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Post by hrsegrl on Jan 19, 2008 18:30:18 GMT -5
(This thread is closed to only those who won the December Contest, thank you.)
Due to Igen's territory disputes one small Wing of Dragonriders found a rare thing, a small clutch of Firelizard eggs. They were unable to get close to the nest, until one of the men decided to be brave and distract the Gold and Bronzes long enough for another to grab some eggs. It happened so quickly that the riders were only able to retrieve four.
When the eggs were brought back, the riders decided to sell the eggs rather than keep them.
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Larissa, had dinner with her father that night. He told her some riders had found some eggs, while scouting out some territory that was covered by both Ista and Igen. The eggs were firelizard eggs and he wanted to her to see them.
She wondered if they looked just like dragon eggs, but smaller. Lara, ever since she was a young child thought things like firelizards existed, that was part of her imaginative side. The part of her that made children drawn to her. It wasn't anything new that she of all people would be excited by this. Even more excited that her father had thought to show her.
When they arrived arm in arm, the girl looked on in wonder of the small eggs. They were being kept warm by a smiling greenrider. "Are you interested in purchasing one, they'll be hatching tonight most likely?"
"They are for sale?" Larissa asked blue eyes opening even wider. She would never have thought someone would sell something that rare.
The greenrider answered his smile faded a little. "Truth is none of us riders really have use for one. It is a hefty price though. No common drudge would be able to buy one off of us." To which Larissa frowned, looking thorougly depressed by the whole thing now. A pouting Lara was hard to take but the greenrider seemed determined to get what he wanted.
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Post by brimstone81 on Jan 19, 2008 20:45:07 GMT -5
Janesa had heard that some riders had found a few firelizard eggs. What stories! She had half a mind to tell the Weyrwoman of such idocies, for every one knew that they didn't exist! The riders must have found some rocks and painted them up a bit to look like eggs and now were selling them to heartbroken dopes. Well, she would inspect this herself.
She got there and she had spotted first her cheating ex, and then her daughter. The nerve! Immediately Jan's blood began to boil, though she played it cool. Why L'var favored their daughter was beyond her. Sure, she had decided having a baby would save her relationship with the bronzerider, and it didn't, but why Larissa? The ultimate nail in the coffin? And wasn't L'var's new weyrmate due with her newest child any day now? She pursed her lips. "And what are you selling, dragonrider? I hope nothing contraband. You better not rip off my daughter."
Fools if they did. She came up and looked at the eggs, "My my, very realistic. And how much would you charge?" Certainly a Headwoman's salary could get her one of these eggs, if they were what the riders said they were.
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Post by thedreamerlady on Jan 19, 2008 21:21:16 GMT -5
Jenafa had heard the rumors about the Firelizard eggs. She was not pleased- if they had found eggs on Official Weyr Business, they should have reported it to her or to the Weyrwoman.
And if they were fakes- well, then that would need to be dealt with as well. So, dressed in a short red dress, she'd found herself to the Hearth fire they were selling the eggs at. She looked around, and blinked over who was present. Her Headwoman, and Janesa's child and Ex-weyrmate.
And the group who'd discovered the eggs. Oh, what a silly grouping this was.
"Janesa!" Jenafa called, smiling pleasantly. "Well, I see you've come to see what the fuss is about?" She looked over the four eggs with interest. They were tiny, but did bear a striking resemblance to Saharth's eggs in miniature.
"Have they told you where they found them yet?" She didn't address the riders at that time, busy with the ridge power dynamics that kept the Weyr running in tip top shape.
"L'var, Larissa," She added, nodding to them in turn.
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Post by brimstone81 on Jan 19, 2008 21:33:24 GMT -5
Janesa turned at Jenafa's voice and deeply curtsied, "Queenrider, I have, though I am not sure what to think of them." She wasn't a dragonrider, she never got to stand for a dragon hatching and see them in detail. Jenafa would know. The Headwoman shook her head at the next question, "I have not yet, weyrwoman. I did not get to ask. I have come just in time to have heard them telling Larissa they are charging a 'hefty price.' Are they real, do you think?"
She looked at the eggs again. If they were firelizards, this would be a great discovery, if not, a great hoax. Either way, the riders might now find themselves in trouble. She couldn't help but smirk a little as she looked up to the would be egg merchants.
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Post by thedreamerlady on Jan 19, 2008 22:03:57 GMT -5
Jenafa studied the eggs more carefully this time- but they still looked as real as they had a moment ago. The oblong shape, the slight coloring of splotches, the way they looked delicate but probably weren't.
"They certainly look real. The only real way to know would for them to Hatch, but I don't think they've had enough time to make fake ones." Jenafa finally decided. She glanced at her Headwoman again. "Did they say when they were going to hatch?"
She walked closer to the eggs, tucking her hands behind her in a fluid motion, admiring the pretty shells. If they were fakes, she was still taking one. It would make a nice desk piece. It would look perfect next to her cactus.
Then Jen glanced up at the Riders. "Where did you find these, and why didn't you alert me?"
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Post by hrsegrl on Jan 19, 2008 22:10:21 GMT -5
Larissa had not expected to see her mother coming up behind her and her father. This wasn't going to be good. L'var kept quiet and let Janesa do the talking. Larissa tried not to look suprised to see her mother. Of course when rumors like firelizards went around she was bound to show up.
Larissa greeted her mother and then the Junior Weyrwoman as they arrived. This could only get worse. She was glad her sister wasn't there, that would make things much much worse. "Whatever you are charging, I'll be the one buying it..." Lvar said while Janesa was speaking with the Junior Weyrwoman.
Larissa looked at her father in shock. Sure he cared for her but a present of this kind was, unexpected. Even if she protested he wouldn't have changed his mind.
"Really? Thank you!" She hugged him. Then the greenrider let her come closer and look the eggs over. She wanted the one with the dark mottling. Not that she would say it.
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Post by brimstone81 on Jan 20, 2008 14:48:17 GMT -5
"They did not, weyrwoman." Janesa said with a glance at her boss. Then the woman looked back at the eggs and followed Jenafa. If they were real-wow! She contained her excitment and looked wonderingly at the eggs. Of course Jenafa would probably confiscate them and deliver them to her friends and the what not, but Janesa would love to have one. She had a feeling the riders would be feeling quite stupid now, with the queenrider questioning them directly like that.
Janesa hadn't gotten where she was with out her skill of listening. Her hearing things not meant for her ears might have been the end her relationship with L'var, for shells sakes. She looked surprizingly at her old weyrmate. He was going to dish out the marks to buy an egg for Larissa? How he spoiled that girl! And she didn't even use her gifts to better herself. Janesa shook her head a little. Everything would be different if Larissa had wanted to be a little bit more ambitious than a nanny. With her looks and her sweetness, she could go much farther than her dark haired daughter Janirsa. Well if anything, he was getting grey hairs already. She said almost scoldingly to the once dark haired rider, "L'var, really, such a lavish gift?"
Well she had no control over his marks anymore. He'd have to face Zeritha, if the younger woman ever found out. With another glance at Larissa, she turned back to the queenrider and the eggs.
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Post by kayla on Jan 21, 2008 16:45:39 GMT -5
Kia had come in search for the headwoman, her direct boss. There had been a slight issue that Kiaran could have easily dealt with, except for the fact that Janesa was far too concerned that Kiaran was after her position - and while it was a long term goal, Kiaran was not going to take it from her until the woman was ready to retire comfortably. So Kia tried to be careful not to do anything that would cause Janesa any more concern than she already had.
However, Kia almost wished that she had risked the political fall out from the issue when she found Janesa, Jenafa, and to make it worse, Larissa with her father L'var. She loved Larissa, thought of her as a younger sister - much like Kitya only extremely different, but she knew things rarely went well for the younger woman when the she was with her two parents at the same time.
She had heard the rumors about the firelizard eggs, but had dismissed them as rumors or a fraud. However, on looking for Janesa, she had found that the Headwoman had come to investigate the firelizard egg situation, so here she was. Only now that she saw them, she was entranced. She had heard a bit of what L'var said, and saw Larissa's exuberant reaction. Well, if anyone deserved a firelizard - if they were real eggs - it was Larissa.
"Are they real? How much do they cost?" There was little that could catch her attention so thoroughly, that could get through her cynical shell, but these eggs, the hope that they were real, the possibility of of having a firelizard, had done so.
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Post by hrsegrl on Jan 21, 2008 17:03:04 GMT -5
L'var had heard Janesa but kept his mouth taut. Larissa broke it off with, "Mother, I'm sure he means it as a Birthingday gift. I will not be recieving anymore gifts till next Turn at the earliest. " She would have said ever but that would be a lie. Her father loved to give her pretty things and she was wearing a dress he had given her and jewelry too though it wasn't anything someone woud notice easily.
She loved his gifts and no matter how much her parents disliked eachother, she knew they had once felt the same about eachother. Her father had a wandering eyes but so did many dragonriders. There were plenty of women who were tossed aside when the man wanted nothing more. Her mother had never seemed to get over that. It didn't help that she had depreived her mother of a chance at impression.
"There's no need to explain." L'var said to her though he knew she simply wanted to avoid her mother being angry. He wanted to avoid that a lot of the time too. Didn't help that she was the Headwoman. "Now, what are you charging?" The greenrider looked at all the people, thoroughly confused as too many people were speaking at once.
"AHEM." He interrupted them all. "The price is based on an individual basis. The young blonde was here first, she has first pick. Bronzerider L'var will come to an agreement with me. Then Headwoman you shall get the chance to pick one and we will discuss a price. Junior Weyrwoman, your third dibbs. I'm sure that you will find we are fair." He looked at the other girl who just entered not rightly recognizing her. "You will be last, sorry but it is first come first serve."
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Post by brimstone81 on Jan 21, 2008 19:42:52 GMT -5
Janesa arched her brow at the greenrider, serving a drudge over a queenrider? Of course she expected she wouldn't be first, and you could assume first served was the bronzerider. She looked to goldrider Jenafa, wondering if she would think it fair to let a drudge and, to a queenrider at least, a serving woman choose before her. Janesa had not replied to her former weyrmate nor her daughter. What Larissa ever did to deserve such attentions was beyond Janesa, as if he was rewarding being mediocre. Poor J'var, all he ever wanted was for his father to notice him. She hoped the boy was well past that. She should just let her second daughter to whatever she wishes. If she wants to be a nanny, so be it. If she wanted to spend time with her father, fine. Janesa just wanted to leave, and with a firelizard egg.
She looked behind her to whom the greenrider last spoke to. It was her assistant Kiaran. She wondered what the girl was doing here, though she assumed there must have been a problem. At first she thought that by getting an egg Kiaran was her way of competing with Janesa, but at second thought, it might be useful. Maybe they could train these little creatures. Maybe they couldn't, but only time would tell.
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Post by kayla on Jan 21, 2008 20:26:09 GMT -5
Kiaran nodded to the man, a greenrider. She was perfectly fine with being the last to chose. If the eggs were truly eggs, and she did not suspect that the Weyrwoman would be interested in one if they were not, then she did not care if she got the last one. Just the chance of having one, and of possibly having a... mythological creature entranced her. Something which probably would have surprised everyone who knew her. All thoughts of politics and rank were put completely aside.
The Assistant Headwoman smiled warmly at Janesa when she turned around to glance at her. For a moment she had completely forgotten why it was that she had come looking for the woman in the first place, and then she remembered. Well, for now, that could wait.
She had to admit that she loved that Larissa would get first choice, though she was not overly concerned with choice. It felt right to see the young woman get honored, even if just briefly.
Her real concern at that moment, was that she only had a few marks on her at the moment. She wondered if they would hold the egg for her, or if she somehow had enough?
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Post by thedreamerlady on Jan 25, 2008 0:21:00 GMT -5
It was not an attractive face that Jen made when the Greenrider told her she was to be served after a drudge. And after the Headwoman. Did the silly man have any idea who she was?
She opened her mouth to tell him so, then closed it slowly, and sneering smile forming over her mouth. She'd take this egg(and if he thought she was going to pay, he was in for a small surprise), only one, for she didn't feel greedy. Then, she would have this man taking every Night Watch she could manage, and slowly find that all his free time was disappearing. She could make it happen, and she would. She would find out who he was, and make him miserable. And he'd probably never realize why, either.
So, Jen waited her turn, like a good drudge. Or a good girl- both very close to each other in Igen Weyr. But she wasn’t a silly girl- a silly girl wouldn’t be wearing a red dress, and waiting to recieve an egg of a mythical creature. She was a woman- a Weyrwoman, junior or not.
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Post by hrsegrl on Jan 25, 2008 22:13:35 GMT -5
The greenrider for his part, didn't care what they did to him. It would only fuel his anti ranker sentiments. He believed that he should be treated with more respect. Why shouldn't the girl who was here first be served first? Rank should have no meaning when it came to these instances. Yes, when it came to running the Weyr, the Rankers should be in charge. He just didn't see any reason to submit to their every want.
L'var wasn't thrilled about the greenrider's tactics but he wanted to buy an egg so he would go by the rules. Larissa was in shock for a moment. The greenrider had the gall to put her before her mother, the headwoman and the assistant headwoman. All three women were much more important than she was. She did as she was bade to do though.
Larissa took the egg she wanted and placed it in the crook of her arm, covering as much of the surface area of the egg as possible. was thrilled, she had a firelizard egg! Little did she know the that firelizards were hard to train and hard to take care of. Her life was about to get more complicated than she ever thought it would.
The young woman placed a kiss on her father's cheek and walked away from the greenrider and the other women. Her father walked with her, so as to avoid the glares of two very unhappy women.
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Post by brimstone81 on Jan 27, 2008 19:02:41 GMT -5
Janesa pursed her lips and watched the two walk off. Well she wouldn't fight it, though she wasn't going to pay up front and get ripped off. She shot a look at the greenrider, "You will come see me in a sevenday or so and then I will pay you. You will see not a mark from me until it hatches." With out another word she picked up an egg. It was rather average, not distinct in anyway, but it suited her, and she took the little oblong thing.
She turned, and started to walk away when she looked over her shoulder, "Kiaran, you can come to my office after this. And my duty to Saharth, Weyrwoman Jenafa." Then Janesa was gone.
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Post by thedreamerlady on Jan 27, 2008 21:00:36 GMT -5
Jenafa, fully sick of waiting like a patient puppy, stalked forward, grabbing the first egg she could see. It was small, tiny, but the heat emanating out of it reminded her of her own Queen's eggs.
"You may be rewarded, if I'm pleased with the egg. I'll let you know." She said coldly, tucking the egg into her dress. As if she'd pay a Greenrider for something that they'd found on official Weyr business. Not sharding likely, and even less so with the amount of disrespect he'd given her.
And if he thought to complain, she'd have Saharth give his Green a stern talking too. A very stern talking too. She didn't take flack from anyone- neither did her Dragon.
She started off, trying to decide if it would be easier to keep the egg on the hatching grounds with Saharth watching it, or placing it her rooms, and having a brazier for heat sent up to keep it warm.
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