Gold Flight Gossip

Writers: Estelle, Francesca
Date Posted: 19th January 2025

Characters: Kamalia, Gienah
Description: Kamalia and Gienah catch up on gossip after Chioneth's flight
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 1, day 4 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: R'enh, I'serin, K'reyel

Kamalia regretted asking Alaudath for a ride to the dining cavern
entrance as soon as they left the comfort of their weyr. They were
immediately buffeted by wind and rain, and visibility was practically
zero. The greenrider closed her eyes and held on, trusting Alaudath to
get them there safely. As soon as they landed, she dismounted and ran
for cover.

**Are you sure you don't want to stay down here and wait until the
wind dies down?** she asked her lifemate, concerned. **You're already
soaked.**

}:It's not too bad. I'll be careful.:{

Kamalia watched Alaudath take off and stayed at the entrance, even
when she could not see green anymore, to wait until she arrived safely
back at their weyr. Then, she entered the dining hall and grabbed
lunch. It felt like a holiday, with groups of people relaxing and
chatting over food and drink. With the surprising result of Chioneth's
flight yesterday and Threadfall tomorrow, it was certainly an exciting
sevenday. Kamalia took a seat at the end of the table, across from a
friendly face.

"Gienah," she said with a smile. "Good thing Chioneth decided to rise
yesterday and not today."

"Isn't it? I'm glad I'm not scheduled for watch duty or sweepriding
today." Gienah made a face at the thought. Dragonsfall's climate had
given her enough opportunities to experience riding in bad weather to
know she was lucky to miss being outside today. Her poor Esieth would be
blown about like a leaf. Instead, her dragon was curled up in their cosy
weyr, and she could enjoy hot klah and gossip with her fellow riders.

"So what do you think of the new Weyrleader?" she asked. "I don't know
much about him, except that he was one of those who came from River Bluff."

Kamalia shrugged, taking a bite of tubers in a cream sauce. "I heard
his father is a bronzerider. And that he has never even been a
Wingleader." She lowered her voice. "Doesn't he seem kind of young to
be a Weyrleader?"

"He looks young, but I heard one of the greenriders in the Weyrleader's
Wing saying he's over _thirty_," Gienah replied in the same confidential
tone. Thirty seemed rather old to her, if not quite as ancient as forty.
"I wonder what he's feeling about Fall tomorrow. Imagine going from
being a plain wingrider to leading the Weyr against Thread!"

Kamalia shuddered dramatically. "Sounds like a horrible nightmare.
Actually," she thought for a moment, "I think I might have had a
similar nightmare at some point." But, back to talking about the new
Weyrleader. "I guess his bronze wouldn't have won if they couldn't
lead the Weyr in Fall, right? So I'm sure it will be fine. I'm glad
not to be in the Weyrleader's Wing though. I think it will be hardest
for them to adjust."

"Yes, it must be quite different to being led by K'reyel - he was
Weyrleader since before I came here. Although, I heard _his_ father was
a bronzerider too, so they have that in common." Gienah said, drawing on
her store of gossip. "I've only ever had the one Wingleader, R'enh, so I
don't know what it's like to change - do you?"

Kamalia shook her head. "Hopefully not too much. I've heard wingmates
complaining about new Weyrleaders who want to shake things up
immediately rather than trusting current systems. Before I Impressed, I
remember there was another Weyr where the Weyrleader changed the minimum
age for Fighting Wings to 15. When Weyrleadership changed, the new
Weyrleader raised the age back to 16." She had not thought about it much
at the time. She had only really cared about her own life, not the
decisions of Weyrleadership halfway around Pern. However, now it served
as a reminder of their power over the wellbeing of all dragonriders.

"Oh, that was at Dolphin Cove. That's where I was Searched to
originally, before my da got a job here. I remember hearing about that
in Candidate classes." Gienah's brow creased as she tried to recall to
what the Weyrlingmaster had told them. "They said the Wings were under
strength, so the Weyrleader reduced the age to bring more riders in to
fight. But it was all before my time, and I was almost sixteen when I
was Searched anyway, so it didn't make much difference to me. It must
have been hard on the ones who were fifteen, though. Thinking they were
about to graduate and then ending up facing another Turn with the
weyrlings."

"Yeah, it wouldn't have changed anything for me either." Kamalia
thought back to how she had felt when she had graduated. "If I had
been in that position, I'm not sure if I would have been more annoyed
or relieved. Fifteen seems so young. But, if a dragon chooses someone,
maybe that means they're ready? You can become a Candidate as early as
12 though, and a 12 or 13-Turn-old in a fighting wing seems like a
terrible idea." She shrugged. "I'm glad I don't need to decide."

"Me, too. I remember wondering why the Candidates aren't just older, but
I suppose it's better that a dragon chooses someone young than not find
a partner at all." She shivered at the thought. "One of the staff back
at Dolphin Cove told me that just before the Pass, they had a hard time
finding enough candidates for the big clutches, since not all of the
Holds allowed Search. Perhaps that's why they had to set the age so low."

"I guess that makes sense." It still did not seem like a great idea
though. Not wanting to continue talking about young Candidates,
Kamalia smiled and lowered her voice. "So, do you have anything
exciting going on with you?"

Gienah grinned. "Well, the Weyrleaders weren't the only ones to have a
good time when Chioneth rose." The aftermath of a gold flight really was
the _best_ time for gossip!

Last updated on the January 25th 2025

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Gold Flight Gossip