First Gather after the cold

[Mentoe]

"Gather! Gather! It’s a gather day!
No work for us, and Thread’s away.
Stalls are building, square’s swept clear,
Gather all from far and near.
Bring your marks and bring your wares,
Bring your family for there’s
Food and drink and fun and song.
The Hold flag flies; so gather along!"

Extended version, by Anne McCaffrey ©1977 and Mike Freeman ©2007:

Mentoe looked out of the hold window at the busy square. The gather stalls were going up quicker than he had thought possible and the air was already alive with the smell of fresh baked bubbly pies. This was the first gather that he would be putting on since he had been confirmed into the position of Lord of Fort. He could feel the tension in his shoulders at the thought of what would happen tonight at the dancing square. He loved to dance, but the prospect of partnering with all the gaudily dressed women that would be trying for his hand made him sick in a way. Was there no way that he could escape their ploys. With a snort he disencumbered himself from that cowardice thought, the young women were nothing that he should fear.

A small mew distracted him from the view outside and he looked up at the curtain rail in his sleeping chamber. Sure enough, the delicate little feline sat up there and looked down at him, a slight tilt to her head. With a smile he addressed the feline, "Morning, Pet. Did you catch anything?" She mewed again and tilted her head the other direction. With a smile, Mentoe turned his back on the window, tilted his head to the right, and tapped the pad on his left shoulder. With no more warning than a rustle of curtains, the little feline landed lightly on his shoulder, sinking her claws into the soft padding there. Mentoe stroked little Isabell and walked over to the bed where he unhooked her claws and set her down, stroking her fur until she lay down and closed her eyes. She would sleep after her nights wandering and he didn't want her getting lost in the gather crowds. Quickly he slipped out of the room and closed the door.

As he made his way down to the forecourt he smiled. He would enjoy this day greatly, women or no. He did tell himself though that he should be in the forecourt so that when the riders came, he would be there to greet all of them, but most particularly the Weyrleaders, Junior Weyrwomen, and the Wingleaders. He hoped that they would all come, he did not know the Benden Dragonrider contingent well but his hold was now bound to them since the disappearance of the Fort Weyr. That thought made him shudder, why would all those dragons and riders suddenly just disappear? It was unnerving and Mentoe pulled his mind sharply away from that thought. Once he was out of the hold he looked to the skies, watching for the flash of Dragonwings. Since no beasts were lounging on the firehights yet he had to assume that he had beaten his guests to the forecourt. As one of the stable felines ran past his ankles, Mentoe remembered his shoulder. He swiped his hand over the shoulder of his Gather shirt to dislodge any fur that his companion might of left there. He was pleased to not that there was none there, his brushing of the night before must have freed her of the remains of her winter coat.

It was a bright, warm, spring day, perfect for the first gather since the last frost and for his very first gather as lord holder.

[amber]

S'nar had slept in again and this time he had no excuse besides that his dragon had. Once again though he was us before the rest of the weyr. As he yawned and stretched he remembered that he had something to do today, but what was it? Ci what's happening today? he asked his dragon who took a moment to ask around Fort's gather. The bronze informed his rider before going back to sleep.

"Shards" he yelled as he rushed to his chest and pulled out his gather finery, the tunic was the color of Benden Weyr((I can't remember to save my life)) The pants fit very nicely and where a shade darker then his dragon. But something with missing, ah yes his knots. Where were his knots. Shards, where are they? then he remembered,

He'd left them in the records room when he was reading though old records. He pulled on his thick flight boots and jacket, placed his gather shoes and a light jacket incase he or a woman needed it. "Hey lazy wake up." He said as he want to his dragon and secured the riding straps. "I need to go to the records room. Then we can leave." He said as he lept onto the dragon's neck. Cinenth sighed a dragonic sigh and drifter down.

Upon landing the rider took off and then returned with his knots safely in his pack. he pulled on his goggles and fastened his straps. Okay buddy to Fort hold please. He said as he pictured the fireheights. They burst out of between as soon as the lord holder's head had turned away. Cinenth landed long enough for his rider to dismount then he returned to the firehieghts to sun all day. "Good morning Lord Holder." S'nar said after he had put his knots on, changed his shoes, and his jacket. He certainly looked the part of a bronze rider. He was not really foreward to dancing, but he knew he would...

[kalimalian]

Metvien was gliding about the courtyard looking so pompous and smug it could make a person feel sick. He was wearing his best Gather clothes - no less, of course, for an occasion - but pride of place in his outfit went to the pale gold fire-lizard perched on his forearm. She was clearly nervous, moving her wings restlessly and never holding them to her back, the very image of a startled creature. But Metvien didn't seem to have noticed, too busy strutting about with her proudly on display, showing her off to all and sundry. No hint of modesty, this one.

As he neared Lord Mentoe, he gave his Lord a bow, unsettling the firelizard so that she made a soft noise of fright and flapped her wings, making the injured, slightly twisted one more evident. "My Lord," Metvien began, all pomp, "this is a glorious Gather. A fine day to have chosen indeed." He was only a scribe, and not yet out of his teens, but he was the best scribe and the best teenager in the Hold, in his view.

[Ria]

Ria had climbed out of the bathing pool and was nearly dressed, her hair wrapped up in a towel to dry, when she heard feat pattering across the weyr outside. There was a pause and then another pattering of feet. When she looked out the curtains of her sleeping chamber she didn't see who had gone rushing past. Henareth, who just went rushing past and why? Henareth had been watching out of a slit of her eye and had been amused to see the bronze rider. It was Cinenth's rider going in and out of the record room, he didn't have have his rank cords on either trip Ria smiled because he had been in the record room last night.

He was probably on his way to the Fort Gather and she had to get the rest of the way ready because, as senior, she had to be there in a timely fashion. The emerald fabric of her gown fit snugly around her waist and hugged her curves from the long sleeves of the dress sleeves down to the hips. The skirts of the gown were ample as they fell around her ankles in rich folds. She clipped her dried and combed hair back, threw her cloak around her shoulders, and went to where Henareth was waiting for her, "Shall we go?" she called to her dragon and was answered by no more than a rumble. Together they ran down the passageway and on the ledge of her weyr Ria mounted, carefully tucking her skirts around her legs.

They were aloft and between before she knew it. As they broke out over Fort Hold Ria smiled at the bright sunshine that graced the day. Henareth landed her in the middle of the forecourt and once her rider was dismounted, she rose to the firehights where she settled as close to center as she could while still being beside Cinenth. Curving her neck around, she crooned flirtingly to the bronze. Gracefully Ria walked up to where the lord holder stood and stopped as she reached S'nar's side. Glancing quickly to S'nar, she noticed that his rank coards where now in place and she smiled slightly. Her smile widened graciously as she turned her face to the Lord before she offered her formal greeting, "Good day, Lord Mentoe. A most lovely day for a gather." Oh, the formalities of court!

[Mentoe]

Mentoe looked up again after the sweeping of his shoulder and was shocked to see a bronze dragon descending. He always liked to see them pop out of between and was a little annoyed with himself for missing it. The bronze barely touched down before he took off again to the firehights. Mentoe smiled and allowed enough time for the rider to make the alterations to his appearance which included rank knots, shoes, and coat, before he approached. Mentoe opened his mouth to great the man, but the rider beat Mentoe to the punch and Mentoe returned the greeting in kind, "Good morning, Bronze Rider, and welcome to Fort Hold. I fear that I am behind on learning the names of those riders to whom Fort is now bound. May I ask your name and that of your dragon?" He hoped that he had framed that comment well so that the rider would not take offense, he had to learn their names some how.

Mentoe was a little cross when Metvien spoke to him, but not enough so to make him act inappropriately, probably he had not seen the bronze rider to whom Mentoe spoke. Mentoe didn't exactly like the man and didn't approve of his pompous manor, but he did have a steady hand which was invaluable where the hold was concerned. His gaudy attire and the attitude that he had been expressing all morning was starting to wear Mentoe down. He couldn't really blame the man for acting as he did, he was still young (though Mentoe himself wasn't that much older. He did turn his head slightly to the man and nodded, "Thank you Metvien, I am glad that you think so as well." He would have said more to the man, but his eyes were drawn upward again as the air pressure around them changed.

Good, one of the queen riders had arrived, but, only being able to see the underside of the queen, he was unsure as to which one it was. That was dispelled as soon as the dragon landed and her rider dismounted. As Lord Holder of one of the major holds, Mentoe knew the Benden Senior Weyrwoman by sight and had even talked to her on occasion. And once again, the rider beet him to speak. "Good day to you as well, Lady Rialana. I am glad such a day could bless us all. Henareth looks to be in fine color today." Mentoe thanked any power he could that he had been allowed too mingle with the notables in weyr, hold, and craft when he was young. Those times still helped him respond in an appropriate manor to others of high rank.

[amber]

S'nar frowned when she scribe ran up, but he waited until the lord holder had returned his attention to him before speaking. "I am S'nar rider of Bronze Cinenth lord." he said taking no offense. He himself barely left the weyr and only knew the lord holder's name though that talking of him at Benden. He adjusted his foot and as he did so he heard the pop of a dragon coming out of 'between'.

His gaze moved skyward and landed in the sight of Henareth as she descended. This was enough to make Cinenth bugle to the whole gather that a queen had arrived. Ah leave it to a flirtly bronze to get that job done well. Oh well no harm in it. When Ria walked toward them S'nar waited and smiled when she came to a halt beside him.

After Mentoe had spoken he turned to the queen rider and took his turn greeting her. "Greetings Lady Rialana. It is a beautiful morning and it seems our dragons believe so as well."

His last comment had been made due to the fact that the bronze had moved closer to the queen and was crooning at her Good morning beautiful Henareth how are you on this lovely day? he asked her.

S'nar smiled at the compliments that his dragon had bestowed on the queen, man he seemed to be trying for something, but shards if he knew at this moment. The only thing the bronze rider could think about was maybe filling his stomach with bubbly pies and some good wine...

[Ria]

Rialana looked nodded to the lord for his comment, "Henareth is in very good color indead. She will fly soon. " Her eyes turned to S'nar for a moment, seeing if he had any reaction to that statement. She then added with a little smile to S'nar, "Good day, Bronze Rider. I see that you found your rank coards. Henareth told me that you were the boots I had heard this morning." Henareth looked at the bronze coily, Well indead now that I have such good company to sun with. She responded to his flirtation by moving closer to him and lay down again so that her side brushed his in a soft contact. She had felt emenceley complemented and welcomed when he had bugled. Her rider was very right, she was going to rise soon and he might just be a good one to contend for her.

In unconcous responce to her dragon's content thoughts and closeness to Cinenth, Rialana slid her hand around S'nar's elbow and smiled again at him. He was not a tall man by any means but she was exceaningly short for a woman so it was almost comic to see her standing next to anyone. "S'nar, would you acompany me through the gather today? I feal terably lonely when I have no one to walk with and then no one to share a skin with." She couldn't believe that she was flirting as expancively as her dragon was, but she wasn't used to being able to think about it. She had always responded to her dragon's moods, but never had she been conciouse of it. She had always been too busiy to notice before, havig to deal with thread, injuries, and she had always had a current weyrmate though she had never been very close to them. That thought made her heart sting, she had not let herself get too close to them due to the fact that she didn't want to hurt so badly if she were to loose one to thread, and she had lost her last, though not to thread. He had still been alive when the other weyrs had dissapeared. She always had a feeling that he had know something about that that he had never told her.

She noticed that her distressing thoughts had wiped the smile off her face and replaced it with a sad thoughtful one. With an effort she pulled herself back and smiled at S'nar, waiting for his answer.

[daesiggil]

Am'r wasn't the one to dress up, so simple clothes came to rest across his limbs and torso as he looked at the rising sun, taking his time; he always had been an early riser, no matter how tired he was. It caused a light itch, but he could ignore that with ease. He took the cane from the wall -not that he needed it- and turned to the ever watchful bronze "Morning Calarith, did you sleep well?" The bronze stretched and a soft yawn took the Dragon over, before he nodded As well as can be expected, Am'rMine. He responded. He nodded his head and wandered the halls for hours, before the exited sounds of Candidates and Riders warned him of the time. He returned swiftly to his room, looking outside once more.

He looked at the Dragon who bended his front paw obediently, although he was interrupted by a knock on his door; opening it the master harper stood in attention "Creline." He greeted, the slightly younger man nodded "May I hitch a ride?" Am'r nodded and turned again, walking back to Calarith. The old man lightly stepped on the extended paw and climbed on Calarith's back; Creline joining them not moments later "Ready?" He questioned, the Dragon spread his wings in response, jumping up, rather agile for his age and instantly Betweened, picking the image from his rider's mind. The coldness instantly swept over him, it got worse each time that they did so and soon they had to stop or risk getting killed; at least Am'r would risk it, he did know a lot, but he didn't know everything; especially not much about the Between, Calarith was unwilling to speak about it.

They arrived higher than he had expected, but the dragon swiftly brought them lower. He landed with a small shock, bending his legs, making it look that he did it on purpose and was not hurting. Calarith's eyes couldn't lie however and Am'r stroked the soft hide for a moment It's getting worse isn't it? He questioned in his own mind; others hadn't to hear and he didn't want to cause Calarith shame. The Dragon lifted his fore paw again and shook his head in denial Not at all Am'rMine. He let out a soft sigh and let it drop, stepping on the Dragon's front paw and sliding of it smoothly.

Calarith rose instantly and went to a sunbathing place. Am'r shook his head lightly and turned, knowing that he could call on his Dragon any moment as he faced the gathering and stepped toward it, using the cane. He arrived not too long after and nodded to a few persons he knew and warned an equal amount of Candidates if they where going in the good way of getting drunk. It was a day that it was allowed, but he still wanted them to be careful with such things. He would drink wine himself and the pies; he still could find delight in such simple things, remembering it from when He was still young, a mere candidate.

He stopped and let out a soft sigh, looking around with an happy expression on his face; maybe someone would stop for this old man and make small chit-chat with him. He wouldn't bite, although Calarith would do if the conversation was going the bad way, but that wouldn't happen. He was sure of that; it was a day to be happy after all. Creline, to this moment unnoticed touched his shoulder lightly. He turned his attention to the handsome -even he could admit it- male and gave a small smile "I'm going to look around for a bit.." Am'r nodded and looked after Creline as the male walked away, they would meet each other soon enough again; especially if they both where going to get drunk some time soon.

[Mentoe]

Mentoe felt his cheeks redden a little at the way the Weyrwoman and the bronze rider, S'nar, were behaving. It seemed to be an inappropriate thing to do, flirting as they were, with such suggestion, at least in here eyes. He had to remember though, they were weyrfolk and weyrfolk did things a little bit differently that any were else on Pern. Who was he kidding, they did things a lot different! His eyes flickered up to the firehights and was shocked to see their dragons indulging in both physical contact (which he had never seen dragons do) and were vocalizing much as their riders were. Maybe Lady Rialana was more right about her dragon than ever she knew.

As the two riders continued their conversation, Mentoe bowed to Rialana and nodded to S'nar. "Pardon me, Weyrwoman, Bronze Rider. I must speak with my other guests." Mentoe didn't want to admit it, but he had felt very uncomfortable when Rialana spoke in such a way, it was almost lude. He quickly made a break for it and walked to where he saw another rider that he recognized. Am'r was known to Mentoe, he had heard of him when he was the Weyrleader. Even though he was not the acting weyrleader now, he still deserved a formal greeting from Mentoe as Lord Holder, "Greetings, (?)Lord(?) Am'r. I'm glad that you could come to the gather!" Talking to the seasoned rider would certainly be better than the aquard conversation that Rialana and S'nar were indulging in.

[daesiggil]

[OoC: trying to keep it moving =/]

Am'r was already to give up, until a voice interrupted him from his musings. It was a familiar voice but he couldn't paste a face or a name on it, so he simply turned. He gazed at the other for a moment before bowing his head lightly "Greetings Lord Holder." He now remembered and he forced himself to be a bit more polite than before "I hope everything is well?" He questioned, to make conversation.

Calarith stirred lightly in his mind, always connected and Am'r had the feeling that the dragon laughed and he was nearly proved correctly I think that you wished that he would go Between and never come back He would have blushed if he hadn't company, but since he had he only coughed softly "Pardon me, the oldness is getting to me.." He smiled lightly, crinkles forming as he brushed the auburn brown-red hair from his face.

He knew that the man only wanted conversation, but he for once didn't know how to keep the conversation flowing; thinking quickly he forced his lips into another thin smile for the younger male "And... how is the search going?" He inquired almost innocently. He of course knew some of the inner working of the Holds and knew that Mentoe had to get a wife sooner or later. He brushed of his clothes lightly "Do you mind if I get something to drink?" He questioned again, a hint of an invitation in it to continue their conversation if the other male wished so "My throat is becoming slightly dry..."