Flight Apprehensions

Writers: Devin, Len, Sia, Steel
Date Posted: 9th February 2025

Characters: Sh'del, E'tariax, V'tian, Saedyna, L'fael
Description: The green weyrlings get a Flight Lecture too.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 1, day 1 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: S'kand

This class was a special but a necessary one, especially since there
were no greenriders currently amongst the Weyrlingstaff. E'tariax
waited for Sh'del to finish his lecture on mating flights, looking
over the class of greenriders. Shells, was he ever this young? He
could barely remember. Even if he didn't know half of these kids'
parents by name, he could see by the posture which kids had heard this
lecture before and which ones were increasingly feeling some kind of
way. A little bit of excitement, a little bit of dread, and more than
a little bit of embarrassment to have two old men talking about mating
flights.

"Your Weyrlingmasters asked me to attend because we have a unique
situation here at Dolphin Cove." E'tariax started when Sh'del
finished. "They've got all the information on the mechanics of it,
draconic development and best practice. What they don't have- sorry
Sh'del, old boy- is the experience of being a greenrider themselves.
I've been one for a few turns now. I'm here if anyone has any
questions about the Flight that Sh'del doesn't cover in class, the
experience itself and anything in the before or after."

Shâ€™del swallowed a laugh as he sat back and let the older greenrider
take over. **Have we caught his green before?** he asked Loranth.

}:Noâ€¦I donâ€™t think so. Do you want me to try?:{

**Please do, it could be fun**

Lâ€™fael had found himself getting a bit hot under the collar as Shâ€™del
had spoken about what happened in Flights. It hadnâ€™t occurred to him
that his own dragon would play out such intensity. It would be like
that first time he had been at Dragonsfall when the queen Flight had
occurred and he had found himself in the expert hands of Kâ€™mai. He
felt his face getting hot thinking of what had happened. He glanced at
his Weyrlingmaster 2nd and flushed deeper. Why did he have to be
handsome?? He was just his type, and the look he was giving Eâ€™tariax
was obvious. Lâ€™fael tried to study the greenrider but was just his
type too. He wished the ground would open up there and then and take
him.

Saedyna tried to fight off the sense of dread. She stared down at her
desk and told herself it couldn't be worse than being with her
husband. It would feel good for Avarith, and even if she didn't get
any choice in who she ended up having sex with, at least most of the
riders she met seemed nice. It would happen, she would wake up with
some random man, and then she would get back to the rest her life.

V'tian could _feel_ the heat rising in his cheeks as the lecture went
on, and then when it finished, silence reigned.

Faranth, _he_ was going to have to be the one to speak up, wasn't he?
Well... No one _else_ seemed to be.

}:You can do it!:{ Indith encouraged.

"Sir...? Is there any way we can... Well. Can we tell our greens who
to pick at all?"

"It really depends on your green and your bond with her." E'tariax
said, "And the dragons that have decided to chase. You â€" and her â€" can
have preferences that make it easier for a suitor to win, but that
doesn't guarantee the others won't swoop in."

E'tariax glanced back over to Sh'del again and grinned, happy to tease
the only brownrider in the room. "Personal preference is likely why so
many bronzes and browns win greenflights, in my opinion. Those poor
beasts can hardly keep up with us. My Aphirith has a particular taste
for Jagobroth, though S'kand and I aren't interested in each other.
And Jagobroth doesn't always win, even when she flies right next to
him."

}:I would never choose anyone who would hurt you.:{ Avarith had been
dozing on the Heights but her rider's distress had woken her.

Saedyna slowly raised her hand. "Is it true that you don't remember
much of what . . . happens with the other rider?"

"That really depends on the dragon, too, and the kind of bond you
have. And it might change over time. I'm usually aware of what's
happening, though the memory after is a little hazy. Enough that I'm
not thinking about aggravating old injuries or keeping clothes in one
piece, at any rate. When I was younger I was more of one mind with
her, but that's not too say you will be. I'm sorry I can't be more
specific about it, miss. Whatever you experience when it happens is
right for you." E'tariax answered.

Saedyna nodded absently and her gaze drifted down to the desk again.
She would try to have her mind stay with Avarith as much as possible.

"Can we choose someone before the flight? Or would that affect our
greens too?" V'tian asked.

"I guess that depends on what you mean. You can't choose a winner
early, because you won't know for sure which dragons will chase."
E'tariax said, "Or how the Flight itself will go, or what your dragon
thinks of your preferred winner. I haven't been able to convince
Aphirith that there are other dragons besides Jagobroth."

His tone did take on a little more seriousness, "I don't encourage
trying to back out of the Flight, if that's what you're thinking.
There's a lot of chaos mid-Flight and you won't be entirely in
control. The safer option is to keep it all contained to the
flightrooms. And that's why it's important to have conversations like
these- for you to be prepared and act as safely as you can while it's
happening."

V'tian nodded and took a deep breath. That... Made sense.

Another weyrling raised his hand. "What happens after? If you don't .
. . like who you end up with?"

L'fael held his breath, for that was his big question too. All at once
all the old memories of what had almost happened to him back at the
Hold came rushing back. What would happen if the other rider was
rough, or cruel?

Sh'del studied the faces of the poor weyrlings. He saw the way L'fael
and the lad who had asked the question both looked pale, almost frail,
in that moment. He cleared his throat. "As the only one here with a
chasing dragon, I will say that we do our best to be as in control as
we can be, particularly when it's a young rider. But if you get a
jerk, you just get out of the flight rooms and there will be persons
in attendance to help you. If you are really upset just shout, help
will be right in. And if it's simply someone who don't care for, you
thank them and take your clothes and leave. Remember, the dragon
decides, and the important thing is the bond between you and your
dragon."

E'tariax looked back over at Sh'del, frowning. "It won't matter so
much if you like them or not, in the middle of the Flight." He
clarified, "And it depends on your relationship with the other rider.
Aftercare is important for the both of you, but yes, take your leave
if the thought of that makes you feel unsafe. Awkward is fine. Awkward
is normal. We've all been through it before, and the other rider has
been through it too. Or, more likely, it'll be someone in the same
situation as you."

"I think that's about it for today. Your weyrlingmasters are all
available if you have any questions you didn't feel comfortable asking
in front of a group, or if any come to you later. If you don't want to
ask them or if you want to talk with another greenrider, I'm always
around to answer questions."

Last updated on the February 11th 2025

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Flight Apprehensions