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Post by .K.aci on Feb 6, 2010 17:30:03 GMT -5
Something has changed within me Something is not the same I'm through with playing by the rules Of someone else's game It was now. It had come. There was nothing else to do, no other course of action. She and Ezelth had talked it over, and there had been doubts. Despite what anyone else thought, they had thought this over - and M'kel had not been involved at first AT ALL. She had spent hours and hours trying to decide what to do. One thing had been clear to them - they could not stay under the control of a murderer. She had trusted B'kay too, which stung more than Kitari - the Weyrlingmaster had always been kind to her, even when she had been a drudge. She knew it had to be now that he did not know or think that Kitari was the murderer - love made people foolish. It was why Crown had never bothered - she had seen D'rel and K'mar lovestruck, and had had to deal with thier pain when it did not last. She had comforted them, of course, but they had picked some awful people sometimes. It just made her more determined to never fall in love.
But Crown had heard Ezelth keen for the death's off too many dragons, and she had been very ill herself. It had been touch and go, as she had almost lapsed into a coma, and even now Ezelth still worried over her too closely sometimes. It was just the difference between before and after - she didn't really mind anymore that the Gold asked her. But Crown was chafing as she helped Kitari set the Weyr on it's feet again - she was the most senior of the Junior Weyrwoman now, and she had run herself ragged with the new Weyrwoman. But now, after hours, ages, days of talking it over with the Gold, she brought in D'rel and K'mar. They had agreed with her suspicions, and helped her plan. They lent ideas - D'rel, full of ideas and wild plans, and K'mar with his calm, reigning his twin back, fixing the wild ideas and making them usable. It was Crown and Ezelth who were the mediators, helping to discourage the bad ideas and coax others into true plans.
It had been one of D'rel's ideas that brought on the new system - he had been lounging across her bed, and had stated disgustedly that it was not quite fair all the ideas the two had helped to put into the Weyr, that they would not get the full respect from the other riders that they deserved. Crown had looked up from the paper she was concentrating on and decided that it wouldn't be like that at Ilkros, she managed to pull it off. She had been a drudge - she understood how it worked, the Greenrider's only a little better at times. So, she did something about it.
And even standing there, in one of the middle weyrs, one hand on the front shoulder of her Gold, Crown was still marveling. It had happened by mostly luck and hard planning, but it still had happened. She and Ezelth had stumbled by on the beautiful place by accident as they had been exploring and mapping out the Northern contiment, and with the soft stone... She had hired the crafters immediatliy, and started them on the Weyr as she put her finishing couches on her ideas and plans. Then, she set it into effect.
It had been at supper. Most of the population had been there, eating the food - if albeit warily. Crown had swallowed her sudden fear, and rose, saying in a serious, carrying voice, "Murderer." The dining hall had slowly fallen silent, and Kitari had just looked at her. Crown threw herself into her words before she lost her nerves. "You killed them. Alana, and the other's. You poisoner." She ignored the murmurings of shock, and continued on. "Just because you wanted Weyrlingmaster B'kay and the Weyrwoman position. Well, I can't stand it. I won't. I won't stand behind a killer. Ezelth and are grown, and I'll admit I made mistakes. But I will not stay under the rule of a woman who has killed her own Weyrwoman, and the sister of her own dragon. I've found a new home, a new Weyr - and anyone who doesn't want to live under a murderer is free to join me. No more should colors determine what your rank is, and wherhandler's shouldn't be forced to stay underground. Your actions and the reasons behind them, I can't stand them - and I won't be like you."
With that, Crown had turned on her heel, leaving with D'rel and allowed K'mar stay behind to give the locations with Raouth. Those moments had been the worst, and Crown had worried that no one would come. She had panicked quietly, thinking she would have to go back and stay - but soon-enough, they began to come through. One at a time, two by two, they came in, taking a look at their new home. Crown had sighed with relief - and let K'mar go to the Minor holds and higher more miners and builders. They were in the North, but marks were marks, and she and the twins emptied their pockets for the sake of the Weyr. She took control after that - it was so simple to make the orders and have them followed. It helped too, she realized as she rolled up her sleeves and helped to serve the food that had been hastily put together, that she was not sitting around - she and Ezelth were clearing out the caves with the rocks just as much.
Now they had taken a break, just looking down, and Crown was thinking. Everything was tumbling through her brain, and she was trying to sort through it all. First, M'kel. He had had nothing to do with the Weyr, and she was very irritated that that was the rumor going around. But even then, she knew she could overcome that. It was also being Weyrwoman. She had been trained for it for over two turns now, and she had been picked by Ezelth - she was ready for this, despite being young, despite much of the Weyr's first impression of her. She was determined to be a better Weyrwoman, and to talk to and know the people in her Weyr - it was her choice where they ranked, after all. And even then, she was going to be fair, she promised herself. Shadow's would be shadow's because of a reason, not just first impressions.
Ezelth rumbled, and nudged Her's, murmuring, We will do fine. It is our Weyr now, of course, and we will do it proud. Crown laughed suddenly, fiercely hugging the nose of her pale Gold. Yes. Our Weyr - and we will. Ezelth turned then, roaring her claim and letting it echo through the canyon and the beauty, fierce and beautiful and Queen.
Too late for second-guessing Too late to go back to sleep It's time to trust my instincts Close my eyes: and leap!
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Post by M'kel on Mar 2, 2010 0:17:59 GMT -5
Ikros Weyr!
It represented so much. A new beginning, yes. Most assuredly. And in so many ways.
When M'kel had first heard Crown's fierce declaration in the Dining Cavern, he hadn't known what to think. It was so very unexpected. The Weyr was in turmoil, trying to recover from the poisoning and the shock of losing its Weyrwoman; he never could have imagined that Crown was planning such a large-scale rebellion on top of it all.
At first that was what he'd thought it was. The girl had always been angst-y, to say the least, and didn't like being bossed around, even as a drudge. He figured she'd decided she was tired of it and wanted more of a leadership role. It was the kind of thing that made perfect sense to M'kel. Growing up with a dozen or so siblings, he had craved nothing more than independence and power, and he admired Crown for making such a bold move. Immediately, he saw the potential benefits to himself, for the Weyr's dragons would soon be dividing amongst Ikros and Araelen. And a division of bronzes meant less competition for his Tirenth...
But as time went on, and he had a chance to speak with Crown at the new Weyr, he realized that she truly did believe her claims. The girl really thought that Kitari was responsible for poisoning everyone. The idea had seemed absolutely ludicrous to M'kel when he'd first heard it; sure it worked as a tale to fool the simple-minded and win her the loyalty of some of the dragonriders, but it just wasn't possible! Kitari and Alana had both Impressed at his Tirenth's first Clutch, and he'd been the one to Analyze the candidates himself! Plus, he'd gotten to know the pair while they were Jr. Weyrwomen, and he just couldn't believe either of them could be capable of such a horrendous crime.
He kept his doubts to himself, though. No need for Crown to suspect he wasn't as fully enthralled by her morality as the rest of the new members of Ikros Weyr. No, M'kel was perfectly content to keep quiet on the matter and join the flow in shaping the new Weyr. He might have felt a touch of guilt if he'd had to witness the pain Kitari must be in, back at Araelen, in dealing with such an accusation, but it hardly mattered out here. Whether the new dragonriders of Ikros Weyr were here out of conviction or a desire to have more say in their lives, they would all be building a new Weyr together, and M'kel wanted to be part of it.
In fact, he'd just recently sealed himself a position in Crown's new ranking scheme as a Knight. Having grown up in the past, the bizarre new hierarchy irked him, but M'kel was flexible. He could adapt to this new system and work his way swiftly to the top, and having an in with the Weyrwoman gave him a good start. He actually had a far better chance in this new Weyr than he'd ever had in Araelen, after his disgrace and downfall with the disappearance of Sitareh. That was one thing, at least, that the rumour mill had correct...M'kel was here for another chance at power.
And if he was slightly fond of the goldrider, that only added to the charm of the new place.
Charm indeed, Tirenth huffed, stretching shoulder muscles weary from the strain of his harness.
That was one thing that bothered M'kel about this new Weyr...Crown expected everyone to work, even her Knights, and, well, M'kel was rather used to slacking off while holding a high ranking role. Maybe you'd rather wear the harness instead, while I just take care of strapping in the boulders? his dragon interrupted scornfully, a snort from bronze nostrils sending blond locks tossing about M'kel's head.
"I'm sorry, dearheart," M'kel grinned apologetically, grasping his bronze's great forearm to heave himself up and slather some oil on a tender spot of hide. "You are doing most of the work, I will admit. And you've been doing a wonderful job. Hauling twice the boulders of most! Really, you must be the strongest bronze in the entire Weyr."
Hm, Tirenth snorted again, amused and somewhat assuaged by the flattery, however jokingly it was delivered. It was what he'd come to expect from his rider, so it really didn't perturb the bronze much at all.
"Well! Now that that's taken care of, I really must be off to visit our lovely Weyrwoman. I'll see if she can do anything about that draft we're getting in our weyr. It'll do us no good if Ikros's strongest bronze catches a chill and can't work anymore!" M'kel said cheerfully as he slid down from Tirenth's forearm and stored the bottle of oil on a shelf, brushing off his hands on his wherhide pants.
Tirenth shook his head slightly, doubting very much that this was M'kel's real reason for seeking out Crown, but he really did feel much better after that oiling. Thus, the bronze settled down for a nap, though his whirling eyes followed his rider's form until he'd left the weyr.
Striding with ease and a confident spring in his step, M'kel made his way through the Weyr to the (undisclosed!) location of the Weyrwoman. It was easy to spot her with the pale gold of Ezelth catching the light, and he was intrigued to note the thoughtful expression on Crown's face as she hugged her dragon. Ezelth's sudden trumpet caused M'kel to jump, but he recovered quickly and approached the pair somewhat from behind, hoping to catch them by surprise.
"What'cha thinking about?" he blurted out loudly, a playful grin on his face as he waited for Crown's reaction. If for nothing else, he couldn't have been in a different Weyr from Crown, for she provided him with so much fun!
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