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+--- Thread: [G] [P] 739.03.25 | A Gift For My Betrothed (/showthread.php?tid=3873)
739.03.25 | A Gift For My Betrothed - Therion - 25.Mar.18
A dragonrider had been sent to convey Therion to the Weyr for his meeting with R'nya and the Lord Holder asked him to fly straight rather than go between. Not only did he want to enjoy the view, but between unnerved him a bit since the dragonriders had returned. It had not bothered him as a child when he had accompanied his parents to hatchings and other events at Fort Weyr. He had thought it rather exciting to be in one place at one moment and in another the next.
Now that he was older and no longer believed he was immortal like so many younglings did, his perception was much different. Though he knew that nothing would go wrong, he didn't want to take any chances. If he were to die without an heir, his Hold might be taken over by a distant cousin whom he had never met and who might destroy it, either intentionally or unintentionally. He had worked too hard to get it to where it was today to throw all caution to the wind.
And soon, with his second marriage not far away, he might get that heir he both wanted and needed so badly. Therion had not told R'nya why he wanted to meet with him today, but he hoped that the Weyrleader would be able to grant his request. He had been too busy to visit Kaylira for a couple of months and he hoped that a special gift might make up for his lack of attention … one that only the Weyr would be able to provide.
When he arrived, the dragonrider took him to the Weyrleader's office and he strode confidently inside, hoping that R'nya would be there. Therion was a busy man and didn't like being kept waiting, although he might make an exception in this instance.
RE: 739.03.25 | A Gift For My Betrothed - R'nya - 30.Mar.18
A frown furrowed R’nya’s eyebrows at Xyreith’s words, though, and he blinked at Rhaedalyn. “My visitor is here?” He asked rhetorically, trying to figure out whom it was that Xyreith was talking about. “Who..? Oh! Shit!” Slapping a hand over his mouth and glancing guiltily at the two girls – Varlea giggled in delight – R’nya leaned forward to give Rhaedalyn a quick kiss. “Lord Fort is here. Join us when you have finished lunch with the girls, love. No rush.” Pressing a kiss to each of the girl’s heads, R’nya quickly made his way out of the Dining Hall and towards his office.
R’nya arrived in a timely manner; he had not run, but nor had he dillydallied on the way. Pressing the door open with one hand, R’nya nodded a greeting to Therion as he closed the door behind him. “Lord Therion,” he said mildly, striding across the room and taking his seat. “Lady Rhaedalyn will be joining us once she and our girls finish their lunch. In the meantime, how can I help you?”
RE: 739.03.25 | A Gift For My Betrothed - Therion - 05.Apr.18
R'nya was not in his office, but Therion was certain that he would be informed of his arrival and join him shortly. He understood that the Weyrleader had responsibilities equal to or even exceeding his own. Something had probably come up that needed his attention. Perhaps the dragonrider who had shown him in would inform him of the Lord Holder's arrival.
As his eyes traveled curiously around the room, Therion smiled as he thought of what Kaylira had done on her first visit to Fort. He'd had his steward show her into his office but there had been a dispute he'd had to resolve before he could join her. While she waited, she had rearranged almost everything in the room just to be mischievous. While usually such a thing annoyed him to no end, he had actually found it endearing. Perhaps her youthful charm would be good for him.
Idly, he wondered what R'nya would think if he did the same thing. He would probably believe that the Lord of Fort Hold had gone completely insane. And it would most likely be true. He was not even tempted to engage in such silly shenanigans, but the notion was quite amusing.
Hearing the steady cadence of footsteps out in the hall, Therion turned his head toward the door as it opened and R'nya strode inside. He nodded slightly in return, continuing to stand where he was while the other man took a seat. “Good afternoon, Weyrleader R'nya,” he said with a cordial smile. “Thank you for agreeing to meet with me.
“I actually have two things I would like to discuss with you. I don't know if you've heard, but I will getting married at the end of the eighth month.” He had not yet told many people of his upcoming nuptials and had only recently sent invitations to the other major Lords, more to discourage them from pushing their daughters at him than because he expected them to attend. “I would like to invite you, Rhaedalyn, and every dragonrider in the Weyr to the wedding. There's going to be a three-day gather as well as a horse race and many other games and festivities.”
RE: 739.03.25 | A Gift For My Betrothed - R'nya - 15.Apr.18
R’nya rested his elbows on the desk, linking his fingers together lazily as he watched his companion, studying him quietly as the Lord Holder composed his thoughts. R’nya felt eons older than the other man, but as he studied him, knew he’d be lucky to have five years on him, if Lord Therion wasn’t older than himself. The Holder had the advantage in his position, however; he had been groomed to be a Lord, while R’nya had groomed himself to Impress bronze, and angled for Weyrleader. The Plague had foiled his plans, killed his first mate, and sent himself and Xyreith fleeing, but in the end he’d gained the rank he’d angled for so determinedly as a youth. It wasn’t what he’d anticipated, and if he could palm it off on someone else, R’nya honestly believed he would. But he didn’t trust anyone else to take care of Fort, or set a good example. He also did not want anyone lording it over Rhaedalyn!
A brow arched elegantly at the information that the Lord Holder was going to be married. He hadn’t heard, but that was not unusual. R’nya relied on D’hys to filter the gossip and tell him important things and the bluerider had very likely not considered the Lord Holder getting married to be important – it was Holder politics, and involved an adjustment in the female ranks, not the mans. Now, had been a wedding that would result in a new Lord, no doubt R’nya would have been informed at once. He had a remarkable trust in D’hys relaying information, he supposed, wondering if that were idiotic of him. Perhaps he should find a couple more men to act as filters; it could, after all, hardly hurt.
“Sounds good,” R’nya murmured politely. “I am sure many will be thrilled to attend.” He wasn’t going to say he’d be thrilled – he wasn’t really one for such events – though he would certainly take Rhaedalyn and the girls down to the Hold to enjoy at least the primary day of the festivities. “Thank you for the invitation.” R’nya made a mental note to write up notices to place on the bulletin board within the Weyr so that the Riders could attend if they so choose, though he’d refrain from putting them up too early. He was sure there would be no shortage of weyrstff that would find lifts down to the Hold as well. Such was life!
“What was the other?” R’nya asked politely.
RE: 739.03.25 | A Gift For My Betrothed - Therion - 18.Apr.18
At the Hold, a visitor did not sit unless invited to do so by his host. Perhaps the Weyr did not observe that custom, but in any case, Therion remained standing. In truth, he probably would have refused a chair if offered one. He had just taken a leisurely ride on a dragon and he was perfectly content to remain on his feet. Not to mention that most chairs were not fashioned with unusually tall people in mind and the only way he could be comfortable in them was to sprawl his long leather-clad legs out in front of him, which took up quite a bit of space and looked more casual than professional.
R'nya's arched eyebrow indicated that he had not known of Therion's wedding plans, which wasn't really surprising. If N'rik had told anyone, it was probably only his closest friends, and in all likelihood, he had kept his sister's betrothal to himself, knowing that it was not his news to share. Although Therion was aware that dragons could speak to each other, he wasn't certain if they were prone to gossip or if they disregarded anything that did not concern themselves and their riders. They probably didn't even know what marriage was. In his understanding, dragonriders were rarely monogamous.
The Weyrleader's polite response was much the same as Therion's would have been if he had been invited to a hatching. As a boy, hatchings had been exciting; now they didn't hold that much appeal for him. They were much the same as weddings. In both, people were bonded to their life partners, either a dragon or another human being. The main difference was that if a dragon or rider died, the other followed soon after except in rare circumstances when the rider lived on.
There was a time when Therion had wished the same applied to husbands and wives. For several years after Alstrina's unfortunate and premature demise, he wished that he could have perished with her. Life had seemed so empty without her. Yet he'd had two children and a Hold to think of. Now he had a second chance at happiness, an opportunity that he had thought would never come. Perhaps he would finally have an heir to raise to succeed him. He loved his daughters deeply, but he had always longed for a son.
“Excellent!” His smile broadened, and his deep voice was sincere. In his opinion, it was time that Hold and Weyr got to know each other, and what better way to accomplish that than a celebration? He doubted many dragonriders would attend the actual wedding, but they would be welcome if they chose to do so.
When R'nya asked about the other matter he wished to discuss, Therion didn't hesitate. “I'm marrying the youngest daughter of Southern Boll. In fact, her brother is one of your dragonriders. To welcome Kaylira to her new home, I would like to give her a firelizard. She's already fond of my Chanson, and he likes her as well. I've seen the wistful look in her eyes and I know she would love of her own.”
His eyes met the Weyrleader's. “Would you allow me to present her with a gold egg when you have one? I am willing to accept any conditions you set upon its ownership.”