[Statistics] [Candidate] [Hatchling] [Weyrling] [Adult]

Why can't I? Yainolith sulked, her eyes whirling a slow orange.

Qianel crossed her arms and threw the young queen a stern look. "Because your wings aren't strong enough yet, that's why. We need to do more exercises and learn more about flight in general before you go leaping off the top ledge." The senior weyrling paused, then added in a sing-song voice, "And because the Weyrlingmaster said so. Alright?"

The golden weyrling sighed in a huff of dragon-breath and her eyes returned to a happier greenish yellow. Oh, alright. But if I don't get to fly soon, I think I might just explode.

"Well thank you for the warning, dear," Qianel said, hiding a grin.

The weyrlings were now considered to be seniors, although they still resided in the weyrling barracks. In a sevenday or two the Weyrlingmaster would announce their final training leading up to first flights, and Qianel was just too excited. Of course she didn't let Nola know that. That would mean an even more persistent young queen pestering her all day long.

She'd noticed that most of the young dragons of Yainolith's clutch were having similar arguments with their riders, but as far as she could tell, none had let in. It would mean sevendays of cleaning duties. Simply not worth it.

But still, the thought that one day soon they would be flying was an exhilarating one. Of course, Qianel had flown adragonback before - although never on a queen, and certainly never on her own queen!

That she was a queenrider was still one she could hardly accept. A junior weyrwoman, when she graduated. So incredibly surreal.

But it was happening. She just had to look at the way the other weyrlings treated her and Nola to see it was. Especially the bronzeriders. Now that she could get used to. Qianel allowed herself a cheeky grin at a thought of one of the more charming young men who had approached her not long ago.

That was fun, wasn't it? Yainolith remarked smugly at her rider's thoughts.

Qianel laughed softly. "I could definitely get used to this queen thing."

Mm, me too, the golden weyrling agreed rather unnecessarily.

With a mildly startled look, Qianel burst out in laughter.

Yainolith cocked her head innocently. What'd I do?