Illness spreads like bad news, rapidly. (OPEN)

[hrsegrl]

Q'tre smiled at the young boy and was surprised he had the ring. "It is a very special thing. Not everyone has one." Beynath for her part was watching the humans. She understood human attachment to some degree though she was still very logical and draconically so. Still she knew that Marisol wanted her to distract the young one. The old Queen rarely bespoke anyone other than Marisol so it was a special person indeed who heard her voice. Hello, Reiko. Thats a pretty ring you have.

Marisol was not silly or dumb, in fact she knew pretty well what was going through everyone's minds. "R'net...I've always loved you like a son and I would hope you understand what I'm going to tell you. There is no greater joy in life than being loved. I was never the best mother for my attentions were elsewhere. Elisha is also much like a daughter, please do try to make things easy for her till she gets back on balance. She will be struggling with her own decisions." Marisol knew he didn't get along well with Elisha.

"Now I have something for you as well." Marisol looked over at the wooden chest by her bed. It was older than she was and thus very unique in design. "Take the chest and its contents. There are some, well interesting things you should read. You are going to need them soon and you will also need to report your findings to the Weyrwoman."

Forethought had always been a strength of hers and she had been planning on bringing this information to everyone's attention when the illness was over. She had told no one about her findings as it was a delicate topic. "Now my favored boy, take care of Reiko, while he might not be a thing like you were, he is a lot like I was. Wouldn't be suprised if he impressed a dragon when he is older."

------
(Since I'm nearly done with Marisol the younger...)

As soon as Marisol had finished her sentance a young red headed woman came bounding into the room. "MARI!" The young woman said loudly, almost too happy for the ocassion. That was MArisol though, she detested when everyone was melancholy. "Well everyone claims you look near death but my dear grandmother you look wonderful... It's a shame I didn't get your cheekbones..."

She nodded to Q'tre and bowed in the direction of the dragons. Beynath always found younger Marisol amusing. A strangely happy and energetic sort. "Looks like I'm late, as usual. Cousin, its good to see you!" She hugged R'net briefly and saw Reiko standing next to Q'tre. "That must be Reiko, haven't seen him since he was a baby. Definately takes after us doesn't he?" She remarked, though he did look a lot like them. She wondered briefly who the mother was since she had never really asked to know. It mattered little and she brushed the thought aside.

Mabe you should tone it down a little...Mari knows I'm always like this besides, its hard to die when everyone continues to be so dreary. Why not go out with a laugh and a smile? The girl had a point. "I had the worst time getting passed the guards on the way up. They insisted I wasn't your relative..." She rolled her eyes. "Its not like theirs a million Marisol's in the Weyr, the dimglows. I almost had to have Seryth fly me here. There are an awful lot of people congregating trying to see you. I don't think they would have let me through but I do have that red hair going for me."

[thedreamerlady]

R'net was crying at this point. She was giving him a chest full of who knew what, and she was leaving him. The realization he was a very dependent on Mari was not welcome. The realization he didn't know who he could turn to was more shocking than anything else.

He forced that part of his mind to ponder what was in the chest. It was beautiful, and large. What she had in it would be amazing, whatever it was.

"Oh, I'll play nice. It's no fun when they can't fight back." R'net teased, trying to keep the tears from returning. And he sent a smile over at his son. "It wouldn't surprise me. Not with such an amazing woman starting his bloodline." He winked at her, and that was when an explosion of energy entered the room.

"Hello Maris." R'net said with a smile. She was a little over the top, but it didn't matter, they were all in this, and she was family. Sure, he was glad she wasn't in his Wing, but she was a nice girl. And had a great name to boot. He returned her hug.

"Yes, isn't he lucky? His mother's family is all blonde." R'net chuckled at Maris story of outside the Weyr.

"Maybe they were just worried you might have a temper."

[hrsegrl]

Marisol had placed a note in the chest, among the more important things. Though she had never been good at showing people how much she cared for them, she had spared a thought for him. Her most beloved family member. None would know that from how she acted around the rest of the family. She tried more so now that she was older to spare time for them. Reiko had benefited most from that.

"Maris!" Marisol laughed as the young woman entered. She was spunky and fun. There was always something amusing in the way she had that happy energy around her. "Darling, I knew you'd be late, when have you ever been on time?" To that the old woman laghed again. Marisol was old and probably dying but she still had a sense of humor and her mind wasn't gone. "I'm glad you were able to get through. You could have had Seryth call on Beynath..."

Younger Marisol laughed to and hugged her grandmother gently. "As is my mother's." Though her mother had a considerably less productive family. Not only were many of them dead from illness, accidents or childbearing, not many of them could procreate. Much like her poor mother, it was a constant challenge. Maris had never really wanted a child nor did she think a child would want her.

"With this cheerful a face, you must be joking." Maris giggled and then looked back down at her grandmother. "You are correct. Time has new meaning around me. It means 5 more minutes." She laughed again, causing her grandmother to laugh into a cough.

"You know how Seryth feels about contacting Queen dragons. She's terrified. I can barely get her to say hi let alone ask for help." Maris was being honest. Seryth would prefer not to speak with Queens directly. The green knew her place in the hierarchy of the Weyr and had no wish to make herself noticed.

[thedreamerlady]

R'net watched with interest as Marisol spoke with Marisol. They were quite different, but they were both family. He glanced at his new chest, and felt the same stirrings of interest, but shut them out of his mind, laughing at the things Maris said.

~~~~~~~

Reiko jumped when Beynath spoke to him, his eyes widened, and he turned to smile at the old, large Queen.

"Hello, Beynath." He responded, excited. "It's very pretty, Mari gave it too me." He looked down at the shiny object. "I can't wait till I'm old enough that I can wear it." He said seriously.

"And no one else has a ring from Marisol, Rider of Beynath." He added, winking one large brown eye, his sturdy little body wiggling from the urge to giggle. He had such a pretty ring!

[hrsegrl]

"Well now, things have been stirred up a bit. Now, Maris, you see that box on top of the dressing table. I left some jewelry of mine for you. Not much most of it was given to your mother and Marivern. I even sent Reisol some of my nice dresses, the more modern ones of course... As much as she may think I abandoned her, I was trying to do what was best."

The Goldrider coughed for a minute into her kerchief. "And they say most the people dying from this thing are dying cause of a fever. Suppose I should be happy I'm consious." Then she looked over at Reiko bragging to Beynath. The Gold was indulging the whims of her rider right now but both of them knew she wasn't going to die laying there wasting away.

"Now all of you its time for you to be getting back to your own weyrs. Don't want to be out too late. First all three of you will give me a hug." Marisol said, as if she were going to dictate everyone else's actions up to her death. Reiko especially needed to hug her again. Q'tre however was to stay with her. He was the one who was supposed to be with her to the end and thats how she wanted it.

Maris looked at her grandmother, gave her a smile and a hug and walked away from. She took the box, opening it only a little to see if there were more gems than her grandmother was claiming by the looks of it more than enough for a simple greenrider.

[thedreamerlady]

When Mari had announced they need to leave, Reiko had shot back over to his Great-Grandmother, to give her the first hug. He also wanted the last hug, but the little Weyrbrat was a rather greedy child.

R'net was a little more sedate, hugging her after Maris had hugged her, and allowing his son to hug Marisol one more time, before bowing, and hauling up his new chest. Once that was settled on his shoulder, balanced with his arm, he offered a hand for his son to hold.

"Would you like for me to string that up for you?" He asked about Reiko's new ring. When the boy agreed, he started to chatter, not feelings the strains of worry that R'net was feeling. Mari was going to do something after they left- he could tell.

[hrsegrl]

When they had all left her weyr and only Q'tre was left, he walked over to her. Helping her get dressed into her favorite riding outfit, the two didn't speak. There were no words. They loved, truly and no one could ever say goodbye to a true love. Marisol kissed him gently as he helped her to put the straps on Beynath. The Gold knew they were going. They were going to the blackness.

Sitting on Beynath, Marisol had the Gold fly into the sky above the Weyr. While she had said her farewells to those she loved best, she still had to say farewell to her home. Looking down at the Weyr, one last time, she smiled.

"Beynath, I think we are ready."
Yes, I'm quite tired. Its time for the neverending sleep. Is it not?
Take us into the blackness, love.
Together. The Gold replied, knowing this was what they had wanted. They had been degenerating badly the last few days, so much so that Beynath was already tired of flying. They did not want to whither away but go out still concious of their lives.

With that last thought in their head, together, they went Between.

The roaring of dragons could be heard throughout Telgar as the Golden Beynath Betweened, never to return.