Words of Wisdom (2/2)

Writers: Aaron, Corrin, Sia
Date Posted: 24th May 2025

Characters: E'kirim, Z'renh, Sybana
Description: E'kirim shares his notes on mating flights with his other metallic clutchmates
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 6, day 18 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: K'aur, J'ler, R’enh, Saibra

Sybana

E'kirim and Sybana exchanged a look between themselves. Confusion, mostly-- as the one weyrborn kid, both seemed to expect that Z'renh would be more help in figuring this out-- but also an acknowledgement that they both needed to tread carefully. "Well, yeah, Z'renh. That would be nice. And if that's what you want, I hope you get it someday. And honestly, at a Weyr I think it'd be pretty easy to get. Nobody is really looking at social ranks or anything here, and nobody really _seems_ jealous over stuff like mating flights." He said slowly, "But Sybana and I aren't from the Weyr, and I don't think either of us really expected to add 'love' into the equation anyway.

"I wanted to know more about how much control we have in the moment, since there _is_ a lot of pressure to have a good mating flight. Especially on Sybana, since she isn't expected to lead a Wing someday like us. How much control we have and what we do with the little bit of it we get to keep. They- the Weyr- doesn't expect us to fake feelings like the holders do, they expect us to learn how not to screw up when our dragons take over."

Z’renh sat forward.

“So, wait, you really just care about, you know, the mechanics of the act itself? Not the fallout?” The actual sex part was so far removed from anything he had ever thought he should worry about, Z’renh had completely misunderstood why they were worried. Did they not cover that in the class?

“Well, if you don’t mind letting me back up and start over here, I, uh… Well, it's not something I wanted to admit to anyone, but if it could help you, then… Look, just don't tell anyone, all right?

“It’s just, I know a little bit about what it’s like to be just… bowled over by how strongly Adamanth feels something. And at first, it was really hard for me to know whether I was feeling what I was feeling, or I was only feeling what _he_ was feeling. I think maybe it could be like that. A flight, I mean. Their feelings and their senses will just be so strong, they might as well just _be_ your feelings, too. But you'll still have your own senses mingled in there. You’ll still be able to see and feel and, I dunno, smell what you’re doing with your own business.”

“Can’t say I’m looking forward to that…” Sybana murmured as she added Z’renh’s comments to her notes. “Galgi has strong feelings--and I love her--but she is very much a _dragon_. Her choices are often very different from mine.”

"It's hard to think about, especially now when they're still…'small' doesn't feel accurate, but I guess they are, huh?" E'kirim added. "Norrianth doesn't think much about my 'sleepovers' with J'ler, and I caught him chewing on Aluneth's foot the other day. It's hard to picture him deciding that he wants to do the deed with anybody.

"Okay, Z'renh, how about- you know when you're hot and heavy with someone, and part of you knows that you _should_ pull out, because you don't want her pregnant or you know it's going to be awful to clean up, but you're just too into it that it doesn't seem like it's a _bad_ idea until it's over? Is it kinda like that? Except with like…dragons. …I'm sorry to put it so bluntly, Sybana."

Z’renh stared for a moment as if trying to calculate the solution to a very difficult mathematical equation.

“Are you saying… does it feel like mentally knowing you have to pull out, but physically continuing anyway?” He squinted. “I dunno, man, that might be a good metaphor for another holdborn man, but, uh… I've never had to pull out before, so? It's just not something we have to worry about here.”

It wasn’t a great metaphor for Sybana either. She sat in quiet shock, staring blankly down at her notes. She knew all the words E’kirim had said, but she had no frame of reference for the scenario he described-- no frame except that filthy book… which she hoped had been an exaggeration. When L’gyrlan growled that he couldn’t restrain himself around Vaibra, that he couldn’t stop-- was that what E’kirim was talking about? Almost distantly, she heard Z’renh responding.

“...Do men normally lose control like that?” she finally asked after the silence had stretched just a little too long.

"Just about anything seems like a good idea in the midst of it." E'kirim said with a shrug. "You aren't thinking straight. All the consequences don't seem so bad when it feels that good, and it's only after it's all over and you have a moment to breathe when you realize what's happened. Like J'ler had some …creative suggestions the last time we were together, and they sounded hot at the time, but once we had a moment to think about afterwards it just sounded ridiculous. I don't think it's just men, either, though I don't have that frame of reference."

“Oh.” Well that was… a little horrifying. Sybana had been willing to accept that mating flights made people lose control. She didn’t _like_ it, yet she could accept that it was part and parcel of the dragon bond-- but it was sounding more and more like it was just a part of… sex.

“And… the act…” she continued hesitantly. “Zaphare mentioned biting. J’ler said it’d be instinctual, and not sweet and gentle. Does that mean… will it be violent? Why in the world do people find it enjoyable?”

“Biting…? I don't think you're going to run into any biting unless that's just, you know. The man who catches you is obsessed with a biting kink already,” said Z'renh. “It's not going to make you do something you'd never do. It's going to bring out something you really want to do but maybe haven't found the courage to do yet.”

"Hey now, biting can be hot. I dunno how hot it is when there's like, a _dragon_ encouraging you to bite someone." E'kirim casually pulled down his collar to reveal the edge of some bruising before smoothing it back into place.

Sybana stared.

"Intense and forceful are probably better words for it? I wouldn't say 'violent' in the way you're maybe thinking." He looked to Z'renh for approval on that. "No one's hitting each other, but they're skipping foreplay."

“There. That's it.” Z’renh pointed. “The whole flight, that's the foreplay. Galgaith is going to be horny enough to get the whole weyr a little hot and bothered-- imagine what she'll be doing to you. By the time a bronze claims her from all the others, you're going to be more than ready to be claimed, too. But that's the important part. You'll be ready for it. And you won't be able to separate out Galgi’s feelings from yours.”

Claimed.

Lovely, Sybana thought. As if the whole business wasn’t already alarming enough without sounding like something a predator did to its prey. The word was so crude and vulgar. It had been all over the salacious weyr book, and now here it was again in the well-meant advice of her peers. Z’renh said it so matter of fact, like it was inevitable. Maybe it was.

“Well,” she forced a smile, brittle and brave. “I suppose it’s good to hear _something_ will make me feel ready. I was starting to think nothing possibly could.”

E'kirim glanced at her, thoughtfully, before clearing his throat. "Well, I just wanted to pass on what I learned. J'ler's been in the Wings for a few turns now, and it was good to hear it from him."

“Thank you,” Sybana said, not meeting his eyes. “It’s certainly given me a lot to think about.” Honestly, their talk didn’t cover much the lecture hadn’t, but it felt different hearing it from her peers. It felt more imminent, more real-- made vivid by their words, by the bruise on E’kirim’s neck. If nothing else, one thing was now painfully clear: she still had a lot to learn if she had any hope of being ready when Galgaith rose.

Last updated on the May 27th 2025

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Words of Wisdom (2/2)