Playing 'Greenrider at a Gather'

Writers: Devin, Estelle
Date Posted: 18th June 2024

Characters: Iskara, Cosani, Mervorn, Drewal
Description: Iskara and Cosani attract some attention at a Gather
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr, Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 13, day 2 of Turn 11
Notes: Mentioned: M'gan, Alina

Cosani

"I'm _booored_," Iskara complained, slumping down in her chair at the table in the dining cavern which had been taken over by a group of Cyclone's wingriders. "Nothing _ever_ happens around here."

"Aside from the murder attempts?" Cosani said dryly.

"There hasn't been one of those for ages." The greenrider pouted. "The holders can't even be bothered to plot against us any more."

"Uhh . . . good?" Cosani looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "It would be nice to have some entertainment that _isn't_ holders trying to kill us."

"I suppose," Iskara admitted, though from her grudging tone, it sounded as though she'd quite have liked someone to try to attack her. "But being nice to them all the time is the opposite of entertaining." She'd barely managed to sit through the lecture M'gan had given to the wing about not antagonizing the holders without rolling her eyes.

Suddenly a thought occurred to her, and she sat up straight. "Hey - have you ever played 'Greenrider at a Gather'?"

"Is that something you just made up?" Cosani laughed.

"No! We played it all the time at Windswept Islands. The way it works is, you find a Gather at a small hold, ideally one that's rather remote and doesn't get many visitors from the Weyr - it doesn't work if they're too used to dragonriders. The kind of place that thinks all greenriders are shameless hussies who're out to tempt innocent young men away from their wives. Or girls from their husbands," Iskara added with a wicked grin. "Then you dress up in your most outrageous attire, and you go along, and...act exactly how they expect."

Cosani frowned. "We don't actually _do_ anything with the holders, do we?" She had no interest in _that_ kind of game with holder men.

"No, of course not. Eww." Iskara pulled a face. "You keep it going as long as you dare, and then you jump on your green, give them a little wave and leave some very frustrated holders far, far behind you."

The other greenrider laughed. "Okay, okay. _That_ sounds like fun. I'm in."

"First we have to choose our hold. The best way's to ask around whoever was riding sweep this morning." Iskara's eyes unfocused for a moment as she spoke with her green. "Hylith's asking if anyone's seen a Gather flag. While she's doing that, we choose our outfits. Have you got anything in mind?"

"Hmm." Cosani's brow wrinkled. "I do have a nice Hatching dress, but . . . I suppose most of the clothes we consider practical around here would be scandalous at a Hold, huh?" Women wearing trousers, of course. And dresses tended to be thin, short, low-cut, and with short sleeves or straps.

"Yes, we could wear trousers, and show our..." Iskara made a shock-horror face. "_Shoulders_."

Cosani laughed. "Shoulders, sure." Then she pressed her lips together and then asked, almost shyly, "Could you help me pick something out?"

"Of course!" She jumped to her feet and held out a hand. "We can go by my weyr first - I know what I'll wear, so you can see what I mean. Then yours, and then off we go a-Gathering!"

"Ok!"

Half a candlemark later, the greenriders were ready to go. At first glance they looked as thought they were heading out on a sweepride, but Iskara's riding jacket covered a sleeveless jade-green blouse with a plunging neckline that was enough to scandalize a respectable holder, and she'd picked out her tightest pair of leather trousers for the occasion.

"Hylith says she's heard about a place. It's out towards Emerald Falls but not quite in their territory." Not that Iskara didn't like to take risks, but she didn't want to be murdered, either. "It sounds like just the thing - a few little holds and outlying cots getting together for a market and dancing."

"And they probably don't see too many riders." Cosani chuckled at the idea of shocking them for more than one reason. She had tight leather trousers on as well, and her blue tunic was made of light fabric. It had laces up the front that she'd left untied at the top so she could play with the ends teasingly.

"They'll see a whole lot of some riders today, that's for sure." Iskara winked and reached for the riding straps, pulling herself lightly up to Hylith's back. "Let's go!"

In a short time the two greens were spiraling down toward a small clearing near the crowded Gather Square. It was certainly no Emerald Falls, but it was bigger than the hold Cosani had grown up in. When Shalith landed, Cosani slipped off her dragon and pulled off her riding jacket. They hadn't gotten to the actual Gather yet and Cosani could already feel eyes on her as she tucked the jacket into a small sack on her green's riding straps. "The gawking has begun." She shot a grin at Iskara over her shoulder.

"We're certainly getting attention." Iskara ran her fingers through short dark hair to loosen it after their ride, tugged her blouse down a fraction, and strolled over to join Cosani with a teasing sway of her hips. "Now to put it to use. Let's go and find someone to buy us a drink." She offered an arm to the other greenrider.

"Oh Faranth." Cosani laughed. "I didn't even consider we could get them to buy us stuff. We should find holders who look like they have money." She started scanning the crowd as they stepped into the Gather Square. Most people were clearly wearing their Gather best, but for some that didn't mean much.

"Yes, perhaps not them." Iskara tilted her head towards a pair of teenage boys who were staring at them with their jaws dropped. A possible candidate, a prosperous-looking man with trader's knots, hastily turned away when the woman next to him caught him eyeing the greenriders and gave his shoulder a hard shove. "Oh, there they are." She pointed over to the vintners' stall, where a group of men, looking awkward in their unaccustomed Gather clothes, were ordering drinks. "Herders who've just been paid. Perfect."

One of them saw the greenriders approaching and nudged his companions. They turned, and some of them openly gawked at the women, while others were a little less obvious. Cosani looked them over. "Hmm, they'll do." She put a little bit of sway into her walk.

Iskara's lips curved into a coy smile and she batted her eyelashes as they approached the drinks stall. "Good day to you, holders. What a delightful day for a Gather!"

The man who she'd spoken to stammered, trying to tear his gaze away from the neckline of her blouse, but his friend grinned and nudged him with an elbow. "It's an honor to meet you, ladies. Can we offer you a drink?"

"I would love a drink." Cosani batted her eyes. "I didn't know holders were so kind."

"Oh we're very kind," one of them said. "Especially to lovely greenriders such as yourselves." His gaze flickered over both of them.

"Isn't it lucky we met you, then? It's _so_ nice to find a place where greenriders are appreciated." Iskara gave a little giggle as the first holder turned back from the stall with a glass of wine in each hand. "Oh, thank you!"

"You're welcome." The holder's fingers lingered over hers as he handed her the glass. "May we know the lovely greenriders' names?"

"Of course." Iskara placed her free hand on her chest, the fingertips curving suggestively against her skin, and gave him a slow, wicked smile. "I'm Alina, rider of Imarith."

Cosani tried to hold back a laugh and ended up making a rather undignified snort, which she tried to turn into a more ladylike cough. "Oh excuse me. My throat is so dry. Thanks so much for the wine." She took a swallow. "I'm Karlyn of green Prussath," she said, naming another rider in their Wing.

"And what about your names, kind holders?" Iskara took a sip of her wine, then licked a drop from her lips with the tip of her tongue. "Karlyn and I would _love_ to get to know you better."

One of them watched her mouth with rapt attention. "I--I'm Mervorn."

"Have you met many greenriders?" Cosani played with one of the laces of her tunic.

"No, we don't see many dragonriders here," the man who'd bought the drinks replied. He nudged his friend, who seemed mesmerised by Cosani's fingers. "It seems a pity. Perhaps once you've experienced our hold's hospitality, you'll want to return for more." He grinned. "I'm Drewal, by the way, and this is Gerett."

"We'll have to sample what you have to offer first, won't we, Karlyn?" Iskara smiled wickedly at Mervorn. "The wine is a promising start..."

"Maybe you'd like something to eat as well, Alina?" Mervorn asked.

"Oh, yes. I find I am rather...hungry," Iskara drawled. "And I expect we'll need to build up our strength - for the dancing, you know. We both simply adore dancing."

"Have you seen how weyrfolk dance?" Cosani asked Gerett.

His cheeks flushed scarlet. "Uh - n-no..."

"But he'd _really_ like to," Drewal said, smirking.

"Then if you're all very good, we might be persuaded to give a demonstration," Iskara purred. "If you promise not to be shocked. Sometimes at the Weyr..." She lowered her voice to a throaty whisper that sent a thrill through the gathered holders. "Girls dance with girls."

Mervorn swallowed hard, his eyes going wide. "We'll do anything you like, greenriders."

Cosani looped her arm around Iskara's. "Let's check out the food stalls."

"Yes, let's." Iskara beckoned to the holders with a curl of her little finger and they sauntered off, drinks in hand, following the scents of roasting and baking. "I fancy something spicy, don't you?"

*** Several different foods, more drinks, and a few trinkets later, the holders were starting to get handsy. Gerett's fingers brushed against Cosani's hip and he was leaning far too close. Cosani fought an urge to punch him and shot at look at Iskara over her shoulder. "Oh, my dragon is calling me."

Iskara caught her glance from where she was leading Mervorn through a few dance steps, in time with to the harper music that drifted across the Gather square. The evening was drawing in, and it was Cosani's first time playing. Time to go.

"You aren't leaving?" Gerett had been drinking along with them, and his words slurred as he reached for Cosani again.

"When our dragons summon us, we must obey." Iskara slipped away from the Mervorn and ran her fingers down his arm, her voice dropping to a seductive murmur. "And we are very, very...obedient."

She took a step backwards, holding his hand to draw him away from her fellow greenrider. "Why don't you follow us? At a little distance, of course, to spare your reputations." With a wink at Cosani, she turned to the other holders. "You could meet our dragons. It's so nice and private under their wings."

Hungry anticipation returned to their eyes.

Cosani wondered exactly what Iskara was up to. Why invite them to follow? But trusted that she had a plan, so she followed the other greenrider away from the Gather square.

The dragons were waiting in the clearing where they'd been left, their eyes glowing as they watched their riders approach. Iskara could sense that Hylith was impatient to leave, having grown bored with the game long before her rider had.

She gave the holders a little wave, gesturing to them to stop. "Wait there - we'll only be a moment."

**Hylith, ask Shalith how fast her rider can mount up...**

After a moment Shalith said, }:Very fast. I still have my straps on.:{ They were itchy and now she wanted a bath.

}:My rider says to be ready,:{ Hylith replied.

The greenriders approached the dragons, Iskara turning as she did to pout and bat her eyelashes at the watching holders. She pretended to fiddle with the straps for a moment or two. Then - just as they couldn't contain themselves any longer and started to approach - she swung herself up to Hylith's back with practiced ease. **Now!**

The green rose up on her hind legs, stirring up clouds of dust with powerful sweeps of her wings, and hissed, towering over them and showing off her sharp, gleaming teeth. The effect on the men was immediate. Gerett let out a high-pitched shriek and stumbled back into Drewal, who cursed and shoved him back.

Iskara's peals of laughter could just be heard above the confusion and the dragon's growls. "Goodbye, boys!"

Cosani had vaulted to Shalith's neck as soon as Iskara mounted her dragon, expecting to take to the air immediately. She watched her fellow greenrider with startled amusement. "You were _so_ generous!" Cosani called to the holders as the men stared at them with a mix of confusion, fear, and anger. She waved as Shalith took off, laughing at their expressios.

Hylith leapt into the air after Shalith, the holders' furious shouts drowned out by her swift wingbeats. Soon, the hold was no more than a tiny patch of open land far below, and then they winked /between/.

Back at the Weyr, the greens landed in the Weyrbowl and Iskara slid down, still barely holding back her giggles. "That was fun! Did you see their faces when Hylith bared her teeth at them?"

"Shards, I bet they shit their pants!" Cosani held her stomach as she laughed. "You were _awful_. I loved it!" Cosani imagined how good it would feel to scare all the people back at the hold where she'd been born. The pranks had been satisfying, but she hadn't been able to see their reactions.

"We should go again sometime. Not too often..." Iskara suspected that their Wingleader would take a dim view of their activities - he seemed like the boringly straight-laced type. She grinned. "But I do like a free glass of wine."

"And food. And this." Cosani reached into a slim pocket and produced a handful of cheap jewelry. "Maybe next time we can get them to pool their money and actually get us something _nice_."

"Ooh, next time, let's have a contest to see who gets the best gift." Iskara linked arms with the other greenrider and grinned. "Nice work...Karlyn."

"You were so _naughty_ . . . Alina." Cosani laughed.

Last updated on the June 23rd 2024

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Playing 'Greenrider at a Gather'