Selyndria was walking along the weyrbowl of Aneris Weyr. She and Alanysath had transferred here almost a turn ago. They were one of two junior queen and weyrwoman pairs. The other was Gold Rikceth and Ikara. They had just matured.
Selyndria had more important things to think about today. She and Alanysath had been mature for awhile, and yet Alanysath didn't seem to want to fly yet. No matter how many times she asked her dragon, she always got the same response.
"There isn't a bronze or brown worthy here. If only I could fly back at Jerdan or Aden, then I could be happy. There are many males worthy there. Can't we fly there, Selyndria?"
Selyndria never knew how to answer her dragon. It was beginning to worry her. Alanysath's pickiness was a natural thing, but it bothered Sel because there was a particular rider here at Aneris that she liked. He was a brownrider, and he always made her feel special. D'zren was just like that. He had the most gorgeous eyes that melted her soul, but Alanysath didn't have the slightest interest in Etatoth even though he was from Jerdan just like her. What could she do?
Just then she looked up and spotted Weyrwoman Rhiannon walking across the bowl toward the Lower Caverns. At her side was the tall, dark, and swarthy Weyrleader T'rin. That was who she could talk to. The weyrleaders would be able to help her. She dashed across the bowl to catch up with them.
"Excuse me, Weyrleader T'rin and Weyrwoman Rhiannon," she called in her sweet soprano as she neared them. They both turned to her. "I have some questions. Do you have a few minutes to talk with me?"
The two Weyrleaders glanced at each other and nod. Then they motioned to the dark-haired young woman to follow them into the cavern. Each noticed the relief in her brown eyes.
She followed the Weyrleaders to a table in the back of the cavern. She waited for them to sit down before joining them.
"What seems to be troubling you, Selyndria," Weyrleader T'rin asked in his deep and comforting voice.
"It's Alanysath. I am worried about her," Selyndria says. A slight frown crossed her pretty face.
"What's wrong with Alanysath," Weyrwoman Rhiannon questioned her beautiful face showing a hint of anxiety.
"She doesn't want to fly. We are older than Rikceth and Ikara, and they are always talking about flights. Alanysath shows no interest whatsoever. I ask her, and she only tells me that there is no one here worthy of her."
"Oh. Is there a particular reason why you want her to hurry and fly, Selyndria," Weyrleader T'rin asked cautiously trying to get to the heart of the matter.
"Yes. There is a certain rider that I think I am in love with. He just seems like the perfect weyrmate to me, but Alanysath just doesn't care," Selyndria said with a sigh.
"Oh, I see," Weyrwoman Rhiannon said with a knowing grin. "I had a similar problem with Alanath. She wasn't interested in the dragon of a rider that I really liked. I wanted him to fly her, but I knew she would never let it happen. I decided not to wait until her flight to tell the rider about my feelings, and we had some interesting times before the flight."
"What happened to him after the flight," Selyndria asked anxiously her romantic nature getting the better of her.
"He became the Weyrleader," T'rin supplied with a loving glance to his weyrmate. "I couldn't let anyone else have Rhiannon. By the time the flight came, we were so much in love that Tarinoth feeding off of my emotions out flew every other dragon, and we were all happy even Alanath."
"I hope this helps, Selyndria. We have to get back to weyr business now, but I am glad that you felt you could talk to us about this. Go talk to this guy that you like and who knows what may come of it."
"Thank you both so much. I will go talk to him. Good-bye."
With that Selyndria ran out of the cavern feeling much better and determined to talk to D'zren. She found the handsome rider near the feeding ground. She called to Alanysath to come eat. Her queen hadn't fed this sevenday, so she knew she would be hungry. The hungry queen was only to eager to reply, and immediately glided down from her ledge to the feeding ground.
This was Selyndria's chance. She straightened her hair and yellow gown. Then she casually walked up to D'zren. She tried to hide her nervousness.
"Hello, D'zren. How are you today?"
"I am fine. How are you, Selyndria," he replied with that gentle smile of his. It was everything Sel could do to keep her legs from shaking.
"I am fine. Etatoth looks well. He must be one of the largest browns in the weyr."
"He is the third largest in the weyr. A'tok's Darinoth is the largest followed by T'val's Bynorth, but we don't care. I must say Alanysath is looking quite well too."
"Thank you. I take good care of her. She hasn't eaten for a little while, so I brought her down. I wanted to talk to you about something, too."
"Oh really. Well, you're always welcome to talk to me," he says with a twinkle in his blue eyes. "We only have three queens in this weyr, so it is my priviledge to talk to any of the weyrwomen."
It was comments like that that had made them friends. It was his looks that attracted her, and now he was all she could think about. Selyndria decided to continue with the Weyrleaders advice. "How long have I known you and Etatoth?"
"Oh at least a turn now. I can't believe that Aneris is growing so fast, but we could do with some weyrchildren. Our riders don't seem to be too productive in that area," he said with a mischievious grin.
"Well maybe not that we know of. Anyway, I was wondering if maybe we could do something sometime. I really like you, D'zren. I think we could be a great pair."
Suddenly the look on D'zren's face turned a little remorseful. "Selyndria, you're a great woman. You're friendly, pretty, and talented. Any man would be lucky to have you as a weyrmate, but I am in love with another. Etatoth is scheduled to participate in the flight of White Celinath, and I am very partial to her rider, Rissa. I am sorry. I thought everyone knew."
Selyndria bit back the tears. She held her stoic pose and tried to think of something to say. "I am sure you must have told me at some point. I guess I must have forgot. I think Alanysath is done now, so I am going to go back to my weyr. I'll see you later D'zren."
Sel turned and walked away. When she was out of sight, she began to run, and she ran all the way back to her weyr.
She walked into the the large cavern. Alanysath was sleeping comfortably on her couch. Sel glanced toward her dragon before throwing herself on her bed and sobbing into her furs. How could she have let herself fall so deeply for him when he was in love with another woman. Why in the world hadn't anyone mentioned that to her. As a junior weyrwoman, wasn't she entitled to some of this information?
As she sobbed, Ridonna and Mikayne popped in from between. The green and the blue were upset by their owner's emotions and glided down to comfort her. They sent her thoughts of love and affection.
"Shards!!," Sel screamed into the air. Why hadn't she asked more questions about D'zren, and why did this hurt so much. The two fire-lizards cheep at their owner trying to console her. Even the mischievious Ridonna rubbed her head against Sel's cheek.
Sel stroked the two fire-lizards and it made her feel better. Then she got an idea. She sent a question to Alanysath.
"Love, are you too full to fly? I think we need to go visit Ryslen."
"I am not too full. I would love to go there. There are lots of nice males there," came the eager reply.
Selyndria ran to her dragon who was already rising off of her couch. Then she climbed to her usual spot on her neck and gave her the picture of Ryslen. Alanysath walked to the edge of her ledge and gave a powerful leap of her hind legs before disappearing between.
