Seeking Distraction
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Nicole Bonvisuto
Date Posted: 17th August 2013
Characters: Meridia
Description: Meridia designs a new jacket.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 2, day 12 of Turn 7
While Elleth pushed the next generation of dragons out onto the Sands,
Meridia pushed a firelizard away from her dressform. The tiny brown, who
slept through three candlemarks of thunder, snapped awake to an opening jar
lid. The last candlemark had been spent trying to both waterproof a jacket
and keep Tack from eating the oil treatment. Only one had been successful.
The firelizard struggled as she held him against her chest and stepped back
to survey her work.
It was a riding jacket: deep, forest green, embroidered across the right
breast with a green dragon in flight, just a shade lighter than the
leather. Two thin wool sweaters were sacrificed for the insulation,
designed to wick away sweat while holding in heat at high altitude.
During the times Meridia had worn it about the office as a test run, it was
warm, but she hadn't overheated. It was a small victory.
The lining had been rescued from a sky-blue sateen dress that had been
simple and nice and entirely not Meridia's style. But, it did feel
wonderful against the skin.
A front seam ran from breast to waist: a style Meridia thought would never
do for men, the more she studied it, but it slimmed the stomach and
accentuated the chest in even the most poorly endowed of women. The front
seam hid two pockets, for easy access to riding gloves, and between the
pockets, three small, brass buckles clenched the coat together. The chest
of the jacket could be snapped closed against the wind all the way to the
collarbone. Though, the collar currently hung open: each a series of two
points that grew successively smaller and pointed out and slightly downward
toward the arms. The collar met between the breasts and both sides were
embroidered in the same olive thread that wove the dragon onto the chest.
Meridia nodded to herself: a worthy advertisement piece. Tack had scrambled
onto her shoulder while her mind riffled through names and possibilities.
She just needed to find the right rider to test it out and display it
around. Meridia had made the jacket for a greenrider, of course, and all
the better if she could find a someone of repute: a Wingthird, even, or at
least a rider in the Weyrleader's wing.
She reached inside the cabinet and retrieved the bottle of sweet red she
hid away for special occasions. Meridia couldn't keep her mind away from
the reason the rest of the Weyr would be celebrating, though. She had
finished the project too fast, and idle hands made for racing thoughts.
She swirled the glass and took a sip.
There had been so much talk about this day already. The bronze was too
young, the clutch would be too small. All of Pern would die because this
was certainly the first time anyone had ever botched a mating flight.
Meridia genuinely felt sorry for Meledei. Not that the young goldrider
couldn't hold her own.
She leaned against the wall and thought.
What was the girl now? Eighteen? Nineteen.
Meridia took another sip of wine and raised her brows.
She supposed she had to give some merit to those who had encouraged her
that life without a dragon was not a failure. But, there was still a deep
sense of bitterness that she had stood for almost ten turns where she had
watched eggs lie still and dragons die while not being chosen.
But, that was life. At least, as others had put it, she was unlikely to die
as part of the wall of bodies thrown against Thread. And, unlike poor
Meledei, her success would never be measured in how well her dragon had sex.
**Cheers to that,** she thought, and tossed the last of the wine down.
Outside, thunder rumbled and she set her glass down on the table.
"Well, come along, dimglow," she said to her firelizard. "There are eggs to
see and people happy to feed you."
That was all Tack needed to hear to become a sudden weight on her shoulder.
Meridia smiled, scratching the firelizard's eyeridges.
The tanner untied her apron and straightened her clothes.
There were two good things about Clutchings now: good men and good alcohol,
and she had full plans to take advantage of both.
Last updated on the August 18th 2013