The Great Firelizard Egg Swindle

Writers: Devin, Estelle
Date Posted: 15th January 2025

Characters: Iskara, Cosani
Description: Iskara and Cosani find a buyer for their 'firelizard eggs'
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 4, day 11 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: Ç'pier

Cosani

The small sea hold was beautiful from the air, brightly painted
buildings spread along the coast not far from the beach. Holds could
_look_ beautiful, but there was always ugliness inside, Cosani thought
as they spiraled down to land.

}:You are giving them rocks and saying they are eggs?:{ Shalith asked.
}:And this is fun?:{

**Very fun.**

Hylith was equally baffled by her rider's plans for the afternoon. }:But
why do you want people to think you are a boy?:{

**Because it's fun.** Iskara unbuckled her straps the moment they'd
landed beside Shalith and slid down, then reached up to unstrap the
covered basket with exaggerated care. She cast a quick, conspiratorial
glance at Cosani. "Ready?"

"Ready . . . C'pier." Cosani bit her lip to keep from laughing.

Iskara grinned and saluted as best she could with the basket on her arm,
then turned to face the hold. They'd already attracted some attention. A
fussy-looking middle aged man had emerged from the main building and was
approaching them. As he got closer, she saw he was wearing steward's
knots and didn't look particularly enthusiastic about the visitors.

"Good day, dragonriders." He raised a hand in a perfunctory greeting.
"Can I help you? I'm afraid we've already been visited by Searchriders."

Cosani waved that off. "We're not here on official business. We found
firelizard eggs!"

"Firelizard eggs? In our territory?"

"We think so?" Iskara pitched her voice lower than usual. "This is the
nearest hold. We found them in a little bay a couple of miles west of
here. Where there's a big redfruit tree on the cliff above the sand."

"Oh - yes, yes, that's ours." The man's eyes fastened greedily on the
basket. "Bring them on in, and we can warm them at the hearth."

"Come on, Karlyn." Iskara gave her fellow greenrider a quick wink over
her shoulder. She knew that the holder was lying, having seen the
boundary markers, but that was all to the good for their plan.

"We were thinking you might like to have them," Cosani said as she
followed them inside. "For a small fee, of course, since we found them.
I think one of the eggs might be gold?"

"Gold?!" The man gaped as Iskara set down the basket by the hearth fire
and brushed away the top layer of sand from the largest 'egg'. The shell
glittered in the firelight, drawing gasps from the small group of
holders who'd gathered to see what was going on.

"Be careful," Iskara warned as they pushed closer. "Firelizard eggs must
be kept warm at all times, otherwise they won't hatch. You should leave
them buried in the sand, and keep the fire burning."

"Yes, of course." He scowled at the other holders until they backed up.
"Ah...a small fee, you said?"

"I think that's only fair," Cosani said. "Or I suppose we could just
take them back to the Weyr . . ."

"Oh, yes - that's fair, indeed," the holder said hastily. "Though the
eggs were found in our territory, you ought to have something for
finding them and bringing them here." He reluctantly reached into his
pouch and counted out the contents. "Perhaps five marks?"

Despite herself, Iskara was impressed by the sheer audacity of his
cheating. She had heard of gold eggs alone fetching more than a hundred
marks. Still, she kept a straight face. "Each?"

When he winced, she glanced at Cosani. "I don't know, Karlyn. Perhaps we
should have taken them to our Wingleader first."

"I think you're right, C'pier," Cosani said, putting on a thoughtful
look to hide her anger. "Maybe he'd let us sell them and keep some of
the money. I'm sure someone at Emerald Falls would want a gold firelizard."

"Very well, then. Five marks each," the man offered, grimacing. "Sibon,
go and fetch the locked box from my study." A drudge hurried off, and
returned shortly with a small chest, which the steward unlocked with a
key from the bunch on his belt. With a pained expression, he counted out
five more marks and handed them to Cosani.

Cosani looked over at Iskara, eyebrow raised in question. Should they
ask for more?

Iskara was sorely tempted to carry on squeezing the holders - it was so
entertaining! On the other hand, they had just sold a pile of rocks for
ten marks. Perhaps they shouldn't push their luck.

"There is that handsome bluerider in Hurricane Wing. I heard he always
wanted a firelizard..." Maybe a little more pushing.

"Six marks, then," the holder said hastily, with a mildly disgusted
glance at Iskara. When she still looked doubtful, he growled. "All
right, seven! But no more." He took out two more two-mark pieces and
handed them to the greenriders.

Iskara hesitated, then sighed and tucked the marks into her pouch.
"Done. Now, they should hatch in a few sevendays, but it's very
important to keep them warm. Don't let the fire go out - and don't touch
them."

"We'd love to see them after they hatch," Cosani said. "Right, C'pier?"
It wouldn't hurt to repeat his name and make sure the holders heard it.

"I hope you'll Impress one." Iskara placed a hand on the man's shoulder
in a distinctly intimate gesture. "You'd look so very dignified with a
gold firelizard on your shoulder." When he brushed her off with a
shudder, she grinned wickedly. "Oh, and don't forget, the bay with the
redfruit tree. That's where the gold will lay her eggs after she rises."

"Yes, yes." His eyes lit up at the thought of gathering even more eggs.

"Good luck!" Cosani waved and headed for the door. She fought to keep a
pleasant smile on her face and not crack up.

"A pleasure doing business with you. If we find any more, we'll be
back." Iskara followed her wingmate out, just about managing to hold in
the giggles until they got back to the dragons.

Hidden by Hylith's wing from the eyes of the holders, she doubled over.
"Did you see his face when he saw the gold?"

"Oh I knew we had him then." Cosani broke into another fit of laughter.
"Easiest seven marks I ever made. Just imagine them sitting day after
day, waiting for a bunch of painted rocks to hatch."

"Imagine when they finally figure out they've been had." Iskara shook
her fist at the sky in mock outrage. "Curse you, C'pier!"

Cosani laughed so hard she fell against her friend. "This is the _best_!"

Iskara wiped a tear from her eye. "Oh, shards, we'd better get going
before they start wondering what we're shrieking about."

"C'pier, how dare you cheat these good, upstanding holders and then
_laugh_ about it?" Cosani snorted and covered her mouth. "Okay, okay.
Let's go!" She hurried to mount Shalith, telling herself she could laugh
as much as she wanted once they were too high up for the holders to see
or hear them.

Last updated on the January 27th 2025

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The Great Firelizard Egg Swindle