Audience with a Throneless Queen (S'yal)

[lithle]

In most Weyrs much was made of queens. They were given special quarters, special training, respect. Their quarters reflected such things. Larger, often with an attached office so that the Weyrwoman might carry out those business matters that concerned her.

At Warden's, it was different. True, Leshta's weyr was set slightly apart. But this was mostly because whatever else Semith might or might not be, she was as large as any other queen and required the extra space. Besides, she spent more time in her weyr, such as it was, than any other dragon. It would be unfair not to at least give her what space she required.

But Leshta, well, Leshta had the same simple wood structure as the other dragonriders and hers was in some ways, less welcoming. She'd made no attempt to make it homey. It was a hollow shell, a place to sleep and nothing more. Usually, she didn't even use it for that, preferring to sleep outside against her dragon.

As the sun settled toward evening hanging low in the sky and lessening the oppressive heat of the day, Leshta could be found leaning against Semith. She had a large piece of russet fabric in her her lap and she was beading. It was detailed, finicky work and growing harder as the light of day faded. Soon, she'd have to call it as done as it could be for the night. But not just yet.

She was utterly absorbed and as at ease as she ever got, which wasn't very. Semith was watching Leshta's firelizards play some of her presents from the touching. They flew about with the shiny things then dropped them back in the pile to take up something new. Her eyes whirled in relaxed, happy green. But then, they usually did.

[S'yal]

R'old HATED this job. He had no idea why in the world they'd sent him, of all people, to interview the useless weyrwoman and her crippled, stupid gold. He hated having to deal with all the idiots in this prison, and he especially hated the prisoners who constantly had something snarky to say about him being a greenrider. He would have punched them, if not for the fact his position was on the line in this mission. He had to behave himself, or he risked getting in serious trouble. He might even get transferred to this shit hole, and he was not letting that happen. So R'old tried to calm himself, moving towards the weyr with his green following. She was a pretty thing, at least, and much calmer and kinder then her rider. She tended to balance him out and make him behave himself.

Royaruth greeted Semith with a bugle, moving over to sit beside the crippled queen and greet her. Greetings, Semith Despite her less then stellar views on the clutch, she had nothing against Semith. Sure, it was a bit disappointing that she was missing her wing, but she didn't know Semith. At the most, she pitied the young gold. My rider has come to interview yours! I apologize, but we can't reschedule. We have very little time. She spot in a professional manner, her eyes whirling a green that was only slightly tinted with anxious yellow.

R'old grunted, crossing his arms and staring down at Leshta. "Mind if I ask a few questions?" He practically spat, green eyes narrowing. He blew a bit of auburn hair out of his eyes, the greenrider looking as unhappy as he could be at being involved in this business. "Well, really you don't have much of a choice." He mused out loud, showing that he clearly didn't have much of a choice either. R'old seemed to lack a mental filter- he said what came to mind and he wasn't embarrassed about it. It was one of the reasons he was a rather low ranked greenrider- he didn't know how to keep his mouth shut and he didn't have anything good to say anyway.

"It's just routine shit, anyway. Let's get this over with as soon as possible" R'old... rolled his eyes, a look of disgust on his face. He didn't even give Leshta a chance to say she'd answer his questions before he asked the first one. "How is life at the prison? Do you think the warden is doing a good job running the place?" Might as well fire off those two- they were the most basic and they'd make it easier to ask his next few questions.

[lithle]

There were a lot of things in the world that Leshta didn't like. One could top the list with Warden's Weyr and continue on through quite a few pages of hide. But if one were to do such a thing they would find 'most men' quite near the top and 'people who disrespected Semith' underlined and written in very big letters.

And when one showed her no respect it followed that they were showing none to her dragon. R'old was coming up on all her blacklists quite effectively.

Semith, about to greet the green with her usual cheer barely managed Greetings! Welcome to my home! before Leshta's anger hit her like a wall, sending her crouching in the sand, her eyes whirling with agitated yellow. She gave a little attempt at a reassuring croon, a sound that would usually have drawn Leshta back to her. Not this time.

Yet, oddly, the young Weyrwoman continued her beading, not even glancing up at the man addressing her past an initial look when he and his dragon arrived. She was furious, but it wasn't apparent in her pose.

It was, however, apparent in her voice when she spoke. It was a warm, throaty voice, usually. Now, it dripped venom.

"Here's the funny thing, Greenrider. I do have a choice. You see, you and your little Watch don't trump Weyr hierarchy except where criminals are concerned. And I am not one." She kept beading, careful, focused work, her hands steady even as her voice nearly shook with rage. "I'm the Weyrwoman here, and you will address me as such or I will have Semith tell that green, who you haven't even bothered to introduce, to pick you up by your collar and jump between with you to the other side of Southern."

"I would not be punished. They have nowhere else to send me. Warden's needs a queen and Semith is the only one any Weyr would spare for a place like this. Besides, any queenrider told of your disrespect would place me in the right. Even if I am only the make believe Weyrwoman of a crippled queen."

"Now," she glanced up finally smiling in a way that was more a threatening show of teeth, "Start again. Introduce yourself, introduce your dragon. And I will answer your questions. Because I choose to."

[S'yal]

(WARNING R'OLD HAS A POTTY MOUTH)

Uh oh...

Royaruth was right, uh oh!

R'old was oddly silent as Leshta spoke, his face turning more and more red as she continued. One would almost assume it was from humiliation and shame, judging by just how red he was turning. His face nearly matched his hair, which had fallen forward to cover his eyes while he listened to the irate weyrwoman talk.

Then he EXPLODED.

"Listen, goldrider." R'old snapped, eyes narrowing on Leshta. "I don't give a shit if you're what this pathetic excuse of a weyr calls a weyrwoman. I don't CARE if the truth offended you, and I don't CARE if your Semith tells Royaruth to take me between. Because i'm going to come right back here and STALK you until you answer me." The greenrider glared, uncaring of the fact this was a queenrider and he was merely a greenrider. He didn't often realize his low rank in life. "I don't care if you're offended that I didn't treat you with respect! Why in the world should I? You haven't given me any reason to talk to you politely, and i'm most certainly not going to apologize like a weak willed little bitch after you threatened me. Especially when you threatened to make my dragon do something when SHE has been polite." He sneered, really not caring if she told Royaruth to take him between. He seriously would just come back.

"I don't care if you order Royaruth to leave me there. I will WALK back and show up at your bed in the middle of the night and repeatedly ask you questions until you sharding answer. You may be a queen rider, but guess what? I'll tell you what I've told every sharding goldrider I've ever met, just because your dragon is shiny and can pop out a bunch of eggs doesn't mean i'm going to sit here and treat you any differently then I do anyone else." Roy was trying to desperately make him stop talking, the green positively horrified by how her rider was behaving. "But oh, i'm a greenrider! Here, oh shiny riding one, let me bend over and kiss your ass! Obviously it has been blessed by Faranth herself!" He clapped his hands together... and suddenly Roy knocked him over and ended his rat.

I'm very sorry, Weyrwoman Leshta! Please don't eat us! The green wailed, ignoring the fact that R'old was face down in the dirt and cursing loudly. My R'old doesn't mean it, honestly! That's how he makes friends! My name is Royaruth, and I really wish I was eating instead of doing this! The green sounded about to bawl from terror, proving that she was the exact opposite of her rider. My R'old is just very angry! He didn't get his nap today! Please forgive him!

"Roy. Shut UP."

[lithle]

Leshta allowed the lunatic to speak. She let him rave, and ramble, and she went on beading as if all the world was contained within the proper placement of beads.

Oh, she was angry, alright.

No, that didn't even begin to describe it. Leshta had passed so far beyond anger that she didn't even remember what angry felt like. Leshta was livid. Leshta was a burning whirling red mass of hate that happened to be under the impression that the most important thing in the world was beading. It was bead, or strangle. Or possibly take advantage of the man's current knocked over state to stab him to death with her needle.

She kept beading.

Royaruth, urgent, polite, and somewhat pathetic kept her from committing murder. That, and the nearness of her own love, Semith. Semith would not like it if she murdered people.

"Royaruth, your rider is out of line," she used the same clipped tones as before, though she now spit the words. She didn't even look at R'old, keeping her eyes on the green. "You and he will leave now, and I will not speak with your rider again. If you care for his wellbeing, you will not let him close to me."

She let herself look at him then, lips twisting in distaste. "You clearly have too much time on your hands, Greenrider. I will speak to your superior about your behavior. You will be spending some time with our people, flying patrols and maybe learning respect. If you come near me again, I'll have you thrown in solitary. Our prison has plenty of room."

She lowered her head again, refocusing on her work. "Take him away, Royaruth."

Do I have to make them go? I don't like it. Semith, for once did not sound fluting and joyous, her rider's mood sending her eyes whirling red.

Only if they don't leave on their own. Though she loved her dragon, Leshta could not find it in herself to be reassuring. Not yet. She was too full of rage. Later, she'd gentle, apologize to Semith. Now, she couldn't manage it. But if the green does not begin to remove him, yes.