned toward Rhosyn with open arms and eyes, willing
to love her, too, if she wished it. For today, they could all be one, happy
family.

Sheepish, she had come down Orlaith's side, watching the scene. Then she
heard what Solieira said. Surprised as they all came toward her, she gave a
small smile, ready to follow the others inside. Orlaith settled herself outside,
spreading out for her hide to catch the sun.

Last updated on the March 23rd 2012

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Everyone Should Have a Family