No Boys Allowed (La and Kith)

[lithle]

Power at Warden's Weyr was a funny thing. Most of it, of course, was the Warden's. That made sense. It was in the name. It was Warden's Weyr. But the prison existed because of the watch and they saw much of the financial aspect of its maintnence. The Warden was, ultimately, answerable to the Watch.

And then there was Leshta, Weyrwoman by tradition, if nothing else. Semith had the power, if not the inclination, to keep any particularly troublesome dragons in line. And Leshta had, well, she had the title of Weyrwoman. And the ability, on occasion, to make demands. Recently, she'd arranged for a particularly obnoxious Watch member to do patrol's with Warden's squads. She was now informing the Warden of this fact. By letter.

She liked sending the Warden letters. It irritated him but avoided the yelling face to face meetings caused. Alright, so she did most the yelling. But it was hardly worth getting angry at the man, as they were stuck together. So he sent letters. She especially liked sending him scrupulously polite letters. Long ones, with lots of commas. She was trying to draft one now, while Semith watched curiously.

Trying being the operative word. Unfortunately, Leshta had a headcold of doomlike proportions, which was making it difficult to focus. Sniffling, hacking, and generally grumbling, she did her best not to ruin the hide while she worked. Her best was not exactly good enough. And she kept putting down words that weren't to her original intentions.

Mine, you are sick! Semith scolded, nudging her with a tail tip. You must see a healer!

I don't need a healer. Leshta sent back irritably. You, however, are going to see one. I've been told the new Master Dragonhealer will be taking a look at you when she has the chance.

I like being looked at!

I know you do, darling Hack, cough, sniffle, grumble. I just can't imagine why.

[giftwrapped]

So we get to meet the Queen. Finally!

Kith was practically prancing with delight as he paced at his rider's side, giving little hop-skips of happiness with every few strides. As much as Lanakirene looked forward to meeting the mother of the fantastic clutch (fantastic - derived from fantasy. Not necessarily a positive word, though La was not quite ready to drop positive connotations just yet), Kith was positively thrilled to be meeting Semith. A queen who fascinated His? And proved herself inclined to those of a certain azure hue?

"Don't you dare, Kith," Lanakirene remarked lazily, tucking her cane up under one arm and upsetting the balance of the brown firelizard hatchling sprawled out on her shoulder. The little animal hissed irritably, and La sighed, reaching up with her free hand to rub at his eyeridges with a finger. After a moment, the creature subsided into gentle churrs and chuckles, and La let her hand drop to hitch up the shoulder bag of supplies she was never without. "Good boy, Jack," she remarked softly before turning back to her dragon. "Kith, did you hear me? I said -"

I know, I know, don't flirt with Semith. Much. Glancing down at his rider, eyes sparkling in a whirl of blues and greens, he snorted amusement and fanned his wings. La shook her head and picked up her pace so she was once again alongside Kith's shoulder. The Weyrwoman's weyr was distanced from the rest of the riders' quarters, and far distanced from the infirmary setup La had received upon arrival. But she didn't mind the walk, and the sight of the gold hide gleaming up ahead garnered a pleased laugh from her.

She remembered hearing about Semith when she Hatched. It was good to know the peculiar hatchling that many people had suspected would never survive had not only survived, but thrived. "Hallo, Semith! Weyrwoman Leshta!" she called loudly as soon as she was within hearing range. Kith tossed his head back with a pleased bugle, calling a greeting that was largely exclusive to the gold dragon.

Semith! Hello! It is a pleasure to meet you!

[lithle]

Leshta froze at the sound of her name being called out, for all the tone was friendly. The voice was unfamiliar and Leshta made a point of knowing all of the dragonriders at Wardens. By sight and sound anyway, not as friends. T'di was Leshta's friend. Otherwise, well, she kept to herself.

It hadn't always been like that.

She hadn't always been like that. But Semith needed her. She told herself that, when doubts at her self-imposed isolation bubbled to the surface. Semith needed her. Semith was so fragile, in some ways.

But, regardless, this was no member of Warden's guard. Which meant it must be a member of the Dragon Watch. And after the last encounter, well. She studied the woman, glaring openly, before realizing that this was not, in fact a member of the Watch. She wasn't wearing the Watch uniform. And that made her the new Master Dragon healer.

Kith. she told her dragon. And Lana-something.

Welcome Kith! Welcome Lanasomething. Semith greeted them both cheerfully. She had a sweet voice, high, fluting and musical and she bugled as she mindspoke all warm, happy welcome. I am so happy you are here, Kith! You must meet Mordanth. He is also blue. You are smaller than him, though! And smaller than me, too!

"Hello Master Dragonhealer, Kith." Leshta greeted the woman and her lifemate, not bothering to correct Semith. Her voice was quiet, unusually for her, but the raw, rough quality to it gave away the reason. She was quite hoarse. "Welcome to Warden's Weyr. Semith has been excited to meet you."

Even had her voice not been rough and raw, it would not have been welcoming, and while Leshta stood, she stood with her arms crossed in front of her. She did not like people poking about at Semith. Semith was fine thankyouverymuch. Semith had always been fine. The possibility of hearing otherwise irked her. Still, she liked the look of the woman, despite herself. And most her anger was being used up against the Watch. She could not quite call up her usual instant hate, settling instead on wary distrust.

[giftwrapped]

Thank you, Semith! I'm happy to be here! Kith's voice was laughing as he approached the queen dragon, eyes still whirling happy blues and greens as he presented himself and then briefly ventured to bump his muzzle against the gold. I would love to meet Mordanth, and I'm certain I will. Lanakirene and I want to meet all the dragons in the Weyr. It isn't always easy because of those terrible W-

Kith, that's enough.

La didn't mind Kith's chattiness, but for the time-being she wanted to avoid stepping on any toes. And until she knew what Semith was like, she wasn't going to let her dragon spill all her opinions and secrets to her. Kith fell silent briefly in her head, giving her an impression of affronted good sense. He wasn't stupid; he wouldn't reveal anything that wasn't obvious from the start! But La made eye contact briefly with the little blue and gave a minute shake of her head. Not yet, handsome.

All right, all right.

And then La's attention went back to Leshta. The woman got a gracious bow that upset the small firelizard that La had entirely forgotten was resting on her shoulder, and she scrabbled frantically to catch the little brown as he scrabbled and slipped right off her shoulder. Hissing, the creature leaped back onto her chest, digging his claws into the fabric and snapping irritably at her even as La shook her head with a wry smile and closed the distance between herself and the Weyrwoman. "It's wonderful to be here, Weyrwoman," she answered with a smile, noting that Leshta herself seemed...significantly less thrilled than her queen to have such company.

"I'm sorry it's taken so long for me to get to you. The past few days have been hectic. Setting up my office in the infirmary, feeding a baby firelizard, chasing Masterhealer Kytek out of the infirmary so I can feed the baby firelizard..." she shook her head, sparing a wry smile for the look on Kytek's face when La had come after him with a broom. "But I've made it, in spite of the Watch's best efforts." Tapping her cane thoughtfully against the length of her leg, she gave Leshta a healer's once-over. Semith, of course, was what she was technically there for, but Semith was fine. She could tell at a glance that, at least physically, there were no pressing issues with the crippled queen.

Leshta, on the other hand... "Are you feeling all right, Weyrwoman? Forgive me, but you sound ill. I didn't notice that anything had been going around the Weyr, but -" she cut herself short and gave Leshta a quick smile. Healers were Healers, and work was work. Human or dragon. But the Weyrwoman didn't need La to go into immediate nosy mode just yet. It was rude.

[lithle]

I know people! While Semith had noticed Kith's breaking off mid-sentence, she simply assumed he'd forgotten what he was going to say. It happened to her all the time! At least, she thought it did. And it was hardly polite to say anything. Mine says you want to see my babies! I know them too. I knew them when they were eggs! I kept them buried and safe. I could introduce you to my babies! And to everyone. Except Yusuth. I'm not supposed to talk to him.

The crippled gold was thrilled to have someone new to chat with and just, someone to chat with in general. Warden's dragons worked hard and the exhausted ones who got off duty often weren't much fun. Kith didn't seem tired or distracted and Semith was going to take full advantage of that. If it weren't for the fact that she knew the babies were in lessons, she'd have led him off that moment.

Despite intending to be dire and forbidding Leshta found a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. There was something about the Master Dragonhealer's attitude that was charming. Or perhaps it was merely her obvious irritation with the Watch and that stupid Dragonhealer pet of there's they'd brought along with them. At least this one had come out of some personal desire.

For all that, she addressed the woman's comments about her own health before dealing with the actual reasons behind her presence. "I don't believe anything is," she replied, in that same scratchy voice. She snuffled a bit, to little avail. Her nose was completely stuffed up. "I've just got a miserable cold. I think I caught it from the Watch somehow. They're probably spreading disease out of pure malice."

Leshta, for her part, felt no need to be cautious about her feelings on the subject of their 'visitors'. She'd been honest enough when she'd spoken to their leader about how she felt about the attitude of his followers. Her job, at least, wasn't on the line. As for any threat they might pose to the new babies, well, Leshta refused to think even the Watch would sink that low.

"Forgive me, Master DragonHealer. But I feel we should be upfront with each other, if we're to get along." And she found that she did want to get along with this woman. But not if she posed some threat to Semith and the weyrlings. "You are here to study Semith's clutch. And I have had reason, over the turns, to be protective where Semith is concerned."

An understatement there but best to let it rest. "I will happily let you look over Semith and, if it helps you, tell you of the Run, the clutching and the Hatching. But I need your assurance that you're here to look after the babies because you want them to thrive. If you wish to write them off as sickly mistakes, we'll have little to say to each other."

[giftwrapped]

I'm certain you did know them, Semith, and I'm glad you kept them safe. That way Lanakirene and I can meet them now, as healthy hatchlings. Kith's tone was amused as he spoke to the queen. Strange as she was for a gold dragon, it was quite obvious there was nothing wrong with her mentally that was either fixable or relevant. He relayed the information to Lanakirene, who filed it away for later and gently pushed Kith back into conversation. I would love to be introduced to other dragons, Semith! It's wonderful of you to offer. You are a grand queen indeed.

Flatterer.

Telling the truth.

Good boy, Kith.

The private exchange between rider and dragon didn't cause either party to miss a beat, and La's smile didn't falter even as Leshta told her about the cold. "Well, I wouldn't be surprised if Kytek put them up to it," she answered with a wry laugh. "Insufferable old bat that he is. I'm sure I have something I can give you for that, to help with the stuffiness, if nothing else..." she was already beginning to dig into the bag for a packet of herbs when Leshta continued speaking and pulled her attention back.

As soon as the weyrwoman dropped the formalities and started talking straight, all traces of a smile faded. Lanakirene listened attentively to the Weyrwoman, making eye-contact that was firm but not confrontational. "Nothing to be forgiven, Weyrwoman," she answered levelly, still not taking her eyes from Leshta. "If I were in your position, I would feel the same way. But I promise, Weyrwoman, I'm not here on anyone's orders. I'm here because I'm curious, and because I want to see these new colours. I'm not here to make judgments until I have seen the dragonets. And the one grey I have seen already looked fine. I wasn't exactly there for a checkup, though."

She pointed at the firelizard who had finally made his way back onto her shoulder and was watching Leshta with sly disdain. "A fine welcome present, if you like them nasty." She shrugged, upsetting the brown, who hissed in response, and then smiled slightly at Leshta. "But I promise you, Weyrwoman. I'm here for the dragons. It is my job to be here, learn about them, and make certain they're healthy. No other reason."

[lithle]

And you are a grand blue! You will like it here. Semith's chatter showed a blissful lack of awareness of little things like rank and for that matter, consistency of subject. Mine says it's a dull backwater. But the water is very nice! And there are dolphins to swim with. And sometimes, when the prisoners get out, everyone gets to play chase! She paused some of the cheer going out of her tone. Except me.

Leshta's expression changed little as the Dragonhealer stated her position. She matched the woman's eye contact, allowed her to speak, nodding occasionally.

"Thank you, Master Dragonhealer. I believe we understand each other." She allowed her hands to drop to her sides, no longer standing in that defensive, do not approach posture. She smiled and it was a tired, unhappy expression, but at least it was a smile. "Please keep me informed of anything you discover. They're Semith's babies and I am as curious about the new colors as anyone. Perhaps more so."

She gave her head a shake, then stopped abruptly as the gesture intensified her headache. "If you would blame my attitude on my cold, I'd appreciate it."

Mind, she could be just as prickly no matter how well she was feeling, but was happy to reach for any available excuse. "And please, call me Leshta. You'll find at Warden's formality often has to fall to the wayside and rank is not always the same as it might be elsewhere."

Leshta did care about her rank and often insisted upon it's use. But that was a tool, a way of demanding respect for Semith and reminding others that whatever else Semith was, she was a queen. But with a Master Dragonhealer, especially one who appeared to be on her side, it seemed an unnecessary insistence. Surely someone educated in such a way would not dismiss Semith out of hand as others had.

[giftwrapped]

That does sound lovely, Kith agreed, nosing Semith lightly when some of the good humor went out of her voice. And it's too bad they don't let you help play chase, but I think prisoners would give up much more quickly if they knew the weyrqueen was following them, too. That might make the game a bit less fun. Diplomacy was not one of the dragon's strongest points, but you learned things with time, and speaking to Semith was...surprisingly easy. Like speaking to children. Kith liked children. And he liked Semith.

You're doing fine, Kith. Good boy. Had she been closer, La would have given her dragon an affectionate pat. But they were rather far away, and the Weyrwoman demanded her attention for the time-being.

"I think we do, Leshta," she answered, the smile returning to her face as she inclined her head. "And you're welcome to call me anything you like. 'Lanakirene' is a bit of a mouthful, though, so feel free to shorten it. I've found that over the years, most people have settled on La, but you're welcome to choose something else. As long as I can tell you're talking to me, I'll answer to just about anything." Another person, more timid or at least less secure in themselves, might have refrained from giving the Weyrwoman of any Weyr, even one as nontraditional as Warden's, a roguish wink. But La was far from insecure, and wink she did.

"No need to blame a mother's protectiveness on anything," she said cheerfully, "but I'm sure I can do something for that cold." And she tucked her cane back under her arm digging through her satchel. "I know I keep it in here somewhere," she murmured to herself, pulling out a small jar of what looked like dragon oil and a handful of paper packets of...something before making a noise of triumph and holding another small packet aloft. "Here we are!" Stuffing the other things back into the satchel, she held it out to Leshta with a smile.

"Yarrow, peppermint, and elder. Take it as a tea before bed and it should help with the aches and congestion, at least." Finally tying the satchel shut again, she shifted her cane into her hand again and tapped it on the ground. "And I'd like to meet Semith face-to-face, if you don't mind. I'll interview you about the Run later, when you're feeling better. How does that sound?"

Another winning smile. La was fond of the Weyrwoman already.

[lithle]

Oh! Semith had never thought about it quite like that and the thought immediately cheered her. Had she not been a dragon, she might have hugged him for the comment. As it was, she poked him gently with her tail fork, a gesture of affection that didn't threaten to unbalance the blue in the way a friendly headbutt might. That would be bad. I wouldn't want to ruin the game! I guess I better just watch.

"I think I best use Lanakirene for now. It's got a nice sound to it, mouthful or no." She was visibly more at ease now, though not what one would call relaxed. Leshta rarely went so far as to relax. Tension was clearly good for her health. Or, judging from the fact that the dragonhealer was plying her with herbs, maybe it it wasn't. She wasn't sure what to make of the wink. No one ever winked at her. Well, T'di. But he was T'di. He didn't mean it. That was what was so great about him.

She was pretty sure this Dragonhealer didn't mean it either. But, it was still unnerving. It wasn't that she didn't like the woman. She did! It was only that she wasn't comfortable with such things. If she'd never been winked at in her life, she'd also never winked at anyone else. It just wasn't the sort of thing she did.

Still, she took the package, managing not to look too hesitant. "Thank you. I think I've had enough of coughing. These aren't going to keep my hide shiny or help my tail grow, are they?" she asked, with something like a smile.

Semith, darling, come talk to Master Dragonhealer Lanakirene.

Semith rose, making her way over to where her rider was talking Kith's. Are you going to look me over now? she asked, her bright chirping voice full of anticipation.

[giftwrapped]

"Of course not! You don't Heal dragons for twenty-five turns without learning a thing or two about their riders. I try to keep everyone healthy all at once. Easier that way. Fewer steps."

Leshta's awkwardness in response to the wink seemed to pass right over Lanakirene's head, and the bluerider-cum-dragonhealer welcomed the unusual distraction of Semith intruding into her head. "Indeed I am, Semith," she answered cheerfully, speaking directly to the gold even as the dragon Bespoke her. A quick walk around the dragon gave La most of what she wanted to know, even without coming into direct contact with the queen, and she gave Leshta another quick smile.

"Honestly, Leshta, she looks healthy. She just mothered a beautiful, healthy clutch. But if you don't mind, Semith," and her attention shifted quickly back to the dragon. If Semith was willing to Bespeak, then La didn't need to worry about going through the rider, and Weyrwoman or not, Semith and not Leshta was her patient. "I would like to just check your muscles and make certain that there's nothing we're missing. I'll have to lay my hands on you, though."

She didn't want to do it without permission. She wouldn't do it without permission for any dragon, but the senior queen of a Weyr was even more important to avoid ruffling.

[lithle]

"I do my best by her," Leshta replied, when La mentioned Semith's health. Her tone wasn't so defensive as it had been, but the emotion there wasn't pride, either. No, a certain level of protectiveness, of eagerness to prove that she and Semith were doing just fine lingered. It wasn't so much La that she needed to prove it to, it was the whole world.

Semith was fine and she, in turn, was a fine rider. "And even if Warden's isn't Benden in terms of facilities, we look after our dragons. They're more critical to our survival here than anywhere else on Pern."

Semith, for her part, was only passingly aware of the undercurrents of her riders mood. It was all so complicated in Leshta's head, where her own sureness of her own happiness and health was simple and clean. The world was a bright, joyous place and in time, she knew Leshta would see that. She certainly kept reminding her. And she liked this Lasomething, who caused only a slight lifting of defenses in her rider and who rode charming Kith.

You are a healer. The statement was made matter-of-factly and it seemed, at first, to be all she had to say. But she continued. I listen to healers! More than my rider does. You may touch me. Do you need me to lay down?

Without waiting for an answer, she settled carefully, so that the Healer might better reach her.

Good girl, Sweetling. While protective of Semith, Leshta wasn't going to go so far as to deny the healer the right to touch her. At least, not this healer. The Watch's man, well, that'd be different. He wouldn't be around much longer. She was sure she and the Warden were together on that front.

[giftwrapped]

Annnnd permission was granted. Brilliant! Flashing a warm smile to Leshta and giving Semith a short, polite bow, La laid her hands lightly on either side of Semith's neckridges, running them right along them and checking the placement of vertebrae. She wasn't expecting anything out of the ordinary; whatever was "wrong" (and the quotation marks fell into place even in her thoughts) with Semith wasn't physical, of that, she was almost entirely certain. Nonetheless, a young queen's first clutch could take a surprising toll on her body, so it was best to check. She paused briefly at Semith's shoulders, frowning just a bit in debate before nodding again to the gold with a quick, "Let me know if anything hurts," and articulating both of her wing joints.

She was checking for muscle tone, ensuring that the musculature of the chest and shoulder was all intact, even if it was not necessarily strong. Her touch was exceedingly gentle as she manipulated first one joint, then the other; she didn't intend to hurt Semith in any way, but if there was some sort of fusion or malformity in the bone and musculature of the stump, or even the healthy wing, it would be best to find out early. Arthritis in dragons was far from common, but not unheard-of, and the sooner joint problems were found out, the better.

"Does this feel all right, Semith?" she asked. "Anything hurt, anything feel tight or uncomfortable?"

[lithle]

Semith was doing her best to be patient. She was a good girl and she always did her best to prove that fact. She liked being touched and wasn't uncomfortable with the healer's closeness.

That was, until the woman got near her wings. Semith wasn't accustomed to being touched there, not by anyone but Leshta. Her rider was fiercely protective, some might even say possessive of her. It meant few got close and none were allowed too close a look to that which marked her as different than her fellows. Still, she didn't move away, even as the muscles tensed beneath the gentle yet firm touch.

It was clear that she was not as developed as a normal dragon. She never flew, and while she might use her good wing expressively, she never even thought much of the ruined stump of the malformed one. That said, she was an active creature, more active than most dragon's on the ground, so some of her muscles were quite well developed.

It doesn't hurt. Mine doesn't let me be hurt.

This was clear enough. Leshta was looking on, arms crossed, lip between her teeth. Like this woman or no, she was not entirely comfortable with anyone touching Semith.

[giftwrapped]

"Well, then that's all I need to know," La said cheerfully, withdrawing from the wings and giving Semith an affectionate half-pat, half-thump on the ribcage. Her suspicions were confirmed, and everything felt good. "I'm glad, and not at all surprised, to tell you that you're perfectly healthy, Semith. Your wings are just fine." They weren't as toned as a dragon who needed them to take to air were, but the musculature in the gold's haunches and the overall fitness of the body more than made up for any weaknesses in that respect. Smiling slightly, La turned from dragon to rider and told Leshta as much.

"She's fine, Weyrwoman," she said, momentarily forgetting that she had agreed to the first-name basis that Leshta had requested. "Good muscle tone, good hide, everything looks fine. She's well-fed, not deficient in anything. My only concern was the musculature around the wing joints, and even that's nothing to be troubled about. The muscles are plenty for what she needs them for. As long as she's moving her wings some, she'll stay a perfectly healthy, happy dragon."

And hopefully, that was what Leshta needed to hear. Semith was no different from any other dragon, except for that pesky lack of a wing, but what did that matter in the long run? Everything was fine, straight from the mouth of the Master Dragonhealer.